A Constellate is a creature from the Spelljammer campaign setting.[1]
Overview[]
A constellation is made up of a group of stars that forms a recognizable pattern that suggest various objects or life forms, and for each constellation in a crystal sphere's night sky there is an accompanying constellate. Surrounding each constellation is the ghostly image of the thing it represents – this is the constellate proper. These ghostly images may depict wolves, swords, warriors, and the like. The color of individual stars may vary, but most are bluish-white, though some believe their color may relate to their age.[1] No single star has ever been separated from its constellate group, though the constellations of Krynnspace have been known to change shape or disappear entirely.
Personality[]
Constellate's are sentient and very social, conversing freely among themselves through telepathy. They remain within their assigned positions along the crystal shell, swapping choice information about the goings-on of the groundling races or moaning about their eternal imprisonment. The advent of spelljamming ships has provided a whole new source of entertainment for the constellates, improving their overall mood immensely.
Constellates never speak or interact with corporeal life forms, and attempts to confine a constellate so that they may be interrogated has always failed, for they simply change shape to escape from their prison.[1]
Combat[]
Constellates choose to avoid combat whenever possible, prefering to fly away from danger (playing hob with astronomers in the process!). After the danger has passed, the constellate will return to its position in space.
However, whenever an Aperusa clan leader summons a constellate, it is compelled to respond. Witnesses have reported seeing an immense shadowy figure resembling the constellation dropping down from the heavens. Within the constellate's body are star-like motes of light which diffuse and move about randomly. The constellate can change size at will, usually maintaining its size relative to the viewers; for instance, the Panther constellate will appear to remain panther-sized, whether in the sky or on a ship's deck. The form a constellate takes gains the special abilities of the creature or object it portrays: i.e. the Swan constellate can use a wing buffet, while the Krynnspace constellate Raistlin-Fistandantilus can use timestop (as per the spell).
If it wishes, a constellate can use a melee attack at its full size – often millions of square miles across! A full-size constellate can crush a target with its enormous bulk, causing immense damage relative to its size. The constellate can use this attack once every other round and can crush anything within range equal to its own area. A constellate can also throw bolts of energy, known as "sunbolts", with unerring accuracy. Again a sunbolt causes immense damage relative to the constellate's size, and is believed to have a range of up to 500,000 miles. While a sunbolt's damage is unaffected, its accuracy does seem to decrease with range. A constellate may use a sunbolt attack once per round, even in conjunction with a crushing blow.
A sunbolt is a cone-shaped area 1,000 miles in diameter. When a sunbolt's area of effect is considered in conjunction with its immense damage potential, it is possible for a constellate to literally crush a planet at will. Some believe that the Grinder in Greyspace is actually a debris field resulting from a constellate's attack. According to some legends, rogue constellates inflicted enormous damage on a planet within that crystal sphere, before the gods banished them. The veracity of this story is unknown, as is the constellate's current whereabouts. Fortunately, all reported battles involving a constellate have only lasted 5 minutes, after which the constellate returns to its place in the sky.[1]
Society[]
Sages have long debated the true origin of the constellates. Some postulate that they have existed as long as the stars in the sky. Others point to Krynnspace, where new constellations appeared and old ones disappeared during the War of the Lance. Still others discuss the possible influence of various divine entities, as with the constellations of the Astromundi Cluster.[1]
The Aperusa[]
The leader of a particular Aperusa clan may, in the most dire of emergencies, summon a constellate to fight on behalf of their clan, at the cost of some of their life essence. However, they may only summon a given constellate once a year.[2] Why the Aperusa have such an accord with the constellates, or what the relationship between the two groups actually is, remains a mystery. The Aperusa have never divulged the means of summoning a constellate, and with the constellates as allies, it is unlikely that anyone will wrest the secret from them any time soon.[1]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Constellate article at the Dungeons and Dragons Lore Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from every edition.
- Constellate article at the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from 2nd edition AD&D.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Newton Ewell, MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Constellate entry
- ↑ John Terra, MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Aperusa entry