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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Dec 2023 : 09:32:40
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Hello there!
While looking at the earliest official maps of Myth Drannor, the landmark known as "Glyryrryl's Pool" caught my eye. Then, it hit me: a monster bedevils the heart of that previously picturesque and placid place...something unique to the forested region. Whatever the threat, it is as much a representation of the befoulment that has pervaded Myth Drannor as it is a direct challenge to the PCs' might and ingenuity; a victory resulting in its death or banishment may not be especially crucial in the grand scheme of things, but it would create a safe haven of sorts and still count for something among the altruistic. Souls of a more avaricious bent would also be rewarded  (maybe even by the spirit of the Half-Elf himself).
Anyhow, I am still deciding on this fearsome foe; to that end, I have come here in search of suggestions. However, before you offer anything, please keep the following criteria in mind ->
1. It must be a threat for mid-level (or higher) characters.
2. It can be amphibious, but it is either loath to venture far from its watery home or somehow bound to the vicinity.
3. I am trying to avoid dragons; I get the sense that there are plenty of those in the city proper. Still, if you want to pitch a recommendation, I'll be receptive.
4. No "templates", please. An "advanced"/"greater" version of an already existing monster is fine, but I want to stay away from anything too recherche, convoluted or improbable.
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The Froghemoth is a strong candidate (I hear you sniggering, but this abomination is suitably horrifying if afforded a proper description). Darktentacles appears promising, but it's fairly reminiscent of a Tolkien beastie and I would rather avoid a creation that derivative (though, if push comes to shove, a bit of revamping could make it stand on its own two...er, its many tentacles).
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Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
Edited by - Azar on 27 Dec 2023 14:09:29
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1151 Posts |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
890 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2023 : 09:51:23
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| I'd like to piggyback on Seethyr's idea of fiends, while using an aquatic theme. For example, you could try a hydroloth, piscoloth (yugoloth), wastrilith (tanar'ri) or xerfilstyx (baatezu). These fiends except wastrilith have explicit ties to the Styx (River of Blood if you prefer). They could pollute the water with the memory-sapping powers of the Styx, giving them an extra point of danger even if they don't have 20+ Hit Dice. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2023 : 15:00:21
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| I had to look up the alkilith, but with this idea in mind... given that there was some involvement of the elves of this region combatting with the followers of Moander, having them involved with releasing an alkilith, etc... May even be nonhuman followers of Moander (possibly undead, fey'ri, dark elf, goblinoid, etc....) |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2384 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2024 : 02:48:25
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
. given that there was some involvement of the elves of this region combatting with the followers of Moander, having them involved with releasing an alkilith, etc...
Why would they release an alkilith?
Infesting the place with some sort of corrupted kelp or shambling mound would be more in their style.
quote:
May even be nonhuman followers of Moander (possibly undead, fey'ri, dark elf, goblinoid, etc....)
Were there any?
The drow in particular have Ghanadaur, who is not too different, but kind of already entrenched. And at least can act like a god rather than a talking disease.  |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2024 : 21:32:17
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
. given that there was some involvement of the elves of this region combatting with the followers of Moander, having them involved with releasing an alkilith, etc...
Why would they release an alkilith?
Infesting the place with some sort of corrupted kelp or shambling mound would be more in their style.
quote:
May even be nonhuman followers of Moander (possibly undead, fey'ri, dark elf, goblinoid, etc....)
Were there any?
The drow in particular have Ghanadaur, who is not too different, but kind of already entrenched. And at least can act like a god rather than a talking disease.
Yeah, I worded the original thing possibly unclearly... the "they" I meant wasn't the elves... I meant the beings that followed Moander might have released an alkilith. I don't see Moander followers being particular about "should I summon a demon that corrupts, or create a prime bound creation from some animated weeds". They just want the end result. It could be a different kind of creature too, but the general idea of a creature that corrupts its surroundings like an alkilith would make a good creature to use. For that matter, filling the area with little unseelie fey, darktrees, etc... could be interesting as well.
Ghaunadar is SIMILAR but not the same. I can definitely see him fitting with elves living in the underdark. Oozes and such are less common on the surface, and Moander seems a better surface fit. He's much more of a "corrupted nature" than Ghaunadar is. So, I could definitely see say a fey'ri that might follow Moander and summon an alkilith demon... or a banshee priestess of Moander that haunts the pool, etc..... |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2024 : 19:48:14
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Far be it from me to move the goalposts, but, ah...I had hoped for a few contributions that weren't demonic or diabolical; as I understand the situation, Myth Drannor is rife with even more Tanar'ri and Baatezu than it is Dragons. Anyhow, if there is to be a fiendish influence, a Hydrax could be interesting (itself bound to the service of a Gelugon?).
Elemental water? Check.
Solitary? Check.
Tends towards evil? Check. |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
890 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2024 : 21:19:33
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| How about an aboleth that got pulled away from its Underdark lair? The aboleth does not yet know what seized it from its home and transported it to the surface, but the aboleth is in a very foul mood. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2024 : 19:00:57
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Just another random thought that occurred to me after talking about Tyranthraxus in another thread.... its a "pool" and its in myth drannor ..... corrupted pool of radiance? I won't claim to be extremely knowledgeable of the pools or radiance, but another possible weird creature in relation ... Ormyrr... and there were some Ormyrr in Myth Drannor. Maybe one was named Glyryrryl
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Pool_of_radiance
The pool of radiance in Myth Drannor connected to other active and dormant pools and used them to consume life energies of creatures that surrounded them. The same pool was able to spawn undead out of lifeless husks of creatures it devoured. And lastly, the corrupted pool spread tendrils of itself, known as spawn pools across Myth Drannor, through which it dominated the minds of creatures that resided nearby, including dark nagas, orcs, orogs, and ormyrr.
https://mojobob.com/roleplay/monstrousmanual/o/ormyrr.html
So, some Ormyrr of the sharpstick clan, living near a corrupted pool of radiance because they are fascinated by magic... or because they are dominated by the pool. Including some undead spawned by the pool as well. Best part in my book... its canon that they're found in Myth Drannor around pools, and their racial name kind of sounds like the name of the pool in question.
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Ormyrr
The things remind me of Jabba the Hutt, except with 4 arms instead of 2. They're also noted for inserting weird words of their own language into interactions, so it could be interesting to kind of have them talk a bit like Jabba. Maybe things like frogs dipped into the corrupted pool get mutated... and they like the taste because they have a weird fascination with magic since they can't cast. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 08 Jan 2024 19:50:12 |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2024 : 09:52:00
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
a banshee priestess of Moander that haunts the pool, etc.....
Prior to me finally noticing that portion of your post, I was thinking of a Sea (Aquatic?) Elf turned Banshee; she might have been a visiting dignitary that arrived via a portal in or above the pool. Perhaps, during the final days of Myth Drannor, she committed a great evil in exchange for her family's safety that was all for naught? |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jan 2024 : 21:31:46
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quote:
Originally posted by Azar
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
a banshee priestess of Moander that haunts the pool, etc.....
Prior to me finally noticing that portion of your post, I was thinking of a Sea (Aquatic?) Elf turned Banshee; she might have been a visiting dignitary that arrived via a portal in or above the pool. Perhaps, during the final days of Myth Drannor, she committed a great evil in exchange for her family's safety that was all for naught?
Or looking at the idea I noted above about Myth Drannor having corrupted pools of radiance... and the note from the wiki that the pools of radiance drain life and create undead.
So Banshee created by corrupted pool of radiance that sucked the elf's life out and/or aged it to death. Maybe she's now dominated by a power within the pool that speaks into her broken undead mind. Maybe even she corrupted the pool in trying to siphon its power into herself in an attempt to perform some powerful high magic (maybe the pool had her convinced that she could use its power to restore the sea elven kingdom destroyed by the surface elves in making the tidal wave that hit Jhaamdath or somesuch).
Another danger of the pools of radiance was their vulnerability to corruption. Throughout history, the forces of evil and ambition discovered ways of tapping into the arcane energies of the pools and corrupting them via magic rituals or with the power of powerful creatures of the planes. When pools were corrupted, they often harnessed powers of death and destruction. These pools were sometimes referred to as pools of darkness.[5] The corruption was not exclusive to evil beings. Good powers were known to "corrupt" pools too, though these cases were mostly accidental. The pools reflected the natures of creatures that successfully tapped into their powers.
Some of the effects on creatures touching a pool of radiance included:
Growth of black snake scales all over their body while going blind and gaining extraordinary boons to other senses;
Instant death, returning to existence as an undead;
Instant aging; |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 17 Jan 2024 22:36:04 |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
890 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2024 : 12:00:32
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| Maybe have the kaiju aballin spawn smaller versions of itself that are still huge and nasty. |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2024 : 22:44:23
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| The surface of the water has become a portal to a dark faerie realm where twisted reflections of our world reside; in effect, it is a Mirror of Opposition writ large. Nothing mindless or nearly so (e.g., worms, insects, bugs, arachnids, oozes, the undead, et cetera) is affected, but anything with a claim to sapience that draws near and gazes into the pool for more than a handful of seconds will cause its devilish doppelganger to break through to the other side. |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
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The Blight of Glyryrryl
