#fantasy monsters

[thefugitivesaint]

Terry Oakes, ''The Fighting Fantasy 10th Anniversary Yearbook'' by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, 1992

[story-richmond]

My favorite Yeld monsters

I was looking through the Yeld rulebook trying to choose some monsters for my next game, and I kind of got lost in how much I like our monsters. I know this is a little bit of bragging. I did all the art for the game, and my brother and I wrote all the monsters, so its like "hey, isn't this thing I made so cool?" But... Hey, aren't these monsters so cool? Part of it is, of course, that I'm designing the exact kind of monsters I want to see. No wonder I like them! Anyway, please indulge me while I share my 5 favorite Yeld monsters!

The Shipwrecker Queen: A kaiju sized mermaid with squid hair who eats ships? I like her a lot! I designed her for the Yeld Summer Collection, which was a set of odds and ends content that we released a few years ago. My idea was that these giant mermaids support the armies of the Deep as living war engines who destroy enemy warships and sink fleets. I think at first she was going to be a giant squid? This is better.

Big Bad Beetle Boss: A crime boss in the Bug Mafia! This guy shows up as a Boss Monster in our Rank 1 Adventure Set. In that adventure the Friends are witnesses in a trial against some dangerous Spelling Bees. This guy bursts out of the floor in the middle of the court room and skewers the prosecutor! I really love the idea of an insect crime syndicate!

Witch Cult Priest: The Elves of Yeld are cats. They were banished deep under Yeld's surface after starting a war that almost ended the world. Elves are absolute maniacs, and while they aren't individually evil they come from a pretty crappy society built on oppression and hatred. The Elves we meet in Yeld all seem to be little murderous turds. They worship a long dead Witch named Jan Hoddan, who gave them hands and the power to build horrible war machines. I really like this drawing. I was trying to kind of do a Conan the Barbarian style cultist, and I think it works. She looks absolutely deranged, like she would very happily cut out your heart as a sacrifice to her Witch God. Just like every cat I know. You can find her in the Elves of Yeld expansion.

Hasatch: We didn't really create the Hasatch. We stole it from the internet. Do you remember? It was like a weird meme monster from the early 2000s? I always liked it. Its so dumb looking. I don't know if the original intent was that its head looks like a dong, but unfortunately every time I draw it that's what it looks like. Hasatch fit into Yeld really well. They're big and dumb and smelly, and no one likes them. And they eat everything. This illustration is from the Yeld rulebook.

The Facetoother: Nick and I write and design everything for Yeld. Except we have a monthly event where our fans can create new monsters. The Facetoother is one of those monsters, a creature that sneaks into your bedroom while you sleep to steal your teeth! I really like the art for this dude. He's very weird and creepy! He appears as a free monster on the Yeld Patreon.

Lumbering Lumberjackal: Nick came up with this one. The Lumberjackals are the caretakers of the Ghost Oak Forest. They're giants (look at that pig on his belt) that cull the forest's Root Gods and harvest its trees. I like the pun name a lot, and tried to really sell it in the art. A jackal who is a lumberjack? Sure! You can find him in the Yeld rulebook. (Also, he's very handsome, right? Look at that smile. The broad shoulders. Those forearms. I didn't MEAN to make him look like that, but there he is.) Anyway, those are 5 of my favorite Yeld monsters. A totally self indulgent list.

[daily-fantasy-ideas]

What if there was a sort of upgraded/evolved form of a "Slime" was called a "Gel" with the ability to take more definite less blob-like shapes and to harden its body.

Maybe some could even use this body hardening ability internally to give themselves skeletons letting them take on more humanoid forms.

Or perhaps they could form symbiotic relationships with others, flowing over them and then hardening into a set of armour.

[magoshighlandsroar]

General Entry 8: A strange night's dance

I'm getting worryingly good at writing these entries by the embers of a dying fire. I do miss my desk and my mage lantern, despite how enlightening this trip has been so far, and will no doubt continue to be.

Currently I am resting in a small village hidden just off the main road way, it's original inhabitants are long gone from what I can observe. It has since become a sort of resting stop thanks to it's sturdy, low set buildings and the fact that most of the Isle's wildlife seems to avoid it. If you squint, it could even be considered "Homely". I wait here for Anton to return, he has gone ahead for a day or two. He's told me he was investigating a report from another Ranger, it was apparently quite worrying although he wouldn't actually tell me, it's no matter, I trust his judgement. Even if it means I have to stay here and wait for him. Atleast I am not alone, if I was I fear I may have gone mad. I'm sharing this space with a mercenary band that call themselves the "Company Of The King-Hawk". Twelve members in total, rather the eclectic mix of warriors and mages, I've actually only really spoken at length with a few of them, primarily a spell-sword by the name of Taggert. A Half-Orc from the northern steppe, we spoke about his thoughts on the usage of rapid fire, single target spells during small scale engagements are truly fascinating, although more talk on that subject will have to wait till morning. The King-Hawks, primary Taggert, have been excellent company so far, even thought they only joined me just before dusk. For the first half of the day I was exploring this strange little hamlet. I was intrigued by it's seeming blandness. It's funny how something some ordinary sticks out as strange in this place. I've made some limited progress in my study, although I will absolutely involve Taggert in my further exploration come morning, I have no doubt his input will be invaluable. Assuming he's in any state to offer his thoughts that is. I suppose I should get to the rest of the night's more, raucous, events, shouldn't I?

Just a peak after dusk, one of the King-Hawks, a bard named Eshena, began playing the most wonderous melody on her mandolin, joined shortly after by one of their archers playing beautifully on his flute. This performance was lovely, but what made truly exceptional was the singing, Taggert, with a voice I struggle to properly describe, joined the ensemble and, I dislike repeating myself but once I fail to find the words that do it justice. The noise attracted notice, another group passing by, several locals, atleast I believe them to be locals, they were clothed in an assortment of colours, styles and materials. I did try to ask where they were from, always interested in the locals of the Isle as I am, but between from the revelry and the dancing I wasn't actually able to get an answer. Ah yes, the dancing... It was raucous and extreme, my legs ache even now and I've no doubt it will be a thousand times come the morning. The singing only got louder as the night went on, the music somehow got even better, although I don't doubt the drinking is effecting my recollection, we've all had quite a bit.

Things have slowly began to quiet down as most of the King-Hawks find quiet places to, enjoy themselves further. I had intended to join them, I have danced with a number of people tonight, more specifically one of the locals, they had beckoned me to follow them and I was intent on doing so when...

Even as I sit here, writing this, perhaps an hour, likely more, later I still can't quite put into words what happened. The only way I can think to describe is, as they hit the edge of the fire light something, changed. I don't know if it was the drink creating illusions, or just a trick of dancing firelight, perhaps this place has finally gotten to me and I've lost my mind. But I swear, there was something in their eyes, a flash, just a flash in their eyes for the briefest moment, this, sudden, impossible hunger. A flash of rending teeth and slicing claws. I must be mad.

Either way, terror shot through my soul, so much so I nearly crumpled backwards, stumbling over myself and with a speed I can scarce emulate sober I scrambled away, crashing into a bush to cover my rather undignified vomiting fit. The King-Hawks thought it was hilarious. Their resident alchemist was atleast kind enough to give me something to quell the roiling of my stomach, but I was "Officially barred from any more booze". I think I must be mad, I will apologize in the morning.

Morning has rising. Head pounding. Intent to find Taggert.

I cannot find Taggert, I'm going to try and find Eshena.

(These next pages of the journal are blood stained, the hand of the writing is shakey)

I found Eshena. I doubt I will find Taggert, or any of the other King-Hawks. I followed a trai-

I followed a trail though the grass in the direction I remember Eshena going last night, out past the edge of the firelight. I followed the trail and, an-, and Anton has clearly rubbed off on me. I found Eshena's mandolin, abandoned, a beautiful piece, steel belted, an instrument of war...

I kept following the track, through a gap in the trees and the brush, into a clearing where I found her- I found her body.

Her chest had been laid open, her nec-,gods, her neck and arms were covered in bite marks and bruises. A noise, shifting branches. Snapping bracken, Anton really has rubbed off on me.

Behind me, behind me was that same stranger, that same "Local" from the night before. The same I had danced with. The same that I had had a vision of. They spot. Words like honey and quicksilver, I now recognize that it was a charm, it had likely been a charm last night as well. They came close to me. Reaching out a talonned hand. I was stuck, struck dumb by the charm. I don't quite recall what happened next, a flash I suspect, a spark of something. Perhaps simple survival instinct, perhaps pure, hot rage.

I gripped Eshena's mandolin in both hand, and struck them it. Struck it, across the face. It stumbled to the side, and I hit it again, and again, and again. At some point the reinforced neck of the mandolin gave way. I resorted to my fists then...

Eshena's mandolin is shattered, I doubt it can be repaired. The creature is bound, I intend to do a full examination and vivisection, I will make sure to document it clearly. I have done the best to retrieve Eshena, I cannot find trace of any of the others. I will get Antons aid to bury her when he returns.

[novankenn]

Jaunes of the Monster-Verse

(ALL images sourced via Google. I claim or assume No rights to the images)

This is a collection of stories, some one-shot others a few chapters long, that will all feature Jaune as some sort of "monster" but in the terms of Folk-Lore and Fantasy.

There will probably be the odd poll posted to help me focus on the types of creatures people want me to explore. Asks & DM's are also open for suggestions.

Current Poll: Question... What Folklore/Monster should I turn Jaune into Next?

/==> Rusalka!Jaune <==\ Turbulent Waters (1/3) -- Turbulent Waters (2/3) Turbulent Waters (3/3) --Turbulent Waters (Epilogue)

/==> NightMare!Jaune -- Mare!Jaune<==\ Broken Slumber (1/?) Broken Slumber (2/?)

/==> DamesBlanche!Jaune (female!Jaune)<==\ May I have this Dance?

[aboleth-eye]

[gooberto]

One of several abhorrent anomalies inhabiting the cursed caverns of Starscar Hollow, it's not quite clear what kind of creature the Grundlegar is other than an obnoxiously resilient one. Though slow and ungainly, its leathery hide and dark scales easily absorb almost any assault, giving it ample opportunity to strike back with its terrifyingly strong arms. Woe be to anyone careless enough to let it get them in its grasp, because if they aren't crushed by its sheer grip strength, they'll most likely find themselves shoveled directly into its mouth immediately afterward.

I haven't really done anything with my fantasy setting/rpg concept in a while because of all the other things commanding my attention, but I felt like digging out and completing this lategame enemy idea I had would be good to get drawing again.