The Zaratan.
So yeah, I guess I'm kind of cheating by picking a monster that really is a campaign in of itself, but there you go. Plus I like turtles.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge: Day 22-Favorite Monster Overall
Favorite Monster overall? That's a difficult one. There are a lot of good ones out there that I like. Goblyns (with a "y"), Ghouls, Wererats, Strahd Zombies...and so many more. But I'm going to go with a monster I've never used in a game but just looking at the monster gives me a great idea for an adventure-ridden campaign.
The Zaratan, as you can see in the picture, is a giant tortoise with a full-sized tropical island on its back. Its stays asleep for thousands of years, and when it does wake up it mostly just drifts along with the currents so any inhabitants of the island would likely never know of its existence. What a great setting for a multitude of adventures! A "Lost Island" that floats around the ocean, and if you're lucky enough to find it you'll probably never realize its actually a giant monster unless something happens to make the giant tortoise submerge (and then you're boned). Or perhaps you could get swallowed by the Zaratan and if you don't die right away, there could be a whole civilization of shipwrecked pirates or sacrificial victims (from the cannibals populating the island on its back) living in the Zaratan's slowly-metabolizing guts.
So yeah, I guess I'm kind of cheating by picking a monster that really is a campaign in of itself, but there you go. Plus I like turtles.
So yeah, I guess I'm kind of cheating by picking a monster that really is a campaign in of itself, but there you go. Plus I like turtles.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge: Day 21-Favorite Dragon Color/Type
Your average layperson would probably not realize that there is more than one type of dragon. A dragon is a dragon, right? They fly around and breath fire on knights, sometimes hoard gold and that's it. Right?
Nope. In D&D there are a crap-ton of Dragon types. All separated by color, which is a little racist but there you go. Most of the "evil" dragons are chromatic colors. The big five bad guys are: Black, Blue, Green, Red, and White. Most of the "good" dragons are metallic colors. The big five good guys are: Brass, Bronze, Copper, Gold, and Silver.
Each type/color dragon breathes a different type of breath weapon. Red breathes good ol' Fire. Black vomits out an Acid spray, Blue "breathes" lightning bolts (don't ask), Green breathes out Chlorine gas, and White breathes out Frost. The good dragons breathe out ridiculous stuff like sleep gas and slow gas and something called "repulsion" gas. Kinda dumb if you ask me. Good dragons aren't that interesting.
So which dragon is my favorite? Some would guess its the dreaded Blue dragon since Quinn spent years seeking out a Blue dragon as part of a quest to create the ultimate undead-killing sword? Sadly, no, he never did find that blasted Blue dragon, he was too busy saving towns from ghoul packs and vampires.
No, my favorite Dragon is the Black Dragon. They're really cunning but not conversationalists, making them a verified "monster" and not something you'll end up playing chess with or answer a riddle or something to survive an encounter. No, Black Dragons hide and hunt in swamps and they spray acid everywhere and melt stuff. That means if you've got Black Dragon infestation outside your hamlet you know it pretty quick, because there'll be melted cows and stuff as evidence. But Black Dragons like to hide in swampy undergrowth so its not like they're easy to just see before you get acidified. Kinda like a Medusa, it easy to figure out what kind of monster you're facing, but still not super-easy to find and kill. Good plot trigger for monster-hunting adventurers. The kind of problem a town Burgomeister would hang an "Adventurer's Reward" poster for the hunting down of the "Acid Monster." Plus just hunting a Black Dragon means you're going to be fighting a very dangerous monster in a swampy area, giving a great opportunity for all sorts of slippery terrain or waist-deep swamp water or other fun combat problems.
So here's to the Black Dragons!
Nope. In D&D there are a crap-ton of Dragon types. All separated by color, which is a little racist but there you go. Most of the "evil" dragons are chromatic colors. The big five bad guys are: Black, Blue, Green, Red, and White. Most of the "good" dragons are metallic colors. The big five good guys are: Brass, Bronze, Copper, Gold, and Silver.
Each type/color dragon breathes a different type of breath weapon. Red breathes good ol' Fire. Black vomits out an Acid spray, Blue "breathes" lightning bolts (don't ask), Green breathes out Chlorine gas, and White breathes out Frost. The good dragons breathe out ridiculous stuff like sleep gas and slow gas and something called "repulsion" gas. Kinda dumb if you ask me. Good dragons aren't that interesting.
So which dragon is my favorite? Some would guess its the dreaded Blue dragon since Quinn spent years seeking out a Blue dragon as part of a quest to create the ultimate undead-killing sword? Sadly, no, he never did find that blasted Blue dragon, he was too busy saving towns from ghoul packs and vampires.
No, my favorite Dragon is the Black Dragon. They're really cunning but not conversationalists, making them a verified "monster" and not something you'll end up playing chess with or answer a riddle or something to survive an encounter. No, Black Dragons hide and hunt in swamps and they spray acid everywhere and melt stuff. That means if you've got Black Dragon infestation outside your hamlet you know it pretty quick, because there'll be melted cows and stuff as evidence. But Black Dragons like to hide in swampy undergrowth so its not like they're easy to just see before you get acidified. Kinda like a Medusa, it easy to figure out what kind of monster you're facing, but still not super-easy to find and kill. Good plot trigger for monster-hunting adventurers. The kind of problem a town Burgomeister would hang an "Adventurer's Reward" poster for the hunting down of the "Acid Monster." Plus just hunting a Black Dragon means you're going to be fighting a very dangerous monster in a swampy area, giving a great opportunity for all sorts of slippery terrain or waist-deep swamp water or other fun combat problems.
So here's to the Black Dragons!
Friday, September 20, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge: Day 20-Favorite Monster (Humanoid/Natural/Fey)
Finally the last of the favorite monster entries. This last category is wierd, Humanoid/Natural/Fey? That's a strange grouping, but in any case my answer has to be...
This pencil drawing has got to be the only illustration of a Fremlin ever made, because its all google can find. But its the exact illustration I remember from the 2nd ed AD&D Complete Book of Humanoids, so its good enough for me.
In any case, Fremlins are weird and ridiculous. At first glance you think, "Oh, its a gremlin with wings. Not really exciting." But regardless of whether or not you are a fan of that one bat-gremlin in Gremlins 2, these guys have a lot of things going for them. However combat capability is not one of those things. They tend to be cowardly, lazy, whiny, and plump little dudes who run from combat, and they hate using weapons; but who just also happen to be IMMUNE TO NON-MAGICAL WEAPONS. Holy crap. Why are they immune to non-magical weapons? No one knows, they just are. And remember these guys are in the Complete Book of Humanoids, so they are a playable race in AD&D, so of course we had a buddy who played one to great comic effect. Immune to non-magical weapons at level 1? Yes please.
One last thing that makes me laugh about these guys is that their description also points out that they "shun clothing and ornamentation." And if they are part of your adventuring party that means they likely tend to hover around head-height so they can communicate more easily with all the normal-sized humanoids. But they're nude all the time, so its just floating Fremlin dong wherever you look. Yeesh.
The Fremlin
This pencil drawing has got to be the only illustration of a Fremlin ever made, because its all google can find. But its the exact illustration I remember from the 2nd ed AD&D Complete Book of Humanoids, so its good enough for me.
In any case, Fremlins are weird and ridiculous. At first glance you think, "Oh, its a gremlin with wings. Not really exciting." But regardless of whether or not you are a fan of that one bat-gremlin in Gremlins 2, these guys have a lot of things going for them. However combat capability is not one of those things. They tend to be cowardly, lazy, whiny, and plump little dudes who run from combat, and they hate using weapons; but who just also happen to be IMMUNE TO NON-MAGICAL WEAPONS. Holy crap. Why are they immune to non-magical weapons? No one knows, they just are. And remember these guys are in the Complete Book of Humanoids, so they are a playable race in AD&D, so of course we had a buddy who played one to great comic effect. Immune to non-magical weapons at level 1? Yes please.
One last thing that makes me laugh about these guys is that their description also points out that they "shun clothing and ornamentation." And if they are part of your adventuring party that means they likely tend to hover around head-height so they can communicate more easily with all the normal-sized humanoids. But they're nude all the time, so its just floating Fremlin dong wherever you look. Yeesh.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge: Day 19-Favorite Monster (Elemental/Plant)
Favorite Plant Monster? Why, its the Shambling Mound!
According to wikipedia, the beloved Shambling Mound (which obviously deserves its own entry):
Shambling mounds are usually about six feet tall, with an eight foot girth, when they stand erect. Most weigh around 3,800 pounds. Their brains and sensory organs are located in their upper regions. In their natural environment, shambling mounds are almost invisible. They can move through water easily, and have been known to creep into camps in their range at night to attack. Stories tell of shambling mounds moving about in electrical storms without flinching from the frequent lightning strikes, even direct strikes."
So the standard Shambling Mount is six feet tall, but with an eight foot girth. That's a wide load right there. I also wouldn't have guessed their sensory organs are in their upper regions, you know, where their head is. I don't know why they are so immune to (and in some versions healed by) lightning, must be some reference from some old story I'm missing, but whatever. I picture shambling mounds to be more like a cross between an Ent and a giant Swamp Thing, but way dumber. They basically are gigantic heaps of swampy vegetation that walk slowly around forested areas and beat the hell out of anything that's not a druid. When you play a druid that moment when you can finally summon a shambling mound is a special time, because you know you can now fully commune with all forms of nature, even the sentient plants... and command them to kill dudes.
Shamble on, favorite plant monster. Shamble on.
According to wikipedia, the beloved Shambling Mound (which obviously deserves its own entry):
Shambling mounds are usually about six feet tall, with an eight foot girth, when they stand erect. Most weigh around 3,800 pounds. Their brains and sensory organs are located in their upper regions. In their natural environment, shambling mounds are almost invisible. They can move through water easily, and have been known to creep into camps in their range at night to attack. Stories tell of shambling mounds moving about in electrical storms without flinching from the frequent lightning strikes, even direct strikes."
So the standard Shambling Mount is six feet tall, but with an eight foot girth. That's a wide load right there. I also wouldn't have guessed their sensory organs are in their upper regions, you know, where their head is. I don't know why they are so immune to (and in some versions healed by) lightning, must be some reference from some old story I'm missing, but whatever. I picture shambling mounds to be more like a cross between an Ent and a giant Swamp Thing, but way dumber. They basically are gigantic heaps of swampy vegetation that walk slowly around forested areas and beat the hell out of anything that's not a druid. When you play a druid that moment when you can finally summon a shambling mound is a special time, because you know you can now fully commune with all forms of nature, even the sentient plants... and command them to kill dudes.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge: Day 18-Favorite Monster (Immortal/Outsider)
For favorite outsider there are a lot of options, Glabrezu, Tanari'i, Balor...but the one I like most is the most Ravenloftian of Outsiders, The Night Hag.
That's right, the simple Night Hag. Her primary occupation is to harvest soul larvae, which are the soul husks of the selfish individuals who die and descend into the lower planes, and then sells the them to demons and devils. They also trick men into mating with them by appearing as beautiful women in their dreams, and then after the event they slay and eat the man, black-widow style. But most importantly, in the game Planescape: Torment, it was a Night Hag, Ravel Puzzlewell, who gave the Nameless One his immortality (for a pretty hefty price) and allowed him to go on his crazy adventures.
That's right, the simple Night Hag. Her primary occupation is to harvest soul larvae, which are the soul husks of the selfish individuals who die and descend into the lower planes, and then sells the them to demons and devils. They also trick men into mating with them by appearing as beautiful women in their dreams, and then after the event they slay and eat the man, black-widow style. But most importantly, in the game Planescape: Torment, it was a Night Hag, Ravel Puzzlewell, who gave the Nameless One his immortality (for a pretty hefty price) and allowed him to go on his crazy adventures.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge: Day 17-Favorite Monster (Animal/Vermin)
So I was first going to say Carrion Crawler for favorite Vermin, but then I did a little research and found that the carrion crawler is in fact an Aberration, not Vermin. Huh. Well, in that case its gotta be the Centipede Swarm!
Everyone's seen that part of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom where Indy and Willie (Kate Capshaw) are exploring the bug-filled tombs under Bangkok Palace, and that big centipede crawls up over Willie's shoulder and into her hair, which she doesn't notice.
What happened to that centipede? Did she ever find it? Maybe not, maybe its still there, clutching her scalp and laying eggs or whatever in her hair, until one day they all hatch at the same time and big centipedes just swarm out of her head.
Yeah, so, centipede swarms are super-gross and the perfect vermin to get players to squirm. Not only do they do a little damage every round, they often have some sort of poison as part of their attack. The best kind of poison for swarms of disgusting centipedes is the kind that just slows you down, so paralysis sets in slowly, so every round you move slower and slower, get more and more bites, until the whole swarm covers you completely.
Ugh. Yeah, centipede swarms man, yuck.
Everyone's seen that part of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom where Indy and Willie (Kate Capshaw) are exploring the bug-filled tombs under Bangkok Palace, and that big centipede crawls up over Willie's shoulder and into her hair, which she doesn't notice.
What happened to that centipede? Did she ever find it? Maybe not, maybe its still there, clutching her scalp and laying eggs or whatever in her hair, until one day they all hatch at the same time and big centipedes just swarm out of her head.
Yeah, so, centipede swarms are super-gross and the perfect vermin to get players to squirm. Not only do they do a little damage every round, they often have some sort of poison as part of their attack. The best kind of poison for swarms of disgusting centipedes is the kind that just slows you down, so paralysis sets in slowly, so every round you move slower and slower, get more and more bites, until the whole swarm covers you completely.
Ugh. Yeah, centipede swarms man, yuck.
Monday, September 16, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge: Day 16-Favorite Monster (Abberation)
Gotta be the Gibbering Mouther!
You don't even want to come close this mofo. He's got all sorts of mouths of various sizes to bite the crap out of you, and even worse than that while those mouths aren't biting they're gibbering an insane cacophony. Anyone who can hear them can go nuts and attack their allies, or run headfirst into the mouther's gelatinous bulk, or just faint and wait to be devoured by hundreds of little mouths whispering their name. Ugh. Yeah, definitely the Gibbering Mouther is the creepiest of Abberations that I've ever encountered or thrown at my players. Even beating out the Otyugh (which is, let's face it, just a big bottom-feeder).
You don't even want to come close this mofo. He's got all sorts of mouths of various sizes to bite the crap out of you, and even worse than that while those mouths aren't biting they're gibbering an insane cacophony. Anyone who can hear them can go nuts and attack their allies, or run headfirst into the mouther's gelatinous bulk, or just faint and wait to be devoured by hundreds of little mouths whispering their name. Ugh. Yeah, definitely the Gibbering Mouther is the creepiest of Abberations that I've ever encountered or thrown at my players. Even beating out the Otyugh (which is, let's face it, just a big bottom-feeder).
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