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Celephais
Acolyte
USA
14 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Feb 2023 : 03:13:20
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So, here's my situation. A buddy of mine just started a new campaign based on Out of the Abyss. I rolled up a Githzerai druid. We got to level two by the end of the first session, which was tonight. I have all my other level 2 stuff sorted, but I'm a bit stuck on my choice of creature for Wild Shape. I want to pick something that's native to Limbo (the home plane of Githzerai, as I'm sure you folks already know) but that also meets the CR 1/4 rule as well. I can't find a list of creatures native to Limbo anywhere. Might you good folks be able to give me some suggestions that fit my parameters so I can keep the theme of this character going?
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Death's so quick but it can last so long. |
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Karthak
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2023 : 08:28:33
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| There's very few native animals listed in a 2e book covering Limbo, but it mentions that Githzerai keep animals they gather from other planes, 5e also mentions something similar so it's your call as your character would've seen a random selection of beasts if they grew up in Limbo, using a random number generator to determine how many beasts of different CRs and which ones is your best way of handling it. |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3741 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2023 : 16:24:36
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| -Maybe pick a normal animal that would be a regular Wild Shape but make it weird because it's Limbo. Mechanically, it would be a regular old whatever, but in your games, it's chaotic. A cow with two heads. A bat with four wings instead of two. A giant frog that constantly changes colors. |
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Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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Celephais
Acolyte
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2023 : 17:13:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Lord Karsus
-Maybe pick a normal animal that would be a regular Wild Shape but make it weird because it's Limbo. Mechanically, it would be a regular old whatever, but in your games, it's chaotic. A cow with two heads. A bat with four wings instead of two. A giant frog that constantly changes colors.
Ah, now that sounds like a good idea. As I was flipping through the animal lists in the MM and PHB last night my imagination was really caught by the elk for whatever reason, so I think I'll do that but Limbo it up. Thanks a bunch to both of you. |
Death's so quick but it can last so long. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2023 : 18:15:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Celephais
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Karsus
-Maybe pick a normal animal that would be a regular Wild Shape but make it weird because it's Limbo. Mechanically, it would be a regular old whatever, but in your games, it's chaotic. A cow with two heads. A bat with four wings instead of two. A giant frog that constantly changes colors.
Ah, now that sounds like a good idea. As I was flipping through the animal lists in the MM and PHB last night my imagination was really caught by the elk for whatever reason, so I think I'll do that but Limbo it up. Thanks a bunch to both of you.
I like LK's idea, too.
For a Limbo elk, I'd have it have unusual coloration, and it'd be the antlers that were weird. Maybe a spiky, static formation, or maybe the antlers could be periodically changed. One day, flat and mostly-elkish, but with an open webwork in the antlers; the next day, sweeping back and then forward and very blade-like, etc. |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2023 : 01:04:10
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| How about an elk with 3 horns and a boney frill like a triceratops? that would certainly be distinctive. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11829 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2023 : 01:12:10
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I like the idea of an elk whose horn shapes are constantly shifting. As an aside to that, one of the things I was doing for Anchorome involved there being several large herds of giant elk. Elk shed their horns periodically. So, there would be significantly sized sets of horns (possibly the size of a long sword) that would end up cast off in Anchorome. So, in Anchorome, I had a special cultural weapon known as an "antler staff". In some respects, it might be like a very spike version of a Klingon Batleth... or it might be more like a very spiky version of a double scimitar (depending how a pair of antlers might be put together... both facing same direction or opposite directions for more of a spinning weapon).
So, now take THAT idea and spin it with shed morphing antlers. The pieces might be sliced off and sold, or it might make a weapon... there might be some kind of market. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2428 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2023 : 21:29:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Celephais
So, here's my situation. A buddy of mine just started a new campaign based on Out of the Abyss. I rolled up a Githzerai druid. We got to level two by the end of the first session, which was tonight. I have all my other level 2 stuff sorted, but I'm a bit stuck on my choice of creature for Wild Shape.
Maybe paying more attention to backgrounds is a good thing, after all. 
quote:
I can't find a list of creatures native to Limbo anywhere. Might you good folks be able to give me some suggestions that fit my parameters so I can keep the theme of this character going?
Planescape box and Planes of Chaos are the most obvious. But that's an answer to the wrong question.
A druid on Limbo would make any sense at all only in unusual places, such as Yggdrasil or domains of gods. Even then, most of the latter are unlikely to have anything that resembles a sane ecosystem even if you squint at it. I can only think of Fennimar. But this fits perfectly, in that if he does not bother the locals, Fenmarel Mestarine would probably be cool with an outcast like this hanging out in his kip.
So, two variants.
The easy way: this githzerai became a druid after wandering off the plane. Presumably to Beastlands, via Yggdrasil.
The tricky way: he is from one of those places. Again, two variants: Yggdrasil or Fennimar.
Accordingly, the beast form would depend on where the githzerai became a druid:
- If he helped the ratatosk with protection and maintenance of the World Ash, some sort of a squirrel is the obvious choice.
- If he was trained by one of those brooding elves, something that lives in particularly wild elven forests.
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
How about an elk with 3 horns and a boney frill like a triceratops? that would certainly be distinctive.
Yes... Xanxaost would remember eating something like that.
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People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
Edited by - TBeholder on 24 Feb 2023 21:31:51 |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2023 : 01:25:51
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If you like dogs, Dragon #117 article: "Hounds of Space and Darkness".
If you like horses, Dragon #243: "Destriers of the Planes".
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1151 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2023 : 16:40:00
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
If you like dogs, Dragon #117 article: "Hounds of Space and Darkness".
If you like horses, Dragon #243: "Destriers of the Planes".
-- George Krashos
Felt like creating a bit today - made this as an update to 5e from George's suggestion.
https://imgur.com/Ns7EYQu |
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Celephais
Acolyte
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2023 : 16:57:17
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Celephais
So, here's my situation. A buddy of mine just started a new campaign based on Out of the Abyss. I rolled up a Githzerai druid. We got to level two by the end of the first session, which was tonight. I have all my other level 2 stuff sorted, but I'm a bit stuck on my choice of creature for Wild Shape.
Maybe paying more attention to backgrounds is a good thing, after all.
quote:
I can't find a list of creatures native to Limbo anywhere. Might you good folks be able to give me some suggestions that fit my parameters so I can keep the theme of this character going?
Planescape box and Planes of Chaos are the most obvious. But that's an answer to the wrong question.
A druid on Limbo would make any sense at all only in unusual places, such as Yggdrasil or domains of gods. Even then, most of the latter are unlikely to have anything that resembles a sane ecosystem even if you squint at it. I can only think of Fennimar. But this fits perfectly, in that if he does not bother the locals, Fenmarel Mestarine would probably be cool with an outcast like this hanging out in his kip.
So, two variants.
The easy way: this githzerai became a druid after wandering off the plane. Presumably to Beastlands, via Yggdrasil.
The tricky way: he is from one of those places. Again, two variants: Yggdrasil or Fennimar.
Accordingly, the beast form would depend on where the githzerai became a druid:
- If he helped the ratatosk with protection and maintenance of the World Ash, some sort of a squirrel is the obvious choice.
- If he was trained by one of those brooding elves, something that lives in particularly wild elven forests.
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
How about an elk with 3 horns and a boney frill like a triceratops? that would certainly be distinctive.
Yes... Xanxaost would remember eating something like that.
Just to clarify, the whole concept was that he left Limbo due to exhaustion from the constant warring with the githyanki. He became a druid on the material plane because he wanted to foster life instead of taking it. His background is Faction Agent as he's a member of the gith society that seeks to reunify the two kindreds. He's been having a ball studying the wildlife of the material plane and I kind of assumed that his genetic make up would be a bit weird being a native of a non-material plane and all, thus making his transformations a bit psychedelic. |
Death's so quick but it can last so long. |
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Storyteller Hero
Learned Scribe
USA
329 Posts |
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Karthak
Seeker
63 Posts |
Posted - 02 Mar 2023 : 08:57:30
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There's an "island" called Pinwheel in Limbo that's home to many dangerous and powerful beasts, basically any creature that dwells in forests or Jungles might be found there, it's gigantic and while dangerous, is used as a rest stop for people travelling through Limbo and also connects to Yggdrasil, if that's useful for your backstory.
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Denizens of Limbo
