Creature Catalog now in Dragon Magazine

[BOZ]

About the Denizens of Castle Amber, you do remember I have a conversion of a magens handy, do you?

yes, I do. I would only use someone else’s work if it is volunteered, so I will take that as such… about the magens, that will take up the space of 3 or so creatures, so I hope they’re worth it.

We definitely need a sidebar to refer to the dire animals, and other creatures that have appeared in other books. Someone do me a favor and keep track of all of that. and, we can do like shade says and give a few alternates of the same type, here and there.

Glad to be keeping the Hyaenodon and Titanothere – at least we have a couple of the classic 1E prehistoric mammals.

As far as the other keepers, I’m going with Alticamelus, Astrapotherium, Giant Bison, Auroch, Morpus, Sivatherium, Giant Hippopotamus, Pelorovis.

Alternates list will include Ambelodon, Macrauchenia, Uinatherium, Amphicyon, Anancus, Andrewsarchus, and Dwarf Elephant.

Now, since I need to estimate CR's, what would be a good way to figure these out quickly? Basically 1/3 HD? Round up if they are carnivores?

 

[Filby]

Re: prehistoric bears... I'd suggest making the arctodus a variant on the dire bear, but the agriotherium and the sarkastodon variants on the modern brown bear from the MM, since they're not particularly big by modern standards.

 

[Shade]

Checking out a sampling of dire animals, it looks like the quick CR formula is HD/2, +1 for Large, +2 for Huge, and +3 for Gargantuan. I didn't note any difference between carnivores and herbivores.

 

[BOZ]

Cool. I’d say that one’s basically ready – moving on to the next!

Amber Lotus Flower – sprays pollen that puts creatures to sleep (1/2 HD)

Amoeba, Giant – enormous (30-foot wide) single-celled organisms that envelop foes to digest them (10 HD)

Death Demon (Ostego) – claws paralyze, bite kills (7 HD)

Golem, Mud – hug and smother their victims (8 HD)

Grab Grass – tall grass that grapples opponents (hazard, probably)

Gremlin – evil pranksters that create an area of chaos (1 HD)

Killer Trees – carnivorous plant that grabs with tentacles to eat (6 HD)

Magen – 4 types of magically created beings – see Gez’ conversions

Phantom – magical beings (not undead) made of mist with spell-like abilities (invisibility, confusion, hallucinatory terrain, phantasmal force) (6 HD)

Rakasta – I am reconsidering making them Monstrous Humanoids…

Slime Worm – giant worms that secrete a stick slime (not very strong, but objects stick to them) and swallow prey whole (10 HD)

Sun Brother – members of the extraplanar Sollux race; related to and enemies of the efreet (10 HD)

Vampire Rose


other creatures from the module that have not yet been converted:
Living Statues (crystal, iron, rock), and the Thoul appear in the main wandering monster chart.
A Rhagodessa and Robber Fly can be found on the wandering monster chart for Castle Amber’s Indoor Forest.
In “The White Room” is a Frost Salamander.

And, of course, if you have any new creations that you think would fit with the flavor of this module, now would be the time to mention them….

 

[Knight Otu]

There's a mud golem in the Monster Manual III... And I think there are frost salamanders in the MMII, though I don't know if they're the same?

 

[Shade]

other creatures from the module that have not yet been converted:
Living Statues (crystal, iron, rock), and the Thoul appear in the main wandering monster chart.
A Rhagodessa and Robber Fly can be found on the wandering monster chart for Castle Amber’s Indoor Forest.
In “The White Room” is a Frost Salamander.

Oooh..I dig the thoul.

And, of course, if you have any new creations that you think would fit with the flavor of this module, now would be the time to mention them….

Wow, I can't imagine replacing one of these conversions with an original. It would almost seem like sacriledge.

 

[BOZ]

Oooh..I dig the thoul.

we could toss that one on the barbie...

Wow, I can't imagine replacing one of these conversions with an original. It would almost seem like sacriledge.

it's not like we have to, but the option should be there.

 

[Shade]

we could toss that one on the barbie...

...or throw on a troll, a hobgoblin, and a ghoul for the same results. Poor Barbie.

it's not like we have to, but the option should be there.

True dat.

 

[Knight Otu]

As I mentioned above, there are two monsters that might be in official products already. Though the mud golem might work with a rename...

 

[BOZ]

on second thought, i'd like to see the thoul on there as an alternate, since i only noticed it once on my look-through.

and re: frost salamander, i think it is the same thing. i'll try to look at the MM3 tonight.

you guys have any opinions on which of these should go in the article?