Guardians Puns and In-Jokes
Limited and Revised Edition
Angel -- Visual: spear is pointing down; however, he attacks creatures of the "underworld", so why not?
Baal-a-gog -- "Baal" is a false god, or another name for the devil. "Agog" means eager, filled with excitement.
Babe Hound -- "Babe hounds" are usually people, not dogs.
Bagpipes of Fear -- Yes, the very sound they make would strike feel in the staunchest of men.
Bealzebub -- Another name for the devil, even though he's a "Demon".
Black Lung -- Usually a condition developed by smokers and coal miners, not giant fish.
Brap Back Goblins -- Visually very similar to Brown Backs, but not a contiguous image.
Brown Backs -- Visually very similar to Brap Back Goblins, but not a contiguous image.
Bruce the Goose -- A goose in Scotch plaid with bagpipes? A reference to Robert the Bruce, perhaps?
Bungee Bony Ridged -- Visually similar to Snibs Bony Ridged, but not a contiguous image.
Captain Red Nose -- First, takeoff of Blackbeard, Bluebeard, etc. Second, Maitz does the Capt. Morgan Rum bottles and if you drink too much alcohol, you'll get a red nose.
Carreg Amroth Stronghold -- Carreg Cennen Castle in Wales was built by the Normans in 1300. Amroth is a village in West Wales (12th cent).
Cherubs -- Visual: baby angel. FYI: Cherubs actually rank 2nd (under Seraphs) in classic angel mythology, with Archangels ranking 8th and Angels ranking 9th. However, cherubs can also be depicted as lion-like with four heads (or four faces).
Control Destiny -- Visual: the three Fates
Cow -- Cows have bad gas problems.
Demon Horde of Kabod -- "Kabod" Hebrew for 'body, mass, substance'; "honour" to a man, "glory" to a heavenly being. (applied to demons??)
Devil Dog -- Drake's cake; usually these mythical animals are "Hell Hounds".
Devil Hedgehog -- Visual: "The Thinker"
Dreaded Doom Dog -- Cerberus, the three-headed dog from mythology.
Dry Heaps -- Sounds like "dry heaves".
Female Titan -- Visual: she's flirting with the Male Titan.
Floyd the Flying Pig -- "When pigs fly!", cf. Pink Floyd's "Animals" LP cover. Appparently, your army chows down on a revitalizing pork lunch.
Giant Penguin -- Fantasy-game staple or "Monty Python" reference?
Gn'bby Gnomes -- "Knobby" (rounded hill or mountain?)
Gn'legable Gnomes -- "Knowledgeable", i.e., learned.
Gn'Omish Gnomes -- "Amish", i.e., Pennsylvania Dutch
Grand Phooba Schnee -- The leader of the Elks or Moose lodge is the "grand pooba", so this is the head schnee. Yes, schnees are more than a class, they're an organization!
Gorgal Skag -- I can't find the exact slang reference, but the visual makes me wonder about the "fetid cracks" comment.
Grilbus -- Visual: a St. Bernard with a helm and massive fists (not paws).
Gringe Commander -- Guide to the Mid-Realms suggests that the artwork was inspired by Brom. Possible reference to "grunge" icon Kurt Cobain, who bore a slight resemblance.
Groupie -- A person that hangs around celebrites; usually they are mortals.
Haba Naba Daba -- Sounds like gibberish; visually very similar to Haba Naba Kaba, but not a contiguous image.
Haba Naba Kaba -- Sounds like gibberish; visually very similar to Haba Naba Daba, but not a contiguous image.
Heels of Speed -- How could anyone run in these?
Horse -- Visual: artwork similar to the usual depiction of a knight in a chess set.
Humungus Fungus -- "Humungous" is misspelled so that both words end in "ungus".
Idiot -- He certainly looks like one.
Iron Crag Bagglers -- When I see these guys, I think of "Time to make the donuts."
Khnumian Stronghold -- Khnum: a god in the form of a ram who created human beings from clay on a potter's wheel
Lawyer -- All lawyers go to Hell, don't they?
Major Party Animal -- Most "party animals" are actually people. He likes Beer, but he's drinking wine and toking on a bong.
Male Titan -- Visual: he's showing off for the Female Titan.
Merchant -- Visual: he's selling a velvet Elvis
Minataur -- Usually spelled "minotaur"
Na 'Boob -- I'm curious if there's a reason behind this one (and most of the Slags for that matter). Nabob, maybe?
Old Nick -- A name for the Devil as well as a British ale.
Paladin -- A knight driven by honor, chivalry and profound faith, making him incorruptible (and unbribable).
Party Animal -- Most "party animals" are actually people.
Pauly, Official Parrot -- I'm sure there's something, though I'm not sure what. "Polly, want a cracker?" perhaps?
Pesky Varmits -- Possibly a slang way of saying "varmint" (i.e., rodent, vermin)
Pink Flamingos -- Harmless, but durable, plastic ones are found on lawns everywhere.
Ploogak, the Conqueror -- Painted by Parkinson, not Ploog.
Ploogak, the Couqueror -- A misprinted name. There's a "u" where the "n" should be.
Power Lunch -- Usually something that Wall St. types do.
Reverend Smilin' Jack -- Guide to the Mid-Realms suggests that the artwork was inspired by Brom.
Rouge Specter -- "Rogue" is a dishonest person; "rouge" is red makeup. The misspelling was accidental. It was supposed to be "Rogue" even though it is wearing a red cape. I had correspondence with Dave Gentzler who told me that it was actually named by a playtester who had won a tournament. Unfortunately, the guy misspelled it, and no one caught it.
Schneeble -- "Schnee" is german for "snow", but I don't see any connection there, other than it sounded nice
Seer -- Visual: maybe this is unintentional, but the copyright information is inside the crystal ball, which has the effect of making it look like a Magic 8-Ball. Either that, or the seer is trying to find out the numbers for the lottery. (Either 950 or 056.)
Snibs Bony Ridged -- Visually similar to Bungee Bony Ridged, but not a contiguous image.
Snogwart -- Predates "Hogwarts" (of Harry Potter fame) by several years.
Sphinx -- The one in Egypt has the face of a man. This one is all lion.
St. Ballantine's Evocation -- I can't find much on the web about "Ballantine". He's not a saint, though there's a priest associated with *music*. Ballantine's is (or was?) a brand name of beer.
Super Model -- Visual: Man, what a visual. Every army should have one, don't you think? Cut-out fashions for the Super Model appear on the back of the Necropolis Park box. (They don't actually fit.)
Thackle -- "Tackle"? "Hackle"? "Spackle"? Maybe it's just a cool-sounding name for a Slag Beast, but I'm willing to bet that there is a reason for the name.
Trumpeter -- Gabriel blowing his horn?
Vampire Hunters -- Visual: the reflection of the bat in the mirror looks like the "bat symbol" on Batman's chest.
Varmit Archer -- Possibly a slang way of saying "varmint" (i.e., rodent, vermin)
Water Spout -- There are two dictionary definitions: a tornado over water that produces a column of air and water; or a drainage pipe. No mention of the Itsy Bitsy Spider.
Whispering Spirits -- Visual: looks like a buttrfly, but those "wings" are giant ears.
Yandrax -- I'm curious if there's something to this. Sounds like "anthrax", which is both a disease and the name of a rock band. (Pink Floyd is well-represented in this game.)
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