Yeah, color me confused too. I read Ed Greenwood's description before I read the monster info...and I said ??? (no, really, I did). :)
My guess is that this description is for another, upcoming monster? Didn't notice the wyrm-thing's description, though.
M
Its not a big deal, but I was reading through the new monsters presented in the Stolen Land bestiary and I found a few descrepancies. They are all related to the "flavor text" of the monsters, but I find it weird that the writer contradicts himself like that. Its hard to get an understanding of how the creator intended the monsters to behave.
The first one I saw was in the Tatzlwyrm description. In their description it says, "tatzlwyrms are deeply cunning, building complex lairs.." and then later on it says, "and laziness prevents them from complex and time-consuming tasks like constructing more elaborate lairs.." Now which one is it? Do they construct elaborate lairs or are they too lazy to construct elaborate lairs?
The other one I found was with the Thrawn. In its descrpiton it says "Ogre-like in stature and dimwittedness.." and its actual stats represent that, with a negative intelligence and charisma. Later on in the entry, Ed Greenwood comments on how the thrawn are "intelligent tricksters" who can "stalk PCs for long periods, deceiving players into thinkinging their up against a secret society or a wizard.." These are large ogre like creatures, with a negative stealth, Intelligence, and Charisma. The statistics and opening description really contradicts how the creator imagines them to be portrayed.
These contradictions aren't a big deal, but I just found them odd. I know DMs have creative license to have the creature behave in any way they wish them to, but I'd prefer to actually understand what the original writer intended for these creatures.
For the Thrawn, I'd just assume that the thing has that kind of cruel animal cunning some creatures have without having any real intellect.
The tatzlwyrm is just a flat out contradiction. I got nothing. :-/
This is a slight threadjack ....
I missed the tight connection to Golarion that we have found in previous AP bestiaries. Perhaps I just missed a reference, but either way it should be front and center as these are -Golarion- creatures.
Note, I love that Ed added his creative energies to Golarion, and I dig the creatures.
Best.
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To me Intelligence = Book smarts, knowledge , which the Thrawn has a low score
Wisdom on the other hand (12 for the Thrawn) usually indicates cunning. That can mean sneaky, using the environment -survival, perception, ranger skills if you think about it.
Same goes for the Tatzlwyrm, they are pretty cunning (Wis 14, more so than your average villager), but much like other dragons they are pretty lazy. I could imagine your average Tatzlwyrm as building a simple yet effective lair (a few deadfalls, etc), but the race/breed has/had some potential, even if it implied as being somewhat diminished and a devolved low powered dragon, which in effect it is.
I could see a slightly more advanced and smarter Tatzlwyrm giving a low to mid level party hell as a low powered foil - killing domestic animals and herdsman and maybe even setting up traps for those who would eventually get around to coming after it.
I think both creatures represent ideas of monsters in decline.
I could also see a throwback to a greater time when a single powerful Thrawn leader can rally his hooded forces, or a crafty (advanced) Tatzlwyrm overcomes some of its inherent problems and becomes a threat.
At least to mid-level characters :)
Thrawn = Forrest Gumps of the Giant world. :P
Blast.
On the tatzlwyrm:
"and laziness prevents them from complex and time-consuming tasks like constructing more elaborate lairs.."
With an Int of 5, go with this one.
The other one I found was with the Thrawn. In its description it says "Ogre-like in stature and dimwittedness." and its actual stats represent that, with a negative intelligence and charisma. Later on in the entry, Ed Greenwood comments on how the thrawn are "intelligent tricksters" who can "stalk PCs for long periods, deceiving players into thinking they're up against a secret society or a wizard.." These are large ogre-like creatures, with a negative stealth, Intelligence, and Charisma. The statistics and opening description really contradicts how the creator imagines them to be portrayed.
What's in the monster is fine. These monsters are based off of Ed's ideas and written by other designers. As such, every nuance of Ed's concepts don't necessarily translate though the design and development process, which is fine and typically good for a cohesive, believable creature. So this is a peripheral case of that, but shouldn't affect how anyone characterizes or runs the monster.
I missed the tight connection to Golarion that we have found in previous AP bestiaries. Perhaps I just missed a reference, but either way it should be front and center as these are -Golarion- creatures.
Check out the introduction to the Bestiary in #31. All of Ed's monsters populate the region of Iobaria. This area is expanded in far greater detail in Pathfinder #33, and rather than filling one volume's bestiary with a bunch of regional monster, we've spread creatures that come from this realm and creep into Avistan through the entire AP. There's no reason that these creatures should feel any less "Golarion" than any other that's ever appeared in the Bestiary.
Ahh, I did miss that. Typically, the ties to Golarion have been in the creature description itself. Thank you for the head's up!
Check out the introduction to the Bestiary in #31. All of Ed's monsters populate the region of Iobaria. This area is expanded in far greater detail in Pathfinder #33, and rather than filling one volume's bestiary with a bunch of regional monster, we've spread creatures that come from this realm and creep into Avistan through the entire AP. There's no reason that these creatures should feel any less "Golarion" than any other that's ever appeared in the Bestiary.
I missed the tight connection to Golarion that we have found in previous AP bestiaries. Perhaps I just missed a reference, but either way it should be front and center as these are -Golarion- creatures.