In 2022 I started a drawing series in which I attempted to draw a monster from each letter of the alphabet from the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual (1977).
These were livestreamed on my twitch channel twitch.tv/torenatkinson and I am as of this writing doing the same thing for the Fiend Folio so come visit on Sunday mornings!
You can watch the old videos on my youtube channel, I’ll post the link below. I also post to instagram @torenatkinsonartist
Yes it’s time once again for my holiday art sale. These original pencil drawings (and a couple of inks) were produced for various D&D and other RPG books and are marked down between $10 and $30.
Everything listed here is on offer for $55 USD (unless you’re in Vancouver and we can arrange in person, then $55 CAD)
Fourth story in the Key of Time series. The Doctor and Romana split up immediately and Romana is captured by the evil Count Grendel, who is using android duplicates to try to seize the throne. The Doctor and K9 have to rescue Romana twice, culminating in a sword duel. Also the princess is a doppelganger of Romana for an unexplained reason.
A fairly basic plot with low stakes, which could have been improved with tighter writing and directing. Apparently this is a take on The Prisoner of Zenda, which I have not read. Baker and Tamm have a good time. Not what I would call an essential episode by any stretch, but there’s horses and regal garb so there’s that.
One issue I’ve noticed both as a player and DM is that names of non-player characters get lost in the mix, sometimes because they are too banal or otherwise forgettable. If you as a DM want your players to remember that important NPC’s name, I’m here to help you pick one!
My friend Tony on facebook said “As a GM I am not a fan of celebrity or joke names in serious games as it breaks immersion for me.” and I get that. I’m not putting names like Bogart and Pacino on this list because I think they might be TOO ripe for caricatures. One way to mitigate this concern is to swap gender, for example: Theron the dwarf priest; Lugosi the tabaxi handmaid. Another trick is to use old-timey celeb names for groups of younger players, and names of hot new tiktokkers for groups of old grognards. The players might have heard these names peripherally, but can’t connect them with an individual. So hopefully they will remember the names without a preconceived association – if that is your wish.
The idea here is using familiar names as a ‘hook’ to jog player memory. You, the GM, control the NPCs personality and looks. There may even be a few names on this list that resonate with you but you can’t place them without googling!
Anouk Arkin Bela (a baron?) Bo (alt: Beau) Bronson Chavalier (a chancellor or chamberlain?) Claude (alt: Klod) Cobb Crispin Cybill Damon (definitely NOT a tiefling, heh heh) De Havilland Dench (a deputy?) Diaz (a duchess or duke?) Eckhart Elba Firestone Forest (a priest? Father Forest, or Forrest) Furlong Goldie Guillaume (gee-yohm) Gwyneth (a traditional Welsh name for happiness) Hagen Harrison Herzog (sounds like an orc or bugbear to me) Hoagy Humphrey Irrfan Izzard (…the lizard wizard?) Jada Jaffe (alt: Jaffey) Joaquin Karloff Keitel Khan Kiefer Kingsley Klaus Krige (alt: Kreeg) Kruger Kubrick Lakshmi Lancaster Langella Lansbury (a legate? Legate Lansbury?) Lithgow (lord or lady?) Lugosi Lundgren (a lieutenant?) Mads Mervyn Mifune (a magistrate?) Monaghan (a marquis?) Morgan Nimoy Novak Odenkirk Ogden Omar Orlando Orson Palance Patel (Prince Patel?) Pfeiffer (Fifer) Quan Quinn Radcliff Radner Rama Rathbone Ratzenberger Red Richter Rockwell Rogen (alt: Rogan) Rutger Sandoval Sarsgaard Savalas Scarlett Seacrest (the notorious) Sigourney Simu Skelton Slezak Sloane Stormare Sutherland (alt: Southerland) Swinton Takashi Talia Tallulah Tautou Theron Tremayne Uma Viggo (a vassal, no doubt) Vincent Voight (alt: Voyt) Warwick Winkler Wolfard Yaphet Yul Zane
One issue I’ve noticed both as a player and DM is that names of non-player characters get lost in the mix, sometimes because they are too banal or otherwise forgettable. If you as a DM want your players to remember that important NPC’s name, I’m here to help you pick one!
You probably won’t recognize some of these names as cars, but I assure you, I’ve done my research, all the way back to 1889. This is one part of a larger series. Note: if you run a serious campaign where jokes are frowned upon, this list is not for you!
Acura – maybe put the emphasis on the second syllable
Ajax – also a figure in Greek mythology
Alfa Romeo
Altima
Argo – also the ship from Jason and the Argonauts!
Astra -literally means a star
Audi
Austin
Bendix
Bentley
Bolt
Borgward – possibly an orc name?
Buckeye – also a tree!
Bugatti – some people told me to not include this one but it just sounds too great.
Camaro
Carhartt
Cayenne – also a spice!
Citroen
Cricket
Cutlass
Cyklon
Daihatsu
Dingfelder
Dudly Bug
Durango
Edge – probably a rogue or some guy who thinks he’s cool.
Elantra
Elgin – sounds like a scholar to me
Envista
Ferrari
Fiat
Ford
Forester
Grout
Gurgel
Gurley
Gutbrod – another orc name? Or a dwarf?
Harley
Heinkel
Huracan
Impreza
Jetta
Kermath
Kia
Kukushka
LeRoy (accent on the second syllable, HATES being called LEE-roy)
Levante
Lexus
Lincoln
Lockheed
Lux
Malibu
Maserati
Maverick
Maxima
Mercedes
Metris
Murano
Nautilus
Niro
Omikron
Otto
Packard
Passat
Peugeot
Pieper – pronounced ‘peeper’ if you like
Piggins – a plump halfling?
Porsche
Portofino
Primus Priamus Prius
Protos
Renault
Rickenbacker
Riker
Roma
Rover
Royce
Saab
Savana
Scion
Sienna / Sierra
Sirocco – also a Mediterranean wind!
Solidor
Solterra (literally ‘sun earth’)
Sonata
Sorento
Spark
Spaulding
Sprinter
Stinger
Studebaker
Talbot
Telluride
Tiguan
Trax
Urus
Wartburg
Wendax
Wingle Yugo
Zender
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY… 500 Post-Apocalyptic Place Names
I see this every day in one of the D&D groups , and this is always my answer (the drawing is mine, published in from the book Aasimar & Tiefling, Green Ronin 2003)
Third story in the Key to Time story arc. It’s back to Earth as the plunger of destination or whatever it’s called takes Romana and the Doctor to modern day Cornwall, England, where there’s an eeeevil sect of druids who worship standing stones that are actually silicon-based, blood-drinking, alien Ogri. The Doctor and the elderly and irascible professor Emilia Rumford learn that her partner Vivien Fay is secretly a silver space criminal, with a prison ship hidden in hyperspace. On the ship, the Doctor inadvertently releases ‘justice machines’ that put him on trial.
A nice gothic style mystery with an ingenious concept that sadly does not stick the landing, due to the jarring twist in tone from monster mystery to courtroom drama with twinkling light barristers. But, the old lady is fun (even with her odd line delivery) and there’s an important message about wearing sensible shoes on adventures.
Every Sunday morning I livestream monster drawings from the 1st edition Monster Manual on twitch.tv/torenatkinson with the time limit of 20 minutes (ish)
Ned the nerdy neo-otyugh nibbles nervously on a nymph in a negligee. Nightly.
Ollie the orange owlbear ogles an octopus in the ocean.
A prowling pack of petite purple worms preys upon a panicking paladin
Quentin the quintessential quasit in a quarry of quartzite quiet quits his quest to quaff a quart of quicksilver
Rudy the ruddy rust monster revoltingly retches remnants of Ruddiger’s ringmail
Six stubborn stirges swarm a sorry straggler and his steed
Essential? Yes. This episode explains some of Venger’s backstory, and what master he serves. Game Adaptation Friendly? It could be challenging but also interesting to take away kids’ weapons of power during the Underworld set pieces. AD&D Monsters: Shadow demon, salamanders, duergar (possibly), purple worm Bonus monsters: He Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken
When the kids release a powerful evil entity from the Box of Balefire, DM drains the Weapons of Power to fend it off, and escape to the Underworld. Without magic and with Venger on their heels, the kids are separated one by one as they cross the Planes of Fire to revivify DM in the Dungeon at the Heart of Dawn.
Notes: Starts off with the characters in pitch black, saving thousands on the animation budget! Frank Welker Voices: Hogar the duergar.
23. THE TIME LOST
Essential? No but as a kid’s cartoon with Nazis it’s worth a watch Game Adaptation Friendly? No this could go sideways in many many ways. AD&D Monsters: blue dragon
Venger uses the Crystal of Chronos to send a Nazi fighter pilot back to WWII Germany with modern jet technology to win the war for Germany, thus eliminating the kids before they’re born.
Notes: Diana has never seen an American fighter jet. Frank Welker Voices: American fighter pilot
24. ODYSSEY OF THE 12TH TALISMAN
Essential? No Game Adaptation Friendly? AD&D Monsters: jackalope. Bonus monster: some kind of dire camel or possibly off-model catoblepas
DM quests the kids to find and destroy the unpredictably dangerous Stone of Astra, which is in the hands of a kid that Eric bonds with named Lorn. An evil wizard frames the kids in an effort to acquire the artifact.
Notes: this is Eric gets a friend episode. Frank Welker voices the wizard Korlock
25. CITADEL OF SHADOW
Essential? No Game Adaptation Friendly? No AD&D Monsters: orcs. Bonus monster: flying bat-thing
Sheila frees a girl Kareena from her magic prison, and there’s two magic Ring of the Heart and the Ring of the Mind that can send the kids home, but Kareena has a connection with Venger.
Notes: Frank Welker voices an orc
26. CAVE OF THE FAERIE DRAGONS
Essential? No Game Adaptation Friendly? Quite possibly! But I haven’t tried it yet. AD&D Monsters: Faerie dragons, giant ants
Tasmira, queen of the Faerie Dragons, is held prisoner by the evil warlord King Varen, who desires their treasure. Aided by the sassy little dragon Amber, the gang must free her and help her people find a new home.
Notes: Presto makes a reference to the 1950’s giant ants movie “Them!”
27. THE WINDS OF DARKNESS
Essential? No Game Adaptation Friendly? Quite possibly! But I haven’t tried it yet. AD&D Monsters: brontotherium. Bonus monsters: furry pet, darkling.
BONUS EPISODE: REQUIEM
Essential? Tough call. Considering it’s not official, I would say it’s strictly not essential. But if you want closure, watch it. Game Adaptation Friendly? Ask me later. AD&D Monsters: Hydra, bronze dragon, lizard men, shadow demon. Bonus monster: amoeboid
This was to be the final episode of the series and a script was written but it was not officially produced. A radio play of the script was released with the DVD box set, including the original voice of Sheila, Katie Leigh. In 2020 a fan-made animation was released on Youtube which you can see here.
ESSENTIAL EPISODE FROM SEASON THREE: DUNGEON AT THE HEART OF DAWN
This season the episodes begin to focus on individual characters a bit more, giving them connections with other kids they meet during their travels. There are 8 episodes.
14. THE GIRL WHO DREAMED TOMORROW
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly? I haven’t tried to run it but it seems problematic. AD&D Monsters: bullywugs, lizard men, hydra, cockatrice. Original monsters: bat-winged tentacle monster
Bobby’s true love episode. The kids meet another refugee from the D&D ride on Earth, Teri, with an ability of prophetic dreams. DM tells them a portal home lies within within the Maze of Darkness. Teri dreams that she will be reunited with Bobby in America and DM confirms it will happen. Venger wants the secret of Teri’s powers. For some reason Bobby destroys the portal after Teri passes through it.
Notes: Sheila spanks a lizard man, and We learn former pupils of DM died in the maze!
15. TREASURE OF TARDOS
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly?No, for multiple reasons AD&D Monsters:plesiosaurus, orcs, shadow demon. Original monsters: demodragon
Venger has created a two-headed horror Demodragon in an effort to trick Queen Sulinara of Tardos Keep into giving up their treasured dragonsbane. Venger would use the plant against Tiamat, but DM sends the kids to help. Somehow they avoid dying.
16. CITY AT THE EDGE OF MIDNIGHT
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly?I think this could work if you’re willing to separate a PC from the rest of the group. AD&D Monsters: hook horrors, possibly a modified Type III Demon
King Ramuud, posing as a caravan merchant from Kadish, has lost his daughter Aisha to a creature called the Night Walker, who enslaves kids in his city where time is stopped. When Bobby is also taken, the kids go to rescue him.
Notes: Schoolmate Jimmy Whitaker says Presto does stupid magic tricks. Ramuud is way nicer than Eric’s dad.
17. THE TRAITOR
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly?Yes, the plot is quite simple, though I have not run it myself. AD&D Monsters: orcs, shadow demon. Original creatures: Cloud bears.
In this Endor/Ewok/Care Bears ‘ripoff/homage’, Hank and Bobby are captured by Venger, and Hank makes a deal to betray his comrades in order to save Bobby. Then he learns that the magic stones of the cloud bears are Venger’s kryptonite.
Notes: Venger uses orcs to attack the tree-dwelling cloud bears. He should have used his flying apes from episode 3!
18. DAY OF THE DUNGEON MASTER
Essential? YES! Game adaptation friendly?Not with any regard to power balance, no. AD&D Monsters:giant wasps, yeti, red dragon, roc, giant octopus (presumably)
Eric takes on the mantle and powers of Dungeon Master while the kids quest to the City of Darkhaven to acquire The Golden Grimoire.
Notes: They reference Star Wars. Eric has a selfless moment, Bobby is fine with leaving Uni alone in the realm this time. The animation during the climax is higher quality than the rest of the ep.
19. THE LAST ILLUSION
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly?Probably, but I haven’t run it personally. AD&D Monsters: Tiamat, orcs, giant squid
In this fairly dark episode, Presto connects with a natural illionist Varla, held captive by Venger in the Forbidden Tower. The kids must rescue her but Venger frames them as witches and townsfolk throw them in jail.
Presto’s love episode, with a happy ending, but we don’t know what happens to Varla for the rest of the series.
Notes: DM takes a bow at the end of the episode
20. THE DRAGON’S GRAVEYARD
Essential? YES! One of the darker episodes where the kids finally try to take control of their destiny. Game adaptation friendly? Not sure how you would do this. Would give the PC opportunity to gain new Weapons of Power. AD&D Monsters:frost giant, shadow demon, Tiamat
Remarkably this episode starts with the kids finding a portal home, and the kids are fed up when Venger thwarts them. The plan: to put an end to Venger, permanent-like, with the help of Tiamat.
21. CHILD OF THE STARGAZER
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly? No AD&D Monsters:doombat, demon
Diana falls for the extremely uncharismatic Kosar, recently escaped from a dungeon in city of Turad by the demon queen to prevent the fulfilling of the prophecy “On the Night of Starfall, the child of the stargazer shall come from a far away land to stand in the Temple of Light and the demon shall be banished.”
Notes: No Venger in this episode. Episode opens with Diana singing the end credits music. The animation is uneven in this episode, off model at times but more anime at the end
ESSENTIAL EPISODES FROM SEASON TWO: DAY OF THE DUNGEON MASTER
THE DRAGON’S GRAVEYARD
…on to SEASON THREE!
The final episode that wraps up the kids’ journey was scripted by Michael Reaves but was not professionally animated, as Mark Evanier explains on his blog. However, see the fan version here
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