The Tygre
2010-04-20, 11:03 PM
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/alumni_dretch_2nd.jpg
Behold the face of terror... Grr... Argh...
Introduction
Ahh, the dretch. Humblest of all demon-kind's infinite creations. What can we say about the dretch? Of what noble strength or deed can we write upon the dretch's brow? Not much, that's what. Dretch are the lowest of the low, the very bottom-rung of demon-kind, their only solace being that they're slightly above Manes. And they're too stupid for solace. Out in the Abyss, it's not weird to use dretch as currency, hors d'œuvres, cheap labor, or furniture. The Abyss and all its demonic courts run smoothly because they're greased with dead dretch. Any demon can summon a dretch (even other dretch), his grandmother can summon 2d4.
All in all, dretch aren't exactly -exciting- or -interesting-, and they're useful the same way a sack of meat on legs is. Yet it's hard to deny that if someone's going to deal with demons, they'll inevitably be encountering and summoning dretch quite a lot. So what can we do to make dretch interesting? What can we do to improve on this little Pikachu of the tanar'ri?
This thread's here to kick around ideas for putting dretch in your game and keeping them there, to toss around ideas and concepts. And in the end, maybe we can all learn something from the humble dretch. Because don't forget; big things (http://horrorsoftheabyss.wikidot.com/orcus-demon-prince-of-the-undead) come in little packages...
Variants
Let's start out simple; a few appearance twists to the dretch. Feel free to throw your own in.
1.) Mini-Demogorgon: This dretch is little more than some animal's screaming head on scaled legs and spiked tentacles.
2.) Cherub of Graz'zt: Perhaps one of the Prince of Darkness' own brood, this dretch takes the form of a fat and leering demonic putae.
3.) Tumor of Orcus:This living blob of cancerous flesh grows mouths and teeth from random points on its body.
4.) Harpy Chick: A howling, almost humanoid servant of the Harpy Queen, this dretch could almost be a young raptoran.
5.) Blob of Fire: More in common with a lemure, this dretch appears to be nothing so much as a dab of lava with a gaping mouth.
6.) Raven Queen's Spy: This dretch is a mass of black feathers, carrion meat still hanging from its beak.
7.) Hell Mole: Blind but bearing massive claws, this dretch crawls on all fours and prefers burrowing to all other forms of movement.
8.) Biting Wind: Almost transluscent, these flight dretch have more in common with air elementals as the float through the Abyssal sky.
9.) Jubilex Amoeba: One might mistake this dretch for some kind of multi-eyed ooze until it starts slithering over the dead and dying.
10.) Rat King: Not so much one demon but several even smaller ones, these pint-sized dretch are connected at the tails and form a ball of teeth and claws.
11.) Spiderling: Hailing from the Demonweb Pits, these dretch are covered in black chitin and have eight beady eyes and legs.
12.) Maze Gremlin: This dretch looks like at least twice its own weight worth of muscle has been packed into its small, now minotaur-like frame.
13.) Behemoth Grub: A pulsing grub the size of a dog, this dretch constantly hungers for food and inches along six claw-like appendages.
14.) Second Thought: This dretch stands perfectly still, almost looking comatose, as its psionic presence slides from mind to mind between thoughts.
15.) Spore Demon: More fungus than demon, this glowing, mushroom-infested fiend explodes on death.
16.) Deep Dretch: An amalgamation of anglerfish and sea cucumber, this aquatic dretch's barbed fins and needle-like teeth are still potent.
17.) Snake Orb: From the jungles of Merrshaulk, a tiny dretch sits at the center of a mass of vipers, controlling their movements.
18.) Collectors of Pazuzu: Looking more like like comical demonic pigeons then anything else, these winged dretch have all the ferocity of a dire hawk.
19.) Pixies of the Prince: Serving Socothbenoth, these dretch appear as sensual fairies and sprites; until they speak, at least.
20.) Hunters of the Maiden: Like miniature wolves and bears, these feral dretch of Nocticula display uncanny bloodlust during a hunt.
(Because I can, that's why.)
Behold the face of terror... Grr... Argh...
Introduction
Ahh, the dretch. Humblest of all demon-kind's infinite creations. What can we say about the dretch? Of what noble strength or deed can we write upon the dretch's brow? Not much, that's what. Dretch are the lowest of the low, the very bottom-rung of demon-kind, their only solace being that they're slightly above Manes. And they're too stupid for solace. Out in the Abyss, it's not weird to use dretch as currency, hors d'œuvres, cheap labor, or furniture. The Abyss and all its demonic courts run smoothly because they're greased with dead dretch. Any demon can summon a dretch (even other dretch), his grandmother can summon 2d4.
All in all, dretch aren't exactly -exciting- or -interesting-, and they're useful the same way a sack of meat on legs is. Yet it's hard to deny that if someone's going to deal with demons, they'll inevitably be encountering and summoning dretch quite a lot. So what can we do to make dretch interesting? What can we do to improve on this little Pikachu of the tanar'ri?
This thread's here to kick around ideas for putting dretch in your game and keeping them there, to toss around ideas and concepts. And in the end, maybe we can all learn something from the humble dretch. Because don't forget; big things (http://horrorsoftheabyss.wikidot.com/orcus-demon-prince-of-the-undead) come in little packages...
Variants
Let's start out simple; a few appearance twists to the dretch. Feel free to throw your own in.
1.) Mini-Demogorgon: This dretch is little more than some animal's screaming head on scaled legs and spiked tentacles.
2.) Cherub of Graz'zt: Perhaps one of the Prince of Darkness' own brood, this dretch takes the form of a fat and leering demonic putae.
3.) Tumor of Orcus:This living blob of cancerous flesh grows mouths and teeth from random points on its body.
4.) Harpy Chick: A howling, almost humanoid servant of the Harpy Queen, this dretch could almost be a young raptoran.
5.) Blob of Fire: More in common with a lemure, this dretch appears to be nothing so much as a dab of lava with a gaping mouth.
6.) Raven Queen's Spy: This dretch is a mass of black feathers, carrion meat still hanging from its beak.
7.) Hell Mole: Blind but bearing massive claws, this dretch crawls on all fours and prefers burrowing to all other forms of movement.
8.) Biting Wind: Almost transluscent, these flight dretch have more in common with air elementals as the float through the Abyssal sky.
9.) Jubilex Amoeba: One might mistake this dretch for some kind of multi-eyed ooze until it starts slithering over the dead and dying.
10.) Rat King: Not so much one demon but several even smaller ones, these pint-sized dretch are connected at the tails and form a ball of teeth and claws.
11.) Spiderling: Hailing from the Demonweb Pits, these dretch are covered in black chitin and have eight beady eyes and legs.
12.) Maze Gremlin: This dretch looks like at least twice its own weight worth of muscle has been packed into its small, now minotaur-like frame.
13.) Behemoth Grub: A pulsing grub the size of a dog, this dretch constantly hungers for food and inches along six claw-like appendages.
14.) Second Thought: This dretch stands perfectly still, almost looking comatose, as its psionic presence slides from mind to mind between thoughts.
15.) Spore Demon: More fungus than demon, this glowing, mushroom-infested fiend explodes on death.
16.) Deep Dretch: An amalgamation of anglerfish and sea cucumber, this aquatic dretch's barbed fins and needle-like teeth are still potent.
17.) Snake Orb: From the jungles of Merrshaulk, a tiny dretch sits at the center of a mass of vipers, controlling their movements.
18.) Collectors of Pazuzu: Looking more like like comical demonic pigeons then anything else, these winged dretch have all the ferocity of a dire hawk.
19.) Pixies of the Prince: Serving Socothbenoth, these dretch appear as sensual fairies and sprites; until they speak, at least.
20.) Hunters of the Maiden: Like miniature wolves and bears, these feral dretch of Nocticula display uncanny bloodlust during a hunt.
(Because I can, that's why.)