Taladas: The Yaggol - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Taladas: The Yaggol

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ferratus
Dec 03, 2003 1:49:50 You know, we really do neglect Taladas too much. A shame, since Taladas is at least as much a compelling setting as Ansalon, and in many ways is much more interesting.

I, for one, wouldn't mind knowing what is happening to the Yaggol now that Krynn isn't connected to the spelljammer universe. Personally, I'd make them monsters from the Shadow Plane, and give them shadowy powers rather than mental ones, and make them cannabalistic rather than having an appitite for brains. Keep the cthulu-like horror vibe in the middle of the jungle though... that's just too cool to lose. Hmm... they could even have soulless shadow zombies as the remnants of their victims... that'd be cool.

Anyway, what would you do? Would you keep them as aliens from another planet? Write them out of the story? Would you redesign the monster and his abilities to streamline him into the setting when there is no longer spelljamming going on?
#2
jonesy
Dec 03, 2003 2:56:26
...and make them cannabalistic rather than having an appitite for brains.

Huh? Now I know what you meant (I think), but...
can·ni·bal
1. A person who eats the flesh of other humans.
2. An animal that feeds on others of its own kind.
So they would only devour other yaggols then?

Anyway, I'm definitely keeping them as the stranded aliens that they are.
#3
ferratus
Dec 03, 2003 3:13:41 In fantasy fiction, the word cannabalism is generally a little more relaxed applying to humanoids of all types eating other humanoids. I've seen goblins, ape-men, and other creatures described as cannibals, even if they were eating humans and not each other.

So if we're going to make them aliens, what should we do for their origins? Crashed spaceship? Portals? Either way, what do we give them in terms of alien tech?
#4
jonesy
Dec 03, 2003 3:54:56
Originally posted by ferratus
So if we're going to make them aliens, what should we do for their origins? Crashed spaceship? Portals? Either way, what do we give them in terms of alien tech?

In my campaign they arrived in a spaceship similar to the one seen in 'Through the door at the top of the sky', only it got smashed pretty bad in the landing and most of the useful stuff was rendered inoperable. They were going to set up a base in an abandoned farm somewhere near the jungles and then begin to search for ways to get back to the stars (maybe even fix the ship with gnomish help). However that's as far as I got to designing their scenario before the campaign came to an end for several different reasons, and we haven't returned to Taladas since then (been meaning to though).
#5
zombiegleemax
Dec 03, 2003 5:53:26 Why does the background of the Yaggol have to change just because DL isn't owned by the same company as Spelljammer? There are still the links to it; Dragonhelm has his DL Spelljammer page. There are still the Cloakmaster Cycle books, even if they are quite rare, and who's to say that, should you so wish to use it, Krynn hasn't just moved into a new crystal sphere? I'd like to know what's going to happen with this new sphere - it can hardly be called Krynnspace, can it? And what relation is the this sphere to the Dragon Overlord one?
#6
cam_banks
Dec 03, 2003 8:13:26 *whistles quietly to himself*

Cheers,
Cam
#7
darthsylver
Dec 03, 2003 8:23:12 I would just keep them as the 3-hour tourists that they are. You know stranded on an uncharted island (at least by Ansalon).
I see now reason to change them. Heck, they even live above ground in the sun. Talk about a break from the standard Mind-Flayer.
#8
zombiegleemax
Dec 03, 2003 8:39:48
Originally posted by Cam Banks
*whistles quietly to himself*

Cheers,
Cam

*pulls out a frozen tuna, ready to beat any info outa Cam that he may be hiding*:fight!:
#9
zombiegleemax
Dec 03, 2003 9:45:48
Originally posted by Cam Banks
*whistles quietly to himself*

Cheers,
Cam

Spill it Camy! *pulls out his bat*

Although I am a fan of keeping everything the same, I just love the idea of stranded degenerate Mind Flayers and Gnomish technojammers and Giant Miniature space hampsters. It makes me giddy.:D
#10
Dragonhelm
Dec 03, 2003 10:38:46 For Krynnspace, I purposefully left it open so that DMs could insert their own adventure. Did Krynn get moved to another sphere? What's in there? Or is it in some other dimension?

Personally, I think the search for Krynn would make for a very good SJ campaign, especially with heavy DL tie-ins.

If you guys wish to discuss this further, then feel free to start a new thread.
#11
iltharanos
Dec 04, 2003 1:30:04
Originally posted by Dragonhelm
For Krynnspace, I purposefully left it open so that DMs could insert their own adventure. Did Krynn get moved to another sphere? What's in there? Or is it in some other dimension?

Personally, I think the search for Krynn would make for a very good SJ campaign, especially with heavy DL tie-ins.

If you guys wish to discuss this further, then feel free to start a new thread.

All of which is totally inapplicable for those DMs that have nothing to do with Spelljammer, but still enjoy the Yaggol, like me. ;)

For my campaign I'd explain away the Yaggol as one of the freakish by-products of the passing of the Graygem, and keep their mental powers intact. This way you'd have a "classic" Dragonlance monster that can serve as a springboard to introducing psionics to the campaign setting.

Imagine the PCs intrigue/fear/lust for power when they discover/hear legends about/read in a musty tome about a creature whose powers defy the discovered powers of High Sorcery, Primal Sorcery, Mysticism, and Clerical magic.

You could even tweak the Yaggol and make it so that whenever they devour a sentient creature's brain, they receive a temporary boost to their own intelligence, therefore enabling them to hatch fiendishly brilliant plans of continental (or even global) domination. Having reached intellect-level intelligence, the briefly brilliant Yaggol would only further wish to maintain this state of intellectual gigantism, thus leading to more harvested brains and the inevitable and anticipated flocking of determined do-gooder adventurers to their unexpected dooms.
#12
ferratus
Dec 04, 2003 1:44:54 Well, a few clarifications on the Yaggol.

They are indeed mindflayers, but they have been mindflayers that have been stranded here for generations. So any alien tech or magic that they have would have to reflect this. Secondly, they have pretty much degenerated into savagery, and is clear that they can no longer understand much of their technology (and certainly not enough to become airborn again). Thirdly, they are deep in a trackless jungle surrounded by people who live in a hunter/gatherer society. This location is of course the Fisheries of Neron.

To be honest, I'm a little leery of the yaggol as is, simply because I'm leery of any extensive sci-fi influences on the dragonlance setting. It snaps my sense of disbelief a little if you've got dragons and mounted calvary warriors coming up against ray guns and aliens. That's why I hate the hruldrefolk so much too. If I got some better example art that made them look more puckish and fey-like I'd probably like them more.
#13
iltharanos
Dec 04, 2003 1:58:10 To clarify my post:

I'd completely change the background of the Yaggol. No falling from the sky and crashlanding on Krynn, no failed mind flayer colony due to the first Cataclysm, nada. My background would just have them being some other native creature of Krynn (let's say Cha'asii elves) that got warped by the Graygem and turned into the mind flayer-like Yaggol.

Since almost anything goes with the Graygem, boom, your creature springboard for psionics.
#14
Dragonhelm
Dec 04, 2003 10:09:46
Originally posted by ferratus
To be honest, I'm a little leery of the yaggol as is, simply because I'm leery of any extensive sci-fi influences on the dragonlance setting.

Since when are mind flayers sci-fi?

Cam, don't you dare mention that old module (City of the Gods?). ;)

I guess I find this to being akin to why people think that certain monsters (i.e. beholders and vampires) don't exist on Krynn.

IIRC, Yaggol are somewhat integral to Taladas. Been a while though, so I may not remember correctly.
#15
Dragonhelm
Dec 04, 2003 10:13:22
Originally posted by iltharanos
All of which is totally inapplicable for those DMs that have nothing to do with Spelljammer, but still enjoy the Yaggol, like me. ;)

The yaggol are, unfortunately, a throwback to 2nd edition's cosmology, and don't fit the best due to it. If they're not integral to Taladas, ignore them. If they are, then redefine them (as you've already mentioned doing).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ferratus Dec 03, 2003 1:49:50	You know, we really do neglect Taladas too much. A shame, since Taladas is at least as much a compelling setting as Ansalon, and in many ways is much more interesting. I, for one, wouldn't mind knowing what is happening to the Yaggol now that Krynn isn't connected to the spelljammer universe. Personally, I'd make them monsters from the Shadow Plane, and give them shadowy powers rather than mental ones, and make them cannabalistic rather than having an appitite for brains. Keep the cthulu-like horror vibe in the middle of the jungle though... that's just too cool to lose. Hmm... they could even have soulless shadow zombies as the remnants of their victims... that'd be cool. Anyway, what would you do? Would you keep them as aliens from another planet? Write them out of the story? Would you redesign the monster and his abilities to streamline him into the setting when there is no longer spelljamming going on?
#2 jonesy Dec 03, 2003 2:56:26	...and make them cannabalistic rather than having an appitite for brains. Huh? Now I know what you meant (I think), but... can·ni·bal 1. A person who eats the flesh of other humans. 2. An animal that feeds on others of its own kind. So they would only devour other yaggols then? Anyway, I'm definitely keeping them as the stranded aliens that they are.
#3 ferratus Dec 03, 2003 3:13:41	In fantasy fiction, the word cannabalism is generally a little more relaxed applying to humanoids of all types eating other humanoids. I've seen goblins, ape-men, and other creatures described as cannibals, even if they were eating humans and not each other. So if we're going to make them aliens, what should we do for their origins? Crashed spaceship? Portals? Either way, what do we give them in terms of alien tech?
#4 jonesy Dec 03, 2003 3:54:56	Originally posted by ferratus So if we're going to make them aliens, what should we do for their origins? Crashed spaceship? Portals? Either way, what do we give them in terms of alien tech? In my campaign they arrived in a spaceship similar to the one seen in 'Through the door at the top of the sky', only it got smashed pretty bad in the landing and most of the useful stuff was rendered inoperable. They were going to set up a base in an abandoned farm somewhere near the jungles and then begin to search for ways to get back to the stars (maybe even fix the ship with gnomish help). However that's as far as I got to designing their scenario before the campaign came to an end for several different reasons, and we haven't returned to Taladas since then (been meaning to though).
#5 zombiegleemax Dec 03, 2003 5:53:26	Why does the background of the Yaggol have to change just because DL isn't owned by the same company as Spelljammer? There are still the links to it; Dragonhelm has his DL Spelljammer page. There are still the Cloakmaster Cycle books, even if they are quite rare, and who's to say that, should you so wish to use it, Krynn hasn't just moved into a new crystal sphere? I'd like to know what's going to happen with this new sphere - it can hardly be called Krynnspace, can it? And what relation is the this sphere to the Dragon Overlord one?
#6 cam_banks Dec 03, 2003 8:13:26	whistles quietly to himself Cheers, Cam
#7 darthsylver Dec 03, 2003 8:23:12	I would just keep them as the 3-hour tourists that they are. You know stranded on an uncharted island (at least by Ansalon). I see now reason to change them. Heck, they even live above ground in the sun. Talk about a break from the standard Mind-Flayer.
#8 zombiegleemax Dec 03, 2003 8:39:48	Originally posted by Cam Banks whistles quietly to himself Cheers, Cam pulls out a frozen tuna, ready to beat any info outa Cam that he may be hiding:fight!:
#9 zombiegleemax Dec 03, 2003 9:45:48	Originally posted by Cam Banks whistles quietly to himself Cheers, Cam Spill it Camy! pulls out his bat Although I am a fan of keeping everything the same, I just love the idea of stranded degenerate Mind Flayers and Gnomish technojammers and Giant Miniature space hampsters. It makes me giddy.:D
#10 Dragonhelm Dec 03, 2003 10:38:46	For Krynnspace, I purposefully left it open so that DMs could insert their own adventure. Did Krynn get moved to another sphere? What's in there? Or is it in some other dimension? Personally, I think the search for Krynn would make for a very good SJ campaign, especially with heavy DL tie-ins. If you guys wish to discuss this further, then feel free to start a new thread.
#11 iltharanos Dec 04, 2003 1:30:04	Originally posted by Dragonhelm For Krynnspace, I purposefully left it open so that DMs could insert their own adventure. Did Krynn get moved to another sphere? What's in there? Or is it in some other dimension? Personally, I think the search for Krynn would make for a very good SJ campaign, especially with heavy DL tie-ins. If you guys wish to discuss this further, then feel free to start a new thread. All of which is totally inapplicable for those DMs that have nothing to do with Spelljammer, but still enjoy the Yaggol, like me. ;) For my campaign I'd explain away the Yaggol as one of the freakish by-products of the passing of the Graygem, and keep their mental powers intact. This way you'd have a "classic" Dragonlance monster that can serve as a springboard to introducing psionics to the campaign setting. Imagine the PCs intrigue/fear/lust for power when they discover/hear legends about/read in a musty tome about a creature whose powers defy the discovered powers of High Sorcery, Primal Sorcery, Mysticism, and Clerical magic. You could even tweak the Yaggol and make it so that whenever they devour a sentient creature's brain, they receive a temporary boost to their own intelligence, therefore enabling them to hatch fiendishly brilliant plans of continental (or even global) domination. Having reached intellect-level intelligence, the briefly brilliant Yaggol would only further wish to maintain this state of intellectual gigantism, thus leading to more harvested brains and the inevitable and anticipated flocking of determined do-gooder adventurers to their unexpected dooms.
#12 ferratus Dec 04, 2003 1:44:54	Well, a few clarifications on the Yaggol. They are indeed mindflayers, but they have been mindflayers that have been stranded here for generations. So any alien tech or magic that they have would have to reflect this. Secondly, they have pretty much degenerated into savagery, and is clear that they can no longer understand much of their technology (and certainly not enough to become airborn again). Thirdly, they are deep in a trackless jungle surrounded by people who live in a hunter/gatherer society. This location is of course the Fisheries of Neron. To be honest, I'm a little leery of the yaggol as is, simply because I'm leery of any extensive sci-fi influences on the dragonlance setting. It snaps my sense of disbelief a little if you've got dragons and mounted calvary warriors coming up against ray guns and aliens. That's why I hate the hruldrefolk so much too. If I got some better example art that made them look more puckish and fey-like I'd probably like them more.
#13 iltharanos Dec 04, 2003 1:58:10	To clarify my post: I'd completely change the background of the Yaggol. No falling from the sky and crashlanding on Krynn, no failed mind flayer colony due to the first Cataclysm, nada. My background would just have them being some other native creature of Krynn (let's say Cha'asii elves) that got warped by the Graygem and turned into the mind flayer-like Yaggol. Since almost anything goes with the Graygem, boom, your creature springboard for psionics.
#14 Dragonhelm Dec 04, 2003 10:09:46	Originally posted by ferratus To be honest, I'm a little leery of the yaggol as is, simply because I'm leery of any extensive sci-fi influences on the dragonlance setting. Since when are mind flayers sci-fi? Cam, don't you dare mention that old module (City of the Gods?). ;) I guess I find this to being akin to why people think that certain monsters (i.e. beholders and vampires) don't exist on Krynn. IIRC, Yaggol are somewhat integral to Taladas. Been a while though, so I may not remember correctly.
#15 Dragonhelm Dec 04, 2003 10:13:22	Originally posted by iltharanos All of which is totally inapplicable for those DMs that have nothing to do with Spelljammer, but still enjoy the Yaggol, like me. ;) The yaggol are, unfortunately, a throwback to 2nd edition's cosmology, and don't fit the best due to it. If they're not integral to Taladas, ignore them. If they are, then redefine them (as you've already mentioned doing).