Barking Alien's RPG CAMPAIGN TOUR CHALLENGE! Day 17

Day 17 - Wars & Battles

Day 17-Can you tell us about any famous battles or wars?
Tales of conflicts and combats abound across the multiverse! Any interesting ones in your setting we should know about?

Elowen’s Journal

"Witches do not remember wars the way other people do. Neither do ghosts.

The living talk about who won. The ghosts talk about what was never recovered afterward. Fields that never grew back the same. Songs that stopped being sung. Names no one says anymore because it hurts too much to remember them. Witches talk about what was lost.

I do not read about wars. I walk through them.

There are still ghosts here from what the historians call the Elf-Goblin Wars. That name is wrong. It always was. It was really a war between the elves of the old forest and the Mountain Orcs, long before humans ever came to the Haven Valley. The goblins were caught between them, and so were the dwarves. The dead remember confusion more than hatred. Orders that made no sense. Allies that vanished overnight. I cannot tell how long ago it was. A thousand years, maybe more. Time blurs when everyone involved is gone.

The conflict that shaped West Haven most was not really a war at all.

Before there was an East or a West, there was just Haven. One village. One valley. When fear took hold, fifteen women and men were accused of witchcraft by a mob led by a lay-priest of the Church of Light. The night they were meant to burn had already seen three days of heavy rain. Somewhere in the mountains, a glacier finally broke loose. The flood came down the valley and erased the village before the fires could be lit.

The witches survived. Most of the townsfolk did too. But Haven did not.

Afterward, people did what they always do. They moved apart. Humans went east to higher ground. Witches, both human and gnome, went west. Two towns grew from the same grief and the same blood and convinced themselves they had nothing left in common. When I walk near the lake, I can still see the old streets beneath the water. The ghosts remember when it was all one place."

Designer’s Notes

West Haven’s conflicts are defined less by battles than by their aftermath.

The Elf-Goblin War predates human settlement in the Haven Valley and was, in truth, a multi-sided conflict involving Mountain Orcs, Haven Elves, Goblins of the Wood, and Dwarves of the Rock. Its echoes linger in the form of lingering spirits, ruined sites, and long-standing cultural tensions that never fully healed.

The defining event for human history in the region is The Founding and the Flood. Originally settled as a spiritual utopia by followers of the Lords of Light, Haven later absorbed a second group of pagans, mystics, and practitioners of the Old Ways. Though uneasy, the two communities survived together until fear triggered witchcraft accusations and attempted purges. The Great Flood, whether an accident, fate, or an intervention by the gods, destroyed the original village and ended the violence.

It didn't end the distrust.

The resulting split gave rise to East Haven and West Haven. Both towns share laws, bloodlines, and trade, but diverged culturally and spiritually. That divergence, rather than any single war, is the wound that still shapes this setting. In West Haven, history is not past. It lingers, watches, and sometimes, if you know how to listen, it speaks.

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Character Creation Challenge: Day 21, Aviva Aamadu

 Today's character is another child of my two OSE characters, Asabalom and Maryah. Aviva is the oldest and named after a witch they both knew. Aviva's current quest is to find the witch she was named after. The first Aviva is bit of a legend in my games, more "cautionary tale" than actual character. She was another "good witch" who slipped into demonology and diabolical magic. In truth she only exsists as a name in a history I wrote about the Warduchess. This Aviva is good, and she is seeking out the other Aviva to discover what went wrong. She has been travelling the world ever since.

Woman Stock photos by Adam Zubek-Nizol - Vecteezy

She began life as the daughter of a druid (Asabalom) and a ranger (Maryah), and her magic is very much "Green Witch"-style, but as she progressed, she became more distinct from both a Green Witch and Pagan witchcraft. 

Looking for her namesake has taken a while. Mostly because I am not 100% sure who the first Aviva actually is myself! But until then, this Aviva will keep looking for her.

Aviva Aamadu
21st level Human Witch, Neutral Good

Secondary Skill: Herbalist

S: 10
I: 15
W: 17
D: 12
C: 12
Ch: 17

Paralysis/Poison: 5
Petrify/Polymorph: 5
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 6
Breath Weapon: 8
Spells: 7

AC: 6 (leather armor +3)
HP: 46
THAC0: 12

Weapon
Dagger +3 1d4/1d3

Familiar: Hawk "N'dege"

Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar
7th level: Speak to Plants & Animals
13th level: Pass without Trace
19th level: Immunity of the Fae

Spells
Cantrips: Spark, Chill, Mend
First level: Call Spirits of the Land, Cure Light Wounds, Glamour, Elf Arrow, Message, Sharp Ear, Witch's Watchman, Night Vision
Second level: Animal Messenger, Chameleon, Aqualung, Clear Eyes, Fumble, Raven Spy, Ward of Harm, Evil Eye
Third level: Fly, Hold Person, Ash Storm, Dance of Frog, Nondetection, Spit Venom
Fourth level: Confusion, Charm Monster, Dispel Magic, Moonstruck, Witch Laugh
Fifth level:  Hold Monster, Witch Jar, Call the Swarm, Teleport
Sixth level: Eye Bite, Horror, Claws of the Eldest Crone, Wall of Thorns
Seventh level: Breath of the Goddess, Dreadful Sleep, Creeping Doom
Eighth level: Frightful Aspect, Storm of Vengenance, Storm Bolts

Theme Song: Edge of Midnight (it's a younger witch singing a song with an older witch, like my two Avivas.)

I love the ideas of both of my Avivas and want to do more with them. I just need to figure out who the older Aviva was and what her importance was to Asabalom and Maryah. Enough to name their oldest child after her. AND what happened to the first Aviva?

This Aviva is (unknown to her) on the same journey that Phygor was on in my deep history. So right now, she is in line to become one of my more powerful witches. Not intentionally, but her own personal journey is taking her there all the same. For this I have been taking powers and spells for her from all my books.

Honestly. I find that more interesting than how many orcs she has killed or dungeons she has explored.

Character Creation Challenge: Day 11, Rána

Photo by Vanessa Pozos

Today's witch comes from a night of rolling up characters with my oldest a bit ago. We just sat down to roll up characters, he was doing the new Star Wars and I was making witches. I wanted to roll up a bunch and see if any came out as psionic. No, but we still had a great time. 

Rána was one of those witches. She began as a fairly basic elf witch. But as I tried her out she grew in complexity. She is a Twilight Elf, one of my new elf sub-species. It is a species of elf akin to the Shadow Elves, but live above ground and can tolerate light better. So I sat down to work on her. I set my my Spotify to Pagan Rock and listened to bands like Faun, S.J. Tucker, and of course Loreena McKennitt. Ok she is from Canada, but she counts. When I was done, Rána had become something different.

So who is Rána? She is Twilight Elf, but she is also alone and that is how she likes it. She has her familiar, a gray wolf named Circe. She is not just a Pagan, she is a militant pagan. She considers herself a Follower of Aradia (yes...I know Aradia is about as much Pagan as a Halloween mask, but this is a history blog, it is an RPG blog), and she feels all these new religions are a bad thing. And she is not really all that fond of humans either. So much so they she doesn't even know the Common tongue. She does know what she calls "the language of the forest" that is, sylvan, elven, and goblin as well as Primordial and a touch of Supernal. How did she learn this impossible language? Well, she won't be telling you.

Let's break up what makes her character.

Twilight Elf

Twilight Elves are another sub-species of elves that poped up after the Sundering of the Elves. When the elves split into Light and Dark factions, some elves stayed in the middle. The Free Elves, the Shadow Elves and the Twilight Elves. The twilight elves are the loners among elves, stoic and xenophobic. Their communities are small and hidden and of all the Elves they have the fewest numbers. Like Drow they gain some cantrips for free. Blur, Dancing Lights, and Minor Charm. They also get Infravision 60' and +2 to magic/spell saves. This is magic directed at them. 

Cantrips

I am using my new cantrip rules for her as well. I like these, they work well. I just want to work on some new cantrips.

Rána
11th level Elf (Twilight Elf) Witch, Chaotic Neutral

Secondary Skill: Herbalist

S: 12
I: 15
W: 16
D: 12
C: 14
Ch: 18

Paralysis/Poison: 9
Petrify/Polymorph: 9
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 10
Breath Weapon: 12
Spells: 11

AC: 1 (Bracers AC 1)
HP: 34
THAC0: 16

Weapon
Dagger +2 1d4/1d3
Staff +2 1d6

Familiar: Gray Wolf "Circe"

Spells
Bonus: Blur, Dancing Lights, Minor Charm
Cantrips: Ghost Sound, Mote of Light, Chill, Alarm Ward
First level: Charm Animal, Speak w/ Animals, Spirit Dart, Ghostly Slashing, Chill Touch, Endure Elements
Second level: ESP, Invisibility, Augury, Death Armor, Evil Eye
Third level: Scry, Tongues, Bestow Cure, Fly, Witch Wail
Fourth level: Analyze Magic, Moonlit Way, Tears of the Banshee
Fifth Level: Death Curse, Nightmare
Sixth Level: Moonbow

Theme Song: Running with the Wolves

It dawns on me how much Rána is like San of Princess Mononoke. For this reason I also give her the name of "Ghost of the Forrest." She protects her land from invading humans and orcs, who she sees as being the same thing.

Character Creation Challenge: Day 6 Amaranth & Moria

 Moving on with my witches and witch types, I want to experiment with a couple more ideas. Namely tieflings. Now I know your average die-hard AD&D 1st ed fan doesn't care for tieflings despite the existence of alu-demons, cambions, and a host of other half-demon types. Tieflings can work well in AD&D, I just have to be clever on how I use them.

Now, since I don't have AD&D rules for tieflings, or even witches, really, written yet, I am going to borrow some ideas. For this set, I am using the Advanced options in my Basic era witch book, the Daughters of Darkness book, my Demon & Devil book, and my Warlock rules for Swords & Wizardry. I am also going to use some characters I have been using for a bit, Amaranth Lilis and Moria Zami.

Both are "tieflings," but I am experimenting with different kinds. Moria has a diabolical heritage, so she has the blood of devils in her veins. As she levels up, she takes on a more and more diabolical appearance. It began with yellow eyes and skin turning blue. Amaranth is a demonic tiefling. Her bloodline comes from succubi. For her, this manifests a little differently. She is not an alu-demon, but she does have wings.

Both characters are part of my current Forgotten Realms run, and both made appearances in my Baldur's Gate III runs. Technically, they are from different eras, so they would not interact, but for today, they are together.

Tieflings

For AD&D 1st ed, I am saying that Tieflings get +1 to Intelligence, +2 to Charisma as bonuses. For penatlties they get -1 to Wisdom and -1 to Constitution. Now, why a bonus for Charisma when they are clearly inhuman? This is Charisma as a force of personality. If I were using Comliness, then I'd have rules on that, but I don't use it. For psionics? Well, I am inclined to give them a -1 or -2% penalty to be honest. I see psionics as a human feature, and they are not human. I also allow tieflings to take one first level Magic-user spell for free. Typically, chill touch, darkness, magic missile, or burning hands. In the case of magic missile, it is always cast as if the tiefling were a 1st-level magic-user.

I am also toying with the idea that Tieflings get Diabolic or Demonic as a bonus language depending on their ancestry. 

Most of the other species distrust Tieflings, humans and half-orcs are neutral, and even other tieflings have a mild distrust. Tieflings only prefer other tieflings if they are from the same ancestry or bloodline. As for class restrictions, I am leaning towards tieflings not becoming paladins or rangers. but I have not made up my mind yet.

Amaranth is a witch, Moria is my playtest magus. I'll detail what that means later on.

Amaranth Lilis
6th level Tiefling (Demonic) Witch,

Secondary Skill: Performer (Dancer)

S: 9
I: 15
W: 15
D: 11
C: 12
Ch: 17

Paralysis/Poison: 11
Petrify/Polymorph: 11
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 12
Breath Weapon: 14
Spells: 13

AC: 6 (Leather armor +2)
HP: 13
THAC0: 18

Weapon
Dagger 1d4/1d3
Staff 1d6

Familiar: Raven "Lucifer"

Spells 
First level: Darkness*, Bewitch I, Blindness, Glamour, Silver Tongue, Black Fire
Second level: Bewitch II, ESP, Invisibility, Hold Person
Third level: Abyssal Shield, Aura of Fire

Theme Song: Amaranth

Amaranth was a dancer in a pleasure house in Baldur's Gate on the Sword Coast. That is until she discovered her magic. Now she is a member of the West Haven Coven.

Moria
6th level Tiefling (Diabolic) Magus, Lawful Evil

Secondary Skill: Initiate

S: 14
I: 17
W: 12
D: 15
C: 13
Ch: 20

Paralysis/Poison: 13
Petrify/Polymorph: 11
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 9
Breath Weapon: 13
Spells: 10

AC: 9 (No armor, Dex -1)
HP: 19
THAC0: 19

Weapon
Dagger 1d4/1d3

Familiar: Hell puppy "Mesphitofleas"

Spells
First level: Darkness*, Burning Hands, Magic Missile, Sleep
Second level: ESP, Ray of Enfeeblement
Third level: Fire Ball, Hold Person

Theme Song: Year Zero

Moria's concept is a very easy one. What if any of those demon-spawn babies born in the 1970s ("Rosemary's Baby", "It's Alive", "The Demon Seed", "The Omen") lived to adulthood. Even as a child she was a baby seed, now she is only going to get worse and I can't wait to see how that goes.

This Old Dragon: Best of The Dragon Vol #1

 This is the first issue from the Eric C. Harshbarger collection. I did have a copy already, but it is in rather sad shape. I have had a copy of this issue for a bit. I was hesitant to review it since it not exactly the same as reviewing a proper issue of Dragon. This is a curated collection, or as it says on the cover, a Best of. Part of the fun of This Old Dragon is reflecting on the issue, what I was doing at the same time it was out, and finding the gems, or lumps of coal, in each one. But, I am very willing to make an exception for Best of The Dragon vol. 1 and Best of Dragon vol. II for various reasons. First, I am not likely to find the older issues they cover, especially from Vol 1. Secondly, these issues were part of my D&D experiences growing up. I remember getting my copy of Best of Vol. II at the same time I picked up Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. My old high school DM, Grenda, and I agreed he would buy the odd-numbered ones and I the even-numbered ones. So there is some added nostalgia for me. So lets get into it.

I should note that this issue is really just "Best of The Dragon." There no other volumes to be a Vol. I for yet. But it will come soon.

Best of The Dragon

This best-of collection was initially published in 1980 and was edited by Tim Kask. It covers the Strategic Review and The Dragon vols I and II, or the first two years of The Dragon. So, from 1975 to 1978. Game-wise, this also covers the era of Original D&D and the dawn of AD&D.  

What I want to get from this is a feel for what was going on then. 1975 to 1978 is a great time since this predates my own involvement in the game. I would not start playing until 1979. So the Best of Dragons were like hidden treasures of a bygone age. These were my "Glamdring" and "Orcrist" treasures. That is, if Gygax was Turgon and Lake Geneva was Gondolin. 

This reads like a White Paper for AD&D. You can see how, where, and even why AD&D was made here with the various additions and rule guidelines. To expand on this further to my own interests, the lack of inclusion of the witch class seems a little odder. 

There are a lot of articles here and they are packed together. I will mention them all, but some might not get much more than that. Others though are very interesting.

Section 1: Design/Designer's Forum

This all reads like rough drafts of the AD&D game presented from the D&D point of view. I should also add that Metamorphosis Alpha also gets some coverage.

Planes by Gary Gygax gives us our first look at what will become the famous D&D "wheel" cosmology. The color-coded planes of this article make it slightly more useful than its Player's Handbook counterpart.

How Green Was My Mutant, also by Gygax, gives us some random human mutation tables. I note these can be used in conjunction with the the random demons tables in the back of this issue. More on that later. 

What follows are some more MA articles, Some Ideas Missed in Metamorphosis Alpha by James M. Ward and An Alternate Beginning Sequence for Metamorphosis: Alpha (note the colon) by Guy W. McLimore, Jr. It is easy to see the ideas brewing that would transform MA into Gamma World. 

Hints for D&D Judges is a three-part series from Joe Fischer helping what will be called Dungeon Masters. I like the use of "Judge" here, very much old-school and the original idea for DM. Part 1 covers towns. Part 2 is Wilderness, and Part 3 is the Dungeon itself.

The amazing Lee Gold has a rare Dragon appearance with her article on Languages or Could You Repeat that in Auld Wormish? Given the discussions I have had here on languages, you know this is one that I have gone back to many times. 

Tony Walston is up with The Development of Towns in D&D. It covers two pages and is packed really. I think some of this morphed into future articles about towns. Like all articles from this time, it is largely "here are your tools, go build it," which is great and works well for me. I am fairly sure that Grenda used some of this for all the cities he built and we adventured in.

On the other side of this is Let There Be A Method To Your Madness from Richard Gilbert. This article details how you should design your dungeons from the ground up, er, down. Followed by Daniel Clifton with Designing For Unique Wilderness Encounters. There is an assumption here, I think, that this is largely for a hex-crawl sort of adventure. 

Jim Ward is back with two more MA-related articles, Deserted Cities of Mars and The Total Person In Metamorphosis Alpha. 

Ok, now this one is an odd one. How Heavy Is My Giant is overtly a good article. It is a math-intensive guide on how much a giant-sized human should weigh. The article was "written" by Shlump Da Orc. Seriously? The article is good and whoever wrote it should be taking credit.

Rob Kuntz is up with Tolkien in Dungeons & Dragons. Knowing what I know now, this article hits a little differently. Though there is one solid point that was very true then and very true now. While there are similarities between Tolkien and D&D, they are not the same thing. The best example is the elves. D&D elves are not the immortals of Tolkien, nor should they be.

Jim Ward, our MVP of this collection, is up again with Notes From a Semi-Successful D&D Player. It is a bit of his reflections on playing as long as he had been at that point. He continues these thoughts on Some Thoughts on the Speed of a Lightning Bolt. This is less about how fast a lightning bolt moves, and more about how fast the wizard can cast the spell. 

The Meaning of Law and Chaos in Dungeons & Dragons and Their Relationships to Good and Evil is next. It sounds like the title of a Master's Thesis, and in a way, it is. It was from Gary Gygax himself and it is in my opinion required reading. The graph of the soon-to-be AD&D alignment system is more complex than what we see in either Holmes Basic D&D or the AD&D Player's Handbook. There is a sense of "degree" or "intensity" in this. So, Demons are the most Chaotic Evil, then followed by Red Dragons (back then, yes), Trolls, and moving closer to Neutral, Orcs, Efreeti, Wereboars, and more. So not all creatures of the same alignment experience or act the exact same way. I think this distinction was lost later on. Suggesting that a Chaotic Evil creature can only act as chaotic evil. 

This is the start of a series of articles by Gygax. There is a short article, Gary Gygax on Dungeons & Dragons which covers how Gary says he started the game. We know now of course it was much more involved that the handful of paragraphs here. This is followed by D&D is Only as Good as the DM. This is the first mention in this magazine of the "Dungeonmaster" (one word).

The Dungeons & Dragons Magic System is next from Gary and covers how the D&D magic system evolved out of Chainmail.

Section 2: Dragon Mirth

This section covers some of the "funnier" articles from TSR/The Dragon.

There is a Monster Reference Table Addition for a bunch of creatures they just made up for this. Sort of amusing I guess. 

Jake Jaquet is up with The Search for the Forbidden Chamber. A bit of fiction. 

Omar Kwalish (really Tim Kask) is up with What To Do When the Dog Eats Your Dice. Which is actually helpful, in a silly premise way. What to do if you don't have dice handy. Granted this is an artifact of the time. Everyone has a phone with access to dice rollers. But he also provides some solid 20th-century solutions like chits, cards, numbered straws/sticks, spinners, and even calculators with random functions. I used to use that one a lot. 

Excerpt From An Interview With A Rust Monster from Michael McCrery is honestly best ignored. But I am sure someone out there enjoyed it. 

While Sturmgeschutz & Sorcery is a silly idea from Gary Gygax, it has some practical uses. Namely, how much damage can a WWII tank do in D&D terms? The emphasis here is more Chainmail in origin than D&D, but it is still fun to read. 

Section 3: Variants

Ok, now this section is much more interesting and gives us what The Dragon did the best: providing us with new material for our games.

Peter Aronson has two articles about Illusionists. The first gives us the class to 13th level and 5th level spell ability, and the next extends this to 14th level and 7th level spell ability. Both include a bunch of new spells. It honestly looks perfect to add to my Expert Set box.

Jim Ward is back with treasures found in Tombs & Crypts.

Gary is also next with Halflings, Dwarves, Clerics & Thieves in Dungeon! In this case, the Dungeon board game. I am going to make copies of this one and put it in all my copies of Dungeon. Not only are there new rules for these player types, but there are also new treasures and new monsters. 

Doug Schwegman has a classic one for me next, the original Bard class in Statistics Regarding Classes: (Additions) - BARDS. I have played this Bard in the past and it works out great. The feel is more OD&D + Greyhawk, but that also means it would work well in Basic D&D and even AD&D. This is the one I used for my 1st Ed version of Nida. 

Joe Fischer has a "new" Ranger class in The Original Ranger Class. Again, the presentation makes it look perfect for Basic D&D.

Charles Preston Goforth, Jr. is up from The Dragon #5 with Wizard Research Rules. This expands the rules covered in OD&D and again in The Dragon #2. It is a pretty solid set of rules for spell and magic item research. I'd have to compare it to later editions, but what strikes me about it is the simplicity of it all. 

Ah. Next is the first version of the venerable Dragon Magazine Witch class in Witchcraft Supplement for Dungeons & Dragons. There is no author listed, not even Tim Kask knows who wrote it, but it is quite well written. It is overtly for OD&D Prime. Even before Greyhawk was released. The "Best Of" format has it neatly confined to 5 pages of text with some art. There is a lot to love about this article and class, really, and I am still puzzled why we never got an official witch class in old-school D&D.  Though, I suppose if we had I'd be over here droning on about something else. 

An ad for Fantasy Games Unlimited. 

John M. Seaton is up with Monkish Combat in the Arena of Promotion, or how monks gain levels officially.  It has diagrams that remind me of old martial-arts manuals. 

Two pages of tables for Solo Dungeons & Dragons Adventures by Gary Gygax, with contributions from George A. Lord and play testing by Ernie Gygax and Robert Kuntz. I mean, it looks like it could work. I know for certain if I had seen this I would have tried to write a BASIC program to mimic this. I mean it would not be very difficult at all. 

George Rihn is up with Lycanthropy - The Progress of the Disease. Which is basically discussing lycanthropes and XP progression for lycanthrope levels. It also looks pretty solid and I wonder why it didn't catch on. Though as I have mentioned many times, my Appendix N is more Hammer Horror than it is Pulp Fantasy; playing a werewolf is something that was going always come up in my games.

The Japanese Mythos are next by Jerome Arkenberg. This appeared originally in The Dragon #13 from 1978 and uses the format laid out by 1976's Gods, Demigods, & Heroes. There are three and half pages here and there are more entries than seen in the Japanese Mythos section of Deities & Demigods. 

Paul Montgomery Crabaugh and Jon Pickens have two similar articles, Random Monsters and D&D Option: Demon Generation, respectively. With a few dice rolls you can create any sort of monster; living, undead or demon, to fill your dungeons. Combine these with the How Green was my Mutant article above and you can generate thousands. Again, this is exactly the sort of thing I would have tried to program in BASIC on my old TRS-80 Color Computer 2!

I said this was packed, right?

Ok, so a lot of great articles here that hit heavy on the nostalgia, but also still have some use today. I might try that random monster generator, or more to the point recombine it all and see what I can come up with. Maybe Python or something. Could be fun.

The Witch, of course, is the star for me. Love going back and looking at this older version. 

One of the big issues I have with this collection is that while I can lump it all into a specific time, the time before I played, I miss the nuances of the times. I mean, I was very different from 1975 to 1978, and so was our hobby. I would have liked to see the date and issue each of these was published originally, like Best of Dragon Vol II does. I do miss the ads and the commentary from that time, though. 

Still, it is a fascinating, if brief, glimpse into a time that remains a foreign country to me. 

Should I do Best of Dragon Vol II? Have to think about that. 

#RPGaDay2025 Day 15 Deceive

Fantasy Friday Edition

Deception is everywhere in fantasy.

Illusions, glamours, false faces. Changeling children. Cursed bargains. Secret kings. The villain who was never in the dungeon, the hero who was never truly on your side.

It’s one of the oldest elements of the genre, right up there with swords and spells. And in fantasy RPGs, deception is more than a skill check; it’s a tool of worldbuilding, character development, and tension.

A good deception makes players second-guess everything.

•  The map they followed.
•  The patron they trusted.
•  The sword they pulled from the stone.

And that’s where the fun begins.

Deception in a fantasy game can be as simple as a bandit pretending to be a merchant, or as complex as an entire kingdom under a curse where no one remembers the truth. One of my favorite tools? Having a monster pose as an innocent. A cursed noble. A helpful spirit. A fellow adventurer.

Because when the truth finally comes out? That’s the moment everyone remembers.

Now, not every game needs trickery. Sometimes you want a good old-fashioned dungeon crawl, no lies, just orcs. But even then, somewhere in the back of your mind, you know:

• The statue’s watching.
• The innkeeper’s too friendly.
• The mayor is hiding something.

And then there's magic.

Magic and deception go hand in hand in fantasy. Illusionists specialize in lies made visible. Witches glamour themselves or trick the eye with shadow. Fey creatures make promises that twist into traps.

Cursed items whisper to the wielder until they think the voice is their own. 

But deception isn’t just for NPCs and villains. Sometimes the players lie. To NPCs, to each other, to themselves. Maybe the warlock claims their power comes from “an ancient ancestor,” not a hungry patron. Maybe the cleric keeps a secret god. Maybe the rogue isn’t just good at lying, they need to lie.

Because the truth is too dangerous to speak aloud.

In a good fantasy RPG, deception isn't just trickery, it’s drama. It’s tension. It’s story.

And sometimes the best twists aren’t the ones you plan, they’re the ones the players create through the lies their characters tell.

So here’s to deceit.

The double agent. The doppelgänger. The mask that slips. The lie that changes the world when it’s finally revealed.

After all, what’s fantasy without a bit of misdirection?

Questions

What. Envious. Adventure.

What adventure am I envious of? I would have to say the original Greyhawk Campaign of TAGDQ adventures. I would love to play through them again using AD&D 1st Edition, or maybe Castles & Crusades. That would be a lot of fun. 

https://www.autocratik.com/ • https://www.castingshadowsblog.com/

Iriandor: My New Campaign World

 I was not really planning on doing this. I have enough projects on my plate to keep me busy for years. BUT I also kinda want to this. What is this? This is my new campaign world based on the ideas I began to present in "Why D&D 5.5 (2024) Needs a New Campaign World" and "Why D&D 5.5 (2024) Needs a New Campaign World, Part 2."

So what are my goals here?

The future's so bright.

I want a world that is bright, and the characters have a sense of place and purpose.

The new edition of D&D (2025) is much brighter. I want a world to match that. Plus, I have been doing dark, grimdark, and horror since 1979. I want to do something different. Very different. I am building this with "D&D" in mind, but in truth, it is going to be largely system-less, at least at the start. If I want to adapt it to Daggerheart or Blue Rose (two games I will be taking a lot of cues from), then I can.

This World is NOT OSR or Old School.

Look, I love my old-school games. I really do. I have a solid publishing history of this. But this is not that world. In fact this world is very much a "we are moving out of the ashes of the old world into a new one." If that sounds a bit like Star Trek, well then, so be it. 

I am also shedding the various "pulp" influences. Again, I do enough of this elsewhere. The Witches of Appendix N will continue. I still have old-school projects on my hard drive waiting to see the light of day. This is not replacing those. This is it's own thing.

This World is not for Publication

As much as I think this would sell (based on my post stats), I don't have the time or art budget to make it fully manifest in the way it deserves. So instead, I am just going to write stuff here for it, and people can take what they want. I am not precluding a publication, I am saying that is not my plan.

Welcome to Iriandor  - A New World for a New Age

The world is healing.

Iriandor is not another rehash of a Forgotten Realm or a Gray Past. It is something new, a bright world born from the ashes of a terrible war. Not just a war. The War. For a century, the devils of Hell marched across the land, collecting the debts of power-hungry Warlock Thanes who bargained away not just their souls, but ours. The Warlock Thanes and their Hierarchs are gone now, burned out of history, but their twisted magic still lingers in wild places, where the ground is scorched and the air hums with wrongness.

Now, at last, the world begins to breathe again.

The people of Iriandor are rebuilding, not just cities, but trust. They are rediscovering lost places, forging new bonds, and reclaiming their place in a multiverse that almost forgot them. Floating cities drift above wounded forests. Ancient dwarven forges ring again. The Tieflings, once Hell’s foot soldiers, seek peace as free people. The Forgekin, born as tools, now walk as citizens. And the Elves? They debate the very nature of sentience in their spire-libraries above the clouds. Humans, always eager to explore and expand seek new lands and old mysteries. 

--

That's my start anyway. I wrote the words "The world is healing" in a notebook when I first started coming up with this idea. I like it, I think it is a good introduction to the world. 

Here are some of the peoples I have in mind for this world.

Dwarves

Master artisans, artificers, and called "The First Born," dwarves live everywhere in the world. They are fiercely devoted to family and clan, which can number in the dozens and thousands, respectively. Each dwarf has a personal name, a family name, and their "forge name," the name given to them when they come of age. Most dwarves believe that Forgekin houses the souls of long-dead dwarves, returned to the world to help the dwarves forge a new future. For this reason, dwarves will often call Forgekin "brother" or "sister" even though Forgkin themselves recognize no specific genders. Forgekin prefer the title "Cousin" from Dwarves and consider it an honor to called such.

Elves

They are called Eldryn by humans, but their own name is Naelyar, "the people who endure." They are long-lived philosophers of life and existence. They believe they came to this world at the same time as the dwarves, and as such share a kinship with them. The Eldryn are divided into philosophical factions so deep that most other races see them as separate subspecies.

    The Sylarië

    These Eldryn believe that all living things are sentient. They fought to have the Forgekin recognized as living beings and believe that all life is a precious gift.  Humans call them "Greenhearts" because of their love of plants and all things natural. They are the most numerous. Most are vegetarians. 

    The Talarien

    These Eldryn believe that only humanoid life is sentient, but still all life is precious. Humans call them "Gray Elves," a name they find amusing. They are extremely fond of humans, though some say in the way a human is with a pet.

    The Vaelshari

    The least numerous are the isolationist Vaelshari. They believe that only Eldryn lives are sentient. They think humans are at best animals and Forgekin are abominations. They can and do work with other Eldryn happily, but feel uncomfortable with other species.

Forgekin

Created centuries ago by dwarven artificers, they began their existence as servants, aides, and domestic labor. The dwarves who created them felt there was more to them than anyone realized, thus their name of "kin." When The War broke out, the Forgekin to an individual stopped their tasks and joined the fighting. For their efforts, they were awarded the status of citizens. In the floating city of Aetherreach, the home of Eldryn and Dwarves, and where the Forgekin were created, they are the most numerous and enjoy the most rights.

Some parts of the world still refer to them by the name "Househands" but this is considered to be derogatory in polite company.

Hellspawn / Tieflings

Slaves of the devils, these poor souls were used to fight the mortals of Iriandor. When the devils were defeated and the gates of the Warlcok Thanes destroyed, they threw down their arms and refused to fight anymore. They have since been recognized not as oppressors, but fellow victims and survivors of Th War. There are many places though where they are still not trusted.

Humans

Humans make up the bulk of the world. While the Warlock Thanes were human (mostly), most of the lives lost in The War were human ones. Humans now want to reach out and see who still survives and if there is any left of the Warlock Thanes, to stamp them out. There are always a few that would like to find that power for themselves.

--

I am also planning to add Halflings and Gnomes, but I am considering lumping them together as one species, the current front-running name "Brindlekin." Dragonborn will be there, as well as various anthropomorphic animals. Orcs of course will be here as well as goblins. I do love goblins. 

Yes there will all the classes and I'll add some gods as well. 

Though, I am having my cake and eating it here, too. The time before The War, during the Rule of the Warlock Thanes, would make for a fantastic Old School style world. Gritty, war, diabolic monsters, and power-crazed spellcasters. Both sound fun.

Fantasy Fridays: Tales of the Valiant

 A newer entry today and a potential good replacement for D&D 5e on your table. But is it just a new coat of paint on a familiar rule-set?

Tales of the Valiant

Tales of the Valiant began as the Black Flag system/project from Kobold Press, already a big name in 5e-compatible products. The genesis was, of course, the massive OGL fallout from January 2023. Kobold, among so many of us, saw a threat to our product lines and opted to "pull a Pathfinder" and release their own rules only this time under their own license. They can sell core rule books (which is always a good source of money) and still create their own supporting products (their bread and butter as it were) and have them support both game lines.  It is a good idea.

They have published the "common core" of three books:

• Tales of the Valiant Player's Guide
• Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault
• Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide

The books are attractive and is well laid out. There is a lot great art. But the question is, do they provide me anything above and beyond D&D 5 (2014)? Well, all three books are 1,081 pages, so it is hard to dig through all of this to find specific differences. It looks like 5e and plays like 5e. I guess that is what is important, really. Now, the classes do have additions; each class features a subclass taken from the SRD and often an additional new one. There is the new Mechanist class, which is similar in concept to the Artificer class. So, for current 5e (again, 2014) players, there is something new. 

The truth is there are a lot of new things, but you need to dig for them. There is the "Beastkin" Lineage for example that looks like fun. As do the new "Sydereans" which combine Aasimar and Tieflings and "Small Folk" which combine halflings and gnomes. Ok, I am cool with that. Orcs and Kobolds (natch) are core lineages. I think every clone or RPG should have at least one unique core lineages. Yes, this book uses "lineage" and not race. I like this better. Heritages are how your character was raised. More or less. 

There does seem to be some more monsters, but the monster book is populated by "the Usual Suspects."

Again. It is hard to fault Kobold on this. These books have two purposes, and both require it to cleave close to 5e (2014). First it *is* a D&D 5e replacement. I have not tried, but you could in theory use this books with minor tweaks in a 5e game. I call this the Pathfinder solution. The other purpose is to provide Kobold (and third parties) a means to write "5e" compatible material but not require people use, or even buy, 5e core books from Wizards. I call this the OSRIC solution. 

I suspect the real value of these books and this game will come from future products. For example, the upcoming, just Kickstarted, Monster Vault 2, will be the true test of this system. Yes, they state outright this is for TotV and 5e, but I think this will be the case that makes or breaks this game. So far things are looking rather promising for Tales of the Valiant. 

Honestly, this book looks really good, and if I picked up the physical edition, I would be tempted to get the Core Three because of how good they all look together. But I don't play 5e all that much anymore.

Who Should Play This Game?

Honestly, this game will not replace 5e (2014) on anyone's table. It might supplement it, but it won't replace it. It could, however, replace 5.5e (2024).  My oldest and I have been talking about the various issues with 5.5, and he is sticking with 5.0 for now. But if you are one of those people who have felt especially burned by WotC's actions over the last 2.5 years, then maybe this is the game for you.

Johan Werper for Tales of the Valiant

I don't know. Something about this game makes me want to play a knight in shinning armor and perform actions of Epic Good. Not that I wouldn't play Larina in it, but the classes are not a perfect fit. The closest thing is not the Warlock, but rather the Leaf Druid. Now, the Chaos Sorcerer is interesting as well. Maybe I could try it for Sinéad.

I want to try out Johan, or at least some sort of version of him, because the Paladin in 5.5 seems so nerfed. I have been wanting to compare the various paladins just to see if this is true. 

This will be Johan VII, the son of Johan VI and Lana (my wife's character) for 5e. He has a twin sister, not uncommon for the Werpers. She will be a 5.5 character so I can compare properly. Their background is they were exposed to cosmic forces before birth, so they have something a little "extra."  In Johan VII this means his "Anointed" Heritage.

Johan Werper VII
Human (Anointed) Paladin (Devotion) 3rd level

Strength: +2
Dexterity: +1
Constitution: -1
Intelligence: +0
Wisdom: +2 (saves +4)
Charisma: +3 (saves +5)

Proficiency Bonus: +2
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30ft

AC: 17 (chain mail and shield)

Weapons
Longsword +4 1d8/1d10 (versatile)
Crossbow, Hand +2 1d6 30/120 

Passive Insight: 14
Passive Investigation: 12
Passive Perception: 12

Skills
History, Insight, Relgion

Proficiencies, Languages, & Talents
Advantage on Death Saves, Thaumaturgy Cantrip
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic, Giant
Navigator's Tools
Talent: Combat Conditioning +2 to hp each level
All armor and shields, simple and martial weapons

Class Features & Traits
Divine Sense
Lay on Hands
Divine Smite
Martial Action - Guard
Spellcasting (Divine)
Sacred Weapon
Sanctifying Light

Spells
Cantrips: Thaumaturgy
First Level: Bless, Cure Wounds, Sanctuary

I like this version. 

Given his family history, his twin sister would be named Celeste or Celine. She will be stated up with D&D 5.5 as a Celestial Warlock, or whatever the warlock is called in that. 

The Player's Book includes Greek, Egyptian, and Norse gods as examples. I am half tempted to continue using my "Black Forest" mythos, maybe making them avatars of Jäger and Jägerin. They would not be real avatars, but that is how they would be perceived. 

I like this idea since my wife based her character Lana on Lagertha from Vikings. It also explains why Johan VII can also speak Giant. 

He compares well to his dad. So that is cool, with enough differences to feel like a new character.

I think I am going to need a bigger binder for Johan.

"New" Projects

 I have had a burst of creativity over the last couple of months, and my desire to get things off my WIP plate has been strong.

You all may have noticed with the publications coming from me recently:

• The Swan Maiden Class (OSE)
• Volume #2 of Monstrous Maleficarum - Return of the Orcs (5e)
• Volume #3 of Monstrous Maleficarum - Nymphs, Daughters of the Gods (5e)

I have more of those series to come out. Plus I also want to get back to my Myths & Monsters series for 1e to cover more gods.

Also, I have been trying to finish a large project that has been taking all my time. No announcement yet, I want to see if I can hit my self-imposed deadline, but this one is pretty big.

So, posting will be a little sparse while I try to finish these all up.

OH! And if you are going to Gary Con, stop by the Elf Lair Games booth to say hi. 

Monstrous Mondays: DMGR4 Monster Mythology (2e)

 I want to pick back up my reviews of my collection of Forgotten Realms books, I also want to keep up my exploration of various monsters that have appeared in past versions of the *D&D game. With the lack of "playable humanoids" in the current Monster Manual, I returned to my collection and found a book that fits my needs.  While this means I am skipping over a couple of books in my chronological order, they are all connected to each other, so I can justify it. 

Of note, this is another book I obtained from the Grenda collection. So that is also a good reason to feature it. It can also stand-in as an entry to my "One Man's God" series. 

DMGR4 Monster Mythology (2e)

1992, by Carl Sargent. Art by John Lakey, Laura Lakey, Keith Parkinson, Terry Dykstra. Softcover, blue&white and full color art. 128 Pages.

This book was the fourth in the DMGR, or Dungeon Master's Guide Rules, series for AD&D 2nd edition. I did not purchase many of these when they were new. At this point, most, if not all, of my gaming money went to Ravenloft-themed products. 

This book covers, not monsters really, but their gods, demigods, and heroes. The format is simialr to that of new Legends & Lore book for 2nd Edition, and it would be a prequel of sorts to various Forgotten Realms "Faiths & Avatars" books, with Demihuman Deities being its direct descendant. 

Now to be fair, Monster Mythology is not a Realms book per se. A lot of what goes on in this book will later get adopted to the Realms. Author Carl Sargent, also know for his Greyhawk From the Ashes boxed set, makes many mentions of various Greyhawk secific gods. It seems that he felt these two products would work together. And they do, quite well in fact, but the Forgotten Realms are also explicitly mentioned. 

What does this book actually have in it?

There are gods for the Elves (including sea elves), Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halflings, specifically for the Forgotten Realms, though we have seen these before in one form or another. There are "Goblinoid Deities" of the orcs, goblins, bugbears, kobolds, and others.  

There are the Gods of the Underdark: For Drow, Underdark Dwarves, Illithids, Beholders, Myconids, and Deep Gnomes. 

Gods for the Giants, for other monsters, and many more are also mentioned. This includes the Elder Elemental God, aka the Elder Elemental Eye. This book does nothin to clear up that confusion, but that is fine. I like my gods messy. Case in point, the Demon Lord Juiblex is listed as a Lesser God here. Indeed, one man's god is another man's demon.

In addition to Juiblex, other demons are mentioned and get deity-level treatment. This includes Demogogn, Yeenoghu, Kostchtchie, Baphomet, and Lolth (naturally). Additionally, other "monsters" get god-like treatments, such as Bahamut and Tiamat. 

Vampires, liches, and even hags get gods. Though I am not sure I'd ever use them as gods and more as "powerful examples" of each type. 

It is an interesting mix, especially rereading it with 2025 eyes. Some gods were ported over from the various Gods of the Demihumans articles from Dragon magazine, and others from previous Realms-based books and earlier as well. The Underdark gets more detail. It's no surprise; the early 1990s were all about the Underdark and Drow in particular.

All gods get mentions of their Specialty Priests. So in general, this book has more value to the game than does the Legends & Lore book proper. 

A couple of thoughts, though, of my own.

I'm not sure what happens with the gods of the Kobolds as they became less "goblin" and more "dragon."  I am likely to say that these gods were once powerful kobold heroes that fell into a sort of ancestor worship. 

I also can't see the Illithids or the Beholders having gods. For the Illithids, I say that their two gods, Ilsensine and Maanzecorian, are not real beings but rather constructs of the Illithid shared mindscape, something akin to a Tulpa. The beholders, on the other hand, have their "Great Mother," who I say is not so much a divine figure, but actually the mother of all beholders. So in a way she is more akin to Vlaakith of the Githyanki. 

The book is flexible enough to be used in any campaign setting, and it mentions just about every campaign setting from that time. 

While the book has been superseded by newer AD&D 2nd Ed books in the Forgotten Realms and by shifts in the pantheons in different editions, this is still a solid book.

The details on specialty priests alone makes it worthwhile.  

Orcs and Drow, Klingons and Romulans

Today is the release day of the new D&D 5.5 Monster Manual. It does not have "monster stats" for orcs or drow (nor elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, and other playable species). In general, I am okay with this. I can add my own if I want. But the treatment of orcs, in general, seems to have some people bothered. My post on Nouveau Orcs has been constantly in my weekly top five posts since I posted it back in July. It also seems the most noise is coming from a section of gamers who have also bragged about how they have not played any D&D published in the last 10 or 25 years.

Frankly, we are still on the same road that Gygax put us on.

Drow and Romulans

I have mentioned that my wife and I are rewatching all the episodes of every series of Star Trek. Right now (tonight even) we are going to rewatch the classic "The Balance of Terror."  The first time since we rewatched it's alternate-timeline counterpart, "A Quality of Mercy."

The Balance of Terror changed Star Trek forever. We see its effects in the "Reunification" trilogy of episodes, its effects on Star Trek The Next Generation, Star Trek Picard, and Dungeons & Dragons.

I have mentioned it many times here before, but the introduction of the Drow as "Evil (with a capital E) Elves" was a parallel to the Romulans as Evil Vulcans in Trek. It was obvious to me back in the early 1980s when I first played through it, but sadly, that plot point was spoiled for me. I don't know the effect either the D-Series adventures or The Balance of Terror had on those unaware.  Since then, Drow and Romulans have followed a similar development path. 

Both of our pointy-eared races have begun to be more like their good-aligned cousins since their mutual rediscoveries. Relations with the Romulans were beginning to get better even in the time of the Next Generation and practically friendly in Picard to allies in the later seasons of Discovery. Same is largely true for the Drow, save we have not hit the friendly part yet.

I would add that the same relationship and development cycle has become true for Orcs and Klingons.

Orcs and Klingons

When the Next Generation was in the idea stages, creator Gene Roddenberry originally did not want any Klingons in it. The rumor is that the fall of the Soviet Union, the "Evil Empire" of so many decades, prompted him to change his mind and see Klingons as becoming part of the Federation. Good thing too. Klingon episodes were always some of the most interesting ones in the franchise. 

Orcs are taking a similar role to Klingons. Granted, while there are individual good, even heroic, orcs, none have stood out yet like Worf Son of Mogh or Drizzt Do'Urden. But this is the early days of orcs now being a part of our Dungeons & Dragons "Federation."

Personally, I have stopped using orcs as pure antagonists for a long time. I almost always got for undead, demons, or evil cultists of any humanoid sort. Does this mean orcs are off the menu? No more than Klingons were. It is amazing for allies how many battles between the Federation and Klingons we saw not just in The Next Generation, but also Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Discovery even began with a fight with the Klingons that started the Federation-Klingon war.

So really. Maybe it is time to shift away from orcs as always evil. They can still be warlike and brutal, but giving them a little more credit can only make them more interesting. Take Orkworld, for example. John Wick was doing what D&D is trying to do now, 25 years ago. 

Games should evolve. Otherwise, you are just doing the same old thing all the time. And if I choose to say have orcs and drow and whatever as antagonists again? Well. I can still do that.

But maybe, just maybe it is time to see what orcs can add to the game as a culture.

Monstrous Mondays: Monstrous Maleficarum #2 - Return of the Orcs

 Today's Monstrous Monday is a special one, the return of my erstwhile series "Monstrous Maleficarum." In this new and revised version for "5th Era Fantasy RPGs" I am featuring the return of the Orc as a monster you can have as an antagonist. 

Just in time for tomorrow's new Monster Manual release. 

Volume #2 of Monstrous Maleficarum - Return of the Orcs

Orcs have been a staple of FRPGs since the dawn of the hobby. These creatures are as iconic as they are ubiquitous. 

With Monstrous Maleficarum #2 I present the return of the orcs to the latest edition of the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game. Orcs for the new 5th Era.

Herein, you will find the classic Pig-nosed orc, the mighty green and gray orcs, the blood-thirsty Blood Orcs, the violent Ghost-Face orcs, the noble and good Desert Orcs who call elves “brother,” and the intelligent and equally dangerous High Orcs.

What is Monstrous Maleficarum?

Monstrous Maleficarum is a series of smaller publications to feature new monsters for the 5th Edition of the World's Greatest Role-Playing game. Sometimes these monsters are from previous editions, brought into the new era via the Open Gaming License. Sometimes they are new takes on classic creatures of myth and legend. And other times they will be brand new creatures.

Each “issue” will feature a theme of related monsters.
Every issue will feature 100% Open Gaming Content text.

I will have more to say on Orcs and other "missing monsters" as time goes on.

New Release: Dungeons & Dragons 5.5 Monster Manual

 I went to my FLGS yesterday and picked up the last of the new Dungeons & Dragons 5.5 core books, the new Monster Manual.

It was the original AD&D Monster Manual that got me into D&D originally, so any new Monster Manual has a long climb to impress me.

Yes, it is true. There are no orcs in this book, nor humans, halflings, elves, dwarves, duergar, dragonborn, or gnomes.

There are goblins, bugbears, and hobgoblins. Also, monsters still have alignments. So the oft repeated rumor that WotC/Hasbro was getting rid of alignments is not true. There are still plenty of purely evil creatures to kill. Note: Goblins are now chaotic neutral. I actually like this, more akin to how I have been playing them.

The art is gorgeous, as expected, and there is art for every monster and then some.

The stat blocks are mostly the same as D&D 5.0 (2014), they are a bit clearer to read. Saving throws are all listed now, even when they are just the same as the ability modifier. 

The new book sits at 384 pages. The 2014 Monster Manual was 352.

Following in the footsteps of every major "Even" release (2nd ed, 4th ed, and this as 6th ed) each monster fits on 1, 2, or 4 whole pages. This makes reading the monster stat easy while in game; everything is right there. It also follows the trend established by many OSR and D20 publishers. Lots of monster books have been doing this, going back to the Creature Collection from Sword & Sorcery Studios in 2000. While it does make reading easy, sometimes narrative text and lore takes the hit to make room for stat blocks. I am mixed on that. I love the layout, and I am generally a fan of one-page monsters, but I feel like some monsters get shorted.

My biggest pet peeve, though, is the alphabetical organization. For example, Blue and Black Dragons are listed under "B" right along with Balor. Red Dragons are under "R."  This continues for all groups, including Giants, demons, devils, and everything. 

An interesting little quirk of this and a logical extension from the 2014 MM, Succubi are now an independent fiendish creature and Neutral Evil. They are also distinct from the Incubus. They are no longer separated by gender, but by role. Succubi (male and female) drain life via physical touch and Incubi (male and female) drain via dreams. I like the split in roles and it allows us to have two creatures to fill the role of the mythological succubus.

You can see this movement away from "gendered" monsters throughout the book. The art for the dryad is androgynous, which is fine. I have had male and female Ginko Dryads ever since I learned that ginko trees can be male or female. There are female satyrs. Again, there is precedent for that in art.  Sphinxes are no longer Andro- or Gyno- but rather Sphinxes of Wonder, Secrets, Lore, and Valor. Ok, that I actually like.  But, there are no nymphs.  I came to the D&D Monster Manual by way of Greek myths, so this feels a bit odd to me.

Honestly. I have been moving away from Orcs as my big bads for a while now. Goblins have always been too much fun to make completely evil. Give me gnolls, yuan-ti, or beholders as my monsters, and I can slaughter them indiscriminately. 

Even Star Trek made allies out of the Klingons and, eventually, the Romulans, so why can't D&D grow in its nuanced takes as well.

While the book is plenty large, I am disappointed there are no named Demons and Devils here. No Demon Princes, no Lords of the Nine, no Slaad Lords.

This book completes the Dungeons & Dragons 5.5 aka 2024 version of the Core Rules. I am not 100% sure I'll get much more of this line. I am not playing D&D 5 in any flavor at the moment. But who knows.