Monster Manual Spotlight #13 Gelatinous CubeAthcoids or more commonly known as Gelatinous Cubes have been around since the very first Monster Manual (show). A D&D original and fan favorite, the Gelatinous Cube has been scrubbing clean dungeons of both refuse and ill-fortuned players alike. Gelatinous Cubes serve as both a vital part in a dungeons ecosystem and a beginning encounter for low level adventuring parties.

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Researched, Written, Edited, and Narrated by yours truly: The Fantasy Historian

Monster Manual Spotlight #11 BugbearOh yes, it's bugbear time everybody! Bugbears are one of those creatures that make you scratch your head when you hear of them and then see them for the first-time. They are neither bugs nor bears as much as I wish they were. Original Cover art from: Eberron: Rising from the Last War/WOTC

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Researched, Written, Edited, and Narrated by yours truly: The Fantasy Historian

Monster Manual Spotlight #10 Lamia

The Lamia found in Greek Mythology is featured in many modern media including anime, video games, card games, and books. In the world of Dungeons and Dragons, the Lamia has been around since the 1st edition. Over the decades, the Lamia has changed form and stats until we find ourselves in the 2014 Monster Manual. In this monster spotlight, we will be taking a closer look at the Lamia: its lore, its ecology, biology, and the real history of the Lamia found in Greek and Roman mythology. With all this information put together, we can create an immersive encounter that will be sung in the taverns for centuries to come. Let’s open up the 2014 5e monster manual to build our foundation before we add those juicy details that really makes the Lamia come to life.

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Researched, Written, Edited, and Narrated by yours truly: The Fantasy Historian

Monster Manual Spotlight #9: Yuki-Onna

Also known as the “snow woman”, the Yuki-Onna is featured in many modern media including anime, video games, card games, and books. Magic the gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, Froslass in Pokemon; Yuki-Onna is one of the more popular yokai, probably due to its widespread legends and depiction of a beautiful woman. Since the Yuki-Onna is such a fascinating yokai, I wanted to pull it out of the D&D vault and bring it into the The Fantasy Historian spotlight where we check out the lore, ecology, and actual history that inspired our favorite creatures from D&D and Pathfinder.

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Cerberus: The Guardian of the Underworld. Hound of Hades. Cerberus has been used across countless fantasy games, books and movies as the inspiration of the hellhound fantasy creature. Who is Cerberus? How many heads does he actually have? And how well did he guard the entrance of the underworld? Today, we take a dive into Greek Mythology and learn of Cerberus' role in the world of deities, heroes, and monsters!

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Davy Jones: The lore of Davy Jones in the movie series is a masterclass in story writing; weaving many myths and folklore into one connected story. Davy Jones, captain of the Flying Dutchman, controller of the kraken, and lover of Calypso. But who really is Davy Jones?Bonus: Stay for the second half of the video to see how you can add him to your homebrews!Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Series- Disney

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------------------------------Links Mentioned:1. https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/ByZ9pVpYag DnD 5e2. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedArcana/comments/64a6nc/made_a_davy_jones_homebrew_for_5e_feedback_please/ -original Reddit Post3. https://bjacobt1.wixsite.com/monstermonday/post/monster-monday-davy-jones -B. Jacobs and Rasconza/Blue of Monster Monday4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n7c0NmN-DY&t=2s

BerserkersWho were they?Were they intoxicated?How did you become a berserker?

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Bestiary Entry #8 Draugar (Plural)Draugar. Even if you haven’t studied Norse Mythology, you have probably heard this name before. Perhaps by slashing or fireballing your way through Skyrim’s catacombs, plowing your way through them as Kratos, or even by reading the drowgr inspired barrow wights from JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Draugars have inspired many works throughout the centuries. SO what really are draugars?

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Researched, Written, Edited, and Narrated by yours truly: The Fantasy Historian