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Treats, shambling mounds, giant flytraps.... It's literally a jungle out there, so any or all of the plant monsters should fit.
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Swarms of vermin. Seriously, players must fear the swarms.
Giant Snapping turtle
Cougars are no longer in the area, but used to be.
Sharks, including the Bullshark, which travels into freshwater on occasion.
Giant snakes are not native, but thrive when introduced.
remember, most of the dangers are in or near the water as a rule of thumb. so in general, the water should feel dangerous in the wild.
(Ex. Sharks, snakes, snapping turtles, gators)
Herons live in the wetlands, while not aggressive, they are strong, and bigger than you think. So a marsh bird could fit for some flying variety.
Vultures work, and can be subbed by harpys based on buzzards.
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Somebody mentionned Mosquitoes, so don't forget some nasty diseases, like dengue fever, yellow fever and other virus induced extasis (if you are a masochist).
I can suggest some giant waterbug and for more nightmare fuel, don't forget that some carry diseases (check Buruli ulcer, even if the disease is african, it is interesting enough)
Some fungus also.
And some cultist of Cthulhu, as in the original Call of Cthulhu story.
And cultist of some random Dark Power, sacrifizing people during Carnival for unfathomable purpose.
Thanks. everybody. A lot of good ideas here.
Also, thanks for the tips on the local climate, wildlife, and terrain. I'm mainly looking for monsters that fit right now, but these details are still useful and appreciated.
Hot, hot, hot, or coldly miserable (December/January). Humid. Louisiana has an average year round humidity of 95% (in a drought) in New Orleans. It's the kind of sticky wet heat where you walk out the front door after a nice shower and immediately feel like you're coated with tree sap from the sweat.
Any sort of moss creature would be good, considering how prevalent spanish moss is.
Also, reskin the Terrasque as an overgrown Armadillo (also known as possum on the half-shell).
A good resource would be Shadworun's bestiary, there's quite a few really flavorful 'adaptations' of animals that are in the area (novapossums, juggernauts (Terrasque sized armadillos), loup garou).
For terrain, it varies. Southern Louisiana is mostly giant swamps. North of those, it's wet lowlands. There's a reason all the cemetaries are above ground, if you plant a coffin in the ground, it'll pop back out due to the water table being anywhere from 2 feet above ground to 6 feet below for most of southern Louisiana.
Toward the north, you get into hilly country. Up around Shreveport, you couldn't tell the difference between Tennessee and Louisiana except by the heat.
Also, it's rainy. Seriously. It rains about 2/3rds of the year. Not always heavy (although I have been in a downpour so hard I couldn't see 5 feet in front of my nose), but it rains just about every day of the year.
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Any sort of moss creature would be good, considering how prevalent spanish moss is.
Inspired by the Witchbole Willow from RPGA Superstar, an awakened tree-witch with the ability to apply the prehensile hair hex effects to it's colonies of spanish moss could be funky.
Love the idea upthread of making Aboleth a form of giant sentient evil catfish...
Also, cockroach swarms. And give them flight. The cockroaches in Louisiana are called 'Wood Cockroaches'. They average 2 inches in length, and can fly.
Funny and true story. I was at a friend's uncle's place, we were getting ready to do a bonfire (which is common in the area). Fried fish, french fries, crawfish ettoufe, fried shrimp (btw : if it's edible, it's cooked, if it's not, it's fried and eaten anyway).
There was a couple of friends of my friend visiting from Up North (by the way, 'up north' is a perjorative in the south). We were trying to find the gas can we were told was around somewhere, the uncle was still at work. I went into an old shed, looked around, then quickly got out as I saw what was on the eastern interior wall. I warned my friend about it, and he nodded, then grinned and told his northern friends to check the shed I'd just left.
The guy and his girlfriend go into the shed, flashlights shining, and my friend walks to the side and slams his hands against the wall as hard as he can.
There's two shrieks from inside, the door slams open, and the 'northerners' come racing out screaming, a cloud of about 300 two to three inch long cockroaches buzzing angrily around them. There'd been a nest of them on the wall. When it's hot and rainy, they like to congregate in sheds and such out of the weather and sun.
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Any sort of moss creature would be good, considering how prevalent spanish moss is.Inspired by the Witchbole Willow from RPGA Superstar, an awakened tree-witch with the ability to apply the prehensile hair hex effects to it's colonies of spanish moss could be funky.
Love the idea upthread of making Aboleth a form of giant sentient evil catfish...
Witch's or Oracles reskinned as Voudoun or Voudounistas works as well (voodoo priests/priestesses).
Also, dryad's work really well for 'Spirits of the Swamp', just give them spanish moss for hair, make them slightly slimy wood coating (most wood in the swamp is covered with a slimy coating of lichen), and you're good.
If you're able to get ahold of them, The Creature Collections from Sword & Sorcery Studios has creatures from their setting "The Scarred Lands" that fit directly into Louisiana.
They are called Karnival Krew and they were specifically made with Bayou flavor.
A couple of years ago I ran a Pathfinder campaign that largely took place in a city from Goodman Games' world in the city of Kassantia, which is inspired by New Orleans. For part of it, they had to go up against an old nemesis, Jack Punch, an insane jester who lived in the bayous outside of town with his bizarre krewe and killer clowns. The adventure culminated with Jack Punch's float working its way through the city during their annual Mardi Gras-like festival, spreading something called "The Laughing Plague" so that he can steal the throne. That was one hell of a battle, let me tell you.
Witch's or Oracles reskinned as Voudoun or Voudounistas works as well (voodoo priests/priestesses).
Just for the sake of authenticity, the terms in this case would be "hougan" if male and "mambo" if female.
Loup Garou - to some folklore this is a werewolf, to other folklore this is a shadow based fey being.
Swamp beings have been pretty thoroughly mentioned so far, and are all appropriate. Snakes, insects, leeches, gar, alligators, lizards; but also molds, oozes, slimes, the hazard type monster.
Voodoo - undead zombies, mind-controlled living zombies, Voodoo witches.
Witch's or Oracles reskinned as Voudoun or Voudounistas works as well (voodoo priests/priestesses).Just for the sake of authenticity, the terms in this case would be "hougan" if male and "mambo" if female.
Houngans and Mambos yes. Voudoun or Vodou is the actual name of course. Voudoun and Voudounista I think I got stuck in my head at some point playing GURPS. :)
Loup-garou, I'd think.
Plus all sorts of Caribbean things - check out GR's Skull & Bones and Nyambe for importing some ideas...
Yeah, would concentrate on anything shapechanging or that can blend in well with a human population, like rakshasa, vampires, tieflings, aasimar, and the like.
Ghosts. Spectres, wraiths, zombies; Voodoo undead are a must. Lots of cool cemeteries in Louisiana, which means ghouls.
Seems to me that a more intrigue-based campaign goes better with Louisiana, with more hiding in plain site, sneaking around, social niceties, and that sort of thing. Though I do like the ogres-in-the-woods idea, too.
Dragonnes are French, right?
Importing some French and African folklore in general, would be a big plus. I would not discount legends from other nearby regions, either, such as folklore from Mexico, Haiti, Cuba, and the like. After all, your pirates will be getting around, and bringing strange tales (and cargo) with them. Sets things up for a good Aztec-flavored Lovecraftian voyage if your players ever get bored with playing in one spot.
Ultimately though, Louisiana is such a melting pot of different cultures (from Native American to being ruled by three successive empires and hosting major sea and river ports that boast immigrants from every corner of the globe) that you could reasonably just open one of your Monster Manuels at random and fit whatever you find into your campaign.
Of course it's not necessary at all to be cartoonish, condescending and borderline racist in building your Louisiana themed campaign.
It would take a LOT of inbreeding before making fun of the people in a given state could legitimately be called "racist".
As far as I know there is nothing racist or derogatory about voodoo. It's basically a branch of magic that is strongly associated with necromancy. Voodoo "witchdoctors" have for generations been highly regarded members of New Orleans communities, much as a seer or psychic is regarded in, say, Beverly Hills.
Voodoo (note: it is a phonetic spelling, so all the spellings are just fine) is no more "necromantic" than any other religion. There are plenty of people who will play up media stereotypes for money and attention, but that doesn't accurately represent it or its roots.
It's a bit funny that you'd be ok with some stereotypes but bothered by others.
I don't have anything to add, but I wanted to wish everyone a festive Lundi Gras!
Oh, s+~@! I forgot that's tomorrow.
Lots of good stuff in this thread. Not going to pick through it piece by piece, but lots of good stuff. Thanks, everybody!
Of course it's not necessary at all to be cartoonish, condescending and borderline racist in building your Louisiana themed campaign.It would take a LOT of inbreeding before making fun of the people in a given state could legitimately be called "racist".
As far as I know there is nothing racist or derogatory about voodoo. It's basically a branch of magic that is strongly associated with necromancy. Voodoo "witchdoctors" have for generations been highly regarded members of New Orleans communities, much as a seer or psychic is regarded in, say, Beverly Hills.Voodoo (note: it is a phonetic spelling, so all the spellings are just fine) is no more "necromantic" than any other religion. There are plenty of people who will play up media stereotypes for money and attention, but that doesn't accurately represent it or its roots.
It's a bit funny that you'd be ok with some stereotypes but bothered by others.
LOL, it's funny that you'd take the time and effort to try to make an issue of comparing a comment about an entire class of PEOPLE to a bland description of a branch of magic. Especially since, whether you like it or not, voodoo is IN FACT strongly associated with necromantic types of magic.
Definition of VOODOO
1 also vo·dou : a religion that is derived from African polytheism and ancestor worship and is practiced chiefly in Haiti
2 a person who deals in spells and necromancy
emphasis mine.
Does anyone have the original Scarred Lands monster stats lying around? I assume they are Open Game Content, and I can convert them over to PF myself. I want to see the fluff for the Karnival Krew.
Does anyone have the original Scarred Lands monster stats lying around? I assume they are Open Game Content, and I can convert them over to PF myself. I want to see the fluff for the Karnival Krew.
I'm assuming those are in the Blood Bayou setting book? If so you can pick up a PDF copy at DriveThrou RPG for under nine dollars.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=3295&it=1
LOL, it's funny that you'd take the time and effort to try to make an issue of comparing a comment about an entire class of PEOPLE to a bland description of a branch of magic. Especially since, whether you like it or not, voodoo is IN FACT strongly associated with necromantic types of magic.
Strongly associated in the media, sure.. in the same way that Satanism is associated with heavy metal and human sacrifice in the media... not unlike Dungeons and Dragons was. That misconceptions are popular doesn't actually make them true: reality is not a democracy.
Not infrequently, when people do aberrant and unpleasant things, and choose to link it to religion, people mistakenly associate those things with the religion. While there are certainly Islamic terrorists, the terrorism doesn't descend directly from the religion so much as taints it because some people try to hide behind the Islam part to justify their own behaviors. Day-to-day islam is nowhere near as interesting to our media-drunk culture, so we focus our attention on the weirdos despite them being in the minority.
Voodoo itself involves offerings to and communication with spirits, some of which may or may not (often debated, depending on the spirit) be those of former people. Catholicism offers up prayers to saints but nobody really considers it a necromantic religion. Shinto had far, far deeper levels of ancestor worship but nobody thinks it's about necromancy.
I don't take issue to using media stereotypes... I just take issue to someone who uses media stereotypes while claiming to be opposed to stereotyping! And hey, "like it or not" the southern USA, and bayou in particular, are widely associated with inbred hillbillies... I'm not sure that makes it any less offensive to people who do take offense at that sort of thing.
Definition of DOG
1: canid; especially: a highly variable domestic mammal (Canis familiaris) closely related to the gray wolf b: a male dog; also: a male usually carnivorous mammal
2: a worthless or contemptible person
...
9: an unattractive person; especially: an unattractive girl or woman
There's a reason that definition was separate from the one talking bout the religion - dictionaries give definitions that you might need to understand specific references, and the stereotype is sufficiently prevalent in the western world as to warrant it in such definitions. Voodoo as a term to represent "black magic" or "necromancy" exists only as a reference to misconceptions about the religion... so nomatter how you try to circumvent it, it's still a derogatory stereotype.
So again, the point is that if you're going to treat the Voodoo religion as thought the stereotypes about it are true, then don't sweat the other incorrect stereotypes either... and certainly don't pat yourself on the back for being cosmopolitan!
LOL, it's funny that you'd take the time and effort to try to make an issue of comparing a comment about an entire class of PEOPLE to a bland description of a branch of magic. Especially since, whether you like it or not, voodoo is IN FACT strongly associated with necromantic types of magic.Strongly associated in the media, sure.. in the same way that Satanism is associated with heavy metal and human sacrifice in the media... not unlike Dungeons and Dragons was. That misconceptions are popular doesn't actually make them true: reality is not a democracy.
Not infrequently, when people do aberrant and unpleasant things, and choose to link it to religion, people mistakenly associate those things with the religion. While there are certainly Islamic terrorists, the terrorism doesn't descend directly from the religion so much as taints it because some people try to hide behind the Islam part to justify their own behaviors. Day-to-day islam is nowhere near as interesting to our media-drunk culture, so we focus our attention on the weirdos despite them being in the minority.
Voodoo itself involves offerings to and communication with spirits, some of which may or may not (often debated, depending on the spirit) be those of former people. Catholicism offers up prayers to saints but nobody really considers it a necromantic religion. Shinto had far, far deeper levels of ancestor worship but nobody thinks it's about necromancy.
I don't take issue to using media stereotypes... I just take issue to someone who uses media stereotypes while claiming to be opposed to stereotyping! And hey, "like it or not" the southern USA, and bayou in particular, are widely associated with inbred hillbillies... I'm not sure that makes it any less offensive to people who do take offense at that sort of thing.
...Definition of DOG
1: canid; especially: a highly variable domestic mammal (Canis familiaris) closely related to the gray wolf b: a male dog;
Voodoo, as a whole, isn't particularly necromantic or evil compared to any other religion, despite the perception. However, the evil voodoo cult using necromancy and curses has an attractive flavor. The thing is, religions aren't completely unified institutions. Differing beliefs and practices do exist. Plus, this is fantasy, where things don't have to be 100% realistic. It is possible to treat voodoo in a realistic manner (that is, relatively positively, and a religion a hero could be proud of adhering to), yet also suppose the existence of such necromancy and curse heavy cults within the religion. After all, other D&D pantheons have such evil cults, so voodoo could be the same.
I think this is a nice compromise. It takes the subject of voodoo seriously and paints it in the positive light it deserves, but also keeps the flavorful evil cult versions of voodoo. Essentially, it paints it as a religion with good, bad, and neutral sects, each of which does things a bit differently. The same applies to hillbillies (inbred or not). Do they exist in this setting? Yes. Are they the only people living in the region? No. In fact, they are the minority. Are hillbillies (inbred or not) necessarily bad people? No. They can be good or bad people, just like any other cultural group.
I'm not ignoring the stereotypes for this setting, but I'm not treating them as being 100% accurate, either. It is possible to balance stereotypical expectations, historical and cultural accuracy, and my own ideas, and I plan to do this.
I don't take issue to using media stereotypes... I just take issue to someone who uses media stereotypes while claiming to be opposed to stereotyping!
You are so quick to leap to some conclusion about hypocrisy that you don't take an instant to even consider if your assertions are supportable.
I did not say I was opposed to stereotypes.
I said I was opposed to unnecessarily derogatory, condescending stereotypes.
See, I'm fine with "dogs chase cats" even though I know not all dogs chase cats. There's nothing offensive about "dogs chase cats".
"Oh, you're doing a setting in Louisiana, well be sure to include some inbred hillbillies" is an offensive racist stereotype.
Understand the difference?
Probably not. This is the interwebz after all.
Understand the difference?
Probably not. This is the interwebz after all.
Hey! I understood the difference and I use the internets. Stop the derogatory stereotyping AD.
Hey! I understood the difference and I use the internets. Stop the derogatory stereotyping AD.Understand the difference?
Probably not. This is the interwebz after all.
LOL, touche Kilrex....
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Marsh giants
Wereboar
Worm that walks
Take a Tarn Linnorm and call it a giant two headed alligator. Of course, that's CR 20 so the party might not reach that power level.
What about using linnorms in general as giant magical alligator-like monsters?
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There was a couple of friends of my friend visiting from Up North (by the way, 'up north' is a perjorative in the south)...The guy and his girlfriend go into the shed, flashlights shining, and my friend walks to the side and slams his hands against the wall as hard as he can. There's two shrieks from inside, the door slams open, and the 'northerners' come racing out screaming, a cloud of about 300 two to three inch long cockroaches buzzing angrily around them. There'd been a nest of them on the wall.
I think "friends" of my friend should be in quotations. I certainly would never talk to that "friend" again after that kind of horrifying experience. *shivers*
Based on what I've seen on TV... vampires and werewolves ;)Good one!!
How about aligators, giant rats (called Nutrina down there), and car sized mosquitos!
Heh, "Nutria" I think "nutrina" is a soap...
The first nutria I ever saw was on a railroad track, its nose was on one rail, and its tail reached the other. I thought it was a giant rat. They are not native to Louisiana by the way, they are native to South America. Not that it matters...
There was a couple of friends of my friend visiting from Up North (by the way, 'up north' is a perjorative in the south)...The guy and his girlfriend go into the shed, flashlights shining, and my friend walks to the side and slams his hands against the wall as hard as he can. There's two shrieks from inside, the door slams open, and the 'northerners' come racing out screaming, a cloud of about 300 two to three inch long cockroaches buzzing angrily around them. There'd been a nest of them on the wall.I think "friends" of my friend should be in quotations. I certainly would never talk to that "friend" again after that kind of horrifying experience. *shivers*
The girl refused to talk to my friend the rest of her trip. :)
I live in Louisiana also. I like this thread and I advise to seperate the climate from the culture.
This thread is great about the climate: hot, humid, swamp with lots of animals and vermin.
Culture is so much more difficult. Does your fantasy world has similar human cultures to the many that formed Louisiana? What about the cultures of the fantasy races (elves, dwarves, halflings, etcetera) and how did they influence this area?
This world does have similar cultures to those that formed in the real Louisiana. The fantasy races, aside from dwarves, generally all live together in multiracial communities and differ more in their place in said community that in overall culture.
Religion would also play a huge factor. If I recall correctly, the Acadians(?) were banished from Nova Scotia(?) due to religious persecution. I believe they became the Cajuns but Louisiana history class was long ago. How does religion affect the various cultures? How do the deities of the native people, the foreign people (Europe and Africa) and the fantasy people (elves, dwarves, etcetera) interact? I think this would be a greater influence than Voodoo or other Hollywood stereotypes of the deep South.
Good luck.
Religion. Voodoo does have a heavy influence, as it is the second largest religion after the Racinian pantheon.
I have an event similar to the Cajun exile, but they were exiled from mainland Racinia (That is to say, France), not from "Canada".
And just for kicks, you've got to have bead-collecting harpies....
YES.
Indigenous lizardfolk and kobold tribes coming into conflict with Cajun orcs eager to steal their land.
I don't know why, but I've been on a derro kicks. They'd be a cool addition. People go missing in the swamps... it's the derro!
Cockroach/crayfish/chuuls disguised AS vampires.
Also, break out the banjo playing merrow.
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Loup-garou, I'd think.
Plus all sorts of Caribbean things - check out GR's Skull & Bones and Nyambe for importing some ideas...
Loupe-Garou -- werewolves.
They are in Indiana! :) Check out this video.
If you don't want a discussion to get derailed on terms of potential racism, then I suggest in the future you avoid references to "in-bred hillbillies" and "deliverance" since both of those are well known and acknowledged racist stereotypes.
Derogatory? Sure. Stereotypes? Yup. But racist? Why? I think that the general image of "hillbillies" is white. I must confess that I've never seen "Deliverance", but weren't the movie's villains also white?
Lizardmen in the bayou. Dire crawfish. Vampire's.
Need a lot of ghosts. New Orleans is supposedly lousy with them; they have whole tours centered around them -- you can probably find a synopsis and some ideas on line.
Plantations -- and remember a cane slave's life expectancy was like 2 years -- malaria, yellow fever, snakebite, infected wounds. When would-be slave rebels from further up the Mississippi were "sent downriver," it meant to NOLA to work the cane fields, and die.
And there's got to be something you can work in with the gorgeous Quadroon ladies who became mistresses of the rich white dudes as a way out of poverty.
Rumor has it that "Baton Rouge" was named because of a huge wooden stake that the local Indians impaled visitors on, so that it ran red with blood. Dunno if that's true, but it makes for a cool campaign idea.
Also be sure to see the movie Southern Comfort. The final scene in a Cajun village is a masterpiece of suspense, and if you can't work in some cool game ideas from that, you're not trying very hard. (Apparently the communal hog butchering was a big deal -- I just ate at Cochon Restaurant in NOLA, which traces its cuisine to that). If you can stand Van Damme, Hard Target is fun as well.
P.S. Someone mentioned the "Skunk Ape" above -- there are stats for them in the D20 Modern SRD, unless I misremember. Check out the Mapinguari entry here, and there's a more Bigfoot-like (but less cool) skunk ape here.
Seconding an opinion already offered, the Creatures Collections by Sword and Sorcery are a great resource. It's out of print and the company is gone, but.... you know.
I hear there are places... Not that I'm suggesting...
On the other hand... They do say the Jack can get you anything... And his carnival is supposed to be a marverlous sight, 'gators that walk like men and bones that dance. Wonderous beyond compare...
(Yep. Creatuer Collections I,II,and III. Check out anything references the Carnival of Shadows or it Krewes. If you can find them, I know a guy who can't help you out. For a price.)
recommendations from the first collection: For the first collection I own and use the unrevised edition, which is awesome and deadly.
Alley Reaper
Belsamaug(Oh gods be careful with these guys.)
Blight Wolf(Flying CR5 creature with DC21 2d4 con damage poison bite!)
Bottle-imp
Butcher spirit
Child Trap
Dragon, Tar
Dragon, Seawrack and Woodwrack
Drowned Lady(It's a fish.)
Dweller at the Crossroads(If you players like RP then this guy is awesome.)
Fatling
Forge Wight(Isn't undead, but it's got flavor!)
Gorgon, High and Low
Hag, particularly Swamp, Storm, Moon, and Brine (For those who know what I talking about. Think about Brine and Storm hags during a hurricane! Lock you doors, hold you children close, and pray that the fight/revel doesn't come near you.)
Hamadryad, swamp version
Inn Wight
Inquisitor
Iron Tusker(You say that's a pig my friend? Now this here is a pig!)
Lotuses(Plants with some funky effects.)
Mere-lurker(Hey everybody! I see a gem! I knew the DM would give us treasure for those undead at some point)
Mill slug
Mistwalker
Morgaunt
Murdersprite
Nightsinger(Beautiful hallucinagenic bug)
Ratmen, All
River nymph
Rumbler
Sea Spark
Serpent Root
Spirit of the Plague
Swamp Gobbler
Tokal(A bit more african flavor, but might be useful)
Trogodon
The Unhallowed
Willow Tree Warrior
Mill slug
Skunk Apes!
"It's SKUN-KA'PE!!!"
I don't know why, but I've been on a derro kicks. They'd be a cool addition. People go missing in the swamps... it's the derro!
Let them be your Cthulhu cultists. It fits.