This has always been one of my favorite images in D&D:
It's completely awesome. Eyes peering out madly, strange beings sallying forth but still connected to the main being (including a member of the cone-shaped race inhabited for a time by the Great Race of Yith, there in the back up the stairs) . . .
At the same time, I'm not even sure how I'd run that. I could describe it, but it would be hard to keep having it spew out new beings constantly. You'd probably need to use a random generator to spit out stats for the "spawn" that keep coming out to fight and die on the blades of those trying to banish some bit of Shub-Niggurath back to where it came from.
It could be a great set-piece for a high-level AD&D game - you've got stats right there in the old edition of Deities & Demigods - or as a DF ultimate boss monster. It's hard not to think of ways to try and use this, thanks to the great feel of Erol Otus's art.
It reminds me of the psychedelic illustrator Rick Griffin. Must be the big eye.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved this one too, it's got a surreal, comedic vibe to it, yet also you just know it's a total party kill in the making.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of a grotesque corner of Wackyland from the old Porky Pig cartoon.
kubat otus's shub-niggurath
ReplyDeleteI don't understand what this means.
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