WTF, D&D: Monster Manual V (3E)
Draudnu
Steve: Now this one gives me the heebie jeebies. Like a maggot, an ostrich, and a set of kitchen knives got put in the telepod.
Zack: It’s a gross drawing, sure, but what I see here is monster by committee. You can almost see the scruffy dudes sitting around the conference room table brainstorming monster ideas.
Zack: “What if the head was on the butt?”
Zack: “What if ostrich legs?”
Zack: “Yeah, but three legs, not two or four.”
Steve: This thing is an obyrith, which is one of the demon offshoots that grew in D&D as the lore surrounding the abyss became more and more complicated.
Zack: Oh, they just couldn’t help themselves. Like seven or eight monster manuals and you have to get down in the demon weeds.
Steve: I think by the end there were like five different “races” of demons and some were ancient and then some others were like “no these guys are the ancientest.”
Steve: That’s the obyrith.