Fearsome critters are beasts that inhabit the frontier wilderness of fantasyland. While in reality they were tall tales told among American lumberjacks, in fantasyland they are very real.
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Monday, January 22, 2018
Ecology of the basilisk and cockatrice, revisited
The basilisk and the cockatrice originate from ancient mythology. D&D depicts them as being a natural part of the fantasy ecology, engaging in foraging and courtship like any other lizard or bird. In this post, I will be exploring their bizarre mythological origins.
Friday, January 19, 2018
Banshees are fairy women of the hills
In folklore the banshee was a fairy woman who attached herself to a long-lived family and foretold whenever a member would die. In D&D, this was mangled: now she is the restless shade of a betrayed elf who goes around killing with her voice; they are also known as "groaning spirits."
Chaos versus Discord, or, why Chaos is not chaotic
My cosmology replaces the traditional alignment system with four allegiances to primeval forces of Chaos, Cosmos, Discord, and Order. (Basically, I just fold neutrality and good into Cosmos because I find it stupid to segregate them.) Chaos and Discord are two separate forces and have a history with one another.
Sources for 5e conversions
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/dicefreaks/kain-s-5e-monstrous-manual-t561.html
http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/print/Syh7y7EHW
http://tomeofhorrors.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedArcana/comments/7nfe9n/5e_epic_monster_updates_v9/
http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/print/Syh7y7EHW
http://tomeofhorrors.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedArcana/comments/7nfe9n/5e_epic_monster_updates_v9/
The Vallorians
The Vallorians are like a cross between the Drow, Githyanki and the Daelkyr, or maybe the Yuuzhan Vong from Star Wars.
Legacy of the Dragons,copyright 2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved
"Playing Vallorians " ©2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
"Vallorian Living Weapons and Armor" ©2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
"Vallorian Society and Culture" ©2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
The living airship ... https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/58480/The-Living-Airship
https://web.archive.org/web/20120308120040/http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff68.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20120308125107/http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff69.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20120308112431/http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff70.html
Legacy of the Dragons,copyright 2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved
"Playing Vallorians " ©2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
"Vallorian Living Weapons and Armor" ©2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
"Vallorian Society and Culture" ©2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
The living airship ... https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/58480/The-Living-Airship
https://web.archive.org/web/20120308120040/http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff68.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20120308125107/http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff69.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20120308112431/http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff70.html
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Revisiting the Lamia
The lamia in the MM is pretty generic. Let's spice it up a bit: my lamia is not limited to the female sex, nor to the body of lions. UPDATED 4/2/2018
In Greek myth the lamia, along with the empusa and mormo, is part of a class of ghosts, vampires and general bogeymen that prey upon unsuspecting victims and tales of which were told to frighten children into behaving. There are at least three lamiae named in the myths, including the famous queen of Libya.
In Greek myth the lamia, along with the empusa and mormo, is part of a class of ghosts, vampires and general bogeymen that prey upon unsuspecting victims and tales of which were told to frighten children into behaving. There are at least three lamiae named in the myths, including the famous queen of Libya.
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