Category Archives: A Mythos Grimmly : Prelude

Blog, D&D 5th Edition, Wanderer's Creature Feature

The Wanderer’s Creature Feature : Mari Lwyd

Happy New Year to all!  As we welcome 2018, how about we take a look at a creature who only makes her appearance once a year, on the night of New Year’s Eve?

Mari Lwyd is from Welsh folklore.  This strange skeletal mare appears on New Year’s Eve, and attempts to gain access to people’s homes.  While the myths I found does not necessarily paint her as having ill-intentions, this D&D 5E version of her has her acting as a sort of reaper of souls, something that a party of adventurers would do well to halt.

Be safe this New Year, good luck with your resolutions, and game on!

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art by flyingviperart.deviantart.com

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Posted by on December 31, 2017
Blog, D&D 5th Edition

Talking Monsters on Table Top Babble

Stop by the Don’t Split the Podcast Network to have a listen to the latest Table Top Babble!  On it, you can listen to Wolfgang Baur (Kobold Press), Rich Green, and myself talk about making monsters, and the upcoming Creature Codex being Kickstarted now.  Ok, it’s mostly Wolfgang and Rich talking, and me mumbling, “Yah, what they said,” but should be a fun listen for you!  😉

The Creature Codex is the follow-up to the astounding Tome of Beasts, which I had the honor of having four monsters appear in.  For the Creature Codex, it is possible that you may see upwards of two dozen of my crazy creations show up!  In addition to the new book, you can also get a new set of monster pawns for your role playing enjoyment!  Support the Kickstarter before it ends on January 5th, 2018!

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Posted by on December 18, 2017
Blog, D&D 5th Edition, Wanderer's Creature Feature

The Wanderer’s Creature Feature : MotU’s Clay Ooze Skeletons

Much like role playing games, there are still things I enjoy doing from my childhood.  One example is watching He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.  Yah, it is true, I still enjoy cartoons.

Lately, I’ve been watching the remake of the series from the 2000’s, and I just viewed the episode, Out of the Past.  While there is plenty going on in this episode, including hinting at Teela’s origins, the monsters that Skeletor sent after Teela and the village she was staying in really grabbed my interest.  Skeletons bolstered by necromancy and strange, green clay which seems to have magical properties as well!

So here is my take on these clay ooze skeletons.  I hope you enjoy using them in an upcoming campaign, a little something to keep your players on their toes!

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Posted by on December 15, 2017
Blog, D&D 5th Edition

Kobold Press’ Creature Codex on Kickstarter

Already fully funded (in 2 hours!), and blasting through stretch goals, Kobold Press‘ Creature Codex for D&D 5E, the follow up to their amazing Tome of Beasts, is up on Kickstarter!

While this is not a Wanderer’s Haven Publications book, I am among the designers who brought these monsters to life for your 5th Edition gaming fun!  If all of my creations make it through play testing, expect to see over two dozen monstrous creations from yours truly included in the pages of this amazing Codex.

A ghost dragon and a simurg (one of my creations!), just two of over 300 creations appearing in the Creature Codex!

What is more, backers are invited to submit their own monstrous creations for D&D 5th Edition for possibly inclusion in the Creature Codex!  The current stretch goal has made room for 15 monsters created by Kickstarter backers!

Just like the Tome of Beasts, the Creature Codex will have a Pawn collection, so players and DMs will be able to make use of art work from the Codex to visualize their combats and interactions on a battle map.

Head over and pre-order yours today!

 

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Posted by on December 10, 2017
Blog, DMG Creators Resources

Forgotten Realms Maps : City of Thentia

My first foray into D&D cartography in D&D is now live on DMs Guild! The city of Thentia is present, with updates for 5th Edition, and even includes GIGANTIC 48×36 files for printing (you know you missed those huge poster maps!). Check it out!

Traveling the Moonsea?  Pick up your map of Thentia, city of wonder and magic on the northern shores of the region.  These maps include locations that appear in Con-Created Content for the Adventurers League.  As such, this will be a living document, updated as new events unfold in the city of Thentia!

The included maps include a commercial license, and are able to be used in your DMs Guild products.  You may not include these maps as part of another stock art collection, or as a selling point for your products.

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Posted by on August 12, 2017
Blog

D&D 5E : Zhentil Keep Trilogy

I am proud to announce that my first Con-Created Content for the D&D 5E Adventurers League program will be premiering at the Origins Game Fair (June 14th – 18th) in Ohio, and the inaugural Druids & Dragons Convention (July 13th – 16th) in Colorado!

This series, the Zhentil Keep Trilogy, takes players from the city of Phlan to the ruins of Zhentil Keep, where they will deal with warlords, fight off undead, and deal with the ultimate machinations of a dark necromancer.  Designed for Tier 3 (levels 11-16) of play, each module will run 4 hours long at the conventions.  If you plan on attending either (or both) conventions, sign up to check out the games!

The Zhentil Keep Trilogy will be released for public play in August, 2017 on dmsguild.com.

The adventure modules are :
CCCROZK01-01 : Binder’s Torment
CCCROZK01-02 : Zhentarim’s Lament
CCCROZK01-03 : Necromancer’s Ascent


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Posted by on May 2, 2017
Blog, D&D 5th Edition, Wanderer's Creature Feature

The Wanderer’s Creature Feature : Diana from Lights Out for 5E

Sometimes, the best of intentions turn out for the absolute worst.  Such was the case of Diana, a young girl whose case of photosensitivity was so severe, being in direct sunlight would cause her skin to blister and peel.  When doctors attempted a form of radical treatment…exposing Diana to extremely bright lights…they did not only fail in curing her, but apparently killed her in the process, her body disappearing and leaving behind only the blackened outline of where she once sat.

But this was not the end of Diana…in fact, she now exists as a creature entirely different, something that cannot be seen in direct light.  But in the dark, her strength and rage know no bounds…and she hungers for vengeance against the living.

If you haven’t seen Lights Out, I do recommend it!  Diana is the basis for this “scorched soul” write up, which I hope you enjoy using in your own games.

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Lights Out : Diana

 

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Posted by on November 14, 2016
Blog, D&D 5th Edition, Wanderer's Creature Feature

The Wanderer’s Creature Feature : Sam for 5E

It’s Halloween weekend, and it’s time for all the spooks and specters to come out and play!  One of my favorite Halloween movies is Trick’r Treat, an anthology of interconnected tales set on Halloween.  The hero (or anti-hero?) of the movie is Sam, a child-like creature who appears to be dressed in a shabby costume for trick-or-treating.  But, as we find out many times in the movie, nothing is quite as it seems.  Check out the stats for the immortal Sam, in all his pumpkin-headed glory!  Be safe, and don’t forget to light those jack-o-lanterns…  Happy Halloween!

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trick-r-treat-sam

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Posted by on October 30, 2016
Blog, D&D 5th Edition

NoCo RPG Writers Workshop : Make-A-Monster

Today was our bi-monthly NoCo RPG Writers Workshop, and it was the first time we did a group exercise.  We talked a bit about monster design, some generally, some specifically for D&D 5E.  Then we spent awhile making a monster based on artwork from Baizilla on Deviant Art!  Check out the Shambling Spore, a nasty plant creature we came up for your homebrew D&D 5E game!

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Contributors : Bryan Gillispie, Jon Elder, Stefan Pettine, Jess Hall, Eric Schubert, Melissa Schubert, Apotheon, Jeremy Hochhalter

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Posted by on October 17, 2016
Blog, D&D 5th Edition, Wanderer's Creature Feature

The Wanderer’s Creature Feature : Doom Blade Cyclops

Inspiration often strikes us when we are not expecting it…  Like when you are cleaning off a game board shelf, and a Mage Knight figure falls off, hits you in the face, then breaks on the floor.  Ok, it was the figure that struck me…but inspiration followed soon there after!

Back during the first iteration of Mage Knight, some pretty hefty, large figures came out for the game.  Several dragons, a giant that had dwarves riding in armored baskets on its shoulders, some vehicles, and more.  The one in question was the Doom Blade Cyclops, and is still one of my favorite pieces from that game.

So while the super glue was doing its work, I was debating what such a creature would be like in 5E D&D.  What if the scythes on its arms weren’t strapped there, as they are on the figure, but were actually welded to the bone during a ritual of terrible surgeries and magicks?  And strong?  These things look like they’d use lesser cyclops for toothpicks.  Yah, some 5E monster making had to be done.  Check out the conversion from Mage Knight figure to RPG monster below!

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doombladecyclops

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Posted by on October 10, 2016