Café de Nuit

Rotipher of the FoS wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:25 pm Okay, here's what I've combed from various Ravenloft and other 3.5 products, as well as QtR9, that might be suitable for the netbook. I've grouped them loosely for the benefit of folks who don't have access to all the sources, so people can tell what sorts of creatures are available; none of the groupings is fixed, at this stage, though I've suggested some possible chapter-topics below.

Note that this list isn't comprehensive -- I didn't have time to check all my game references or netbook files -- and that creatures nobody takes an interest in could simply be left out. (Even Rudolph Van Richten overlooked a few things in his studies. ) If folks have additional ideas that might fit, feel free to suggest them as well.

I left out the sahuagin, kuo-toa and skum as products of more orderly cultures, and locathah, merfolk, tritons and sea elves because they aren't "monstrous" enough for a monster-book.


Sea stalkers/seawolves: These can share a chapter, if they're not in fact the same species under different names. (NeoTiamat)

Sea spawn: Probably the most interesting marine monster unique to the Ravenloft setting, this can certainly carry a chapter by itself. (DeepShadow/Nathan)

Marine lycanthropes: Ray, shark & orca phenotypes, plus new ones. (Eel?)

Kraken/soul-kraken: The soul-kraken might just be an undead or cursed version of the regular one. (Aboleth could be hinted at here, although a full treatment of them should probably wait for an "aberrations" book.) (Nathan?)

Unnatural beasts: Wight whales ( ), skeletal sharks, aquatic ghost brutes, malasynep (Frostburn), etc. These could be given a (short) chapter of their own, or just a sidebar here and there whenever appropriate. (Malasynep - Jakob?)

Marine undead (generic): Bowlyns, jolly rogers, lacedons, sea zombies, and aquatic remnants could all fit here, plus the mermaids from Death Undaunted and possibly new variants. (Jolly roger - cure)

Marine undead (template): Sea of Sorrows vampire (as per CotN:V), Nocturnal Sea vampire (aka Mystara's "velya"), sea zombie lord, lacedon lord. Sea vampire spawn for the SoS strain could also appear here.

Marine fey: Drownling, dread sirine, kelpie, corrupted nerieds & nixies. (Kelpies - DeepShadow)

Reavers: Nomadic bands and their habits. If they have civilized relatives, we'll leave such settled reavers for another netbook.

Scrags/merrows/vodyanoi (umber hulk version, not Frostburn's): All of these have had at least a brief appearance in Ravenloft modules or domain descriptions, so should rate at least a sidebar, or perhaps share a chapter on big, brute-force undersea thugs.

Will o' sea/blackskate/caller from the deeps: Not related, but they're all extremely weird creatures that might not carry a chapter by themselves, so it might be better to group them together under a "spooky mysteries" theme. (Caller from the deeps - Jakob)

Kopru/morkoth: Creepy, mind-affecting deepwater critters. Perhaps these could be presented in the same chapter, or share a chapter with sea spawn. (Nathan)

Dragon eel/sea drake: Yes, people say dragons don't fit Ravenloft. But these guys might, as they're pretty classic "sea serpent" archetypes. Possibly the dragon turtle could go here, if presented spookily/mysteriously enough; 'Aggie' from Forlorn and the avanc could both rate a mention, as could the Arden Bay sightings of a sea serpent. (DwarfPcFan)

Dread selkies: These could have a short chapter of their own, or could appear alongside sea stalkers or lycanthropes, if the in-character authors don't know the difference. (Isabella)

Langoir (QtR9), giant starfish (Ship of Horrors), hammerclaw (Stormwrack) : A chapter on deadly, vicious sea-beasts would give DMs more ammunition for maritime adventures, as well as giving these guys a place in the netbook. Still, we need more big, dumb, hungry sea monsters ... suggestions, anybody?

Scyllan: Took another look, and this thing could actually work well in Ravenloft, as a rare aquatic fiend ... especially if its reality wrinkle enhances its ability to trap ships.


So, there's the preliminary list, very much subject to change. Depending on the critter, it might require anywhere from a half-page sidebar to a full "Dragon Ecologies"-style natural history description, or perhaps a bit more. Keep that in mind, when you choose: if you're not sure you'll have much time to write, pick something that's big and dumb and quick to describe! Or if you've made something up IYC that might be suitable, e-mail me a synopsis and we'll see about fitting it in ... in fact, Nathan's already done that, for one brand new monster!

Matthew L. Martin wrote: Tue May 02, 2006 8:50 pm The Terrors from the Deep are primal and atavistic horror, creatures of the Great Unknown, who predate us and despise us, seeking to drown all the world. They are the remnants of what ruled the world before and what might again.

Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Wed Jan 25, 2023 1:01 am From Gothic Monsters as Metaphors

Matthew L. Martin wrote: Tue May 02, 2006 8:50 pm The Terrors from the Deep are primal and atavistic horror, creatures of the Great Unknown, who predate us and despise us, seeking to drown all the world. They are the remnants of what ruled the world before and what might again.

Rotipher of the FoS wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:25 pmOr if you've made something up IYC that might be suitable, e-mail me a synopsis and we'll see about fitting it in ... in fact, Nathan's already done that, for one brand new monster!

• Giant Enypniastes (a genus of deep-sea sea cucumber)

• Cetus known as Makara in Sri Raji (a sea monster with the head of a boar or a greyhound and the body of a whale or dolphin, and a divided, fan-like tail. Cetus was said to be a colossal beast the size of a ship, its skull alone measuring 40 feet (12 meters) in length, its spines being a cubit in thickness, and its skeleton taller at the shoulder than an elephant) maybe this will be the form of the leviathan mistway to Saragoss.

• Living Ink (possibly it is used for tattooing by the Abber Nomads...)

• Umibōzu (Rokushima Tayoo)

Rock of the Fraternity wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 6:56 am Well, I'm curious. ^_^

Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 7:02 am

Rock of the Fraternity wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 6:56 am Well, I'm curious. ^_^

I just hope you won't be disappointed...

Speedwagon wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 3:29 pm

Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 7:02 am

Rock of the Fraternity wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 6:56 am Well, I'm curious. ^_^

I just hope you won't be disappointed...

I've never been disappointed in an article by Mephisto before (or by Rock for that matter) so I doubt that'll happen now! You both make amazing content.

Speedwagon wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 3:29 pm I've never been disappointed in an article by Mephisto before (or by Rock for that matter) so I doubt that'll happen now! You both make amazing content.

KingCorn wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 5:26 pm I'd still like to see some expansion of the Boristi Trading Company, and maybe something about the Falkovnian Trade Embassies.

KingCorn wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 6:24 pm Something I've thought about a bit is a series of 'Infernal Texts' within the library of the Fraternity, each one being a primer of rules and options and monsters, all writen by a different darklord.

A text of medical and mechinical science (and monstrosities) from Markov and Mordenstein, a guide to deadly plants and poisons written by Ivana Boristi, Azalin's invented spells and magical devices. Each just its own thing, each written from the perspective of a darklord to give it some life. After all, it can't all be from Van Richten (especially since the man is long dead)