[AS&SH] Volume IV: Bestiary

[Ghul]

Hello fellows,

Here follows an outline of Volume IV, of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, which is developed and presently being edited. This volume features all the beasts, monsters and otherworldly beings that inhabit the game's setting of Hyperborea. Some monsters are drawn from mythology, others are inspired by pulp fiction sources, and others are classic 0e or 1e creatures (though several of these are modified to reflect setting).

In this outline I will simply name all the creatures. Bear in mind that the editing process may effect changes to what I present below.

ASTONISHING SWORDSMEN & SORCERERS OF HYPERBOREA
©2011 North Wind Adventures LLC

Text: Jeff Talanian
Illustrations: Ian Baggley

Volume IV: Bestiary

• Aboleth
  
• Aerial Minion
  
• Ant, Giant
  
• Ape, Albino (white ape)
  
• Ape, Carnivorous
  
• Ape, Mountain (ogre)
  
• Ape-Man
  
• Archaeopteryx
  
• Aurochs
  
• Automaton (living statue, golem; clay, flesh, iron, stone)
  
• Basilisk
  
• Bat (normal and giant)
  
• Bear (black, brown, cave, polar)
  
• Bee, Giant
  
• Beetle, Giant (bombardier, fire, stag)
  
• Behir
  
• Bird-Man
  
• Black Pudding
  
• Blink Dog
  
• Boar
  
• Camel (bactrian, dromedary, leaper)
  
• Cave-Man
  
• Centipede, Giant (black, pink)
  
• Chimaera
  
• Cloaker
  
• Cockatrice
  
• Colour Out of Space
  
• Crab, Giant
  
• Crab-Man
  
• Crocodile
  
• Cyclops
  
• Deer (red, reindeer, giant elk)
  
• Demon, Class I
  
• Demon, Class II
  
• Demon, Class III
  
• Demon, Class IV
  
• Demon, Class V
  
• Demon, Class VI
  
• Demon, Succubus
  
• Demon, Swine
  
• Dog (hunting/sled, war, wild)
  
• Dwarf
  
• Eagle, Giant
  
• Eel, Electric
  
• Elder Thing
  
• Elemental, Air
  
• Elemental, Earth
  
• Elemental, Fire
  
• Elemental, Water
  
• Falcon (hawk)
  
• Ferret, Giant
  
• Fish-Man (deep one)
  
• Fomorian (hill giant)
  
• Frog, Giant
  
• Fungus (shrieker, violet)
  
• Gargoyle
  
• Gelatinous Cube
  
• Ghast
  
• Ghost
  
• Ghost, Banshee
  
• Ghoul
  
• Ghul (desert demon)
  
• Giant, Fire
  
• Giant, Frost
  
• Gibbering Mouther
  
• Gorgon (medusa)
  
• Great Race (yithian)
  
• Green Slime
  
• Grey Ooze
  
• Griffon
  
• Harpy
  
• Hell Hound
  
• Hippogriff
  
• Horse (draft, riding, warhorse)
  
• Hydra (aqua, pyro)
  
• Hyaena (common, giant)
  
• Hyaena-Man (gnoll)
  
• Invisible Stalker
  
• Lamiae
  
• Leech, Giant
  
• Lich
  
• Lion
  
• Lizard, Giant (chameleon, draco, komodo dragon, tuatara)
  
• Lizard-Man
  
• Lotus Woman
  
• Lycanthrope (wererat, werewolf)
  
• Mammoth, Woolly
  
• Man, Bandit
  
• Man, Berserker
  
• Man of Leng
  
• Manticore
  
• Mi-Go (fungi from yuggoth)
  
• Minotaur
  
• Minotron
  
• Mummy
  
• Musk Ox
  
• Mustard Mould
  
• Naga
  
• Night-Gaunt
  
• Nightmare
  
• Ochre Jelly
  
• Octopus, Giant
  
• Oon (ghost-man)
  
• Orc (demon pict)
  
• Otyugh
  
• Owl Bear
  
• Pegasus
  
• Pterodactyl
  
• Purple Worm
  
• Rat (normal, giant)
  
• Remorhaz
  
• Rhinoceros, Woolly
  
• Roper
  
• Rust Monster
  
• Salamander (fire, ice)
  
• Scorpion, Giant
  
• Sea Serpent
  
• Shadow
  
• Shambling Mound
  
• Shark, Great White
  
• Shoggoth
  
• Skeleton
  
• Skeleton, Animal
  
• Slithering Slime
  
• Sloth, Ground
  
• Slug, Giant
  
• Snake (asp, cobra, python, rattler, viper)
  
• Snake, Gaint (asp, cobra, python, water)
  
• Snake-Man
  
• Snow-Man, Abominable (yeti)
  
• Spectre
  
• Spider, Giant (crab, black widow, ogre-faced, phase, trap-door, wolf
  
• Spore-Man
  
• Squid-Giant
  
• Stirge
  
• Tentacular Horror
  
• Thew Wagon
  
• Tick, Giant
  
• Tiger (tiger, sabre-tooth)
  
• Toad, Giant
  
• Tree-Man (treant)
  
• Troglodyte
  
• Troll
  
• Vampire
  
• Vhuurmis (beast-man)
  
• Weasel, Giant
  
• Whale (blue, killer, narwhale)
  
• Wight
  
• Will-O'-Wisp
  
• Wolf (wolf, dire wolf, winter wolf)
  
• Wolverine (normal, giant)
  
• Wraith
  
• Wyvern
  
• Zombie
  

In total there are over 200 monsters.

Following the monster descriptions are a series of lists detailing which monsters are likely to be encountered in dungeon environments and a variety of wilderness environments.

[kesher]

Color out of Space! Ogre-faced Giant Spider! Four entries that start with Ape! Woot!

[Ghul]

Dec 9, 2011 11:37:21 GMT -6 kesher said:

Color out of Space! Ogre-faced Giant Spider! Four entries that start with Ape! Woot!

You know, I realized the same thing about the apes once I started to compile lists.

[geoffrey]

Archaeopteryx

On that one, were you thinking of Clark Ashton Smith's "The Seven Geases"?

[Ghul]

Dec 9, 2011 18:09:01 GMT -6 geoffrey said:

Archaeopteryx

On that one, were you thinking of Clark Ashton Smith's "The Seven Geases"?

Heh. I'll let you be the judge of that, Geoffrey:

This crow-sized, antediluvian bird is of rare and colourful plumage. It has a long, reptilian tail with long feathers of blue, green, black, and pink. The archaeopteryx’s beak is lined with small, sharp teeth; also, three finger-like claws extend from the wing joints, these used to climb trees and rocks. The archaeopteryx dwells in high elevation regions where volcanic activity occurs; also, they have been observed on remote islands and ancient forests. Typically they feed on carrion and small animals (amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles). Rare instances of the archaeopteryx are attracted to sorcerers (necromancers in particular) of 7th level of greater; the creatures can be trained as familiars, these examples exhibiting a rare and perhaps empathic understanding of their master’s wishes. It is suggested that these rare examples are demon possessed.

[geoffrey]

Ha! Yep. ;D

[Finarvyn]

Dec 9, 2011 10:08:59 GMT -6 Ghul said:

In total there are over 200 monsters.

Beasties. They're beasties. A "monsterary" might contain monsters, but a "beastiary" would contain beasts or beasties. Get it right.

[Ghul]

Dec 10, 2011 6:13:04 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

Dec 9, 2011 10:08:59 GMT -6 Ghul said:

In total there are over 200 monsters.

Beasties. They're beasties. A "monsterary" might contain monsters, but a "beastiary" would contain beasts or beasties. Get it right.

Well, I suppose they could be Beastie Boys, too. The Beastie Boys, who have been nominated for the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, while Rush and Kiss get snubbed yet again.

Nothing against the BBs, because I actually enjoy them, but give me a break! Am I threadjacking my own thread? LOL

[thegreyelf]

Gotta say, Jeff, I'm officially envious of what you've got going here. Wish I had the kind of scratch to give S&S this sorta treatment! The professional art, the boxed set production...wow. Great stuff. Not to mention, from just these previews the approach to the game mechanics looks very sweet.

Thumbs up, my friend.

[Ghul]

Dec 11, 2011 16:42:32 GMT -6 thegreyelf said:

Gotta say, Jeff, I'm officially envious of what you've got going here. Wish I had the kind of scratch to give S&S this sorta treatment! The professional art, the boxed set production...wow. Great stuff. Not to mention, from just these previews the approach to the game mechanics looks very sweet.

Thumbs up, my friend.

Thanks, Jason. That means a lot to me, as I have the highest respect for your work, too. Thanks for chiming in!

Cheers,
Jeff T.