Copyright crap: The author of this thingy retains full copyright of the material, while hereby granting full permission for it to be reprinted in any format whatsoever, with the provisos that his name be forever attached to it, the text of the document be forever unaltered, and if anyone manages to figure out how to make big bucks off of it, the above mentioned author wants a cut. Oh, yes, and lest I forget, this notice must remain attached to the main text. Also the use of creatures from specific works of fantasy/fiction/etc. are merely intended to indicate creatures whos attributes may be similar to other creatures with those names. I. Marc Carlson IMC@VAX2.UTULSA.EDU 9 March 1994 *************************************************************************** MONSTERS An example of how to classify Monsters for my campaign. I. Marc Carlson `Monsters' 1. Real creatures and variations thereof. This includes dinosaur survivals, megafauna survivals, normal animals, and aliens (Thunderbird (Quetzalcoatlus), Sasquatch, etc.). 2. Mutations or genetically engineered creatures based on real animals (Griffins, Mantichore, Hippogrifs, Centaurs, Chimera, Pegasi, Minotaurs, Harpies, Satyrs, Unicorns, etc.). 3. Visitations from Dreamlands, or other magical worlds (Chthonians, Formless Spawn, Rukh, Fastiticalon (Giant turtle islands), Dragons (Draco Ignispirans, Tarrasque, etc.), etc.). 4. "Spirit creatures." Astral creatures manifesting a form in the real world. a. Those of a Divine Origin (Class VII-X/Metaspectres, Megaspectres, and gods). (Mortai, Noctral, Phoenix, Sphinx, Wendigo, Lloiger, Lamasu, Shedu, Genii, Demons, Angelus (Devas/Planetars/Angels), Loas, Kachina, some Manitou, etc.). b. Those of a Non-divine Origin (Class I-VII). (1) Boschala/Callicantzari. These entities have trouble materializing images of true beings in this plane. (Rat-things, Cockatrice/Basilisk, Medusa, Griffins, Mantichore, Hippogrifs, Centaurs, Chimera, Pegasi, Minotaurs, Harpies, Satyrs, Unicorns, etc.). (2) Elementals. Shapechangers with four primary forms (Elemental/Animal/Astral/Human) all based on thought-forms. They feed on blood, and vril. They generate illusions. They can possess mortal forms. Note, similar to vampires, exposure to the Sun transforms them and freezes them into their elemental form permanently, and they possess allergies to sun/garlic/silver/woods/iron due to the disruptive effects on the concentrated Vril. (a) Water (Melucinae/Undines, Nixies, Banshees, Baobhan Sith, Bunyips, etc.) (b) Fire (Salamanders, etc.) (c) Air (Sylphs, Mimi, Will'o'wisps/St. Elmo's Fire, etc.) (d) Earth - Quartz ("Gnomes"/Deep Elves, Coatl, Lamia (?), Trolls, Gargoyles, etc.) (f) Wood - Trees (Ents, Dryads, Nymphs, Gn'icht'tyaacht, Dark Young, etc.) (3) Ghosts. These are the discarnate astral/mental forms of sentients. Animal ghosts are either Haunting Spirits or Dullahan. See more full description elsewhere. (a) Greater Ghosts (as per movie Betalgeuse) (b) Lesser Ghosts (as per movie Ghost) Also Crisis Aparitions and Phantasms of the Living. (c) Ghosts, Diabolical (Ghosts [Book], Spectres, Wraiths, etc. Some Dullahan) (d) Poltergeists (e) Haunting Spirits. Replay the same scene; some Dullahan. (f) Possessing Spirits. Some non-ghost spirits can also possess. (Odun, Haunts, Dybbuk (I), etc.) (g) Syphon/Trapped Spirits (Inhabit inanimate objects, but do not animate them) (h) Tectonic Spirits. These can build a body, or inhabit and animate other objects (See Animated Dead and Animated Stuff) (i) Dullahan. (Headless Horsemen, Galley Beggers, etc.). (4) Fairies. These are manifestations of the discarnate astral/mental forms of an Alchwa origin. They are not ghosts. (a) Sprites, Pixies, etc. (b) Black Dogs/Fenhounds/Hellhouds (c) Hags. Usually physical. These may also be degenerate god-forms. (1) Annis (i) Black Annis - Unique Demigod. (ii) Bab Yaga - Unique Demigod. (2) Green Hag (3) Sea Hag (4) Night Hag (d) Some Manitou. (5) "Beasts." Discarnate alien beings that have no real business on the physical plane (Dybbuk (II), Hounds of Tindalos, etc.). 5. Animated Stuff. These could be either Tectonic Spirits or magically animated dead. (Humonculi, `Doom Guards' or animated armor, Golems (Bone, Clay, Doll, Gargoyle/Stone, Glass, Iron, Mechanical, Stone, etc.)). 6. Animated Dead. These could be either Tectonic Spirits or magically animated dead. a. Skeletons. Animated Bones (Skeletons, Animal skeletons, Giant skeletons, Drybones, Shockbones, Skleros, Demi-Lich, etc.). b. Zombies. Animated flesh (Haitian Zombies/Zuvembies (potion leaves the body undead, as the soul is imprisoned), Lich (Body is dead, but is possessed by Wizard), Spectral Hunter, Mummy, Walking Dead, JuJu Zombies, le Grand Zombie, Crawling Claw, Baka, Ch'ing Shih/Vrykolakas/Hungry Dead (Thought of as vampires, but actually feed on living), Flesh Golem/Greater & Lesser Colossus/Zombie Golems, Servents of Glaaki, etc.) 7. Vampires. See more full description elsewhere. a. Type I - Nonmagical. b. Type II - Semimagical. c. Type III - Magical. d. Type IV - Magical Mutations. e. Type V - Nephelim/Siliconari. f. Type VI - Psychic Vampires/Vampires of the Living. 8. Lycanthropes. See more full description elsewhere. a. Type I - Nonmagical, genetically engineered. (Loup-Garou or Man-Wolf, etc.). b. Type II - Magical, mutated from Type III Vampire. (Werewolf, Werebat, Werefox, Wereraven, Weretiger/Rakhshasa, etc.). 9. Humanoids a. Deep Ones/Miri/Sahuagin/Silwe-Manze/Locothah/Kuo-Tua (Creature from the Black Lagoon) b. Reptiloids (1) Serpent Men (a) Serpent Men, Degenerate (b) Sand Dwellers (c) Minions of Set (d) Children of Yig (2) Lizard Men/Unthlatu (3) Ch'Shathal'Mnar/LLoiger c. H. Sapiens (1) Subterraneans (a) Tyrraneans (b) Moloids (c) Lava Men (2) Ghouls (a) Ghasts (b) Ghulah (3) H. Sapiens Robustus (Giants) (4) H. Sapiens Faber (Dwarves) (a) H.Sapiens Faber/Sapiens (Halflings = Human/Dwarf Hybrids) (5) H. Magi (a) H. Magi Minus (6) H. Neanderthal (a) H. Faerie Robustus (Uruch/Orc) (b) H. Faerie Gracile (Alchwa) (i) Ogre - Giant Uruch. (ii) Goblyn - Pygmie Uruch. (iii) Redcap Creatures (iv) Brownie-kin (v) Little People (vi) Subterranean Elves/Selkies (vii) Faeries (7) Submarine races. (a) Blue Atlanteans (b) Green Atlaneans (c) White Atlanteans (d) Gold Atlanteans (e) Black Atlanteans (3) "Children of the Gods"/Titons (4) "Monstrosities"/Titons d. H. Habilis/Voormis e. Gigantopithicus (1) Australopithicus Robustus (Paranthropus) (a) Mangani/Igogo (b) Yeti (c) Sasqua Elves & Orcs The Neanderthal branch of humanity separated from H. Erectus, and they resembled modern Orcs more than anything else. They were called Elchuchnar in the 9 kingdoms of Mu. About 150,000 BC, the Elchuchnar diverged into the Uruch and Alchwa. The Uruch (H. Faerie Robustus) regained many of the features of more primitive forms of man, while the Alchwa (H. Faerie Gracile) became even more human-like. By the Hyborean Age, they were two separate subspecies, although both were considered `Pictish' by humans between the cataclysms. After the Great Cataclysm, the Uruch further diverged the Ogrish subspecies. Branching from the Alchwa, were the subspecies of the `little people'(e.g., Leprachauns, etc.), and the mostly astral Fairies, who manifest as smaller, more fey creatures. The subspecies of the `Brownie-kin,' as well as the `Red-cap creatures,' are the result of interbreading between the Uruch and Alchwa. The Alchwa spawned a variety of races. Those Alchwa in northwestern Europe, called the Hisildi, or `twilight peoples,' are small, ranging from four and a half to five and a half feet tall, darkish caucasoids; while those in northwestern Africa, the Atlantides, are a tall, golden skinned people. The Svartalf, `Dark Elves,' are tall, slender, ebon skinned people with red, gold or silver hair. Generally speaking, the European traditions of the high and low fairie courts refer to the general branches of Alchwa and non-Alchwa branches respectively. Homo Magi A subspecies of H. Sapiens that possess an instinctive affinity for magic use. They live at a 10:1 ration of human lifespan. Level I Powers - No components needed. PK/Levitate objkects, gesturing only to direct. ESP Broadcast telepathy with vocalization. Minor Creation. Level II Powers - Somatic components. Low level Alter Reality: Twitch - Alteration Gesture - Similarity spells; Wind; Cantrips, Timestop; Body Shield. Grand Gesture - Creation; Teleport (short range or interdimensional); Pyrotechnics; Fly (in Border Etherial, 100 mph+); Shapechange. Level III Powers - Spells with incantation & somantic gestures. Banish & Summoning (Both have pyrotechnic effects) Level IV Powers - Spells, with full VSM components. ========================================================================== GODS CLASSIFICATION OF GODS: TYPES: Greater Gods: Lesser Gods: Demigods: Quasi-Deity: Hero: SEVEN STRATA OF DIVINE EXISTANCE: (Corresponding to the Seven Layers of the Astral Plane.) 0. --- Earth/Material Plane No Divine Essence 1. Godlike Dreamlands, Inner Planes Cytorrak, Dormmamu No Worshipers 2. Incarnated Deities Asgardians, Semidivine Superbeings Egyptians,Cthuloids. No longer worshiped 3. Incarnate Deities Olympus Gods Worshiped only by a small group, but truly believed in. 4. Intercessive Deities Oerth Gods Actively worshiped, fully Divine entities. 5. Propitiary Deities Hyborian Gods No Worshipers, Almost entirely Divine Essence. 6. Ubiquitous Deities All Divine Essence-No Material Form/Mythic form 7. "God Head" At this stage "exists" that which cannot be defined, symbolized or understood. To do so forces a form on that which may have no form. Conceptual Deities exist outside this format, as they may occupy any place on this chart. A Conceptual Deity is the personification of an abstract (Life, Death, Law, Chaos, etc.), and though the symbols and forms may change when encountered in different pantheons (Or even within the same pantheon) the Entity is the same [i.e. The Goddess is the Green Bringer is the Earth Mother is Tiamat is Dana is Avarra is Kali is etc.] If a specific deity is worshipped in multiple pantheons in multiple forms then that deity MAY be a Concept Deity [i.e. Iskandar of the Seven Planes may actually be the Trickster entity, as that is the format he is worshiped under in the majority of his forms, but I doubt it. Crom, however, is the name of one form of the Sky/Sea/Allfather; and Nyarlothotep is but an aspect of the "Smoky Mirror" of Black Revelations/Dark Wisdom and Knowledge/Melancholea/Insanity and chaos.