<decloaking...> I know a little about some of the monsters that have been mentioned here:
--the D&D gorgon (like many other Monster Manual critters like the leucrotta, catoblepas, and peryton) comes from medieval bestiaries. T.H. White's _The Book of Beasts_ has a D&D Gorgon illustration on p. 265. Turning to stone is not in White's bestiary; it probably comes from a linkup to the gorgons of classical myth, aka medusa and her sisters. --githyanki (but not githzerai) derive originally from the works of George R.R. Martin, specifically the book _Dying of the Light_. Although I noticed this separately, I was slightly startled to find this interview with the man who wrote the githyanki entry for the Fiend Folio online: http://www.planewalker.com/loz/mi_stross.shtml. The idea that I could become "famous" and be interviewed for game-related stuff twenty years in the future is rather weird. BTW, Martin just provides the name "Githyanki", a mention that they were the slaves of another mentally-powered race, a mention that their appearance is demonic, and a reference to their psychic powers (they are often referred to as soulsucks)--he never gives a straight description, and a live githyanki is never encountered. I met Martin at last year's Worldcon and meant to ask him if he knew about this whole "borrowing" of his critter, but the instant I mentioned D&D he started sneering at me for playing an inferior game (he prefers GURPS) and I never asked him. Be interesting to find out. Is there a web page out there summarizing folkore sources for D&D monsters? --Fred Bush _______________________________________________ Ogf-l mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.opengamingfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/ogf-l
