Episode 34: Crocodile
Edryk, Miria, and Kale face a terrifying onslaught on the dismal beaches of Abzû.
This game sues the crocodile stats from Swords & Wizardry, It also delves pretty deep into the Dungeons & Dragons theory of the Soul that was made central to the concept of planar travel in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons starting later in the 1st edition and refined in the Planescape setting.
I also wanted to share the Enuma Elish, if you want to read some ancient Mesopotamian myth.
Roger Dean’s Cover for the first Asia album self-titled “Asia” was a huge inspiration for the setting of Abzu. I spent a great many hours staring at this album cover and listening to the record when I was a kid. In fact a great deal of the campaign aesthetics in – in my head at least – are inspired by Dean’s art.
Roger Dean was a major influence on the aesthetics of the Psychedelic art and music movement and redefined what Fantasy looked like through the 60s and 70’s.
I would be remiss if I didn’t send a link to his homepage where you can get prints of this truly amazing work.
Abzu Random Encounter Table
| 3d6 | category | Encounter | # | Mein |
| 3 | Settlement | Forlorn Camp* | special | Suffering |
| 4 | Settlement | Duregar mining camp** | special | Feasting on HER flesh |
| 5 | Intelligent | Scorpion Men | 1d4 | Worshipping HER |
| 6 | Intelligent | Ixitchatil | 2d10 | Hunting |
| 7 | Intelligent | Beast Men | 3d10 | Digging a burrow |
| 8 | Traveller | Jaani | 2d4 | Lost |
| 9 | Traveller | Night Hag | 1 | Performing Dark Rites |
| 10 | Monster | Giant Scorpion | 1d3 | Frozen in despair |
| 11 | Monster | Large Giant Centipede | 1d6 | Mating |
| 12 | Monster | Crocodiles | 2d6 | Sleeping |
| 14 | Monster | Sea Serpent | 1 | Exploring |
| 14 | Supernatural | Larvae | 3d10 | Tormenting |
| 15 | Supernatural | Shedu | 1 | Cultivating HER wisdom through alchemy |
| 16 | Supernatural | Elsewhale | 1 | Desperately trying to get elsewhere |
| 17 | Atmospheric | Tiamat Stirs*** | n/a | Going Mad |
| 18 | Atmospheric | Storm | m/a | Grieving |
Notes
*Forlorn Camp: a wretched set of huts of bone, skin, and scale overrun by wasp’s nests. Most inhabitants are dead, but 1d6 diseased and mad cultists linger.
**Duregar Mining Camp: 2d10 Duregar oversee 5d20 beast-men slaves in mining scale and bone from Tiamat.
***Tiamat Stirs: The ground shakes and strange omens fill the sky before a deafening scream splits the sky. All creatures must save vs spells or be paralyzed with terror for 1d3 turns. Check for additional encounter.
Voice Talent in this Episode:
Owen Rideout as The Psisquid
Music in this Episode
- “COMBAT: Classic Metal Chugga-Chugga” by Jon Cohen, used with permission.
From the Free Music Archive:
- “King Edward” by Mr. Smith a CC-BY song released through the FMA
From Pixabay:
- “Apex” by Alexander Nakarada
- “Scorched Fields” by Alexander Nakarada
- “Crossroads” by Alexander Nakarada
- “This Metal” by Mr. Claps
- “Melodic Metal” by Alex Koff
- “Powerful stylish rock” by Sound for You
- “Island of the Lost” by OB-LIX