Originally posted here: https://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2022/02/monstrous-mondays-ad-2nd-ed-monstrous_28.html
There is no doubt that the biggest game world for AD&D 2nd Edition was the Forgotten Realms. I was fairly anti-Realms back then. I felt it was a cheap imitation of Greyhawk and I was a little irritated that Greyhawk got pushed to the side. The 3rd Edition Forgotten Realms setting book did a lot to change that for me and now, especially with my investigations around my This Old Dragon posts, I have come to better appreciate the Realms for what they really are, not for what I thought they were.
That all being said I still bought Realms-related products like these because, well, I love monsters.
MC6 Monstrous Compendium, Kara-Tur Appendix
Kara-Tur did not begin as a Forgotten Realms land. Quite the contrary it was designed to be used as part of Oerth in the 1st Edition Oriental Adventures. This Monstrous Compendium brings the creatures listed in the 1st ed book, and more, into the 2nd Edition game.
This PDF is listed at 64 pages (more with binder dividers) and a price tag of $4.99. The cover and dividers are full color (including Easley's Oriental Adventure cover) and the interior art is Black & White. There are 76 monsters from Bajang to the Yuki-on-na.
Interestingly enough the Eastern Dragons from the Original Fiend Folio are not here. They appeared in the MC3 Forgotten Realms one, but I thought they should appear here instead. Likely to solidify the claim of Kara-Tur in the Forgotten Realms or maybe to give the 3rd MC some popular dragons.
There are some very unique monsters here. This is one of the few that I keep separate and do not integrate into my larger monster sets.
The scans for all are pretty crisp and clear. I certainly can see printed out a couple of pages and using them in a smaller binder for a specific AD&D 2nd Ed campaign. Like I have said before, these PDF are fulfilling the promises made by the Monstrous Compendiums in the 1990s.
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