The masters of sky and sea confront each other in this monstrous battle. Few beasts can match the power of a fire breathing dragon. But huge sea monsters are also fearsome forces of nature. Discover the weapons and abilities of these mighty beasts, and then get ready for a fiery, head to head fight.

-In handbook format, describes the physical features, behavior, and habitat of deadly fantasy monsters---

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.

A highly original work that deals a shattering blow to all our preconceived notions about our past and human origins. Worldwide legends refer to giant flying lizards and dragons that came to this planet and founded the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China. Who were these reptilian creatures? What was the real reason for mans creation? Why did Adam lose his chance at immortality in the Garden of Eden? Who were the Nefilim who descended from heaven and mated with human women? Why did the serpent take such a bad rap in history? Why didnt Adam and Eve wear clothes? What were the crystals or stones that the gods fought over? Why did the ancient Sumerians call their major gods USHUMGAL, which means literally great fiery, flying serpent? What were the boats of heaven in ancient Egypt and the sky chariots of the Bible? This book tells it all.

Dragon Emblem RPG is a table-top game designed with inspiration from games such as DCC, Metamorphosis Alpha, World of Warcraft, and others. There are several classes and races each with unique abilities and traits to help create balanced groups. The game includes a background story and a 16-adventure campaign that the players can delve into. New weapons, armor, relics, treasures, and gruesome creatures await the brave adventurers. All book purchases through Lulu grant me revenue, and other locations grant me none. As a result, if purchasing through Lulu, it is considered a donation to me, my family, and future projects I may endeavor on. Likewise, a portion of the revenue will be used to compensate those who have assisted me with the production of this game, which includes anyone that gave me ideas or advice, to those that assisted with playtesting.

First published in 2002. The image of a dragon- magnificent, terrifying, voracious and powerful- is ingrained in our culture. But where di it originate? And how is that people from Africa to China to America picture it the same? An Instinct for Dragons is anthropologist David E. Jones' account of his search for the mysterious birth of this ubiquitous monster. Nit only does virtually every culture in the world have a name for dragons- smok in Polish, tatsu in Japanese, unktena in Cherokee- but dragons everywhere share many of the same characteristics: multiple heads, blazing eyes, earth-shaking roars, fiery breath, and the abduction of princesses. Spanning dragon lore from all paces and periods, Jones scrutinizes sightings and references from dragon inscriptions on cave walls, cliffs and pots to the Loch Ness monster to the Internet. Jones' research is erudite, and his conclusion is stunning; not only is our fear and fascination with dragons a direct result of the predators who threatened our evolution, but humankind is essentially 'hardwired' to believe in the dragon. This book will fascinate any reader interested in the cultural history of this most venerable of monsters.

"A must read for all young adult fiction fans!" -5-Star reviewer "D.C. and Michael pack a wealth of wonder and fantasy into this young adult adventure. Incorporating some of the most fascinating legends…I found myself being drawn to the depth of the characters and enjoyed watching their bonds grow as they explored the gifts hidden deep within them as well as the evil that hunts for them. I recommend this story for anyone who loves folklore and monstrous fun! From vampires to dragons, from witches to eerie ferrymen, this tale has it all." Solomon J. Inkwell, Author of Vickie Van Helsing The attack on Hunter’s Grove High School by a Greater demon and the bully Donnie Wickles delivered a crushing blow to Charlie Sullivan, his friends, their families, and their once quiet, peaceful community. Everyone soon discovers the demon terrorizing Hunter’s Grove is only the beginning of their troubles. A trail of destructive, sinister activity—including the theft of a dangerous artifact, the release of a bloodthirsty Greater from captivity, and the threat of all six main portal cities coming under siege—stretches Charlie Sullivan and a broken and tired team of monster hunters across the globe. The first team lands in Japan, at the site of one of the most embarrassing events in the country’s history—Rashomon, the Dragon Gate. There, Charlie Sullivan faces the King of Demons, his vengeful lieutenant, and an army of creatures rising from the worst of nightmares. What happens next triggers a series of global cataclysmic events that some will not survive. A new breed of monsters is released to level chaos against humanity as the master plan and purpose of evil in our world is revealed. Suffering loss, exhaustion, and being tested beyond the limits of human understanding, Charlie Sullivan and the Monster Hunters face their most dangerous task as they set out to quell an ancient darkness that has now been awakened. "I picked this book up for my oldest daughter. I thought she might enjoy it and asked her to let me know what she thought. She loved it! I ended up reading it with her and I have to say that I enjoyed the story as much, maybe more, than she did." -Amazon reviewer "The characters are real enough that I found myself cheering them on and hoping they succeed in their mission. I look forward to reading the next installment." Amazon reviewer From The Authors We began this journey together, as father and son, with the goal of writing a story that spoke to friendship, overcoming obstacles (and the ultimate evils in our world), and of the power of working together to face the biggest challenges in our lives. Yes, it's full of monsters, peril, and steeped in exciting mythology and folklore, but it centers around the powerful bonds formed between an unlikely group of friends as they face a unique set of challenges. We wanted to write a story that we would be proud to read aloud to our then newborn son/baby brother (who now, years later, has read them through twice more). It has turned into the adventure of a lifetime as we are meeting people from all over the world who are falling in love with Charlie Sullivan, Darcy Witherington, Nash Stormstepper, and the twins Lisa & Liev Vadinknov - along with a wild, often humorous, and mysterious cast of humans and monsters alike. Charlie Sullivan and the Monster Hunters: The Dragon Gate (Book 4) is the next adventure in the series, with Rise of the Ancients (Book 5) to be released soon, and a total of 6 books in the series! "In my opinion, this series deserves to be a huge hit ... I can guarantee you'll be hooked!"

Many cultures have myths about dragons. From the Greek Chimera to the fire-breathing creature of medieval Europe, dragons have taken many forms throughout history. Readers learn all about these myths and legends and explore the significance to the cultures they come from. Fascinating fact boxes explore how the dragon myth came about, including the animals that likely influences their famous features. Full-color photographs and illustrations enhance the main text, introducing the colorful Chinese dragons and the fearsome creatures in fantasy literature.

A study of the gruesome game characters we love to beat—and what they tell us about ourselves. Since the early days of video games, monsters have played pivotal roles as dangers to be avoided, level bosses to be defeated, or targets to be destroyed for extra points. But why is the figure of the monster so important in gaming, and how have video games come to shape our culture’s conceptions of monstrosity? To answer these questions, Player vs. Monster explores the past half-century of monsters in games, from the dragons of early tabletop role-playing games and the pixelated aliens of Space Invaders to the malformed mutants of The Last of Us and the bizarre beasts of Bloodborne, and reveals the common threads among them. Covering examples from aliens to zombies, Jaroslav Švelch explores the art of monster design and traces its influences from mythology, visual arts, popular culture, and tabletop role-playing games. At the same time, he shows that video games follow the Cold War–era notion of clearly defined, calculable enemies, portraying monsters as figures that are irredeemably evil yet invariably vulnerable to defeat. He explains the appeal of such simplistic video game monsters, but also explores how the medium could evolve to present more nuanced depictions of monstrosity.

Stories about dragons, serpents, and their slayers make up a rich and varied tradition within ancient mythology and folklore. In this sourcebook, Daniel Ogden presents a comprehensive and easily accessible collection of dragon myths from Greek, Roman, and early Christian sources. Some of the dragons featured are well known: the Hydra, slain by Heracles; the Dragon of Colchis, the guardian of the golden fleece overcome by Jason and Medea; and the great sea-serpent from which Perseus rescues Andromeda. But the less well known dragons are often equally enthralling, like the Dragon of Thespiae, which Menestratus slays by feeding himself to it in armor covered in fish-hooks, or the lamias of Libya, who entice young men into their striking-range by wiggling their tails, shaped like beautiful women, at them. The texts are arranged in such a way as to allow readers to witness the continuity of and evolution in dragon stories between the Classical and Christian worlds, and to understand the genesis of saintly dragon-slaying stories of the sort now characteristically associated with St George, whose earliest dragon-fight concludes the volume. All texts, a considerable number of which have not previously been available in English, are offered in new translations and accompanied by lucid commentaries that place the source-passages into their mythical, folkloric, literary, and cultural contexts. A sampling of the ancient iconography of dragons and an appendix on dragon slaying myths from the ancient Near East and India, particularly those with a bearing upon the Greco-Roman material, are also included. This volume promises to be the most authoritative sourcebook on this perennially fascinating and influential body of ancient myth.