| Term |
Definition |
S
|
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| Saivo-neita |
In Lapp, "Sea Maiden". A term for mermaids in Norway and Finland. |
| Samhghubha |
An Irish term for "mermaid". |
| Sasquatch |
1) The Native American name for a large hairy humanoid which is sighted in the Pacific Northwest. See also Bigfoot, Gigantopithicus, Wild Man, Yeti. 2) A Marvel Comics hero which adopted the same name, Sasquatch is able to change from a human to a sasquatch by will. The character has undergone a number of transformations since his introduction to the Canadian super-hero team "Alpha Flight" including a hair coloration change from orange to white, and a gender change from male to female. See also Snowbird. |
| Satyr |
A creature in Greek Mythology that was mostly human from the waist up, and had the hindquarters of a goat below the waist. They are also portrayed with horns and goat like ears. They are usually male. Satyrs (or Fauns as the Romans called them) were symbols of fertility, and kept to the woodlands, following the gods Dionysus, Bacchus or Pan. Satyrs are typically a wild unpredictable bunch, prone to party and chasing of nymphs (see Nymph) and being mischievous. |
| Scroll |
A strip of paper that is usually rolled up for storage. Prior to the invention of bound books (See Books) scrolls were used to contain knowledge and by implication, magical powers that are older than any spellbook. Scrolls are sometimes used in Anime and Manga to cast a variety of spells, determined by the characters written down on the scroll. |
| Scylla |
The topic of many ancient legends, Scylla is portrayed as starting off as a water nymph or a beautiful woman in ancient Greek and Roman myths. The water nymph association usually associates her with sea monsters, but her assumed name, Scylla, means "bitch" which adds a canine element to some of her descriptions. Through a variety of ways (making the Sorceress Circe jealous, spurning the god Posidon, etc) she is transformed into a monster, which varies from tale to tale. In some, she is human from the waist up, but has the heads of six dogs and twelve dog legs below her waist. In others, she is a multi-limbed creature with several heads. The Medieval version has her as a woman from the waist up, a body of a wolf and a tail of a dolphin. The most recognised form is that os a sea monster with tentacles, which destroyed ships, and ate their crews, including six of Ulysseus's own crew. She was later changed into a rock, which still posed a danger to ships. |
| SD |
Shorthand for SuperDeformed. |
| Sedu/Shedu |
Benevolent demons or guardian angels from ancient Assyria, Sumeria and Babylon who are guardians of palaces and temples, where their images are preserved to this day. They are depicted as winged lions or bulls with human heads. The females are called Lama or Lamassu; the males are called Sedu or Shedu. |
| Selkie |
In Ireland, Scotland and parts of England, Selkies are seals who change into women, usually by taking off their seal skins to bathe in their human form. Most tales deal with men who steal or hide their seal skin and make the selkie their wife, although the selkie usually regains possession of their seal skin and return to the ocean, never to be seen again. See also Suits, Swans. |
| Sex Change |
A real world operation that physically changes a man into a woman or a woman into a man. A drastic step, but some people feel strongly enough about their gender being inappropriate that it is done, although it should be noted that they are not 'fully functional'. |
| Shade |
Something akin to a person's ghost. Shades are first mentioned in ancient Greek literature, and are portrayed as shadows of the deceased person, without any real form. |
| Shadow, The |
From pulp comics and radio programs, The Shadow was a dark hero with the "Power to cloud men's minds". Using something akin to hypnotism, and as a master of disguise he could appear to others as he wanted to. He is also considered to have been the inspiration for the creation of "Batman". However, he had no power over physical shadows or shadow forces as described in the following entry. |
| Shadows |
In some literature, shadows are used as amorphous transforming creatures, usually of evil intent. In comics several characters have powers over an impenitrable darkness, which they can become a part of. DC Comics characters who utilize this force include the villians Obsidian, The Shade, and the heroine Umbra. |
| Shadows, The |
A race of ancient insect-like "evil" aliens portrayed in the science fiction series "Babylon 5" They had an affinity for darkness and could become invisible- a state they were usually in. |
| Shapeshifter |
It goes without saying - a subject that can change it's shape. It is usually applied to a subject who can change into a wide variety of shapes and things, although it may also be applied to a subject that can only switch between two or three fixed forms, such as a werewolf (see Werewolf, Werecreatures). |
| Shemale |
1. A crude, but more widely used word to label a hermaphrodite (See Hermaphrodite). Typically, a person with well developed breasts and the figure of a woman, with the addition of male genitals. 2. A minor character with those traits seen on the Supermegatopia website. |
| Shrinking |
A topographic type of transformation where a person is reduced in scale. The means to be reduced vary widely, from potions as in "Alice in Wonderland", to scientific rays. Heroes who use this ability regularly include DC Comics Atom and Shrinking Violet and Marvel Comics Ant Man, Yellowjacket and Wasp. |
| Side Show |
Sometimes confused or combined with a Freak Show (see Freak Show) a Side Show tended to have acts of prowess, such as sword swallowers, fire breathers, blockheads, and so forth. While impressive, these performers were on the "side" of the circus, while the big show was taking place under the Big Top. The last regular sideshow in operation is at Coney Island, New York, USA. |
| Siamese Twins |
The originals, Chang and Eng, came from Siam (Now Thailand) and were joined by a piece of flesh at the waist. They rose in fame to became an attraction in PT Barnum's Circus, and lent their name to such conjoinments. After their death, it was found that they could have been successfully separated even with the basic 19th century medical techniques available at the time. (See Conjoinment) |
| Sileni |
A type of Centaur, described as a sort of satyr, only having the lower half of the body as that of a horse rather than a goat, and the upper half that of a man. |
| Silver |
A "noble" metal, usually associated with the moon; hence it's symbol in alchemy and astrology is strikingly similar. This lunar connection is noted in both the New and Old World traditions. Due to its magical association to the moon, silver is able to ward off, wound or kill numerous supernatural beings, including demons, werecreatures, vampires, and so forth. On a more scientific standpoint, silver is also a good conductor of electricity. |
| Siren |
A mythological creature that is portrayed as having the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a bird. They were first mentioned by Homer in the Odyssey, although he does not describe their form. However, they have been confused with Mermaids by some later writers. A more commonly recognised term for this sort of creature is Harpy. |
| Skin(s) |
Prior to costumes, some legends speak of people who don animal skins and become that animal - or animals who shed their skin and reveal that they are human. The tradition sort of carries on today with costumes (See Fursuits, Suits). |
| Skrulls |
A green multichinned humanoid alien race featured in Marvel comics since the 1960's which has the ability to shapeshift. |
| Sleep |
A few stories use sleep as a trigger for transformation. In some cases, the subject would go to sleep, only to change into an "alter ego" of sorts, usually the exact opposite of the person when they were awake. Essentially, two personalities inhabit the same body - when one sleeps, the other awakens, and neither is fully aware of the other's actions. In other cases, when a person goes to sleep, they awaken in a different body, in a different place, and have to take charge of the situation that they face, until they fall asleep and awaken in the real world again- until they sleep again. See Dreams. |
| Snowbird |
A Marvel Comics shape shifting female superhero who was part of the Canadian super team "Alpha Flight". The incarnation of a Native American spirit-goddess, she could change into any animal native to northern Canada, although the coloration remained white, and she could not scale down to the animal's natural size (i.e. - she remained human sized unless the animal was larger than she was) Snowbird left the mortal plane, but her physical body would be later be inhabited by the spirit of the hero Sasquatch (See related entry) |
| Sorceress, The |
A character created by Naga (Darin) the Sorceress is a powerful magician who takes delight in transforming people into other things - animate and inanimate. She resides in a realm set apart from otherworlds, although periodically portals open to allow new victims into her world. |
| Soul / Spirit Transfer |
Essentially a magical version of mind transfer, where a person's spirit or soul is exchanged or in some cases takes over another person or animal's body. |
| Speed |
Speed has been used in a number of tales to create or explain a sort of invisibility - ie "moving faster than the naked eye". In most cases, the world appears to be frozen to the person moving quickly. |
| Sphinx |
A hybrid creature with the head (and sometimes upper chest) of a person or another animal, and the body and limbs of a lion. There are a number of other additions, such as wings, that are added to the mix as well. The creature seems to have originated in Egypt ca. 2500 BCE, where it's largest representation, the Great Sphinx, is located. However, it is best known in literature as a key opponent of Oedipus, a Greek hero who answers the Riddle of the Sphinx correctly, and goes on to his tragic destiny. Over the ages, it has undergone a number of developments and transformations in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. |
| Spontaneous Human Combustion |
A very real and little understood phenomenon, where an otherwise healthy human being apparently catches fire for no reason at all, and is transformed to ash. While there have been no eyewitnesses to the actual occurrence, the heat source usually incinerates the victim, and may melt and singe nearby object, but rarely does anything else other than the person involved catch fire. |
| Spring |
A source of water. In mythology, some springs have transformative powers attributed to them, notably the fabled Fountain of Youth which makes people younger. Another set of cursed springs used in the Japanese manga/anime series Ranma 1/2 causes anyone who falls into them to be transformed into a creature which 'tragicy drowned' there. |
| SRU |
Shorthand for Spells 'R Us. This is sort of a shared online story concept created by Bill Hart that anyone can use, so there are many sites and story threads on the web based on or featuring this topic. It generally revolves around a bona-fide magic shop run by an old wizard who may assist, cause a magical mishap, or teach the visitors to his shop a lesson they will not forget. And should you happen to see an odd shop suddenly appear in you mall named "Spells 'R Us" please use caution and courtesy when you visit! |
| STD/ Sexually Transmitted Disease |
A major concern of today's generation, STD has found its way into transformation stories as a means to transmit a transformative ability or curse from one person to the other through the means of intercourse. This transformation is most common with werecreatures as another means to pass on their abilities (or curse, depending on your point of view) Like real world STD, the question is, how many times can it be done before you catch it? Of course, children conceived through such a coupling usually carry that ability. |
| Suits |
1. A costume, usually full bodied in nature, which resembles a person's favorite character or personal character in the real world. 2. In some fiction stories, a magical plot device used to transform the character into another character. Depending on the plot, the person may just look exactly like the person whose 'suit' they donned, or they might be overwhelmed by the character's personality and become that character. 3. A restraining device used for bondage. |
| Super-Animals / Super-Pets |
In the 1950's and 1960's as comics tried to become more "wholesome" DC Comics introduced the idea that Superman and Supergirl had to have super-pets. Two came from Krypton, Krypto the Super-Dog, and Beppo the Super-Monkey. Streaky the Super-Cat was a normal cat periodically given super powers by accidental exposure to some form of Kryptonite. The last two had transformational powers of a sort - Comet the Super Horse was a Centaur named Biron who wanted to be a man, but was turned into a horse by magic - and given super powers as a sort of compensation. However, whenever a comet came close to Earth, he would change into a human until it left again. Proty was a "Super Pet" of the Legion of Super Heroes that was a white blob in its natural state but could shapeshift into any form it wanted. These and other "super-pets" were removed from the DC Comics timeline in the 1980's when the comics were revamped. However, they do reappear in cameos or reinterpreted for modern audiences, with the exception of Krypto, who has been allowed to return as Superman's dog. |
| SuperDeformed |
A Japanese art style where a mainstream character of Anime or Manga is portrayed with small limbs, a stubby body and a large head. They are usually used in asides in Manga, or in humorous mini-strips. However, it is quite popular, and you can find superdeformed characters as figurines, models and so forth. |
| Survival of the Fittest |
The theory behind evolution, where creatures with better features survive and replace existing creatures. One example of this is found in England, where a species of white moth presumed extinct was 'discovered' after a number of coal-fired factories were shut down. It was determined that the moth was in fact the same species as a gray colored moth common to the area, and that the gray color was something of a recessive gene. However, while the coal powered factories were in operation, the region was covered with a gray soot which favored the survival of the gray moths, since the white ones were easily seen and eaten by birds. Once the coal burning stopped, and the region began to get cleaned up (and the gray was washed away) the white moths had a better chance of survival than the gray. |
| Survival of the Sexiest |
A competing theory with Survival of the Fittest as the engine of evolution, this is put forward to explain some of the odder (and otherwise useless) adaptations some animals have for attracting a mate. |
| Suspended Animation / Stasis |
A form of sleep, sometimes used as an alternative to petrification. Suspended Animation itself is a science fiction term and usually involves pods or containers of some sort to preserve the sleeper. Stasis is an alternative term, but being of more recent origins can apply to rays or fields that stop a person dead in their tracks, often paralyzed, but aware of what is taking place. |
| Swan Maidens / Swan Princes |
Several cultures have stories of people who are cursed to transform into swans, sometimes in a sort of reverse-werebeing transformation - by day, they are stuck as a swan, by night they are returned to human form. |
| SWB |
1. Shorthand for "Short Wheel Base" - ie, a car modified to ride lower than a production model. 2. In TF photomanipulations and art, it indicates a figure (usually female) whose head is closer to their legs than normal. Although this genere includes images with a reduced or compacted torsos, most "SWB" images are of a person with a head, their neck coming out of a waist, and legs - no arms or torso. |
| Sword |
An ancient symbol of power and authority, usually associated with a sense of honor. Swords have long been given supernatural powers, usually the ability to cut through anything. in the "Masters of the Universe" series, a sword is used as a means for the key players of the cartoons to turn into He-Man and She-Ra, the heroes of the toy-spawning series. |
| SW |
Shorthand for "Shrunken Women" |
