| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 17 Apr 2021 : 14:40:16
So, back in the era of 4e, I remember seeing imagery of Wilden, and without digging I assumed they were some kind of beast race. I noticed recently that they are a plant race with "hardwood bones". I had been thinking about some flower folk in Katashaka, and it might be interesting to AS WELL introduce wilden there. It might also be interesting to introduce wilden into the forests of Anchorome.
https://dnd4.fandom.com/wiki/Wilden#:~:text=Wilden%20are%20plant%2Dlike%20fey,this%20spirit%20in%20different%20aspects.&text=A%20wilden%20in%20the%20aspect,eyes%20and%20leaves%20of%20white.
That all being said, a rather macabre thought appeared in my head. If their bones are wood, what might one be able to do with their bodily remains that one wouldn't do with say a goblin's bones? Might their bones make good bows? Good staves? Good wands? Can they make a decent woodwind or stringed instrument? Useful in making small flying objects (i.e. a broomstick)? Can it be used in making a construct? Has any of this been explored?
Oh, and where all are wilden "known" to be in the realms? I know that the 4e Chessenta article has them riding the backs of Tuuru (giant pterodactyle like creatures) in the Skyrider Mountains on the border of Unther, near the Methmere.
EDIT: and apparently "Wilden" and "Killoren" are very much like the same thing. Killoren were in Races of the Wild, but I didn't recall them much. They are also in FR with the "spur forest"... would have to find where that is....
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Killoren
I guess I should also add that there may be other races of a similar nature that we might want to add into this, such as the "pine folk" or Volodni that were found in the forests between Narfell and Damara (and which I'd also place in the Yuirwood personally as a people born of Relkath long ago). |
| 2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 18 Apr 2021 : 15:25:24
Understandably on the not liking the name Wilden, because for me, it made me take an entirely different view of what they were based on the images I saw (which looked more feral like some kind of shifter). I'll also say I don't like the name Killoren either, which is apparently the earlier name. I honestly think if I do introduce them elsewhere in the world I'll introduce another name and possibly link them to a god (and state that said god created that "batch" of them and say that he/she/it used the wilden "template" to show a relationship, and that possibly the wilden/killoren of Faerun came from there OR not). When I was thinking about using a "flower folk" in Katashaka, my thoughts were of using the plant goddess Watil and calling them the Watiili or something similar. If I created some in Anchorome, I'd probably use my own variant of Idun/Eldath (Eludunna) and maybe call them Eldunraiad or Eldunnaiad or something similar.
But naming aside, I like the two points about other options beside metal and the use of the wood as part of a weapon instead of the main part (i.e. the handle). After writing the above, it also occured to me that bits of wood could also be carved into something akin to a figurine of wondrous power, and maybe they can take on the spirit of a beast and act "like" a familiar or animal companion (i.e. the concept of Drizzt's cat). Given that a lot of the bones might be smaller too, maybe they might be useful in making small/tiny constructs made of wood instead of metal (picturing like a tiny clockwork-ish spider, grasshopper, etc...). Also, I'm guessing wands would be fairly common since they use smaller bits rather than things that are larger (staves, broomsticks, etc..). I guess I could see other uses like making a skinny but tall "flagon" for drinking as well. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Apr 2021 : 17:33:12
I don't like the name wilden.
But two things occur to me... One is from the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Groot growing and then breaking off from himself the handle for Thor's new weapon.
The other draws from Raymond E Feist's Riftwar saga. In the series, one of the linked worlds -- Kelewan -- was home to prior civilizations that used up (and somehow didn't leave behind) most of the readily accessible metals of the world. So the Tsurani people that lived there had to work without metal. They found certain types of wood that could be treated with resins and made nearly as hard as steel. So their swords and spears and daggers and plate armor and all that was all made of this treated wood, and it was strong enough that they were not at a disadvantage when fighting people on the other world, Midkemia, who had normal amounts of metal and thus wore steel armor and wielded steel weapons.
So maybe wilden -- particularly ones of a certain age -- could do something like Groot did. Or maybe their bones, with the right treatments, could serve a variety of purposes like that. |
|
|
