When four teenagers break into a haunted house, they decide to play a game to see who scares the fastest. They sit in a circle and start conjuring up a scary story, taking turns by lighting matches and narrating until the flames die. It’s all fun and games until the story itself seems to come alive around them, thrusting the group into a hellish horror show of their own creation.
This episode is sogood!MONSTERS (1988) in general is vastly underrated, but this one stands out from other episodes of the series by going for actual scares. It features likable characters and great acting, with genre icon Ashley Laurence and television icon Tori Spelling both giving excellent performances that really bring home the horror of their situation. It also features fantastic creature effects; the fiend they run afoul of is worthy of a proper film, and its first appearance is genuinely startling. It’s a shame this one isn’t part of a more popular series because it’s one of the best horror anthology episodes ever made.
when you remember you write for stuff other than kpop groups
Harry Potter
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” (Friedrich Nietzsche)
Hermione Granger
“Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions.” (Primo Levi)
Ron Weasley
“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-ey’d monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” (William Shakespeare)
Ginny Weasley
“There are no heroes…in life, the monsters win.” (George RR Martin)
Neville Longbottom
“Murderers are not monsters, they’re men. And that’s the most frightening thing about them.” (Alice Sebold)
Luna Lovegood
“Will looked horrified. ‘What kind of monster could possibly hate chocolate?’” (Cassandra Clare)
I think i’ll reread the Harry Potter books sometime this year
hey whats UP about to drop the first chapter of a new TRC fic, I already posted the concept art for scenery a while ago because I was excited about it, here’s a couple cool monsters from it
[Commissioned by @glarnboudin. I knew RWBY was a thing, an animated web series thing, but the size of the franchise completely passed me by. There are comic books, manga, multiple video games. And its monsters, the grimm, appear in all of them. The beowolf is an entry-level monster, capable of being slain in large numbers by our heroes in splash pages and the like, but I still wanted them to be tougher than mundane wolves. I’ve also included my (derived solely from browsing wikis) take on the grimm as a whole here, as a subtype.
And yes, RWBY purists, the canon beowolves don’t have a wind breath ability. Given the fairy tale nature of their premise, I wanted to give them some sort of reference to the Big Bad Wolf.]
Grimm The kytons and sahkils are united in their affection for fear and pain, and in their flouting of both morality and mortality. Unlike many other groupings of fiends, they sometimes collaborate, uniting their forces in order to change the cosmos for the worse. One of their most fecund creations are the grimm—foul parodies of animals that feed on negative emotional states. These form in pits of tarry liquid that congeal on the Plane of Shadow, and they can bleed over into the Material Plane where the borders between worlds are thin. On some worlds, they have all but replaced mundane animals. Both kytons and sahkils may keep grimms as guard animals, living torture equipment, and general pets.
All grimm appear as caricatures of the animal form, black with bony spurs and jagged claws. Their heads are skull-like and marked with red lines, and these glow along with their eyes when the creatures are riled. Grimms are as much of shadow as flesh, and when slain dissolve completely, leaving no physical remains. Unlike many other shadowy beings, they have no trouble with bright light, although they prefer the darkness. Grimms are immortal, and some are quite ancient. Although most grimms are barely more intelligent than the animals they resemble, as they age they gain both intelligence and power, and elder grimms can achieve human levels of intellect.
“Grimm” is a subtype of outsider with the following racial traits: Immune to emotion effects Resist acid 10 and cold 10 Negative energy affinity Intimidating Prowess as a bonus feat Animalistic (Ex) A grimm is not proficient with any manufactured weapons. Grimms understand Infernal but cannot speak
Grimm, Beowolf CR 2 NE Outsider (extraplanar) This creature is a vaguely humanoid wolf, its posture stooped and its hands more like paws. It has black fur marked by white bone spurs, and its head is a skull-like mask.
Beowolves are the most common grimms, as wolves are found as figures of fear in many cultures. They are pack hunters, traveling in large groups to sniff out and take down prey. Beowolves are nimble creatures, and often make use of terrain in order to slow down less agile enemies. Their combat strategies are relatively simple, although they can generate gusts of supernatural wind simply by exhaling. Most beowolves use this ability to knock down temporary shelters to feast on the cowering creatures inside.
A beowolf that survives for an extended period of time may grow into an alpha beowolf. Such creatures are Large in size, with 6 HD. An alpha beowolf is a CR 4 creature. Beowolves instinctively follow alpha beowolves and will fight to the death to protect one. Beowolf paws are dexterous enough to grasp rocks and clubs, and some beowolves take Catch Off-Guard or Throw Anything as feats. It would take a very patient instructor to teach a beowolf how to use more complicated weaponry.
The Wild Catoblepas: one of the smallest species of behemoth on Midgaheim, this omnivorous giant is nigh invulnerable to most conventional and magic forms of attack.
The Domesticated Catoblepas: After centuries of inbreeding by human wizards, domesticated catoblepases barely resemble their wild relatives. Their enlarged heads and weakened necks make them utterly reliant on humans for survival, and humans in turn harvest the valuable alicorn that makes up their horns, as well as their armored skin and magic-resistant wool.
The Crowned Catoblepas:the smallest species of behemoth on Midgaheim, this elephant-sized mammal is still more than capable of trampling a human to death without breaking a sweat, though it’s more likely to gore them with its enormous alicorn horn.
The Armored Unicorn: a rare variety of unicorn, this heavily armored mammal is larger than a mundane oxen and even more cantankerous.
The Yale: aka the centicore or false unicorn, this beast’s two alicorn horns are somewhat articulate, able to twist around in their sockets.
The (Un)Common Unicorn: despite common descriptions, this beast more resembles a deer than a horse, though neither are really its close kin. Intensely magical despite their small size, these creatures are much sought after for their miraculous powers and incredible beauty. Whether they are truly scarce in number or simply extremely good at avoiding humans is a matter of some debate.
The Dwarf Unicorn: not much larger than a domesticated goat, this unicorn’s small size is deceiving, as it is no less magical than its larger brethren. Intensely intelligent and curious by nature, this unicorn’s front hooves have special digits to allow them to work as grasping appendages, which these unicorns have often used to pick the pockets of unaware humans. They are sometimes erroneously called “fairy unicorns” despite not hailing from Fairyland.
The Pegasus: a chimera made of horse and bird components (generally eagle), these creatures have often been bred for use as flying mounts, despite their intensely aggressive natures.
The Pegacorn: even though pegasi are already extremely ill-tempered and prone to throwing riders to their deaths when incensed, some humans decided they weren’t special enough and decided to make the same chimera with a unicorn in place of the horse. The resulting mix is an extremely dangerous creature, as the high magic power and inherent shyness of the unicorn is combined with the aggressive territoriality of the bird, resulting in a horribly powerful beast that really doesn’t care for humans trying to ride on it.
Extrapolating from what I posted yesterday, I drew a bunch of unicorns and yales, because unicorns are a big fantasy creature and deserve at least a fraction of the attention I lavish on dragons and basilisks and whatnot.
Going off of what I posted yesterday, here’s some big ol’ behemoths for your enjoyment.
Job’s Behemoth: The oldest known species of Behemoth, which traveled to Midgaheim from a continent to the South East by a land bridge that no longer exists. The largest of its clade, this titanic mammal is often mistaken for a mountain range during its century-long naps. When awake, a Job’s Behemoth immediately goes on an eating binge, which can be likened to a natural disaster for any living thing in its path.
Midgaheim Behemoth: Second only to Job’s Behemoth in size, this titanic brute’s omnivorous appetite is slightly less catastrophic than its ancestor’s thanks to its shorter hibernation cycle and more picky eating habits. Though all behemoths produce dung that works as a powerful fertilizer, the Midgaheim Behemoth’s is by far the most effective. As a result, just as many ecosystems owe their existence to these beasts as those that were ravaged by them.
Anvilhead Behemoth: Given that behemoths are often preyed upon by dragons, ogres, and other large predators in Midgaheim, it’s only natural some developed defenses against them. The Anvilhead Behemoth’s alicorn nasal horn is large and wide enough to shield its head and neck from dragonfire, protecting it from the many dragons that would gladly make a meal of it.
Longhorn Behemoth: Though on the small side of the behemoth family, this behemoth is one of the most deadly, as its goring horn, strong neck, powerful legs, and hair-trigger temper make it a terrifying adversary.
Ridgeback Behemoth: One of the most peaceful behemoth species, the Ridgeback’s diet is primarily vegetarian, with only rare indulgences in eating meat.
Shoveljaw Behemoth: A truly gluttonous creature, the Shoveljaw Behemoth is completely careless in what it consumes, uprooting vast quantities of earth with every bite as it hastily tries to get the maximum amount of matter in its maw.
Wartusk Behemoth: Though useful in fending off enemies and slaying large prey, the enormous tusks of the Wartusk Behemoth are more often than not used in mating competitions.
Naithair: A species of Behemoth adapted for cold environments like the taigas and tundras of Germanor and Ruslovak, the Naithair’s body is covered in thick wool and bristles, which not only insulated its body, but stab and sting into anything that may try to prey on them.
Odontotyrannus: One of the smallest Behemoths is also one of the most dangerous. The Odontotyrannus is almost purely carnivorous, and most disturbingly, seems to prefer human-sized prey most of all. With a mouth fills with long, needle-like teeth and a prehensile tongue designed to root into caves, burrows, and more recently, man-made buildings, these monstrous beasts can wipe out entire village populations while leaving the structures in tact, creating eerie ghost towns in their wake.
Sharp-Humped Behemoth: The most lithe and graceful its kind, the Sharp-Humped Behemoth is considered by many to be an elegant and awe-inspiring sight, and stories of the beast often focus on its majesty and grandeur while down-playing the fact that it’s just as likely to flatten any creature in its path as the rest of its kin.
A few more chimeras for you! And a cautionary tale:
Mermecoleon: an infamous failed chimera - in this case, the result of a wizard trying to combine two animals that are vastly different and not having the skill to properly meld them. Mermecoleons are spoken of often by those who make chimeras, a hard lesson in knowing your limits. Though the original mermecoleon was incapable of eating, subsequent attempts have occasionally produced ones that are cohesive enough to at least live long enough to reproduce, and they lay enough eggs to actually last a long while as an obnoxious pest before falling apart thanks to their own ill-made bodies.
Formicaleon: of course, the idea that something is impossible has never been a deterrent to wizards, and eventually one did figure out a way to hybridize ants and lions into a functional chimera. Formicaleons are formidable monsters, combining the tenacity and family dynamics of both species to create powerful and territorial hunters that are more than capable of defending a wizard’s tower with extreme ferocity.
Botched Chimeras:any chimera can become a hideous, misshapen abomination if the wizard making it is careless and/or unskilled enough. Most botched chimeras fall apart shortly after their creation, though some manage to cling to life until someone or something finally ends their freakish misery.
The most common chimera on Midgaheim by a wide margin, griffins have been made so often that feral populations are enormous and, by this point, just as critical to the environment as the many “natural” arcane creatures. Combining a lion (the king of beasts) and an eagle (the king of birds) gives griffins an affinity for both earth and wind magic - and, like other beasts who are attuned to two opposing elements of magic, this makes griffins incredibly powerful. Add to this the fact that they are not particularly hard to make, griffins are in many respects an ideal chimera - one needn’t be a master to create one, and yet they produce marvelous results.
This, of course, has led SEVERAL wizards to make griffins over the years, and in time those griffins reproduced naturally, to the point that many environments in Midgaheim now have large griffin flocks as a vital part of their ecosystem. After a few generations of interbreeding, the lion and eagle features in griffins become less distinct, with “feral” griffins often looking a bit more monstrous/wild than their sleek forebears.
Of course, some wizards still get it wrong, with the most common mistake being the use of too little eagle in the mix, resulting in chimeras like the Opinicus(lion with an eagle’s head) or the Keythong(i.e. a wingless griffin).
Likewise, wizards who are more skilled with chimera-crafting have sometimes felt the need to mess with the griffin recipe. Substituting different felines and/or raptors is common, as is adding just a dash of horse to make griffins that are more inclined to serve as mounts. Some take it a step farther and add a LOT of horse, creating Hippogriffs, which trade some ferocity for a more amiable beast. Of course, not all these twists are successful, as the scarcity of Mergriffins can attest to.
Mediterran Sphinx - one of the first chimeras ever created, the original sphinx was crafted by the monster progenitors Typhon and Echidna, themselves two of the most supremely powerful chimeras ever crafted. A lion with the head of a human woman, the wings of an eagle, and the tail of a serpent, this chimera combined the vicious killing power with flight, venom, and a devious human intellect. Though tricky to create, its power as both a guardian beast and a dauntless assassin/hunter made it much desired, and sure enough, wizards set out to replicate it, creating sphinxes of their own.
Wingless Sphinx - getting the combination of elements right in the original sphinx recipe is difficult, so it was inevitable that some wizards would try to simplify the hybrid a bit to make its creation more manageable. The most pared down sphinx reduces it to a lion with a human’s head, which is easy enough to create and still results in a highly intelligent animal minion with the raw killing power of a lion, though it lacks a bit in flair.
Winged Sphinx - slightly more complicated but still easier than the original recipe, the winged sphinx is a bit harder to create than a standard griffin, providing a moderate challenge in creation but with results that are more than worth it. Though it lacks the venom of the Mediterran sphinx, the winged sphinx is still a force to be reckoned with both on the land and in the sky.
Manticore - the most popular variation on the sphinx formula by far. Substituting a tiger for the lion bits and a scorpion for the serpent, while axing the eagle entirely, the manticore has a vicious cunning that even the clever Mediterran sphinx lacks, creating a brutal hunter of men that is as devious as any human killer and as durable as the striped terrors of Ruslovak.
Mantydrac - the one thing holding manticores back from being as commonly created as griffins is the fact that scorpions are not incredibly common in Midgaehim, which resulted in some wizards trying to substitute something in their place. Of course, wizards being wizards, many went straight to using dragons as an ingredient, despite dragon chimeras often proving to be uncontrollable monsters. Sting-tailed wyverns are most commonly used, since the venomous stingers on their tails are roughly analogous to those of a scorpion, and the wings they provide to the resulting chimera are also desirable. Peludas, a special breed of lesser drake covered in spikey armor, are also often used, with their mace-like spike-clubbed tails also proving to be an adequate substitute for a scorpion’s sting. While the resulting chimera is definitely strong, Mantydracs almost always turn their keen predatory intelligence against their masters before anything else, then strike out on their own to terrorize a world that was not prepared for them.
Mantygre - more prudent wizards will replace the scorpion in their manticore with other mundane animals that just happen to be more easy to track down. With a mix of scorpion, goat, and, oddly enough, sharks, the recipe can be stabilized into a beast whose tail is bristling with sharp spines (and the added bonus of multiple rows of teeth) without losing the cunning that makes manticores so useful as monstrous servants.
Feral Manticore - of course, the sheer number of sphinxes and manticores produced over time eventually led to feral populations, and the variations on the recipe eventually blended as these feral populations grew. Feral manticores can exhibit a whole slew of different elements: scorpion stingers on wyvern tails, dragon or eagle wings, venomous quills, fire breath, the sky is the limit for these dreadful man-eaters, making them a dangerous predator to encounter in the wild.
