Theory about the Dominion of the Black

[aetherwisp]

After reading through The Dragon's Demand, and the monsters contained therein, I have a new hypothesis about the enigmatic entities that comprise the Dominion of the Black...

Dragon's Demand spoilers:

They're mi-go.

The neh-thalggu in the module is identified as "one of the Dominion's scouts," but that leaves open the question of who the real movers and shakers of the Dominion are. Mi-go, as scientifically minded colonists, would make ideal technicians and bioengineers for the Dominion, and natural allies of the brain collectors. Mi-go and neh-thalggu both work with brains; no one's quite sure what the neh-thalggu do with the gray matter they harvest, but we do know that mi-go might well be able to make good use of them. The neh-thalggus' "living ships that swiftly decay when they land upon a new world" could certainly be mi-go technology.

What's more, the brand-new yangethe is said to be bred by the Dominion, which both fits the modus operandi of mi-go (their mastery of strange biotech) and suits their strategic purposes (not only do yangethe make a great interplanetary teleporting vanguard for invasion, their psychic arsenal has no effect on their fungoid creators).

Finally, the other new Dark Tapestry creature we see in Dragon's Demand (the grioths) are sworn enemies of the Dominion of the Black, as well as worshippers of Nyarlathotep. While we don't know much about the relationship, if any, between Nyarlathotep and Shub-Niggurath (the chosen deity of most mi-go), it's not surprising that the grioths would resist the mi-go's attempts to colonize their frozen homeworld.

Your thoughts? Plausible theory, or farfetched conspiracy?

[Generic Villain]

You're forgetting the neh-thalggu who show up in Demon's Heresy, who are outright stated as being members of the Dominion. Also the fact that the upcoming module, entitled "Valley of the Brain Collectors," was specifically stated as being about the Dominion of the Black. Brain collector, or course, is an unpleasantly accurrate nickname for the neh-thalggu. Lastly, neh-thalggu are noted as having "living ships" in their Bestiary 3 entry, and the illustration of a Dominion of the Black ship in Distant Worlds is very... organic.

Every time we've heard about the DotB in recent and upcoming modules (Dragon's Demand, Demon's Heresy, Valley of the Brain Collectors), what's the common thread? DotB may employ other beasties (vespergaunts, yangethes), and I suspect the leaders of the organization are something altogether different (the mythic-level neh-thalggu hinted at in their Bestiary description?), but when it comes to bread and butter Dominion, my money's on the neh-thalggu.

As for mi-go having a connection? Sure I could see it thematically, but as of yet we've heard nothing about them. I suspect if mi-go were involved, they'd at least have been name dropped or easter-egged in past Dominion adventures. Indeed, when mi-go have had a whole (amazing) adventure to themselves, the Dominion wasn't mentioned.

[Generic Villain]

For what it's worth though, I actually had a similar thought/idea as you early on. The whole "we want brains for icky and horrible reasons" theme obviously binds the two species together, but I think mi-go are too... I don't know, I guess distant, to really be bothered with actively courting humans the way the Dominion of the Black does. Just my thought on the matter. I wouldn't mind being wrong at all either.

[Mike Shel]

7eye wrote:

After reading through The Dragon's Demand, and the monsters contained therein, I have a new hypothesis about the enigmatic entities that comprise the Dominion of the Black...

** spoiler omitted **

Your thoughts? Plausible theory, or farfetched conspiracy?

Heh, heh.

Ahem...