Nightmare Stallion, Legendary Guardian
Inspiration can come from anywhere—even the Denver airport.
"Where do you get your ideas?" is a question often posed to creative minds, as if ideas are commodities you can grab from a vending machine. The reality is far more chaotic: we observe, we digest, and sometimes, disparate concepts collide and stick, forming something entirely new.
Today, while perusing an article in the New York Times about the strange urban legends surrounding Denver International Airport, I was reminded of a haunting piece of art known as Blucifer.
This 32-foot-tall cobalt blue horse is officially titled “Blue Mustang,” boasting glowing eyes and an ominous presence. Its creation was also accompanied by tragedy. As reported by the New York Times:
The artist Luis Jimenez designed the statue, officially known as “Mustang,” to make reference to Mexican murals and the energy of the Southwest, with glowing red eyes meant as a homage to his father’s neon workshop. The horse came to stand for something darker: In 2006, as Mr. Jimenez was finishing the 9,000-pound cast-fiberglass sculpture, a piece came loose and fatally severed an artery in his leg.
As a nerd with D&D on the brain, my mind immediately started crafting a monstrous version of this statue—a guardian so effective that the city it was supposed to protect ended up completely deserted and cut off from the outside world. This eerie, haunted metropolis, teeming with spectral residents and dangerous undead, is the perfect lair for its legendary guardian. The Nightmare Stallion relentlessly ensured that no living creature lingered within the city walls.
Below you'll find the 5e stat block for the Nightmare Stallion. If you're inspired to further develop this idea, consider fleshing out the city and its spectral inhabitants. Perhaps lesser constructs, under the Stallion's control, could add an extra layer of challenge to the exploration.
Nightmare Stallion
