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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Sep 2002 : 06:05:41
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A few questions concerning arguably the most powerful monster in existence....
First, anyone have any theories on its origin?
Secondly, how does everyone feel about the terrasque (besides terrified, of course)...? Do we like him (it) or not?
And thirdly, has anyone ever gamed a party that ran across and defeated the Terrasque fairly (as in no DM assistance or cheating)?
Just curious...
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My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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DragonTouched
Acolyte
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 28 Sep 2002 : 07:51:19
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This is just a wild idea, but could it be a parting gift from the lord of murder? That's the kind of creature that continues a legacy of killing anyway. (You'd have to go back to when it first appeared, and I don't know lore that well. Since no one seems to know its real origin, the creature may even predate written history.) Heck, maybe it's half god - half (red)dragon. If I get any other crazy ideas I'll speak up.
<Leaves, mumbling incoherencies to himself> |
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 28 Sep 2002 : 09:10:32
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The tarrasque is not really a 'killing machine' (with killing as in killing of intelligent creatures). It is a creature that destroys just everything in its path. In that case, if it is related to a deity, it would be closer to Talos (the Destroyer). Then again, it might also be a beserk aspect of a nature power that acts like sort of a safety valve for all the pent of frustration of maintaining the balance of nature...
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 28 Sep 2002 : 11:28:15
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I cant say ive ever been a fan of the Terrasque. Id certainly never use it in a campaign, Its far too powerful a creature to ever warrant battling against, I could never see that there would be any enjoyment from setting out to confront this creature. Nothing but hours of dice rolling 
Im not sure of its origins at all, as its a generic D&D creature I wouldnt expect it to be tied to any specific deity.
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Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Edited by - Lord Rad on 28 Sep 2002 11:38:39 |
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DragonTouched
Acolyte
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 28 Sep 2002 : 23:11:30
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What if it is a deity? Long ago, it could have manifested in this plane in order to punish its unfaithful followers. In its rage, maybe it caused so much destruction that it either lost all consciousness of itself, lost its godhood by killing its worshippers, or the other gods banished it to this plane for such embarrassing behavior unbecoming of a god. I have to agree with Rad that it's not a campaign-friendly foe.
Mumadar, how did I know someone would suggest it works as a balance-keeper for nature? Could be something to that theory...
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Rory_Lana
Acolyte
20 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2002 : 21:48:16
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I unfortunately have encounter this beast in a quest. In fact it was my first time to play ever. The DM wasn't in a good mood or something, but my character died almost instantly, but not by the terrasque. I was killed by a fellow player who missed horribly with her lighting bolt. I'm not a fan of the tarrasque either, it is almost impossible to beat, even with epic characters.
As of it's comeing to be I've heard the it was created by the gods. The gods were so terrified of it they only made one. If you think about it the chances of running into "it" are slim. I'm not complaining...I never want to loose my characters to it again.
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2002 : 09:47:39
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quote:
Originally posted by DragonTouched
Mumadar, how did I know someone would suggest it works as a balance-keeper for nature? Could be something to that theory...
Dunno, telepathy? 
I'd use a tarrasque in my campaign. But more as a bedtime, monster-in-the-closet-type feature. A myth, a source for a quest, that type of use. I don't think I'd ever actually use the 'real' monster. |
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The Great Drizzt
Learned Scribe
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2002 : 09:33:35
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Way too powerfull, even for my group I play with, all lvl 15&16, and there is 5 of us.
Heres what I do know, theres supposed to be only one allowed on any plane of existance, and they have an INT of 1 or 2, so there not really killers, there too stupid, they walk in one straight line around the world(unless something interfers, like PC's)thats when they kill.
And yes they were in a campaign I've been in, we just saw it from a distance though(thank the gods thats all the closer it was)
The Great Drizzt |
"Don't poke Drizzt, 'tis highly unsociable!" Drizzt Do'Urden -BG1 |
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2002 : 20:26:09
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Wow, what a great idea for a campaign!
"So, as you're leaving the tavern, you see a huge, orange-ish head peeking out in the distance....and it's headed toward Silverymoon...what do you do, wizard? WHAT DO YOU DO?!"
Seriously, though, I think it would be neat to see what low-level PCs could do to stop the terrasque, i.e.-diverting its path in a way that it does not attack them. Or, perhaps even raise its intelligence somehow and try to speak with it and convince it of another course...
Interesting... |
My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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DragonTouched
Acolyte
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2002 : 06:35:16
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| Just a thought: Increasing the Terrasque's INT may not be a great idea. Do you honestly want it to be proposing mathematical theorums and slinging witty insults WHILE it's eating you? |
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The Great Drizzt
Learned Scribe
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2002 : 06:37:55
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Yeah, not a good idea!
The Great Drizzt |
"Don't poke Drizzt, 'tis highly unsociable!" Drizzt Do'Urden -BG1 |
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Darwin Tenderfoot
Seeker
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2002 : 00:40:27
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Can some one give me the stats on this creature I have never even heard of it. Sounds like its pretty powerful though.
Darwin  |
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Echon
Senior Scribe
Denmark
422 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2002 : 12:12:52
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Climate/Terrain: Any
Frequency: Unique
Organization: Solitary (wow)
Activity Cycle: see below
Diet: Omnivore
Intelligence: Animal (1)
Treasure: See below
Alignment: Nil
Armour Class: -3
Movement: 9, Rush 15
Hit Dice: 300 hp (approx. 70 HD)
THAC0; -5
# of attacks: 6
Damage: 1D12/1D12/2D12/5D10/1D10/1D10
Special attacks: Sharpness bite, terror
Special defenses: see below
Magic resistance: Nil
Size: G(50' long)
XP value: 107,000
Combat:
(terror) less than 3 HD are paralyzed with fear
4-7 HD flee in terror
7+ save vs. paralyzation or flee
(carapace) immunity to most combat spells (magic missile, lightning bolt, cone of cold etc). a 1 on a 1D6 reflects the spell
immunity to fire and heat
regeneration - 1 hp per round
+1 or better to hit
immunity to psionics
Ecology:
it is beleaved that in order to slay it, it must be reduced to -30 hit points followed by a wish
and then there is a lot of stuff about manufactoring shields and armors of its body and a few others things. |
"If others had not been foolish, we should be so."
-William Blake |
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Baron Sengir
Acolyte
Turkey
28 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2002 : 13:26:13
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hmm heavy fellow indeed.I know about the stats,but I don't want to believe that dude has an AC of "-3".I definitely don't want to defend myself against HIM(I say don't want to defend,because I have no desire to ATTACK that)but how can that big and slow thing has an AC of 3???
I also know that terrasque does not attack,but eats towns and that kinda stuff because he is HUNGRY.If you ask me,1 or 2 Titans would be enough to bring him down.And also I know a very strong party(they are really out of reach,lvl27 paladin,lvl25 lich mage casting true dweomer,a lvl 24 priest of Tyr.This party also gets help from a god named Ivan Argos because he BECAME a god in the game.he was in the party at the begining.That is a planescape party so if they can find the time,they can travel all the realms and kill 'em all.But they are usually helping ellisium(I don't know how to spell that)in the conquest to abyss... |
If you were a dream,I would sleep forever... |
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2002 : 14:21:26
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| <big grin> Oh them good 'ol days of negative AC's. Hehehe when I saw the Thac0 acronym, I realized that it was the AD&D version of the monster posted. When looking at an AC of -3 from a 3E point of view, the monster would indeed be an easy target and very slow moving. |
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Echon
Senior Scribe
Denmark
422 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2002 : 18:53:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Baron Sengir
hmm heavy fellow indeed.I know about the stats,but I don't want to believe that dude has an AC of "-3".I definitely don't want to defend myself against HIM(I say don't want to defend,because I have no desire to ATTACK that)but how can that big and slow thing has an AC of -3???
Extremely tough hide. Besides, remember than when you "miss" it does not necesarily mean that you did not hit your opponent but rather that your attack hit the shield, the breastplate, was deflected by his/her weapon or in this case did not penetrate its skin. |
"If others had not been foolish, we should be so."
-William Blake |
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Baron Sengir
Acolyte
Turkey
28 Posts |
Posted - 16 Nov 2002 : 16:14:49
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quote:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Baron Sengir
hmm heavy fellow indeed.I know about the stats,but I don't want to believe that dude has an AC of "-3".I definitely don't want to defend myself against HIM(I say don't want to defend,because I have no desire to ATTACK that)but how can that big and slow thing has an AC of -3???
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Extremely tough hide. Besides, remember than when you "miss" it does not necesarily mean that you did not hit your opponent but rather that your attack hit the shield, the breastplate, was deflected by his/her weapon or in this case did not penetrate its skin.
yeah you are right about the shield armor and that kind of stuff.But I used to have a centaur fighter in Dragonlance and guess his base AC?? !!5!! And he doesn't have any armor,(centaurs only wear armor made only for them)his skin is just as thick as a horse.But rulebook says that the base AC is 5.And centaurs are also counted large. |
If you were a dream,I would sleep forever... |
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The Great Drizzt
Learned Scribe
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2002 : 08:24:18
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Could the priest spell Creeping Doom kill it? It does 1000 points of damage, and I think if you cast the spell from a distance, then you can get a "Butt-load" of EXP for just casting a simple spell!
The Great Drizzt |
"Don't poke Drizzt, 'tis highly unsociable!" Drizzt Do'Urden -BG1 |
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2002 : 11:20:27
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| Perhaps, though the creatures saving throw is most likely to stop it, if the spell can affect the creature at all. |
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Shades
Acolyte
Georgia
39 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2002 : 19:43:14
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| Long time ago before I moved, the dm had a big quest and we had to fight a tarasque. Wasn't pretty the stupid thing rolled 2 critical hits against my thief, needless to say it wasn't pretty. |
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sabre
Acolyte
Turkey
47 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2002 : 00:53:47
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i got a feeling that a hand of god touched the matter of creating tarrasque but i rather not to believe it.Ý guess it was a huge spell experiment of an evil wizard searching for a "great annihilator"...
Ý am not terrified of tarrasque 'cause i believe how much the bigger
much easier to fall...Ýt is a good thing that big freak exists...it will remind pcs' there will be always a monster powerful than they are
Ý haven't seen one but if i happened to see one i am sure that it can be handled.(and if of course the dm wouldn't want to see us dead very badly)
Actually One of my friends has told me that tarrasque can be petted by an animal friendship spell(sure caster had many enchantments but i remember him telling me rules to do this)Ýf i learn or remember about it i will pass it through... |
sabre |
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Jamie Pearsall
Acolyte
1 Posts |
Posted - 19 Dec 2002 : 12:06:17
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| I Think that this monster could indeed by a creation of the Gods, a failed experiment? |
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Feanor_Karnil
Learned Scribe
USA
132 Posts |
Posted - 20 Dec 2002 : 02:02:03
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The terrasque is a powerful creature perhaps even a deity itself. But I believe it was placed in FR for a reason, but not to be killed seeing how their is only one in existence (as far as we know). The terrasque is an ultimate creature but if someone managed to kill it I would not know wether to congratulate or kill that person. The terrasque shouldn't be killed, because it is mystical and mysterious like the dragons.
If anyone has any objections I would wish to hear them.
-Feanor Karnil The Moon-Star |
We live in a bleak world my friend, where heroes are few and shadows stalk us around every corner.
-Mikai Daerni |
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Artalis
Senior Scribe
USA
444 Posts |
Posted - 20 Dec 2002 : 03:16:43
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Feanor_Karnil Posted - 20 Dec 2002 : 02:02:03
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The terrasque is a powerful creature perhaps even a deity itself. But I believe it was placed in FR for a reason, but not to be killed seeing how their is only one in existence (as far as we know). The terrasque is an ultimate creature but if someone managed to kill it I would not know wether to congratulate or kill that person. The terrasque shouldn't be killed, because it is mystical and mysterious like the dragons.
If anyone has any objections I would wish to hear them.
-Feanor Karnil The Moon-Star
______________________________________________________________________
Killing the Terrasque should have no more significance than putting down a rabid wolverine. It's stupid and dangerous and it gets in the way of civilized peoples. It destroys for no purpose, it just does...
Dragons on the other hand are a race and a people. They have great intelligence and a history as long as the elves. They stay.
Toast in my book. Maybe I should put it on Nighteyes' list after the Ityak-Ortheel and Lolth. |
Artalis
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Salius Kai
Learned Scribe
USA
217 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2002 : 02:33:04
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| I'm generaly Chaotic Neutral, I couldn't really care if it dies or not. I'll leave it alone as long at it leaves me alone. As far as it being too powerful, I disagree. I think there should always be a monster out there more powerful than the PC's, just to give them something to work for. Its not something I would put in a campaign though, unless there were alot of high level PC's |
"Welcome to these walls of infinite knowledge."
Salius Kai |
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Saxmilian
Learned Scribe
USA
157 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 19:03:08
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| I beleive there was a "Class" called the Waker of the Beast I think from one of the Dragon Magazines. Anyway they were a cult to wake the mighty terrasque. We battled them in one quest, defeating their leader "just seconds before completing his ritual..." The research we had to do, hearing tales and legends of the "mighty beast" was worth it...It reminded me of a scary bedtime story. |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 19:09:08
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| I definately plan on bringing the Tarrasque in my campaign once the PCs get in the later Paragon Tier and in the Epic tier to have some real terrorizing fun. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 20:09:07
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| IIRC in one of the arcane age adventures the party has to kill a terrasque for a spell component for Karsus' Avatar. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 20:41:22
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| I'm fairly certain my Ex was Earth's Terrasque. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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althen artren
Senior Scribe
USA
780 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 21:08:49
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| ooooooh cold, so cold. |
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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1093 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jun 2010 : 21:09:50
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Here's a note:
Tarasque
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Tarrasque (disambiguation).
Photo of a fibreglass model of the Tarasque, taken in Tarascon during the June celebrations.
The Tarasque is a fearsome legendary monster from Provence, in southern France, tamed in a story about Saint Martha. On 25 November 2005 the UNESCO included the Tarasque on the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.[1]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Legend
* 2 Cultural impact
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 Notes
* 6 External links
[edit] Legend
Painting of St. Martha and the Tarasque, attributed to André Abellon, in the Basilica of Mary Magdalene at Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume.
Legend reported among others by the Golden Legend[2] has it that the creature inhabited the area of Nerluc in Provence, France, and devastated the landscape far and wide. The Tarasque was a sort of dragon with six short legs like a bear's, an ox-like body covered with a turtle shell, and a scaly tail that ended in a scorpion's sting. It had a lion's head.
The Tarasque was said to have come from Galatia which was the home of the legendary Onachus, a scaly, bison-like beast which burned everything it touched. Some speculate that the story of the Onachus may be related to either that of the Unicorn or the Phoenix. The Tarasque was the offspring of the Onachus and the Leviathan of biblical account; disputably a giant sea serpent.
The king of Nerluc had attacked the Tarasque with knights and catapults to no avail. But Saint Martha found the beast and charmed it with hymns and prayers, and led back the tamed Tarasque to the city. The people, terrified by the monster, attacked it when it drew nigh. The monster offered no resistance and died there. Martha then preached to the people and converted many of them to Christianity. Sorry for what they had done to the tamed monster, the newly-Christianized townspeople changed the town's name to Tarascon.
The story of the Tarasque is also very similar to the story of Beauty and the Beast and King Kong. The monster is charmed and weakened by a woman and then killed when brought back to civilization. A similar idea is found in the myths of Enkidu and the unicorn: both are calmed by sending them a woman.
[edit] Cultural impact
The Tarasque, near King René's castle in Tarascon
A carved early Gothic column capital at the Church of St. Trophime in Arles, 14th century, depicting the Tarasque; it is one of several carvings here that show legends of local folklore as well as biblical figures
The Tarasque is featured on the coat of arms of the city of Tarascon. A festival is held every year there on the last Sunday of June to remember the Tarasque, as well as Tartarin, the main character of Alphonse Daudet's Tartarin de Tarascon.
A legendary marine creature reported to live in Vietnam's Halong Bay was also called "Tarasque" by the French who ruled the area at the time.[3]
The French military named a towed 20 mm anti-aircraft gun (53 T2) after the Tarasque.
Tarasque at a Corpus Christi procession in Valencia
The Tarasque is one of the statues of the Corpus Christi procession of many Spanish cities (Valencia,[4] Granada...)
There you have it!
If I were hasted I could take it out in one round!!! Do I need to point out how powerful my mage is!!! |
Edited by - Nicolai Withander on 21 Jun 2010 21:11:52 |
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The Terrasque
