Dark Wing (Mystara/OD&D)

[BOZ]

this bad-boy appears in the AC9 Creature Catalogue as well as the DMR2 Creature Catalog, and in the 2E Mystara Monstrous Compendium.

where else was it statted? i'm sure it was found somewhere before AC9.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

where else was it statted? i'm sure it was found somewhere before AC9.

Nope- AC9 was its very first appearance. Several of the creatures in AC9 had their first (and, in some cases, only) appearances there. The Stalwart, for instnace, and the Phygorax, and the Elder Ghoul.

What I find most odd is that the Deep Glaurant (from Gaz8) which looks and has abilities almost identical to the Darkwing, is noted as being related to the Death Demon/Ostego, instead. Seems like an oversight, to me.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

Is the nightwing and the darkwing the same thing or are they different? I seem to remember a conversion (of the nightwing)to 2nd edition and not being very impressed with it...could be my mind slipping though.

 

[BOZ]

the nightwing is a variety of nightshade (see the MM), and yes very different from the dark wing.

 

[BOZ]

Several of the creatures in AC9 had their first (and, in some cases, only) appearances there.

BTW, did not realize that!

and oh yeah, is the Ostego supposed to be extraplanar, and if so where is it from?

 

[Mortis]

What I find most odd is that the Deep Glaurant (from Gaz8) which looks and has abilities almost identical to the Darkwing, is noted as being related to the Death Demon/Ostego, instead. Seems like an oversight, to me.

Taken from the Dark Wing entry in DMR2

Many scholars believe they are related to deep glaurants (see "deep glaurant").

Regards,
Mortis

 

[BOZ]

well, there you go. it's a triple-connection!

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Taken from the Dark Wing entry in DMR2

Many scholars believe they are related to deep glaurants (see "deep glaurant").

Whoops! I got it backwards- it's the Deep Glaurant that is sometimes "confused with Death Fiends" (DMR28) on account of its create darkness ability and their horns. Weird, since the pictures of the Death Fiend (in DMR2 and X2: Castle Amber) don't have horns. This is the confusing entry that I think they meant to cross-reference with Darkwings, and not Death Fiends.

and oh yeah, is the Ostego supposed to be extraplanar, and if so where is it from?

It says its a Planar Monster, and its first appearance (in X2: Castle Amber) has it entrapped in a pentacle in the basement of Castle Amber and features a horn that is supposed to send it back to its home plane, so I'd say it is definitely extraplanar, and an outsider (note that it was originally a "Death Demon" but the Fiend appellation came about during the MADD- Mothers Against D&D- anti-demon phase). I think it would be safe to assume, given a standard (non-Mystaran) cosmology that it hails from the Abyss. Whether it is a Tanar'ri or not is open to debate, but I'd like to think it isn't, if only because I think it would be nice to see some other forms of demonic classification besides all these blamed Tanar'ri.

Also note the adamantine claws, pre-3rd Edition. Makes for an interesting conversion, methinks, since you don't often see natural weapons that defeat adamantine.

 

[BOZ]

OK thanks, that's pretty cool.