Forlarren

Forlarrens are an obscure race of monsters from the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons. The basic concept can be boiled down to "half-fiend nymph with severe schizophrenia/split personality syndrome". No, seriously; their basic lore is that they are results of nymphs being raped by devils or demons, giving birth to a tormented half-fey and half-fiend creature that uncontrollably switches between murderous bloodlust and repentful benevolence.

History

The Forlarren arguably originated as "The Fiend" in Fiend Factory #1 from White Dwarf #6. This ridiculously named creature was a stereotypical demonic goon stated to be the offspring of, quote, "a fallen angel and the evil god Pan". As such, it feels a great conflict in its inherent nature, and this turmoil leads it to become a wandering terror, randomly lash out at victims with bludgeoning fists and the power to Heat Metal 1/day. However, when it actually kills something, it stirs its inner goodness and in a fit of remorse it will not only stop its attack, but offer its services to the party it was formerly attacking. However, inevitably, the evil side of its nature resurfaces and within 2 days it will leave its new "friends" and resume its life as a wandering monster.

Somehow, this idea was deemed salvageable for the Fiend Folio, which gave it the snappier name "Forlaren" and changed its origin to the "half-fiendish nymph version. Aside from lengthening its "period of goodness" (1d6 days on average, but can be as short as 13-24 hours or as long as 7-10 days), this was the only major change it made to the original "The Fiend", which is why it's most likely that the two were brought together.

As far as /tg/ is aware, after this, the Forlarren fell off the face of the earth, up until the Bestiary 2 for Pathfinder 1st edition. Their entry here is... well, it's basically the exact same entry as in the Fiend Folio, but phrased in a wordier way. The major changes here: Forlarren are freaks even by the standards of their base-union (Forlarrens have a 1-in-20 chance of being born instead of a "normal" half-fiend nymph), Forlarrens reach adulthood at an insanely rapid pace (1 year), Forlarrens use claws instead of bludgeoning fists, Forlarrens can Heat Metal 3/day instead of 1/day, Forlarrens may have an alternate spell-like ability (Chill Metal, Flame Blade, Flaming Sphere, Gust of Wind, Summon Swarm, Warp Wood), the Forlarren erraticness is reduced to the "Remorse" weakness (pass a Will save when it kills a living creature or be Nauseated for 1d6 rounds), and Forlarrens are A: mostly female (neither the Fiend nor the AD&D version had any gender-related lore, but their Fiend Folio artwork was of a demonic satyr), and B: mostly sterile.

Forlarrens in 5e?

Issue #29 of Dragon+, the watered down version of Dragon Magazine kept for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, advertised the "WotC Charity product" of Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio, a 5e revival of the Fiend Folio, and offered this book's take on Forlarrens as a free excerpt.

The 5e version of a Forlarren is a satyr that has been corrupted into a half-devil by the machinations of Fierna, who then released them on both Baator and the Feywild to suffer and cause suffering... you know what? Let's read it straight from the horse's mouth:

Forlarren 5e Fluff

This article is boring and stinks of being copypasted from a gamebook or another wiki. You can make it better by making it less unfunny.

The descendants of satyrs corrupted by infernal power, forlarren are miserable creatures—an unhappy union between the rigid demands of the Nine Hells and the impulsive hedonism of the Feywild. Driven by dramatic and unpredictable emotions, these feral creatures wreak havoc wherever they go.

The devils of Avernus attempted an expedition to the Feywild long ago, and the forlarren are the bitter reminder of that doomed excursion. The archdevil Fierna—co-ruler of Phlegethos, the fourth layer of the Nine Hells—courted a mighty fey in hopes of luring him into trading away his soul. The attempt failed, but not before a troop of satyrs were corrupted by the dark delights of Phlegethos. The satyrs were bound to their fey lord and unable to bargain away their souls. So rather than claim them, Fierna warped and twisted them before returning them to the Feywild, content that the corruption of the satyrs would be adequate compensation for her failure.

The divided nature of the forlarren reflects their origin, marking each one as two entities trapped in a single form. One forlarren might present itself as a friendly, agreeable guide that helps travelers survive the Nine Hells. Another is a howling beast that attempts to destroy all in its path. One will show mercy and empathy peppered with a parental attitude toward strangers. Another is a mirthful sybarite with an unfettered love of food, drink, and romance. When dealing with the forlarren, the only constant is the malleable, chaotic, and temperamental nature they all share.

When its diabolical aspect shines through, a forlarren is a cunning, calculating, and brutal enemy. It might use its natural charm to worm its way into earning trust from those it encounters, casting itself as a helpless creature pleading for aid even as it looks for the opportunity to betray and overpower. Or it might seek to dominate the weak, set itself up as a petty lord, and rule over all those who fall into its grasp.

A forlarren in its fey aspect demonstrates self-destructive urges that reflect the inherent tension in its nature. That aspect might drive it to drink itself nearly to death, or to throw itself into caring for others with such relentless energy that it eventually collapses from exhaustion. Unfortunately, when it reaches that breaking point, its diabolical nature asserts itself, and it remains in this scheming, dominating mindset until its plans are foiled and it faces defeat. Then, overwhelmed with fear and shame, the forlarren’s diabolical nature fades and its fey aspect emerges once again.

Several ballads of the Feywild recount the dramatic fall of valiant forlarren. In all these tales, the hero achieves some great deed only to see their sinister, diabolical side surface. Deceiving their companions during their most daunting trials, the forlarren then betrays those companions at the worst moment possible.

Gallery

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  The original Fiend Factory fiend.
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  The art that appears on the first page of the Fiend Folio.
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  Pathfinder's Forlarren.
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