Doctor Agenda Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 There is an Indian creature called a Yaksha, a sort of shapeshifting ogre that runs the gamut from divine messenger to hopeless romantic to baby-eater. They form the army of Kobaru (?), a god associated with the treasures of the Earth, but are also encountered on their own. This creature and the Oni seem like they may have been inspirations for the D&D Ogre Mage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 Originally posted by Doctor Agenda There is an Indian creature called a Yaksha, a sort of shapeshifting ogre that runs the gamut from divine messenger to hopeless romantic to baby-eater. They form the army of Kobaru (?), a god associated with the treasures of the Earth, but are also encountered on their own. This creature and the Oni seem like they may have been inspirations for the D&D Ogre Mage. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have this one covered with my rakshasa write-up. Yaksha seems to be an alternative name for it. I'll be adding some notes about the yaksha to the text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i3ullseye Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 I do hope the basic races that have appeared, if they appear as creatures, also have racial template rules for making members of that race. Korobokuru, Bakemono, etc..... I am not so sure why Tengu might be let out, but you certainly must have a simian race, led by Wu Kung, the monkey king. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 Originally posted by i3ullseye I do hope the basic races that have appeared, if they appear as creatures, also have racial template rules for making members of that race. Korobokuru, Bakemono, etc..... Define basic races. The format is the same as the HERO System Bestiary. I am not so sure why Tengu might be let out, but you certainly must have a simian race, led by Wu Kung, the monkey king. I don' follow you here. The tengu hasn't been "let out", it is in the book. As for a simian race... I don't specifically include a race led by Songoku/Wu Kung, as there isn't one. I do have the yet-teh and the hsing-hsing, both primates and/or real creatures. Oh, and I just found something called Olgol-Khorkhol. The "Mongolian Death Worm." Now how can I leave that out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 Does anyone have any information on creatures from Viet Nam or Mongola. Specifically, the Con Rit -- a Viet Nam sea monster, or Moghur, a Mongolian dragon of great size? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rage Posted May 26, 2003 Report Share Posted May 26, 2003 Originally posted by Susano Sorry, I don't, so I don't know if I will be able to get in touch with him or not... Hmmmmm that sounds like one of the guys on our boards whose from the Phillipenes. Note to self: dig through old threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted May 27, 2003 Report Share Posted May 27, 2003 Originally posted by Rage Hmmmmm that sounds like one of the guys on our boards whose from the Phillipenes. Note to self: dig through old threads. No need, Rage. I got in touch with someone from the Phillipenes and am waiting for his infodump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawangaKid Posted May 29, 2003 Report Share Posted May 29, 2003 Engkanta / Supernatural abilities About the list: there are certain 'abilities' that certain Philippine supernatural creatures have in common... ... really good illusions. As in, "I know I can hear you in front of me telling me that there's a clear path right in front of us, Mike... but all I can see is impassable jungle" type illusions. These are normally used to send people around in circles ala "Blair Witch"... among other things. Perhaps you should keep this as a 'common ability'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NuSoardGraphite Posted May 29, 2003 Report Share Posted May 29, 2003 Hey Mike, when is this book schedualed to be printed? My roomate is bugging me to start up the sequel to my Sengoku game. At the end of the last campaign, the PC's had sealed the entrance to the Demon World (which Nobunaga had purposely opened by burning a Temple that was a guardian) but there are still many demons left throughout Japan. Though this time, I think I want to have Yomi take center stage... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted May 29, 2003 Report Share Posted May 29, 2003 Re: Engkanta / Supernatural abilities Originally posted by KawangaKid About the list: there are certain 'abilities' that certain Philippine supernatural creatures have in common... ... really good illusions. As in, "I know I can hear you in front of me telling me that there's a clear path right in front of us, Mike... but all I can see is impassable jungle" type illusions. These are normally used to send people around in circles ala "Blair Witch"... among other things. Perhaps you should keep this as a 'common ability'? That sounds good to me. A lot of the write-ups get optional power listings, and illusions are fairly common. Of course, I know have the question of "which 'Philippine supernatural creatures' have this in common?" And the book is due out in January of 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 For those keeping track -- there are now 50 character sheets. And that doesn't consider all the optional powers listed with many such sheets, or the sheets that describe multiple creatures under one heading (case in point, the yet-teh). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawangaKid Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Classifications Hey-o, I'm in the middle of going through the list and classifying the Philippine creatures, but I'm borrowing Maximo D. Ramos' classifications for each: Demons - Tikbalangs and the Pugot fall under this "Dragons" - These include large animal forms... crocodiles, pythons, sharks, lahos, tigmamanukins... Dwende or "Dwarfs" - old tiny creatures who dwell underground with jars of treasure that can curse you. Engkantos or "Faerie" - the closest thing to it Ghouls - aswangs that devour corpses and are terrified by bright light & loud noises Giants Merfolk Kapres or "Ogres" Vampires Viscera Takers - aswangs and even manananggals Werebeasts - aswangs with dog- and other hunter forms Witches - male / female aswing who can make you extremely ill.. General descriptions for each to follow... as well as variants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 This sounds like a fabulous item, Susano - I'll have to try to make room for it in my poor budget. If it comes out Jan. 2004 as planned, maybe I can ask for it as a delayed Christmas present. If you don't mind my asking: How much of Asia are you trying to cover? I see from your remarks that most of the Pacific Rim and Indian Ocean countries and their neighbors are being addressed - how about the Middle East, or Siberia? Not demanding that you do so; Lord knows you've got enough on your plate already. Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Re: Classifications Originally posted by KawangaKid Hey-o, I'm in the middle of going through the list and classifying the Philippine creatures, but I'm borrowing Maximo D. Ramos' classifications for each: ...snip... General descriptions for each to follow... as well as variants. Wow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Originally posted by Lord Liaden f you don't mind my asking: How much of Asia are you trying to cover? I see from your remarks that most of the Pacific Rim and Indian Ocean countries and their neighbors are being addressed - how about the Middle East, or Siberia? I asked Steve about this -- as technically, Asia covers everything from Turkey, Russia, Israel, the Middle East and so on to China and Japan. The book itself covers material from India to China (west to east) and Mongoila to Indonesia (north to south). The Middle East could get its own book, if you really wanted, as could Siberia and the rest of Russia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Agenda Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 A Middle East book has my vote. I've always had a thing for Mesopotamia. One of my favorite Hero lines was the Mythic series (Mythic Greece, Mythic Egypt--my fave!-etc.), I was even considering doing a Mythic Mesopotamia, and I'm not very ambitious when it comes to writing (as witnessed by the fact that I never actually did it...). In short, Middle East Monster Book, yay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 All I san say is, tell Steve. For what its worth, I will be submitting some Middle Eastern creatures to Digital Hero in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 Hey Susano, You might want to consider talking to Steve about a comp copy of USMB (It is an E-Book BTW, I don't think anyone mentioned that yet) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 Originally posted by JmOz Hey Susano, You might want to consider talking to Steve about a comp copy of USMB (It is an E-Book BTW, I don't think anyone mentioned that yet) Does it have Asian creatures in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted June 6, 2003 Report Share Posted June 6, 2003 Originally posted by Susano Does it have Asian creatures in it? A great deal of the USMB is taken up by creatures with their roots in western occultism or "modern" fantasy, or creatures based on Dean's own cosmology; however, it does feature interesting descriptions and writeups for the oni, kuei, rakshasa, and the maskim of Mesopotamia, as well as a "sample" djinn with a little general background. It's an interesting collection in itself, although IMO more useful as a complement to The Ultimate Supermage; but if you're wondering about it's usefulness to your own research, I would expect that to be minimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 15, 2003 Report Share Posted June 15, 2003 52 creatures and counting. Actually, I suspect the current number is higher, as many of the entries list multiple options or describe multiple varients of the same theme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Agenda Posted June 15, 2003 Report Share Posted June 15, 2003 The USMB is a great supplement for USM or a Horror Hero game, but of course we always want more! There is an Indonesian critter called a Sundel Balong (sp?) that appears to be a beautiful woman (heard that one before), but they have a hole in their back that they cover with their hair or clothes. Sounds like something else I heard of called a White Lady? They lure a man into a private place where they castrate him. Sounds like an urban legend sort of thing with the moral of don't go off with strange women (especially prostitutes, I would think). I've used a Yaksha in my Horror Hero/sort of Buffyesque campaign, but it was just a thinly-disguised D&D Ogre Mage, which in turn is a thinly-disguised (for what reason I do not know) Oni. Still, it was novel and a bit of a surprise (everyone remembered that episode of Kolchak and thought it was a Rakshasa that could be killed with a crossbow bolt). Looking forward to your finished product, definitely something I'm interested in getting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted June 15, 2003 Report Share Posted June 15, 2003 Originally posted by Doctor Agenda There is an Indonesian critter called a Sundel Balong (sp?) that appears to be a beautiful woman (heard that one before), but they have a hole in their back that they cover with their hair or clothes. Sounds like something else I heard of called a White Lady? They lure a man into a private place where they castrate him. Sounds like an urban legend sort of thing with the moral of don't go off with strange women (especially prostitutes, I would think). Sounds like the Malaysian puntianak, which is in the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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