So, in exchange for my daughter letting me go to a Star Wars themed airsoft game near their birthday (they like neither), I am running two campaigns for them. The first is a Magical Kitties Save the Day campaign which I have well in hand, but second one they want is D&D. I have never really played D&D (daddy don't do fantasy (mind out of the gutter you know what I mean)) and have never read the rules, so I got a little homework. I do know eldritch horror though and my little girl has just gotten into horror (full day marathon with mom just last weekend), so I'm going to run an At the Mountains of Madness campaign with a heavy influence of from Earthcore and Mt. Fitzroy by Scott Sigler (basically a modern retelling of Mountains). Warning: spoiler for all three books coming up. Since I don't really know D&D, I need monsters for the "aliens" and other monsters that are there (are there Giant Albino Penguins out there?). For the aliens both the Thri-Kreen and the Flumph have caught my eye. Any eldritch horror monsters, especially cave dwelling ones, would be greatly appreciated. Any suggestions for other things that are D&D and eldritch horror to help set the mood would be greatly appreciated.
Well, an awful lot of aberrations are pure ripoffs from Lovecraft, so just doing a search for aberrations (adjust filter depending on which books you own) and scanning through the images to find things that have the look you want is an easy option. The gibbering mouther, grell, and nothic are probably good choices, they're all CR 2-3, not particularly aquatic in vibe, and creepy.
You can always re-flavor the monsters to look however you like. Just keep all the game mechanics parts the same and describe them looking however you need for the story.
I personally like the eldritch lich for a more eldritch horror style alien. The elder oblex is pretty good too. The demon lord juiblex is probably the closest to the mountains of madness appearance wise especially if it has the demon lord madness effect but that is a very big fight.
Well, an awful lot of aberrations are pure ripoffs from Lovecraft, so just doing a search for aberrations (adjust filter depending on which books you own) and scanning through the images to find things that have the look you want is an easy option. The gibbering mouther, grell, and nothic are probably good choices, they're all CR 2-3, not particularly aquatic in vibe, and creepy.
I'm gonna second the nothic. As a fan of cosmic horror I'm generally bored with tentacles and blobs, but the nothic is genuinely weird. I'm also a fan of the feyr, neh-thalggu, psurlon, and some of the star spawn monsters.
I also think demons and devils work well for horror. Especially something like that chain devil with it's unnerving mask that can really express some of the horror in concepts like hell by taking on the appearance of tormented souls.
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So, in exchange for my daughter letting me go to a Star Wars themed airsoft game near their birthday (they like neither), I am running two campaigns for them. The first is a Magical Kitties Save the Day campaign which I have well in hand, but second one they want is D&D. I have never really played D&D (daddy don't do fantasy (mind out of the gutter you know what I mean)) and have never read the rules, so I got a little homework. I do know eldritch horror though and my little girl has just gotten into horror (full day marathon with mom just last weekend), so I'm going to run an At the Mountains of Madness campaign with a heavy influence of from Earthcore and Mt. Fitzroy by Scott Sigler (basically a modern retelling of Mountains). Warning: spoiler for all three books coming up. Since I don't really know D&D, I need monsters for the "aliens" and other monsters that are there (are there Giant Albino Penguins out there?). For the aliens both the Thri-Kreen and the Flumph have caught my eye. Any eldritch horror monsters, especially cave dwelling ones, would be greatly appreciated. Any suggestions for other things that are D&D and eldritch horror to help set the mood would be greatly appreciated.
Well, an awful lot of aberrations are pure ripoffs from Lovecraft, so just doing a search for aberrations (adjust filter depending on which books you own) and scanning through the images to find things that have the look you want is an easy option. The gibbering mouther, grell, and nothic are probably good choices, they're all CR 2-3, not particularly aquatic in vibe, and creepy.
You can always re-flavor the monsters to look however you like. Just keep all the game mechanics parts the same and describe them looking however you need for the story.
The Gibbering Mouther is basically a D&D version of the Shoggoth.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I always liked cloaker.
Studded Leather: He does exactly what I do
Natural Armor: But better
I personally like the eldritch lich for a more eldritch horror style alien. The elder oblex is pretty good too. The demon lord juiblex is probably the closest to the mountains of madness appearance wise especially if it has the demon lord madness effect but that is a very big fight.
What level are you planning to have the PCs?
Kuo-toa are functionally Deep Ones.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
And Sea Spawn ARE deep ones.
I'm gonna second the nothic. As a fan of cosmic horror I'm generally bored with tentacles and blobs, but the nothic is genuinely weird. I'm also a fan of the feyr, neh-thalggu, psurlon, and some of the star spawn monsters.
If you like the star spawn there are the spawn of kyuss which is basically a worm infested zombie which partners well with something like the Star Spawn Larva Mage and Swarm of Rot Grubs to make a worm cult.
I also think demons and devils work well for horror. Especially something like that chain devil with it's unnerving mask that can really express some of the horror in concepts like hell by taking on the appearance of tormented souls.