This introductory guide to DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is an illustrated primer to many of the characters you can play in D&D, along with their essential weapons and adventuring tools. In this illustrated guide, you're transported to the legendary and magical worlds of Dungeons & Dragons, where you are presented with one-of-a-kind entries for different types of warriors, as well as the weaponry these fighters need for D&D adventuring. This guide includes detailed illustrations of the weapons, armor, clothing, and other equipment that fighters use, and offers the tools young, aspiring adventurers need for learning how to build their own characters, including sample profiles, a flowchart to help you decide what type of warrior to be, and brainstorming challenges to start you thinking like an adventurer whether on your own or in the midst of an exciting quest with friends and fellow players.

This 96-page book presents 44 legendary monsters from around the world that are as different as they are scary. Each section includes cool monster facts, a slice of fiction to set the stage, and detailed illustrations that bring each frightening fiend to life. Whether reading about movie monsters (Godzilla and Dracula), mythical monsters (Cyclops and Kraken), or modern monsters (Bigfoot and the bogeyman), readers will be fully prepared for a monster encounter of any kind!

Provides an illustrated look at dragons, griffins, werewolves, serpent monsters, sirens, mermaids, and other mythical creatures of land, sea, and air and includes text with legends from around the world.

Discover the truth about the world's most terrifying mythical creatures that have been scaring people for generations, from Beowulf's Dragon to Frankenstein. Featuring ancient legends and folklore, movie and modern monsters, this collection of more than 40 creatures will scare and entertain with stunning illustrations, maps and fascinating facts.

"Previously published as Medusa's gaze and vampire's bite by Scribner"--Title page verso.

What made Athena furious with a local weaver that she transformed her into Greek mythology's first spider woman, Arachne? What is the tall tale behind Filipino folklore's sea serpent Bakunawa, who flies through the night skies devouring moons? What is the symbolism behind French folktale's infamous night rider, Cheval Mallet? We have all been exposed to a mythological beast in one form or another. Whether it is the three headed guard dog Fluffy in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, or even the story of Smaug in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth in The Hobbit; all these pop culture mythical creatures have a deep connection to the mythologies and folktales of ancient cultures. Where did they come from? What relevance do they serve in mythology? Why are some so obscure, while others become pop-culture enigmas? Get the answer to these questions, and learn about beasts from different world cultures. Folklorist Zayden Stone dives deep into the stories of these magical beasts and provides a fictional anecdote, a retelling of the original myths, an analysis of the symbolism and relevance of the creatures, and then pairs it with some beautiful black and white illustrations reimagined by artist Herdhian. In the Mythical Creatures and Mythological Beasts book, the illustrated guide takes you through six themes that have been specifically chosen since they are consistent across cultures. The categories include: arthropods for insects, crustaceans, and arachnids; avian for birds; canines for wolves and dogs; serpents for snakes and dragons; ungulates for hooved animals like horses and cows; and aquatic for water dwelling beasts. Presenting the creatures in categories makes it easier to see what the beasts have in common. You will find some overlapping themes across ancient cultures that point to universal ideas in how humans perceive the world. If you wonder where your favorite creature is, you will probably find them within these pages, even if they do not have their own chapter. For example, the ever-popular Pegasus can be found in the tale of the Gorgon sisters. He also had a half-brother, Arion, who features in the ungulates section. There is also a brilliant white-winged horse from Islamic tradition which may sound very familiar to Pegasus as well. If you have a love for the myths and want to learn about the unique beasts that dwell within them, this book is a great way to do it. Not only will you learn about ones you may have never heard of, but you will also be able to draw parallels between cultures and see how they interpreted their surroundings through stories of mythical creatures and magical beasts.

"Whether you need dungeon vermin or a world-shaking personification of evil, the Tome of beasts has it. Here are more than 400 new foes for your 5th edition game--everything from tiny drakes and peculiar spiders, to demon lords and ancient dragons."--Back cover.