Dwoll-y Hole

Getcher drawin's here!

[dwollsadventures]

Summoner Saga - Hippocampus

(Hellenistic Mythology)

This depiction is based off of a red plate from Hellenistic Italy. The one on the plate has wings, which I changed into large, frilly fins. It may not look all that energetically efficient, but when your boss is the god of the sea the rules of hydrodynamics can bend for you.

[dwollsadventures]

Monster Manual - Couatl

As a disclosure: I have never seen a couatl. All of the information I present herein was given to me by a travelling companion from the Antipodes, the good gentleman Xiuhtlalpilli. The being he described was no monster, but an avatar of a highly respected god. Cocoah (the plural form of couatl) travel the universe invisibly to deliver knowledge to mortals. Their touch is subtle. A flash of inspiration could be attributed to the brush of a couatl’s feathers across one’s head. The priests of this land are always on the lookout for evidence of a couatl’s passing. Statues depicting their many incarnations are found everywhere. When they manifest physically, it is a truly magnificent event, angelic to our ears. They shine with the light of the morning star, covered in dazzling feathers which catch the light in a prismatic explosion of color. Couatl venom is said to be either deadly enough to melt stone or capable of resurrecting the dead. I dearly hope, one day, to be able to see one for myself.

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Monster Manual - Cockatrice

Though no larger than a common rooster, the cockatrice possesses the fearful ability of petrification. The affliction is carried through their touch, most often in their beak, claws, and spurs. The rate at which the petrification spreads is slow enough that a cockatrice may be killed long before its attacker turns to stone. To demonstrate the danger they pose, cockatrices are covered in shining feathers, perform ostentatious threat displays, and crow just as loudly and frequently as their namesake. Cockatrices are not brave creatures. They will put up a strong show, but are more likely to flee if the opportunity presents itself. Wrapping any exposed skin in thick, padded garments is extremely useful when dealing with them. As is having a full, unburned shield… Reminder to self: stop by the armorer’s before the ship sets sail.

[dwollsadventures]

Summoner Saga - Hellhound & Cerberus

(Hellenistic Mythology)

Two hounds of Hell, of greater and lesser stature. Technically the hellhound isn't Greek, as the concept is more of a motif across many cultures. Its appearance here is a conglomeration of many different hellish hounds, and is paired with Cerberus, the uber hellhound.

Cerberus is based off a particular Greek hydria which depicts Cerberus with three differently colored heads and many snakes coming off of them. The snakes are often left out of depictions. But not even I could bring myself to depict the 50-headed hound of Hesiod. That's too many dang heads to draw! I sympathize with the poor potters of ancient Greece who reduced it to the three heads we're familiar with today.

[dwollsadventures]

Monster Manual - Chimera

The chimera is a suitably dangerous threat to all adventurers, regardless of skill level. The fore-parts of an especially large lion give it a hunter’s sense which compels the chimera to track and kill large game. The hind-parts of a goat allow the chimera to navigate perilous tracks in highland environments. And the draconic tail gives the entire creature a fiery core which any head can use to expel molten flames. But these strengths are countered by an equally compelling weakness. Each head has its own brain and behaviors. The lion is a hunter, enemy of the goat, and seeks others of its kind who promptly flee in fear. The goat is a runner, scared of the predators it’s attached to, constantly trying to leap out of its own skin. And the dragon is a lord who considers itself above all other life, cursed to a life of disgrace by being locked onto two ordinary beasts’ bums. Chimerae spend as much time trying to wrangle these warring personalities as hunting. If sufficiently goaded, the monster will destroy itself. Perhaps a less prideful tail, a cunning, smooth-talking snake, could calm the other two personalities.

--

I've noticed no one ever draws female chimeras, with a lioness' and ewe's heads, in spite of the fact the original Lycian monster was female.

[dwollsadventures]

I wasn't satisfied with the art for the behemoth and leviathan. I wanted to emphasize their scale more, and put in some perspective to sell that.

[sillyhounddog]

Palestinian Fundraisers and Aid Organizations

Here are some master lists and sites to donate to Palestinian fundraisers. This is a good way to find vetted, legit fundraisers and help people out. Donate if you can, share if you can’t donate. Peace and love ❤️

Click for Palestine (FREE!! can click once daily!)

@gazavetters Vetted fundraiser list

@el-shab-hussein and @nabulsi Vetted fundraiser list

Operation Olive Branch Vetted fundraiser list (this one has a LOT of fundraisers, not just Palestinians, and some great resources as well)

ButterflyEffect Vetted Fundraiser list (not just Palestinians, but most listed fundraisers are)

Anera (a humanitarian organization providing aid in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan)

UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees in the near East)

PCRF (Palestine Children’s Relief Fund)

[dwollsadventures]

Monster Manual - Cerebral Parasite

Feared by psychics the world over, the cerebral parasite is not a monster which can kill a person, unless they are seriously injured beforehand. They are almost undetectable to the naked eye, being small and possessing no pigmentation. The only sure way to find them is to psionically scan an individual showing signs of weakness. As parasites, they drain their host of psychic energy. To most hosts, this means nothing, other than perhaps some minor cognitive issues (a forgotten word, stumbling over sentences, dissociative episodes during moments of boredom). To psychics, this effectively drains them of their power. And, unfortunately, cerebral parasites are drawn to hosts possessing lots of energy. Drifting on the wind unseen, the world could be filled with these creatures, inhabitants of the astral and ethereal planes, and the majority of the population would never know.

--

I don't think there's ever been an illustration of the cerebral parasite, other than motes of psychic energy. With free reign, I decided to make it a weird bug. The feathered back legs catch the wind to float while the front legs hook onto hair or skin.

[dwollsadventures]

Monster Manual - Centipede, Giant

Centipedes are almost never a threat to adventurers. Even if you happen to be allergic, it’s easy enough to avoid them. Giant centipedes are no larger than most human’s fore-arms and their venom is too weak to kill a healthy individual. The greatest danger a giant centipede can pose is fear; finding one in your boot or a jar can be as dangerous as a bite, especially if you need to be silent.

--

Kinda stretching the definition of "giant" there Gary.

[dwollsadventures]

Summoner Saga - Various Little Critters

(Hellenistic Natural Philosophy)

A collection of three little creatures that could be combined for ease's sake.

Ichneumon - A mongoose or otter-like creature which covers itself in mud. The enemy of asps, crocodiles, and dragons, the latter of which the ichneumon kills from the inside out.

Echeneis - A remora which is able to arrest the movement of ships by clinging to their bottoms.

Gold-Digging Ant - Fox-sized ants which collect gold. Swarm would-be gold hunters and their camels, dragging them back into the nest.

[dwollsadventures]

Summoner Saga - Carcinus

(Hellenistic Mythology)

A species of incredibly large land crab found in the wetlands and estuaries along the Winedark Sea's coasts. All giant crabs are descended from a single specimen cultivated by the goddess Hera. Though it may seem counterintuitive to us, the gods often allow monsters to live and grow as a future asset they can throw at eventual problems, or serve as challenges for mortals. Carcinus was one such creature, a back-up for the original hydra. It was raised in the mires, feeding off detritus and small animals while building up a tolerance for the acidic conditions the hydra produced. While the original Carcinus was unceremoniously stomped by Heracles, its descendants carry on. The giant crabs can grow to around five feet in diameter before gravity and their own weight pulls them down for good. Perhaps in remembrance, giant crabs sometimes have symbiotic relationships with hydras and drakons. The crabs will use their delicate pincers to pluck parasites and dead scales from the serpentine monsters as they doze. The hydra, meanwhile, refuses to eat the crab and its younger relatives. Drakons are less likely to hold up this end of the deal. 

-Habitat: Brackish water around the Winedark Sea.

[dwollsadventures]

Monster Manual - Centaur

When I first met a band of nomadic centaurs, I danced around the topic of their horse halves. The notion that they were half man, half animal seemed preposterous, because they are fully centaurs. Well, as it turned out, they’re not so bothered by the language. As a matter of fact, centaurs are deeply interested in their dichotomous natures. Centaur philosophy is split into two schools: the Ixionites and the Cheironites. The Ixionites believe that their equine bodies dictate their place in the universe. Centaurs are, after all, really 75% horse and 25% human by mass. They have more in common with horses than men: their foals are born at what we would consider a toddler age, able to walk already, their bodies are sturdier and stronger than a comparable humans, and they have multiple stomachs able to break down tough vegetative matter (I decided not to bring up the fact horses are not ruminants in order to prevent a debate). Even their common name references this dominant philosophical position. Centaur means “bull hunter” and they exist in contrast to humanoids, who raise and herd cattle. The Cheironites see their humanoid portions as more important. Centaurs have brains, unlike horses, and opposable thumbs. This alone places them above the beasts in the field. Cheironites dedicate themselves to studying the natural world and their own place in it. Many famous heroes have been taught by centaur sophists. I personally agree with the Cheironites, but do not expect them to flourish. Most are self-imposed hermits who swear off marriage and contact with other centaurs. Ixionites make fun of them, saying that, if the Cheironites could, they would saw themselves by the waist to be more human. 

[dwollsadventures]

Monster Manual - Cattle, Wild

There are a few species of wild bovines, mostly concentrated in sup-tropical forests and plains. Adventurers rarely need to worry about them; they are wary around humans and show much more fear than normal cattle, having to worry about predators in the wild. It’s those that are used to human contact that need to be feared. Because they have been domesticated several times over, it’s difficult to determine which type of bovid can be classified as wild cattle. The zebu and gayal are sometimes found in feral herds, though descend from man-raised species. Gaur and banteng still retain wild populations. The kouprey, a fanciful species which sometimes displays frayed horn tips, is also a wild type. I've met forest folk who've said they’ve seen kouprey, though never seen any myself.

--

That's right, ol Gygax took the space in his book for three separate entries for Bulls, Buffalo, and Wild Cattle. I'm done drawing bovids for now...

[dwollsadventures]

This is an important update regarding your TDG (Acronym Pending) subscription.

[dwollsadventures]

Monster Manual - Catoblepas

Eugh… I’d really rather not write this. I thought the scholars were exaggerating when they said it had “no redeeming features”. After a week following these horrid beasts around, I cannot help but concur. Hopefully the smell of this monster will leave my tunic one day.

--

Well, that's rather uncharitable for Lias. He must have not liked the catoblepas very much. Thankfully the anonymous author of Summoner Saga has more to say. (This is one of the few times that the Monster Manual and Summoner Saga project will cross-over, purely due to coincidence):

Catoblepas

(Hellenistic Natural Philosophy)

Joining the basilisk and gorgon as creatures who can kill with a look is the catoblepas. This medium-sized bovid inhabits flooded grasslands and swamps in the sub-tropical regions of Palet. Covered in a mixture of scales and patchy fur, its legs are short and ungainly, mismatched in size. The head of the catoblepas is attached to a long, thin neck which perpetually bows down. They spend their entire lives looking at the ground, snuffling for grass and herby plants like a hog. Along the neck is a mane where each hair has a stiff root attached to the neck. When needed, the catoblepas can tense its neck, causing the hairs to suddenly raise, exposing its hideous face. Whereas basilisks and gorgons petrify their victims, those who see the catoblepas suffer brain hemorrhages upon witnessing it. If that wasn't enough to keep creatures away, catoblepas also feed heavily upon a certain poisonous herb. Immune to the toxins, they allow the fumes from the herb to collect in their foregut. If the threat of their gaze isn't enough to dissuade a predator, the beast can also belch up this toxic gas. Unsurprisingly, catoblepas are solitary, lonely creatures. Mating is a rare event and they have few parental instincts, leaving calves to fend for themselves after they're weaned. No other creatures reside where a catoblepas makes its home. The only companion the grotesque creatures have are a swarm of blind parasites evolved especially to feed upon the catoblepas. With short limbs, a thin tail, and no companions willing to groom them, they suffer the presence of these freeloaders in quiet rage. 

-Habitat: Wetlands in the sub-tropics.

[dwollsadventures]

Monster Manual - Carrion Crawler

Someone once told me that dungeons are like giant monsters which use treasure to lure in the greedy. The actual monsters which inhabit it are the dungeon's teeth. The carrion crawler is its stomach. Or perhaps its intestines. These giant worm-like creatures are scavengers who produce a putrefying acid which breaks down desiccated tissue. Carrion crawlers also possess a paralytic secretion on their facial tendrils, though this is solely for defense. One will typically find these monsters in the largest dungeons, where mere bacteria and fungi aren't enough to deal with the amount of bodies produced by the dungeon's feeding. They will also position themselves below the middens of sentient dungeon dwellers to feed off of their waste. 

[dwollsadventures]

Summoner Saga - Bonnacon

(Hellenistic Natural Philosophy)

This bovid is perhaps one of the most surprisingly strange creatures of Rhodia. At a glance the bonnacon is an unfortunate animal: stubby legs incapable of running away from predators and two short, inward curving horns ill-equipped for defense. They may have gone the way of the dodo had nature not given them a novel defense: flaming, projectile excreta. In addition to normal defecation, bonnacons can expel their feces at such a high pressure that it can travel many hundreds of feet. Their defensive excreta is covered in a strange substance which bursts into flames when in contact with oxygen. Thankfully their bottoms are covered in thick, fire-proof skin. Bonnacons have few predators willing to hunt them. Drakons, chimeras, and Nemean lions will give herds a wide berth. Even humans and centaurs are unwilling to try. Bonnacon herds are associated with wildfires, which extinguish the flatulent bovids. This is why they typically live in wet, humid plains and forests. Travelers in bonnacon lands tread carefully. The flammable substance which covers their dung eventually dissipates. Sometimes it can survive in the center, making their cowpats land-mines. Rural tribes use these to defend their hill forts. They must collect them from the wild, as keeping bonnacons near wooden structures is to tempt fate. 

-Habitat: The plains and grasslands of Rhodia.