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explanations of the good the bad and the ugly of the Don't Starve world [Field note styled]


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I really like these entries, 23rd. I'll get started on some pages right away. Happy to call you my colleague!

If I've got your approval, I'm golden. I look forward to seeing your pages, the stuff I've seen is incredible!

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Crawling Horrors

 

When I first saw the Crawling Horror it was just a shadowy outline that flickered against the sun, and I was sure that what I saw was just my mind playing tricks on me. However, the wounds I've sustained in these past days have ensured me that the Crawling Horror is very much real.

 

The best way to picture the Crawling Horror is to imagine something that doesn't look real, even when it's rushing towards you. It's entire body seems to be comprised of translucent shadows; this odd monster is neither solid, liquid, or gaseous in structure. It has tons of little, undefined feet that allow it to slither and crawl along the ground in ways most fowl. Its entire body beyond that seems to be a shaggy mane, and yet it has no hair to shed.

 

In some impossible way, the Crawling Horror only seems to come into existence when I am losing my grasp on my sanity. I'd hesitated to write an entry about it until one of them physically attacked me because I had thought them to merely be figments of my imagination. When the first of these hostile things attacked me it opened its maws to reveal rows of sharpened fangs that reminded me of the hounds' teeth, both in appearance and pain. They can be fought, even killed for their shadowy essence, but as long as the migraines persist they will keep appearing just out of sight.

 

The worst part of it all is that the pigmen I had befriended never noticed my struggle, despite standing mere feet away.

 

In conclusion: While it is possible to fight Crawling Horrors, I strongly recommend taking the proper steps to never end up in that situation. Sleep regularly, pick flowers and cook meals instead of eating raw food, anything to stay sane so you won't be at the mercy of a Crawling Horror and their friends.

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Terrorbeak

 

Just when I thought these shadowy abominations couldn't get any worse. I had been struggling with Crawling Horrors again the day after I'd written their entry and the migraines had gotten worse mid-fight. Before I knew, I saw something grotesque skittering over the horizon.

 

The Terrorbeak's entire body is composed of some impossible shadowy substance, exactly like the Crawling Horror. Despite this, it has a much more detailed appearance and seems almost designed to instill specific horror in stark contrast to the Crawling Horror's uncertain anxiety. It moves about on short legs that remind me of a cockroach, with a featureless stick of a body. Where the Crawling Horror only shows its fangs before an attack, the Terrorbeak's hideous dentures are always on display in a maw that seems unable to close. The head is bulbous, with demented eyes and spike-like appendages protruding from its head to its spine.

 

It may move like a cockroach, but the monster attacks like a snake. Slithering about once it gets close and lunging to strike at its prey, it can be much more difficult to take such a nimble opponent without taking a hit or two yourself. Once again, I find that I am the only one who can see or feel these wretched predators. If I was not so concerned with simply surviving their onslaught every time they appeared I could take the time to discover the purpose of their existence in this puzzling world. Alas, I do not think that I will be afforded such an opportunity.

 

In conclusion: The same conclusion I've listed for Crawling Horrors applies to Terrorbeaks just as well. If, for some unthinkable reason, you are every in a situation where you have to fight the nightmares of this world, kill the Terrorbeak first. Fighting Crawling Horrors is nothing short of leisurely when you have Terrorbeaks as a comparison.

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Oh my god. Oh my fricking god, this is absolutely amazing. I love these so far, definetly going to print them out and make a book of them. But I was just wondering..

volume_1__the_surface_by_sigmaelain-d6vm

 

 

Volume One - The Surface

Could you please make a wide version of this cover, so it will fit with the pages? If would be very thankful!
Keep the amazing job going!

EDIT:
Will you be doing kinda "everything" (description of trees,  iberry bushes, items.. you know what I mean I hope) or you'll stick just with the animals and monsters?

SECOND EDIT:
Oh, and will you be doing DLC stuff too?

Edited by BEEFcz
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Oh my god. Oh my fricking god, this is absolutely amazing. I love these so far, definetly going to print them out and make a book of them. But I was just wondering..

Could you please make a wide version of this cover, so it will fit with the pages? If would be very thankful!

Keep the amazing job going!

EDIT:

Oh, and will you be doing kinda "everything" (description of trees, berry bushes,.. you know what I mean) or you'll stick just with the animals and monsters?

I always figured this project was meant to be a bestiary, so I'm going to stick to the sentient.

 

---

 

Werebeaver

 

There was a time when I thought full moons only affected the pigmen, but I've recently learned there's something.. else.. out there. I've only ever seen it on full moons, and I can't begin to imagine who they are between transformations. For the sake of convenience, I shall refer to this beast henceforth as Werebeaver.

 

It is difficult to give an accurate description of the Werbeaver since I only caught glimpses of it in the light of my torch, but there are several distinctive details worth noting. This beast is covered in shaggy brown fur that covers its entire body, no doubt offering it the luxury of complete immunity to the hazardous weather patterns I must often go out of my way to prepare for. It has many evolutionary features that one would expect of a beaver such as large front teeth, webbed feet and a broad tail, yet walks upright and is nearly double my height as most of the humanoid creatures seem to be. Most curiously, it wears a pair of tattered overalls; perhaps an indication that the Werebeaver's concubine is a human male like myself?

 

Since all my encounters with the Werebeaver have been at the dead of night, I have no way of knowing exactly where it makes its home. However, there are several things I have noticed. On the few occasions I have managed to injure it, the beast was able to rejuvenate itself by tearing down trees with its massive teeth and consuming the wood whole. Another thing I noticed is that I've only ever had to deal with it when I set up my camp in walking distance to a forest. This leads me to believe that the Werebeaver's host, like me, migrates from place to place depending on his needs. Whether he's conscious of it or not, the Werebeaver's concubine seeks out areas with an enormous supply of wood.

 

In conclusion: I've encountered few creatures that have piqued my scientific curiosity quite like this one. If possible, I must try and find a way to capture this furry monster, so as to meet the unlucky soul who's afflicted with this lycanthropic curse. Another questions nags at the back of my mind after discovering the existence of the Werebeaver; are there more creatures out there affected by the lunar phases?

Edited by 23rd
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Oh my god. Oh my fricking god, this is absolutely amazing. I love these so far, definetly going to print them out and make a book of them. But I was just wondering..

Could you please make a wide version of this cover, so it will fit with the pages? If would be very thankful!
Keep the amazing job going!

EDIT:
Will you be doing kinda "everything" (description of trees,  iberry bushes, items.. you know what I mean I hope) or you'll stick just with the animals and monsters?

SECOND EDIT:
Oh, and will you be doing DLC stuff too?

 

 

I agree with 23rd, just creatures. DLC stuff could be fun.

 

The fact that the cover doesn't fit with the pages has always bothered me. Expect an edit of that soon.

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So I've tried to help a little, and I wrote down every creature in the game. If I forgot something, let me know

Ancient Guardian
Batilisks - ☑ [TEXT only]
Beargers
Bees - ☑
Beefalos ☑
Birchnutters
Birds (Crow, Redbirds, Snowbirds) - ☑ (Crow only)
Bunnymen (+Beardlord) - ☑ [TEXT only]
Butterflies
Buzzards
Catcoons
Charlie (Night Monster)
Chester - ☑
Clockworks (Bishop, Knight, Rook) - ☑ [TEXT only] (ROOK only)
Deerclops - ☑
Depths Worms
DragonFlies
Eels
Fireflies
Fishes
Frogs
Ghosts
Gobblers - ☑
Hounds (Normal, Red, Blue)
Koalefants (Normal, Winter)
Krampus - ☑ [TEXT only]
Lureplants (+ Eyeplants)
MacTusks (+ WeeTusks)
Mandrakes
Merms - ☑
Moleworms
Mosquitos - ☑ [TEXT only]
Goose - Moose
Pengulls - ☑ [TEXT only]
Pigs (Normal, Guardian, Werepig, King) - ☑ (Without Guardian pigs)
Rabbits (+Beardlings)
Rock Lobsters
Shadow Creatures (Crawling Horror, Terrorbeak, etc.) - ☑ [TEXT only] (without Mr.Skits, Shadow Watcher, Night Hand)
Slurpers - ☑ [TEXT only]
Slurtles
Spiders (Normal, Warriors, Cave, Spitter, Depth Dwellers) - ☑ (Only normal type)
Splumonkey (+Shadow Splumonkey)
Tallbird (+Smallbird) - ☑
Tentacle (+Baby Tentacle)
Treeguards (Normal + Birchnuts)
Volt Goat
Wargs
Werebeaver - ☑ [TEXT only]

I hope we'll ever see this project completed, but who knows

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Depth Dweller

 

I thought the spiders on the surface were bad, but the further down you go the worse they get. Without a doubt, the Depth Dwellers have to be the worst of them at all. I truly, truly hate these cretinous little monstrosities.  Alas, raving about my completely reasonable hatred for the disgusting things is hardly informative.

 

The Depth Dweller, like its surface-dwelling counterparts, has two large eyes and a plethora of smaller ones. Unlike the spiders on the surface, however, the Depth Dweller's eyes are all a solid red. No doubt this is meant to help it see through the darkness that seems almost inescapable so far down. A lack of sunlight has made its hairs a sickly white color, and for whatever reasons the tops of their heads are slicker and pointier.

 

My first encounter with a Depth Dweller made me realize how easy I have it with spiders outside the ruins. At least on the surface and the caves I can see their nests, but with Depth Dwellers the only indication that they're around is a thin layer of webbing on the ground. They hung from the ceiling and surrounded me as they dropped, screeching their battle cry and rushing towards me. I must admit, begrudgingly, that this was quite a clever way to begin a confrontation on their part. I suppose they would have to be, considering the only sources of meat down here are hardly slow on their feet.

 

In conclusion: It may be hard to spot, but always keep an eye out for web covered floors in the Ruins. These things will die just like any other spider, so don't be afraid to give it a few good swings with your weapon of choice. Perhaps most important of all, remember to look up.

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Hounds

 

I find a sick sort of amusement in knowing that despite the existence of creatures as bizarre as the Tallbird or Deerclops, one of my most feared predators manages to be nothing more than a pack of feral hounds. I suppose nothing quite beats the primal fear of being relentlessly pursued.

 

The hounds are exactly what you would expect them to be like, with sharpened canines and an unkempt mane. I've never managed to fight one by itself, every encounter has been in a pack of two or more. Interestingly, there never seems to be an alpha in the packs, or at least not one that I've been able to determine.

 

For the most part, the hounds will show up wherever I am every so often, but I have managed to find rogue hounds in desert biomes, usually nearby massive piles of bones that I can only assume were their victims. I would recommend being cautious in deserts, at least when they chase you down outside of their habitat there's a moment of warning.

 

In conclusion: If you want to be able to deal with hounds, keep your eyes open and have something to protect you. Traps, a friendly village, even a lumbering Treeguard can help if it's not out to kill you. The beasts will never stop chasing you once they get your scent, so the sooner you learn how to deal with them the better.

Edited by 23rd
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Tentacles

 

As one might expect, the swamps of this world have to be the most hostile of all the environments, for one simple reason. There is.. something.. below these islands with an impossible mass of dark purple tentacles, most of them managing to reach the surface world. The simple act of exploration of these areas, even in broad daylight, has made me a nervous wreck after my encounters with these slimy appendages.

 

I can not hope to describe anything about what they are all attached to, but perhaps I can advise you how to best handle the tentacles themselves. A watchful eye will be able to notice them stirring from a distance, the soft ground that hides them will quiver as living things draw near. There is no single length for any tentacle, but the majority of them tend to be twice the height of your average man, and hit just as hard.

 

Fighting them is a task best left up to the other residents of swamps, Merms and Spiders. The two types of creatures appear to hate the tentacles with a passion, and will not hesitate to run forth and attack it. If you're quick on your feet, it should be a simple matter to lure these monsters over to you for assistance, although it would be wise not to stick around no matter who the victor is.

 

In conclusion: Don't go in swamps at night, and always be mindful of the ground around you. Should you want to harvest a defeated tentacle, wear gloves. Parts of its remains can be rather.. unsavory.

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