Beasts of Samardan: 'Voldamrak' to 'Yurlath'...

Good Afternoon, All:

This is the final entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting series. Here are five more creatures for consideration:

Voldamrak

This cat-sized flying insect dwells in swamps, jungles and forests. The voldamrak has a long, needle-like proboscis that it jabs into its victim. Once attached, it continues to drain blood, automatically dealing 1d4 damage per round until it is killed, pulled off or had drained 8 hp total. Voldamraki travel about the countryside in small swarms, and are attracted by the use of mental powers.

Voldamrak: DEF: 12; HD: 1; ATK: bite (1d4); ST: +2; SP: Blood drain (once hits, stays attached and automatically deals 1d4 damage per round); SPD: 3, fly 8; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Volsarkat

The volsarkat is a large winged saurian creature found in great flocks throughout the World of Samardan. The flying beast possesses a wingspan of twenty feet, a weight of 125 pounds, a pronounced cranial crest and a long serrated beak. Volsarkati often swarm over their prey, attacking from above.

Volsarkat: DEF: 16; HD: 5; ATK: bite (2d6); ST: +4; SP: Dive attack (+2 on attack and dmg rolls, -2 DEF until next turn, only from above); SPD: 4, fly 8; CL: 2; XP: 450.

Yanfarran

The yanfarran is an aggressive predatory beast that dwells underground. Large crimson compound eyes dominate the head of the yanfarran, who otherwise resembles a hairy primate with two hairless tentacles sprouting from its shoulders in place of arms. Highly intelligent, the yanfarran is a very cruel and avaricious creature possessing incredible psionic powers.

Yanfarran: DEF: 22; HD: 11; ATK: Two tentacles (1d8); ST: +7; SP: All-around sight (cannot be flanked), powers as a 7th level Mystic, telepathy; SPD: 8, climb 6; CL: 8; XP: 3,600.

Yur

A fairly common semi-domesticated animal, the yur can be found in many regions of the World of Samardan. A stout, cloven-hoofed mammal, the six-legged yur has a thick hide sparsely covered with coarse hair, a disk-like snout, two tusks that curve upward from its lower jaw, and a short, tasseled tail. This clever, sociable animal may be trained to do many tasks, and sometimes is even kept as a pet.

Yur: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: bite (1d4); ST: +3; SP: None; SPD: 6; CL: 0; XP: 150.

Yurlath

The yurlath is a near-universal livestock animal found in wide varieties around the world. The beast masses about 400 pounds, stands four feet tall at the shoulder, and measures about eight feet in length. It has a large barrel-like chest, three pairs of thick, stocky legs, a short muscular tail that resembles a tapered flap, a bony frill-plate to protect its thick neck, and a sharp, thick beak. Typical coloration and frill shape varies between subspecies of the yurlath. The thick integument of the yurlath is covered dorsally by a thick, spiny hair/feather growth ranging in cover from a dark navy blue through maroon and into a deep crimson. The ventral side of the integument is "hairless". Yurlathi lay eggs and then breastfeed the young hatchlings until they can survive on their own.

Yurlath: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: gore (1d8); ST: +3; SP: Trample (2d4, Reflex DC 13 avoids); SPD: 7; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Synthetic Man' to 'Volbur'...

Good Afternoon, All:

In this, the seventh entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting series, we expand on the options available for a planetary romance game. (One more entry after this one, and the bestiary should be more or less ready to go.) Here are five more creatures for consideration:

Synthetic Man

In a few ruins of the Ancient Ones, artificially created humanoids continue to provide basic service, performing tasks that long ago lost any sense of purpose or meaning. These synthetic men resemble featureless humanoids, lacking any body hair or well-defined facial features. Although synthetic men have a mouth for feeding, they are unable to speak, lacking vocal cords. Like all constructs, synthetic men are immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion.

Synthetic Man: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: by makeshift weapon (1d6) or slam (1d4); ST: +3; SP: Cannot speak, immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Tarfarkat

Native to the region surrounding the Crater of the Star Creatures, the tarfarkat have only appeared after the great meteor impact that formed the crater. Although different varieties of tarfarkati exist, the most common type by far resemble a pale yellow crustacean with a set of massive pincers and paralytic tentacles. Extremely intelligent, tarfarkati prefer to use ambush and advanced hunting tactics to bring down prey.

Tarfarkat: DEF: 22; HD: 11; ATK: two claws (1d8), two tentacles (1d4 + paralytic poison); ST: +7; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities and paralysis, paralytic poison (rendered helpless, Fort DC 17 ends); SPD: 6 (burrow 4); CL: 6; XP: 1,800.

Varran

The varran is a mobile humanoid plant, feeding on on sunlight during the day and decomposing flesh at night. Growing up to twelve feet in height, this creature has a single pure white eye, and a pair of tentacular arms that end in razor-sharp claws. Its skin is a palid, corpse-like blue, become darker when feeding on decaying organic matter. Like most creatures that rely on photosynthesis, the varrani suffer a -2 penalty on all attacks and saving throws at night, unless they feed from an alternate nutrient source. For that reason, most varrani lairs smell strongly of the rotting flesh of their victims. A typical tactic is for a group of plant men to lay in wait for prey, then leap from out of nowhere and batter their prey into submission and then devour them once they are unconscious.

Varran: DEF: 15; HD: 4; ATK: two claws (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Photosynthetic sensitivity (-2 on all attacks and savings throws at night, unless alternate nutrient source exists); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Viddrakkat

One of the more ubiquitous beasts of Samardan, the viddrakkat is a man-sized serpentine creature, with bands of white, black and various earth tones. Their fanged bite is quite poisonous, enough to kill most small prey, including children. The viddrakkat uses its coloration to blend into the shadows of its environment, and are considered particularly stealthy creatures. Most civilized areas consider these creatures to be dangerous pests.

Viddrakkat: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: bite (1d4+poison); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d4/round, Fort DC 13 ends), stealthy (+5 on Stealth-based checks; treated as having skill mastery (1/rest) with Stealth); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Volbur

Resembling a winged sahan, the volbur is a large ursinoid creature with great bat-like wings. Typically found in the mountains and hills of Samardan's valley regions, the volbur occasionally makes forages into civilized lands in search of easy prey. It possesses the psychic ability to mentally stun its prey. As a psychic creature, the volbur is sensitive to the mystical talents of others, and has an hatred of other creatures with mystical ability. Sages speculate it is because the volbur may perceive the use of mystical talents as irritating or agitating, much like a powerful itching sensation in the brain. This theory has led to the common phrase "feeling a volbur's itch" to refer to having suspicions of the clandestine use of psychic abilities to influence a situation's outcome.

Volbur: DEF: 17; HD: 6; ATK: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6) or mental stun (Rng 6/12/24); ST: +5; SP: Mental stun (rendered helpless, Will DC 15 ends), rend (2d6 additional damage if two claws hit the same target in the same round); SPD: 6 (fly 8); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Ragshunkat' to 'Sahan'...

Good Afternoon, All:

This is the sixth entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting series. Here are five more creatures to add to our growing collection of stat blocks:

Ragshunkat

This six-limbed saurian beast roams the rocky mountains and badlands of Samardan in search of prey. Eight feet tall at the shoulder, the ragshunkat's beautiful frilled neck flares outward when it is preparing to attack. Although its bite is quite vicious, the ragshunkat is known more for the stream of powerful stomach acids that it can squirt at considerable range. A powerful tracker, this beast is relentless in its pursuit of prey. The ragshunkat has been known to track another creature for days when hunting. However, it is repelled by the strong odor of the samhudkom.

Ragshunkat: DEF: 17; HD: 6; ATK: by bite (1d8) or acid stream (3d6, Rng 8/16/32, Reflex DC 15 halves); ST: +5; SP: Immune to acid; SPD: 7; CL: 3; XP: 450.

Rahanan

Resembling a black scaled serpent with a darkly feathered bird's head and wings, the rahanan is commonly encountered in Samardan's barren wastelands, hills and mountains. Roughly the size of a human child, the rahanan prefers to ambush its victims, using its psychic ability to mentally stun its prey before closing in for the kill. Rahanani lay large clutches of eggs in their rocky nests, exposed to the elements; only a few survive to hatch.

Rahanan: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: by bite (1d4) or mental stun (Rng 6/12/24); ST: +4; SP: Mental stun (rendered helpless, Will DC 14 ends); SPD: 5 (fly 10); CL: 2; XP: 450.

Rivrakkat

The rivrakkat is a six-legged insectile monstrosity commonly found throughout Samardan, although they tend to prefer caves and ruins due to the protection from the elements. Like the spiders that they resemble, the rivrakkat spin webs both for their nests and as traps for their prey. The webs of the rivrakkat can be spun into valuable cloth, rope and other textiles. The bite of the rivrakkat is quite virulent; assassins have been known to harvest the poison from the rivrakkat for their professional use. Once removed from a living rivrakkat, the poison's toxicity degrades quickly, becoming useless within a week of harvesting.

Rivrakkat: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: by bite (1d6+poison) or web (entangled, Rng 3/6/12); ST: +4; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 14 ends), webs (entangle, Reflex DC 14 escapes); SPD: 6 (climb 5); CL: 2; XP: 450.

Samhudkom

The samhudkom is a burrowing, carnivorous mammal found in Samardan's barren wastelands, hills and mountains. Almost four feet in length, the samhudkom's pelt ranges from dark red to brown to black. This predator has very sharp teeth and claws. Smaller than many of the other predators of Samardan, the samhudkom can exude a strong musky stench that keeps other creatures at bay. All creatures within 30 feet (6 squares) of a samhudkom exuding its stench become nauseated (half movement, no other actions allowed, Fort DC 13 ends).

Samhudkom: DEF: 13; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d6), two claws (1d4); ST: +3; SP: Stench (half movement, no other actions allowed, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 5 (burrow 4); CL: 2; XP: 450.

Sahan

Typically encountered in the arid mountains of Samardan, the sahan is a massive mammalian carnivore over eleven feet in length and weighing at least a thousand pounds. Well protected by its heavy, coarse fur, the sahan's six legs are relatively short, but not enough to prevent it from rending an unfortunate foe. If a Sahani are stubborn, ill-tempered beasts, so much so that it is a common insult on Samardan to describe a gruff individual as a "son of a sahan."

Sahan: DEF: 18; HD: 7; ATK: bite (1d8), two claws (1d6); ST: +5; SP: Rend (2d6 additional damage if two claws hit the same target in the same round); SPD: 6; CL: 4; XP: 900.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Mordudkat' to 'Nethdrakkom'...

Good Afternoon, All:

This is the sixth entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting series. Here are five more creatures to add to our growing collection of stat blocks:

Mordudkat

Common to subterranean caverns and underground ruins, the mordudkat is a large, aggressive scavenger greatly feared for its paralyzing bite. This foul beast scours the area about its lair for dead and decaying flesh, but has also been known to attack and kill living creatures when it hasn't eaten in a few days. Resembling an enormous centipede with a circular maw surrounded by tentacle-like cilia, the mordudkat can grow to almost ten feet in length.

Mordudkat: DEF: 15; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d6 + paralytic poison); ST: +3; SP: Paralytic poison (rendered helpless, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 6 (climb 4); CL: 1; XP: 300.

Morsudkom

Morsudkomi have six limbs, four of them being thick sinewy arms and two being stout legs, and are of tremendous size. They have a head like that of a primate, with a shock of thick, stiff-bristled hair that runs from the back of the skull and neck to the upper shoulders. While morsudkomi are found in many different terrains in the world of Samardan, they prefer to dwell in the ruins of ancient cities which provide them with shelter and good hunting grounds.

Morsudkom: DEF: 16; HD: 7; ATK: bite (1d6), four claws (1d4); ST: +5; SP: Rend (2d4 additional damage if two or more claws hit the same target in the same round); SPD: 7 (climb 7); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Moryurloth

A vicious predator found in swamps and marshes, the moryurloth is a man-sized carnivore best described as having the body of a yurlath and a porcine head. The beast's poisonous spray gives it a deadly reputation, as its saliva purportedly kills all but the strongest of creatures on contact. The human tribe known as the Marsh Folk have developed cooking techniques that purify dead flesh of the moryurloth's poison, and have even tried to domesticate this beast for hunting and tracking.

Moryurloth: DEF: 15; HD: 6; ATK: by bite (1d8) or poisonous spray (poison, Rng 6/12/24); ST: +5; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 15 ends); SPD: 6; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Nengarsar

Like the lasirshun, the nengarsar is believed to be the result of an experiment by the Ancient Ones that bred true. The nengarsar is significantly larger than the lasirshun and wingless, but possesses nine heads rather than the lasirshun's three. This huge beast, easily twenty feet high at the shoulder, has an extremely virulent form of poisonous spittle. The nengarsar shares the lasirshun's inordinate fear of fire, and panics at the sight of open flame. When panicked, a nengarsar will attempt to flee, trampling any obstacle in its path (anything in its path suffered 2d6 damage, which can be avoided by a successful Reflex save).

Nengarsar: DEF: 20; HD: 12; ATK: by nine bites (1d8) or poisonous spray (poison, Rng 6/12/24); ST: +8; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 18 ends), trample (2d6, Reflex DC 18 avoids); SPD: 5; CL: 9; XP: 4,800.

Nethdrakkom

The nethdrakkom is a large serpentine creature with feathered wings. It grows to almost 12 feet in length, with a wingspan of about 15 feet, and an adult weighs about 1,800 pounds. A highly intelligent creature, the nethdrakkom possesses incredible psychic powers and communicates with other sentient creatures through telepathy. Nethdrakkomi are territorial, and extremely distrusting of humanoid creatures. The eggs of the nethdrakkomi are highly valuable to certain breeders, who train these psychic creatures from hatchlings to become dedicated guardians of vaults and other locations.

Nethdrakkom: DEF: 19; HD: 8; ATK: bite (2d6+poison); ST: +6; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 16 ends), powers as a 4th level Mystic, telepathy; SPD: 5 (fly 10); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Kaskmand' to 'Lasirshun'...

Good Afternoon, All:

With our fifth entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting, we're over halfway through the collected creatures we've named or otherwise hinted at i our previous write-ups. Here are five more creatures for consideration:

Kaskmand

Commonly encountered in marshy or forested regions in the great valleys of Samardan, the kaskmand is a large saurian beast with thick bony plates that protect the creature's back and a powerfully muscled tail ending in a spiky, bony club. The kaskmand's claws are incredibly sharp, but its tortoise-like shell prevents the beast from using its claws against attackers. Kaskmandi have a foul disposition, and enter into a blood frenzy when wounded (+2 to all attacks and damage).

Kaskmand: DEF: 21; HD: 10; ATK: tail (3d6); ST: +7; SP: Blood frenzy (+2 attack and damage when wounded); SPD: 6; CL: 4; XP: 900.

Kandori

A subterranean rat-like beast the size of a human child, the six-legged kandor is noted for its powerful incisors. Kandori travel in packs, and attack without fear, particularly when defending the pack's lair. Some adventurous souls actively seek out kandor lairs, as the beasts are particularly attracted to shiny objects.

Kandor: DEF: 12; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +3; SP: None; SPD: 7; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Kandudkom

Preferring cultivated fields and open plains, the kandukom is considered a plague among farmers and lumberjacks because of the damage their tunnels do to the local flora. The kandukom is a large, chitinous creature that burrows through the earth. It often attacks from a distance with its poisonous spittle before closing in to finish off its prey. These predators prefer the taste of humanoids and livestock; they will fight until a creature has fallen unconscious or dead, and then drag the corpse back into their warrens to feast upon.

Kandudkom: DEF: 13; HD: 3; ATK: by poisonous spittle (1d6+poison, Rng 6/12/24) or bite (1d8+poison); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 6 (burrow 5); CL: 2; XP: 450.

Kelshran

The kelshrani are a race of subterranean-dwelling humanoids roughly the same size as a human, with dark crimson skin, a sinuous barbed tail, and a generally demonic appearance. Known for their sadistic nature, most kelshrani clans are slavers. They make frequent forays to the surface world in search of new victims, whom they subjugate into servitude. Unruly slaves are forced into gladiatorial combat, where they fight to the death for the enjoyment of their kelshrani overlords.

Kelshran: DEF: 14; HD: 2; ATK: by poisoned whip (1d4 + poison) or light crossbow (1d6 + poison, Rng 12/24/48); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Lasirshun

Sages believe that the lasirshun is the result of an experiment by the Ancient Ones that bred true. Given the unusual nature of this large three-headed beast, that doesn't seem far-fetched. This winged reptile attacks its prey first using its poisonous spit to paralyze its prey, before diving in to feast on the helpless victim. Lasirshuni have an inordinate fear of fire, and frequently panic at the sight of flames. If cornered by flame, they fight ferociously with wild abandon, attempting to win their freedom from the fiery source.

Lasirshun: DEF: 18; HD: 9; ATK: by three spittle attacks (paralytic poison, Rng 6/12/24) or three bites (2d6); ST: +6; SP: Paralytic poison (rendered helpless, Fort DC 16 ends); SPD: 6 (fly 8); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Helgongmir' to 'Kasabankat'...

Good Afternoon, All:

Our fourth entry in the bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting contains five more creatures worthy of note:

Helgongmir

Often found in ruins, caverns and other underground environments, the helgongmir is an extremely aggressive predatory ooze that prefers to scavenge on dead carrion to hunting live prey. It is capable of moving not just on the floor, but also on the wall and ceiling, and may compress itself through small fissures and under the cracks of doors. The acidic touch of the helgongmir digests through even metal and wood (suffering 3d8 damage per round). If a helgongmir is attacked with slashing or piercing weapons, it splits into more individuals of reduced mass. Every successful attack halves the helgongmir into two smaller oozes, each with halve the original's current hit points. A helgongmir with 10 or less hit points cannot divide any further.

Helgongmir: DEF: 16; HD: 10; ATK: pseudopod (3d8); ST: +7; SP: Split; SPD: 4; CL: 4; XP: 900.

Hudlath

The hudlath is a large, amphibious rodent common to the canal-like rivers of Samardan. Roughly the size of a human child, this six-limbed beast possesses sharp incisors, webbed feet and a broad, flat tail. Hudlathi build small colonies, working together to dam up canals with whatever materials can be found in the area in order to build their underwater nests.

Hudlath: DEF: 14; HD: 4; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +4; SP: None; SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Hudyurkat

A pack-based predator found in mountains, hills and forested regions, the hudyurkat is an extremely vicious carnivore twice the size of the average human. In addition to its very powerful bite, the hudyurkat possesses the psychic ability to lure its prey helplessly in for the kill. Those who are unable to resist the mental call of the beast make their way as quickly as possible to the calling creature (Will DC 15 negates), only to be shaken from their charmed state by the pain of the first bite of the hudyurkat.

Hudyurkat: DEF: 16; HD: 6; ATK: powerful bite (2d8); ST: +5; SP: Psychic lure (draws victims helplessly to it, 60ft radius, Will DC 15 negates); SPD: 9; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Karkeshlath

Native to the barren wastelands of the world of Samardan, the karkeshlath stands nearly 18 feet high at the shoulder, measures 30 feet from end to end, and weighs 40,000 pounds. Small herds of these armor-plated behemoths roam the barrens, digging up plants and fungi with the single stout horn on their large snouts. When panicked, a karkeshlath will trample any obstacle in its path (anything in its path suffered 2d8 damage, which can be avoided by a successful Reflex save). If cornered, it crushes its tormentors beneath its huge hooves.

Karkeshlath: DEF: 21; HD: 13; ATK: two hooves (2d8); ST: +8; SP: Trample (2d8, Reflex DC 18 avoids); SPD: 6; CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Kasabankat

Common to the forests and jungles of the valleys of Samardan, these carnivorous flightless birds are very fast runners that hunt aggressively. Standing over nine feet tall, the kasabankat plumage typically blends well with the surrounding foliage, allowing this predator to strike without warning. Its axe-shaped beak appears quite ferocious, and its savage shriek can temporarily stun a weak-willed opponent (target stunned for one round, Will DC 13 negates).

Kasabankat: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +3; SP: Savage shriek (stunned for one round, Will DC 13 negates); SPD: 8; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Gonrakkom' to 'Hatagat'...

Good Afternoon, All:

Here's the third collection of creatures for the Beastiary section of the World of Samardan Campaign Setting:

Gonrakkom

Common to the ruins and underground regions of Samardan, the gonrakkom is a large insect about two feet across. Gonrakkomi are characterized by hard, horny forewings, often black, dark red or dark blue in color, that cover and protect their membranous flight wings. Specialized glands in the abdomen of these creatures produce a ruddy red glow at night, equivalent in intensity to that of a torch. These luminescent glands continue to glow for 1d6 days after its death.

Gonrakkom: DEF: 11; HD: 1; ATK: bite (1d4); ST: +2; SP: Glowing glands; SPD: 6 (fly 6); CL: 1/2; XP: 150.

Gorban

Considered by some to be the ruler of the highest peaks of Samardan, the gorban is a huge avian creature that stand about 15 feet tall, and possess a wingspan of up to 30 feet wide. Its feathers are typically golden brown, although differing species run the gambit of colors, from black or white to even multi-colored plumage of blues, yellows, reds and greens. The gorban's sharp beak and curved talons are dark yellow. In some areas, these beasts are domesticated to serve as a flying mount.

Gorban: DEF: 16; HD: 6; ATK: bite (1d8) and two claws (2d6); ST: +5; SP: Dive attack (+2 on attack and dmg rolls, -2 DEF until next turn, only from above); SPD: 4 (fly 10); CL: 3; XP: 600.

Gorkesh

Fairly ubiquitous throughout Samardan, these large, six-legged herbivores serve as mounts when domesticated. Their wooly coats are often a dun color, but can range from white to black in various patterns in different regions. The gorkesh possesses a single horn upon its forehead for goring predators, but typically only uses this when cornered or if trained for combat.

Gorkesh: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: gore (1d8) and two hooves (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Powerful charge (if charging, gore does 2d8); SPD: 9; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Grandanrak

Grandanraki are massive creatures dwelling deep beneath the earth. The grandanrak is powerfully built, resembling a massive humanoid creature covered in chitinous plates. A massive pair of mandibles and rows of triangular teeth dominate the low, rounded head. This foul beast uses its iron-like claws to burrow through solid stone, and it possesses the psychic ability to mentally stun and confuse other creatures. Up to three times a day, a grandanrak can deliver a massive blast of mental energy at any one target within 60 feet (12 squares), causing it to become stunned and unable to act for 1d6+1 rounds (Will DC 17 negates).

Grandanrak: DEF: 20; HD: 10; ATK: Bite (1d8) and two claws (2d6); ST: +7; SP: Burrow through solid stone, mental blast (stuns for 1d6+1 rounds, Will DC 17 negates); SPD: 5 (burrow 5); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Hatagat

Hatagati are usually the top animal predators in their forested or mountainous territories, and have been known to seek out and kill any competitors to maintain their claim on their territory. These large, six-legged felinoid pouncers prefer terrain with plenty of cover as their hunting grounds. Its defining feature is a pair of huge incisors that hang down like fearsome knives from the upper jaw, protruding menacingly even when the creature's mouth is shut. The coat of the hatagat typically appears a tawny yellow, but can range to reddish-brown and black, for most of the body. However, the ventral areas are white. The beast is typically marked with large, black, irregular spots for camouflage. Hatagati prefer to feast on herbivores, particularly large mounts, and often attack the largest creatures present first, as they are viewed as potential threats and better food sources.

Hatagat: DEF: 20; HD: 11; ATK: bite (2d6) and two claws (1d8); ST: +7; SP: Ambusher (+2 attack, double damage, against a surprised victim); SPD: 7; CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Dansarkkat' to 'Grankan'...

Good Afternoon, All:

My apologies for the delay, but I'm here to resume the creation of a bestiary for the World of Samardan Campaign Setting. What follows are the next five creatures that should be detailed:

Dansarkkat

The dansarkkat is a huge heavily-scaled carnivorous creature that burrows through the earth and attacks unsuspecting victims from below. Often, the only warning that surface dwellers might get is the sound of distant thunder, growing louder just as the earth vibrates beneath their feet and the maw of the dansarkkat bursts forth to devour its victim.

Dansarkkat: DEF: 18; HD: 9; ATK: bite (2d8), two claws (2d6); ST: +6; SP: attack from below (almost always surprises its first target); SPD: 7 (burrow 5); CL: 5; XP: 900.

Dilkankat

The dilkankat is a highly intelligent six-limbed dog-like creature with an extraordinary talent for ambushing its prey. Some scholars believe that the dilkankati possess enough intelligence to communicate via language. The general success of these creatures definitely points to such. As dilkankati do not possess the ability to manipulate their environment, less conservative sages even promote the theory that these were originally created by the Ancient Ones, who gave larger brains to their canid companions.

Dilkankat: DEF: 15; HD: 4; ATK: bite (1d6); ST: +4; SP: Stealthy (+5 on Stealth-based checks; treated as having skill mastery (1/rest) with Stealth); SPD: 7; CL: 2; XP: 450.

Dudathulkat

Most commonly encountered in the wastelands, dudathulkati prefer arid climates. The dudathulkat is a gargantuan vermicular creature that can swallow man-sized creatures whole and is perpetually hungry. The creature has a poisonous stinger in its tail. In battle, a dudathulkat forms into a coil 20 feet in diameter, biting and stinging anything within reach. If the dudathulkat hits with a natural attack roll of 20, man-sized or smaller prey will be swallowed whole. Being swallowed whole inflicts 4d6 points of acid damage per round, and the swallowed victim cannot breathe (beware of suffocation). The victim can, however, attack the dudathulkat from within, using a dagger-sized weapon against DEF 17. If the victim can inflict 14 points of damage or more from within the beast, they can cut themselves free, and the dudathulkat cannot swallow another creature whole until the damage is healed.

Dudathulkat: DEF: 24; HD: 16; ATK: by bite (2d8) or sting (2d6 + poison); ST: +10; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 20 ends), swallow whole (4d6 acid damage, DEF 17, 14 hp); SPD: 6; CL: 8; XP: 3,600.

Dulran

The dulrani are subterranean humanoids gifted with the ability to see in the dark using sonar. As their ability to "see" in the dark is based on sound, dulrani are particuarly sensitive to loud noises (-2 on all attacks and ability checks due to disorientation, until the beginning of their next round).

Dulran: DEF: 14; HD: 2; ATK: by bite (1d4) or club (1d6); ST: +3; SP: Blindsight (see in total darkness), disoriented by loud noise (-2 on all attacks and ability checks until the beginning of their next round); SPD: 6; CL: 1; XP: 300.

Grankan

The dreaded grankan is a large canine pack hunter that roams the untamed wilderness of Samardan. Grankani are noted for their particularly bloodthirsty and sadistic nature. Their size, cunning, and poisonous bite allow them to hunt and kill creatures much larger than themselves. A pack usually circles an opponent, each grankan attacking in turn to exhaust their prey. If they're in a hurry, grankani try to pin their foes.

Grankan: DEF: 15; HD: 6; ATK: bite (1d8+poison); ST: +5; SP: Pack tactics (gain +1 on attack rolls if target is adjacent to more than one grankani), poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 15 ends); SPD: 8; CL: 3; XP: 600.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Beasts of Samardan: 'Astral Entity' to 'Danrakkom'...

Good Afternoon, All:

After detailing lairs, a quick glance at the list of steps to build out the World of Samardan Campaign Setting lets me know that I now need to create my bestiary. In this section, I'll provide the details for the creatures I have introduced earlier in this process. My original hopes were that I would create around fifty monsters for this section, so I have a lot of variety in my arsenal as a Referee. I may not create that many, but I'll see what I can do. My first selection starts here:

Astral Entity

Under moments of extreme stress, the psychic essence of a particularly strong mystic can become detached from the mystic's body. Under certain circumstances, the psychic essence is unable to reattach to its body, and so wanders aimlessly as an astral entity. Among the more superstitious, such entities are called ghosts or apparitions. The appearance of the astral entity often resembles the mystic's physical body, but there are occasions where the form is altered by the mystic's perception of themselves. Astral entities cannot interact with the physical world and thus are generally only affected by energy and psychic attacks. These entities possess a weak psychic blast, and generally possess the abilities of a 3rd level Mystic, although more powerful astral entities have more hit dice, gaining a level of Mystic ability with each additional hit die.

Astral Entity: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: psychic blast (1d4+2); ST: +4; SP: Astral form (no physical interaction, only affected by energy and psychic attacks), powers as 3rd level Mystic; SPD: 6 (fly); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Automaton

Durable constructs of various sizes and configurations, automatons were primarily used by the Ancient Ones for security, defense and combat. Due to their mechanical nature, automatons are immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion.

Security Automaton: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: by slam (1d6) or crystal pistol (1d8); ST: +3; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 7; CL: 2; XP: 450.
Defense Automaton: DEF: 18; HD: 7; ATK: by slam (1d6) or heavy crystal rifle (3d6); ST: +5; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 5; CL: 3; XP: 600.
Combat Automaton: DEF: 20; HD: 11; ATK: by slam (1d8) or crystal rifle (2d8); ST: +7; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 9; CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Bandrak

The bandrak is a small winged serpentine creature common to the jungles and dense forests of Samardan's lowland regions. These winged creatures average about three feet in length, with a wingspan of up to five feet. These creatures often attack first from a distance using their acidic spittle (1d8, Rng 6/12/24), before closing in to bite their prey. Flocks of winged serpents will often work together against larger prey. Bandraki are particularly attracted to shiny, sparkling objects, collecting such items for their nests.

Bandrak: DEF: 13; HD: 3; ATK: by acidic spittle (1d8, Rng 6/12/24) or bite (1d4); ST: +3; SP: Immune to acid; SPD: 8 (fly); CL: 1; XP: 300.

Bershun

Native to swamps, ponds and other watery regions, the bershun is a dying species on Samardan. A huge reptilian creature easily thirty-five feet long or longer, the bershun has a broad head with a tapering snout and massive jaws capable of devouring a human in one bite. This six-legged beast is protected by a thick outer covering of bony plates. Primarily a nocturnal animal, the bershun is a carnivorous predator that attacks creatures that enter their watery home. When food is scarce, the bershun has been known to travel up to six miles from their lairs in search of large game to devour. If the bershun hits with a natural attack roll of 20, man-sized or smaller prey will be swallowed whole. Being swallowed whole inflicts 3d6 points of acid damage per round, and the swallowed victim cannot breathe (beware of suffocation). The victim can, however, attack the bershun from within, using a dagger-sized weapon against DEF 15. If the victim can inflict 11 points of damage or more from within the beast, they can cut themselves free, and the bershun cannot swallow another creature whole until the damage is healed.

Bershun: DEF: 20; HD: 12; ATK: by bite (3d6) or tail slap (3d8); ST: +8; SP: Swallow whole (3d6 acid damage, DEF 15, 11 hp); SPD: 5, 6 (swim); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Danrakkom

Segmented black, red, brown, or yellow social insects the size of a small dog, danrakkomi possess large heads with two sets of mandibles: inner jaws for chewing and outer jaws for carrying and digging. These creatures live in highly organized colonies containing wingless female workers, a winged queen, and, during breeding seasons, winged males. Some species of danrakkomi have been noted by scholars for engaging in warfare, making slaves of other races, and the cultivation of food sources.

Danrakkom, Worker: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: bite (1d6+poison); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 8; CL: 1; XP: 300.
Danrakkom, Male: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +3; SP: None; SPD: 8, 6 (fly); CL: 1; XP: 300.
Danrakkom, Queen: DEF: 20; HD: 10; ATK: bite (2d6+poison); ST: +7; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 17 ends); SPD: 4, 6 (fly); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Traveller Sandbox Game Mechanics: The Mizuchi, An Alien Parasite...

Good Afternoon, All:

In creating additional game mechanics for the Traveller Sandbox Experiment, I know that we will need to create a small bestiary for some of the specific creatures we mention in our write-ups. The first of these (and the one that I'll do as an example today) are the mizuchi, lethal parasitic creatures commons to the jungles of Prishiboro (Segin 2810 E596568-5). We've established that they are small, gather together in nests, and that they tend to enrage any creature that they infest.

Here's an Expanded Profile for their homeworld, for our review as we examine the :

Prishiboro (Segin 2810 E596568-5): Starport Class E (Frontier); Medium (Low-G); Dense (Tainted); Wet World; Mod Pop (200,000); Colony/Captive World; High Law; Industrial Tech. No Bases. Trade Codes: Agricultural World, Garden World, Low Tech and Non-Industrial World. Jengu Alliance.

Looking in the Main Rulebook, we can find a Terrain DM Chart for creating new creatures on pg 70. We can see there that jungles have the following DMs: Type DM -4, Size DM +3. A roll on a d6 gives us a 4, which indicates a Walker. We already know that our creature is a parasite, so I choose Carnivore/Pouncer to reflect a parasite that leaps out and attacks it's prey. (I'm looking for a "Horror"-type effect here, so I can play it up later during the game.) I'll make note that Pouncers have Stealth, Recon and Athletics, as well as Dexterity +4 and Instinct +4.

With that, I determine the mizuchi's Size modified by terrain type, 2d6-4, to come up with a Size 4 creature. Twelve kilograms is a bit large for a parasite, so I'm going to drop this down to a Size 2 creature. Three kilograms sound about right. This means that Strength is 2, while Dexterity is 1d6 (+4 from terrain), and Endurance is also 2. A quick roll of a die gives us a 6, which means the mizuchi has a Dex of 10.

Looking at Weapons and Armor, I roll 2d6 for each table. For Weapons, there's a DM +8 for Carnivores. My results are (a roll of 10, DM+8, equals) 18 for Weapons, and 5 for Armor. That's a Thrasher+2, but I'm not picturing the mizuchi as having a Thrasher, and see it as more like a leech with a nasty bite, so I drop down to the next lowest table entry, Teeth+2. The mizuchi has Armor 1.

I then determine the mizuchi's Instinct and Pack scores. For Instinct, I roll 2d6, plus the DM for being a Pouncer, and get (a roll of 4, DM+4, equals) 8. For Pack, I roll 2d6 to get a score of 10. This is perfect for the description of large nests, so I let it stand. We'll give this creature an Intelligence of 0, since it maddens the beasts it connects to.

Skills are going to be fun. Let's start with the basics: Athletics 0, Recon 0, Survival 0. We get 1d6 ranks to divide among these, as well as Melee(teeth) and Stealth. A roll of 5 tells me that I have five ranks to pass around. There are five skills, so I'm tempted to put one rank in each skill. Since I want a sneaky Pouncer, I will take one rank from Recon to boos Stealth, which gives me the following: Athletics(co-ordination) 1, Melee(teeth) 1, Recon 0, Stealth 2, Survival 1.

Attack damage is simply 1d6, although the Teeth+2 tells us that it does 3d6 with its powerful bite. As for the number encountered, a Pack of 10 tells us that the creatures often occur in groups of 3d6. I decide to note their typical reactions: if the mizuchi has surprise, it attacks; if it is surprised, it flees.

Finally, we should note any Planetary Quirks, per the checklist on pg 72 of the Main Rulebook. Under Locomotion Quirks, we can see the example "Hijacks the bodies of other creatures". Yep, that's the one we want. Game mechanically, that would probably look something like this: The mizuchi must move into Personal range, and beat its target in an opposed Melee(teeth) vs the target's Melee(unarmed) skill check. If the mizuchi wins, it attaches to the target and can't be removed except by the Grappling rules on pg 64. Once grappling, if the mizuchi succeeds in any further opposed checks, it will either inflict 2+Effect damage, attempt to induce a state of frenzy in its target by driving it mad with pain and enzymes, or just hold on. Any target that tries to avoid being induced in a state of frenzy must succeed in an Endurance check (see pg 48 for details), or be driven to flee in pain, attacking any creature that attempts to stop it from running. An enraged creature runs until it succeeds in an Endurance check to regain its faculties or until it drops in its tracks from exhaustion. I'm sure circumstances might change the above somewhat, but at least I have an idea of how to use this parasite in-game now.

Okay, so putting it all together, I get the following creature stat block:

Mizuchi
Pouncer (Carnivore)     Jungle Walker     Str 2, Dex 10, End 2, Int 0, Instinct 8, Pack 10
Athletics(co-ordination) 1, Melee(teeth) 1, Recon 0, Stealth 2, Survival 1
Teeth (3d6), Hide (1). Number encountered: 3d6.
Tiny (Size 2), vicious parasites that latch on to targets and drives them mad with pain.

With these details, it becomes easier for me to create an encounter where the PCs inadvertently stumble into a nest of these creatures, suffering vicious bites as the mizuchi attack them from surprise. After that, it's all a matter of how tough the characters are and how quickly they can disperse of these small but nasty little foes. This will at least create some interesting moments during an exploration of the ruins of Kojiki in the jungles of Prishiboro.

Next up: we're going to tackle some homeworld tables.

Enjoy,
Flynn

Isles of the Saharan Sea: Common Creatures...

Good Afternoon, All:

In looking at the World Within, and specifically the inhabitants of the Isles of the Saharan Sea, a number of general thoughts come to mind in regards to potential wilderness encounters.

Prehistoric Creatures
The concept of the World Within is inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs' Pellucidar series. To pay homage to that, I want to make sure I include creatures from those novels. Because of its timeless nature, and vast surface, myriad creatures from all the ages of the Earth’s prehistory swarm throughout the primeval land of Pellucidar, as well as a few fanciful ones.

Ant Bear (Giant anteater-like ursoid)
Antelope
Archeopteryx
Auroch
Cotylosaur (Captorhinida)
Dinotherium
Diplodocus
Dire Wolf
Giant Ants
Giant Cave Bear
Giant Cave Hyena
Giant Cave Lion
Giant Octopus
Hyenadon
Ichthyosaurus
Labyrinthodon
Mastodon
Megatherium (Giant Ground Sloth)
Phororhacos (Axe beak)
Plesiosaur
Pteradon
Pterosaur
Saber-toothed Tiger (Smilodon)
Snakes
Stegosaurus
Tracodon
Triceratops
Tylosaurus
Tyrannosaur
Woolly Mammoth
Woolly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta)

Humanoids
No fantasy campaign setting seems complete without a list of unusual humanoids to potentially interact with, and the Isles of the Saharan Sea is no different. I've already listed a few previously, and there are some others that I can include from the inspirational material, plus one or two more for good character race choices. I don't want too many, but I think the following should make for a good start.

Denjani (Gnome-like scholar race)
Human
Kelshani (Devil-men or tiefling-esque)
Minotaur (Bovine-men)
Tarthani (Four-armed men)
Vanaran (Monkey-men)
Zegoth (Gorilla-men)

Exotic Creatures
In a world where dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures still exist side by side, there is little need for many of the common supernatural or magical creatures found in the usual campaign settings. There are a few notes to remember:

1. Aberrations: For a very Pulp-oriented feel, I could include those aberrations that bear a strong Cthulhu feel. Since I used them somewhat as a focus in my last campaign, I may skip that, but one or two are sure to make an appearance, just because.


2. Dragons: Dragons in the World Within are not intelligent creatures. Instead, they are feral hoarders with a magpie-like attraction to shiny things. I haven't decided if they have breath weapons. If so, I'm inclined to make them acid breathers.


3. Elementals: Elementals will likely appear only in conjunction with the work of conjurers, or trapped within some of the many dungeons scattered throughout the Isles of the Saharan Sea.


4. Fey: Fey were a big part of my last campaign, so I will likely not include them in this one.


5. Giants: Giants will likely be isolated creatures inhabited the mountains of remote islands.


6. Intelligent Reptiles: One of the premises behind the setting concept is that all intelligent reptiles have vanished suddenly and without reason (well, it's because of the actions of the players in the current campaign, but within the setting, no one will know.) That's why there are no kobolds, serpentfolk, lizardfolk, intelligent dragons, etc. This is a hard and fast rule. No exceptions!


7. Magical Beasts: Beasts of myth and legend aren't as likely to appear in the World Within. Those that do should be few and far between. I want a more pulpy flavor here, not a recycled pseudo-European fantasy feel to the setting.


8. Oozes: A well-placed ooze goes a long way toward setting a creepy tone in an ancient ruin. They're definitely in.


9. Outsiders: Like elementals, outsiders will likely only in conjunction with the work of conjurers and diabolists, or trapped in a dungeon or abandoned tower.


10. Plants: Plant creatures make for awesome encounters in a jungle setting, and so I feel confident I'll be using them a lot.


11. Undead: Undead, particularly zombies and other corporeal unliving creatures, have a strong Pulp feel, and so will have a place in the setting.


12. Vermin: Like plants, giant vermin are also common to pulpy jungle stories. In particular, I'm sure I'll use giant scorpions and giant dragonflies frequently.

These are my thoughts, but I'm open to other suggestions. What do you think of these elements?

With Regards,
Flynn

Latest Release - MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures...

Good Afternoon, All:

MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures, the latest release from Samardan Press is now available!

Running a game of MyD20 Lite just got a lot easier!

The MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures is intended to provide the Referee with a basic list of more than sixty different monsters that are common to many fantasy campaigns, some of which have multiple stat blocks for variant monsters, leading to almost seventy-five different unique monsters ready to populate your adventures! In addition, you'll also find rules on how to create your own monsters in the MyD20 Lite system!

MyD20 Lite's small, spartan rule-set frees up your creativity to create a fantasy role-playing experience without the hassles found with larger, more complex gaming systems.



You can find the eBook/PDF at Lulu or RPGNow:
http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/myd20-lite-bestiary-common-creatures/18167675
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=95870

You can obtain a physical copy via Print-On-Demand at Lulu:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/myd20-lite-bestiary-common-creatures/18172392

Please check out the MyD20 Lite Player’s Guide as well!

With Regards,
Jason "Flynn" Kemp

Change of Plans: MyD20 Lite Referee's Guide...

Good Morning, All:

At the moment, I am preparing to release my next MyD20 Lite product, which I am calling MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Common Creatures. It is a small collection of more than sixty monsters that can be used with any MyD20 Lite campaign. A majority come from the work I've done on the Referee's Guide, some from Hammersong's Legacy (updated to MyD20 Lite, of course), and some are introduced just to cover some of the bases regarding common creatures. This 40-page supplement should be available before the end of the week, in both PDF and Print-On-Demand.

In essence, I'm looking at breaking the Referee's Guide up into smaller parts so that I can get more of it out there now, and then add the parts that are still missing as I go along. Expect to see a Treasure supplement in the next few weeks, as well as Referee Advice. Other bits and pieces will follow, and eventually, I'll compile them all into a single book, once I've finished everything. While this doesn't give the MyD20 Lite fans a complete book all at once, at least it gives them something that they can use right now. Eventually, I may even create my own version of the D&D Rules Compendium and bring it all together into one giant hardcover book.

Of course, if the MyD20 Lite stuff doesn't sell well, then I know that the material isn't in high demand and I can stop beating myself up about not getting it done. If that's the case, I will wait until I have an actual MyD20 Lite gaming group instead of the Savage Worlds game I'm running right now before I finalize the whole system. Since I tend to write more for things that I can use in my game, in one form or another, that will probably be the biggest motivator toward getting things done. Right now, though, my Savage Worlds game is going strong, and I'm really enjoying it, so I wouldn't expect that additional external motivation just yet. But if there are a significant number of people waiting, I'm more motivated to get it finished and out there where it can be used and enjoyed.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Sword & Planet Bestiary: The Kandor...

Good Morning, All:

One of the first beasts that I wanted to introduce to my Sword & Planet bestiary is the kandor, a creature that has been domesticated by the sentient races to assist with working and hunting, as well as provide general companionship. The monster entry follows:

Kandor
The kandor is a common creature that has been domesticated by the sentient races to assist with working, herding, hunting and protection, as well as providing general companionship. The kandor can be found in both pet and feral varieties, and are territorial pack hunters in the wild. Well-muscled, the kandor is a vicious predator with six legs, a dog-like body and a rat-like head, standing about four feet tall at the shoulder. The kandor's coat covers most of its body (save for the inside of its large circular ears and its long whip-like tail), with a color that varies from white through grays to black, and browns that range from light (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a wide variation of patterns. The kandor is a very social creature, using hisses, barks and squeaks as well as body language to express a wide range of information to its packmates and/or owners.

Kandor: AC 6 [13]; HD 4; Atk: 1 bite (1d6); ST: 13; SP: None; MV: 18; CL/XP: 4/120.

In essence, the kandor are simply osquip on a larger scale, but should prove to be pretty fun as a replacement for dogs or wolves in a Planetary Romance setting. Just imagine a giant wolf-rat coiled beside its master when the party encounters a lone woodsman in their travels, or a pack of these predators tearing through the underbrush chasing them down as they flee from an enemy's stronghold. If your players are uncomfortable with rats, feel free to play up that aspect of their appearance. After creatures get to be of a certain size, a large group of them is no longer considered a swarm; instead, we tend to call such a group a pack. Despite that, though, you can describe their charge as having a swarm-like quality about it, particularly if the PCs observe them attacking a much larger creature such as a dinosaur.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

Sword & Planet: Some Thoughts On A Bestiary...

Good Morning, All:

In thinking about developing a Sword & Planet bestiary, I wanted to start with some basic concepts. As a GM, I've noticed that the more I touch on common or shared experiences between gamers, the less time I have to take explaining things and the easier it is for gamers to accept the details of the scene and immerse themselves in the world and the storyline that we are creating together. In terms of a bestiary, this is no different.

Looking at the Swadesh list, I can easily see that there are five animals that are identified. This means that these animals are part of the 200 concepts most commonly communicated in languages. These animals are:

bird
dog
fish
fly
louse

Of course, you can't really do a lot with that list. There's simply not enough options to explore. However, there's a Universal Language List project, that expands on the idea behind the Swadesh lists, which one can assume also includes creatures that are common enough that most people can use them and move on. Looking through the list, I found the following forty-six creatures identified in the list of animals as common concepts that cross cultural boundaries and thus lend themselves well to shared experiences and more immersive gaming:

ant (insect of family Formicidae)
caterpillar
cricket
grasshopper
mantis (insect of order Manteodea)
cockroach (insect of order Blattaria)
worm (broad category of insect larvae)
bee (member of genus Apis)
butterfly
firefly
fly (small winged insect)
mosquito
lizard
snake (reptile of suborder Serpentes or Ophidia)
turtle (reptile of order Testudinata)
dragon (winged serpent with crested head and large claws)
fish
lobster
whale (large marine mammal of order Cetacea)
frog (web-footed tailless leaping amphibian)
spider
cow/bull, cattle (bovine animal of either sex)
donkey, ass (Equus asinus)
elephant
goat (animal of genus Capra)
horse (Equus caballus)
pig (mammal of family Suidae)
sheep (Ovis aries)
bear (animal of Ursidae family)
deer (animal of family Cervidae)
lion (Felis leo)
tiger (Felis tigris)
fox (member of genus Vulpes)
wolf (Canis lupus)
monkey, small primate
rabbit (animal of family Leporidae)
squirrel (rodent of family Sciuridae)
mouse
dog (Canis familiaris)
cat (Felis catus)
bird (egg-laying feathered animal with wings)
chicken
duck
turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
crow
sparrow

Therefore, when developing creature concepts for a Planetary Romance game, I am going to make an effort to describe the appearance and/or behavior of the beasts in terms of these common animals listed above. Sometimes, the inability of a player to visualize the world described by a GM gets in the way of enjoying a non-standard gaming experience, and as the Sword & Planet genre is not strictly Fantasy, we can safely say that we may need every bit of help we can get to help players enjoy the game.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any other suggestions to offer?

With Regards,
Flynn

MyD20 Lite Bestiary: Looking Ahead...

Good Evening, All:

Today, I'm just taking a few moments to look ahead at the third book of the MyD20 Lite product line, the Bestiary. While it would be pretty easy for me to simply redo the SRD monsters for MyD20 Lite, I think that this is an opportunity to create the kind of bestiary that I'd really like to have for my campaigns. I've always been a big fan of having many, many monsters at my disposal, so that I have options in the adventures that I run. The more monsters I have, though, the longer it will take to compile and finalize the book's content.

In 1st Edition, Monster Manual had over 350 monsters, while Monster Manual 2 added 250 more to the list. (I don't know how many Fiend Folio had.) This implies about 600 monsters to have some good selections.

I don't have an accurate count of 2nd Edition monsters, so I'll have to guess. Based on Echohawk's incredible spreadsheet of monsters, 2nd Edition appears to tag about 7901 monsters, but that includes EVERYTHING, not just the core monsters (and may include duplicates). Using just the Monstrous Compendium Volumes One and Two, it comes up to around 580, while the compiled Monstrous Manual that came out later to replace the monstrous compendia offers 779 monsters.

3E jumps up the offering yet again. Between the five 3E/v3.5 Monster Manuals and the 3E Fiend Folio, there are over 2200 monsters available for selection, which averages out to about 370 monsters a book. Not every monster manual contained that many entries, of course, particularly toward the end of the series. However, if I recall correctly, there are more than 600 monsters in the first Monster Manual alone.

With these figures in mind, I'd venture to guess that, at a minimum, a good, solid core Bestiary should contain at least 600 monsters, and possibly offering up to 800 monsters or even more. Other third-party bestiaries brag in their advertisements when they have 200 or more monsters, but they aren't replacing the core monster manuals. Instead, they are supplementing the core with additional monsters. At a minimum, the 550+ monsters found in the SRD are likely to be the least I could reasonably offer and still provide enough diversity to meet my own gaming needs, much less the needs of others.

What do you think? What's a good target number of monsters for the MyD20 Lite Bestiary to cover? What would you want to see in a monster book of this ilk?

With Regards,
Flynn