Creature Catalog
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:12 pm
OK... so apparently 'forum' means start your own thread. Ooops. Can you tell computers aren't my strong suit?
I also don't have a design team, or art team, so no snazzy fliers here... sorry. All I have are my words, so I give you the text from the first page of the Creature Catalog...
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The young man, his face showing the first downy growth of beard wandered through his old room above the smithy. For 12 long years he’d lived here and built up his muscles upon the bellows first, and then eventually the apprentice’s anvil for horse shoes and mending old pots. Eventually he’d learned most of the arts of the smith, as did his 2 older brothers. He was a dutiful son… he simply had no desire to spend the rest of his life sweating over the heat of the forge and growing old drinking in the tavern with the village folk.
He headed down the stairs, rehearsing in his mind all the different ways that he could think of to tell his father that he was off into the world for adventure and riches. His father was in the smithy as usual, but he was tending to the final details on a beautiful set of scale male. Beside it was an antique shield of foreign design, but it was the brass hilted longsword that his father now held to the grinding wheel that drew the young man’s attention. He’d seen it above the mantle in the house for his whole life and had often dreamt of fighting monsters and rescuing damsels… even if he wasn’t sure what a damsel was, or what was supposed to be done with one after you rescued it.
The screeching and the sparks came to an abrupt end and there was the sound of a sword sliding home into its sheath with a hollow click.
“This is the part where you tell me that you’ve decided you don’t want to be a smith… how the wild places of the world call out to you for glory… or that you’re bored with village life?” His father hadn’t even turned around, but the emotion was there in his voice. Something new to the young man… his father was holding back his sorrow.
“How did you know, Father?”
“I can see it in your eyes, Caenor, you yearn for a life outside the village. The life of tall tales and treasure hard won.” he turned finally and looked his son in the eyes, “I was young once. I remember the fire in my blood.” He handed the sword to the young man. “Come on lad, suit up,” He said as he pointed to the armor. Caenor knew how to use it, the sword and shield as well, because you can’t make them properly if you don’t know how to use them and his father had taught him and his brothers well. He made short work of the task, and then he faced his father; who made a few adjustments to the armor’s straps.
“Thought so…” he mumbled, “figures my old suit would fit you so well.” Then he grabbed his son by the shoulders and giving him a stern look, “Remember the things I’ve taught you son, and always mind your surroundings; but, if you forget all else… then cling to this.” There was a pleading look in his eyes.
“Remember: the creatures you encounter out there… live in the wild. That means they are meaner, more durable, and better able to take care of themselves than you are!” Then he gave his son a hug and walked away to the tavern.
***
Later that night, Caenor made ready to camp beneath the stars. His excitement was fading with the growing fear born of loneliness gnawing at his resolve. He recalled that never before had the hollow thumping of his father’s wooden leg sounded so ominous.
***
Welcome one and all to the Creature Catalog. In its pages you will find:
• Pre-generated DCC RPG compatible creatures from the banal to the horrific, because most DM’s don’t have time to waste tinkering with game mechanics every time they run an encounter.
For DM's who enjoy a bit of tinkering...
• Detailed notes and suggestions on cross-breeding creatures.
• Tables for mutating the standard creatures or any of the critters your inner mad wizard can devise.
• A new version of the find familiar spell that will allow you to jazz up your PC and NPC wizards with powers and abilities based on their bonded familiar.
• The guidelines for modifying a familiar, and training it in class levels, so that it may lend aid to its master.
***
Right now I’m in the process of transferring my scatter of critter notes into one standard format. This is the first draft, but I figure that I can have a “bare-bones” data file of everything ready for testing by the end of January. When I get to that point then I’ll start interviewing for artists.
The main premise of the creatures in this book, is that people should be afraid of what lives in the woods, and other wild places. The wilderness of a D&D environment is no place for a picnic or leisurely hike to your favorite swimming hole. It is full of all manner of hungry bothersome critters that are waiting to pounce upon the unprepared.
Things you will not find in this work:
• Treasure tables. Most creatures don’t bother with treasure, and the ones who do are likely to be using whatever it is against the players, not stashing it in their lairs. Besides, every DM has their own ideas on appropriate treasure so why bother to codify things with tables?
• Threat ratings and encounter balancing architecture. The creatures of the wild don’t look for targets of equivalent strength… they hunt the weak, the sick, and the foolish. {A.k.a low level adventurers.}
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@goodmangames> LOL! You bet I'll be updating my module's rule set... but I'll have to dig it out of a file box in storage first.
I also don't have a design team, or art team, so no snazzy fliers here... sorry. All I have are my words, so I give you the text from the first page of the Creature Catalog...
----------------------------
The young man, his face showing the first downy growth of beard wandered through his old room above the smithy. For 12 long years he’d lived here and built up his muscles upon the bellows first, and then eventually the apprentice’s anvil for horse shoes and mending old pots. Eventually he’d learned most of the arts of the smith, as did his 2 older brothers. He was a dutiful son… he simply had no desire to spend the rest of his life sweating over the heat of the forge and growing old drinking in the tavern with the village folk.
He headed down the stairs, rehearsing in his mind all the different ways that he could think of to tell his father that he was off into the world for adventure and riches. His father was in the smithy as usual, but he was tending to the final details on a beautiful set of scale male. Beside it was an antique shield of foreign design, but it was the brass hilted longsword that his father now held to the grinding wheel that drew the young man’s attention. He’d seen it above the mantle in the house for his whole life and had often dreamt of fighting monsters and rescuing damsels… even if he wasn’t sure what a damsel was, or what was supposed to be done with one after you rescued it.
The screeching and the sparks came to an abrupt end and there was the sound of a sword sliding home into its sheath with a hollow click.
“This is the part where you tell me that you’ve decided you don’t want to be a smith… how the wild places of the world call out to you for glory… or that you’re bored with village life?” His father hadn’t even turned around, but the emotion was there in his voice. Something new to the young man… his father was holding back his sorrow.
“How did you know, Father?”
“I can see it in your eyes, Caenor, you yearn for a life outside the village. The life of tall tales and treasure hard won.” he turned finally and looked his son in the eyes, “I was young once. I remember the fire in my blood.” He handed the sword to the young man. “Come on lad, suit up,” He said as he pointed to the armor. Caenor knew how to use it, the sword and shield as well, because you can’t make them properly if you don’t know how to use them and his father had taught him and his brothers well. He made short work of the task, and then he faced his father; who made a few adjustments to the armor’s straps.
“Thought so…” he mumbled, “figures my old suit would fit you so well.” Then he grabbed his son by the shoulders and giving him a stern look, “Remember the things I’ve taught you son, and always mind your surroundings; but, if you forget all else… then cling to this.” There was a pleading look in his eyes.
“Remember: the creatures you encounter out there… live in the wild. That means they are meaner, more durable, and better able to take care of themselves than you are!” Then he gave his son a hug and walked away to the tavern.
***
Later that night, Caenor made ready to camp beneath the stars. His excitement was fading with the growing fear born of loneliness gnawing at his resolve. He recalled that never before had the hollow thumping of his father’s wooden leg sounded so ominous.
***
Welcome one and all to the Creature Catalog. In its pages you will find:
• Pre-generated DCC RPG compatible creatures from the banal to the horrific, because most DM’s don’t have time to waste tinkering with game mechanics every time they run an encounter.
For DM's who enjoy a bit of tinkering...
• Detailed notes and suggestions on cross-breeding creatures.
• Tables for mutating the standard creatures or any of the critters your inner mad wizard can devise.
• A new version of the find familiar spell that will allow you to jazz up your PC and NPC wizards with powers and abilities based on their bonded familiar.
• The guidelines for modifying a familiar, and training it in class levels, so that it may lend aid to its master.
***
Right now I’m in the process of transferring my scatter of critter notes into one standard format. This is the first draft, but I figure that I can have a “bare-bones” data file of everything ready for testing by the end of January. When I get to that point then I’ll start interviewing for artists.
The main premise of the creatures in this book, is that people should be afraid of what lives in the woods, and other wild places. The wilderness of a D&D environment is no place for a picnic or leisurely hike to your favorite swimming hole. It is full of all manner of hungry bothersome critters that are waiting to pounce upon the unprepared.
Things you will not find in this work:
• Treasure tables. Most creatures don’t bother with treasure, and the ones who do are likely to be using whatever it is against the players, not stashing it in their lairs. Besides, every DM has their own ideas on appropriate treasure so why bother to codify things with tables?
• Threat ratings and encounter balancing architecture. The creatures of the wild don’t look for targets of equivalent strength… they hunt the weak, the sick, and the foolish. {A.k.a low level adventurers.}
----------
@goodmangames> LOL! You bet I'll be updating my module's rule set... but I'll have to dig it out of a file box in storage first.