Greetings all! There was a monster from previous editions of D&D I planned to write into a campaign I'm working on, but have forgotten the name. It was basically a non-descript lump (which may or may not have been brain like, I can't rightly recall) with hundreds of tube-like tentacles that had mouths on the ends. But what made it memorable was it's size: something like 76 miles in diameter. They were intelligent, lived (or trapped between) between dimensions, psionic, and incredibly evil. NOT an elder brain. Elder brains are not miles across. Not related to mindflayers at all, but a cosmic inter-dimensional horror of a different sort. I think they were from 2nd edition.
You might be mixing together several monsters, but I'm digging because I like a challenge.
The reason I say that is that some of this sounds from the 1st printing, 1st edition of Deities and Demigod, under the Cthulhu Mythos. So I pulled out my copy, and the candidates are Shub-Niggurath, and Yog-Sothoth, and Azathoth. The last one is the size of a small star, the others are described as sitting between dimenions and not fully materializing, but they are on the order of 50-100' feet in size (Hastur is 600', but doesn't meet the rest of the description).
I'll have to pull out the Manual of the Planes and see if there is something in that one.
The creature you're describing reminds me of the Behemecoatyl from one of the Starship Troopers movies, but I think that thing was the size of a planet and also probably not something in the DnD monster's category? And then there is that weird beast from Hellboy movie, lol. Oddly I know exactly what creature you're talking about because I just freaking read about it somewhere in one of the DnD books, I just can't remember to what other creatures it was referenced.
Without knowing for certain what the name of the creature was, maybe these suggestions will help narrow your search; creatures that come to mind might be oversized Grell, Abolith's, Otyugh, some kind of Beholder, Rathtar, or just a freakishly enormous aberration of any kind. Cosmic Horrors is a general category to pull from, Shoggoth/Proto-Shoggoth, etc. etc.
A creature of my nightmares is a tough one. My rare nightmares were always about the absence of someone, extreme sadness, not exactly horror. Never been chased. Been killed and drowned a few times, but neither caused horror (or even any distress at all) to me. (Now that I'm at the age where more and more people are going absent in my life, I'm kinda growing numb to the inevitability of that.) I can't think of how to roleplay a creature of my nightmares.
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Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
As a dm, take the lovecraft route. Dont describe the detail, let minds go rampant. You feel overwhelming saddness and see visions of loss. Thats enough.
Greetings all! There was a monster from previous editions of D&D I planned to write into a campaign I'm working on, but have forgotten the name. It was basically a non-descript lump (which may or may not have been brain like, I can't rightly recall) with hundreds of tube-like tentacles that had mouths on the ends. But what made it memorable was it's size: something like 76 miles in diameter. They were intelligent, lived (or trapped between) between dimensions, psionic, and incredibly evil. NOT an elder brain. Elder brains are not miles across. Not related to mindflayers at all, but a cosmic inter-dimensional horror of a different sort. I think they were from 2nd edition.
Any help would greatly appreciated.
Ongoing Projects: The Mimic Book of Mimics :: SHARK WEEK
Completed Projects: The Trick-or-Treat Table
My Homebrews: Races :: Classes :: Spells :: Items :: Monsters
You might be mixing together several monsters, but I'm digging because I like a challenge.
The reason I say that is that some of this sounds from the 1st printing, 1st edition of Deities and Demigod, under the Cthulhu Mythos. So I pulled out my copy, and the candidates are Shub-Niggurath, and Yog-Sothoth, and Azathoth. The last one is the size of a small star, the others are described as sitting between dimenions and not fully materializing, but they are on the order of 50-100' feet in size (Hastur is 600', but doesn't meet the rest of the description).
I'll have to pull out the Manual of the Planes and see if there is something in that one.
The creature you're describing reminds me of the Behemecoatyl from one of the Starship Troopers movies, but I think that thing was the size of a planet and also probably not something in the DnD monster's category? And then there is that weird beast from Hellboy movie, lol. Oddly I know exactly what creature you're talking about because I just freaking read about it somewhere in one of the DnD books, I just can't remember to what other creatures it was referenced.
Without knowing for certain what the name of the creature was, maybe these suggestions will help narrow your search; creatures that come to mind might be oversized Grell, Abolith's, Otyugh, some kind of Beholder, Rathtar, or just a freakishly enormous aberration of any kind. Cosmic Horrors is a general category to pull from, Shoggoth/Proto-Shoggoth, etc. etc.
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Just coming to me is that based on the size, it could be a Spelljammer monster. I only have the boxed set, and none of the other materials though.
FOUND IT!
The creature is called a Draeden. Thanks for your help!
Ongoing Projects: The Mimic Book of Mimics :: SHARK WEEK
Completed Projects: The Trick-or-Treat Table
My Homebrews: Races :: Classes :: Spells :: Items :: Monsters
That explains it; I never had that particular box set. I had a friend that did, and I probably looked at it twice.
Awesome that you could find the creature of...your....nightmares?
<<shudder>>
A creature of my nightmares is a tough one. My rare nightmares were always about the absence of someone, extreme sadness, not exactly horror. Never been chased. Been killed and drowned a few times, but neither caused horror (or even any distress at all) to me. (Now that I'm at the age where more and more people are going absent in my life, I'm kinda growing numb to the inevitability of that.) I can't think of how to roleplay a creature of my nightmares.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
As a dm, take the lovecraft route. Dont describe the detail, let minds go rampant. You feel overwhelming saddness and see visions of loss. Thats enough.
Method acting not recommended.