Can you say Sathar mixed with Vrusk? Maybe Ethergaunts from MM2...at least they look 'plausable'
Ak'chazar rakshasas, baby. MM3...obsessed with creating undead...have an alternate humanoid form. Perfect for replacing avolakias in Eberron, where the Age of Worms is being orchestrated by classed rakshasas (the Lords of Dust).
p.s. The ethergaunts are in the Fiend Folio. You have to get that right on these boards, since Erik Mona created the ethergaunts. ;)
Creative Director
|
Check out Dragon #274 for an alternate look at an avolakia that might be a little less alien. I have a soft spot in my heart for the critters, of course (since I invented them), but I can certainly see how they might be a bit too weird for some games.
If I were to replace them with something less bizarre, I'd probably go with psurlons (Lords of Madness).
A couple comments:
Sathar/Vrusk mix - LOL! Now you're talkin' OLDE school, brother!
Actually, I have no particular problem with the avolakia - always room for another bizarre grotesquerie. But I'm also running AoW in Eberron and I am flabbergasted to say that it never occured to me to sub in some Rakshasa - despite the fact that they are one of my favorite things about the setting and I've been looking for a way to work some in. Thanks, Obscure, I will be appropriating that idea for my campaign (of course, it's going to be forever until they get to that point - they're just now starting in on the third temple in 3FoE).
Psurlons - now if there is any creature that strikes me as implausible and just plain goofy it's the psionic giant earthworm people. I'll take the avolakia over them any day.
Thanks, Obscure, I will be appropriating that idea for my campaign (of course, it's going to be forever until they get to that point - they're just now starting in on the third temple in 3FoE).
No problem! :) My group is now solving murders in Sharn between EaBK and TCB, so we've got a while to go too.
|
They're very worm-like, which fits with the tenor of the campaign, but for Eberron, I agree that Ak'chazar Rakshasa would be magnificent.
Also, on that same note, I'm considering doing some reworking of the villains from "Champion's Belt." As it is, Bozal Zahol is the mastermind, with Raknian the desperate, misguided pawn in the schemes of the Ebon Triad (itselt a sham created by the Lords of Dust). Instead, I'm going to make OKORAL the big bad--a disguised Nathzarune Rakshasa (like the Ak'chazar, found in Monster Manual III). He'd then be an associate rather than a by-Leadership-feat cohort of Raknian, in Sharn to ensure that things go as planned.
I can imagine him going uncharacteristically ballistic at the death of the Apostle of Kyuss, slaying Raknian as he flees to face the PCs another day. I'll pump him up with some Assassin levels, heh.
Anyone have a picture of the Avolakia from Dragon #274?
I'd like to use them, but the pic in the MMII is well, er... not quite up to snuff.
Has anyone thought of using the Tsochar (Lords of Madness) as a replacement? They worship the nine headed worm god, but the Age of Worms could tie into their prophecies as well.
There's a nice pic in the latest Dungeon (#134). I'm sure an electronic copy will eventually be available when the get caught up that far on the web enhancements.
|
Creative Director
|
Anyone have a picture of the Avolakia from Dragon #274?
I'd like to use them, but the pic in the MMII is well, er... not quite up to snuff.
Agreed; I'm not a huge fan of the MMII interpretation of the avolakia and much prefer the old Dragon illo. That said... the MMII incarnation is the "official" look now. Fortunately, I think Eva and Steve did great jobs illustrating them in Dungeon #134 and #135.
Just goes to show that art is really subjective; two different illustrations of the same monster can be wildly different.
I was actually a pretty big fan of the MMII's avolakia for a while. It's just so... weird. The symmetry is very alien, and I like that. Of course, then I saw the original Dragon illo, and I do think I like that one better. It makes more sense.
That said, I'm very happy with the change in the ulgurstasa's appearance since Dragon 276 - the one in the magazine looked kinda goofy (or at least as goofy as a twenty foot long intelligent, skeleton vomiting maggot can look).