GUIDELINES

• Create tabletop RPG content inspired by real-world creatures. Could be a complete game, an adventure, a bestiary, a list of magic items, or just a single NPC. Anything goes, really.
• Include the binomial name {genus species} of the real-world inspiration for each creature. Some examples:

"The Vile Crocodile {crocodylus niloticus} can spit globs of acid at enemies."

"Your enemy uses Great Beak {ardea herodias}, a striking move that not only deals 2d6 damage but also removes any food you are carrying."

"At night the town mayor {sepia apama} walks down dark alleys to unleash his stored light. Witness this and you will know the key to defeating him in the courtroom tomorrow."

Despite the cheeky tagline, your creatures do NOT require stats, and your RPG content can be for any system or setting.

REVIEW AND PROMOTION 

After the challenge is complete, David Schirduan and his wife Lauren will review every entry and promote it with a custom tweet from their twitter account. We'll fit as many kind words as we can into a single tweet!

RECOMMENDATIONS

Start with a real creature, and then exaggerate. It will be trickier if you come up with a wild idea and then have to hunt for a matching creature. For example, {crocodylus niloticus} actually does have particularly acidic blood. There should be some connection to the real creature, even if it's only tenuous.

If you need artwork, the Biodiversity Heritage Library added a bunch of beautiful public domain artwork to Flickr. Search their collection by clicking this link and changing the "bird" in the top right search bar. Also here is some advice on using public domain artwork in your game. 

If you absolutely cannot think of a place to start, then check out our newest game, Bones Deep, for ideas. It's what inspired this jam in the first place!