Dwoll-y Hole

I dreamt that I was in a dark forest. Barren trees moaned beneath the weight of gibbets hanging on each branch. Beasts growled and hooted unseen all around. I could see perfectly clearly, but there was no light. My sole tether to hope and the world above was the sibyl gripping my hand, leading me onward. Words flowed into my ears, “Take courage. You will see but not be seen. Note all that you witness, for you shall be fortunate to never return here.”

Predatory animals understand risk and reward. Every movement they make towards taking down prey is energy spent. This is why they prefer easy meals. The larger and stronger a predator is, they require more energy, but conversely can spend less energy securing a meal. Giant crocodiles are so much more dangerous than regular ones for this reason. A human is just one bite for a giant croc. Their incredible jaws make armor useless, as it crumples underneath their strength. The best defense is simply not to bother. Fortunately, giant crocodiles are rare, found only in primeval environments. The very largest are capable of taking down the dinosaurs they live alongside. Do not believe that they won't pick off a human being if the opportunity presents itself. 

A pair of winged horses. The first is Pegasus, son of Poseidon and Medusa. The second are an Ethiopian species mentioned by Pliny scantly. Not only are they winged, they also have a pair of horns. I’d like to imagine they’re a smaller (possibly ass sized) species that leap and fly around the Ethiopian highlands. Man, I'm tired of drawing horses.

Crocodiles are infamous here in the western lands despite them being found very far away. In the early days, this resulted in chroniclers depicting beasts they had no knowledge of, leading to the pantherine and human-faced crocodiles of bestiary fame. Scholars would expound upon their remorsefulness, as their famous tears as evidence, or their reliable companionship with birds to clean their mouths. These facts were taken for granted by authors who'd never so much seen a crocodile pelt. Nowadays we know more, and adventurers are always cautious of suspiciously bumpy shapes in tropical waters. If you think there's a crocodile in a pool of water, don't go in. Where one may lurk, others cannot be too far behind. Their ability to pounce and latch onto whatever they bite cannot be understated. 

Larval Ammoknites are born with only their helmets and resemble any other nautilus, except for the distinct modules on their underside where the rest of the armor will grow from. As they get older and pass into the Instar stage, Ammoknites develop their armor further. Two legs and arms can support the child-sized cephalopod on land. As adults, the armor reaches its zenith. Now standing nearly as tall as a human, Ammoknites are studded with shell nodules. Each Ammoknite sculpts their armor with discarded shells from other molluscs, making every one unique. Some boast orthocone lances, giant clam shields, and urchin-topped flails. Beach lords test their mettle against one another by staging duels. An Ammoknite colossus is a veritable fortress. They abandon mobility for pure defense and offense, tipping their calcium carbonate buttresses with siphon belemnite spikes and coral-lattice gates. The soft body of the Ammoknite doesn’t change in size, but its internal body expands to control the entire fortress."

One might imagine the giant crayfish to be similar to the giant crab. In some respects they are; they use their enormous claws to defend themselves and require moist gills to breathe when out of water. Giant crayfish can grow to much larger sizes, however. Perhaps the lack of competition and exploitation of human agriculture contributes to this. These monsters are also called giant mudbugs due to their propensity for burrowing. Sometimes they will burrow in rice paddies, and have been known to snap clean through the legs of farmers who inadvertently disturb them. Thankfully crayfish are even less interested in large prey than giant crabs. 

Re-using the Carcinus color scheme for simplicity's sake. I want to get the rest of Chapter C done with so we can embark on the grand odyssey of Chapter D.

The coloration is inspired by the red junglefowl. This is in reference to its golden feathers and fire-colored body. I imagine it would be a relic; kept only in captivity as it was out-competed by the pegasus.

This depiction is based off of a red plate from Hellenistic Italy. The one on the plate has wings, which I changed into large, frilly fins. It may not look all that energetically efficient, but when your boss is the god of the sea the rules of hydrodynamics can bend for you.

As a disclosure: I have never seen a couatl. All of the information I present herein was given to me by a travelling companion from the Antipodes, the good gentleman Xiuhtlalpilli. The being he described was no monster, but an avatar of a highly respected god. Cocoah (the plural form of couatl) travel the universe invisibly to deliver knowledge to mortals. Their touch is subtle. A flash of inspiration could be attributed to the brush of a couatl’s feathers across one’s head. The priests of this land are always on the lookout for evidence of a couatl’s passing. Statues depicting their many incarnations are found everywhere. When they manifest physically, it is a truly magnificent event, angelic to our ears. They shine with the light of the morning star, covered in dazzling feathers which catch the light in a prismatic explosion of color. Couatl venom is said to be either deadly enough to melt stone or capable of resurrecting the dead. I dearly hope, one day, to be able to see one for myself.

Though no larger than a common rooster, the cockatrice possesses the fearful ability of petrification. The affliction is carried through their touch, most often in their beak, claws, and spurs. The rate at which the petrification spreads is slow enough that a cockatrice may be killed long before its attacker turns to stone. To demonstrate the danger they pose, cockatrices are covered in shining feathers, perform ostentatious threat displays, and crow just as loudly and frequently as their namesake. Cockatrices are not brave creatures. They will put up a strong show, but are more likely to flee if the opportunity presents itself. Wrapping any exposed skin in thick, padded garments is extremely useful when dealing with them. As is having a full, unburned shield… Reminder to self: stop by the armorer’s before the ship sets sail.

Cerberus is based off a particular Greek hydria which depicts Cerberus with three differently colored heads and many snakes coming off of them. The snakes are often left out of depictions. But not even I could bring myself to depict the 50-headed hound of Hesiod. That's too many dang heads to draw! I sympathize with the poor potters of ancient Greece who reduced it to the three heads we're familiar with today.

I've noticed no one ever draws female chimeras, with a lioness' and ewe's heads, in spite of the fact the original Lycian monster was female.

I wasn't satisfied with the art for the behemoth and leviathan. I wanted to emphasize their scale more, and put in some perspective to sell that.

I don't think there's ever been an illustration of the cerebral parasite, other than motes of psychic energy. With free reign, I decided to make it a weird bug. The feathered back legs catch the wind to float while the front legs hook onto hair or skin.