Monsters - Round 2

I'vve already discussed monsters before, but a good topic bears repeating. Right? Well, maybe not, but I think I'll discuss it again this week. What I'd like to do instead of focusing on the general design of monsters--which can be somewhat dry--that I'd discuss individual instances of the types of foes the player will more than likely encounter. So, without further ado:

Naga constructed Automatons:

The Gilded Golems featured above are dangerously powerful creatures--you call that a knife? This is a knife!--that would gladly take any opportunity to hack a foe into pieces. Yikes! The best best would be to soften them up. And I do mean literally. Their gold plating, so elegantly wrought by the Naga designers, can be melted off with sufficient fire. This makes them easier to defeat, which is nice, and it makes them not quite as elegant(a Naga is spinning in its grave, I assure you).

The Naga in the back of the picture is an Undorian Viper. These are attempts by the Nagas to fuse mechanical parts with a living creature. There are several varieties of Undorian creatures the player will encounter, and they are all exceptionally dangerous. They must be treated with extreme caution. That said, they are still vulnerable to the over-bearing opulence of Naga craftsmen.

However, not all Naga-crafted automatons are golems or things to that respect. They are frequently experimenting with various magical effects, and their ruins are littered with such "failed" creations. Care should be taken to carefully observe these objects so as to not become a pile of dust. You've been warned!

I'd also like the chance to showcase a track created by Goran Bastinac. This track is for any and all battles within a Naga Ruin. It is suitably dangerous, I think, and links nicely with the previously showcased Naga Ruins ambient track.

Blastoderms and Dendus-Kadahs:

Blastoderms are quite nearly the apex predator of the Julak Swamp. They possess a hide which is, quite literally, immune to all types of magic, and they have a matching ferocity. They are terrifyingly dangerous and ought to be given a wide berth(especially if one were to be silly enough to disturb a nesting chamber; poor Calad made his last bad decision).

However, their magical nature does have an interesting side effect. If a Blastoderm dies while in the Julak Swamp, their body is infected with the water of the bog. It is imbued with the magic and then re-animates the creature as a dangerous, mindless plant monster. Dendus-Kadahs are pestilent creatures, and their vicious bites are nearly enough to kill any creature instantly. They are best avoided at all costs.

Ahrimans:

Ahrimans are cursed, unnatural horrors that are the product of magical experiments gone horribly awry. They possess considerable intellect, and only close on their foes when all other options are exhausted. Their most terrifying ability consists of their death curse. When enacted upon a living creature, death slowly squeezes the soul out of the body(visually represented by the slowly deteriorating, floating skulls). If this curse is not removed, the creature will be snuffed out instantly and their soul forever the Ahriman's possession.

As these are Undead creatures, you might expect to hear their musical track nearby.

Julaks:

The name-sake of the Julak swamp, these awesome predatory serpents scour the swamp lands searching for any and all prey. All creatures of the swamp fear them, and nothing approaches them with anything less than reverence and terror.

These serpents fight by unleashing a blast of concentrated acid upon their prey which is capable of tearing skin straight from the bone. The acid is so volatile that, upon contact with the air, it will creature a caustic cloud that slowly kills anything within it. Leaving the cloud is the only way to survive. Additionally, Julaks are capable of augmenting their normal vocalizations to something of a howl of madness. The Julak's eyes will change hue, and then the beast can induce madness in any creature unfortunate enough to hear the blast. Those poor souls afflicted by this are easy pickings for the Julak.

Julaks are dangerous, but they are still, fundamentally, animals. They are wont to finding a particular territory and then staying there(preferring that towards fighting constantly with rival serpents). Due to this, the location Julaks live in might be avoided somewhat easily and battles avoided. However, a discerning adventurer might use the Julak to their advantage: if caught in a bind, it might be preferable to risk death by the hand of the serpent and lure other foolish prey items near the beast.

I should also like to take the chance to showcase another track by Goran Bastinac. This is for the battle with Julaks. It starts fast, as the creatures burst from the water suddenly, and then gives way the slow march towards the player's demise. Realistically, there isn't much hope if a Julak is challenged without proper gear and tactics.

Until next week, friends.