Star spawn

Star spawn were a variety of creatures created by Elder Evils to act as their agents on the Prime Material plane in the role of heralds, lieutenants, foot soldiers, simple servants, or even avatars. Star-like Elder Evils varied in the amount of star spawn they could send out, with some having as little as one.

"Stars don't spawn these creatures. Such beautiful lights shouldn't be blamed for such balefulness."

- Mordenkainen

Description
Star spawn came in a variety of shapes and sizes, though many took on humanoid forms.

Personality
Star spawn were self-interested creatures, with their sole motivated being to fulfill the interests of the star spawn it represented. This often involved seeking to cause chaos and destruction.

Types of Star Spawn

 * Star spawn grue
 * Star spawn hulk
 * Star spawn larva mage, a type of star spawn that resulted from the emissary of an Elder Evil merging with the body of a powerful cultist of some wormlike entity, such as Kezef or Kyuss.
 * Star spawn mangler, a type of star spawn often summoned by cultists to act as assassins or guards.
 * Star spawn seer

Other star spawn were tied to specific elder evils that infested stars in Realmspace. These included:
 * Heralds of Hadar were avatars of a dying star, horrific monsters that grew stronger around living creatures because they ate life energy to channel back to their creator.
 * Maws of Acamar were the hunger of that dead star made manifest, creatures of devastation that entered the world when Acamar's influence was at its peak.
 * Scions of Gibbeth were shards of that monstrous green shard. All reports of their form conflicted with all others, as if even trying to see its true form brought on hallucinations. Insane cultists were drawn to these star spawn, who entered the world when the star Gibbeth was in conjunction with Allabar.
 * Spawn of Ulban were cunning star spawn that gathered minions around themselves and confused people's ability to tell friend from foe.
 * Emissaries of Caiphon were star spawn who disguised themselves as humanoids and came to famine or plague-beset villages in the guise of a stranger who offered a cure but only ended up causing trouble. They were sent by the star Caiphon, who grew brighter in times of hardship and listened to the desperate pleas of mortals.
 * Serpent of Nihal were infamous creatures that had long plagued the world after cultists opened a portal to Nihal itself.

Additionally, the living planet Allabar, called the Opener of the Way, was sometimes considered a star spawn as well, although it was far more powerful than the spawn merely sent by stars.

Society
Star spawn were often brought into the Prime Material through the aid of rituals conducted by cultists and warlocks.

Relationships
Star spawn sent into the Prime Material sometimes had cults form around them, whose members they would either devour or tolerate and use as allies. The role of leadership over an Elder Evils cult was typically taken up by star spawn seers. In addition, warlocks with Elder Evil pacts often flocked to them for a variety of purposes &mdash; to serve, to study, or even to slay.

Occasionally a lone or small group of mindflayers would work with a star spawn. Other creatures they often found allies in included aboleths, beholders, demons, elementals, and undead. Acting either as the leader or servant of such creatures. Regardless of which station they took, held no allegiance towards them.

Rumors & Legends
Star spawn were often said to be found following the passing of a comet, prior to a great disaster, or during a battle between two divine beings. Whether the passing of a comet heralded their arrival or simply signaled that a star spawn was nearby was a matter of speculation.

Trivia
The aberrant spirit summoned by the spell summon aberration could take the form of a star spawn.

Appearances

 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Rrakkma • Stardock Under Siege • A Change of Address • Moving Day • The City that Should Not Be • Frozen Whispers • When the Lights Went Out in Candlekeep