Another Stretch Goal Smashed! Let's Look At Some Monsters Together! Cornwell Asset Management - Specimens As the more Cornwell savvy of you will know, Cornwell like to classify their many hoarded treasures (or company "Assets") into three categories. The most common of which are Specimens. They are usually weird beings discovered by Cornwell, rather than being constructed or conjured up in some manner. Interns are often charged with the care of Cornwell's least favoured / valuable Assets, which is ironic as technically interns are classed as Specimens themselves. At least as far as insurance liabilities go.
Specimens will typically take the form of Enemies, Allies, or Infections. They will either be actively harming your players, determined to work against them, or they might be fighting alongside them, strange as though it may seem given their peculiar nature.
A Reward For Backers Backers of SHIVER: Corporate now get to vote on which of these strange Specimens is going to be featured in both the "Asset Mismanagement" Card Deck, and one of (we won't spoil it) the Cornwell Consolidated Supplements ("Mandatory Company Greeting", "Have A Safe Corporate Takeover", "Your Last First Day on the Job").
All Backers need to do is pick a Specimen, vote for it (thereby telling all the world its your favourite), and then tell us in the comments WHY it should win. Now, we're not saying your reasoning will outweigh the vote totals, but we also never said Cornwell was a democracy.
And if you haven't backed yet, don't miss your chance to have your say! Back today, and let us know which of these weird little critters you want to see!
You Can See the Specimens On Offer (As Well As Some Notes From Cornwell's Files On Them) Below:
Option #1:Specimen 5N4K3 - The Knotted Python From the distance, just a rolling ball of snakes, intertwined like a shiny ball of yarn. Upon looser inspection (and we don't recommend that at all) you'll find that it is just one snake. A whole lot of snake, to be fair.
As if twenty feet of rolled up reptile wasn't enough, it has the unfortunate habit of spawning new, smaller snakes. Pushing them out from the gaps within its writhing folds, this creature could keep a less than savoury pet shop in business for an eternity. If the owners weren't swallowed whole, strangulated, or otherwise pumped full of lethal venom, first.
First Appearance: "Termination Notice", to be published 2026
Option #2: Specimen 0234 - The Flydra, aka “The Goose” A white feathered, yellow beaked, red hot ball of rage. This Specimen took residence in a Cornwell facility some time in the early 2000s. Several attempts have been made to remove the creature and its nest.
Upon recommendation from the Corpse Retrieval Department, we have incorporated this winged nightmare into our Intern Recruitment Process. Honestly, it's a delight to see the terror in their eyes just after they try to cut off its head. Or should we say heads.
First Appearance: SHIVER Epic 2025: "The Recruitment Gauntlet" Option #3: Specimen 04#9-94 - Alex from Direct Marketing Now, here me out. There's something just off about this guy. Well, I say "guy". Have you heard about how he only drinks coffee with saltwater in it? And what's with that water breathing apparatus? I don't think that's approved PPE! We can't even get respiratory masks down in the Toxic Environment Adaptations Department, but he's got - what? A reverse scuba tank? Anyway, I'm like 80% sure he's a shark, that's the point. Debbie Martin swears she saw him eat an intern. Just bit him in half, left the other half just right there on the cafeteria floor. Put Debbie right off her Mutable "Kidney Beans and Liver" Nutrient Pack.
Damn if he can't sell the hell out of a lifetime warrantee though.
