August is well and truly over. September, with it's cooler temps, soggy weather, and worse traffic (as everyone is back from vacation and off to work or school) is here. This means 2 things here at Tower of the Archmage:
First, my month of hosting the RPG Blog Carnival is over. The creativity of everyone who participated is as always stunning. While I had originally wanted October and had planned on a Halloween/horror theme, I think that Animals ended up being an even better topic. It's one that isn't discussed nearly enough, yet can have a big impact on a game. The importance of the topic shows in the quality of the posts you wrote. You all rock, and I thank you for participating in your posts and comments.
Second, I am overdue getting the roundup written. It takes a while to compile everything, especially when you were all so prolific! I hope I didn't miss anyone. If I did, please let me know, and I'll add you to the list ASAP!
Now, without further ado - The List!!
Monsters and Manuals wrote an entire dog series!
Dog Personalities!
Orc Hunting Mastiffs
Basilisk Hound
Ghost Hound
Azumchefe Climbing Dog
The Paladin's Dog
He also wrote about magical octopuses
Zac at DnD with Pornstars came up with a Random chart: What dogs are available?
Sky Full of Dust stated up some Giant Bugs!
JD Jarvis of aeonsnaugauries explored PHB Animals examined in the context of the dungeon.
The Dump Stat wrote about Pet houses and Beastfolk Races
Anthony of Roleplay geek looked at the different roles of Animals in RPGs
Marshall of Division Nihil explored the benefits of Bonding with Animals. You really don't want to run into his goblins...
Nevermet Press wrote up some 4e Intelligent Ravens that can add some interesting spice to urban campaigns.
Trey of the Sorcerer's Skull shared some WWII Anthropomorphic animals.
Sporkchop shareed the Giraffelich - An evil herbivore. Just because it eats grass and leaves doesn't mean it can't kick your ass!
Fitz aka The Gassy Gnoll over at Game Knight Review did a 4 part series:
1. Familiars
2. Omens
3. Hunters
4. Heroes and Monsters
E.G.Palmer of Old Guard Gaming Accoutrements came up with some Killer Blink Frogs.
Talysman examines (and rants about) animal stats and also discusses the Purchase Costs of Animals
Kobold Quarterly shared a humorous Lemming Swarm that at first I thought was written by Bat!
bySwarm shared Beastfolk of the Dark Golden Age.
Geoffrey of the Stuffed Crocodile gave us some Ratmen and RatOgres.
"Ka-Blog!" of the Armchair General discussed Animal Themed Superheroes and Dog Superstitions.
Runeslinger wrote about the pros and cons of Animal Companions.
The Sea of Stars shared the Domesticated Animals in the Sea of Stars.
Matt from Surprise Round wrote about a boy born of a peach and his animal companions, as well as the Chinese Zodiac.
My own contributions include:
Guinea Drakes
Strange Rodents
An Exotic Pet Store
A look at PHB animals
and all my posts about dogs
Again, a big thank you to everyone who contributed!
Remember to head on over to this month's host, Roleplaying Tips. Watch yourself though! Assassins are lurking around every blog post....
Showing posts with label rpg blog carnival: animals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rpg blog carnival: animals. Show all posts
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Guinea Drakes
Guinea Drakes are small saurian creatures, mostly scaled, but with some furry tufts around their feet and heads. They are kept as livestock by kobolds and other subterranean races. The guinea drake is a burrowing creature that in the wild will build extensive dugout systems in which to live. They eat primarily molds, fungus, roots, and whatever bugs they come across in their burrowing.
Groups of Guinea Drakes are known as "wheeks" due to their distinct vocalization. The echoing of a wheek of guinea drakes in their tunnels can carry for quite a distance and can be quite unnerving to anyone hearing it for the first time.
They shed their skins much like snakes, though intact examples are almost never found in the wild, as it is scraped off in their tunnels.
Their eggs are small, no more than an inch in diameter, but highly nutritious. While considered a staple of many diets, halflings can not stand the flavor.
They come in a wide variety of colors, with scaled hides ranging from greens to blues to purples, with a distinctive crest that runs from the middle of their head down to the end of their tails.
Different varieties can be found all over the underdark, and some breeders go to great length to achieve specific fur, scale, and crest combinations. The most uncommon version is the fur-less guinea drake, commonly known as "skinny-drakes". They are always albinos, with a pale red crest. Depending on the location, a live "skinny-drake" can fetch a very high price.
A few examples have come to the surface, and breeders have attempted to raise them, but the guinea drake's natural burrowing ability prevents them being caged outdoors.
While generally timid creatures, far more likely to run than to engage anything bigger than they are, they are also known to have generally foul temperaments, and a quick bite is often the result of trying to catch a wild one.
Today is the last day of August's RPG Blog Carnival here at the Tower. I want to thank everyone who participated. I'll be doing a big wrap up post sometime in the next week. Until then, let's welcome September's Carnival host John of Roleplaying Tips and get working on posts about Assassins!
Groups of Guinea Drakes are known as "wheeks" due to their distinct vocalization. The echoing of a wheek of guinea drakes in their tunnels can carry for quite a distance and can be quite unnerving to anyone hearing it for the first time.
They shed their skins much like snakes, though intact examples are almost never found in the wild, as it is scraped off in their tunnels.
Their eggs are small, no more than an inch in diameter, but highly nutritious. While considered a staple of many diets, halflings can not stand the flavor.
They come in a wide variety of colors, with scaled hides ranging from greens to blues to purples, with a distinctive crest that runs from the middle of their head down to the end of their tails.
Different varieties can be found all over the underdark, and some breeders go to great length to achieve specific fur, scale, and crest combinations. The most uncommon version is the fur-less guinea drake, commonly known as "skinny-drakes". They are always albinos, with a pale red crest. Depending on the location, a live "skinny-drake" can fetch a very high price.
A few examples have come to the surface, and breeders have attempted to raise them, but the guinea drake's natural burrowing ability prevents them being caged outdoors.
While generally timid creatures, far more likely to run than to engage anything bigger than they are, they are also known to have generally foul temperaments, and a quick bite is often the result of trying to catch a wild one.
Today is the last day of August's RPG Blog Carnival here at the Tower. I want to thank everyone who participated. I'll be doing a big wrap up post sometime in the next week. Until then, let's welcome September's Carnival host John of Roleplaying Tips and get working on posts about Assassins!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday Inspirational Image - Strange Rodents
August's RPG Blog Carnival topic is Animals and it's being hosted here at the Tower of the Archmage! How can you get involved? Easy! Write a post about animals, anything about animals, and then share the link!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Phaelonian Exotic Pets
Location: A113
Store Type: Pet Store
Name: Phaelonian Exotic Pets
Hoots, howls, chirps, and tweets call passers by to turn an look into this spacious and chrome accented store. The front windows contain several different sections, each showing off a selection of the different pets they have available.
One feature that all the animals in the store share is their small size making them more suitable for more cramped space ships. In fact no creature for sale is bigger than a Terran house cat. The selection of animals will vary with every visit, though for some reason short haired golden hamsters are always available.
The proprietor is a sentient computer that roams the store as a chrome robotic arm attached to a series of tracks on the ceiling. At the end of the arms is a round sensor device with speaker attached.
August's RPG Blog Carnival topic is Animals and it's being hosted here at the Tower of the Archmage! How can you get involved? Easy! Write a post about animals, anything about animals, and then share the link!
Store Type: Pet Store
Name: Phaelonian Exotic Pets
Hoots, howls, chirps, and tweets call passers by to turn an look into this spacious and chrome accented store. The front windows contain several different sections, each showing off a selection of the different pets they have available.
One feature that all the animals in the store share is their small size making them more suitable for more cramped space ships. In fact no creature for sale is bigger than a Terran house cat. The selection of animals will vary with every visit, though for some reason short haired golden hamsters are always available.
 |
| Raoul! |
The proprietor is a sentient computer that roams the store as a chrome robotic arm attached to a series of tracks on the ceiling. At the end of the arms is a round sensor device with speaker attached.
August's RPG Blog Carnival topic is Animals and it's being hosted here at the Tower of the Archmage! How can you get involved? Easy! Write a post about animals, anything about animals, and then share the link!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
RPG Blogger Carnival Update
We're still about 2 weeks from the end of this months RPG Blogger Carnival, but I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has participated so far. The response has been great, and I'm really enjoying reading everyone's posts.I was really worried that there wouldn't be much interest in Animals as a topic. You've all put that fear to rest! Thank you!
Keep up the excellent posts!
Keep up the excellent posts!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
RPG Blog Carnival - PHB Animals
My introduction to DnD was an early one, even though I didn’t get to play for many years after. My mother played in an ADnD game when I was young, and I remember sneaking the DM’s copy of the PHB to read. One of the things I liked most about it was the equipment section. Lists of fantastic weapons, armor, and farm animals.
Farm Animals? Livestock?
Cows, pigs, chickens, horses, goats. My 6 year old mind just took that in and rolled with it. I don’t really remember what I thought about the inclusion of animals, but I do know I’ve been disappointed by it’s reduction over the editions.
Why? It takes something away from the world. It seems to me, that if an adventurer saves a rancher's herd, that it’s likely he’ll thank them with the one thing he has - livestock, rather than with something he likely doesn’t have a lot of - coin.
What does it say about a world where songbirds cost a mere 4 c.p.? Have you ever looked at the cost of a canary? Ok, finches are a lot cheaper, but i wouldn't call them songbirds either. They're either really common in the wild (which would make for a very song-filled wilderness) or there are lots of people that breed and sell them!
Plus the inclusion of these animals definitely suggests that there is more to the game than just roving about and pillaging tombs. It adds weight to the importance of the "end game" aspect of DnD, of settling down, building a castle, and hiring (or breeding) new adventures to help clear the goblins out of the nearby forest. Even prior to that though, is the idea that maybe after a few adventures they'll buy a farm and retire before becoming barons and baronesses.
This month's RPG Blog Carnival topic is Animals and it's being hosted here at the Tower of the Archmage! How can you get involved? Easy! Write a post about animals, anything about animals, and share the link!
Farm Animals? Livestock?
 |
| cell phone picture from my AD&D PHB |
Cows, pigs, chickens, horses, goats. My 6 year old mind just took that in and rolled with it. I don’t really remember what I thought about the inclusion of animals, but I do know I’ve been disappointed by it’s reduction over the editions.
Why? It takes something away from the world. It seems to me, that if an adventurer saves a rancher's herd, that it’s likely he’ll thank them with the one thing he has - livestock, rather than with something he likely doesn’t have a lot of - coin.
What does it say about a world where songbirds cost a mere 4 c.p.? Have you ever looked at the cost of a canary? Ok, finches are a lot cheaper, but i wouldn't call them songbirds either. They're either really common in the wild (which would make for a very song-filled wilderness) or there are lots of people that breed and sell them!
Plus the inclusion of these animals definitely suggests that there is more to the game than just roving about and pillaging tombs. It adds weight to the importance of the "end game" aspect of DnD, of settling down, building a castle, and hiring (or breeding) new adventures to help clear the goblins out of the nearby forest. Even prior to that though, is the idea that maybe after a few adventures they'll buy a farm and retire before becoming barons and baronesses.
This month's RPG Blog Carnival topic is Animals and it's being hosted here at the Tower of the Archmage! How can you get involved? Easy! Write a post about animals, anything about animals, and share the link!
Monday, August 1, 2011
RPG Blog Carnival: Animals in RPGs
Welcome to the Dog Days of Summer! For this month’s RPG Blog Carnival were going to look at the various roles animals play in your games.
Throughout human evolution, animals have played a huge roll. Initially they were predator and prey. Over time they became more: providers and companions. They have staring rolls in our stories and history, from Aesop's Fables to Alexander the Great's Bucephalus to Lassie. Yet in RPGs they’re often relegated to either the background or slotted into adversarial positions.
Let’s take August and bring animals to the front! How have you used animals in your games? Do your adventurers bring Dogs in the Dungeon? Have your space cowboys ever had to transport a herd of goats? Have your adventurers ever bought chickens or cows? Do Cardassian voles or mynocks ever muck-up the ship's engines? Does anyone keep a rat in their hood or an exotic fish in their office? Are the local crabs sacred and not for eating? Do you allow animal PC classes? Or do you even run entire games with nothing but animals?
What rolls have animals played in your games?
Post on your own blog and link back to this post, or drop me a comment with the link. At the end of the month I’ll gather up and link back to all the participating blogs. If you don't have a blog, getting one is easy, or you can just leave a comment here!
Throughout human evolution, animals have played a huge roll. Initially they were predator and prey. Over time they became more: providers and companions. They have staring rolls in our stories and history, from Aesop's Fables to Alexander the Great's Bucephalus to Lassie. Yet in RPGs they’re often relegated to either the background or slotted into adversarial positions.
Let’s take August and bring animals to the front! How have you used animals in your games? Do your adventurers bring Dogs in the Dungeon? Have your space cowboys ever had to transport a herd of goats? Have your adventurers ever bought chickens or cows? Do Cardassian voles or mynocks ever muck-up the ship's engines? Does anyone keep a rat in their hood or an exotic fish in their office? Are the local crabs sacred and not for eating? Do you allow animal PC classes? Or do you even run entire games with nothing but animals?
What rolls have animals played in your games?
Post on your own blog and link back to this post, or drop me a comment with the link. At the end of the month I’ll gather up and link back to all the participating blogs. If you don't have a blog, getting one is easy, or you can just leave a comment here!
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