Raging Epistaxis
First Post
Djeta Thernadier said:
<thread hijack>
I agree that even the most gifted communicators amongst animals have a fairly limited grasp of what they are hearing and saying, but the ability of some animals to spontaneously construct context appropriate communications gives some pause to dismissing the potential for communication (and intelligence) as purely mimicing.
While the vast majority of animals do not show much ability towards the comprehension of human languages (including sign language) there is growing evidence to the contrary, at least as potential.
Perhaps the two most famous examples of animals who are able to communicate on a basic verbal (or signed) level are Alex the African Grey and Koko the Gorilla.
Even dismissing them as the exception, there are thousands of parrots, dogs and even cats who have been witnessed or documented showing a suprising ability to problem-solve and communicate, if in non-verbal and somatic ways.
Personally and professionally, I think it's not so much that animals are limited in communication with humans by any lack of intelligence, as they are by the lack of any common language with us. I think it would be alternately fascinating and horrifying if we suddenly developed a method of universal communication with the animals we come in contact with daily. But I digress.
</Thread Hijack - with apologies if anyone is offended>
So, what does this have to do with the ability of a tongue amputee to whistle? Very little. My thoughts are that it would be exceedingly difficult to whistle if you had no tongue at all, but who says that the whole thing got cut off? A sufficient base would allow for some frequency and pulse modulation.
I think the simple answer if you go the animal helper route is a familiar or awakened animal - then there is no problem with the helper communicating with the PC, only potentially the other players.
But since we are talking about a fantasy game, why an animal helper? there are plenty of other creatures/monsters who are small but humanoid enough to speak - how about a diminutive imp? or pixie/fairy type creature? I'm sure there are plenty more to choose from.
R E, DVM
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