Noita Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 On 5/16/2019 at 10:06 AM, Quackatoa said: Thank you, Aonstream, that's very kind! I'm currently working on a fan-created project that is less a traditional 'ducks book' (i.e. it won't function like a typical splatbook with culturally inflected character options and background and the like) than an adventure pack set in Duck Point. I'm writing and illustrating everything myself, so I'm afraid it's a terribly slow process! So, nothing immediately on the radar, but will hopefully have something ready next year. Fan projects are far more fun in my view. Less Mostali canons to worry about. Can't wait! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill the barbarian Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 1 hour ago, Iskallor said: Less Mostali canons to worry about. Ooh, the Mostal Canon Cult! 1 Quote ... remember, with a TARDIS, one is never late for breakfast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g33k Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 37 minutes ago, Bill the barbarian said: Ooh, the Mostal Canon Cult! We are all us. We are all the Canon Cult. Quote C'es ne pas un .sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Stansfield Posted August 2, 2019 Author Share Posted August 2, 2019 (edited) I've been quite lazy lately, sadly, but thought I'd update things with a mix of finished pieces, works in progress, concept and development sketches... Â Duck Rune Priestess of Engizi Clad in ritual armour composed of freshwater shells from the Creek-Stream River and saltwater shells collected on pilgrimages to Mirrorsea. ***** Duck Rune Lord of Humakt Wearing the typical panoply of a horned helmet, ring-mail jack and studded leather, and carrying a bronze greatsword. ***** Spearducks! An (unfinished) update (centre), of an old sketch from a dozen years ago (left); and a Vingan Nestguard (right). ***** Sootfeather, pyromaniacal spirit-cultist of Oakfead With his pet rubble runner. ***** A map of Dragon Pass As owned by everybody's favourite bandit. Â Edited August 2, 2019 by Quackatoa 12 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noita Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 The only map I shall ever use from now on... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjerwin Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 I have a question about cigars. What are those ducks smoking? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Stansfield Posted August 2, 2019 Author Share Posted August 2, 2019 (edited) 21 minutes ago, jeffjerwin said: I have a question about cigars. What are those ducks smoking? Personally, I've always thought the best smoking leaf comes from elves. Most upmarket cigars are made from Runners, though the very best are likely made—or at least claimed to be made—from dryad- or nymph-leaf. Ducks hire brave adventurers to venture into the elfwoods to find and capture the choicest leaves for their tubes of truth-seeking. The aldryami are obviously not particularly pleased with this and any expedition faces being hunted and composted by exceedingly angry elf warriors. But that's OK – they make great cigar boxes. Edited August 2, 2019 by Quackatoa 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 Your pictures and write-ups are fun as always. Â Thank you. But would a helmet of shell really offer much protection? Â Or is the headgear mostly ceremonial? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Stansfield Posted August 2, 2019 Author Share Posted August 2, 2019 45 minutes ago, seneschal said: Your pictures and write-ups are fun as always. Â Thank you. But would a helmet of shell really offer much protection? Â Or is the headgear mostly ceremonial? If it's good enough for a (dragon-)snail! (What are snails, anyway... slugs that went on a heroquest to gain armour?) But, more seriously, I suspect it's a bit of both. When I first started doing this in earnest, I started drawing ducks in phrygian-style helmets. Over time I started elongating the 'proboscis' and then started to curl it around into a whorl, much like a snailshell (and Air rune, of course). Then I thought: why not use an actual shell from a large snail? It sort of took off from there and became a bit of a shtick. Having written all this, I've just realised you may just mean the first image, with the sea shells? D'oh! Sorry! Yep, that's ceremonial. Though I suspect a Rune Priest of a Water entity using the armour favoured and enjoyed by that rune's denizens will enjoy a little more protection than wearing a helmet covered in shells would in our world. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill the barbarian Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 2 hours ago, Quackatoa said: Wearing the typical panoply of a horned helmet, ring-mail jack and studded leather, and carrying a bronze greatsword.  Shades of Bashki's Wizards, Nice!  2 hours ago, Quackatoa said: Spearducks!  A few of these aimed at you and respect for ducks might make a comeback. Never went away says some! 2 hours ago, Quackatoa said: Sootfeather, pyromaniacal spirit-cultist of Oakfead  Swweeettt! 1 hour ago, jeffjerwin said: What are those ducks smoking? ...and what about the artist? (sounds like he might be canadian, if ya know what I mean, eh?) Cheers 1 Quote ... remember, with a TARDIS, one is never late for breakfast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajagappa Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 (edited) 21 hours ago, Quackatoa said: A map of Dragon Pass As owned by everybody's favourite bandit. That is one lovely map! And makes me think of old Wyrms Footnotes pictures at the same time.  Edited August 3, 2019 by jajagappa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byll Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 That,s a great map, sort of E H Shepard's Hundred Acre Wood come to Dragon pass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Stansfield Posted August 3, 2019 Author Share Posted August 3, 2019 19 minutes ago, jajagappa said: That is one lovely map! And makes me think of old Wyrms Footnotes pictures at the same time.  I did shamelessly copy William's style for the dragonewt cities, which are just perfection, in my book! (And probably a few other things besides...) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byll Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 I love that he's tracking which ostlers have barred him from their ale houses. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Godspeed Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 1 minute ago, Byll said: I love that he's tracking which ostlers have barred him from their ale houses. I just noticed that too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiningbrow Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 I really like the threaad, and especially the drawings! Amazing!!! I know it's old, but I want to bring this up (not for you, but just in general).  On 6/19/2018 at 5:40 AM, Quackatoa said: DO DUCKS HAVE BOOBS? Boobs are, as I'm sure we all know, mammary glands - and that, by definition, means mammals. Are ducks mammals? I would presume not, because they got cursed not to fly - not to change their biology. Does a duckling suckle mother's milk?? (I think we need a Duck-pac book!) Personally, I dislike the inclination for artists to anthropomorphise not only general body shapes, but also complete societal trends, including what humans think of as attractive. Clothing I get - it's handy (usually), and you can show stuff off - as many ducks would (in particular, the males). So, in that vein, I'd keep the males as the more inclined to dress flashy and have lots of bling (and a few points in Sing and Dance!) Female ducks can also show off nice stuff - but I don't think they'd be quite as showy as the males. Ducks don't need boobs... (on the armour for a Vingan - maybe if they're specifically trying to emulate a human expression of a deity... or if they're really taken with human society) 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Stansfield Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 20 minutes ago, Shiningbrow said: Boobs are, as I'm sure we all know, mammary glands - and that, by definition, means mammals. Are ducks mammals? I would presume not, because they got cursed not to fly - not to change their biology. Does a duckling suckle mother's milk?? (I think we need a Duck-pac book!) "This is a race cursed by the gods during the Great Darkness for not joining them versus the forces of Chaos. It is unknown whether they were originally human and became feathered and web-footed, or originally ducks cursed with flightlessness and intelligence." – RuneQuest (2nd ed., 1979), p. 79. "Legend claims that these odd creatures were cursed during the premortal times. It is unclear whether they were humans cursed with feathers and webbed feet or ordinary ducks cursed with intelligence and flightlessness." – RuneQuest (3rd ed., 1984), Creatures Book, p. 15. "The origin of the ducks is a mystery to outsiders. Legend claims they were cursed by the gods in the Great Darkness for not joining them versus the forces of Chaos, although it is unclear if they were humans cursed with feathers and webbed feet or ordinary ducks cursed with intelligence and flightlessness." – Sartar Companion (2010), p. 110. "It is unknown whether they were originally human and became feathered and web-footed, or originally ducks cursed with flightlessness and intelligence." – RuneQuest Glorantha Bestiary (2018), p. 31.  I realise that what I'll term 'the Borderlands paradigm' is strong (not least as it's the longest description of ducks published, and has been reprinted practically word for word in River of Cradles, and also the RuneQuest Glorantha Bestiary), but it's worth remembering that Borderlands (1982) does note (Referee's Handbook, p. 25): "Their origins are obscure, though some tales tell of them as an avian folk who forswore their allegiance to Yelm to follow Orlantha, and were denied the sky as punishment." (Emphasis mine.) I know, this is a fairly long-winded way of defending the potential for something I don't actually believe (!), but I like that the sources are intentionally ambiguous and like to reiterate that they're not as proscriptive as is often assumed. Indidentally, this is also the case for keets, for whom the idea that they gave up their powers of flight is pretty standard. (Particularly because it reinforces—and self-reinforces—the perception gained from Borderlands for ducks, given the contrast: one kind cursed involuntarily to flightlessness for their own cowardice and selfishness; the other voluntarily and selflessly sacrificing it to save the world.) But, were I to be provocative, I'd suggest that the most neutral reading of Revealed Mythologies would suggest that modern keets are likely descended from ancestors that never could fly. But there's a lot going on, there - not least 'Greg things' vs 'Sandy things'.  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiningbrow Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 3 minutes ago, Quackatoa said: "This is a race cursed by the gods during the Great Darkness for not joining them versus the forces of Chaos. It is unknown whether they were originally human and became feathered and web-footed, or originally ducks cursed with flightlessness and intelligence." – RuneQuest (2nd ed., 1979), p. 79. "Legend claims that these odd creatures were cursed during the premortal times. It is unclear whether they were humans cursed with feathers and webbed feet or ordinary ducks cursed with intelligence and flightlessness." – RuneQuest (3rd ed., 1984), Creatures Book, p. 15. "The origin of the ducks is a mystery to outsiders. Legend claims they were cursed by the gods in the Great Darkness for not joining them versus the forces of Chaos, although it is unclear if they were humans cursed with feathers and webbed feet or ordinary ducks cursed with intelligence and flightlessness." – Sartar Companion (2010), p. 110. "It is unknown whether they were originally human and became feathered and web-footed, or originally ducks cursed with flightlessness and intelligence." – RuneQuest Glorantha Bestiary (2018), p. 31.  I realise that what I'll term 'the Borderlands paradigm' is strong (not least as it's the longest description of ducks published, and has been reprinted practically word for word in River of Cradles, and also the RuneQuest Glorantha Bestiary), but it's worth remembering that Borderlands (1982) does note (Referee's Handbook, p. 25): "Their origins are obscure, though some tales tell of them as an avian folk who forswore their allegiance to Yelm to follow Orlantha, and were denied the sky as punishment." (Emphasis mine.) I know, this is a fairly long-winded way of defending the potential for something I don't actually believe (!), but I like that the sources are intentionally ambiguous and like to reiterate that they're not as proscriptive as is often assumed. Indidentally, this is also the case for keets, for whom the idea that they gave up their powers of flight is pretty standard. (Particularly because it reinforces—and self-reinforces—the perception gained from Borderlands for ducks, given the contrast: one kind cursed involuntarily to flightlessness for their own cowardice and selfishness; the other voluntarily and selflessly sacrificing it to save the world.) But, were I to be provocative, I'd suggest that the most neutral reading of Revealed Mythologies would suggest that modern keets are likely descended from ancestors that never could fly. But there's a lot going on, there - not least 'Greg things' vs 'Sandy things'.  Fair enough! I suppose I was more MGV... it seems weird to punish humans by turning them into Ducks - although there have been weirder curses. Flying creatures with intelligence (and some level of handedness), and the ability to fight Chaos - but refusing to - and being cursed with flightlessness (especially by Sky/Air gods) makes a LOT of sense! Especially mythically - the god could easily say (enforce) "you're not coming into my realm any more"... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 The ducks and keets are all related to webbed feet birds, birds with both water and sky as parents. At least that's what Tholaina tells us. Reducing their sorry state to the Sky connection (a captured sky being, according to Tholaina's Prosopaedia entry) leaves out their water ancestry. It doesn't seem very likely that any cursed being would gain sky attributes like beaks or feathers. (I won't rule out the possibility that the ducks stole these from the dismembering of Hippogriff, though...)  1 Quote Telling how it is excessive verbis  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soltakss Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 6 hours ago, Shiningbrow said: Ducks don't need boobs... Well, a google search for images of Ducks with Boobs has brought up almost nothing, which indicates they probably don't have them. 2 Quote Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. www.soltakss.com/index.html Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiningbrow Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 42 minutes ago, soltakss said: Well, a google search for images of Ducks with Boobs has brought up almost nothing, which indicates they probably don't have them. Well, I used a google.au... so, perhaps Aussies like their boobs on ducks more than where you're searching 😛 (but, yeah.. not a lot)   (now, how many reading this are going to try their own search?? 😛 ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajagappa Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 2 hours ago, soltakss said: Well, a google search for images of Ducks with Boobs has brought up almost nothing, which indicates they probably don't have them. They could just be similar to platypus and sweat out milk for the young rather than needing breasts. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 St. Canard’s sorceress turned superhero Morgana Macawber could give Elvira Mistress of the Dark a run for her money in the, um, physique department.  Even quiet houseduck Binkie Muddlefoot has a distinctly non-avian profile.  Dunno, maybe its the corrupting influence of big city life, or perhaps ducks are careful to conceal their feminine charms around those violent, horny humans.  🤔😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott-martin Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 I still think the "born in an egg" thing with them is libel, a downright canard. But while the women may pack their bras to conform to a human standard of va-va-voom, I don't know what they look like with their clothes off and don't push. They think they look great and seem to have no trouble attracting the ganders. Quote singer sing me a given Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill the barbarian Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 4 hours ago, soltakss said: Well, a google search for images of Ducks with Boobs has brought up almost nothing, which indicates they probably don't have them. <All hail the 'NET> "The all mighty 'NET has spoken!" </Amen> 1 Quote ... remember, with a TARDIS, one is never late for breakfast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.