As I said in my post about traditional artistic depictions of chimerae there was little doubt to the creature’s appearance, which remained iconic over hundreds of years. The written descriptions, however, differed in the particulars. Artists of the Medieval age and beyond, depending on which writer they had access to, created different beasts from the …
Tag: Creatures
Apr 14
Traditional Chimerae
It was a single being that had the force of three beasts, the front part of a lion, the tail of a drakon, and the third–middle–head was that of a goat, through which it breathed out fire. — Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2. 31 – 32 (Greek mythographer c. 2nd A.D.) Chimerae depicted in ancient …
Apr 13
Worldbuilding Wednesday 4/13/22: Undead Magic
Undead are some of the most terrifying creatures in the AD&D universe. Yet, there doesn’t seem to be much magic that deals with them. So here’s a few randomgenned spells created on the fly. Undead Magic Hair of the Skeleton: Strands of hair still existing on the skull of an otherwise defleshed skeleton can …
Apr 06
Worldbuilding Wednesday 4/6/22: English Folk Beings
In Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain series, one of the main characters is Gurgi, a sort of apelike wild man who Taran, the protagonist of the series, first encounters living in the forest. Though a pest at first, Gurgi later grows into his own as a hero and participant in Taran’s quest. Though Gurgi struck …
Mar 31
Mystery Flesh Pit National Park [Review]
Mystery Flesh Pit National Park World concept by Trevor Roberts Begun 2019 This is a different kind of review as it’s not for a book, movie, or game, but a shared concept world. The Mystery Flesh Pit is the creation of Trevor Roberts, a concept artist and writer who started playing around with the idea …
Mar 30
Children of the Elder Things, or Echinoderm Horror
As I talked about here, H. P. Lovecraft’s Elder Things were such a unique creation both of their time and for SF in general that their caliber was not duplicated for many years. There were echoes of them in the BEMs (bug-eyed monsters) of the lurid SF pulp covers of the 1930s through the …
Mar 28
The Art of the Elder Thing (Part III)
In this post I’ll examine Elder Thing depictions done in different media and styles. This is an Elder Thing stripped down its basic elements: starfish head, wings, cucumber body, five tentacle legs. I’m guessing it’s a petroglyph painted on some exposed shale rock, which since has been desecrated by bird poop. The creator of the …
Mar 26
The Art of the Elder Thing (Part II)
In Part II of this series I’ll be taking a look at the Elder Things interacting with their natural environment — either the snowbound Antarctica of At the Mountains of Madness, or their titanic cities of long ago. This illustration of the creatures shows them checking out a ship that has been stuck in the …
Mar 16
Worldbuilding Wednesday 3/16/22: Great Old Ones
xxxx(Lovecraft II)
Lovecraft’s Great Old Ones were powerful, immortal godlike beings who were worshipped, and in some cases are still being worshipped, on planet Earth. They are present, for the most part, in spirit not body. Certain rites, times of year, or sacrifices are required to manifest them. Their physical forms may live deep in the …
Mar 02
At the Mountains of Madness [Reading Challenge 2022]
At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft Originally published 1936 in Astounding Stories [ Challenge # 1: Reread a book you have already read. ] Finished my first challenge this year, H. P. Lovecraft’s At The Mountains of Madness. I first read it back in college some decades ago, and enjoyed it, but …