''Elder Evils'' is an official supplement for the 3.5 edition of the ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

. This book presents alien, monstrous evils and is designed as a way of providing game masters a means of ending a current campaign.

It includes new content for epic level characters, in the form of extremely powerful, alien monstrosities intent on destroying the world. It is designed as a way of providing

game master A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, storyteller, or master of ceremonies) is a person who acts as a facilitator, organizer, officiant regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer r ...

s a means of ending a current campaign. The book presents nine “Elder Evils”: * Atropus, the World Born Dead (an undead godling in the form of a small moon) * Father Llymic, a being of intense power from the Far Realm who escaped the plane of madness to destroy the world but was encased in ice by elven mages * The Hulks of Zoretha (five gargantuan statues) * The Leviathan (a monster of the deep composed of leftover chaotic energies from creation) * Pandorym (an evil force from the places between the planes) * Ragnorra, Mother of Monsters (a hideous malformed monstrosity) * Sertrous (a vast demonic snake) * The Worm that Walks (a 30’ tall giant composed of worms and maggots, and connected with the demi-god Kyuss) * Zargon the Returner (a vicious beast crowned with a solitary horn)

Publication history

''Elder Evils'' was authored by Robert J. Schwalb, with

Jason Bulmahn Jason Bulmahn is an American game designer especially known for his work on the fantasy role-playing game ''Pathfinder''. Early life & education Jason Buhlman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Milwaukee High School of the Arts, and b ...

Greg Gorden Greg Gorden is an American game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games. Career Greg Gorden has worked for several gaming companies: * For Victory Games he participated, during the early 1980s, in the design of the '' James Bond ...

, James Jacobs, Rhiannon Louve, Michael McArtor, and

Anthony Pryor Anthony Pryor is the author and co-author of several roleplaying game products. Career Anthony Pryor has worked as a game designer for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. His professional RPG credits include the 1992 Greyhawk setting modules '' Patriots ...

, and published by

Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...

in December 2007. The cover artist is

Michael Komarck Michael Komarck is a fantasy artist. His work has been featured in many roleplaying games, board games, book covers, and collectible cards. Komarck produced the official art and calendars for George R.R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire''. Earl ...

, with interior art by

Miguel Coimbra Miguel Coimbra (born 9 December 1977) is a French freelance illustrator and graphic artist. Career Coimbra started drawing in his childhood. His special interest in games and the fantasy theme was aroused through the trading card game '' Magic: ...

Daarken Michael Lim, better known by his pseudonym Daarken, is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Career His ''Dungeons & Dragons'' work includes interior art for '' Races of Eberron'' (2005), '' Heroes of Horror'' (2005), '' Races ...

Wayne England Wayne England (d. 9 February 2016) was an English artist whose work regularly appeared in role-playing games, wargaming rulebooks and magazines and was used on cards for collectible card games such as '' Magic: The Gathering''. He died on 9 Feb ...

Ralph Horsley Ralph Horsley is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Career His ''Dungeons & Dragons'' work includes cover art for the adventure '' The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde'' (2006), and interior art for ''Monster Manual III'' ...

, Izzy,

Howard Lyon Howard Lyon is an American fantasy artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games and '' Magic: the Gathering''. Early life and education Howard Lyon was born in Mesa, Arizona and studied illustration at Brigham Young University (BYU) work ...

Michael Phillippi Michael Phillippi (born ) is an American artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Education Michael Phillippi started his illustration career in 1997 after graduating from the Savannah College of Art & Design. Career His ''Dungeons ...

, Skan Srisuwan,

Francis Tsai Francis Tsai (April 14, 1967 – April 23, 2015) was an American comic book artist, illustrator, author and conceptual artist. He was of Taiwanese and Japanese people, Japanese ancestry. Early life Tsai was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raise ...

Franz Vohwinkel Franz Vohwinkel (born 1964 in Munich, West Germany) is a German artist and illustrator whose artwork has been featured in role-playing games. Works Vohwinkel drew the cover art for the book ''Dataware'' (1998) for TSR's ''Alternity'' game, and ...

Eva Widermann Eva Widermann (born June 6, 1978) is an illustrator and concept artist whose work appears in role-playing games. Education She went to the Scholastic of Graphic & Design, Munich. Career Widermann started her graphic design career in 1998 and wo ...

, and

James Zhang James Zhang is an artist whose work has appeared in role-playing games. Career Zhang has contributed interior illustrations to numerous ''Dungeons & Dragons'' supplements for Wizards of the Coast, such as '' Sharn: City of Towers'' (2004), ''Ebe ...

Other Elder Evils

A 10th Elder Evil, called Shothragot is presented in ''

Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

'' #362. It serves the god

Tharizdun In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game, Tharizdun () is the god of Eternal Darkness, Decay, Entropy, Malign Knowledge, Insanity, and Cold. He originated in the '' World of Greyhawk'' campaign setting but has since also appeared i ...

. The Elder Evil Zurguth, the Feasting Vast, was also in introduced in ''

'' issue #358, which describes his accidental creation of the Kaorti. The D&D book ''

Lords of Madness ''Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations'' is an official supplement for the 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) in 2005 that details "aberrations" — creatures said to ...

'', published previously (in 2005), also presented Elder Evils (page 27). The five described in that book are all greatly respected by the aboleth. They are provided with the following names: * Bolothamogg, He Who Watches from Beyond the Stars * Holashner, the Hunger Below * Piscaethces, the Blood Queen * Shothotugg, Eater of Worlds * Y’chak (the Violet Flame)

Reception

''Elder Evils'' received the silver

ENnie Award The ENNIE Awards (previously stylized as ENnie Awards) are awards for role-playing game (RPG) products (including game-related accessories, publications, and art) and their creators. The awards were created in 2001 by Russ Morrissey of EN World ...

for Best Monster/Adversary.

Reviews

References

External links