While the magic item open call a few months ago was something of a mess, it did result in some killer magic item submissions and I hope the same can happen for some monsters.
What I'm looking for in monsters:
- Monsters as unique beings (or unique small-groups) and not "races"
- Strangers/interlopers/intruders/lost on our (low-magic/real - close enough to be familiar) world and not inhabitants of a standard fantasy everyone-knows-dragons-and-fairies-exist world
- Maybe extra-dimensional, maybe extra-terrestrial, but definitely not from around here. Not necessarily Cthulhu level world-crashers, but... odd things that don't quite mesh well with reality and whose abilities and temperament aren't just combat-relevant notes.
What I'm not looking for in monsters:
- "This monster is a mix of a scorpion and gorilla" type monsters.
- Genital monsters. I've commissioned one specifically so it's covered and I don't need any more, thanks.
- Stereotypically Lovecraftian tentacle monsters
- Monsters simply adapted from myth or legend
- Monsters that are just a bunch of combat stats and powers which are designed solely to provide combat challenges
- Seriously. No genital monsters.
Your monster must be strange and wonderful and terrible and blow my mind. Remember this is weird fantasy role-playing.
Here's an example of an LotFP-style monster I wrote up for some monster cards a couple years back. Note that while its special powers are triggered through combat, their effects pretty much have nothing to do with combat (click to enlarge), and it's goddamn bizarre:
(all monsters will be getting an accompanying Aeron Alfrey art piece in the Ref book, by the way)
Monsters which have appeared in print or on the internet will not be accepted - they must be original work that will appear for the first time in the Ref book. Submissions must be your own original work.
Please have your submission as press-ready as possible and all writing should adhere to the LotFP Style Guide. Include your byline in your submission.
Accepted submissions will be paid 25€ each, plus one copy of the book (contributors get maximum one free copy of the book no matter how much they contribute). LotFP will retain exclusive publication rights for two years from time of payment, after which we retain the rights to print and reprint in the LotFP Ref book (and only the LotFP Ref book) but aside from that caveat rights revert back to you. Unaccepted submissions get nothing, but you're then free to use the monster in your own work or post the thing online.
Submissions must be in by June 20. Payments will be made for chosen monsters by June 30 but you will need to invoice me for the fee before I pay it. All submissions will receive a response before the end of June, even if it's just to say "sorry, not accepted."
Questions about this to lotfp@lotfp.com, submissions in an attached .doc or .rtf file to lotfp@lotfp.com with the subject line MONSTER.
ONE MONSTER PER EMAIL PLEASE. If you have more than one monster to send, send them each in a separate email. If you re-do or revise a monster, send the entire text in a new email, not just the changes.
(you can discuss this post and the open call and everything related here. I suggest looking at this link before submitting because I'll likely complain about bad trends in submissions there and you'll probably find more pointers about what not to do.)
