Late Entries to a Survey of Bestiaries

January 6, 2024
Pokénatomy II
author: Christopher Stoll
interior artist: Christopher Stoll
cover artist: Aaron Hain
publisher: self-published
publication date: 2022
cover: hardcover
number of pages: 216
ISBN-10: none
ISBN-13: none
description: This second unofficial Pokédex contains anatomical descriptions of 100 Pokémon from the Johto region.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is girafarig.

CHARACTERISTICS
Girafarig are twin-headed mammalian Pokeémon remakrable for their gestalt consciousness partitioned across two fully functional brains. Each head is capable of functioning while the other is asleep, and they take turns watching for threats.

PHYSIOLOGY
Girafarig is considered omnivorous. The forward-facing head is capable of eating seeds, nuts, leaves, and other vegetative matter. Their hind-head is carnivorous and will consumer carrion, eggs, insects, and even live mammals. Both heads' digestive tracts converge in a single colon where waste is combined and excreted.

Girafarig are distantly related to Stantler, and it is believed that their unique physiology may have originated when an extra-dimensional organism such as Unown successfully fused with their ancestor.

Each head contains a singular consciousness capable of communicating and even solving simple puzzles under laboratory conditions. Their nervous systems are interconnected via the spinal column, which allows for the sharing of sensory data and emotions, as well as strategic coordination in life-or-death situations.

BEHAVIOR
Mating takes place in spring. In a complex courtship display, males dance while rapidly raising and lowering both of their heads. Only the front head is attached to the respiratory system and capable of making sounds. The front head lets out a series of inviting calls, while the tail chatters its teeth. These dances typically end in rejection, as both of the female's heads must find a potential partner attractive in order to mate. If they enjoy the male's display, the two Girafarig will bond. The couple then dig and defend a nest, remaining monogamous partners until their first young have hatched and are strong enough to survive on their own.

February 3, 2024
Tome of Beasts III
lead designers: Scott Gable, Richard Green, Kelly Pawlik, Sebastian Rombach, Mike Welham et al.
development lead: Meagan Maricle
interior artists: Miguel Regodón Harkness et al.
cover artist: Chris Rallis
publisher: Kobold Press
publication date: 2022
cover: hardcover
number of pages: 424
ISBN-10: 1-950789-39-X
ISBN-13: 978-1-950789-39-9
description: This bestiary presents more than 400 beasts. The book is compatible with 5^th edition of Dungeons and Dragons.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is the tuberkith.

Tuberkith are root vegetables given sentience by fey magic. After a rural village offended the local fey court, its unseelie ruler condemned the villagers to watch their year's harvest uproot itself and walk away, leaving them to starve. Potatoes, beets, yaro, and yams crawled free from the soil and strolled about the village.

The fey lord's curse did not work out as intended: Instead of fleeing into the surrounding wilderness, the tuberkith became quite social. They exhibited a natural predisposition for managing crops and happily supported the villagers' farming efforts in growing additional food. The tuberkith settled among the villagers and formed families, becoming a blessing in the long run.

FRIENDS IN THE FIELD. Tuberkith form strong relationships with the communities around them, who cherish the tuberkith's natural connection to the fields they work. They seem to especially enjoy working with humans, halflings, and erina.

PLANTING OFFSPRING. When reproducing, both tuberkith parents plant an eye in the ground. The parents tend to the burgeoning roots for three months, then they pull the new offspring from the ground.

DEFENSIVE WEAPONS. Like other cultures, tuberkith have developed weapons to defend themselves from predators and foes. The tuberkith wield two-handed mashers, which can knock their foes to the ground, while allies use one-handed peelers to effortlessly slice flesh from the prone enemies.

March 2, 2024
Monster Manual Expanded
authors: Mannix "Dragonix" Manansala
interior artist: Art of Neight et al.
cover artist: Ruben de Vela
publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
publication date: 2019
cover: hardcover
number of pages: 320
ISBN-10: 0-01-064137-8
ISBN-13: 237-0-01-064137-0
description: This bestiary contains descriptions of 470 creatures. This book is compatible with the 5^th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Role Playing Game.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is the urophion.

When a roper is infected with an illithid tadpole, it undergoes ceremorphosis and transforms the roper into a urophion. Mind flayers usually create urophions to serve as guards.

Urophions see themselves as intellectual equals to mind flayers. However, mind flayers treat urophions as social outcasts are either shunned or ignored. Years of this kind of treatment may drive a urophion insane, causing it to attack its kin. Others escape their servitude and wander off into the Underdark. If they encounter an intelligent creature, they may not be automatically hostile, as it longs to have a decent conversation. That is until it realizes it is hungry and starts to crave the creature's brain.

April 6, 2024
Monster Manual Expanded II
authors: Mannix "Dragonix" Manansala
interior artist: Arthur Azaryan et al.
cover artists: Joshua Raphael & Wilson Nugrahaa
publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
publication date: 2019
cover: hardcover
number of pages: 312
ISBN-10: 0-01-064139-4
ISBN-13: 237-0-01-064139-4
description: This bestiary contains descriptions of 390 creatures. This book is compatible with the 5^th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Role Playing Game.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is the doomsphere.

Urban legends speak of the bodies of adventurers who were unfortunate enough to encounter the ghostly globe of death. Lifeless bodies frozen in fear and anguish, no one can tell how they came to their gruesome ends. Perhaps this spectral beholder passed through their bodies, its necrotic touch corrupting flesh and bone. Or perhaps one look at its pale, abhorrent visage was enough to drain the life out of its victims.

Mad Orb of Undeath. A doomsphere is the restless spirit of a beholder that spawned after its death due to a curse or was created by powerful necromantic magic. In extremely rare instances, a beholder that sought lichdom but failed in the ritual would instead return as a doomsphere. The creature retains almost all of its arsenal of abilities, save a few that have changed due to undeath. Most, but not all, tend to become insane after this ghastly reincarnation.

The doomsphere continues to "live" beyond death as the vile xenophobic beholder it once was, only far more dangerous and more isolated this time and adventurers know better than to invade its old stomping grounds, which it haunts to this day.

May 4, 2024
Monster Manual Expanded III
authors: Mannix "Dragonix" Manansala
interior artist: Brian "Tots"Valeza et al.
cover artist: Ruben de Vela
publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
publication date: 2021
cover: hardcover
number of pages: 288
ISBN-10: 0-01-132941-6
ISBN-13: 237-0-01-132941-3
description: This bestiary contains descriptions of 320 creatures. This book is compatible with the 5^th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Role Playing Game.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is the nagahydra.

The nagahydra is a fearsome monstrosity that appears as a 50-foot long, five-headed naga. Multicolored, reticulated scales cover the nagahydra's 3-foot diameter body, with singular hues branching out to each of the five heads - bright crimson, deep purple, emerald green, onyx black, and golden yellow. Fiery-orange spines line the back of its serpentine body. Each head of the nagahydra can be male or female and has its own personality and motivations. The heads may at times argue and bicker with one another, but never to the point of attacking each other.

Cruel Overlord. While not inherently evil, the nagahydra is still a cruel, selfish, and vicious monster. It relishes hunting lesser beings for food, stalking its prey through ancient forests and dismal swamps. It enjoys being worshiped by those who seek its blessing and security. In return, the nagahydra aids and protects its subjects from hostile creatures, sickness, and natural calamities. However, the nagahydra demands sacrifice and tribute from its followers, punishing those who fail to do so severely.

June 1, 2024
Chains of Asmodeus
project lead: James Ohlen
interior artists: Aaron Sims et al.
cover artist: Aaron Sims Company
publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild / Arcanum Worlds
publication date: 2023
cover: hardcover
number of pages: 288
ISBN-10: 0-01-605528-4
ISBN-13: 237-0-01-605528-7
description: This book provides an adventure through the nine hells. Relevant to this survey, Appendix A includes descriptions of twelve arch-devils. Appendix B includes descriptions of fifteen hellish beasts. Appendix C includes descriptions of six non-player characters. This book is compatible with the 5^th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Role Playing Game.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is the arch-devil, Fierna, daughter of Belial, ruler of Phlegethos.

Fierna rules Phlegethos alongside her father, Belial. She is emotionally intelligent, and her charisma has earned her many allies and few enemies in the Nine Hells. Although some view her as incompetent, Fierna’s true intentions are hidden behind a smokescreen of brashness.

Her father, Belial, was a key player in the Reckoning, and due to his actions, Fierna was granted primary leadership of Phlegethos. Despite this political appearance, Fierna and Belial rule together, often meeting in secret to discuss strategy and upcoming plans. Some of the more ignorant archdevils view the relationship between Belial and Fierna as something to be exploited or broken. In reality, Fierna deeply respects her father, and the feeling is mutual.

Laying eyes on Fierna, one can immediately see the reasons she is so admired: she is impossibly beautiful. Her beauty is a strength, complementing her strategic mind and ingenuity.

July 6, 2024
Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy
project lead: James Ohlen
interior artists: Sebastian Kowoll et al.
cover artist: Luis Lasahido
publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
publication date: 2021
cover: hardcover
number of pages: 156
ISBN-10: 0-01-126442-X
ISBN-13: 237-0-01-126442-4
description: This book is a source book for adventurers, with a theme of villainy. Most of the book presents collections of characters or monsters, categorized as "Group Patrons" (Chapter 2), "Campaign Villains" (Chapter 3), "Henchmen" (Chapter 4) and "Monsters" (Chapter 5). This book is compatible with the 5^th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Role Playing Game.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is the sirene.

Sirenes are fey creatures that live along the cliffs and jagged rocks of the Sword Coast. Equally comfortable on land or beneath the waves, sirenes prefer to keep close to shore and rarely go out into deep water. They are famed for their beautiful singing that often lures sailors to steer their ships to disaster on the coast.

Territorial. Sirenes live together in small bands. They are extremely territorial and try to drive out any other humanoid that trespasses in their domain. They initially use non-deadly means to convince intruders to leave, but if that is not successful, they are willing to kill.

Beautiful Song. Sirenes love to sing and use their music to communicate amongst themselves. Their songs are beautiful and haunting, but usually not magical in nature. Only when they are in danger will they weave magic into their songs.

Skilled Warriors. Sirenes are deadly warriors who use their skills to hunt for food and to kill those who trespass on their territory. Their wicked daggers are made from bone and are their primary weapon when they travel beneath the water. They store their bows close to shore, ready to be retrieved if needed.

August 3, 2024
Mediterranean Monsters
authors: Jason Nelson et al.
interior artists: Simon Aan et al.
cover artist: credit unclear (Yoirami?)
publisher: Legendary Games
publication date: March, 2024
cover: softcover
number of pages: 182
ISBN-10: 1-955320-21-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-955320-21-4
catalog number: LGP593MED015E
description: This bestiary contains descriptions of more than 100 creatures drawn from the myths and legends of the Mediterranean region. It is compatible with the 5^th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Role Playing Game.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is the Hesperid Queen.

Hesperides are nymphs of sunset, guardians of the colorful golden hues of the setting sun. They live on remote islands, isolated coastal cliffsides, and hidden valleys, all places where the sunset's golden glow can have the strongest effect. Hesperides manipulate sunlight with dancelike motions, allowing them to create graceful ribbons of light at close range and searing rays at a distance. Due to their connection to the beauty of the daily cycle of the setting sun, hesperides feel a satisfaction from methodical routine that can feel alien to wilder, more chaotic fey.

Hesperid Queens. Hesperid queens rule over isolated regions soaked in the light of sunset. They guard countless treasures and secrets, though for those who approach them with respect and offer an intriguing bargain, they're willing to part with knowledge or items beyond those secrets or valuables they've sworn to keep to themselves.

Hesperid queens are relatively likely to have powerful objects under their protection, such as ancient relics or artifacts. As such, they're keenly aware of the danger posed by unscrupulous treasure hunters seeking to obtain these items at any cost, and they use their incredible minds to set up devious countermeasures to protect their wards, even in the event of their own deaths.

September 7, 2024
Mechanical Monsters
authors: Jason Nelson et al.
interior artists: Simon Aan et al.
cover artist: uncredited
publisher: Legendary Games
publication date: March, 2024
cover: softcover
number of pages: 158
ISBN-10: 1-955320-16-0
ISBN-13: 978-1-955320-16-0
catalog number: LGP574MMB015E
description: This bestiary contains descriptions of more than 140 creatures, including constructs, clockworks and cybernetics. It is compatible with the 5^th edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Role Playing Game.

Our featured entry from this bestiary is the cranial dissectibot.

A cranial dissectibot is an example of the light and dark sides of chirurgical practice. In principle, it is a semi-sentient mechanical assistant, programmed and equipped to assist a surgeon in medical matters both simple and complex, whether it be treating poisons or injuries or dealing with disease or dissection. Of course, in the hands of a demented chirurgeon, the cranial cranial dissectibot becomes a terrifying instrument of torment, capable of reducing the bravest of souls to drooling impotence with soulless and heartless clinical precision.

This mechanical horror bristles with wires, compartments, and blinking lights up and down its thick stalk-like metallic body, balanced atop six spidery legs and bristling with branching armatures, some with cables and clamps and others tipped with gleaming trocars and pneumatic needlers. A cranial dissectibot is 7 feet tall in total, its core body 3 feet tall, atop a set of legs 2 feet long and with the upper 2 feet a branching set of limbs and sensors. A cranial dissectibot weighs 500 pounds.