OUT OF THE ABYSS Cover Art!

Were you hoping to see the cover of the upcoming adventure, Out of the Abyss, which is coming later this year from Green Ronin and WotC as part of the Rage of Demons storyline? Of course you were! Well, here it is, in all its demonic, abyssal, Demogorgon glory.

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[Olgar Shiverstone]

I think it is Demon Lord Demogorgon. That guy is always angry.

Huh. I thought he had longer necks.

 

[Jhaelen]

At first I thought it was just a minion of Demogorgon, but given the twin-tentacle appendages, it's probably supposed to be the lord himself. I suppose since Diablo 3 all demons have to kind of glow from within... In other words: I've seen depictions of Demogorgon that I've liked better, e.g. Savage Tide or the 4e cartoon.

 

[steeldragons]

Huh. I thought he had longer necks.

Well, each edition of the game seems to require a 'reimagining" of the appearance of creatures (I will direct you all to the Marid in the MM, as the most egregious). Solidifies "the brand" and provides continuity across media, e.g. What the D&D goblin looks like instead of the PF goblin, etc... Keeps the art directors working, I suppose.

That said, he is a demon...in this particular case, the top dog of all demons. Personification of chaos, evil, and destruction. Making himself look however is a simple matter of thought. I am certain if DG /wants/ to have longer necks, he is more than capable of making that happen. [bwahaha.]

 

[Beleriphon]

That said, he is a demon...in this particular case, the top dog of all demons. Personification of chaos, evil, and destruction. Making himself look however is a simple matter of thought. I am certain if DG /wants/ to have longer necks, he is more than capable of making that happen. [bwahaha.]

Yeah, I remember the serpent like necks, but I prefer the weirdo ape/lizard/chicken/Cthulu look. I'm pretty sure the AD&D 1E look had big long serpent necks like a hydra with baboon head. Dragon 357 had a pretty spiffy Demogorgon illustration on the cover, and it looks more like the Out of the Abyss look than the 4E orange Prince of Demons.

 

[Iosue]

Demogorgon AD&D

 

[steeldragons]

Yeah, I remember the serpent like necks, but I prefer the weirdo ape/lizard/chicken/Cthulu look. I'm pretty sure the AD&D 1E look had big long serpent necks like a hydra with baboon head. Dragon 357 had a pretty spiffy Demogorgon illustration on the cover, and it looks more like the Out of the Abyss look than the 4E orange Prince of Demons.

Demogorgon AD&D

Yeah. I wasn't recalling great long serpentine necks...accurately, it seems. But, again, having him make his necks "hydra-long" would be an awwwwesome special attack to throw at a group.

Demogorgon want reaching bite attack? Demogorgon can haz reaching bite attack.

 

[bpauls]

I don't recall...I don't think I've ever actually pit Demogorgon against a group before...either as actually face-to-face bruhaha or as a mastermind/behind the scenes guy. (DG never struck me as the plotting/scheming kind. More the "I step on you and suck your soul out from between my gnarly toes" kind.)

One of the legends about Demogorgon in his description from the 1e Monster Manual was that he would appear if you spoke his name. While by no means an original concept, I found it particularly evocative in this context. Perhaps it was because the idea was accompanied by a weird B&W drawing of a double-headed monster with snake-like tentacles for arms...

In any case, a set piece I have never taken the opportunity to use involves the player characters arriving in the deepest room of a dungeon, only to find it empty except for an alter with the name "Demogorgan" inlaid in iron letters on the wall behind. Then I could sit back, smile inwardly, and wait for one of the PCs to ask "Who's Demogorgon?"

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I think it was Orcus who had a 95% chance of appearing if you spoke his name. But I may be wrong.

There is also the quite famous PAZUZU PAZUZU PAZUZU.

 

[bpauls]

I think it was Orcus who had a 95% chance of appearing if you spoke his name. But I may be wrong.

You may be right. I wouldn't put it past my 6th-grade self to think "I really want my players to do that, but I'd rather sic Demogorgon on them. He's way cooler..."

 

[TarionzCousin]

Dragon 357 had a pretty spiffy Demogorgon illustration on the cover....

The illustration in question, by Andrew Hou.

This looks awesome, in my humble opinion.

Several more pictures and some text on the origin of Demogorgon: http://monsterbrains.blogspot.com/2009/04/demogorgon-illustration-for-cover-of.html. Note that although the original author cites "unknown" as the artist, the first comment tells the artists' names.