Revisiting the Monsters - Ki-Rin

In 2010, sixteen years ago now, I began a personal project to redesign most, if not all, of the monsters in the original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. That original MM had a profound effect on me and led me to eventually work on the game. While I was already working on the game when I began this project, it did prove useful as I have redesigned many D&D monsters in my career on the game. In the end, I completed over 100 drawings for the project and even had a gallery show featuring the work.

I thought it would be nice to look back at some of my favorites. Today brings us back to my second pass through the book with the Ki-Rin. Enjoy!

Ki-Rin redesign (2011)
© 2011/2026 Christopher Burdett 

That's another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here on Friday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Fresh from the drawing table... Ki-Rin!

I have for you another drawing that is fresh from the drawing table. This time around it is a Ki-Rin! 'K' only has two monsters and with the Kobold already done the Ki-Rin closes out this letter and I could have done much worse than a horse dragon from Asia (looking at you Jaguar and Jackal). I present to you my version of a Ki-Rin...

Ki-Rin
© 2012 Christopher Burdett

Surprisingly, for a creature that rarely sets foot/hoof upon the ground it is not a creature from the Feywilds. There are a lot of interesting and varied takes on the Ki-Rin (or Qilin - look it up!) out there and I tried really hard to produce my own take on a monster that took shape in the 5th century BC. Lots of scales and there are some nice tentacle like tendrils in there so I am satisfied with it being a monster. Even though there was a horrid first attempt on this monster the second worked out and I had a lot of fun bringing it all together.

My first 100 original Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual redesigns (A - Z): Aerial Servant, Ankheg, Ant (Giant), Ape (Carnivorous), Ape (Gorilla), Axe Beak, Axe Beak (version 2), Baboon, Badger, Barracuda, Basilisk, Baluchitherium, Bear (Black), Bear (Brown), Bear (Cave), Beaver (Giant), Beetle (Giant) - Bombardier, Beetle (Giant) - Boring, Beetle (Giant) - Fire, Beetle (Giant) - Rhinoceros, Beetle (Giant) - Stag, Beetle (Giant) - Water, Beholder, Black Pudding, Blink Dog, Boar (Giant), Boar (Warthog), Boar (Wild), Brain Mole, Brownie, Bugbear, Buffalo, Bulette, Carrion Crawler, Catoblepas, Cerebral Parasite, Chimera, Cockatrice, Coutal, Crab (Giant), Demon Type III (Glabrezu), Demon (Juiblex), Demon (Manes), Devil (Ice), Dragon (Red), Elemental (Earth), Ettin, Eye of the Deep, Flightless Bird, Frog (Giant), Fungi (Violet), Giant (Hill), Goblin, Golem (Flesh), Hobgoblin, Homunculus, Hydra, Imp, Intellect Devourer, Ixitxachitl, Jackal, Jacklewere, Jaguar, Ki-Rin, Kobold, Lich, Lizard (Giant), Lizardman, Manticore, Mind Flayer, Minotaur, Naga, Neo-Otygugh, Nixie, Ochre Jelly, Ogre, Owlbear, Peryton, Pixie, Purple Worm, Quasit, Ram (Giant), Roper, Rust Monster, Sahuagin, Salamander, Shambling Mound, Treant, Troglodyte, Troll, Umber Hulk, Unicorn, Vampire, Wasp (Giant), Wight, Wyvern, Xorn, Yeti, and Zombie.        

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here next week for NEW WORK! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com