What's the colour of a chameleon?

I don't know what to say today, more than that I hope to be able to focus more on this blog in the coming weeks. Looks like there might be chance of that. Where I sit there is frost covering trees and grass, and down by the lake the light looks amazing. Very fantasy-ish if I may say so, and inspiring.

Thanks to Memphis Roleplayer's Association and Warrington Gamers for informing their members about this place. Also thanks to Turnwatcher.com for recommending this site. As always, feel free to contact me with suggestions or ideas, and of course, to comment about the creatures right here. The silent feedback (increasing number of visitors) is very good, but it would be great to hear more opinions about these monsters.

If you remain all quiet you can't expect anything other than what you receive, so don't blame me for the Thelossian. ;)



≡THELOSSIAN≡




------GENERAL-----------------------------------------
CATEGORY: Mammal
TERRAIN: Woods
FOOD: Carnivore
AGGRESSION: Normal
SIZE: 5 feet tall (150 cm) at the head
NUMBERS: 1 to 5


------CHARACTERISTICS-----------------------------
STRENGTH: 12-16
AGILITY: 15-24
ENDURANCE: 15-22
INTELLIGENCE: 5-8
MENTAL RESILIENCE: 15-24
CHARM: 2-8
(If stats of a human ranges from 3 to 18)

SPEED: Running x 2, Swimming x 1
(Multiple is times human speed)

MAGIC POWER:0
(Ranges from 0-100)

HIT POINTS: 11-18
(If a human commoner has about 11 hit points)


------PROTECTION-------------------------------------
AVERAGE: 3
HEAD: 2
BODY: 3
LEGS: 2
TAIL: 3
(If Full Plate Armour is 10)

The skin of the Thelossian is thick and mostly covered by very thick fur, which makes fo a good natural armour, in case wits and camouflage fails to protect it.


------ATTACKS/DAMAGE---------------------------
2 CLAWS: 1-2 (1-4 as fists)
1 BITE: 1-4
(If a Long Sword makes a damage of 1-8)

The small claws on the hand-like paws of the Thelossian do little damage. Instead it tends to draw its fingers together in a fist-like manner in physical situations.


------POWERS/EFFECT-------------------------------
CAMOUFLAGE: The Thelossian is a natural when it comes to hiding and camouflage. Due to its powerful sense of sight it knows how to conceal itself from most gazes. It can change the colours of its fur at will, and with great speed. It can also enter into a state of cryptobiosis, within a couple of rounds. In this case that means instantly stopping its own heart and lowering the temperature of its blood to that of its surroundings. The creature will be as dead, but with the capacity to revive itself to life when it wants to. This also takes but a few rounds. In the state of cryptobiosis the creature retain a weak trace of awareness, Just enough to sense and to judge if the potential danger has passed.

MASTER OF SIGHT: The five pairs of eyes of the Thelossian all have a unique way of registering the world. Besides seeing normally (like humans) it picks up heat radiation, electrical vibrations, spiritual auras, and magical fields. Heat vision allows it to move about in total darkness and make out all lifeforms from afar. Electrical vision enables it discover creatures hidden under leaves, buried in earth, or moving behind thin walls. Spiritual vision displays the spiritual aura of all living things to the Thelossian, which gives it a good idea about the nature and disposition of any creature. Finally, magical vision makes it capable of noticing and reading all magical fields emanating from spells and magic items. Thus it may know the kind and power of magic it faces.



------DESCRIPTION------------------------------------
Usually Thelossians run about in the world rather fearlessly. Only when they are starving, or wilfully makes a move towards danger, do they run the risk of being killed. Their unusual gift of sight allows them to avoid most enemies long before they are spotted, but like all creatures, their level of attention may of course vary.

The Thelossians live alone or in small families, hunting and eating creatures, like beetles, frogs, worms, birds etc. They are very intelligent and can hunt in groups as well as communicate with signs, sounds, and patterns of colour. They have no real language but may figure out ways of making themselves understood when encountering friendly creatures or beings.

Elves, and other benign woodland folks, have been known to befriend the Thelossians for the sake of mutual interest. They make perfect guards of course, but will not enter into such service without good reason. They are also eminent trackers and have been seen in the company of elven scouts, druids, and experienced woodland rangers.

As creatures of many eyes the Thelossian have developed great wisdom and are attracted to natural harmony. They care about the surrounding forests and the diversity of life within them. The creatures may attack small bands of orcs and other disregardful forms of life, if they display ignorant or destructive behaviour towards their home environment.

The Thelossian are very agile creatures. They swim well, and even if they tend to make their living at ground level, they enjoy climbing trees, and often do so when hunting. They also like to relax and enjoy life while lazily playing about with their more energetic young. Normally they sound as deep-voiced monkeys, but are not loud, and do not growl like big cats. Being intelligent they can imitate most animal sounds and do so when it suits their purposes.

Most Thelossians die before the age of 50. They keep to the same partner throughout their lives and reproduce only once. Their young tend to stay with the adults until fully mature. When meat is scarce the creatures can eat and survive for months on nutritious roots, nuts, berries, and fruit. If there is no food at all Thelossians may go into cryptobiosis and remain in such a state until food comes along. At the brink of starvation the creatures will attack and eat larger life-forms if necessary.



Click to check out these creatures!
...or take a pick in the 'Archive' to the left.

© Copyright 2010 - Nicholas Cloister

Fight fire with fire?

All serious bestiaries must have a fire creature...no? I'm not sure, but I did one anyway. Also, I thought it was time to get something dragon-like into the pages. Perhaps this is the least original of the critters so far, but then originality isn't always king. Small changes can sometimes make for a new stew. I don't know if that is the case here, but at least it is hot... and hot is dangerous. Lava seems to remain ever popular in popular fiction. I might even say I'm tired of fire in fantasy contexts, but that didn't hinder me from having a great time as I wrought this beast out of the flames. And no, in the case of the Negga, fighting fire with fire isn't a very good idea.



≡NEGGA - FIRE WYRM≡




------GENERAL-----------------------------------------
CATEGORY: Reptile
TERRAIN: Volcanic mountains
FOOD: Carnivore
AGGRESSION: High
SIZE: 40 - 60 feet, (12-18 meters) long
NUMBERS: 1 (to 100)


------CHARACTERISTICS-----------------------------
STRENGTH: 24-48
AGILITY: 8-12
ENDURANCE: 13-18
INTELLIGENCE: 2-7
MENTAL RESILIENCE: 2-8
CHARM: 0
(If stats of a human ranges from 3 to 18)

SPEED: Running(Crawling) x 1, Swimming x 2
(Multiple is times human speed)

MAGIC POWER: 25-30
(Ranges from 0-100)

HIT POINTS: 30-60
(If a human commoner has about 11 hit points)


------PROTECTION-------------------------------------
AVERAGE: 11
HEAD: 11
BODY: 12
UNDERSIDE: 8
ARMS: 11
(If Full Plate Armour is 10)

The natural armour of the Negga is among the strongest and most resilient in the world. It looks like partially polished lava rock, and is tougher than steel but not as rigid. It is unaffected by all natural and (weaker) magical fires, and as light as the exoskeleton of a crustacean. Producing armour of this material is an art long lost, but with the right kind of knowledge and skill, it can be done.


------ATTACKS/DAMAGE---------------------------
2 CLAWS: 2-6
1 BITE: 2-8
1 FIREWHIP: 3-18
(If a Long Sword makes a damage of 1-8)

The Negga Wyrm can produce and manoeuvre a whip of fire as an extension of its tongue, with the same ease as a human throws a fist. This natural weapon can be wielded for as long as the Negga lives. The whip can be up to half the length of the creature's body, and it may of course set flammable objects on fire.


------POWERS/EFFECT-------------------------------
FIREBORN: The Negga Wyrm is basically one with the element of fire. Though flesh on the inside it manages by some unknown supernatural means to stay submerged in lava and fire for any amount of time. It can produce and cast a wide variety of fire-related spells (Game Master's choice), and is unaffected by all but the most potent of magical fires.

MELT ROCK: By touch the Negga can heat up 950 cubic feet (27 cubic meters) of rock per round. The rock will swiftly turn to floating lava, and remain so until it naturally returns to cold and hard stone. The feat takes three rounds. At round two the heat will be enough to cause heat damage and melt boots. This is not the most common way of fighting for the Wyrm, which will use this ability only when it sees great use for it. The act of melting rock drains energy from the creature, and can be done no more than ten times per day. (This power can cause great harm to large stone structures if applied to the foundation of the architecture at hand.)



------DESCRIPTION------------------------------------
In those times and places where volcanoes and chasms throw out fire and smoke unto the lands, one can sometimes find great rocky ellipsoids scattered upon the slopes and and fields. In the wake of eruptions, as the earth quiets, these eggs of lava rock remain standing, as if spewed out with the fire from the deep bowels of the earth.

No one knows the depths where these eggs are produced, but they have been witnessed as they hatch, and as the great black Wyrms crawl out from inside of them. Usually these return to the caves and hollows of the mountainside, seeking the solace of the fiery pits, but occasionally they start wreaking havoc right away.

As the Negga move back into the earth they seek out lava streams or pools and submerge themselves in them. There they lie for centuries only to come out once in a while for a meal of flesh. It is believed that they somehow maintain life by drawing energy from the heat of the lava, and that they only rarely need to complement this diet with the proteins of meat.

It is further believed that the Wyrm is only a larvae state of some more advanced life-form, that might never have been spotted. The theory is based upon the undeveloped wings and the long worm-like body of this dragon-like creature.

In their rare hunt for flesh the Negga are intent and relentless. They will crawl out from the deepest of places and venture any distance over land until their hunger is satiated. This happens once every decade or so.

It is unusual to encounter more than a single Wyrm at once, but if one is there as the volcanic eggs hatch, up to one hundred beasts might be present at once. At the sight of meat many of these newborn discover hunger and postpone their search for heat and hiding.

The magic of the Negga is natural, and they have no need for voice, scrolls or other means to make use of their power. They do not seem to care about their brethren, and seem to have no interest in the affairs of others save as food. Their intelligence is greater than appearance reveal, which can be noticed in behaviour, but they display little or no signs of communication.

Water will not hinder these creatures, but will of course make futile the use of fire-related spells and the whip of the tongue

Nothing indicates that the Negga are bound to the lava for survival, if there is plenty of substitute energy (prey) around. They have never been spotted mating, and gender is impossible to make out. The teeth and fingers of these creatures make excellent arrow- and spearheads, but will not come loose easily. The beasts can live forever it seems, and millennia are probably needed for any eventual metamorphosis to set in.



Click to check out these creatures!
...or take a pick in the 'Archive' to the left.

© Copyright 2010 - Nicholas Cloister

Professional Creature Design

So, what's with the head-line of this entry? : )
Oh, that! Well, I thought it might be a way to attract the right people. Perhaps someone googles... you get the idea.

I actually have made a living making creatures for short periods of time, but that's not the reason for it.

Anyway, again it has been a while since the last critter. I took a look at my portfolio and felt like I needed to make a couple of full scenes again. If you are interested you can find my latest attempts HERE and HERE.

I also decided to make a CHARACTER, and to participate in a LOVECRAFT CREATURE CHALLENGE. Right now I'm working on a book-cover and try to localize new potential clients that might hide in strange countries overseas. Here is a new humanoid species. They may smell strange, but they are not as bad as they look - The Vornorion.



≡VORNORION≡




------GENERAL-----------------------------------------
CATEGORY: Two-legged mammal
TERRAIN: Deserts and jungles
FOOD: Carnivore
AGGRESSION: Normal, but short-tempered
SIZE: 7 feet tall (210 cm) without horns
NUMBERS: One to hundreds


------CHARACTERISTICS-----------------------------
STRENGTH: 4-18
AGILITY: 3-16
ENDURANCE: 3-22
INTELLIGENCE: 3-16
MENTAL RESILIENCE: 3-14
CHARM: 3-11
(If stats of a human ranges from 3 to 18)

SPEED: Running x 1,2
(Multiple is times human speed)

MAGIC POWER: 0-25
(Ranges from 0-100)

HIT POINTS: 5-20
(If a human commoner has about 11 hit points)


------PROTECTION-------------------------------------
AVERAGE: 2
HEAD: 2
BODY: 2
LEGS: 2
ARMS: 2
(If Full Plate Armour is 10)

The skin of the Vornorion is thick and leathery, and covered partly in fur.


------ATTACKS/DAMAGE---------------------------
2 FISTS/CLAWS: 1-4
2 KICKS: 1-6
(If a Long Sword makes a damage of 1-8)

If unarmed the Vornorion will kick, claw and throw fists in combat.


------POWERS/EFFECT-------------------------------
SILENT COMMUNICATION: The Vornornion communicates through series of extremely rapid movements with their trunks. These move so fast that no human is able to follow the blur of swift Vornorion conversation. Furthermore, the trunks are perforated in places by numerous tiny holes, which make some moves produce sound. The sounds are reminiscent of the howls of wind, and add depth to the Vornorion language. These also help the creatures communicate when they don't see each other, and are used when calling and taming insects (see Description).


------DESCRIPTION------------------------------------
The Vornorion race makes its living in the warmest of places. They like the desert as well as the jungle and can go without water for ten days without a problem. Some move around, but most Vornorion settle down in clans, ranging from a few families to a thousand strong.

The favourite food of these creatures are insects, and insects play a great role in Vornorion culture. Through strange sounds (and perhaps magical knowledge) the race has managed to command certain species of insects. Among those are the giant scarab beetles, which are used as steeds as well as in the building of Vornorion Mounds. These huge constructions of dung and sand serve as houses, and when strengthened by rock, as strongholds. A Mound can be up to 150 feet (45 meter) high and keep several large families.

As a rite of initiation the young Vornorion are sent out into the world to slay and bring home the delicacy of a giant centipede. Giant insects in general are sought after, and small bands of warriors are regularly dispatched, to venture into foreign lands in the search of such life-forms. By studying these species, some say, the Vornorion can alter common insects and breed larger ones in the pits of their great Mounds

The Vornorion trade jewellery, food, clothing, and various appliances, all manufactured by insect parts. They bring back gold, perfumes, potions, slave children of other races, and weapons of steel.

They make use of no written language but some symbols are used to convey ritual meaning and as decoration. They can however learn how to read, and some individual do to study the knowledge of other races. The creatures can use magic and many of their Elders are competent magicians. Little is known about their beliefs and faiths, but the symbolic representations of the Sun are common.

Vornorion reproduce just like human beings and have about as many children. They are organized and develop rich cultures. The clans in jungle areas tend to remove the trees from large areas to make room for markets, games and other social activity in the open. Instead of giant scarabs, other, more colourful insects are used as steeds. In some cases, flying ones. The jungle mounds include leaves and clay. The creatures are not especially violent, but are known for their short temper, and angry haggling.


© Copyright 2010 - Nicholas Cloister