A reluctant young hero must chase down an evil serpent king in “this satisfying middle-grade adventure . . . in colonial British West Africa” (Kirkus Reviews). Nate Fludd is back in the camel saddle in pursuit of a missing, deadly basilisk—the mythical King of Serpents. As if saving a Dhughani village from the beast isn’t hard enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must begin to solve the mystery of his parents’ disappearance and protect The Fludd Book of Beasts from a sinister man who always seems to be one step ahead of them. With more lively illustrations by Kelly Murphy, The Basilisk’s Lair picks up immediately where the first book in the series, Flight of the Phoenix, left off. This historical fantasy chapter book series is perfect for intermediate readers.

This Book of Lairs is a collection of 26 lairs for fantasy tabletop role-playing games, including maps, lair details, and several new monsters. It is written with the Adventurer, Conqueror, King System (ACKS) in mind, but is easily converted to another gaming system.

A hope lost. A fury reborn. An ancient warrior awakens. Damian Vesik is back ... but his time in the Abyss changed him. As he grapples to understand his oddly fluctuating powers, a call from his trusted mechanic, Samir, is the last thing he needs. But the strange occurrences at the autobody shop can’t be ignored. Calling on Nixie—and a rather odd gift from a water witch clan—Damian uncovers a dreadful creature haunting Samir’s shop. Knowing he can’t face a basilisk in his current state, his only option is to seek out Gaia in his quest for answers. Yet as destruction closes in on St. Louis, the only hope of salvation could be the ghost of an Utukku ... one who is downright cranky about being dead.

An eye-opening, engrossing look at the central role of monsters in the Anglo-Saxon worldview—now in paperback. This book addresses a simple question: why were the Anglo-Saxons obsessed with monsters, many of which did not exist? Drawing on literature and art, theology, and a wealth of firsthand evidence, Basilisks and Beowulf reveals a people huddled at the edge of the known map, using the fantastic and the grotesque as a way of understanding the world around them and their place within it. For the Anglo-Saxons, monsters helped to distinguish the sacred and the profane; they carried God’s message to mankind, exposing His divine hand in creation itself. At the same time, monsters were agents of disorder, seeking to kill people, conquer their lands, and even challenge what it meant to be human. Learning about where monsters lived and how they behaved allowed the Anglo-Saxons to situate themselves in the world, as well as to apprehend something of the divine plan. It is for these reasons that monsters were at the very center of their worldview. From map monsters to demons, dragons to Leviathan, we neglect these beasts at our peril.

In his new collection of essays, Jan Bondeson tells ten fascinating stories of myths and hoaxes, beliefs and Ripley-like facts, concerning the animal kingdom. Throughout he recounts—and in some instances solves—mysteries of the natural world which have puzzled scientists for centuries. Heavily illustrated with photographs and drawings, the book presents astounding tales from across the rich folklore of animals: a learned pig more admired than Sir Isaac Newton by the English public, an elephant that Lord Byron wanted to employ as his butler, a dancing horse whose skills in mathematics were praised by William Shakespeare, and, of course, the extraordinary creature known as the Feejee Mermaid. This object became the foremost curiosity of London in the 1820s and later in the century toured the United States under the management of P. T. Barnum. Bearing a striking resemblance to a wizened and misshapen monkey with a fishtail, the mermaid was nonetheless proclaimed a genuine specimen by 'experts.' Bondeson explores other zoological wonders: toads living for centuries encased in solid stone, little fishes raining down from the sky, and barnacle geese growing from trees until ready to fly. In two of his most fascinating chapters, he uncovers the origins of the basilisk, considered one of the most inexplicable mythical monsters, and of the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary. With the head and body of a rooster and the tail of a snake, the basilisk was said to be able to kill a person with its gaze. Bondeson demonstrates that belief in this fabulous creature resulted from misinterpretations of rare events in natural history. The vegetable lamb, a mainstay of museums in the seventeenth century, was allegedly half plant, half animal: it had the shape of a little lamb, but grew from a stem. After examining two vegetable lambs still in London today, Bondeson offers a new theory to explain this old fallacy.

Discover the terrifying monsters and fascinating beasts of Dungeons & Dragons with this A-to-Z illustrated guide to all the creatures you might encounter during your adventures. In this single-volume collection of all the creature profiles from the first six books in the Young Adventurer's Guide series, you’ll find the wild and wondrous creatures that populate the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Pore over profiles of dragons (from chromatic to metallic), owlbears, unicorns, and more, each accompanied by vivid illustrations. Narrative encounters and storytelling prompts help you strategize so you can make sure to best these beasts in your own campaigns. With beautiful illustrations and advice on what to do should you come across these magical and terrifying creatures, The Monsters & Creatures Compendium provides the perfect guide for young fans and new players traversing the worlds of D&D.

The Fantasy Heartbreaker Roleplaying Game, now in it's new and improved 2nd edition featuring 111% fewer typos, is a throw back to the thrilling games of yesteryear. It was created to allow a simpler style of play. Using a re-engineered D20 system this is complete rule book, nothing else is needed to play (well you might needs some dice and stuff like that. Oh and players. You will definitely need some players.) In the end the Fantasy Heartbreaker Roleplaying game is a lighthearted game suitable for play with...well anyone (provided they have a sense of humor)

The world of Arator. A place of myth, magic, legends, and heroes. Populated within this world are creatures, monsters, and beings that defy explanation and the imagination. Described in this full colored and illustrated volume are the monsters and creatures of the world of Arator. From how they live, to how they fight, even down to their inner biology, this tomb is an invaluable resource to your Arcanum gaming world which brings it more to life with the denizens that populate it.

This introductory guide to the worlds of the leading fantasy role-playing game provides an immersive illustrated primer to the prisons, castles, traps, and labyrinths where players find adventure in D&D. In this illustrated guide for new players, you'll be transported to the mystical and magical worlds of Dungeons & Dragons and given a one-of-a-kind course on the dungeons and deathtraps for which the game (and all its iterations) is known. Featuring maps, cutaway illustrations, and fun insights that show would-be adventurers how to travel and survive in these fantastical settings, along with original illustrations and archival images, the book shines a spotlight down the dark, foreboding corners of the most infamous locations in the worlds of D&D. The perfect jumping-on point for young fans of fantasy looking to give D&D a try, the book also features prompts to encourage creative problem-solving skills in the dangerous situations you may find yourself in when on D&D adventures.