Summoner Saga - Leucrocotta The slit-mouth, human mimicking, bone jawed leucrocotta has always struck me as a particularly sinister creature. Definitely a dark type in pokemon terms. Even if they're no smarter than other animals, the implied hunting and eating methods do not paint a pleasant image.

Monster Manual - Demon, Manes "Those dead which go to the 666 layers of the demonic abyss become manes. The most evil of them are confined in the tiers of flames of Gehenna. They are only semi-intelligent and attack any non-demon with nails and teeth."

Summoner Saga - Yale The yale (or eale (or centicore)) is notable for its horns which it can maneuver in any direction. Despite having these impressive horns, yales also have jaws like boars. Perhaps these are used for prying tough material to eat, like wood or rooty vegetables.

Summoner Saga - Odontotyrannos Like the Monoceros, the Odontotyrannos may be based on the rhinoceros. From its sole attestation we know it has three horns, can swallow elephants whole, and has a dark body with a black head. Oh, and the name implies something to do with teeth.

Monster Manual - Demon, Juiblex "Juiblex is foul and nauseating in the extreme. His dripping form can lash forward in melee to cause terrible damage - both from the force of his blow and the caustic properties of his noisome secretions."

Summoner Saga - Monoceros This creature, the first iteration of the unicorn, appears in some early Greek texts on India. While probably based on the rhinoceros, it’s usually described as a type of wild ass. The rhinoceros basis is further fueled by Pliny’s description of their feet as elephantine.

Summoner Saga - Thieldon Pliny the Elder says that mares facing the wind become impregnated, and that their offspring are the fastest of all horses. One of these breeds descended from the winds was the Spanish Thieldon. They didn’t have wind & storm powers, but...

Monster Manual - Demon, Demogorgon "[He] has two heads which bear the visages of evil baboons or perhaps mandrills with the hideous coloration of the latter named beasts. His blue-green skin is plated with snake-like scales, his body and legs are those of a giant lizard... he has great tentacles."

Monster Manual - Demons & Devils I dreamt that I was in a dark forest. Barren trees moaned beneath the weight of gibbets hanging on each branch. Beasts growled and hooted unseen all around. I could see perfectly clearly, but there was no light.

Monster Manual - Crocodile, Giant "Although some of these reptiles are of giant-size, such monsters are typically found only in salt water or in prehistoric settings."

For the past three years, I've been writing & drawing FIRE IN THE HIGHLANDS, a fantasy novella with 48 full-color illustrations; in it, a pair of naturalists study the ecology of a rare & dangerous creature. Each month, you can read a new part for FREE on the Patreon: PART 1 is up now! Link below!

Andrés L. Mignucci@andreslmignucci.bsky.social · last mo.

July's creature is the DOMESTIC COCKATRICE—it lays its eggs in the nests of others; lucky for farmers, it has the useful instinct to protect its foster family with acid vomit. But you'll have to wait till Friday after next (Jul 10) to read it, as I've got a BIG announcement for you this Friday!

Summoner Saga - Pegasus The first is Pegasus, son of Poseidon and Medusa. The second are an Ethiopian species mentioned by Pliny scantly. Not only are they winged, they also have a pair of horns. I’d like to imagine they’re a smaller species that leap and fly around the Ethiopian highlands.

Monster Manual - Crocodile "All crocodiles are stupid [sic] and voracious eaters. They are sluggish in cold weather (cut movement 50%). They typically lie in concealment in order to surprise prey (surprise on 1-3 on a 6-sided die)."

A while ago I wanted to throw my hat into the Pokemon-like genre before committing to Summoner Saga. It was a bit slap-shod, but it revolved around kaiju. Monsters progressed through stages and could temporarily take on a gigantic form at the cost of collateral which would dock a player's earnings

Monster Manual - Crayfish, Giant "These strange monsters are found only in freshwater. They move slowly when walking, but they can swim with great rapidity for short periods. Like giant crabs, giant crayfish hide in order to rush out and seize their prey (surprise on a 1-3 on a 6-sided die)."

Monster Manual - Crab, Giant "Giant crabs are found in any area near water of any sort. They operate equally well on land or in water, always seeking to find something to eat. Their eyes, being on stalks, can peek over ledges or around corners with ease."

Summoner Saga - Hippalectryon The hippalectryon is a cross between a horse and rooster. None of the divine or religious significance of this creature has survived to the modern day. In fact, Aristophanes considered the hippalectryon so ridiculous he used it as an insult in his comedies.

Summoner Saga - Hippocampus This depiction is based off of a red plate from Hellenistic Italy. The one on the plate has wings, which I changed into large, frilly fins. It may not look all that efficient, but when your boss is the god of the sea the rules of hydrodynamics can bend for you.

Monster Manual - Couatl "These winged, feathered serpents are rarely found anywhere except in warm, jungle-like regions or flying through the ether. Due to their intelligence and powers they are regarded with awe by the inhabitants of their homelands and considered to be divine."

Monster Manual - Cockatrice "Cockatrices are found in temperate to tropical regions, both above and below ground. They can inflict only minor wounds with their beaks, but their touch will turn flesh to stone (save versus stone or petrified)."

Started a new monster series on my Patreon, as always it's free to check out most of the stuff there-

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Summoner Saga - Hellhound & Cerberus Two hounds of Hell, of greater and lesser stature. Technically the hellhound isn't Greek, as the concept is more of a motif across many cultures. Its appearance here is a conglomeration of many different hellish hounds.

Monster Manual - Chimera "The chimera combines features of three creatures in a monstrous manner. Its hind quarters are those of a huge goat, its foreparts are those of a lion, its body sports dragon wings, and it has three large heads."

I wasn't satisfied with the art for the behemoth and leviathan. I wanted to emphasize their scale more, and put in some perspective to sell that.

Monster Manual - Cerebral Parasite "These creatures are not visible to the human eye and can only be detected psionically by means of careful examination of a person's aura... After one has fed upon 6 psionic energy points it will reproduce another parasite, and thereafter continue to drain energy,"

Monster Manual - Centipede, Giant "These nasty creatures are found nearly everywhere. They are aggressive and rush forth to bite their prey, injecting poison into the wound, but in many cases this poison is weak and not fatal,"

I've just launched a Patreon for all things FANTASY ECOLOGY! Each month, I'll be posting a detailed encyclopedia entry for one of these critters, starting right now with that marsupial apex predator, the su. Go join and check out the full illustration! Link in the replies!

Andrés L. Mignucci@andreslmignucci.bsky.social · 5mo ago

I've got big plans for FANTASY ECOLOGY in April, so I realized it'd be good to know: which of these animals do you guys find most intriguing?

Summoner Saga - Various Little Critters A collection of three little creatures that could be combined for ease's sake. The information for each is in the alt-text.

Summoner Saga - Carcinus That one big crab that tried to help the hydra before Heracles stomped it

Monster Manual - Centaur "Centaurs dwell in secluded pastures, far from human habitation. Roving bands of these creatures always carry weapons, and leaders will carry shields."