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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Apr 2025 : 01:08:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Marc
From the list noticed some of these missing: shadevari, shadow lich, sliver, spellfire horror, unholy hand of Bane, fogwarden, crustaid
Going to add now, thanks so much!
Edit: Some questions and thought after I did a little research:
Shadevari: Unreal, these are going to be fun to do as really high CR fiends.
Unholy Hand of Bane: It behaves like a monster but is listed most places as a magic item. I’m not sure about doing this one.
Fogwarden: Unless I’m mistaken this isn’t a creature that has its origins or hasn’t been used even much in FR? Might hold it for a later book.
Crustaid: Thank you so much for bringing this one up. I had no idea about it as I never really had many Polyhedrons.
Sliver: Don’t know how I missed it. Thank you!
Shadow Lich: I can’t find this anywhere except as just a Lich. Is there a separate creature? |
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Edited by - Seethyr on 19 Apr 2025 01:25:47 |
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Marc
Senior Scribe
662 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2025 : 17:58:11
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| Fogwarden is from generic Dungeon 54 adventure and in Monstrous Compendium Annual 4 (same as firestar), but also it was later in 3.5e in Bestiary of the Realms vol. 2, don't know if that counts, Shadow lich also. Now I remember also, do you have Echohawk's Complete Monster Index ? you can filter monsters by setting |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6383 Posts |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2025 : 21:17:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
If its in Bestiary of the Realms, then it meant that other realms designers considered it part of the forgotten realms. While not an official realms product i would consider anything in those volumes to be realmsian.
Funny thing is I had no idea about those volumes. Thank you all for drawing my attention to them.
On a side note, I’m going to put a “Special Thanks” for everyone that has helped me in this thread in the book when it’s eventually released. Please let me know if you have any special preferences for how I present your name. As a default I will use your Candlekeep moniker. |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2025 : 01:56:45
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Out of all 100 or so creatures updated, this is the one I deviated the most from the original. I really wanted to power these guys up to a high CR considering their rarity, existence since before time, etc.
Shadevar: https://i.imgur.com/UQa8JO6.png
I hope I was able to maintain their original flavor well enough from their origins. |
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Edited by - Seethyr on 21 Apr 2025 02:00:48 |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2025 : 00:06:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Marc
From the list noticed some of these missing: shadevari, shadow lich, sliver, spellfire horror, unholy hand of Bane, fogwarden, crustaid
I went from having never heard of this thing to having a blast putting it together. This took about two hours to put together, but thinking through the dynamics of its abilities was a lot of fun. It might have the longest attack range in the game, just like its 2e lore predecessor. Check out Polyhedron 130 for the original.
Crustaind Page 1: https://i.imgur.com/zbcb6tk.png
Crustaid Page 2: https://i.imgur.com/h9FeWbR.png |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2025 : 08:19:33
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Hey everyone, I finished it, at least appendix 1. There are about 150 stat blocks in here and depending on if its popular or not I might do another one (or two) in time. I have a huge list of creatures I could update for those.
Anyway, thank you for all your help and advice. If you'd like to pick up a cheaper version, use this link for a discount:
https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?discount=9d9d3347ba
If it runs out of discounted versions let me know and I will put up more. |
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Edited by - Seethyr on 27 Apr 2025 08:23:10 |
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Lord Null
Acolyte
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2025 : 19:09:46
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| Maybe you can put out a table showing where they were first introduced. That way newer players can check out their history and read the articles and game books they were in. |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2025 : 19:37:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Lord Null
Maybe you can put out a table showing where they were first introduced. That way newer players can check out their history and read the articles and game books they were in.
I will try to include this in an update and in fact, had it at one point. It looked out of place and I removed it half way through but in hindsight that will definitely go into the next update. One issue I had too was determining which source to list. Do ai include 4e products I know nothing about? Do I prioritize Monsters of Faerun over others? I might just eventually include EVERY book they’ve been in but that task started to seem monumental as well. |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2025 : 14:24:55
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Despite the release of the book, I have continued to update monsters possibly for a volume two or just for personal use/sharing. One of my goals since the beginning has been to make the creatures accessible to any campaign, so I avoid FR specific names where I can, but try to make it obvious to fans. Do you think changing a Beast of Malar to a Beast of Savagery is going to far? A beast of Xvim/Bane to a Beast of Tyranny?
Here is the Beast of Malar: https://i.imgur.com/sIzF9r9.png
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12013 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2025 : 20:43:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Hey everyone, I finished it, at least appendix 1. There are about 150 stat blocks in here and depending on if its popular or not I might do another one (or two) in time. I have a huge list of creatures I could update for those.
Anyway, thank you for all your help and advice. If you'd like to pick up a cheaper version, use this link for a discount:
https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?discount=9d9d3347ba
If it runs out of discounted versions let me know and I will put up more.
I just had a moment to click this link. I noticed the cover looks like an antlered cat. Is that actually a thing? We were talking about that as a possibility in AJA's thread a couple weeks ago.
EDIT: well, it was still only 3 bucks, so I bought it. So, Calygraunts is an actual creation of Ed's (also called Feystags). I recognized the picture the second I saw it (the one in MC annual volume 1), but I had totally forgotten them. Black versions of these feystags have to absolutely be tied to Beshaba, especially with their ability to activate magic items randomly that they study, even if they don't possess it.
Hmmm, and looking at the cantobele... my first thought is "six legs like a displacer beast and a type of cat.... and with abilities to hide/confuse folks".
Which given your own interest into native american lore... the wampus cat is a 6 legged cat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLRV4bsLh7I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf0ahpuk078 |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 05 May 2025 21:59:04 |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2025 : 21:32:08
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Hey everyone, I finished it, at least appendix 1. There are about 150 stat blocks in here and depending on if its popular or not I might do another one (or two) in time. I have a huge list of creatures I could update for those.
Anyway, thank you for all your help and advice. If you'd like to pick up a cheaper version, use this link for a discount:
https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?discount=9d9d3347ba
If it runs out of discounted versions let me know and I will put up more.
I just had a moment to click this link. I noticed the cover looks like an antlered cat. Is that actually a thing? We were talking about that as a possibility in AJA's thread a couple weeks ago.
EDIT: well, it was still only 3 bucks, so I bought it. So, Calygraunts is an actual creation of Ed's (also called Feystags). I recognized the picture the second I saw it (the one in MC annual volume 1), but I had totally forgotten them. Black versions of these feystags have to absolutely be tied to Beshaba, especially with their ability to activate magic items randomly that they study, even if they don't possess it.
Hmmm, and looking at the cantobele... my first thought is "six legs like a displacer beast and a type of cat.... and with abilities to hide/confuse folks".
Which given your own interest into native american lore... the wampus cat is a 6 legged cat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLRV4bsLh7I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf0ahpuk078
Going through the products I grew up with was eye opening. To see the images of calygraunts and such that were buried in memories that you haven’t seen for years. It’s been so much fun putting these together.
Yeah one day i might update the Maztica/Anchorome/Lopangan monsters too so that might be a nice addition in the future |
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Lord Null
Acolyte
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2025 : 04:30:11
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| Vol 2 can be zakhara, Maztica plus kara-tur and realmsspace. vol3 can be from dragon and polyhedron magazines and source books. |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2025 : 19:41:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Lord Null
Vol 2 can be zakhara, Maztica plus kara-tur and realmsspace. vol3 can be from dragon and polyhedron magazines and source books.
This was actually pretty close to my plan. I’m still working on Appendix II which I hope to update pretty much every remaining creature I didn’t in Appendix I. Then if I’m not exhausted by this I’ll go straight to Al-Qadim. Moving from there will either be Kara-Tur or an amalgam of Maztica Realmspace, Horde and Malatra (not working Malatra into Kara Tur). It really all depends on how much updating 500 monsters is possible.
By the way, Appendix II is at about 35 monsters already. |
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Lord Null
Acolyte
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2025 : 22:56:28
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| Malatra could be a hidden valley or kingdom like meru in the howards conan stories |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2025 : 04:56:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Lord Null
Malatra could be a hidden valley or kingdom like meru in the howards conan stories
Oh it already has a vast quantity of lore from the whole Living Jungle campaign. But I’m not sure how many new monsters it has other than dinosaurs. Saru, katanga and bakemono are there but those already belong in Kara Tur. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12013 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2025 : 12:58:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Null
Malatra could be a hidden valley or kingdom like meru in the howards conan stories
Oh it already has a vast quantity of lore from the whole Living Jungle campaign. But I’m not sure how many new monsters it has other than dinosaurs. Saru, katanga and bakemono are there but those already belong in Kara Tur.
Yeah, I was thinking the same think, because katanga are just a different variation of hengeyokai... which are just another variation of animal shapechangers from humanoids. I actually wonder how many "races" we could find that could in essence be framed as just another kind of hengeyokai (i.e. the Lythari elves are essentially just elves that turn into wolves, because even though some books call them "lyncanthropes" .... that's very wrong since its not a curse spread through bite/claw and it can't technically be "cured"). Selkies similarly were shapechanging women that turned into seals, but the big thing (like swanmays as well) was that they needed some kind of totem to do so (i.e. a seal skin... forget what swanmays needed.. maybe a feather)
Which that discussion makes me wonder ..... IS THERE a creature that you've noted that specifically met the idea of "the little mermaid" in that it was a merperson who could switch pretty much anytime between fish bottom and land legs? Similarly, a creature that switches between land legs and octopi tentacles? |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1236 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2025 : 02:04:16
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Null
Malatra could be a hidden valley or kingdom like meru in the howards conan stories
Oh it already has a vast quantity of lore from the whole Living Jungle campaign. But I’m not sure how many new monsters it has other than dinosaurs. Saru, katanga and bakemono are there but those already belong in Kara Tur.
Yeah, I was thinking the same think, because katanga are just a different variation of hengeyokai... which are just another variation of animal shapechangers from humanoids. I actually wonder how many "races" we could find that could in essence be framed as just another kind of hengeyokai (i.e. the Lythari elves are essentially just elves that turn into wolves, because even though some books call them "lyncanthropes" .... that's very wrong since its not a curse spread through bite/claw and it can't technically be "cured"). Selkies similarly were shapechanging women that turned into seals, but the big thing (like swanmays as well) was that they needed some kind of totem to do so (i.e. a seal skin... forget what swanmays needed.. maybe a feather)
Which that discussion makes me wonder ..... IS THERE a creature that you've noted that specifically met the idea of "the little mermaid" in that it was a merperson who could switch pretty much anytime between fish bottom and land legs? Similarly, a creature that switches between land legs and octopi tentacles?
From what I remember, there were additional katanga in Malatra that never appeared in K-T though, like the ostrich katanga. This is just going from memory.
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Follow the Maztica (Aztec/Maya) and Anchorome (Indigenous North America) Campaigns on DMsGuild!
The Maztica Campaign
The Anchorome Campaign |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12013 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2025 : 14:06:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Null
Malatra could be a hidden valley or kingdom like meru in the howards conan stories
Oh it already has a vast quantity of lore from the whole Living Jungle campaign. But I’m not sure how many new monsters it has other than dinosaurs. Saru, katanga and bakemono are there but those already belong in Kara Tur.
Yeah, I was thinking the same think, because katanga are just a different variation of hengeyokai... which are just another variation of animal shapechangers from humanoids. I actually wonder how many "races" we could find that could in essence be framed as just another kind of hengeyokai (i.e. the Lythari elves are essentially just elves that turn into wolves, because even though some books call them "lyncanthropes" .... that's very wrong since its not a curse spread through bite/claw and it can't technically be "cured"). Selkies similarly were shapechanging women that turned into seals, but the big thing (like swanmays as well) was that they needed some kind of totem to do so (i.e. a seal skin... forget what swanmays needed.. maybe a feather)
Which that discussion makes me wonder ..... IS THERE a creature that you've noted that specifically met the idea of "the little mermaid" in that it was a merperson who could switch pretty much anytime between fish bottom and land legs? Similarly, a creature that switches between land legs and octopi tentacles?
From what I remember, there were additional katanga in Malatra that never appeared in K-T though, like the ostrich katanga. This is just going from memory.
yeah, that's what I meant by different kind of hengeyokai. They had caiman,pangolin, hedgehog, impala, tiger, snake, hyena, and ostrich. But then there's also a reference to "leopard katanga" in the Malatra Living Jungle Book that are said to be only for NPC's, and spider katanga in the an army of one thousand module. I think that was all.
They also have Tam'hi which are basically just another kind of "spirit folk" similar to those of Rashemen.... basically a people tied to some aspect of nature in which they live, and possessing the fey descriptor.
Also, rather than making yet another "race" for the Shu... honestly, I'd make them yet another halfling, but provide some ecological reason that these halflings have lost all body hair. They may CALL themselves the Shu mind you, but that's really no different than halflings of the western realms calling themselves "hin". In my view "radiation" makes a good reason for this and linking said radiation to either something that fell into the jungle from the sky (possibly making it extremely fertile BUT also having an unforeseen effect on the halfling population that moved in)... or possibly an "artifact" left behind by the "ancients" known as the Nubari that bred into the natives of Shou'Lung and Tu'Lung to become the "human" inhabitants of the jungle and took the name of the ancients (i.e. Nubari). Maybe if these Shu were to leave the jungle and breed, their children might have hair. Another explanation, given the picture of the "ancients" that we have as a tall, brown skinned humanoid with 4 digits with golden eyes and an elongated head that appears to have no hair, could be that the ancient Nubari bred with the halflings and that created the Shu.
You know, revisiting this, Malatra does seem like it could very much fit with an idea of a spelljamming nexus that brought many of the races to the region. The "oscray" are spelljamming orcs that are stranded here as well (possibly fleeing the first Unhuman War with the elves a few centuries back, but NOT being a part of the Scro that came later... could even link this to the elves of Evermeet attacking a spelljamming orc fleet in realmspace that had possibly intended to raid the ruins of the ancient Nubari). The people of Shou'Lung meanwhile have obvious contact with the Mercane. Except for their different form of hands... the Nubari and the Mercane could be very similar. The Nubari could easily be a racial offshoot of the Mercane and the Mercane could have come and wiped them out to prevent competition .... or simply because the mercane may have been embarassed and hiding an old secret. Maybe the people of Shou'Lung made contact with the Mercane because of exploring the jungles of Malatra.
But sorry, didn't really mean to make this thread about Malatra, but it kind of "went there" for a minute. I never really knew much of Malatra until years after it ended, but it looks a little interesting.
EDIT: Interesting, I just found a link via the FR wiki to an old article discussing the ancients and some other things. I haven't read it fully, but sharing as I think Seethyr and/or others might like scrolling to the bottom to see the section the ancients and such. And apparently there's a "group" called the Tamara that were the cause of the "Ancient's" Nubari's destruction, and they were supposedly led to the Malatran plateau by the Shu. I may get distracted for a day reading this and through some of this stuff. I've never heavily delved Malatra.
http://www.wizards.com/rpga/LJ/stories_011.asp" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20010617055023/http://www.wizards.com/rpga/LJ/stories_011.asp |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 09 May 2025 18:09:10 |
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Forgotten Realms Monster Manual
