Another Creature Catalog query for Dragon? (Pt 2)

[Gothenem]

Darklore: from Planescape's boxed set Hellbound, the Blood War, an amorphous blob composed of evil knowledge that sapped its way into the River Styx. It feeds on dark knowledge (int drain) and can bestow dark secrets or enable evil beings it knows the true name to teleport at will.

Sadly, this creature re-appeared in Montrous Annual Volume IV, and thus would have to be disqualified. That said, It is a great monster, and one I wanted to pick..But then I remembered the MA4 and was sort of annoyed.....

 

[BOZ]

true, true... and now that i recall, i think the CIFAL was in an issue of the Living Greyhawk Journal as well. it's not always easy coming up with stuff for this category!

 

[cildarith]

As I've been cordially invited to put in my two cents, here are 5 of my favorite critters from Dragon Magazines of old:

Koodjanuk (Dragon #44)
Cryoserpent (Dragon #44)
Colfel (Dragon #56)
Skyzorr'n (Dragon #45)
Fire-eye Lizard (Dragon #40)

These are, as far as I know, 1-hit-wonders....

 

[BOZ]

much appreciated!

 

[Shade]

true, true... and now that i recall, i think the CIFAL was in an issue of the Living Greyhawk Journal as well. it's not always easy coming up with stuff for this category!

It was in Polyhedron #145 (pre-Dungeon inclusion), so it nearly doesn't exist in 3E.

 

[Aspect of BOZ]

ehhh... that's pretty sketchy though.

 

[Nightfall]

Not sure if this will help or not, but does anyone recall if there was say a Pearl or Diamond Dragon? Just wondering since Gem Dragons were never that thoroughly explored...

 

[Echohawk]

Mystara has both Pearl and Diamond dragons (Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia, p172), but I don't think those count as the sort of gem dragons you're looking for here.

 

[Echohawk]

Given that the 3.0 cifal was included in Polyhedron #145 "as a special treat", because it was "the Fiend Folio monster voted "suckiest" by the members", I'm not sure it would stand a very good chance of being accepted in a Dragon proposal. That said, two things about the Polyhedron version make the 3.0 Cifal immediately superior to the original: (1). It is no longer a 'colonial insect-formed artificial life'. Now it is just a cifal. (2) The artwork is way more inspired. I'd run away from the 3.0 version. I'd call friends over to point and giggle at the 1st edition version.

The new version is a Huge Aberration (although the picture makes it look Large, at most) with a "semi-solid swarm" special quality that allows it to make a slam attack and resist gust of wind-type spells. But the description really need some explanation for why a bunch of insects would fly around in humanoid form. Especially since this means giving up their fly speed, for a land-based speed only (forced by "the need to maintain coherence of shape", y'know).

Still, I'm forced to admit that a strong sense of nostaligia would get the cifal a vote from me .

 

[Mortis]

Mystara has both Pearl and Diamond dragons (Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia, p172), but I don't think those count as the sort of gem dragons you're looking for here.

To be more precise, they are unique creatures - Immortals in fact (deities in other words). Pearl is the Ruler of all Chaotic dragons and Diamond is the Ruler of all Lawful Dragons. There is a third Draconic Ruler, Opal - who is the Ruler of all Neutral Dragons.

Regards
Mortis