Open Call for Artists

My kids--god love 'em--think that I am a good artist. I have no idea why, except that I can produce modestly amusing pigs and robots:



Anything else is really quite beyond me. Even my daughter--my biggest fan-- upon seeing my attempt at rendering her favourite super-hero Raven (from the Teen Titans)...

Actual Drawing by me

...said, "OK. Now do it better." Alas, my dear, that's about as better as it gets.

Unfortunately, I don't think any of that is really how I want Under the Dying Sun to look. When I picture the game, I picture this:




or, of course, this:



So, I'm just putting this out: I need a decent artist. Or ten. Whatever. If anyone draws art that looks more like the second two pictures than the first two would like to contribute to my little project, I'd be grateful. I'd be more than grateful: I'd be really grateful.

I'd also be happy to talk to anyone who wants to sell me some art. Preferably you will ask for semi-amusing drawings of piggies and robots in recompense.

Animals & Monsters Under the Dying Sun

Animal life under the Dying Sun is extremely different from that of our experience. The notable animal types are reptiles, avians, and insects, many of which grow to unusual size when compared to our animals. The various species of Men are the only mammals; they are aberrations in the biosphere and might plausibly be considered “monsters”.

Monsters are, in general, weird and strange. A few creatures might be known, though perhaps only be reputation, but most should present characters with a fear of the unknown. “What is that thing?!” should be a common exclamation upon sighting a monster.

To keep the mystery of monsters, the Referee may wish to use the following Monster Generator tables. The first step is to pick a pre-defined monster, such as those appearing in the Spellcraft & Swordplay core rules, Book 3. This provides the “base” creature. Then roll on the following tables:

RANDOM MONSTER ABILITIES
(roll 1D-2 times)

Infra-Men: Crimson-Skinned Subhumans

No. Appearing: 3d6
Alignment: Neutral
Size: M
Armour Class/Defense: 2 (Hides)/0
Move: 90’
Hit Dice: 2 (8 HP)
Attacks: 1 Weapon (+2 damage) OR Unarmed
Modes: --
Disciplines: --
Special: Class Abilities on 11+; Enhanced STR (12); Resistant to Sorcery (+2 on Saves); Reduced INT (5)
Moral: +2
Treasure: 1 per individual
XP: 15 + 2/HP (31)



Infra-Men are hulking Quasi-Men of bestial appearance and mentality with a deep crimson-coloured skin and black hair. Of the same general type as Helots, Infra-Men are larger, generally stronger, and much stupider. They may have been a labour-class for the Old Men who became feral after the Collapse. In any case, they now wander the lands under the Dying Sun in small bands, warring with each other by and large, but are always happy to kill True Men, who the regard as racial enemies.

Some few Infra-Men possess Class Abilities. These inevitably become Chiefs and Shamans of their bands and can be fearsome foes indeed.

Darzai: Wolves of the Plains

No. Appearing: 2d6+2
Alignment: Neutral
Size: M
Armour Class/Defense: 2/0
Move: 120’
Hit Dice: 1+2 (6 HP)
Attacks: 1 beak (axe) OR 2 front claws (daggers)
Modes: --
Disciplines: --
Special: Enhanced Sight (+2), Pack Mentality (+2 combat rolls when de-fending pack-mates)
Moral: +2
Treasure: 2 (in lair)
XP: 5+1/HP (11)



Darzai are man-sized avians that fill the same ecological niche as wolves do in our world—pack-oriented predators and scavengers. Their bodies are covered in thick reddish-brown feathers (giving them an equivalent to padded armour). Large, hooked beaks protrude from their heads. They are flightless and the wings have evolved back into limbs, although these front legs are smaller and shorter than the rear, giving Darzai a weird stance. Nevertheless, they run very quickly despite this seeming ungainliness and they can attack effectively with their front claws.

Unlike wolves, Darzai have a sense of smell only comparable to humans. However, their vision is exceedingly keen and they hunt by sight rather than scent.

Sand Ghul: Nightmare of the Wizard

Sand Ghul

No. Appearing:	1d6
Alignment:	Chaotic
Size:	M
Armour Class/Defense:	1/1
Move:	90’
Hit Dice:	2 HD (8HP)
Attacks:	1 Bite +2 (spear) OR 2 Claws +2 (daggers)
Modes:	A – Ego Whip D – Mental Barrier
Disciplines:	1- Detect Psions, Sensory Obscurement 2- Domination
Special:	-3 to be detected
Moral:	+2
Treasure:	1
XP:	20+2 (36)

Sand Ghuls are a horrid variety of Quasi-Man, although whether a degenerate line of mutants or some sort of artificial beings is unknown. They appear as naked humans, but with deathly-gray skin and four digits on each hand and foot.

Although only semi-intelligent, Sand Ghuls are masterful hunters with amazing capabilities for concealment. Any attempt to detect the presence of concealed Sand Ghuls suffers a -3 penalty. They travel the wastes in small packs of 1-6.

Sand Ghuls crave the brains of psychics. They prefer to stalk small parties traversing the desert, staying hidden until the dead of night. Using their Detect Psions abilities, they find psychic prey. They are clever enough, however, to know that the most powerful of psychic may be more trouble than they are worth and usually choose middling-level psychics. They then utter their weird, haunting hunting cry, which sounds like a ghostly horn drifting from the wilderness. At the same time, they use their Domination to summon their prey out of camp, where they will be swiftly dispatched and the Ghuls feast upon their brain.