Ten Monsters Setting

The 3 Toadstools Publishing blog posted a challenge and I'm happy to jump on the bandwagon. The idea/rules are fairly simple. You have to pick a book with monsters and you need to make a mini-setting using these ten monsters. There are some rough ideas and guidelines to pick a monster from specific categories. I'm adding my own rule that this doesn't rule out the category of monsters-that-aren't-quite monsters, namely giant bugs and 'dire' or giant animals. So these likely exist but they aren't counted as the ten monsters. Those are animals, not monsters. Skeleton and zombies are likewise too basic to count, as they are created with spells and abilities.

Generally when it come to 'generic' or 'basic' OSR systems, my two picks are Basic Fantasy and Labyrinth Lord. For this post, I've chose the Basic Fantasy Field Guide of Creatures Malevolent and Benign. It should have enough material in there to work with and is a nice halfway between a general-purpose monster manual and a weirder, optional Fiend Folio-like book.

Disclaimer: Setting does not actually feature dog people.

Semi Intelligent: They come from the northern land, where the nights can last more than days (which we know as Polar Nights). These hunched, pale and hairy creatures are barbaric hunters which have acquired a taste for human flesh. They are the Snow Orcs although people just call them 'orcs' as the regular breed does not exist. As the winter grows thicker, more and more of these monsters come to the civilized lands.

Undead: There are a few dark powers in this world which can animate the flesh of the dead (such as spells) but none are as dreadful as the death-curse of the Kings of Old. In ancient times there were many dreaded kings and thanes and it was not uncommon for the most wicked of them to utter terrifying death curses. These kings exist now as undead known as Draugr and haunt their vast tombs, ruling a court of lesser undead warriors.

Ancient Fey: The ancient realm of the Fey has long faded away from this world but its power is not completely gone: the horrid Bog Crones are descendant of wicked, exiled Fae. Stripped of their beauty and power they live on in our world, haunting fetid swamps. Rumor old of one last Crone Queen who retained her beauty and power.

Mythology: The realm of the Fey is gone but its hungry predators have migrated to our world. to feast upon mortal flesh and souls The Barghest were once the vicious attack hounds of the dark fey. Now they hunt alone or in packs. Elder Barghest have the cunning and magical abilities one would expect of a true fey.

Giant/Ogre/Troll: Some say this ancient race predate men while others say they were once human but were twisted and cursed by dark powers. Others still believe they are the bastard offspring of men and spirits. The Girallon could be mere beasts, some twisted atavism that should not be or there is a darker truth to the their history. They dwell in ancient ruins, ruling over other ape-like beasts.

Underground Dweller: The scourge of summer time, creating large tunnel networks to attack farmlands are the Ankheg. They do make a decent, if somewhat sour meal if killed. Rumors of larger nest of Ankheg existing in underground realms are unproven...for now.

Aerial: Alongside the Snow Orcs a new terror has arrived from the northernmost lands. Giant, pale and silent spectres haunt the night, snatching away grown men in their talons. In truth, these are Giant Snow Owls.

Water-Based: When travelling near bodies of water, one should beware the dreaded Bunyip!

Extraplanar: Hunters from beyond the veil of the material plane, Phase Spiders are rare but dangerous creatures.

Lizard/Wyrm: There are no dragons anymore. No living dragons, anyway. The ancient kings who would become the Draugr (see above) derived their great size, charisma and wickedness from their ancestors devouring the hearts of dragons. The most wicked of these Draugr have summoned to their aid the Death Dragons but a few of them have broke free from their slavery.

So there you go, an implied setting with ten monsters. Some speak of a more complex history while others are simply abominations which are a threat to civilized folks.