monsters begetting monsters

Games Discussion Ars Magica
#1

I realise, in game, that the really big, unique monsters from Greek mythology are no longer being spawned, their magical crea8tion being inhibited since the rise of the Faerie Gods, and later the rise of Christianity.

Many of the mosters were spawned from the mating of Echidna and Typhon.
But Typhon is now imprisoned, though Echidna is sort of free I suspect.

Does anyone know of any big magical events that could shake the prisons of the Titans? Perhaps enough for Typhon to get a conjugal visit fron Echidna?

Basically, I am wondering if more uniquw magical monsters can be spawned into Mythic Europe.

#2

First of all you need to read The Sundered Eagle. Several story hooks in there involve Titans getting free, or people working on setting them free.
It is widely believed that one important event in the history of the Order of hermes involved setting Typhon free for a while before binding him again.

Secondly, not all titans are imprisoned or were ever imprisoned.

Thirdly, I am not aware of anything in the books saying that new magical monsters can't be spawned.

#3

The Sundered Eagle does imply, in several areas, that the bonds of the Titans are slowly slipping loose.

Edit: Beaten to it :smiley:

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#4

Now I know what I next need to read.

For new magical monsters, I was beginning to think that only the Great Beasts of House Bjornaer were the only new ones being spawned.

#5

There is nothing to indicate that beasts of virtue, for example, are impotent (if anything being infertile would be against their nature as beasts and would seem, to me, to make them less virtuous) and there even rules for breeding magical animals within vericulture. The supermassive monsters might be an issue, but even dragons appear to have children.

#6

Many of the monsters in the Theban Tribunal are Faerie, which means that there is a good chance a new monster will appear if the humans tell stories about it.

(It would be an interesting experiment for an ambitious magus to deliberately create and spread such stories, in search of a monster with very specific details and capabilities.)

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#7

Just about all the great monsters of Greek myth have been slain. Where are their replacements? For instance, a replacement for the ophiotaurus?

Norse myth still has a few monsters left slay.

#8

Maybe it have something to do with faeries and stories people tell. Maybe it is not enough for people to tell stories about something for a faerie to come up and fill that role: it is not the same to tell the story of the boogie monster that exists and will take you away if you don't finish your breakfast, that faeries will punch themselves to fill the role, than the story of a mighty beast that was slayed by a hero centuries ago. They can't fill that role without actually breaking the story, because the story says that the creature died.

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#9

All the known great monsters of Greek myth have been slain. I don't see a problem with a few unique monsters of old still undefeated.

For inspiration you could take a look at the myths of other countries/continents. South America, Africa and Asia would be the places to look, IMO. Eg., Brazilian folklore has legends about a GIGANTIC fire snake who lives in rivers, and punish those who set pasture and forests on fire (look for Boitata). Who is to say that this beast isn't a child of Echidna? Or maybe Poseidon and some mortal woman?

Maybe it lives in a remote place, and because of that it wasn't slain by the heroes of old. Maybe a secluded regio. Maybe it just got lucky.

Then, when the magi find rumors and end up confronting the Greek Boitata, they discover that it's stronger than what they would expect, and largely immune to their magic. It is a unique being born from old myth. Defeating this thing requires researching old lore, understanding how it relates to his mother/father, which are it's weaknesses and creating a dedicated weapon (or spell!) for the task.

(Of course, after killing it the grogs start to spread tales about it, and then you will have several faeries in that role... But none as strong as the original.)

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#10

I also happen to like two concepts. The first one is power void.

Titans (magic) were replaced by Olympians (faerie) were replaced by God (divine). If Echidna and Typhon are not spawning more monsters, something is sure to have occupied their place. Probably something divine or infernal, but could easily be another magic or faerie creature.

The second is that some creatures just spawn from nothing. Take Sun Wukong from the chinese myths: born from a stone who got spiritual powers. Why couldn't something like this happen again?

#11

A basilisk is born from a Cockerell laying an egg after being mounted by another Cockerell, it the egg is then hatched by a snake, iirc.

Monsters can still be spawned.

#12

Oh, but I'm understanding the question is not about monsters, but Monsters (capital M).

Not about a basilisk, but The Basilisk.
Not a minotaur, but The Minotaur.

There are several demon monkeys in the Journey to West, but only one Monkey King.