Post by capheind on Feb 26, 2010 1:16:59 GMT -6
So for my next game I've settled on a mildly corny classic D&D game set in an oddly France like country. I've decided to take some odd twists with the monsters, lemme know what you think, and if you've ever done anything similar with your own monsters.
Orcs, Pig like small humanoids, very militant, consider humans a food source, and almost entirely a series of puns and quips relating to traditional French cuisine.
Kobold, sort of a humanoid French bulldog sans the fur, and with a few horns (I was inspired by early editions of the monster manual) individually very weak, but they play on their numbers, and on their vague similarity to gnomes in the dark.
Gnolls, Gnome Trolls, I just like the gnome troll idea better than the whole Hyena man thing that wouldn't make sense in a setting like this. On the plus side it also continues the idea that gnomes are the default wee fae.
Elves/dwarves/halflings, all normal humans under the sway of Cthulhulian monsters and elder forest beings. Not player character material because they aren't under their own free will.
Rougarou, undead creatures, generally men who ritually killed themselves to wield the powers of the wolf. They don magic items made from wolf furs that partially/wholly turn them into wolf-men. They replace the werewolf and vampire, which in my book are somewhat played out. They also fill in the need for a wolfish horror, and necromantic master to populate the haunted woods of my setting. And they will NEVER sparkle (screw you Twilight)
Skeletons/zombies, unintelligent undead are animated by the same forces as undead. An animated skeleton is no different than an animated rock, its the forces of life and dead that make it necromancy. I'm going to focus on tortured soul type undead.
Shambling ones, protectors of the underworld, my own goofy creations to replace the traditional Gygaxian, and now hasbro owned, dungeon fillers. Since they are assumed to be tied to the dark underworld dreamlands, they don't really have to make any sense. They can, literally, be there just to eat you.
Chimeras, by which I mean all chimeric animals. Basically all the odd "this animal/monster + that animal/Monster" critter. They are the creations of alchemists and foul wizards, largely created as models/mascots for chivalric purposes. Odd chimeric animals are the norm for symbolics and heraldry in this world, and usually based on some d**ned wizard-made chimera
Wizards, created by binding a read magic spell to a human host, which is the only way humans can read the Lingua Magica, or Magical Language of spells.
Centaurs, mostly extinct, although I am toying with the idea that they are warrior men cursed/blessed by magical items left around by the last of the "Mediterranean" centaurs, who themselves were probably the creation of wizards as per the Chimera entry. Possibly player characters if the character ever stumbles on the right magic item. Think a belt of gender change that gives a few combat benefits, but generally requires the player to sleep in the barn...
Dragons, a mix of extreme chimeras, giant turtle creatures, fire breathing lizard creatures, river serpents, and cthulhuoid horrors. There be dragons here, but to hell with the metal/gem/color system. Not that there is anything wrong with it, I love Council of Wyrms...
Treants/pretty much all animated trees, Men/giants of the forest who found a leafy path to immortality, also elder beings of the forest who guide them. Some in the elder being category are of the ancient teacher category, and some are of the cosmic horror category.
The sun frog, the great being in the center of my concave world, or at least the mythical creature which may, or may not, be real
A massive elder thing that glows as it sleeps an ancient sleep, and dreams until it awakes one day....
Goblinoids, little bat-men-fae, often times just pests, but sometimes genuinely evil when inspired to do so. Infra-vision is stupid (imho) Goblins generally get by with a sort of super echolocation. Goblins are really small, mostly dwelling in caves, or their man made equivalents, and only venture out at night due to sensitivity to light. Hobgoblins follow the path of old hob, the human goblin king of lore, and seek to be men. Hobgoblins are born normal goblins, but follow a path of ritual and training that allows them to tolerate the sun, and develop some basic martial skill. Bugbears are the nocturnal forest dwelling cousins of goblins and as such have minimal echolocation, and function mostly by a high quality low-light vision.
Half-dragons, River serpent women of french folklore.
Gnomes, long lived wee fae men who form mostly polyandrous relationships (based on the Snow White faerie tale).
This is what I got so far. I will focus on adding French fairy tale creatures, as well as some goofy classic D&D style creatures, and just a taste (a strong welcoming taste) of Clark Ashton Smith.
Orcs, Pig like small humanoids, very militant, consider humans a food source, and almost entirely a series of puns and quips relating to traditional French cuisine.
Kobold, sort of a humanoid French bulldog sans the fur, and with a few horns (I was inspired by early editions of the monster manual) individually very weak, but they play on their numbers, and on their vague similarity to gnomes in the dark.
Gnolls, Gnome Trolls, I just like the gnome troll idea better than the whole Hyena man thing that wouldn't make sense in a setting like this. On the plus side it also continues the idea that gnomes are the default wee fae.
Elves/dwarves/halflings, all normal humans under the sway of Cthulhulian monsters and elder forest beings. Not player character material because they aren't under their own free will.
Rougarou, undead creatures, generally men who ritually killed themselves to wield the powers of the wolf. They don magic items made from wolf furs that partially/wholly turn them into wolf-men. They replace the werewolf and vampire, which in my book are somewhat played out. They also fill in the need for a wolfish horror, and necromantic master to populate the haunted woods of my setting. And they will NEVER sparkle (screw you Twilight)
Skeletons/zombies, unintelligent undead are animated by the same forces as undead. An animated skeleton is no different than an animated rock, its the forces of life and dead that make it necromancy. I'm going to focus on tortured soul type undead.
Shambling ones, protectors of the underworld, my own goofy creations to replace the traditional Gygaxian, and now hasbro owned, dungeon fillers. Since they are assumed to be tied to the dark underworld dreamlands, they don't really have to make any sense. They can, literally, be there just to eat you.
Chimeras, by which I mean all chimeric animals. Basically all the odd "this animal/monster + that animal/Monster" critter. They are the creations of alchemists and foul wizards, largely created as models/mascots for chivalric purposes. Odd chimeric animals are the norm for symbolics and heraldry in this world, and usually based on some d**ned wizard-made chimera
Wizards, created by binding a read magic spell to a human host, which is the only way humans can read the Lingua Magica, or Magical Language of spells.
Centaurs, mostly extinct, although I am toying with the idea that they are warrior men cursed/blessed by magical items left around by the last of the "Mediterranean" centaurs, who themselves were probably the creation of wizards as per the Chimera entry. Possibly player characters if the character ever stumbles on the right magic item. Think a belt of gender change that gives a few combat benefits, but generally requires the player to sleep in the barn...
Dragons, a mix of extreme chimeras, giant turtle creatures, fire breathing lizard creatures, river serpents, and cthulhuoid horrors. There be dragons here, but to hell with the metal/gem/color system. Not that there is anything wrong with it, I love Council of Wyrms...
Treants/pretty much all animated trees, Men/giants of the forest who found a leafy path to immortality, also elder beings of the forest who guide them. Some in the elder being category are of the ancient teacher category, and some are of the cosmic horror category.
The sun frog, the great being in the center of my concave world, or at least the mythical creature which may, or may not, be real
A massive elder thing that glows as it sleeps an ancient sleep, and dreams until it awakes one day....Goblinoids, little bat-men-fae, often times just pests, but sometimes genuinely evil when inspired to do so. Infra-vision is stupid (imho) Goblins generally get by with a sort of super echolocation. Goblins are really small, mostly dwelling in caves, or their man made equivalents, and only venture out at night due to sensitivity to light. Hobgoblins follow the path of old hob, the human goblin king of lore, and seek to be men. Hobgoblins are born normal goblins, but follow a path of ritual and training that allows them to tolerate the sun, and develop some basic martial skill. Bugbears are the nocturnal forest dwelling cousins of goblins and as such have minimal echolocation, and function mostly by a high quality low-light vision.
Half-dragons, River serpent women of french folklore.
Gnomes, long lived wee fae men who form mostly polyandrous relationships (based on the Snow White faerie tale).
This is what I got so far. I will focus on adding French fairy tale creatures, as well as some goofy classic D&D style creatures, and just a taste (a strong welcoming taste) of Clark Ashton Smith.
