Common(er) defenses for common creatures

[painandgreed]

I always figured that the sewers that PCs are exploring underneath the city are so large they can be explored, rather than just being a collection of small pipes running everywhere, was for vermin control (which PCs always end up doing). If they were just small pipes as needed for sewage and such, then oozes, slimes, dire rats, and the like could breed inside and there would be next to no way to clean them out. By making them large enough, it allows such infestations to be sought out and destroyed while ony connecting them to houses and the like wiht a section of pipe that can be easily cleaned out but is too small for a thief to sneak through.

Although, I actually suppose that most monsters are simply inflated in their danger to give trouble to PCs wihtout reguard as to how normal people would live in such a world. Similar things happen with pricing where basic food stuffs cost more money that most basic people make.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

I remember an illo in the 1E DMG of a farmer amidst some hay bales running away from an ankheg that decided to say "hello."

 

[Roger]

Here's my take on how villagers might protect themselves from lycanthropes: Silver Knives Night.


Cheers,
Roger

 

[Gentlegamer]

Stirges are sort of dangerous to be a food source.

Trapping them seems more appropriate. Perhaps a local general store might carry "stirge traps".

Or how about the villagers are able to create a version of Off! insect repellant that works on stirges.

 

[Squire James]

Stirges are a bad example. Dragons have more to fear from them than human commoners. In fact, I can see human commoners (okay, maybe experts) training stirges to only attack non-humanoids, and using them as protection from marauding monsters! Humans with 1200 B.C. technology built the pyramids (no aliens or elves needed), so they can certainly use certain monsters for their benefit, I would think.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

I always figured that the sewers that PCs are exploring underneath the city are so large they can be explored, rather than just being a collection of small pipes running everywhere, was for vermin control (which PCs always end up doing). If they were just small pipes as needed for sewage and such, then oozes, slimes, dire rats, and the like could breed inside and there would be next to no way to clean them out. By making them large enough, it allows such infestations to be sought out and destroyed while ony connecting them to houses and the like wiht a section of pipe that can be easily cleaned out but is too small for a thief to sneak through.

Although, I actually suppose that most monsters are simply inflated in their danger to give trouble to PCs wihtout reguard as to how normal people would live in such a world. Similar things happen with pricing where basic food stuffs cost more money that most basic people make.

I've always thought about writing a comic book about one of these fantasy world civil engineers, dealing with some megapolis's sewer system, from busted pipes to giant rat infestations, to evil cults, and red tape from the Imperial Guild of Civil Engineers Local #12.

 

[Psion]

Stirge control would be a number of measures.

Access control - like insects and catepillars, there might some natural or artificial substance the stirges find noxious or irrestible. Noxious substances would be put around buildings and out in the field for farm animals (the stirges are a great danger to livestock than humans). These substances might need to be burnt or need to be fresh....whatever you think is appropriate for your campaign.

Attractants would be used to draw stirges into netting traps or poisoned blood containers for them to feed.

Abatement program - certain times of the year (like maybe during stirge mating season), groups go out during times the stirges are gathering and are vulnerable and do a stirge cull, killing off the stirges when they are distracted by mating behavior and less aggressive.

Villages would know about nearby stirge nesting areas or nesting behavior. Abandoned buildings may be knocked down or burnt to deny nesting sites. Sheds and barns may need to be properly shut and open cracks and other opening may need to be netted or filled with noxious pitch to deter stirge entry. Known stirge nesting area would be fired or destroyed in some fashion.

It is even possible that certain domesticated animals would be trained to hunt and kill stirges - just like the 'rat terriers' of RL. I can see maybe certain cat breeds being bred as stirge killers.

Any civilization will used a combination of all these methods to limit the predation of stirges or whatever low intelligent monster that poses a threat.

Good stuff.

A note: If you do come up with measures for stirge control and abatement, expect the characters to know these measures and use them against your stirge encounters.

I'd consider letting a player with profession(farmer) or (exterminator) or (trapper) know... but some soldier or wizard trained in the city? Nah.

 

[Psion]

(double post...)

 

[Whimsical]

By the nature of the medieval fantasy milieu, people are helpless against any monster, which is why the world needs heroes.

But, I'm cool with intelligent countermeasures.

 

[Tonguez]

I've always thought about writing a comic book about one of these fantasy world civil engineers, dealing with some megapolis's sewer system, from busted pipes to giant rat infestations, to evil cults, and red tape from the Imperial Guild of Civil Engineers Local #12.

I once had a player who was an engineer by trade and decided to create an Engineer character. So we ran an urban campaign which had him go from reinforcing the fortifications and fixing the catapult defenses to a clean out of the sewers. During the sewer adventure the party came acros a swarm of rats, another PC threw a lit torch before anyone else could react. The torch set off a methane pocket which exploded and caused fires and clouds of noxious fumes in the streets above, it also exposed a some hidden ruins of a lost civilisation.
Anyway the party explored the ruins, set about rebuilding the city and defeated an interplanar invasion (using fireworks)