Mordenkainen's Tome: what monsters are in it?

[Envyus]

That's fair, but the relationships of Faerun (and from the Beyond videos I've seen, it will primarily be Faerun) races also doesn't interest me. I have a fairly fleshed out campaign world thanks to the work I and my players have put into it, so I probably won't incorporate much of their material into that.

How do the relationships of Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Halflings have anything to do with Faerun. Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Halflings are in all settings.

The other chapters we know focus on the Blood War and the Gith. Both of which don't originate in Faerun.

[Millstone85]

That's fair, but the relationships of Faerun (and from the Beyond videos I've seen, it will primarily be Faerun) races also doesn't interest me.

How do the relationships of Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Halflings have anything to do Faerun.

The OP asked that we do not turn this thread into another referendum on setting neutrality. I believe this is the start of one.

[Beechgnome]

The OP asked that we do not turn this thread into another referendum on setting neutrality. I believe this is the start of one.

You are doing [insert divinity of choice]'s work here Millstone85. I appreciate it. Keep focus, people.

[Kuulvheysoon]

I don’t care much about Spelljammer, but news of the Marut makes me a little giddy. Inevitable were one of my favorite monster groups back in 3.5e.

[Daithi]

I'm hoping for more goodies for summoning, especially druid and wild shape.

Recently started playing a druid, so I second this. Maybe some Shadowfell beasts?

[Millstone85]

I don’t care much about Spelljammer, but news of the Marut makes me a little giddy. Inevitable were one of my favorite monster groups back in 3.5e.

I found Dragon#341's Ecology of the Inevitable and here are my thoughts on these creatures.

Kolyarut
Pursues those who commit a breach of contract. I had been wondering if a pact could enforce itself independently from a warlock or their patron, and this seems to be one way it would. I believe this benefits warlocks more than it does patrons, as the latter already have goons to send. Kolyaruts also care about oaths, which might mean that paladins better watch out for these guys too.

Marut
Pursues the undead and others who cheat death. I thought the game was missing a lawful neutral reaper, and this seems to be exactly it. It should be easy to include one in a campaign, be it as an ally against a lich or as an antagonist for a party that used raise dead a few too many times. Like I said before, I am very curious of how the maruts view the Shadowfell and the Raven Queen.

Quarut
Pursues those who alter reality, notably spacetime. Quaruts are what TV Tropes calls "clock roaches". Since the game does not offer options for time travel, it seems that it would take some spectacular use of wish for one to show up, making the creature a little niche. I suppose that making a pact with an entity from the Far Realm might also gain you the enmity of a quarut.

Varakhut
Pursues those who seek deicide and/or godhood. Interestingly, a varakhut gives up on a target who actually achieves godhood, lets the varakhut itself seek deicide. I am not sure what happens after a still-mortal target kills a god. In any case, this creature looks like a great way to drive home that the BBEGod is more than a really powerful BBEGuy. The universe doesn't like you mortals trying to off divinity.

Zelekhut
Pursues fugitives from justice. I fear that one migth invite derision. Oaths and pacts can be played as having mystical weight, but when the baron of Pravoka puts an arrest warrant on you and suddenly a winged mechanical centaur appears from Mechanus to catch you... I don't know, maybe it is the power of nobility, or the spirit of a nation, directing this hunter on you?

Recently started playing a druid, so I second this. Maybe some Shadowfell beasts?

I am trying to think of a shadowfell creature with the beast type, but I got nothing.

[Unoriginal]

I found Dragon#341's Ecology of the Inevitable and here are my thoughts on these creatures.

Kolyarut
Pursues those who commit a breach of contract. I had been wondering if a pact could enforce itself independently from a warlock or their patron, and this seems to be one way it would. I believe this benefits warlocks more than it does patrons, as the latter already have goons to send. Kolyaruts also care about oaths, which might mean that paladins better watch out for these guys too.

Marut
Pursues the undead and others who cheat death. I thought the game was missing a lawful neutral reaper, and this seems to be exactly it. It should be easy to include one in a campaign, be it as an ally against a lich or as an antagonist for a party that used raise dead a few too many times. Like I said before, I am very curious of how the maruts view the Shadowfell and the Raven Queen.

Quarut
Pursues those who alter reality, notably spacetime. Quaruts are what TV Tropes calls "clock roaches". Since the game does not offer options for time travel, it seems that it would take some spectacular use of wish for one to show up, making the creature a little niche. I suppose that making a pact with an entity from the Far Realm might also gain you the enmity of a quarut.

Varakhut
Pursues those who seek deicide and/or godhood. Interestingly, a varakhut gives up on a target who actually achieves godhood, lets the varakhut itself seek deicide. I am not sure what happens after a still-mortal target kills a god. In any case, this creature looks like a great way to drive home that the BBEGod is more than a really powerful BBEGuy. The universe doesn't like you mortals trying to off divinity.

Zelekhut
Pursues fugitives from justice. I fear that one migth invite derision. Oaths and pacts can be played as having mystical weight, but when the baron of Pravoka puts an arrest warrant on you and suddenly a winged mechanical centaur appears from Mechanus to catch you... I don't know, maybe it is the power of nobility, or the spirit of a nation, directing this hunter on you?

I am trying to think of a shadowfell creature with the beast type, but I got nothing.

You forgot:

Jabbadahut

Pursue you if you don't pay your monetary debts.

[the_brazenburn]

Varakhut
Pursues those who seek deicide and/or godhood. Interestingly, a varakhut gives up on a target who actually achieves godhood, lets the varakhut itself seek deicide. I am not sure what happens after a still-mortal target kills a god. In any case, this creature looks like a great way to drive home that the BBEGod is more than a really powerful BBEGuy. The universe doesn't like you mortals trying to off divinity.

The Varakhut seems irrelevant. If you are able to kill gods, you don't need to worry about some Mechanus beat cop.

[Millstone85]

You forgot:

Jabbadahut

Pursue you if you don't pay your monetary debts.

Often works in pair with...

Anhydrut
Pursues those who attempt to change deserts by farming, irrigating or otherwise transforming the sands.

I wish that one was also a joke, but it is from something called Sandstorm. That seems like a stretch of the concept.

The Varakhut seems irrelevant. If you are able to kill gods, you don't need to worry about some Mechanus beat cop.

You have a point. Personally, I would merge it with the quarut.

[EvilAnagram]

I remember the marut being frickin terrifying in 4e. I'm probably most excited to see them.

[Regitnui]

Maybe the inevitables are what the gear-system of Mechanus are designed to produce; the entirety of Mechanus is an inevitable-making machine that is maintained by modrons.

[the_brazenburn]

I remember the marut being frickin terrifying in 4e. I'm probably most excited to see them.

I've not played 4e, but I remember seeing them in the 3.5 MM and thinking, "Holy ****, lichdom ain't worth it."

Maybe the inevitables are what the gear-system of Mechanus are designed to produce; the entirety of Mechanus is an inevitable-making machine that is maintained by modrons.

That would be a really fantastic plot hook for a chaotic party who's on the wrong side of some Kolaryuts or what have you.

[EvilAnagram]

I've not played 4e, but I remember seeing them in the 3.5 MM and thinking, "Holy ****, lichdom ain't worth it."

Their tactics in the book were to show up and focus on whomever pissed them off. One would use stunning abilities, while four or five stomped on the stunned PC.

[Millstone85]

I remember the marut being frickin terrifying in 4e. I'm probably most excited to see them.

The fluff wasn't there, though. 4e maruts were astral mercenaries who got paid in promised favors. Nothing to do with undeath and the like.

Maybe the inevitables are what the gear-system of Mechanus are designed to produce; the entirety of Mechanus is an inevitable-making machine that is maintained by modrons.

According to Wikipedia's page on Primus, modrons do work in the inevitables' factories, but only as part of a truce between the two groups. Of course, this is old edition lore.

Me, I like the idea that inevitables have clearly stated goals (maintaining cycles of life and death, avoiding time paradoxes, etc.) but nobody really understands why modrons go on their Great March or do anything they do.

Anyway, inevitables give a great excuse to use modrons in a less mysterious context.

I've not played 4e, but I remember seeing them in the 3.5 MM and thinking, "Holy ****, lichdom ain't worth it."

"I was told Death would look like me, a skeleton in robes. But when it came, it was this hulking piece of metal. At least the helmet somewhat looked like a bird, a small concession to the theme."

[Regitnui]

According to Wikipedia's page on Primus, modrons do work in the inevitables' factories, but only as part of a truce between the two groups. Of course, this is old edition lore.

Me, I like the idea that inevitables have clearly stated goals (maintaining cycles of life and death, avoiding time paradoxes, etc.) but nobody really understands why modrons go on their Great March or do anything they do.

Anyway, inevitables give a great excuse to use modrons in a less mysterious context.

It's something I came up with. I'd certainly make that the purpose of Mechanus or a Mechanus-like plane. The universal laws are set in place, but the existence of Limbo and its 'destructive' chaos requires a countermeasure in the form of a plane-sized machine that produces enforcers of those laws who limit chaos to transformative.

[EvilAnagram]

The fluff wasn't there, though. 4e maruts were astral mercenaries who got paid in promised favors. Nothing to do with undeath and the like.

I liked it. Raven Queen was the anti-undead reaper figure, while the Maruts would be working with (and fully aligned with the beliefs of) any celestial entity, including evil gods. Basically, in order to bring them out, you had to piss off a god, not just break a specific rule. They could show up a lot more often.

[Envyus]

The Varakhut seems irrelevant. If you are able to kill gods, you don't need to worry about some Mechanus beat cop.

Varakhut's are the strongest of the Inevitables. And I assume they would come in numbers if one of them was not able to best it's target. (As they are always rebuilt if defeated.)

[the_brazenburn]

Do people expect that we'll get any different types of yugoloths? I'd like to see them expanded on.

[Unoriginal]

Do people expect that we'll get any different types of yugoloths? I'd like to see them expanded on.

It's not unlikely we get more of them, but I still wouldn't bet on it.

Still, they're probably going to expend their lore, given the Blood War stuff.

[Beechgnome]

I'll update once the Twitch tv thing happens this evening, but it looks like the first battle is between a devil and a demon.

Based on Twitter pics from Wizards account, I'd say the demon was a Sibriex and the devil was a... Wingless Malebranche (War Devil)? Not sure.

[Millstone85]

Based on Twitter pics from Wizards account, I'd say the demon was a Sibriex

The sibriex walks the line between a fiend and a great old one. First with how it looks, but I hope they also kept the lore of it being from an ancient age of the Abyss.

My dream would be for a celestial equivalent. Some guardinal with multiple heads (cherub) or a weird amalgam of wings, eyes and wheels (ophan).

and the devil was a... Wingless Malebranche (War Devil)? Not sure.

Whatever it is, I dislike the art. Too cartoony.

[Beechgnome]

The sibriex walks the line between a fiend and a great old one. First with how it looks, but I hope they also kept the lore of it being from an ancient age of the Abyss.
Snip

I think the line about from the 'furthest reaches of the Astral Plane' leads me to believe It is some sort of Aberration turned Fiend. Whether it is a Sibriex we'll see.

[Unoriginal]

I'll update once the Twitch tv thing happens this evening, but it looks like the first battle is between a devil and a demon.

Based on Twitter pics from Wizards account, I'd say the demon was a Sibriex and the devil was a... Wingless Malebranche (War Devil)? Not sure.

Which pic?

[Beechgnome]

Which pic?

Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD)
2018-03-18, 3:12 PM
A challenger approaches, ready to fight to the death in Mordenkainen's Mayhem!
Tune in to twitch.tv/dnd tomorrow, Monday 3/19 at 4:00pm PT

pic.twitter.com/LwTgDfRr7e

And...

Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD)
2018-03-17, 8:01 PM
What Mayhem calls forth creatures from the furthest reaches of the astral plane down the deepest pits of the nine-hells. What could this mean?
Tune in to twitch.tv/dnd this Monday 3/19 at 4:00pm PT

pic.twitter.com/Irfo0JWZLj

[Unoriginal]

I think the red devil could be Moloch. Or Bel.

[Envyus]

Do people expect that we'll get any different types of yugoloths? I'd like to see them expanded on.

It's not unlikely we get more of them, but I still wouldn't bet on it.

Still, they're probably going to expend their lore, given the Blood War stuff.

It was confirmed during the first stream that we are getting more Yugoloths.

[Envyus]

I think the red devil could be Moloch. Or Bel.

It's Moloch I am almost certain.

Spoiler: Moloch 1e

Show

Spoiler: Moloch? 5e

Show

The Picture seems to be in a lower quality right now. You can't even make out his scourge.

[Unoriginal]

It's Moloch I am almost certain.

Spoiler: Moloch 1e

Show

Spoiler: Moloch? 5e

Show

The Picture seems to be in a lower quality right now. You can't even make out his scourge.

Do you mean his flail?

In any case, they said they based Moloch's design on the Idol on the AD&D PHB. Seems to fit, IMO.

[Envyus]

Do you mean his flail?

In any case, they said they based Moloch's design on the Idol on the AD&D PHB. Seems to fit, IMO.

No his scourge that is what the weapon is called.

Spoiler: Flail

Show

Spoiler: Scourge

Show

[Unoriginal]

Mayhem starting soon! As in, right now!