Awful Monster Names

[stack]

If you think that's bad, got should check out the art for the century worm.

WOTC Editor: "The artist sent what? Screw it, we have a deadline. Use it. I put in my two week notice yesterday anyhow."

[Venger]

How dare you suggest there could be less than innocent comments made about the name of the noble and illustrious purple worm. Unthinkable!

"It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity."

If you think that's bad, got should check out the art for the century worm.

Just don't do it if you're at work

WOTC Editor: "The artist sent what? Screw it, we have a deadline. Use it. I put in my two week notice yesterday anyhow."

"Who's been leaving photocopies of their century worm around the office? I've contacted HR. Cut it out, guys."

Vaporighu (mm2)so is he vaporous? ok, well then what the heck? I know he blows poison gas, but so does lots of stuff

[Bohandas]

Malastor (mm5) it sounds like the fake name a character in a movie gives when they need to lie about a restaurant reservation, says one syllable, and just keeps going.

No, it sounds like a villain's name from a direct to video Disney sequel

[Kurald Galain]

Malastor (mm5) it sounds like the fake name a character in a movie gives when they need to lie about a restaurant reservation, says one syllable, and just keeps going.

Malastor Oody... sounds like a Parry Otter character.

[Bohandas]

I've seen a lot of posts naming the Gorgon in here, so I figure it's worth sharing: though it's misapplied, it's not TSR or WotC that did it. It's actually an author from the 1600s who wrote a book called The Historie of Foure-Footed Beasts. More on that can be found here.



The "Lybian Beast" or "Gorgon."

I did not know that. I suppose that makes it a bit better.

[Thurbane]

There was a thread over at EnWorld ages ago where Gygax answered questions, including the origin of many AD&D monsters and their names; pretty sure the Gorgon came up specifically, and yes, he cited the above source.

Just FYI, the Catobelpas, which I believe got mentioned earlier in this thread, is also a creature from real world mythology (Ethiopia). It's name comes from the Greek for "to look downwards" - in myth, the creature was said to have had trouble raising it's head. Which was good, because anyone who met it's gaze was said to die. All in all, D&D stayed relatively true to the real world origins of the creature.

[ShurikVch]

On a different note, its kind of weird that we have one Lord of the Nine named Bel and another named Belial, right? I have no problem with either one of the names, and I know they each have etymologies, but I feel like the organizer wasn't thinking when they put them together.

Ragewind (Monster Manual II) and Ragewing (Dragon Compendium) are differing in one letter. How easy will it be to get it wrong?

Deliberate example: Wight Dragon.
(Was Dragon Wight in the article, but Wight Dragon in the actual game)

Astaroth, Unjustly Fallen, apparently, have no relation to Astaroth, Diabolus of Baator

Also, we have absolutely no simple way to differentiate Effigy as Construct from Complete Arcane, and Effigy - as Undead from Monster Manual II
And Fetch as a Ghost crossbreed from Dragon #313, as CE Outsider from Dragonlance Campaign Setting, and as a result of casting Create Fetch spell from Complete Scoundrel

[Venger]

Ragewind (Monster Manual II) and Ragewing (Dragon Compendium) are differing in one letter. How easy will it be to get it wrong?

Deliberate example: Wight Dragon.
(Was Dragon Wight in the article, but Wight Dragon in the actual game)

Astaroth, Unjustly Fallen, apparently, have no relation to Astaroth, Diabolus of Baator

Also, we have absolutely no simple way to differentiate Effigy as Construct from Complete Arcane, and Effigy - as Undead from Monster Manual II
And Fetch as a Ghost crossbreed from Dragon #313, as CE Outsider from Dragonlance Campaign Setting, and as a result of casting Create Fetch spell from Complete Scoundrel

Which of course has no relation to Halaster's fetch.

[Kurald Galain]

Astaroth, Unjustly Fallen, apparently, have no relation to Astaroth, Diabolus of Baator

Apparently, "Astaroth" is the demonic equivalent of "Bob"...

[Svata]

From the FF, we have the “terror bird!” It’s basically an ostrich with a taste for meat. And I mean, ostriches are pretty terrifying in real life, but not to an ECL 4 adventurer. These things aren’t particularly terrifying.

Terror Birds were a real prehistoric thing, native to South America, died out after it became connected to North America and they had competition that itself had had competition that was able to outperform them when they moved northwards. But for a long time they were the preeminent predators of an entire continent. They were absolutely terrifying.

[Duff]

yeah ive never heard Tiefling pronounced any way other than "Tea" (like the drink) and Fling (like to throw something) put together. Teafling

Which leads to the "terrible pun version for comic relief" the Coffeeyeet

Terror Birds were a real prehistoric thing, native to South America, died out after it became connected to North America and they had competition that itself had had competition that was able to outperform them when they moved northwards. But for a long time they were the preeminent predators of an entire continent. They were absolutely terrifying.

Also, in Australia we had "Demon Ducks of Doom"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullockornis

[Peelee]

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