Christmas critters!

During 2014 I've managed to make a semi-sporadic series of updates to this blog that have shown various creature designs. At the same time, I've been tinkering with other ideas and sketches as they've popped into my head or have been part of on-line threads for various RPGs. I've also been messing around with new techniques, or dusting off some old ones.

The first and most recent piece of artwork is this Mindflayer:

 

This started off as a pencil drawing, then became a line drawing which was subsequently scanned and mixed with digital colours. I've not done this sort of thing for quite a while, although I used to create artwork in a broadly similar way when I was a concept artist. It's good to have a try at this again, although I am quite rusty and need more time to get more polished. Still, I think the Mindflayer is a good illustration as to how lurid D&D monsters are, based on the description given in the 1E Monster Manual. If I get the chance I'd like to create some more D&D themed artwork. Earlier in the year I created this image of a troll:

  

This came out fairly well, although there seems to always be a fine line where a troll either looks scary or is just some weird version of Marge Simpson. I'll let you be the judge of which side of that line the above image lies. Another basic sketch shows a group of adventurers battling with orcs:

And finally, here's a more developed drawing of a goblin-like chieftan:

This came out quite well, although I think various details about the helmet decorations need reworking.

Getting back to the subject of digitally-coloured drawings, before I started on the Mindflayer I had a practice run with a creature I designed many years ago for a Star Frontiers adventure I'd created:

This is an example of the penguin-sized creatures that were living on a remote planet just outside the Frontier. This seemed to be the source of odd energy readings that could not have been created by their Stone Age culture. And speaking of Star Frontiers (incidentally, one of my favourite RPGs), here are some more sketches of aliens:

The above shows some conceptual sketches of a race called the Jakar, the best description of which would be tall bipedal bovine or bull-like creatures.

These sketches depict the Thyrann - pretty much upright lizards/komodo dragons. Both the Jakar and the Thyran were developed during discussions over at the Starfrontiers.us site. Back in January I was doodling various images of Sathar (the main baddies of Star Frontiers), which is always fun:

I've also been working on machines as well as creatures. There's this design for a prison ship for Star Frontiers:

 

And, last but not least, a pencil and 3D sketch of a light attack tilt-prop for the 2300AD RPG:

I'll hopefully add more details about this last design to my blog in 2015!

The Life-cycle of the Gelatinous Cube... Part 4

I've previously described the way in which Gelatinous Cubes are created, but that details the manner in which they reproduce whilst wandering dungeons and other underground places. What follows is a description of the creature from which these cubic seeds are originally sown.

 

MOTHER OF ALL CUBES

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: none
HIT DICE: 450 hit points
% IN LAIR: 100%
TREASURE TYPE:  See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-40
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralyzation
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (120' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Somewhere deep in the earth and at the middle of a vast cavern lies an ancient creature known as the Mother Of All Cubes. Although only one such monster is thought to exist, dwarf and gnomish folklore hints at there being more. It is rumoured that Cubes and other gelatinous forms occasionally return to the Mother in order to have their treasure absorbed by it, creating a vast horde at its centre.

The Mother will always be surrounded by at least 100 Cubes, which will protect it from any attacks, and it can also calve 4-40 new Cubes per melee round should the need arise. The creature can be hit by all forms of weapons, and attacks by fire have normal effects. It is unaffected by cold unless it fails its saving throw. Electricity, fear, holds, paralyzation, polymorph and sleep-based attacks have no effect upon it. Any creatures that can get close enough to come into contact with the Mother will receive 4-40 points of damage and require a saving throw versus paralyzation, or will be anaethetized for 1-10 months (during which time they will be at the mercy of its cubic offspring).

Description: this creature resembles a huge, polychromic gelatinous sphere that radiates a slight greenish glow. Although semi-transparent, there is a dark mass at its centre, and light is reflected and refracted though the creature in a very odd manner. Outwardly spherical in shape, it's surface is made up of a multitude of facets.The main part of its body rests on an amorphous mass from which Cubes sprout or are absorbed.

The Life-cycle of the Gelatinous Cube... Part 3

So, after some time away from my blog, here's another gelatinous monster. This one is somewhat odd, insomuch that it has power over the Gelatinous Cube and the various other types I've described previously. It's also accompanied by a somewhat scrappy colour scribble, which will hopefully give some idea of its appearance.

ORANGE OCTAHEDRON

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 16"
HIT DICE: 12
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE:  T (75%), Z (75%)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-18
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysation
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil
SIZE: L (10' octahedron)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
          Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

The Orange Octahedron is the stuff of legend. It is not known whether there is more than one of these dreadful creatures and it may be some unknown form of demon or the result of some dark, ancient magic. In the folklore of gnomes and dwarves, the Octahedron is the evil sibling of the fabled 'Mother of All Cubes'. It travels throughout the various Material planes, searching for its preferred treasure.

It has power over cubes and their other gelatinous incarnations, and can summon 1-6 (of any form) at will. It exudes Fear in a 5" radius (saving throw vs. wand applies) and can strike out with up to four 20-foot long pseudopods, each causing 3-18 points of damage. Any creatures touched by these requires a saving throw versus paralyzation or will be anaethetized for 5-50 melee rounds.

It usually floats several feet above any surface, although is capable of flying at greater heights. The Octahedron can be hit by all forms of weapons, and attacks by fire have normal effects. It is unaffected by cold unless it fails its saving throw, in which case their movement rate is halved. Electricity, fear, holds, paralyzation, polymorph and sleep-based attacks have no effect upon it.

Description: this creature resembles a large floating octahedron that radiates a slight orange glow. It is gelatinous, semi-transparent and covered by numerous scratches, gouges and pock marks. There is a dark mass at its centre which is made up of the magical books and scrolls it has collected over many years. It can speak the language of any intelligent creatures and will use trickery if it thinks that it may be able to add more treasure to its collection - although it is also very willing to take such items by force.

The Life-cycle of the Gelatinous Cube... Part 2

Carrying on from my initial post about the cube, here are a few later stages in its life-cycle: the gelatinous dodecahedron and icosahedron...

GELATINOUS DODECAHEDRON

FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 6" (9" if rolling)
HIT DICE: 5
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE:  See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10, 1-3 (see below)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysation, crushing, surprise on 1-3
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (10' dodecahedron)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
     Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Should a gelatinous cube survive into its thirtieth year, it will seek some dark and remote place in order to tranform into a 12-sided dodecahedron. As part of this transformation it will gain some form of very basic sentience, which in turn will make it into a somewhat active hunter. Although it usually moves from place to place on one of it's twelve flat faces, if the circumstances allow (i.e. if it is at the top of a slope or flight of stairs) it can roll and gain some speed when making an attack. The dodecahedron can inflict 1-3 points of crushing damage for every 5 hit points it possesses when attacking in this way. Normal or rolling attacks will also require a saving throw versus paralyzation or the creature touched is anaethetized for 3-30 melee rounds. It will also inflict 1-10 points of damage per melee round when surrounding and digesting its victim.

As is the case with their cubic incarnation, dodecahdrons sweep up metallic and other items as they move around and so can contain treasure types J, K, L, M, Q, as well as potions, daggers and similar items.

Dodecahedrons can be hit by all forms of weapons, and attacks by fire have normal effects. They are unaffected by cold unless they fail their saving throw, in which case their movement rate is halved. Electricity, fear, holds, paralyzation, polymorph and sleep-based attacks have no effect upon them.

Description: these creatures are large 12-sided masses with somewhat rounded edges. Although usually hard to see, their movement may be discerned when the creature is rolling as light is reflected by one or more faces.

GELATINOUS ICOSAHEDRON

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: 8" (12" if rolling)
HIT DICE: 7
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE:  See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12, 1-6 (see below)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysation, crushing, surprise on 1-2
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (12' icosahedron)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
 

Once the gelatinous dodecahedron survives into its tenth year, its shape will transform into an 20-sided icosahedron. This process will also bestow some modicum of intelligence upon the creature, and it will now actively seek out victims - particularly if they posesses treasure. Although it usually moves from place to place on one of its score of flat faces, it can chose to roll when making attacks or other movements and does not require a slope, etc for such purposes. The icosahedron can inflict 1-6 points of crushing damage for every 8 hit points it possesses when attacking in this way. Normal or rolling attacks will also require a saving throw versus paralyzation or the creature touched is anaethetized for 4-40 melee rounds. It will also inflict 2-12 points of damage per melee round when surrounding and digesting its victim.

As is the case with their other gelatinous forms, icosahedrons sweep up metallic and other items as they move around and so can contain treasure types J, K, L, M, Q, as well as potions, daggers and similar items. As they are wont to retain certain forms of treasure, there is a 40% chance that an individual will contain types R and U. This makes them somewhat more visible, although the treasure tends to pool towards the lower half of their bodies.

Icosahedrons can be hit by all forms of weapons, and attacks by fire have normal effects. They are unaffected by cold unless they fail their saving throw, in which case their movement rate is halved. Electricity, fear, holds, paralyzation, polymorph and sleep-based attacks have no effect upon them.

Description: these creatures are large 20-sided masses with rounded edges. Although somewhat hard to see, their movement may be discerned when the creature is rolling as light is reflected by one or more faces. Icosahedrons are attracted to gold, jewels and other precious items and will seek to attack any creatures which possess them.

The Life-cycle of the Gelatinous Cube

Some creatures from the Monster Manual interest me more than others, and sometimes it's fun to wonder if they have some other form either earlier or later in their life-cycle. This got me thinking about whether this gelatinous monster only has a cube form for part of its life and, if so, would it perhaps have other shapes at some other points in time. As the cube is the same shape as a d6, I thought it'd be interesting to add other dice shapes to the mix and use them as the basis for these other forms.

This life-cycle is divided up into distinct phases: hatchling, cube, dodecahedron and icosahedron. Cubes are the most common type found in dungeons and other underground places and the creature spends most of its life in that form (I won't, of course, provide a description and stats for the cube). I'll also add in two extra creatures related to these gelatinous forms, perhaps to add a little more colour: a mysterious and very rare 'Orange Octahedron', and massive creatures called 'The Mother of All Cubes' - although they may be the stuff of legend...

The cube gains more sides as it goes through its life, and of some stages last longer than others. So:

- if a cube survives 30 years, it becomes a 12-sided dodecahedron. 

- if it subsequently survives 10 years in dodecahedron form, it transforms into a 20-sided icosahedron. 

As it gets older, the life-cycles get shorter – the trade-off being that it also gets more intelligent and becomes a more active predator. Stats and descriptions for the 12- and 20-sided versions will feature in an upcoming post.*

What I've written below could be seen as slightly tongue-in-cheek, or could be played completely straight. Either way, hopefully it might give your players something to figure out and/or fight against. As with my other creature designs, the stats and descriptions are written up in 1E AD&D format, but should be easy to convert to your preferred system. I'll add to this series in further blog posts.

GELATINOUS HATCHLING

  

FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 3-18
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 8"
HIT DICE: 2 hit points
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE:  See below
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysation, surprise on 1-2 (if encountered outside of hatchling cocoon)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (1-2' tetrahedron)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
         Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Once every other year, a gelatinous cube will produce young in the form of hatchlings. A small blister will appear on the exterior of the cube and this will become detached as the creature moves from place to place. The resulting coccon will appear to be a large semi-transparent mass attached to a wall or other surface by various stringy tendrils. Closer study of this mass will show the hatchlings moving around inside, and anyone striking or puncturing its somewhat fragile shell will suffer 1-3 points of damage as it bursts and showers them with the liquid it contains. If undisturbed, the blister will rupture naturally after 3 days, and 3-18 fully-fledged hatchlings will break out and begin scouring for food. They remain in this form for 3 months, after which they hide in some dark, out of the way place and transform into their larger cubic form.

Hatchlings are only particularly dangerous if encountered in large groups, or if a number of them encounter sleeping adventurers. Coming into contact with a hatchling will require a saving throw versus paralyzation or the creature touched is anaethetized for 1-8 melee rounds. The hatchling will then attempt to digest some part of their victim, inflicting damage as it does so. Their bodies are not particularly adept at picking up solid objects, so their treasure will usually consist of nothing heavier than a few copper pieces.

Hatchlings can be hit by all forms of weapons, and attacks by fire have normal effects. They are unaffected by cold unless they fail their saving throw, in which case their movement rate is halved. Electricity, fear, holds, paralyzation, polymorph and sleep-based attacks have no effect upon them.

Description: hatchlings resemble transparent tetrahedrons, altough with somewhat rounded edges. After leaving the cocoon they are semi-transparent for several hours, and after that time their apparent opacity is patchy and noticable in certain lighting conditions.

* - updated for clarity on 6th October 2014.

Dragons...! (Part Three)

Following on from my previous posts (here and here), this week's dragon is the...

CHITINOUS DRAGONLING

FREQUENCY: Very Rare 
NO. APPEARING: 1 
ARMOR CLASS: 1 
MOVE: 6"/12" 
HIT DICE: 4-6 
% IN LAIR: 50% 
TREASURE TYPE:  D, S, T 
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4, 1-12, 1-12 
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spit acidic glue, poison sting 
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil 
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard 
INTELLIGENCE: High 
ALIGNMENT: Lawful/Chaotic Neutral 
SIZE: L (8' long) 
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil 
        Attack/Defense Modes: Nil 
CHANCE OF:

Speaking: 50% 
Magic Use: 20% 
Sleeping: 20%

These Dragonlings are the juvenile form of the Greater or Lesser Chitinous Dragon. At birth they are a pearl-like egg 2' in diameter, which is concreted on some part of their parents' lair. Within a few hours, this egg grows into a pupa-like form from which the Dragonling emerges after one day. From that point onwards, it has the capabilities given above. Over the next 200 years, the Dragonling travels from place to place, during which time its alignment and temperment will slowly evolve down one particular path until it changes into its Greater or Lesser form. The route of this path will be steered by what the creature experiences and observes, and by how it is treated by other creatures. Those Dragonlings that can talk will be keen to converse with other creatures, and will seem particularly interested in treasure and magic. Their manner will seem somewhat abrupt and jump from subject to subject, and they speak with a curious wheezing tone.

Although they may appear ungainly, Dragonlings can move quickly and will engage in combat defensively or if provoked. It can opt to fight with either a pair of small, sharp claws and a bite, a poisonous sting in its two-pronged tail, or by spitting an acidic glue. Its tail attacks with +1 to hit, and any creature struck by it must save versus poison or be paralysed for 1-4 rounds. When spitting, its range is 3" and is aimed at a single creature. The victim will be trapped for 2-12 rounds unless the glue is burnt or frozen away, during which time a highly corrosive acid will eat into clothing, armour and flesh. If the dragon can speak and employ magic, they will know 1-3 spells up to 2nd level. Roll randomly to determine which spells they know.

Description: The Chitinous Dragonling resembles a large blubbery mass with a forked tail and three pairs of opaque wings. Its skin is tough and partially covered by layers of jagged chitinous scales. Dragonlings favour a wide variety of colours and markings which they can change at will, depending on their mood and environment.

Dragons...! (Part Two)

Following on from last week's post and details, this week's dragon is the...

CHITINOUS DRAGON (Lesser)

FREQUENCY: Very Rare 
NO. APPEARING: 1-2 
ARMOR CLASS: 0 
MOVE: 9"/18" 
HIT DICE: 7-9 
% IN LAIR: 50% 
TREASURE TYPE:  H, R, S, T 
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4 
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4, 1-4, 2-12, 1-12 
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon, poison sting 
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil 
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard 
INTELLIGENCE: High 
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good 
SIZE: L (14' long) 
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
CHANCE OF:                Speaking: 70%
                Magic Use: 40%
                Sleeping: 20%

These dragons prefer to live in high places or high points in the landscape. Their lair is usually some remote place which is particularly hard to access. They are very interested in the world around them, with some travelling from high point to high point closely observing what they see en-route. Others prefer to hunker down at one particular high point and watch whatever passes by - in fact, some can easily be mistaken for mossy rocks or similar features if they have been observing for a prolonged period of time. They have a faultless memory, and can effortlessly recall minute details about anything that they have seen. Because of this, they are very useful sources of information about their locale but will ask many and varied questions in exchange. Any creature that tries to lie to the dragon will never be able to speak with it again, and the conversation will come to an abrupt halt.

Lesser Chitinous Dragons are usually loathe to engage in combat, but if need be the dragon can opt to fight with either a pair of small, sharp claws and a stabbing beak, a breath weapon, or with a poisonous sting. Its breath weapon is an acidic gas 5" long, 3" wide and 3" high that will blind any creature for 2-12 rounds. A barb in it's short flexible tail attacks with +2 to hit, and any creature struck by it must save versus poison at -2 or be paralysed for 1-8 rounds. If the dragon can speak and employ magic, they will know 1-6 spells up to 5th level. Roll randomly to determine which spells they know.

Description: The Lesser Chitinous Dragon resembles a large beetle or tortoise with a short hooked tail and long pointed head. It flies using a pair of opaque wings which fold backwards and lie flat against its carapace when not in use. Their chitin can be made up of a wide variety of colours, although those that prefer a more sedentary lifestyle chose colours that best blend with their environment. Those that can speak do so with a soft, melodious tone and will be very keen to converse and exchange information with any creature that engages them in conversation. If two are encountered, they will be a mating pair.

Dragons...! (Part One)

Much as I like dragons, I do sometimes wonder whether there might be other choices aside from the 'big scaly lizard with wings' default. With that in mind, I've rustled up a few interrelated designs that I'll add to this blog over the next few weeks, along with an accompanying scribble. As with my 'Edible Monsters' series, these have been written out in a 1E AD&D format, and for fun I've started off with the 'baddie' version.

Chitinous Dragons

These dragons differ slightly from their better-known bretheren by having a tough chitinous hide rather than scales and leathery skin. They exist in three forms, all of which are very rarely encountered: Dragonling, Lesser and Greater. The Lesser and Greater Chitinous Dragons are both forms of the Chitinous Dragonling. The Dragonling lives for around 200 years, during which time it explores and learns about the world and about magic. After this period, depending on what it has experienced and how it has been treated by other creatures, it chooses either the Lawful Good Lesser form, or the Chaotic Evil Greater form. Note that the terms 'Greater' and 'Lesser' only refer to the dragon's size and not its capabilities, and either lives on for 201-400 years.

After death, the carapace of any form of Chitinous Dragon is greatly prized as a source of +1 to +3 armour, when worked by a suitably skilled individual. Similarly, their wings can be included in the construction of +1 to +3 composite bows.

Unusually for dragon-kind, Chitinous Dragons do not make lairs in caves or similar underground dwellings; rather, they prefer somewhat inaccessible places above ground.

Note to Dungeon Masters: Chitinous Dragons do not pass through ages in the same way as other dragons. Aside from that, their other powers and capabilities are as stated in the section dealing with dragons in the Monster Manual.

CHITINOUS DRAGON (Greater)

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 12"/36"
HIT DICE: 8-10
% IN LAIR: 50%
TREASURE TYPE:  H, R, S, T
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8, 1-8, 2-20, 2-16
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon, poison sting
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: High
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
SIZE: L (24' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
                Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
CHANCE OF:
                Speaking: 50%
                Magic Use: 30%
                Sleeping: 30%

Greater Chitinous Dragons prefer remote forests and woodland, preferably within reach of a lake or similar body of water. Their lairs are usually atop some large ancient tree, with their treasure kept in numerous (2-20), hard to reach nests in the canopy.

Its breath weapon is an acidic gas 6" long, 4" wide and 5" high that attacks organic matter (such as wood, leather, wool, linen, etc) and thus quickly destroys shields, belts, fittings, rope and other such items. A barb in it's very flexible tail attacks with +3 to hit, and any creature struck by it must save versus poison or be paralysed for 2-12 rounds. If the dragon can speak and employ magic, they will know 1-3 Druid spells of 3rd to 5th level.

When attacking, the dragon can opt to fight with a pair of hook-like claws and a bite, a breath weapon, or with a poisonous sting.

Description: The Greater Chitinous Dragon resembles a giant cranefly (albeit one with a long, whip-like tail), covered in a multitude of thorny barbs, and carried aloft via two pairs of opaque wings. Their chitin can be made up of a wide variety of colours, as some of their kind prefer subtle camouflage whilst others employ garish, pie-bald patterns of several hues. Those that can speak do so with a harsh, buzzing tone. If two are encountered, it will be a mating pair.

Orcs...!

I have to admit that I've always been more impressed with the depictions of Orcs in the Bakshi version of Lord of the Rings than with those in the more recent LotR films. I think this may be to do with the fact that they tallied more with my mental image of them from reading the books. That said, this was also partly tempered by the way they were depicted in miniature form by Citadel, Ral Partha and Grenadier Models. All of this blended together around the same time I started playing D&D in 1982, as it was also the first time I saw the Bakshi film (via rental video) and became aware of the various minis.

Since then in my mind's eye I've tended to see Orcs as more akin to a Gigantopithecus skull, barely covered with flesh. Something along these sorts of lines:

If anything, these probably need to be more gaunt and thinly-fleshed. And have tusks...

That said, recently I've found myself becoming more interested in the 'pig faced' versions as depicted in the 1E Monster Manual. I'm not sure why, particularly as when first seeing them way back when, I thought that they didn't seem... well... 'Orcish' enough. But after recently having a go at drawing Orcs in that particular vein, I can sort of see where David C. Sutherland III and Gary Gygax were heading with their ideas. Their Orcs are skewed more to being like boars, as least as far as looks are concerned from the neck up. The overall shape of their heads do suggest something like a fleshed boar skull.

With that in mind, I have been working on some scribbles that go with the boar theme. For example, here are a few 'pig-like' examples:

And here's one that is a tad more 'streamlined':

I've also had a go at a full-body depiction, taking my cues from the 1E Monster Manual:

This version goes with the studded leather and polearm theme more common to 1E Orcs. And by taking my cue from Sutherland's drawing it also seems to be a mixture of historical nods at, say, Vikings and possibly Babylonians.

I think I'll come back to doing a few more scribbles along these lines, and maybe also the Gigantopithecus versions. In the meantime, Fractured Miniatures do some rather nice pig-faced Orc minis that are worth having a look at. Their Orcs are a tad tubbier than mine and they have interesting boar-like faces.

Edible Monsters - Part Six

This week's monster prefers to seek out very particular victims...

WITCHES' NEST

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 6"
HIT DICE: 6
% IN LAIR: 50%
TREASURE TYPE:  E
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysis
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Blinding. Cold and fire do not harm
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Immune to fire and cold spells
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
SIZE: M (7' dia.)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
     Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Witches' Nests are malevolent creatures that appear to be a dense, weed-like bush in form festooned with oddly-shaped pods. They live only in dungeons and similar places, particularly wherever evil magic has been practised. They are especially dangerous to Magic Users or anyone in possession of a magic item, as they are drawn to magical forces. When attacking, they lash out with 6' whip-like thorny limbs, and a successful hit will paralyze their victim if they fail a save vs. paralyzation. Although immune to fire and cold, it can be harmed by electrical attacks. Should the nest lose 75% of its hit points, it will cause its pods to create a great deal of blinding light (as per a Continual Light spell) and endeavour to retreat. If killed, the greater mass of the Nest will quickly become dessicated and wither away to dust, but 8-64 pods will remain along with whatever treasure has been left by previous victims. If the pods are dried, crushed to a powder and added to water, drinking the resulting mixture grants infravision for 1-4 hours to anyone who does not possess this ability. Those that do already possess that ability will find its range doubled for 1-4 hours. However, 12 pods are required per mixture and it may only be taken once every 24 hours.

Description: Witches' Nests are an unruly mass of fibrous matt black limbs, with blood red thorns. Its pods are yellow and resemble indistinct, misshapen faces

Edible Monsters - Part Five

This week's monster may perhaps make an interesting addition to a cave or tunnel entrance...

TITANS' TEETH

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
NO. APPEARING: 4-16
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 1/8"
HIT DICE: 1
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE:  Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 0
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Nil
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S to M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
     Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Titans' Teeth are a fungus most often found growing in rocky places, stone ruins, caves and tunnels. Certain rumours state that they can also be found on old battlefields and other places of conflict, and will slowly make their way toward any decaying flesh. Their outer shell is quite tough and a great deal of work is needed to break one apart. When this happens, there is a 30% possibility that any exposed skin will be pierced by tiny shell fragments, although this will cause no immediate sensation of pain or discomfort. If this occurs, the skin will start to erupt in 1-4 hours with small, tooth-like growths that will cause a great deal of maddeningly painful itching. Only Cure Light Wounds will rid the victim of such growths which, if left to grow, will slowly and painfully consume the victim in 8-64 days. The main reason that any creatures make such an effort to break Titans' Teeth is because of the spongy, bread-like matter that makes up the core of each growth. This has a pleasant sweet taste and is very nutritious, a pound of which is equivalent to 2 day's good rations. A single 'tooth' will contain 1-8 pounds of such matter.

Description: Titans' Teeth grow in curved rows, and look exactly like a set of human incisors and canines, although much larger in size (at least 2' tall). If found in caves, tunnels, or similar environments it is possible to find a set growing down from above as well as from below. Their outer shell is pearlescent white and smooth, whilst inside they are a dark yellowish-green. They have a somewhat fibrous root system, which is deep red in colour.

Next week: the Witches' Nest...

Edible Monsters - Part Four

This week's monster is an unusual plant that could prove useful to adventurers - as long as they're wary of its defences...

TRAITOR'S HAT

FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 2-4
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVE: 0
HIT DICE: 2
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE:  Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 0
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Nil
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
    Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

The Traitor's Hat can be found in dense, dark woodland, caves, or dungeons. No-one is sure how this insectivorous plant gained such an unusual moniker, although it may be derived from that fact that Stirges sometimes use them as nests. There is a 50% possibility that 1-6 Stirges will be encountered with the Traitor's Hat, although evidence of their residence will be made obvious by the detritus of dead insect parts spread over a 20' wide area around the plant (Stirges always discard such rubbish when nesting). Traitor's Hats consume a variety of insects (including some giant varieties) which they lure using a pleasantly pungent, syrupy liquid pooled in a hollow at the topmost part of their bodies. Their victims are quickly poisoned by this substance and then drop down into the lower part of the plant, which derives sustenance from their decaying remains. The liquid is also poisonous to most other creatures that drink it (including humans and demi-humans) and should be treated as a Type B ingestive posion. However, if the hollow is carefully pierced several times, the liquid slowly percolates down through the body of the plant (a process that takes 1-3 hours) and around 1/2 of one pint can be collected underneath. The poison is thus negated, and anyone consuming all of this half pint will not require food nor drink for a 24 hour period.

Description: The Traitor's Hat is approximately 6' tall and has a conical body with a small hollow at its topmost part. Colors range from vivid orange to dark crimson. The body is supported by a stalk, which is black or dark blue in color.

Next week: Titan's Teeth...

Cthulhu is not an octopus... Part 3

Further to my previous drawing (here) and my initial discussion about Cthulhu not being and octopus (here), below is another quick drawing:

Note the lack of tentacles (and suckers) - I've tried to depict what Lovecraft described as 'a mass of feelers'. I may have a few more tries along similar lines, but Cthulhu rarely sits still long enough for his... er, its... portrait...

Edible Monsters - Part Three

This week's monster adds something a little crunchier to your diet...

STELGWIT

FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 2-8
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 15"
HIT DICE: 3 hit points
% IN LAIR: 15%
TREASURE TYPE:  Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2, 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: None
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Poison
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (18" tall, 1' dia.)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
   Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Stelgwits are spider-like creatures that are most at home in cold, dark places. They shun heat and light, whilst their primary foodstuff seems to be water and other fluids that seep from stone and organic matter. Their many legs are arrayed around a central hub which contains their rudimentary brain, mouth and other internal organs. Fast and able to climb over most surfaces, they are very hard to catch and are usually hunted with nets. Anyone trying to grab a Stelgwit with their bare hands will expose themselves to the poison it excretes from its limbs, although this is not particularly powerful (add +4 to saving throw die roll). If a lair is discovered, there will be around 5-50 creatures of various sizes and in such cases their poison can cause 1-6 hit points of damage (if a standard saving throw vs. poison is failed). As Stelgwits are very averse to heat, proximity to flames from torches and similar fires will cause them to become paralysed. If subdued in such a way and then roasted on an open flame for 5 minutes, the Stelgwit's poison is driven off and its legs become edible. They are crunchy and have a strong savoury, nutty flavour. Consuming 2-3 creatures is enough to replace half a day's rations.

Description: Stelgwits are a pale yellow-white, similar to bone. When cooked, they become a deep reddish brown.

Next week: the Traitor's Hat...

Edible Monsters - Part Two

Ever wondered what the 10' pole in the Player's Handbook might be useful for? Well, perhaps one may come in handy when dealing with this week's monster...

H'MALO

FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
ARMOR CLASS: 8
MOVE: 3"
HIT DICE: 4 hit points
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE:  Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: None
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Noxious cloud
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (1-2' dia.)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
     Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

H'malo are rumoured to be the larval form of some larger monster, although no-one is quite sure which. They prefer to live in damp dark places, where they usually move around in small groups consuming slime and moulds. They are only particularly dangerous if not approached with extreme care, as they seem to be easily alarmed. Attacks, loud noises or sudden nearby movement will cause them to release a pool of liquid that rapidly evaporates, quickly filling a 3' x 3' x 3' area with a noxious, bluish cloud. This cloud causes 1-6 hit points of damage to any creature within it, although the H'malo cannot create another cloud for 4 hours. If more than one H'malo is encountered, each creature will release their own cloud after the first is triggered. Dwarves and other subterranean creatures have discovered that this defense can be negated if the H'malo is approached slowly and quietly, and then flipped over using a pole, spear or item with a similarly long (3' +) reach. If captured in such a way, the H'malo can then be eaten only after it has been immersed in any liquid containing alcohol (beer, wine, etc) and boiled for 10 minutes. This cooking will produce such a delicious aroma that there is a 20% chance it will attract wandering monsters if being prepared in a dungeon, wood or similar place. A cooked H'malo has a similar taste and texture to roast pork or boar, although a H'malo that has recently released its defensive cloud will taste particularly noisome - similarly, any H'malo (alive or cooked) exposed to the cloud will acquire this taste. Adventurers using cooked H'malo will find that it is a useful supplement to rations, extending their duration by 2 days per H'malo carried if kept dry. H'malo are difficult to farm because of their very skittish nature and propensity to contaminate each other should one or more release their defensive cloud.

Description: H'malo are a seemingly unappetising lumpy mass that is pale blue streaked with yellow. Its underside is dark purple. When cooked, H'malo become a yellowish pink and swell to become a more uniform blob of solid flesh that can easily be sliced or cut into smaller chunks.

Next week: the Stelgwit...

Edible Monsters - Part One

In your average FRPG there are always plenty of monsters that will readily eat adventurers. This is handy for the DM, but perhaps less so for the players. I started wondering whether the average dungeon ecosystem might also be home to things that adventurers could possibly eat. With that in mind, I've had a go at designing a bunch of creatures that may be a useful source of sustenance for those poor dungeoneers who are bored to tears with iron rations. But, as there's no such thing as a free lunch, each of these 'foods' will have to be treated with a little caution.

I've written them up in classic 1E Monster Manual style, which has also influenced the look and feel of the artwork. Enterprising DMs should be able to adapt them to their preferred system. I'd be very happy to hear about that!

I'll add a new monster each week, starting with the...

GOURDBUG

FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 2-16
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 1
% IN LAIR: 40%
TREASURE TYPE:  Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: None
SPECIAL ATTACKS: None
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Glue
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (6 -12" long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
     Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Legend insists that Gourdbugs must have been created by a lawful good Magic User or deity, as they are such incredibly useful creatures. However, as Gourdbugs prefer to live and feed in caves and other places thick with ordure and waste, they can sometimes be found alongside other more dangerous creatures (such as Otyughs). Gourdbugs derive their name from the large sac that grows from their back, which they can burst at will and cover any attacker in a powerful glue-like sap if the creature is threatened or handled incorrectly. This does no harm to the Gourdbug, which grows another sac within 1-6 days. The sap not only has a pleasing taste but can be used to repair bowstrings, clothing, spear sockets and similar items, and is very resilient to heat, damp and cold. It can be dissolved by any liquid that contains alcohol, although this takes quite some time (2-12 hours). Careful hunters know that the Gourdbug must be picked up by its prong-like eye stalks and then gently swung back and forth several times, which causes it to retract its legs and go dormant. Dwarves often hang them from their belts by these stalks. Capturing a Gourdbug is a feat in itself, as they are fast and always try to keep their head facing away from any attacker. They can only be drained via an incision to their underside, which unfortunately also kills the creature but is the only way to preserve the taste of its sap. The sac itself can be removed, dried and used to store liquids, powders and other substances (even those that are poisonous, caustic or acidic). Dissolving the sac in a solution containing alcohol for 1 day causes it to break up into long fibres, which can then be spun for rough thread and stouter chord. A dormant Gourdbug can be kept for 2-8 days before inactivity renders its sap tasteless (although it always retains its glue-like properties). A 12" Gourdbug carries approximately 1 pint of sap, which can usually be sold for 15 s.p. or more. There are several varieties of Gourdbug, each with their own particular taste:

Red: sweet, sugary

Green: spicy, meaty

Blue: red or white wine

Purple: sour, pickle-like

Dwarves have tried to farm Gourdbugs for many years, but to no avail. Attempts to use the Red and Blue varieties as ingredients in brewing have also failed. The creatures seem only to thrive in particular environments and no-one is sure why only those in the wild survive. Adventurers using Gourdbugs as supplies for expeditions will have to carry a great many of them in order to fully supplement their diet, as 4-6 would have to be consumed per day in order to replace rations. Half-orcs find the taste of any Gourdbug very unpalatable and it is thought that this also the case for orcs, goblins, hobgoblins and similar creatures.

Description: Gourdbugs are streaked and mottled with various shades of their basic color. The insect-like parts of their bodies seem polished and robust, whilst the sac appears both fibrous and semi-opaque.

Next week: the H'Malo...

Artwork for The Lovecraft eZine...

Awhile back I had the chance to create some artwork for the latest issue of The Lovecraft eZine. The story that I was assigned to illustrate was 'The First Act', by Pete Rawlik.

After a few read-throughs, my initial ideas were skewed towards a film noir-like image, along the lines of the moodier work created by James Bingham. However, further read-throughs made me realise that an abstract piece of artwork would be needed, mostly because the story itself is a monologue where various imagery is suggested but not always defined; certain pictures are conjured up but details are kept more to a minimum. So, whilst I knew that someone was tied up and that there was the threat of a knife being used, the story didn't detail the whys and wherefores (i.e. were the characters in a room or a basement? Was someone tied to a table or chair?) and so I didn't want to suggest too much outside what the author had already implied.

That said, I did pick up on the idea of the knife, which in turn sparked off a few ideas about what could be the focus for the image. I liked the idea of being quite noirish with the lighting, and so took various backlit photos of my hand holding a knife:

I thought that it was also important to include some sort of visual reference to 'The King In Yellow', as this particular issue of the eZine features stories inspired by that book. I've always liked the artwork for original print of 'The King...', particularly the hardcover version and so wanted to show that in some form:

After various sketches, I settled on an idea that combined these various concepts:

The above piece shows the drawn image in the raw, just to show how things looked before the final image was put together. I wanted to have slightly organic lines radiating out from the central core of the image, and so broke these up into groups of smaller waves, all of which combined to make up a background inpsired by 'The King In Yellow' cover. The knife is chunkier and the hand is taking more of a concerted grip upon it, as the fingers are more tightly curled and suggest something a little more determined.

As I wanted to abstract things a little further, I composited the above drawing within a digital framework using some lines from Act 1, Scene 2 of 'The King In Yellow', which in themselves are oddly abstract:

You can see a larger version of this over at The Lovecraft eZine site. Hopefully it did the story some justice. The drawing itself was done with pen, water-soluable pencil and gouache wash on Bristol Board, the original being around 20 x 14 cm (8ish x 5 inches).

Back in the saddle...

... in more ways than one.

Yes, I've not updated this blog for a while. This is all down to real life commitments, damn their eyes. Not that they've not been interesting in their own way, but they tended to eat up my blogging time.

Another saddle I've settled back onto is doing some actual playing of RPGs, made more interesting by the fact that it's with a bunch of people I used to game with from the 80s to the 90s, some of whom I'd not seen in over a decade. However, we seem to have hit the ground running and despite the fact that my refereeing skills are somewhat on the rusty side.

We've kicked off with a Call of Cthulhu adventure I've written, which needs some playtesting. CoC is always a bit more of a challenge to run so the aforementioned rustiness has meant that the first evening's play probably went a bit more slowly than I had planned. That said, I hope that I'll get up to speed with it as each week passes.

The adventure is set in rural England towards the end of 1923. An accident at a Cumbrian slate quarry has left two workers dead and several others recovering from the shock. One seems to have lost his mind, whilst the other is bed-ridden with some rather odd wounds. A local doctor (an associate of one of the investigators) has asked the players to try and help him decide whether there's more to the accident, despite a coroner's ruling of 'accidental death'...

Anyway, it will soon be too light in the evenings to play CoC, so we have plans for some other RPGs. Star Frontiers and Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles are strong contenders (the latter was last played in 1987 and was left mid-adventure, and I still pretty much remember what I had plotted out). Since we all last played, we've amassed a fair few RPG collections so we have others to chose from: Judge Dredd, Traveller 2300AD, classic Traveller, Ghostbusters, Twilight:2000 (1st edition), to name but a few...

Should be fun!

'Ace of Aces' arrives...

Many moons ago - okay, probably 1982 to be more specific - I was making my initial foray into playing RPGs. I seem to recall seeing either a flyer or magazine advert for 'Ace of Aces', although it was only recently that I remembered that it went by that title. Over the years, all I could actually remember about it was that it involved World War One aircraft and that I was drawn to the way it seemed to work as a game - that is, a kind of picture book that also provided instructions for turn-based action dogfighting.

Thanks to Kickstarter, however, I came back into contact with the game. Although I did miss the initial Kickstarter created by Flying Buffalo Inc, I put in an order and the very nice little box set (pictured above) arrived yesterday.

It's great to finally see the game in the flesh, and I'm very pleased by what I see thus far. I do still have to actually play the game with someone else, but that's something to look forward to. The rules seem straightforward enough, and even in single-player mode it looks like it'll be fun. If you want some idea as to how it's played, here's an example hosted by the game's designer, Alfred Leonardi.

The overall quality of the actual product is nicely done. The hand-sized books are well put together and can be stored in a sturdy box. Understated and quite minimalist in approach, you can dive straight into the game without too much fuss. The artwork may seem basic to some, but as it's doing it's best to function as a rework of the 1980 original I'm glad that Flying Buffalo decided not to go for a more modern digital facelift. I myself enjoy it's scratchiness and simplicity, and I'm very impressed with the sheer amount of work involved in creating so many illustrations. That must have been quite some task.

Once I've tried the game out with another player, I'll write up another post giving the details. If it sounds like something you'd like to play, or you want to reacquaint yourself with an old favourite, you can buy it here.

In the meantime, here's my own bit of aircraft-related illustration - my latest piece of cover artwork for Aérojournal magazine: