July 2017 RPG Blog Carnival – Mutant Monsters

They shouldn’t have existed, mistakes of nature and mistakes of humanity!  These abominations were the accidents as a result of careless experiments and deadly warfare.  And the result?  Worse than we could have ever feared.  Confused, angry, resentful, hateful!  These things seek to destroy both their creators and the world around them.  Much like the forces that spawned them, destruction is usually their goal.  But, these creatures are no villains, but the consequences of arrogance, apathy, discrimination and violence.

Author’s Note: As a continuation of my theme, here’s a plethora of horrible mutants and mad experiments.  While much of it is revisiting old monsters, there’s a good amount of new goodies to toss into your wastelands, super secret labs and other such locations.

Dread Elementals – Corrupted Elementals for D&D 5th Edition

Elementals from the Demiplane of Dread

The Elemental planes contain forces that embody raw and natural powers.  The denizens of these realms equally represent those forces.  The four prime planes represent basic elements that transcend the multiverse.  All around, these beings tend to be neutral in nature or unable to comprehend alignment as a whole.  However, the multiverse is vast and has methods of warping the essence of the planes themselves.  The Elemental Planes are no different in this regard.  One such example of this is the Demiplanes of Dread, known to some as “Ravenloft.”  This dark prison dimension is ruled by a mysterious power called “The Mists.”  It is unknown what such entities are, in a similar vein as Sigil’s protector known as “The Lady of Pain.”  When the mists touch upon an elemental plane, they forge a strange demiplane copy that fits in with the darkness and despair of the Dread realm.

Resentful Corruptions of Nature

The so-called “Dread Elementals” are the results of such sinister mingling.  These fallen elementals are empowered by same wickedness that spurs the defiled darklords and depraved denizens onward.  Unlike traditional elementals, these shadowy doubles are openly malicious and will appease the mists in one way or another.    This is because they hate what they are.  The mists have transformed them into sick minions for their bidding, giving them the slightest inkling of awareness to render them mad.  In their hatred, they lash at those who extend their mockery of an existence.  Other times, they target those who dare to oppose either their goals or the goals of the dark powers.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I love Ravenloft, oh so much.  Not to mention, the elementals don’t really get enough love… even with the decent adventure rolled out by Wizards early last year.  Sure, I’ve made a handful of elemental beings, but it’s always fun to craft some more.  Or rather in this case, continue my theme of simple modification to create a new monster.  And what better way to close out my Gothic theme with a set of monsters from a Gothic Campaign Setting!  I’ve learned quite a bit during this theme alone.  However, it’s time to move on to bigger and better things.  Since this one was a quicky, I’ll have something by the end of the week for you bodaks and ghouls out there.  I’m mostly gonna dabble with some ideas in the next few weeks and prepare for my own RPG Blog Carnival theme in August, “Super Science and Sorcery!”