The Sources of D&D

[Alisair Longreach]

The Sahuagin, Locathah and Kuo-Toa are variants based on Lovecraft's Deep Ones from his short story The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.

I have also read somewhere that the Shocking Lizard is Dave Noonan's pet monster.

The Archons are based on Gnostic Mysticism.

The Balor is a rip-off of Tolkien's Balrog but the name is stolen from an Irish myth.

The Animated Object is from Disney's The Magician's Apprentice.

The Tarrasque is based on a very obscure french folk tale.

The Kobold is based on some folk tales from the german Black Forest about small forest trolls.

Drawmij's spells were created by Jim Ward.

Nystul's spells were created by Mike Nystul.

 

[JDJblatherings]

Werebear - Tolkein.

Not a Tolkien invention at all. sure Tolkien exposed lots of people to the concept but there were folks that wore bear-shirts that supposedly gave thme the strength and ferocity of bears...the roots of Berserkers.

 

[painandgreed]

The Sahuagin, Locathah and Kuo-Toa are variants based on Lovecraft's Deep Ones from his short story The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.

I think you're confusing 'Charles Dexter Ward' with The Shadow over Innsmouth.

 

[Alisair Longreach]

The Couatl as based the Mayan god Quetzalcouatl.

The Eladrin, Guardinal, Inevitable, Lillend, Magmin, Planetouched, Rast, Xill are imported from Planescape.

The Vargouille is from Al-Qadim and might have been inspired by the myths about the Penangalang which is a flying vampire head.

The Allip, Chuul, Delver,Destrachan, Digester, Ethereal Filcher, Ethereal Marauder, Grick, Ravid, Thoqqua, Tojanida and Yrthak were created for third edition.

 

[DreadArchon]

Celestials and Demons are Christian-ish, but Angels are Theosophy, as per Gary Gygax in one of his threads.

 

[Alisair Longreach]

Painandgreed, as I remeber The Case of Charles Dexter Ward ends with mr. Ward being slowly transformed into a Deep One.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Drawmij's spells were created by Jim Ward.

Nystul's spells were created by Mike Nystul.

The Eladrin, Guardinal, Inevitable, Lillend, Magmin, Planetouched, Rast, Xill are imported from Planescape.

The Allip, Chuul, Delver,Destrachan, Digester, Ethereal Filcher, Ethereal Marauder, Grick, Ravid, Thoqqua, Tojanida and Yrthak were created for third edition.

Thanks, Alisair. I was really looking for the sources outside D&D that served as inspiration, rather than who did what within the game.

 

[painandgreed]

Painandgreed, as I remeber The Case of Charles Dexter Ward ends with mr. Ward being slowly transformed into a Deep One.

You are correct. I seem to have mistaken it for The Statement of Randolph Carter.

However, there are plenty of Deep Ones in Shadow over Innsmouth.

 

[Huw]

Fire, Frost and Stone giant - Norse mythology
Fomorian, Kelpie - Celtic mythology
Otyugh - Trash monster from Star Wars (but debatable)
Xvart - Alan Garner

Golem – Jewish myth

Not quite:

Clay Golem, Golem (name) - Jewish myth
Iron Golem - Greek myth (Talos)
Flesh Golem - Mary Shelley (Frankenstein's monster)

 

[jasin]

The Archons are based on Gnostic Mysticism.

I don't think this is correct. I'm no expert see no similarity between the two beyond the shared name and being some sort of supernatural being.