Merlion

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WARNING: In Nara, the term "merlion" is used to refer to a mermaid lion. For more information about what we IRL call as the Merlion, see Lionfish.

The merlion is a sea animal with the front part (or forelimbs) of a lion and the back half of a mermaid's tail. It's the national animal of Lenapore since 1962. Being of prominent symbolic nature to Lenapore and Lenapore in general, it is widely used to represent both the country and its people in sports teams, advertising, branding, tourism and as a national personification.

Legend[edit | edit source]

It is widely believed that the merlion was one of many species formerly classified as ketea hindikoi - land creaturs that apparently got fused with mermaid genes hundreds of years ago. One such merlion was reported by local pre-Raffles kingdoms on the coast of what is now Lenapore City.

Statues[edit | edit source]

Usage in Lenapore[edit | edit source]

The merlion appears in the coat of arms of Lenapore. It used to appear on logos of government divisions until recent years. Partly because of this, there are people who believe that its usage is being eclipsed by the lionfish.

On the other hand, an anthropomorphic merlion cub is one of the mascots used by the Lenaporean government as the pet of its main mascot, Milo. Another mascot, inspired by the merlion and the lionfish, Merly (now a mascot of the Lenaporean Olympic Committee), partly counts but is bipedal.

Usage abroad[edit | edit source]

In Hopeland it's often compared to the merbear. The official symbol of Hopeland-Lenapore relations is the "merlion and merbear", to the extent that such a statue exists near the opposite countries' embassies.