Who thinks that the MitD is an infant ....."something"?

[paladinofshojo]

I heard of the idea that the MitD is probably a juvenile version of an extremely powerful monster , which would make it a counter stereotype of the usual "savage, hostile, brutal adult" version found in mainstream D&D.....

[MReav]

Given that :mitd: has been at that maturity for 29+ years, and implied not to be able to speak, I think it's an Awakened something, with a perpetual childish mentality, if only because it doesn't really know how maturity works (plus, that doesn't stop him from watching amateur dwarf porn).

[The Tygre]

I'd count it as an infant something. If I recall, Haley agrees that she thinks the thing is a child

[MyrddinDerwydd]

Who says that 29+ years is anything but a moment for whatever creature MitD is? He certainly has the maturity of a young child, and we've seen him come through a lot of hard situations where he learned a lot in 590 strips. between putting up with, and standing up to Xykon, to his behaviour with OChul, and his constant optimism in the face of Team Evil's betting ring, he's changed a lot. Mostly, it involves standing up for himself, and learning to determine right from wrong, despite loyalties.

That's usually a sign of growing up, not of *being* grown up.
Given his serious lack of positive role models, I'd place him around pre-teen mentality, regardless of his number of years.:smallwink:

[paladinofshojo]

Alright, I propose that we should find a list of the top 20 or so strongest monsters in D&D, excluding the aquatic and aren't concieved into the world in a "natural" sense, and we may have a list of what the MitD truly is

[Demax]

There are a couple of theories floating around OOS's Wild Mass Guess page on the TV Tropes website as to what the Monster in the Darkness actually is. One theory is that he is an aspect of The Snarl and the other is that he is actually a young Tarrasque.

For anybody that may be interested, it can be found here. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WMG/OrderOfTheStick)

[Johel]

I read somewhere that there can be only one tarrasque.

As it's a magical creature, in only ONE specimen at any given time and which is not suppose to die EVER (divine intervention and wish not counting), I think it does not reproduce, in whatever way.

So, a young tarrasque seems unlikely. I mean, sure, this COULD be that but I thought about the tarrasque more like a god-created calamity which awaken only to wreack havoc, then goes to slumber again. It does not have to grow or even to be born. It was just created like that, already "adult".

[Demax]

Since I don't know really know all that much about enemies in D&D I'll have to take your word for it. But then making way out there guesses is half the fun of WMG. :smallbiggrin:

[R.O.A.]

I read somewhere that there can be only one tarrasque.

As it's a magical creature, in only ONE specimen at any given time and which is not suppose to die EVER (divine intervention and wish not counting), I think it does not reproduce, in whatever way.


Unless it reproduces in the same manner as a phoenix. It dies to incubate the egg, which then hatches into a new, young phoenix, yet there is only ever one at a time.

[Ikialev]

Mitd is Banjulhu.

[SoC175]

Actually there's a whole world full of tarrasques where all other live has been driven underground by them

[hamishspence]

Infant dragons (wyrmlings) can be both intelligent, and naive and infantile: see Draconomicon. Problem is, they do not stay that way for long: 5 is when they stop being wyrmlings.

That doesn't mean MitD is a dragon, but the combination of infantile and reasonably intelligent (can talk) is unusual.

[Linkavitch]

If it's a child, it's been one for 30 years or so. So, Maybe its a dragon-something?

[d'Bwobsling]

SoD spoilerWhatever MitD is, it's something shocking and never heard of before, so it's probably not in any of the monster manuals

[hamishspence]

I heard that Rich said in War and XP that MitD was, in fact, a recognizable D&D monster that was not homebrew. Which would imply that we have seen it somewhere, even if we do not recognize it.

[Jalor]

Start of Darkness spoiler:
In SoD, it showed the Monster was part of a circus freak show before being recruited by Xykon. The audience's reaction made it quite clear that he was seriously grotesque-looking. I'm guessing he's either an aspect of the Snarl or an Awakened deformed baby Tarrasque.

[hamishspence]

Redcloak says in SoD:

I know what you are.

Suggesting its something recognizable.

[metallica48423]

I do not think it is a Tarrasque.

According to the SRD, Tarrasques cannot speak.

Although, a Tarrasque's alignment restictions would also require that the MitD could not evil, which supports the conversation between O'Chul and the MitD.

[MReav]

The guys who first captured the MitD couldn't believe it could speak either.

[MyrddinDerwydd]

Forgive me, but what *is* a Tarrasque?

[Zolem]

There are rules for a Juvenial Tarasque in one of those supliments, but I forget which one...

[Chronos]

Forgive me, but what *is* a Tarrasque?It's one of the most powerful monsters in D&D. Theoretically, the only things that exceed it in the basic Monster Manual are the most powerful of outsiders and the oldest of dragons. In practice, it's not actually all that dangerous to an appropriate-level party, thanks to its low intelligence, its lack of magical offense, and its inability to fly, but it's still freakishly strong and incredibly difficult to kill. It's supposed to be unique, but that's often glossed over by DMs.

[B.I.T.T.]

In all honesty I'm not sure if even Rich Burlew knows what the monster in the darkness is. His immature attitude sort of evolved over time if I remember right. Initially he wasn't even really immature, just a touch clueless about what was going on around him (i.e. "Gate? What gate?") and a little sloppy around the liar (hence the introduction of the demon roaches). The childlike mindset seems to have evovled as the character became something other then just a generic powerful monster.

As things stand now, the only clue as to his identity that I've seen is that he stomped his foot and caused an earthquake.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

I heard that Rich said in War and XP that MitD was, in fact, a recognizable D&D monster that was not homebrew. Which would imply that we have seen it somewhere, even if we do not recognize it.

Actually, Rich never says "D&D monster," just that it is a recognisable monster. So you should not just look at just the MM.

[Vossik]

What we know:
The lightest the MitD can hit knocked Miko and her horse far.
It didn't even feel Belkar's attacks.
When in jumps it causes earthquakes.
It has a scream attack.
It's not that smart.
It doesn't appear to be evil. (Has yet to kill anyone, won't eat children, ect)
It's been alive for about 30 years.
It appears to be a medium creature.
It was a known monster that you wouldn't normally find in the forest.
It's odd that it can talk.

I am I missing anything?

[MReav]

Seems to have an at-will ability to manipulate objects without touching them.

[Vossik]

Where was that? I missed it.

[d'Bwobsling]

What would you say MitD's alignment would be?

[GSFB]

I believe MitD is not a "young" Tarrasque, but is THE Tarrasque in its virtually unknown "between rampages" form.

If you read the description of the Tarrasque, you get the idea the creature is a "Godzilla" sort of thing that lurks out there unseen for ages, then suddenly walks ashore and starts eating Tokyo Azure City. It runs amok for a while. The armed forces wizard guilds fire a ton of rockets evocations at it. The city is destroyed. Then the monster disappears into the depths... did we kill it? Or will it return? NOBODY KNOWS!

But, like Godzilla, when it leaves, it leaves without a trace. If you could find it when it skipped town, you could hunt it and try to kill it. But you just can't find it. Which is odd, seeing as how it is the size of the Empire State Building and leaves a trail of destruction that even the least wilderness-inclined halfling ranger could track.

My theory: after a rampage, Tarrasque reverts to a much more easily hidden state. It shrinks down, hides in the dark, and goes virtually unnoticed by the world around it. It retains tremendous power, but in a compact form. And, because Tarrasque has low intelligence, it is easily confused by the goings on of people around it. But it DOES still have a 3 INT, so it is at least capable of things like asking for stew and wondering where Mr Stiffly went.

Everyone who saw MitD before Xykon was impressed by its strength, appetite, and general oddness. But only Xykon recognized it for what it could become: the greatest rampaging monster in the prime material plane. So he took it in and has kept it in the dark, waiting for the right moment to unleash it on the OotS. Xykon alone knows what triggers the transformation from compact size to colossal hell beast - and I am guessing it somehow involves the light of day... (or feeding it after midnight... heheh...)

When the campaign is near its climax, right before the final confrontation with the BBEG, there is ALWAYS the appearance of the Tarrasque. There just is. It's something that has happened in every D&D campaign since 1982.

Now you know.

[MReav]

Where was that? I missed it.

Every time he holds something, there's not even a blacked out portion to indicate that something is being held (note the handling of the Hello Goblin umbrella, the stew pot, the pop corn when he watching the Dwarf porn, the popcorn while Redcloak and Miko are duelling, the bag and note when he knocked Miko through the wall, the time he holds up the scones when Haley and Belkar find Roy and O-Chul, the time he holds the monopoly money for "Dead Or Alive", the time he holds onto the stew pot when he's talking to O-Chul.
Also note In SoD
when he's grabbing the steak, the time he's holding onto the stuffed dragon, and the time he's holding the cotton candy

That's a lot of times he's holding onto something without any type of evidence that something is being held on to.

It would probably fall under the TvTropes Wild Mass Guessing part than any concrete proof. Still, there's a fair bit to not make it totally implausible.

[Inhuman Bot]

What we know:
The lightest the MitD can hit knocked Miko and her horse far.
It didn't even feel Belkar's attacks.
When in jumps it causes earthquakes.
It has a scream attack.
It's not that smart.
It doesn't appear to be evil. (Has yet to kill anyone, won't eat children, ect)
It's been alive for about 30 years.
It appears to be a medium creature.
It was a known monster that you wouldn't normally find in the forest.
It's odd that it can talk.

I am I missing anything?

He's apperently one ugly sumbi***, according to Xykon.

[Vossik]

Oh yeah I forgot that one.

[OITS]

He is obviously a Black Pudding (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Black_Pudding).

[Scarblade]

am I missing anything? He likes tacos.

[Scarblade]

My theory: after a rampage, Tarrasque reverts to a much more easily hidden state. It shrinks down, hides in the dark, and goes virtually unnoticed by the world around it.

SoD

It dosen't exactly hide in the dark, it's really very fond of light and sun, it's just Xykon who wants to hide it