Fantasy Bestiary
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Atlas Games will ihr geplantes 'Fantasy Bestiary' für die Penumbra-Serie erst einmal zurückhalten. Der grund: im Sommer 2003 erscheint die neue Version des D20-Systems (V 3.5). Man hat wohl sorgen¸ dann nicht mehr aktuell genug zu sein. Ich kann nur hoffen¸ daß Wizards da nicht verschlimmbessern.
He who fights against monsters should see to it that he does not become a monster in the process. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
A wizard in the process of developing magically sentient 'alchemice' enters his lab one morning to find the cage doors opened¸ the locks apparently picked by the small bits of wire left lying on the workbench. A large number of potions are missing¸ and the cat is sealed into a half-full bottle of formaldehyde. His life becomes a nightmare. Packs of reptilian bonethieves lurk in the depths of primal rain forests¸ magically absorbing the bones of living prey to stimulate the growth of their own protective bony horns and plating. A candle golem is spontaneously created when the wax from mundane candles used in a wizard's library is gathered¸ melted down¸ and reused one too many times. The loose arcane energy absorbed by the wax gives this tiny being a free will and an erratic response to magic. A party of adventurers¸ bloody and without magic following an epic battle with a dragon¸ is driven away from the site of their victory by dracoticks vacating the corpse of their dragon host. Suffused with the dragonÕs blood and camouflaged to look like its scales¸ the dracoticks unleash potent breath weapons that make for a dangerous treasure hunt. More than 220 creatures like these are described in the Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary¸ which promises to be the most impressive collection of original D20 System monsters to date. The entries that fill this weighty volume's 352 pages go beyond the atmospheric description¸ evocative illustration¸ and solid stats for which Penumbra is known¸ providing adventure seeds designed to inspire GMs and players alike¸ and extras like new gods¸ new spells¸ and new magic items. And¸ through a special arrangement with Atlas Games¸ Lance & Laser Models is planning a simultaneous release of nine custom miniatures based on the creatures of the Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary. For those looking for more meat in their monsters¸ and more creativity in their creatures¸ comes the Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary.