Here is a try to make the critters of the newest MM out own:
Part 1 (A through E):
Arcadian Avangers (always LN): In the Mystaran cosmology, these sword wilding champions are champions of the immortal Vanya. Living on Vanya's home plane, they are only send to Mystara to aid Vanyas faithfull descendents. Faithful who have mistaken these avatars to be Vanya herself have coined the name "The Grey Lady". A Cleric of Vanya can use "Planar Ally" to gain the assistance of an Arcadian Avanger.
Banshrea: These spiteful musical fey are not members of any fairy court. Descend from true fey folk from the forests of Hule, they now occupy the lands of northern hule as well the black mountains. One notorious Banshrea is playing its mischief and tunes on the people of Slagovich.
Blackwing: These horrible birdlike undead are not the creation of orc shamans. In fact, they have much sadder Mystaran origin. When the brave E'aar and their giant eagle allies came to rescue their Enduk friends from the manscorpions, not all managed to escape Nimmur. The flying elf captives were sacrificed to Menlil, but the great birds were taken for beasts of burden. Intelligent and defiant, the giant eagles proved a poor prize. Enraged, the clerics of Menlil slaughtered "Idu's fowl", and from the carcasses created the undead guards of Nimmur.
Burrow Roots: Common monstrous plants, the burrow roots are native to southeastern Brun. Bad enough in the deep forests, these predators are known to swim through the soft tilted soil of Karameikan, Hin and Daro farms, preying on livestock and farmers alike.
Dalmosh: Dalmush of the infinite mouths, is no other than the avater of Jammudaru prince of nightmares, ogres, turture and vengeance. While Jammudaru himself (Vaprak) has taken the shape of his early seld, namely a huge ogre, Dalmosh is the shape of Jammudaru the cursed shambling abomination.
Dreadborn Vulture: These magical beasts were bred by the Nagpa of the Vulture's Peninsula from more benign Rocs. While it was not the original intent of the Nagpa to make their creations vulture like in appearance, the strange curse plaguing the Nagpa has oozed into the necromantic magic they used to create these dangerous mounts.
Demon: The demons of Mystara are creatures of the sphere of Entropy, like on other worlds, they take many forms.
• Adaru (crawling demon): These demons crawl at the fit of the Dark Queen of Hel, specifically in her Hala sindhi persona.
• Carnage Demon: Carnage demons represent the mose basic form of a lesser demon of Entopy.
• Draudnu: The Obyrith race in the Mystaran cosmology are not demons at all. They are outer beings. Their motivations and interest in Mystara are inconceivable and better not discussed.
• Gadacro: The blinded child-like demons are the foot soldiers and assassins of Ranivorus (Yennoghu). The true demon of gnolls and madness sends them to pluck the eyes of his enemies.
• Solamiths: The Solamiths are trolls who have reached immortality and forgotten. Bagni Gullymaw is only last in a long line of trolls that managed to reach an immortal-like state. However, without believers or a commitment to a force or idea, the solamiths are doomed to remain in this diminished state prowling The Pits for whomever they can eat.
Demonthorn Mandrake: These vile plant creatures were not spawned by extraplanar evils, but instead they were born from a mistake. A few students of the Great School of Magic in Glantri City tried a few decades ego to improve on the spells and ceremonies used in cultivating the astonishing mandragora plant. Needless to say, they all met a grim fate. (Just look at the art…)
Devils: Mystara does not have devils in its cosmology. However all these can be used as individuals from the sphere of Entopy.
Dragons of the Great Game: Who knows what goes on in the great halls of the Wyrmsteeth Range? Maybe, the dragons are obsessed with a game only they understand. "The game: Xormintaal can" be folded into the life of Mystaran dragons as presented in "From Hatchling to Dragon Immortality" by Bruce Heard and expanded by John Calvin & Giulio N. Caroletti.
Elemental mages: Ken-Kunni, Ken-Li and Ken-Sun, where 3 ogre-mage in pre-Alphatian Ocahlea. In 800BC, they were force to flee before the invading Cypri and Lupin forces. Using an abandoned (and dysfunctional) Rakasta Gate, they ended up stranded in a time loop. However in 1016AC, the abandoned gate was (will be) discovered by a band of adventurers, releasing the out-of-their-element elemental mages.
Ember Guards: These faithful though malicious fire beings were created by the followers of fire, the faction of Alphatians later to become the Fleamish people of Glantri. At first, the creatures were neutral in alignment and without a will of their own. However, during the frustrating centuries traveling the planes with their Alphatian masters, they acquired unnatural malice and spite.
More to come soon...
Ohad
Obviously the demons need more Mystaran feeling names perhaps the Adaru could be the Crawling Fiend or some such.
Regards
Gary
I like this idea.
Obviously the demons need more Mystaran feeling names perhaps the Adaru could be the Crawling Fiend or some such.
Regards
Gary
I think this is a really good idea too. Nice work, Ohad.
I have to admit that 'Crawling Fiend' can be used to create fear and dread a lot easier than 'Adaru' could be. It's just my own personal preference, but I like the descriptive names better than some made up name. Sure different types of demons and fiends, etc., will have their proper name but I'd like to think they're generally known by the names given to them by others (i.e. adventurers and prey)
I think this is a really good idea too. Nice work, Ohad.
I have to admit that 'Crawling Fiend' can be used to create fear and dread a lot easier than 'Adaru' could be. It's just my own personal preference, but I like the descriptive names better than some made up name. Sure different types of demons and fiends, etc., will have their proper name but I'd like to think they're generally known by the names given to them by others (i.e. adventurers and prey)
agreed Carnage Demon sounds scary Adaru sounds a bit like a Middle Eastern holiday spot.
agreed Carnage Demon sounds scary Adaru sounds a bit like a Middle Eastern holiday spot.
:heehee So true!
I think this is a really good idea too. Nice work, Ohad.
Thanks guys! I will continue this thing over the weekend (and edit it with your feedback). But the new harry potter is here... distractions...
I have to admit that 'Crawling Fiend' can be used to create fear and dread a lot easier than 'Adaru' could be. It's just my own personal preference, but I like the descriptive names better than some made up name. Sure different types of demons and fiends, etc., will have their proper name but I'd like to think they're generally known by the names given to them by others (i.e. adventurers and prey)
I also like the Crawling Fiend.
agreed Carnage Demon sounds scary Adaru sounds a bit like a Middle Eastern holiday spot.
Hehe, actually Adaru is probably a Babylonian (akkadian) word, refeering to a god Adar. There is a month Adar in the hebrew calendar (where most names are from pagan gods), and the sound U at the end of a word is very mesopotamian.
I didn't find information on Adar in wikipedia, but I don't think it is an evil creature.
Ohad
(sweating like a kosher pig)
F through K
Fetid Fungus: This predatory magical lichen was once restricted to the evil magic area in Alfheim called Stalkrow. The druids of Long Runner clan kept fetid fungal infestations restricted, and the knowledge of such creatures was non-existent in the outside world. Since the attack of the shadowelves and the Alfheimers' exile from the Canolbarth forest, the fungus has spread fast in all directions. It is common throughout the decaying forest, and threats to spread out into the human nations of the known world.
Forstwind Virago: Thousands of years ago the Great Rain of Fire ravaged the planet of Mystara tilting its axis and creating a climatic disaster nearly annihilating nature. Some of the Sidhe, the most powerful of all fey, (rightfully) blamed humankind for the disaster. Of the Sidhe living in the old north pole only 7 remained afther the FRoF. So consumed with hate, their heart finally became as cold as the ice fields they once inhabited. These seven, all female, became the frostwind virago. Till this day they hunt humans in the areas north of Norwolds Great Bay, but they were also stories of them as south as Oceansand. In harsh winters they can travel fast and furious, people of the south are not safe from their rage.
Garngrath: It was not the Oerthian god Erythnull that created but the Immortal Idris, lady of vengeance and spite. In her homeplane, Garngrath serves as a guard dog and assassin. Its horns are enchanted spines and teeth torn off living gem dragons.
Gem Scarabs: Very common from Sind all the way to Great Hule, these magical insect-like things are dangerous to the peoples of the Great Waste; however they are sometimes used as pets and gurda by the geonids of the Black Mountains.
God-blooded: The god blooded example of Gruumsh can be easily changed into an Immortal-Blooded of Karraash.
Golem: Force and magmacore golems are created by binding powerful elemental spirits into a construct by a powerful mage. The first wizards to be able to do such a feat are the Thothians of the Isle of Dawn. The spells they invented were so powerful they could even bind elemental spirits into large constructs such as war towers and sea vessels…
Guulvorg: For years, the goblinoid queen Yazar, her bombastic majesty, has been trying to improve on the lupine creatures that serve as mounts for her elite guards. However her wokani skills were insufficient. Only in AC1012 when she met a mysterious and charming human wizard from the south, she was able to finally meet the requirements for such an undertaking. However, using domination magic, the cruel stranger made her try the transfiguring on her own pet, the intelligent beast known as Fangrim. Fangrim, the first Guulvorg on Mystara has since bred with many dire wolf females, and the Guulvorg race is threatening to become the top predator of the broken lands.
Haunts: The ghosts of Mystara take many forms. Not all ghosts use the form and abilities they had in life. Lanara the bridge haunt, is a famous ghost that haunts the bridge of the Helleck river near the village of Hendry. Forest Haunts are the oak souls whose dryad companions have been murdered. Only druids of Ordana can even hope of getting a forest haunt come enough to learn how to bring it to its final rest (+4 on diplomacy checks). The Taunting Haunts can be found all over the known world, but they are protected in the Hagiarchy if Hule as manifestations of the holy lie.
Illurien: Illurien is a unique evil entity of the Sphere of Time. No one know to what ends is she collecting knowledge so viciously, however Khoronus had once stated that "Illurien has a role in the continuum". She is also sometimes seen in the company of Kallala of the Seven Veils.
Kuo-Toa: While this race is one that is unknown on Mystara, the stats can be used for a number of options. One option is to create a sub-race of particularly powerful and evil Kna (fishy race that live in undersea and are usually not so evil). Another option is that the Kuo-Toa once inhabited Mystara, probably in the time of Blackmoor (temple of the frog…). Yet another option is to treat them as a cthulu-like servitor race of the outer beings (for instance servitor of Ubbeth: Hresha-rhak by Geoff Gander).
Hehe, actually Adaru is probably a Babylonian (akkadian) word, refeering to a god Adar. There is a month Adar in the hebrew calendar (where most names are from pagan gods), and the sound U at the end of a word is very mesopotamian.
Some more info on Ad(d)aru
http://www.livius.org/caa-can/calendar/calendar_babylonian.html
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/tintirbabylon/addaru.html
http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/passover/months-of-the-jewish-calendar.html
Regards
Gary
Havard