Peryton the bane of PC`s ?

[Cobos]

I was just curious has anyone read the Monster Manual's description of
the Peryton ? The little detail that caught my attention was the fact
that it says the bird normally goes for the heart of the victim. Which
of course should leed to lots of myths and rumours about these
birds...possible villains using them as birds of prey etc.
I was just wondering if anyone else has exploited this aspect ?

Sindre (which finally is back again on the list after my email died by a
stab through the heart :)

[Sidhain]

>I was just curious has anyone read the Monster Manual's description of
>the Peryton ? The little detail that caught my attention was the fact
>that it says the bird normally goes for the heart of the victim. Which
>of course should leed to lots of myths and rumours about these
>birds...possible villains using them as birds of prey etc.
>I was just wondering if anyone else has exploited this aspect ?
>
>Sindre (which finally is back again on the list after my email died by a
>stab through the heart :)


Nope they are the size of deer, not a good size for a "pet" and they aren't
birds but supernatural critters making them uncontrollable for the most part
and mean...
meaner than a "pet" used for hunting...I have had my players deal with one
it killed several NPCS....

[Gary V. Foss]

Sindre Cools Berg wrote:

> I was just curious has anyone read the Monster Manual's description of
> the Peryton ? The little detail that caught my attention was the fact
> that it says the bird normally goes for the heart of the victim. Which
> of course should leed to lots of myths and rumours about these
> birds...possible villains using them as birds of prey etc.
> I was just wondering if anyone else has exploited this aspect ?

Now that you mention it, that is a really good idea. I've never used perytons
except as a sort of random monster. They've remained grossly underdeveloped in
my campaigns, I'm afraid. Your suggestion sounds like a really good adventure
hook. Definately worth mulling over....

One thing about perytons I've always found kind of humorous is that deer-head
thing. The way they get drawn is really hilarious. You know, all frowning and
evil looking. It's a strange dichotomy: militant deer. It's like Bambi gone
psycho or something.... Maybe that could be part of the subtheme of an
adventure? It could be called "Bambi's Revenge" and feature the peryton
preying on hunters.... "They killed his mother but now he's back to even the
score! Starring Arnold Swarzzenegger as Bambi and Chuck Norris as Thumper in
the sequel Disney never wanted you to see!"

FIRST HUNTER: Say, Joe, what's that rustling in the bushes?

SECOND HUNTER: Sounds like a deer with a minigun, Fred.....

BAMBI: Yoo kilt my muddah, yoo kilt my faddah, yoo kilt my peeple! Now you
pay....

FIRST HUNTER: Must have been when we were younger....

THUMPER: If you can't say something nice then kill, Kill, KILL!

Gunfire erupts in the forest.

FIRST AND SECOND HUNTERS: AAAAAAaaaaAAAA!

Gary

[Pieter Sleijpen]

Sindre Cools Berg wrote:
>
> I was just curious has anyone read the Monster Manual's description of
> the Peryton ? The little detail that caught my attention was the fact
> that it says the bird normally goes for the heart of the victim. Which
> of course should leed to lots of myths and rumours about these
> birds...possible villains using them as birds of prey etc.
> I was just wondering if anyone else has exploited this aspect ?
>
> Sindre (which finally is back again on the list after my email died by a
> stab through the heart :)

As far as I know, in medieval mythology the peryton was a creature that
existed for only one sole reason: to avenge the dead of an innocent
defenceless murdered person. The soul of this person would stay
temporary into the peryton and relentlessly hunt down the murderer. If
the peryton was killed, then the murderer was lucky. Very few people
actually ever saw what hit them...

This is actually one of the few magical monsters that I have no problems
in using. I have the idea of letting some person hire the PC's to
protect him against such a creature. None of my PC's is versed in
mythology, so I wonder if they would fall for it. Even if they know
about the story, would they protect this murderer. Who might state it
was an accident. I see some great potential in here. Thanx :-)

So I doubt that I would allow this creature to be anyones pet (in my
campaigns anyway). Besides, the pet would not be able to commit
bloodtheft and for just killing there a lot more gruesome killing
monsters out there.

Pieter Sleijpen

[Cobos]

At 00:31 19.04.99 +0200, you wrote:
>Sindre Cools Berg wrote:
>>
>> I was just curious has anyone read the Monster Manual's description of
>> the Peryton ? The little detail that caught my attention was the fact
>> that it says the bird normally goes for the heart of the victim. Which
>> of course should leed to lots of myths and rumours about these
>> birds...possible villains using them as birds of prey etc.
>> I was just wondering if anyone else has exploited this aspect ?
>>
>> Sindre (which finally is back again on the list after my email died by a
>> stab through the heart :)
>Pieter Sleijpen wrote:
>
>As far as I know, in medieval mythology the peryton was a creature that
>existed for only one sole reason: to avenge the dead of an innocent
>defenceless murdered person. The soul of this person would stay
>temporary into the peryton and relentlessly hunt down the murderer. If
>the peryton was killed, then the murderer was lucky. Very few people
>actually ever saw what hit them...
>
>This is actually one of the few magical monsters that I have no problems
>in using. I have the idea of letting some person hire the PC's to
>protect him against such a creature. None of my PC's is versed in
>mythology, so I wonder if they would fall for it. Even if they know
>about the story, would they protect this murderer. Who might state it
>was an accident. I see some great potential in here. Thanx :-)

My pleasure
>
>So I doubt that I would allow this creature to be anyones pet (in my
>campaigns anyway). Besides, the pet would not be able to commit
>bloodtheft and for just killing there a lot more gruesome killing
>monsters out there.
Well that is a matter up to debate if you follow the regency thread...but
it seems you misunderstood my intentions (or I simply didn't state them
clear enough) the point is the players do not know that the peryton can't
commit bloodtheft, as long as they beleive it can they can they will fear
it. And also i think if a peryton got a mortal wound to a dying regent his
bloodline would be lost though most propably the peryton wouldn't gain
anything. Just imagine the look on faces of the players when one regent has
just been killed by this evil bird and they can stand and watch as it eats
their friends heart.... mhahaha (evil DM laughter) And for the pet
idea, the Peryton is listed with an inteligence of 8-10 which in my is
equal to an average human, which would make the Peryton a nice "friend" of
an evil wizard... Makes a nice an nasty combination if you ask me....So
pet is not the word more like evil companion or something....assasin bird
or whatever....

Sindre

[Mark A Vandermeulen]

On Sun, 18 Apr 1999, Gary V. Foss wrote:

> Sindre Cools Berg wrote:
>
> > I was just curious has anyone read the Monster Manual's description of
> > the Peryton ? The little detail that caught my attention was the fact
> > that it says the bird normally goes for the heart of the victim. Which
> > of course should leed to lots of myths and rumours about these
> > birds...possible villains using them as birds of prey etc.
> > I was just wondering if anyone else has exploited this aspect ?
>
> Now that you mention it, that is a really good idea. I've never used perytons
> except as a sort of random monster. They've remained grossly underdeveloped in
> my campaigns, I'm afraid. Your suggestion sounds like a really good adventure
> hook. Definately worth mulling over....

Don't forget, the crest/seal/heraldry thingy of Roesone is a black stag.
Ever wondered where Daen Roesone, the original Black Baron, got that
device? Perhaps it was some monster he met when hunting (and barely
escaped). I've used this to good effect in a game set in Roesone, it's
especially nice to reveal to characters a little at a time, just hints,
over a number of sessions. They are then seriously freaked out when they
actually meet the thing. (And it was a giant black stag, not a Peryton,
although I'll admit it was the Peryton in the MM that gave me the idea.)

Mark VanderMeulen
vander+@pitt.edu