How do use Slaadi?

[afreed]

I had a gray slaad as a villain (of sorts) in my Planescape campaign. He was a merchant / land baron in Sigil, and disguised as an elderly, obese human. (Most of his associates knew what he was, but the body was an affectation.) He took an intellectual approach to chaos, enjoying seeing the way business proceedings played out and creating his own ripples.
I wouldn't advise using slaadi generally in this way, but I thought it worked in context to show the strangeness of the situation. (Plus, when a PC tried to assassinate the 'elderly, obese human,' she was in for a surprise when her mace just glanced off his skull.)

 

[trentonjoe]

I like the idea of making the Slaadi more a force of nature (or un-nature) than a coherent enemy. QUOTE]

I wrote an encounter a number of years ago where the Salaad kept badgering this village that was trying to grow into a town. The villagers tried to dam a river and the salaad kept sabotouging (thats spelled wrong) it. I can't remember what else they did but I think I had them tear up fences and set fire to the "municipal building" as well. I had a pack of wild elves (or forrest gnome can't remember) that lived in a nearby forest feeding them information.

The town folk were angry but couldn't figure out who was behind. I think I had one faction think there was ghosts, another blamed the elves, and a third who blamed some rival town.

I intended the salaad to just be happy breaking stuff. Someone else mentioned something similiar but I think of them as 3 yearold children with 8+HD and spells.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Does anyone know where the word 'slaad' comes from?

One of the game designers was typing up his meal journal, and accidentally noted that he'd had a "green slaad" at lunch, and thought that was pretty cool.

Well, maybe.

-Hyp.

 

[LoneWolf23]

Best way to consider how to use Slaadi is to ask yourself this: What does Chaos represent in your campaign? The PHB defines Chaos as "freedom, adaptibility and flexibility. On the downside, Chaos can include recklessness, resentment towards legitimate authority, arbitrary actions, and irresponsibility. Those who promote chaotic behavior say that only unfettered personal freedom allow people to express themselves fully and lets society benefit from the potential that it's individuals have within them."

Now, Chaos could just as easily represent children playing without care or responsibilty, teenage punks rebelling against established authorities, anarchists trying to destroy society, vandals who like to have fun at the expense of other people's property, or even just loners who don't want to get involved in other people's business and protect their privacy violently.

Slaadi could, and in fact probably -should- be all of those things, since individual expression is one of the cornerstones of Chaos: Dull-witted Slaadi like the Reds and Blues are probably more impulsive, rebellious and without care, while a Gray or Death Slaad could be actively motivated to destroy a long-lasting Lawful empire or even just isolate himself for study.

In the end, just remember this: For a Slaad, "Because I felt like it" is -always- a valid explanation for it's actions.

 

[SkidAce]

When my multi-verse was created, the Slaadi were trapped inside reality as it formed. The structured universe drives them crazy. They seek to destroy the great barrier and return all to Chaos.

Oddly enough they are at war with the Mind Flayers, who also want to destroy the great barrier...but they want to re-create the multiverse in their image.....

hehehe

 

[Dogbrain]

Puppies with lots of hit dice and the ability to chew through anything.

 

[Epametheus]

Puppies are trainable. Slaad probably aren't. Wolverine pups, maybe?

Gray Slaad are the ones with enough of an attention span for magical research (and even item creation); they're probably the best choices as a villian that just isn't fodder. The Slaad's goals wouldn't be evil, but it would be absolutely unconcerned with repercussions or costs. Regardless of whether its actions might save a kingdom or doom the world, it just wouldn't care.

Death Slaad aren't that far removed from the Tanar'ri, but Gray Slaad are still fairly Neutral in terms of the Good/Evil axis.

 

[Ghostmoon]

Hello,

Interesting interview with Charles Stross, who was the author of the Slaad as well as the Githyanki, Githzerai, and Death Knight, in the original Fiend Folio.

Link: http://www.dungeonlord.co.uk/interviews/stross.htm

Unfortunately, it does not touch upon the origin of the names. However, it does give some interesting thoughts on his original designs for the slaadi.

Hope this helps,
Ghostmoon

 

[Olive]

Death Slaad aren't that far removed from the Tanar'ri, but Gray Slaad are still fairly Neutral in terms of the Good/Evil axis.

This is part of the probelm. Why is there no good slaad (outside of the very interesting 'Slaad-a-poloza' thread of course)? Slaad are baically protrayed as evil.

Thanks for that link Ghostmoon.

Here's what was intended:
"Well, the fact that I was running a fever when I came up with the Slaadi is probably not going to surprise anyone -- think of 'em as my independent exploration of Lovecraftiana. (I didn't discover H. P. Lovecraft until a couple of years later.)...

Think "Lovecraft mythos", as invented by someone who hasn't read Lovecraft (or heard of him). The Slaadi were going to be basically representatives of, and devotees of, total chaos -- with an added warped sense of humour. "

Which means that the demon similarity thing has been there since the origins! But interesting.

 

[Epametheus]

This is part of the probelm. Why is there no good slaad (outside of the very interesting 'Slaad-a-poloza' thread of course)? Slaad are baically protrayed as evil.

It is rather hard for good to come out of chaos and entrophy, though.