I hope you guys didn't get the wrong impression. I'm not trying to rip-off Wizards of the Coast. I'm just a big mythology/fantasy buff, and the gaming world is not exactly my medium of expertise. In fact, I've never sat in on a live D&D game EVER. My experience in this genre is confined to my knowledge of the monsters, planes, and game series like Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale.
Actually, that is exactly what I've been doing (almost everything I have is derived from mythology and the rest is my own creation), but some influences (like the drow) is inescapable. I don't want mind flayers or beholders or umber hulks or alkiliths or yuan-ti or what have you, I just want a foundation of universal appeal to build on. A template, or whatever you might want to call it. The more I think about it, the more I am starting to like the SRD for limiting what I can and cannot use. That way all temptation to copy is gone.
Rotack23 said:I think you should go ahead and write your fantasy story, but I think some good old fashioned mythology research and your own imagination will serve you better in the long run vs. filching WotC ideas as a sort of genre “shorthand” for any monsters you need.
Good Luck
Actually, that is exactly what I've been doing (almost everything I have is derived from mythology and the rest is my own creation), but some influences (like the drow) is inescapable. I don't want mind flayers or beholders or umber hulks or alkiliths or yuan-ti or what have you, I just want a foundation of universal appeal to build on. A template, or whatever you might want to call it. The more I think about it, the more I am starting to like the SRD for limiting what I can and cannot use. That way all temptation to copy is gone.