Creature on the DC 1st Edition Cover?

[Marcus Bone]

So today I was looking at the DC 1st edition cover - one of my favourite RPG pieces of art (although a bit dated now ) ... and I noticed two things:

• The other people in the back of the image, and

• The creature behind the zombies! I never noticed it before, but there it is (see the image attached). So my question is - what is it? Any ideas?

[Phulish]

The possibility of a new Minion?

[ReHerakhte]

You know, in all the time that I've owned the book, I'm somewhat embarassed to say that I never noticed that second creature.
Or if I have noticed it, I never remembered it

It does look vaguely familiar, kind of like some representations of Cthulhu.
It's a little frustrating (and annoying at times) that Elmore's art for a couple of DarkCon projects feature beasts/monsters that are not actually in the game itself (e.g. the dinosaur like creature and its handlers on the cover of the 2nd Ed. Referee's Screen)

[Morthrai]

Given that various parts of DC 1st edition were all being created at the same time in different places by different people, my best guess is that it's a nest of Lesser Vampires and our beastie is actually a Bloodkin Vampire as visualised by Larry Elmore

This zoom suggests Bloodkin features to me - maybe they can retract those weird mouth tube things they have?

[Linden]

Given that various parts of DC 1st edition were all being created at the same time in different places by different people, my best guess is that it's a nest of Lesser Vampires and our beastie is actually a Bloodkin Vampire as visualised by Larry Elmore

Quite an interesting alternative look for the Bloodkin. I do like the trunk beasts from the main rulebook though. I'm sure I saw something similar on the cover of a pulp-sci fi mag once and that look just suits DC.

Without the context of the Lesser Vampires I'd have guessed a Ravager, or baby Cthulhu has crashed the party per the above.

[Marcus Bone]

Given that various parts of DC 1st edition were all being created at the same time in different places by different people, my best guess is that it's a nest of Lesser Vampires and our beastie is actually a Bloodkin Vampire as visualised by Larry Elmore

Quite an interesting alternative look for the Bloodkin. I do like the trunk beasts from the main rulebook though. I'm sure I saw something similar on the cover of a pulp-sci fi mag once and that look just suits DC.

Without the context of the Lesser Vampires I'd have guessed a Ravager, or baby Cthulhu has crashed the party per the above.

I think it looks too 'spider-like' for a Bloodkin, but as Lee points out DC really is a clashing of a myriad of ideas into one game...

[Morthrai]

I think it looks too 'spider-like' for a Bloodkin, but as Lee points out DC really is a clashing of a myriad of ideas into one game...

Cheers Marcus, that's given me an idea for a new Darkling - like I haven't got enough to do already I'll get around to it.