D4 The Really Really Forgotten Temple of the EEG

[geneweigel]

I just thought we'd start fresh on this bugger in a new thread. What have we got so far:

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[geneweigel]

Oh yeah this stuff from D3:

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[geneweigel]

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[GT]

I have posted this elsewhere:
ELDER ELEMENTAL GODS

FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 – 3
ARMOR CLASS: -3
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 200 hp
% IN LAIR: 85%
TREASURE TYPE: P (x2), R (x2)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 - 6
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 55%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: L (30' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 222
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: X/

There are actually three of these beings known to exist, and although they currently reside in Tarterus some believe that they may have originated in the Abyss. At one time these creatures had a fairly broad power base, being served by evil men, drow, humanoids, and even giants. But when much evil was driven into hidden places in archaic ages, they were all but forgotten. In more recent times, a dissident group of drow has reinstated the worship of at least one of these creatures. Their common designations are Qhalk'ru, Xotl'ru and Kthu'ru. If successfully summoned and they deem it in their interest, they will bestow a strange altar made of a rusty, black mineral from Tarterus. This altar enables them to manifest more easily in the Prime Material Plane, serving as the other end of an inter-planar conduit.
These creatures generally attack with up to six of their tentacles, constricting with one for 3 – 18 points of damage or grasping with two and twisting with a strength of 22 for 5 – 30 points. Their beak inflicts 5 – 20 points of damage. But the most feared attacks are the powers of their eyes! The Elder Elemental Gods may use each of the following powers once per day, one per melee round: Age (1 – 20 years), Death (save against or die instantly), Fear & Weakness, Insanity, and Rage (save vs. Spell or attack comrades with lethal force for 1 turn). Each of these powers will affect all creatures of non-deitific status that view the eye! Any creature devoured by one of these monsters is utterly destroyed, body and soul, by the powerful negative energy of their being. In addition to their attacks, these creatures may use the following spell-like abilities at will, once per melee round: cause fear (as a wand), charm person, charm monster, continual darkness, detect invisible, detect magic, dispel magic, ESP, and teleport (no error). A +2 or better weapon is required to hit these creatures, and they are immune to the effects of cold and poison, and take half damage from acid and lightning attacks.
The Elder Elemental Gods appear as giant, vaguely squid-shaped creatures with ten tentacles that are covered by cilia-like growths. Four of the tentacles are somewhat thicker and broader, and these are used for mobility. They are mottled in disgusting hues of violet and mauve, and have a single huge eye, which glows red-orange. A vicious black beak is located beneath the tentacles. As these creatures are in contention with the demoness Lolth, she bears a great enmity toward them!

Gary said that the EEG(s) were inspired by Khalkru, the Kraken from A. Merritt's "Dwellers In The Mirage"; so the name derivations are from that, Cthulhu (naturally) and Xotli (from Conan)---all sources of inspiration for Gary. The rest of the text is totally derivative from what was in the modules or from Stormberg's "Thus Spake Gary Gygax" [note: the name given in the last-mentioned for an EEG--Vilp-akf'cho Rentaq--was Paul's invention, IIRC... Gary has stated that these beings were from an alternate dimension originally, and somehow lost control there or were banished. I like to put 'em in Tarterus currently--less competition with demon lords and it "fits" their color schemes! ^__^

[GRWelsh]

Excellent write-up, very much in keeping with the 1st edition. The only thing I would point out, is that I always had the vague impression the Elder Elemental Gods were from "outside" -- meaning outside the entire scheme of the Outer Planes, from some entirely different and alternative multiverse -- alien even to the gods... but you still leave it vague enough, anyone could define them how they want.

[GT]

Thanks Grash; and by Gary's own statement, you are correct: they are from the "outside" (I don't have a clue where that is!). The Abyss thing is a bit of a "red herring" like Iuz being a "by-blow of Orcus"... I put the one in Tarterus (the other two have never played a role in my campaign... ) just for ease of its 'manifestation'. One of the coolest things about the EEG was its obviously primordial and very arcane nature! Have you read any Merritt? It is very apparent that Gary derived some inspiration here. In all honesty, our mutual love of Merritt was one of the aspects leading to Gary and I corresponding originally. Gotta say, the ol' "Bear" has literary taste! ^__^

[GT]

Oh, and it really "threw" me back in the 80's about the "elemental" name meaning "primordial" rather than "earth, air, fire, and water"... but I got over it! ^__^

[GRWelsh]

Yeah, I have a nice hardback of "Face in the Abyss" -- pretty cool, in the old pulp, explorers finding a lost city and bizarre hidden world kind of way... Lots of vivid imagination there, to be sure! I think I've always felt more of an affinity to EGG for a shared admiration of Vance, myself -- one of my very favorite writers. And I think that's where a lot of the mauve, puce, vermillion, cerise, etc. comes from -- Vance is a very 'colorful' writer! And has a great, off-beat, witty sense of humor!

[geneweigel]

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[ghul]

It's funny that you mention and post this this map, as Gary just directed me to make one of like concept for a portion of CZ that involves using lines to show passages over a great distance. When he directed me so, I at once said, I remember this from the D-series and dug it out to look at it just 2 nights ago. Weird.

Also, I agree on Q1. Throw it out the window, and go D4. If you guys can pull it off, I promise to run the D-series with your conclusion rather than DS's conclusion.

[geneweigel]

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[GT]

Well, Lolth is necessary as a deity for the "splinter" Drow houses--so Q1 can have its place there--but the G-D series points to EEG as the ultimate "bad guy", so one can go after both forces if we play it right!

[geneweigel]

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[GRWelsh]

geneweigel said:

D1 (pre-Svartjet River) Mind flayers with Wererats (the farthest west the illithids have come) also mind flayer friendly beholders (a clue that the Sunless Sea most likely hosts these or at least partially).

I found the reference about the mind flayer encounter being the furthest west they have come, but I don't understand your reference to mind flayer friendly beholders -- can you explain?

D2 (Past the Svartjet) More lizards and snakes (and of course, kuo-Toans & svirfneblins), D3 Demons and spiders, Strip those out then add whatsever is nearby to replace those spots seems almost exactly how these were made.

If you are saying the random encounters are tailored to whatever beings are (likely) in the proximity, then I agree. So where do you place the strongholds of the mind flayers, Kuo-Toa and Svirfneblin? Your map looks cool, but I have trouble reading the watermark lettering you did... Is there an assumption that the Kuo-Toa shrine is on a route travelled by other Kuo-Toa (pilgrims) and that route leads to the main Kuo-Toan stronghold?

"As Dungeon Master, you may wish to develop other material regarding the encounter areas shown on the large-scale map. You can then allow your players to explore passages which are off their map, thus eventually completing their mission, and, of course, having many adventures along the way. You can place other Drow enclaves, locate the realm of the mind flayers, expand the underground sea and place the Kuo-Toan stronghold" (D1-2, p. 6, under REGARDING THE LARGE SCALE HEX MAP OF THE UNDERWORLD).

[GT]

The underground sea seemed like a good place to put a major Kuo toan settlement, and I added Aboleth and Kraken there as well when MM2 came out. The Locathah and Sahuagin I did not place there, as they have plenty of areas in the "upper world", although Sahuagin emmisaries might visit one race or another from time-to-time. I noted that Beholders are only on one random encounter chart; maybe being Lawful Evil they have a truce with the Illithids of the tunnels?

[geneweigel]

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