#Darlene Pekul

[oldschoolfrp]

There is no honor among Thieves, by Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ, from the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide, TSR, 1979

[redacted-metallum]

Image description: two scans from the 1980 edition of the TSR Advanced Dungeons and Dragons sourcebook Deities and Demigods.  The first is of the text accompanying the entry for Hastur, a full transcript of which is under a readmore link.  The second is a close-up of the illustration and depicts a lizard like creature covered in tentacles behind a castle.  It is considerably larger than the castle and there is a bolt of lightning in the background.  The upper right corner has a stylized signature of the letters E and O, indicating that Erol Otus is the illustrator of this particular image.

End image description.

My dad owns a copy of the Deities and Demigods book from before the copyright strike, and I haven’t seen any scans of Hastur from it around tumblr so.  Here it is!  The whole thing is very influenced by August Derleth’s interpretation of the Cthulhu Mythos, and I have Opinions about that, but this is specifically where the “don’t say Hastur’s name more than four times or he’ll come Get You” thing comes from, which I think is a very neat bit of history and trivia!

One other thing I find interesting is that there is no mention of The King in Yellow (the play) in this section.  There is also no mention of the Yellow Sign, Cassilda, or Camilla, though Lake Hali and Carcosa are mentioned as part of an “alien planet”.

The book is credited to James M. Ward and Robert J. Kuntz, and edited by Lawrence Schick.

The illustrations are credited to the following: Jeff Dee, Erol Otus, Eymoth, Darlene Pekul, Paul Jaquays, Jim Roslof, David S. LaForce, David C. Sutherland III, Jeff Lanners, and D. A. Trampier.

Text transcript is as follows:

HASTUR THE UNSPEAKABLE (He Who Must Not Be Named) “Master of the Air” Greater God

ARMOR CLASS: -2 MOVE: 36″/36″ HIT POINTS: 400 NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 20-200/20-200 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50% SIZE: L (600′ TALL) ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil WORSHIPER’S ALIGN: Chaotic evil SYMBOL: Image of the god PLANE: Prime Material Plane (distant planet) CLERIC/DRUID: Nil FIGHTER: As 16+ HD monster MAGIC-USER/ILLUSIONIST: 23rd level in each THIEF/ASSASSIN: Nil MONK/BARD: Nil PSIONIC ABILITY: I S: 25 (+7. +14)  I: 22  W: 23  D: 21  C: 23  CH: -4

This god has a scaled, elongated body, a lizard’s head and maw, and taloned lizard claws.  It also has 200 tentacles projecting from its body that give it the ability to sense all things around it.  It is able to strike twice per round and also attack magically.

At will, it can teleport anywhere in the Prime Material Plane.  Hastur regenerates 5 hit points per melee round, and can summon 2-20 Byakhee to aid it in battle.  It cannot be magically controlled.  Creatures that are able to fly naturally will never attack Hastur, even if controlled.  Any being trying to attack the god must make a saving throw against fear.

Hastur is half-brother to Cthulhu, and like him Hastur has been imprisoned by the star-shaped Elder Sign.  He lies in a crypt at the bottom of Lake Hali near the alien city of Carcosa.  Hastur exists partly on the Prime Material Plane (and this part is imprisoned in the crypt) and partly on the Elemental Plane of Air (thus he is immune to cold and the vacuum of space).  Hastur is never more than partially on the Prime Material Plane and is therefore not completely solid.  This accounts for much of his great size.

Any time the name “Hastur” is spoken, there is a 25% chance that Hastur will here and send 1-4 Byakhee to slay the speaker.  If the Byakhee are defeated, there is a 25% chance that Hastur himself will appear to destroy the blasphemer.

[vintagerpg]

The Dragon 37 (May, 1980). Cover, “Jasmine,” is by Darlene Pekul.

[bugbearbrothers]

The 1979 and 1981 module B1, In Search for the Unknown by Mike Carr. Art by David C Sutherland and David A Trampier (1979) and Darlene Pekul (1981). A classic dungeon crawl designed for new DMs and players to learn the game. Exploring an abandoned complex of two deceased adventurers, the heroes find more than they bargained for.

[rpgsandbox]

A map of the Flanaess from The World of Greyhawk (TSR, 1980)

Cartography: Darlene Pekul

[oldschoolfrp]

Now taking preorders: Troll Lord Games is bringing Gary Gygax's Castle Zagyg Yggsburgh Campaign Setting book back into print, in cooperation with the Gygax Estate. This book details the region around Castle Zagyg, with a map by the original Greyhawk map artist Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ. Designed for Castles & Crusades, it should be easily compatible with AD&D and similar systems.

The Zagyg campaign was based as closely as possible to Gary's Greyhawk, with the original names changed after he lost the legal rights to that property.

[oldschoolfrp]

Ad in Dragon 37, May 1980, for The World of Greyhawk, the original 1-volume folio version with map by Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ, TSR, 1980 (edit: with David Sutherland cover art)

[oldschoolfrp]

Jasmine by Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ (Dragon 37, TSR, May 1980)

[oldschoolfrp]

Keep in the wilderness (Jeff Easley, with calligraphy by Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ, World of Greyhawk, TSR, 1983)

[oldschoolfrp]

Giant owl.  (Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ, AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide, TSR, 1979.)

[oldschoolfrp]

Adventure in the wilderness, by Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ, from the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide, TSR, 1979.  (After Beardsley)

[oldschoolfrp]

The party battles troglodytes in the lower level caverns of Quasqueton.

(Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ, back cover of 1981 edition of D&D module B1 In Search of the Unknown, TSR.)

[oldschoolfrp]

The party investigates the garden room of Quasqueton.

(Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ, cover of 1981 edition of D&D module B1 In Search of the Unknown, TSR.)

[oldschoolfrp]

Paladin and War Horse by Dᴀʀʟᴇɴᴇ, from title page of The Rogues Gallery, TSR, 1980.