This is the first thread of the Monster Book project (in case you're wondering, it was named that for lack of a better name, and because it sounds like a name a young'un would give to the book). In this thread, we're brainstorming various ideas for monsters. Once we have at least 50 monster ideas (or less, depending on how well this thread does), I'll create the next thread, which is refinement. After that will come the final thread, the true Monster Book. Kudos to Shenron for the original idea!

Anybody can post an idea for a monster, at which point we'll try and define it a bit more clearly until we have enough information for refinement in the next thread.

To start things off, how about those pumpkin things on the cover of the book?

Or maybe some real trees! I'm not talking about some pathetic Elephant-sized shrub.

This is what I'm talking about.

Or better yet, this.

Not to mention some of the Alice in Wonderland creatures. Most of the Jabberwocky ones are too ill-defined, but the Jabberwock itself isn't.

In a similar vein, I think that the card people could use some stats. Especially since their picture appears in the core book.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, ...

The mirror-monster: While there are many creatures that inhabit magical mirrors, the mirror monster is by far the most malevolent. Therefore it can also act as a guard or even a trap. It can asume the identity of anyone or anything reflected on the mirror, faking a normal mirror. The monster can also travel to other non-inhabited mirrors that are reflecting in its home. It can lash out from it's mirror with his uppertorso.

Special: Scry, the mirror-monster can use the Seer's 2nd Circle Scry spell

Soft spot : The mirror -monster is mirrorbound, it cannot move away from it's mirror. The only way to really destroy a mirror-monster is to shatter it's mirror. But is anyone willing to suffer 7 years of bad luck? The price for shattering a magical mirror.

Adventure idea's :- A building without an entrance, but hidden in a shed is a large mirror. The players must overcome the mirror-monster or convince it to enter.

- Hidden in a wizard's tower is treasure they need on their travels. The treasure sits in a room with every wall covered in mirrors. Giving the monster different angles to strike from.

How about some monsters from Arabian nights, like a djinni?

Aren't the card people like ordinary Guard people, probably 6th or 8th grade?

The pumpkin things are evil spirits in service of Jack Lantern, pumpkin king and master trickster. He delights in leading people astray from the path and into the dangerous places of the world... Literally, and sometimes figuratively as well. He draws his dark powers of illusion from an ever burning chunk of coal(rumored to have been given to him by the Devil himself) which he keeps in his lantern. Jack is deathless and cannot be defeated permanently, but without the coal he will be devoid of most power and relatively harmless.

The Alchemist said:

Should the Devil be statted out? He's referred to in the book, but they most likely didn't want to get complaints and so didn't go any further than that. Maybe he's something like the Spirit at the Crossroads in the Scarred Lands: Pretty much impossible to fight, but he can be outwitted. Theoretically. Hasn't happened yet, though.

Krypto, I assume the mirror monster can leave its mirror, as long as it doesn't go too far. Otherwise, it's not much of a threat. A few ideas:

Maybe he should look like a cat in his normal form? Then we can call him a *is hit over the head*

Maybe there's an alternative way to destroy him: Separate him from his mirror. Perhaps, as long as he casts a reflection on it, he may move where he wishes. So if one should, say, block it with a sheet (sorry, darkness probably doesn't count), he would either be severely weakened and lose many of his abilities, or flat-out killed.

A genie would be cool, but they should probably be either malicious, or just very dangerous.
Maybe the only reason they don't bust out of their lamps is that they're highly claustrophobic. They cannot concentrate on any of their powers while in a lamp (or a box, or just about anything small). Naturally, this makes capture of a genie very difficult. Once trapped, genies usually enter a vegetative state. When they're released, they lash out at the nearest creature, since tehy don't know how mcuh time has passed and assume it's their original captors. If the unfortunate rescuer survives the initial onslaught, though, the genies will give them three wishes out of gratitudeand a small bit of guilt.

Maybe that stats for the devil are ruled out, but he still is a character of Folklore. Even related to Jack O lantern. What about his minions: the seductive Succubus and the little devils that are often pictured in paintings. There are also a lot of other creatures named in the book, like werewolves. Maybe the denizens of the underworld are a possibillity: zombies, mummies and perhaps something even darker. Vampires are also often used in folktale but, like the werewolf, a bit cliché. Stats for more fantasy like creatures, such as a lesser dragon to guard a prinsess, can be useful as well.

I like the 'cat' idea for the mirror monster, it makes it much more of a threat indeed. I'm going to include that for my next story.

For the Genie, they sometimes make a difference between an Efreet and a Djinn. The Djinn being the more kind (but often still tricky) of the two.

krypto said:

I just did the cat thing for a bad pun, to be honest.

While I think we should introduce stats for the Devil and most of his servants, I'm hesitant about the succubus. It could get a bit gratuitous, and the children don't even have serious hormones yet. Just an idea: Maybe a succubus isn't actually beautiful, but possesses some quality that makes her seem such to the residents of Grimm? She would therefore have a lot of minions and could be a nasty enemy.

An idea for the little devils: They tempt mortals from the Real World with magic, for 'no price'except the risk of estrangement. If a child succumbs to full estrangement and then dies, he becomes another imp in the Devil's service.

There aren't many dragons nowadays, but they should have some stats. They'd basically be powered-down versions of the Dragon.

Werewolves should be the results of humans who allied themselves with the Big, Bad Wolf. Slowly, they devolve into wolflike creatures, until it's hard to tell which he is. At this point, their descent into madness is complete (maybe the Moon takes their souls?), and they are quickly hunted down by the real wolves, since they are now a threat to the Pack. Sometimes, though, they escape into the Checkerboard Kingdoms...or find some yummy children to bring back to the Pack, and thus prove their worth.

I like the idea of adding a few monsters to the Underworld. Zombies should be back to their old selves: Unkillable, so all you can hope for is to get awayor them into the Styx. For some reason, the waters purge the abominations of their taint, releasing their soul. Of course, they know this, and aren't going near the place.

Mummies used to nobly guard their resting places, but times change. Now, thieves have the sense to stay away, and they just don't see the point (being rather smarter than zombies). They've taken up guarding the Rotten King's palace, they see quite a bit of excitement there. They might even be willing to help unlucky prisoners. If they can be shown an alternative guarding station, that is.

I don't know about vampires. Cliches are fine, but they've been made more 'original' so many times, it's hard to get the same element of 'twisted'.

Oh, I rather like the cliched hollywood "cursed werewolves" approach. It allows you to play with the kids sense of morality and add a layer of fear and madness, since the monster they are fighting is still, in the end, a human(maybe someone they know). And there's nothing like the crushing feeling of impending doom when a kid gets bitten and has to find a rare cure before a month.

The idea of the Moon taking their souls, though, I like. Maybe not just like that, but something similar(only the Devil and God should have authority over souls in the Grimmlands. The Moon can still take other things from you, though. Freedom, sanity, humanity, whatever)

Vampires... make them Dracula style, I guess. Give them tons of special powers and also a ton of well known weaknesses. They are aristocratic and live in the family castle in psaudo Transylvania(Uberwald?)

The Alchemist said:

Say, maybe vampires sparkle! Nobody's ever done that before, and I'm sure it'll be really awesome.

Seriously, though, I still don't like vampires. We need an angle by which we can associate them with the madness of the Grimm lands, because at present, they look like the odd man out.

Say...that's an idea! Maybe the vampires are the odd man out, and are perfectly sane. They are, however, enslaved by the Rotten King, who wants to see how long that sanity will last. They're still very much evil, and should never be used as friends. Maybe allies, but the moment they're free they'll try to eat the kids.

Currently, the vampires are kept in the kingdom of Sunnydale/Transylvania, ruled by Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

...

...what?

Anyways, Buffy is unaware that she isn't in the Real World. Nobody can convince her otherwise easily, and exposure to the Rotten King means that she thinks everybody she meets is a vampire. All her old friends are thus dead.

...

(by the way, everything involving Buffy can be fairly easily vetoed)

So far the monster i have read are great ideas. As i have stated before in a previous post. Most literature characters or creature are great for a game like grimm.

The werewolves are a great idea since if you read alot of folk tales, wolves are always seen as being the major issue. SO to me it would make since that the storyteller designs it that the Big bad wolf was apart of pack of werewolves. Now take note that in the original little red riding hood there was two big bad wolves.

Vampires can play apart of grimm if perhaps they are descendents of Count Dracula. His castle can be apart of the Checkboard kingdom Closest to the worlds end mountains.

The Mirror Idea I like Alot. I had wanted to start a story using a mirror as the object that gets the kids in the world of grimm. If any of you all ever saw the movie "MIRRORS" with actor Kiefer sutherland. The mirror monster Doesnt have to just live in that one mirror. He can live off of any reflection that is given to it. So The kids fear can be that of reflection itself.

My suggestion in all this is perhaps we add Captain James hook and his fellow pirates. Pirates are shown in the game of grimm. In all honest, with the many years pirates and kids fought. Im pretty positive the pirates must have done some awful things to the kids to put fear in them. For a state Captain hook should have a high scrap. He could perhaps have a medium cool trait for his ways to presuade the characters to join him. Though his imagination should be very low. And you guessed it his biggest wickness is fear of clocks. A reminder of the crocodile that took off his hand.

another famous pirate can be like Captain Long John Silver.

Wow, I am really glad to see some activity on here! My group is still going strong. I love the ideas i have seen here so far.

Demons are mentioned in the book, but not given stats. Neither was the Sphinx

How about animated stuffed animals or puppets?

The monster under the bed?

The Gingerbread Man?

Animated Suits of Armor?

GameBearOR said:

I like the animated puppets idea.

The monster under the bed is an excellent idea, too! Any ideas what it'd look like? I'm thinking a shapeshifter.
The Gingerbread Man's head was clearly messed up after his makers tried to murder and eat him. He began taunting (and often attacking)any he came across, and then fled, laughing after them. The Fox was perhaps truly the Big, Bad Wolf, who was irked by this youth's impetuousness. Unfortunately, at the last moment a well-meaning child saved the cookie man from the Wolf. The Gingerbread Man was fascinated by the child, and decided to see if he could make more of his kind out of the meat of these 'kindred spirits'. Just ideas, of course.

Animated Suits of Armor would probably have guard stats, but with improved protection (since there's no fleshy interior to stab). I'd compare them to the Headless Guards.

If you google it there are a few pictures from the bad B-horror movie "GingerDead Man" - i used these pics when my group met the GingerBread Man in my story. They were shocked and pleased when I put these pics up on the big screen. BTW, i put him in the Gingerbread House. he had already done away with hansel and gretal.

GameBearOR said:

How about the 3 blind mice? Oh, and lets not forget the farmer's wife. Maybe the 3 blind mice get a sort of synergy bonus for working together, like improved seek and scrap. I'm still working on this idea myself, trying to find a creative way to add a Grimm twist to it.

Haha as I'm typing this I happened to look over at some of my games and noticed all my Cthulhu games and just thought," Oooooh man that would suck for the kids..." But I'm curious, are you looking for major characters to be implemented, thing's that everyone would know of? Or just anything to make a good monster, whether minor or major?

Laughmask said:

You know what came to mind. James and giant peach along with Charlie and the chocolate factory.

The evil giant rhino, that destroys everything in its path.

The oompa loompas, small creatures yes,,,,but i bet they can be very fierce....especially since a Mr. Wonka enslaved there people to work in a factory.

hmm......well it was just an idea. I like the toy land thing....I was going to put that in the campaign im running. You know like a land of lost toys or what would be consider the Forgotten toys.

E verything on this page about the Chess Pieces.

I like the Chocolate Factor idea. Any thoughts on that?

Here's my idea: After Charlie (a RW kid, of course)knocked off the old codger, he took his place. He removed all pay for the Oompa Loompas but the bare minimum, but since nobody can get into the food storage facilities but him (Oompa-Loompas are horribly allergic to chocolate, possibly thanks to Charlie's concoctions), they can't rebel. If only somebody could figure out the combination....perhaps a fellow child with great imagination. But then again, what are the odds of children stumbling upon Charlie's doorstep?

If they do, he'll treat the children well, seeing them as kindred spirits. Should he suspect they don't like his plans, however...into the garbage disposal with them.

The Oompa Loompas are terrified to defy Charlie, of course, but the geese try a revolt every Tuesday. The only reason Wonka doesn't kill them is because they're worth a lot more than the Oompa Loompas. Still, he has goose stew every now and then.

They're always squabbling amongst each other, and have been since Wonka died (which is why they can't agree to vary the dates). But if a child came along, they might be willing to help them....if the children can manage to please the Council. The Council is comprised of six important geese, all of which hate each other and occasionally vote against the others just out of spite. If the geese manage to agree, though, they have some important information the children had better hear to do with the Wonkavater.

Wait, aren't the Oompa-Loompas paid with chocolate?

I do however like where this is going. It's like the Clocktower. The kids don't know that, but whether they pass the tests or not doesn't matter to them in the slightest: they lose anyway(either they die horribly or they become eternal servents of the chocolate factory). The only way to "win" is to break the system.

The Alchemist said:

Well what i thought of was something like the characters stumble into oomp land. Where they have to fight all the evil things like Horned swugalers and vivcous kennits. Then are captured by the oompa loompas who have had lived with anger and rage against the human kind. All because of a evil man named wonka that enslaved their people.

The factory itself was something i didnt think of much. Also, i wasnt thinking of a story. More like just a encounter. But i did come up with a story.

Okay so the kids are asked to please help save the inslaved oompa loompas from the new chief. In return the chief will award them with information or a item to get to bablyon. Only problem is that nobody knows how to get in or get out of the Chocolate Factory. If the kids watch the gates long enough or maybe ask the local villagers. They will find out that a ugly looking wagon made from gingerbread comes in and out once a week. The drivers of this wagon is Hansel and gretel, who deliver a special ingredient that wonka needs. That being children from infant to 12 years of age anything older than that wonka wouldnt want.

The oompa loompas are whipped and abused inside by Gummi bear guards. Then once they finished for the day there sent back to slave quarters where they are feed one of the ugliest tasting bubble gum know to man. One stick of gum for the whole day.

Wonka has grown old and has gone quite insane. He has developed a way to stay younger by making baby oil and eating candy made from children. Of course just like wonka would think, How else do you think baby oil is made? From squished babies

Wonka can be defeated. A) He's major weakness is Germs. Inside a sterial enviroment would do that. B) Convienced his candy is disgusting and taste awful. Also that it has lost all creative and imagination. This could spark a imagination test between the players and wonka. C) (this is really corny but its a thought) Wonka never had a real friend and has never played childish games. After the kids have ran from wonka and teased on catching them. Wonka starts to feel like a kid playing hide and seek. Which makes him happy and understands his wrongs.

After wonka is defeated the factory is forever closed. And he release all the oompa loompas with or without pay depending how he was defeated.

From what I understood, we were just trying a simple perversion of the original tale. How strange. This might work, though. It very well might.

Me too. But from the start i was just throwing it in there. I still havent lost what the topic of this thread is. I just wasnt ready to do a story backround on it. HAHAHA!......But yeah, I was thinking portions from the original tale. I read the book a long time ago. I have to refresh on it now.

RED_RONIN47 said:

Thats right!!....yeah your right about that. I forgot about them. they have like a small section in the book. Not really much of a paragraph.