Found in a Box in Storage: Part 7 - T-Rex

I think they've backtracked on the feathered T-rex a bit but for a time they imagined them covered so I thought I'd try my hand at drawing one.

Found in a Box in Storage: Part 6 - Rock Lizard

I always loved drawing dragon-like faces but for some reason I don't know if I ever drew an actual dragon.

Found in a Box in Storage: Part 5 - Manticore

I called this one a Manticore. Manticores in D&D and RuneQuest were a bit different but this one clearly has the D&D tail. Looking at it I'm not sure if its a Manticore or not but I find the piercings interesting (after all Manticore has no hands).

Found in a Box in Storage: Part 4 - Gnoll

I used to draw a lot, then I found photoshop and my skills decayed. I hope to rebuild them again but photoshop is so much easier. Anyway finding some of my old drawings is helping motivate my re-learning plans.

Best of the Web - Gygaxian Democracy

Dungeon and Possums has a series of fun posts titled Gygaxian Democracy because the posts were aided by followers on Twitter. The posts are basically a list of all the items an NPC is carrying but that doesn't really do them justice. They have unique and colorful items and whimsical illustrations to go with them (I'm not sure which came first but I'm curious).

• Gygaxian Democracy: The War-Witch of the Crimson Forest
• Gygaxian Democracy: The Sorcerer of the Sinful Caves
• Gygaxian Democracy: Black Rahl, the Mercenary Warlord
• Gygaxian Democracy: The Goods of Captain Lobarda, She-Wolf of the Seas
• Gygaxian Democracy: Herb Goodback, Henchman-at-Large

These remind me a bit of the Better Legends Illustrated Equipment Packs only more unique.  I might have to try my hand at something like this for a few of the Thule NPCs and see how it goes.

Thule Island - [0202] Helpeak Fortress

Helpeak

Helpeak Fortress is the mountain home of the Church of Lough Order of the Sisters of the White Shield. The Castle defends the settled southern parts of Thule Island from the more rugged north. The castle is built up on a spur of limestone, there are said to be five levels beneath the fortress itself but if this is true someone else will have to document them.

View from the Residence looking South to Main
Bastion with Hospital on left and offices on the right

Ealfa Callouts

[1] Moat Wall - The first line of defense intended to protect the skywalk. The lower level of the wall contains barracks in the towers and stables.
[2] Skywalk - A walkway/drawbridge a hundred feet above the section ditch.
[3] Residence - The dorms where the Sisters live. The Residence building has kitchen facilities and remarkable views across most of Eastern Thule.

Cut-away of Bastion,
viewed from West

[4] Western Offices - The officers of the order do their work here, at least what work there is.

[5] Hospital - The Order is best known for their hospitals which care for the sick and injured of all religions (although non Lough Worshipers in need of medical attention are not encouraged). A large cistern appears in the East Tower near the center of the hospital.
[6] Main Bastion - This fortified section of the main complex. This area is always occupied, well provisioned, and the gates are usually locked.

Note - Ealfa castle is based on Burg Wildensteain (Leibertingen) I found so many images of that beautiful castle I couldn't help myself.

Best of the Web - OSE Encounters

d4 Caltrops has created a series of OSE Encounters posts providing 1d100 tables for what creatures are doing when encountered. This sort of thing gives encounters life instead of the feeling they are standing there waiting for the PCs to show up before being activated.

First he started out with the PC races, but didn't really finish (at least no Halflings or Half Elves):

• These Dwarfs Are... (d100 Table)
• These Wood-Elfs Are... (d100 Table)
• These Village-Folk Are... (d100 Table)
• These City-Dwellers Are... (d100 Table)

Then he moved on to more regular encounters (based on the White Ape it looks like a B/X list but I could be wrong). At this point he's done the following:

• OSE Encounter Activities - Acolytes (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Ape, White (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Bandits (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Basilisk (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Bats (3d30)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Bears (d20)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Beetles (3d30)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Berserker (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Blink Dog (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Brigands (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Buccaneers (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Bugbear (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Caecilia (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Carcass Crawler (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Cat, Great (d20)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Cave Locust (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Centaur (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Chimera (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Cockatrice (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Crab, Giant
• OSE Encounter Activities - Crocodiles (3d30)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Cyclops (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Dervish (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Djinni & Efreeti
• OSE Encounter Activities - Doppelgänger (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Dragon Turtle/Shell Crawl
• OSE Encounter Activities - Driver Ant
• OSE Encounter Activities - Dryads (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Elemental
• OSE Encounter Activities - Fish, Giant
• OSE Encounter Activities - Gargoyle
• OSE Encounter Activities - Hobgoblins
• OSE Encounter Activities - Kobold (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Lizard Man (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Pudding, Oooze, Slime, Jelly, Mould (5d20)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Skeleton
• OSE Encounter Activities - Toad, Giant
• OSE Encounter Activities - Treant
• OSE Encounter Activities - Vampire (d100)
• OSE Encounter Activities - Zombie (d100)

The amount of work and creativity is staggering and brilliant and judging by the way he's done it I suspect/hope he'll be selling the finished products some day, at least I hope so as he'll get my cash.