tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post8414360736472661631..comments2024-03-28T17:59:09.906+08:00Comments on Monsters and Manuals: The Master of Monster DescriptionsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-10447763382373480002018-08-08T04:34:12.591+08:002018-08-08T04:34:12.591+08:00Audiobook downloaded for commute-time research...Audiobook downloaded for commute-time research...Vance Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03911245780875316627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-74307693423200203622018-08-01T22:47:08.148+08:002018-08-01T22:47:08.148+08:00First you'd need to know how many legs it has....First you'd need to know how many legs it has... (And if you haven't read the book, it has a very good scene on how to fight the thing along with, crucially, the location of its heart). Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10272300036100718541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-30255983846947281442018-08-01T02:57:08.751+08:002018-08-01T02:57:08.751+08:00"Above all, what I like is that Zelazny is ve..."Above all, what I like is that Zelazny is very comfortable with you, the reader, not having a clear picture in your head of what the monster is like - not so that you fill in the gaps yourself, so much as that you are given an impression in the artistic sense: a replication of what it would be like to encounter the thing being described."<br /><br />For me Vance is the best at this. He often just includes specific details about the creature as it acts or is acted upon. So, e.g., he never actually *describes* the giant marine worms that power the ship in Cugel's Saga. Instead we just get a sense of what they are like in the course of Cugels' hilarious marine husbandry routine. <br /><br />------<br /><br /><br />A few minutes later, Drofo stood both Lankwiler and Cugel at attention while he again made the two under-wormingers aware of his expectations.<br /><br />"On the last voyage Wagmund and Lankwiler were the wormingers. I was not aboard; Gieselman was Chief Worminger. I see that he was far too slack. While Wagmund dealt most professionally with his worms, Lankwiler, through ignorance and sloth, allowed his worms to deteriorate. Examine these beasts. They are yellow as quince. Their gills are black with gangue. You may be sure that in the future Lankwiler will deal more faithfully with his worms. As for Cugel, his training has definitely been sub-standard. Aboard the Galante his deficiency will almost magically be corrected, as will Lankwiler's turpitude.<br /><br />"Now heed! We depart Saskervoy for the wide sea in two hour's time. You will now feed your beasts a half-measure of victual, and make ready your baits. Cugel, you will then groom your beasts and inspect for timp. Lankwiler, you will immediately begin to chip gangue. You will also inspect for timp, pust and fluke-mites. Your off-beast shows signs of impaction; you must give it a drench."<br />"Wormingers, to your beasts!"<br />With brush, scraper, gouge and reamer, with pots of salve, toner and unction, Cugel groomed his worms to Drofo's instruction. From time to time a wave washed over the worms, and across the walkway. Drofo, leaning over the rail, advised Cugel from above: "Ignore the wet! It is an artificial and factitious sensation. You are constantly wet on the inside of your skin from all manner of fluids, many of a vulgar nature; why shrink from good salt brine on the outside? Ignore wetness of all sorts; it is a worminger's natural state."<br /><br />--------------------<br /><br />Like what the hell are these things? I guess they have gills and flukes? They're not supposed to be yellow? And the timp! Watch out for the timp obviously!Ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08923725063649465366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-7369523585257766862018-08-01T00:12:03.165+08:002018-08-01T00:12:03.165+08:00I just need to stat up the boadile....I just need to stat up the boadile....Vance Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03911245780875316627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-86497880576899516952018-07-31T19:08:30.875+08:002018-07-31T19:08:30.875+08:00Yeah, I like that idea a lot. It shouldn't be ...Yeah, I like that idea a lot. It shouldn't be too hard to implement a subsystem for it, either.noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-24023186428259350012018-07-31T04:15:54.414+08:002018-07-31T04:15:54.414+08:00Might this suggest an approach for GM's wantin...Might this suggest an approach for GM's wanting evocative descriptions for their monsters that won't cause the players' eyes to glaze over? On first contact the PCs get the "Morgenstern" version: 3-4 points that convey a brief impression. Typically they decide whether to stab the thing, run away etc. on this basis. If the PCs spend more time with the monster, NPC or whatever, the GM then gets to sprinkle some additional nicely turned phrases through the encounter. Z's Queen of Rebma is probably too dense to deliver all at once, but introducing bits of it over time might keep players engaged and curious? Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10910170906278532034noreply@blogger.com