Champions of Ruin Contents

[Ryltar]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/news/20050505news

Ten Reasons ...

 

[Cthulhudrew]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/news/20050505news

Ten Reasons ...

Well, at least the ten reasons are more interesting than the excerpts they posted... man, were those unappealing and uninteresting, or is it just me?

 

[Felon]

Aumvor the Undying
Living Zombie
Eltab
Thall of Eltab
Soneillon, "Queen of Whispers"
Dendar the Night Serpent
Caverns of the Serpent Mother
Kezef the Chaos Hound
The Death Shallows
Ityak-Ortheel, the Elf Eater
Bazim-Gorag, the Firebringer
Malkizid, the Branded King

Are any of these names recognizable, or were they just cobbled together for this book? I recognize Bazim-Gorag, the Firebringer, as being the two-headed slaad from one of the dungeons that was detailed in the Silver Marches, and actually presented in Dungeon magazine.

Oh, and what's a draegloth? Is it in Monsters of Faerun?

 

[Gez]

Draegloth are basically half-fiend drow. There are a few twist compared to the standard half-fiend template, though. They're glabrezu/drow crossbreeds that are conceived during the rituals priestess of Lolths goes through (I think that's what drow clerics call "hazing the newbies"). They have four arms... And yes, they are in Monsters of Faerûn (you can look at the pic in the MoF art gallery), and obviously reprinted in Champions of Ruin.

 

[Shemeska]

Are any of these names recognizable, or were they just cobbled together for this book? I recognize Bazim-Gorag, the Firebringer, as being the two-headed slaad from one of the dungeons that was detailed in the Silver Marches, and actually presented in Dungeon magazine.

Oh, and what's a draegloth? Is it in Monsters of Faerun?

Dendar, Kezef, and Ityak-Ortheel are FR's trio of 'Elder Eternal Evils'.

Malkazid is a fallen Solar

Eltab was a fiend who was summoned by the first Red Wizards and subsequently bound into the land of a section of Thay. I want to say that he was a powerful Balor or Pit Fiend, but off the top of my head I can't remember which of those two he might have been.

Draegloth (found in Monsters of Faerun) are half-Tanar'ri Drow

 

[Thanee]

The organizations are interesting, hopefully they'll cover them with some detail.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Gez]

From the introduction...

If you wish to play an evil character, you might act exactly as you would play a good character, except in reverse. Instead of going out to slay the red dragon that has been terrorizing the elf village, you go out to slay the gold dragon that has been terrorizing the orc village.​

Am I the only one who loathe this kind of conception of evil? It's really saying "orcs are evil because they are orcs, elves are good because they are elves."

So, Evil in D&D is kind and caring, devoted and selfless, just like Good. They're just the other team -- Good is the Blue Team, Evil is the Red Team, changing alignment is just changing your shirt.

For example, Druuzkar the Merciless, orcish half-fiend blackguard vampire, when not slaughtering baby elves while looting forests, run a shelter for hyena kittens and funds an orphanage for dispossessed orcs and goblins. He's also famous for his lobbying as a kobold-right-activist, and he always help old hags crossing the street when there is heavy traffic.

Dang, that's just completely ridiculous. Although it could make for a fun parody campaign, outside of satire, it's just silly.

 

[ericlboyd]

Aumvor the Undying
Living Zombie
Eltab
Thall of Eltab
Soneillon, "Queen of Whispers"
Dendar the Night Serpent
Caverns of the Serpent Mother
Kezef the Chaos Hound
The Death Shallows
Ityak-Ortheel, the Elf Eater
Bazim-Gorag, the Firebringer
Malkizid, the Branded King

Aumvor the Undying is the "greatest lich of the North" and dates back to brief mentions in Ed Greenwood's "Pages from the Mages" articles/book and "Lords of Darkness" (1e). Living Zombies are mentioned in the latter source. Neither Aumvor or living zombies have really been detailed before.

Eltab is a demon lord unique to the Realms. He's been mentioned in FR6 - Dream of the Red Wizards, Spellbound, Unapproachable East, and Shining South, among other places, but never fully explored.

Soneillion is new, although the name comes from the list of demons lords in the Monster Manual 2 (1e) and her history is woven into one of the Realms' lesser known kingdoms.

Dendar, Ithyak, and Kezef date back to Prince of Lies, the Druidhome Trilogy, Evermeet: A Novel, and were detailed for 2e in Powers & Pantheons.

Bazim-Gorag dates back to Dungeon #101, although his existence was hinted at as far back as FR5 - The Savage Frontier, while Malkizid has ties to the Lost Mythal trilogy.

--Eric

 

[Sammael]

Looks like I was right about the Extaminaar.

 

[Ryltar]

Am I the only one who loathe this kind of conception of evil? It's really saying "orcs are evil because they are orcs, elves are good because they are elves."

You aren't. This is what I was referring to earlier ... well, every DM worth his or her salt knows how to better portray evil than that. Thus, the "Evil" aspects of the book are worthless except for first-time evil players who don't know any better (yet). The rest of the book might appeal to everyone, but, let's be honest ... it's just more of the same. More spells, more PrC, reprinted races and stuff, and all of it with the "it's gotta be cool because it's evil!" label tacked on. WotCs definition of "evil" does not equal Evil.

Oh, what's more ... a "Living Zombie" kind of ... doesn't make any sense? At all? Or is it just me?

Shemeska, since you seem to be intent on getting the book despite of all this please, let us know if we were wrong about it.