| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| David E |
Posted - 27 Jan 2007 : 00:03:49
Hi there wise sages of Candlekeep -
I've long been fascinated by the race of goat-men in the Warhammer World known as the Beasts of Chaos. I love the idea that they represent a corruption of nature, as they live in the woodland realms and war against the wood elves for control of the forests. For whatever reason, I think that they would fit well in the Forgotten Realms with some tweaking.
Obviously, the bit about their birth at the hands of the gods of chaos would have to be dropped. However, I thought that perhaps a similar explanation for their appearance could be used, such as a corruption of fey creatures, centaurs, satyrs, or elves in the High Forest by the demons from Hellgate Keep, or in Cormanthor by the fiends that helped sack Myth Drannor.
Also, any place that is strongly associated with minotaurs could also work as place where these creatures roam. I don't know that much about minotaurs in the Forgotten Realms, so I can't really guess about where that would be.
What are your thoughts about this? Where would you put them? Would you even put creatures like the Beasts of Chaos in the Forgotten Realms? |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Sage |
Posted - 29 Jan 2007 : 04:59:35
Sure, go right ahead. 
I didn't delve too deeply into specific Realmslore, since I'm looking at this more as a template that can be used to fit individual FR campaigns, rather than fitting the Beastmen into FR proper.
As for what little lore there is on the regions north of the Spine of the World... The North boxed set provides a little, as does The Savage Frontier. See the same sources for lore on the Endless Ice Sea as well. Both are available for free download as PDF from WotC:- http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads
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| David E |
Posted - 29 Jan 2007 : 03:48:49
I had some ideas of my own, Sage, but yours are really good. I hope you don't mind if I steal them wholesale for my own purposes.
Are any of the lands north of the Spine of the World detailed? The Endless Ice Sea? I like the idea that perhaps some lost tribe of Uthgardt, north of the mountains, was corrupted by a portal to the lower planes, and are only recently migrating south into the Icewind Dale region.
Thanks for all the help, everyone. I'll keep brewing up ideas. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 29 Jan 2007 : 01:40:45
You could follow a "WH-lite" interpretation for one way to drop Beasts of Chaos-styled creatures into the Realms. That would be to simply suggest that at some point in Faerun's history... a planar gateway briefly opened onto the Prime Material from an outer plane of corrupting influence -- Limbo or a layer from the Abyss for example. From there, the chaotic planar energies swirled around the exit point of the portal for a time, slowly infusing with the immediate landscape and gradually corrupting its natural state into something more like the plane the energy emerged from.
Over time, barbaric "North"-men, or simply Uthgardt, came to settle in the area as part of their migratory travels through the Savage Frontier, following wild game and finding the corrupted area a challenge to their warrior spirits. As the months pass by, these barbarians slowly fall under the corrupting influence of the land as the once strong chaotic energies, now slightly decayed, immediately find a new form of expression and corruption in the barbarian biological structure. The energy causes severe mutations in most of the barbarians, with those who do survive becoming horrible half-man, half-animal abominations.
You could also introduce the concept of a "herdstone" -- perhaps similar in size and function to the Uthgardt beast totems. Erected upon the site of strongest chaotic influence, the herdstone of the Uthgardt Beastmen tribes becomes a place of savage sacrifice, fiendish blood rites, and unspeakable prayers uttered to long forgotten gods of chaos.
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| Kuje |
Posted - 28 Jan 2007 : 17:53:44
I coulda swore there was a Beast of Chaos in 2e..... Can't remember which book it was in though but I want to say one of the Encyclopedia Annuals.....
There had to be since it's been unofficialy updated here:
http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/template/beast_of_chaos.htm
Well, there's also one in the 3.5e MM.
As for the topic, maybe the goat-men are races of the chaotic planes. Specifically Arborea (if you use the old planes) or Arvandor (if you use the new planes). I was also thinking Limbo would work.... They could have been created/came to Toril's Planes during the war at the dawn of time.... |
| Bladewind |
Posted - 28 Jan 2007 : 17:27:05
In the warhammer world these beasts roam the northern chaos wastes, more like a craggy plains type terrain infused with strong arcane winds. These arcane winds are also the reason the beastmen are corrupted with chaos, as magic draws from the chaosrealm.
In fearun I could imigine these beasts are found on the cold plains in the north, like Silverymoon or Damara. Somehow connected to the Hellish layer of Cania, one of the nine layers of hell. This freezing cold realm fits the rugged outlook of these beasts. Maybe a permanent portal to the hellish realm of Cania in some icecave provides these foul beasts entrance to the realms. |
| David E |
Posted - 27 Jan 2007 : 18:52:23
The Beast of Malar is a good "nature turned evil" creature, and the fact that it exists to hunt also fits well, but not exactly what I'm thinking of. I guess I'm going for a more organized and militant society of evil fey, and I always figured that the Beasts of Malar were solitary hunters.
To give you a good idea of what the Beasts of Chaos look like, take a look at this picture.
http://oz.games-workshop.com/games/warhammer/beastsofchaos/extras/concept_art/1.htm. |
| MerrikCale |
Posted - 27 Jan 2007 : 14:17:24
I like idea of creating a new evil fey, for what thats worth |
| Ergdusch |
Posted - 27 Jan 2007 : 10:30:19
Well, I have no experience with warhammer whatsoever, but the first thing that I had to think of when starting to read this thread was:
'Hey, what about the 'Beast of Malar' from the Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerun (p. 20)?' --> It is a corrupted Animal with only one desire: to hunt.
Or similar: the 'Beast of Xvim' from p. 85 of the same book.
It might not be exceptly what you are looking for but I thought you might be interested anyhow.
Ergdusch |
| David E |
Posted - 27 Jan 2007 : 08:13:28
Ah. I suppose then that a minotaur connection isnt possible. I do like the idea that Ibixians have been outcast by the fey for some reason, as that gives them a motive for their hatred of all things fey or fey-related (including elves). Keep the ideas flowing! |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 27 Jan 2007 : 03:33:09
Well, Ibixians (Goat Folk) are in the Monster Manual III. Their alignment is listed as neutral, but I imagine you could definately have evil versions of them. They are monstrous humanoids rather than fey.
It could be that the Ibixian progenetors were indeed fey, but did something to get them "outcast," and they resent fey and those associated with them as a result. Between this origin and the fact that you could easily find some tribes of them that aren't true neutral, you might be able to work with that. |
| Lemernis |
Posted - 27 Jan 2007 : 01:22:03
The idea of satyrs corrupted by some dark power is pretty compelling, that does sound like good material. Maybe a daemonfey or fey fiend? Not sure about a forest where you could place them that minotaurs are also found. Minotaurs prefer labrynths as a habitat, so any forest with maze-like ruins would work well. |
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