Need suggestions for renaming the opinicus

[Nellisir]

I'm statting up heraldic creatures for OSR games, and have run into the opinicus. The source I'm using describes it as "the hind quarters of a lion but a small tail, the front legs and wings of a dragon and the head of an eagle", so that's what I'm using. There are other sources that describe it as more like a griffin.

In any case, the traditional description doesn't match that of the creature from D&D, which has the head and legs of an ape, the neck and body of a camel, the wings of an eagle, and the mane and tail of a lion.

I like the D&D creature, but I need a new name for it. The latin for camel seems to be "camel", and latin for gorilla is..."gorilla"? That's not particularly helpful. Ideally the new name would be latinish, if not actual Latin, to blend in with the other heraldic hybrid creatures. I'm drawing a blank on anything beyond "camelape". I also can't figure out what "opinicus" would actually mean.

Suggestions?


(PS - I'm posting this in general since I'm looking for language/name help, not monster statting help. Mods can move if they like.)

 

[Cadence]

I like the D&D creature, but I need a new name for it. The latin for camel seems to be "camel", and latin for gorilla is..."gorilla"? That's not particularly helpful.

Ape and dromedary seem to come out as simia and explicans respectively. Simexplican? Do aquila for eagle, volaticus for winged, or iubatos for maned help? Is Aquilan Simexplican too long?

 

[Nellisir]

Ape and dromedary seem to come out as simia and explicans respectively. Simexplican? Do aquila for eagle, volaticus for winged, or iubatos for maned help? Is Aquilan Simexplican too long?

Simaquilician works. It actually flows pretty well once I sound it out, and sounds kinda...snooty. Evokes "patrician", which isn't a bad thing for a intelligent psychic camel-monkey-eagle. Terrible latin, but if that's someone's biggest gripe then they're missing the point.

Some other good possibilities there, too. Simiaquila, for the noble ape-eagle (legs, body, wings of an eagle; arms and head of an ape...).

Thanks!

 

[Cadence]

Thanks!

Glad it helped, and like your name idea.

I'm guessing you found these, but it was kind of interesting to take a break from work and try to track down Opinicus...

The Oxford English Dictionary gives the first occurrence of Opinicus in heraldry in 1546 for: http://www.plaistererslivery.co.uk/coat-of-arms.aspx
Seems odd that a lot of heraldry books give it first to the Barber Surgeons. I can't find a year for when they got it.

The earliest occurrence the OED mentions of name is for the cartographer from around 1300, but there seems to be disagreement on how to spell his name. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opicinus_de_Canistris . I wonder if it could be inspired by something he drew?

Some pages mention it going back to the 12th century... but if their is a good original source for that they should send it to the OED folks.

 

[Nellisir]

The simiaquilician in Swords & Wizardry format, and the new opinicus.

Simiaquilician

HD 7
AC 3[16]
Atk 2 claws (1d3)
Move 18 (fly 18)
Save 9
AL Law
CL/XP 2/30
Special: Spell-like abilities, spells
Simiaquilicians are highly intelligent beings with the face and feet of an ape, the body of a camel, and the wings of an eagle. They lead solitary lives in ruined cities in deserts and wastelands, providing places of safety for travelers. They have the spellcasting ability of a 7th level cleric with 18 Wisdom and can turn undead. They can cast levitate and dimension door three times per day, and teleport, animate object, astral spell, control winds, and teleport each once per day. They communicate via telepathy with any intelligent creature they can see.

Opinicus

HD 6+2
AC 4[15]
Atk 1 bite (2d6), 2 claws (1d4)
Move 12
Save 11
AL N
CL/XP 7/600
Special: Damage armor
The opinicus has the hind quarters of a lion, the front legs and wings of a dragon, and the head of an eagle. They nest in arid uplands, and are extremely difficult to train. The beak of an opinicus is serrated and harder than iron; if the opinicus rolls of 19 or higher on their attack and hits, they damage an opponent’s armor as well as the opponent, reducing the armor protective bonus by two points (so leather armor would be wholly destroyed in one blow; chain in two blows; etc).