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AceOfFools
2023-01-30, 03:41 PM
Ultimately, this about me trying to figure out what the monster in the darkness might be.

Basically, the scene where Monster-san creates fissures in the Earth looks like like the Clr/Drd 8/Earth domain 7 spell Earthquake, but that particular spell is actually very rare among published DnD monsters. When I asked about it on the actual MitD thread, we weren’t able to find very many good candidates.

But nothing says MitD has to have been something created or already written up for DnD 3.5.

So my question is: what monsters/folktale creatures do you know of that are iconic and known for causing Earthquakes?

Khedrac
2023-01-31, 03:06 AM
So my question is: what monsters/folktale creatures do you know of that are iconic and known for causing Earthquakes?

Limiting to myth/folktale pretty much limits the answer to dragons and kaiju.

There are myths of bound individuals shaking the earth with their struggles, but they are liable to fall under the "no real world religion" discussion ban for these forums so I don't think we can list them, sorry . :smallfrown:

Batcathat
2023-01-31, 04:22 AM
I don't know of any specific examples, but it might be a good idea to look into the folklore of places that have had a lot of earthquakes historically. It seems likely that people regularly experiencing them would've come up with creatures to blame for it (if they didn't just go for the all purpose "blame it on the gods").

Pauly
2023-01-31, 02:58 PM
A mouse, according Aesop.

AceOfFools
2023-01-31, 08:09 PM
Limiting to myth/folktale pretty much limits the answer to dragons and kaiju.

There are myths of bound individuals shaking the earth with their struggles, but they are liable to fall under the "no real world religion" discussion ban for these forums so I don't think we can list them, sorry . :smallfrown:

I’m not?

I’m actively interested in monsters from TTRPGS that cause earthquakes. I’m just also interested in folklore that might inspire such monsters, or even popular fictional creatures that do so.

I’m just more interested in famous/iconic examples than obscure ones, regardless of source.

caden_varn
2023-02-01, 09:16 AM
Chthonians & Lloigors from the Cthulhu mythos can both do that, but I think mostly because they are supposed to be massive

Rynjin
2023-02-01, 09:33 AM
Ultimately, this about me trying to figure out what the monster in the darkness might be.

You're probably best served by participating in this thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?650507-MitD-XVII-Y-ou-were-quite-clear-I-was-just-being-pedantic) then.

The earthquake debate is one of the bigger points of contention from what I was reading last time I checked on it.

Lord Torath
2023-02-01, 09:39 AM
You're probably best served by participating in this thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?650507-MitD-XVII-Y-ou-were-quite-clear-I-was-just-being-pedantic) then.


*snip*
When I asked about it on the actual MitD thread, we weren’t able to find very many good candidates.
*snip*He did.

I'm afraid I've not had any new ideas for the Creature in the Darkness in a while.

Rynjin
2023-02-01, 09:41 AM
Ah, I missed that bit; my bad. Unfortunately, earthquakes are such a common miracle and/or disaster for mythical creatures that it's difficult to narrow down. Everything above a certain size (eg. dragons, giants) is said to cause earthquakes with their movements, for instance.

Misereor
2023-02-02, 06:38 AM
I don't know of any specific examples, but it might be a good idea to look into the folklore of places that have had a lot of earthquakes historically. It seems likely that people regularly experiencing them would've come up with creatures to blame for it (if they didn't just go for the all purpose "blame it on the gods").

Immature Draknors trying to reach maturity.
(Dungeon Magazine #24. Thunder under Needlespire.)