D&D 5E Banishment and swallowed creatures

[Charlaquin]

Oh God, I had the most horrible thought. If banishment only targets one creature, what would happen if you banish a pregnant creature?
Why do I even think these things?
I'm inclined to rule creatures "inside" a banished creature are banished as well.

That gets into questions of whether an unborn fetus counts as a creature. Philosophical concerns aside, I would rule no by the “does it have a turn in the initiative order?” metric.

 

[Olrox17]

That gets into questions of whether an unborn fetus counts as a creature. Philosophical concerns aside, I would rule no by the “does it have a turn in the initiative order?” metric.

Yeah, that’s probably reasonable.

 

[Coroc]

Yeah, that’s probably reasonable.

wow that is one hard decision. Not so much for the paladin, getting thrown into another dimension with all consequences is one of the typical risks an adventurer takes, if it isn't a total low magic campaign.
but you guys got so many very good pro and counter arguments, i cannot get a decision myself.
also the "logical" flaws if ruling it one way or another do not make it more easy to come to a conclusion.

 

[Fanaelialae]

I would also have the swallowed creature remain if the swallowing creature was banished. The spell targets 1 creature, not 1 creature and everyone it swallows. However, I would have the fetus be banished as well.

Basically, I don't think that a physical grapple (which is essentially what the swallow is) is sufficient to drag a creature along when another creature is teleported.

The other way of doing things has some interesting world building implications. I could see a high level conjurer who has a business where they teleport people around by having them climb inside the mouth of some gargantuan creature(s), thereby circumventing the 8 person limit and porting entire caravans.

 

[Olrox17]

wow that is one hard decision. Not so much for the paladin, getting thrown into another dimension with all consequences is one of the typical risks an adventurer takes, if it isn't a total low magic campaign.
but you guys got so many very good pro and counter arguments, i cannot get a decision myself.
also the "logical" flaws if ruling it one way or another do not make it more easy to come to a conclusion.

If the hypothetical paladin is alive and fighting to get out, I can see the argument that he doesn't get banished. On the other hand, if the paladin is dead, unconscious, petrified etc, I would totally send him along for the ride.

I allow PCs to pick up dead or unconscious bodies with the Use an Object action, rather than grappling. At that point they're technically objects to me, they can be carried, wielded or even "worn", teleporting creatures can carry them away, and they are banished away along with the creature that's eating them.

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

What rule states that teleports include items but not other creatures? I've always run it that way but this thread made me wonder why I do so.

For instance Misty Step says range is self. It doesn't say that it brings gear/belongings in any capacity even though I have always run it that way.

 

[Eltab]

The other way of doing things has some interesting world building implications. I could see a high level conjurer who has a business where they teleport people around by having them climb inside the mouth of some gargantuan creature(s), thereby circumventing the 8 person limit and porting entire caravans.

Now you just have to walk into this Dune sandworm's mouth and down its throat to make room for everybody following behind you ... No, really, it's perfectly safe, nothing to worry about! ... What do you mean, "Prove it"?

 

[Iry]

Just imagine banishing an animated Russian nesting doll.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Now you just have to walk into this Dune sandworm's mouth and down its throat to make room for everybody following behind you ... No, really, it's perfectly safe, nothing to worry about! ... What do you mean, "Prove it"?

Doesn't have to be an organic creature. It could be a massive animated construct. Those are creatures too. Do you think people would have an issue walking into an animated barn (particularly if you left out the fact that the barn is animated)?

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

I would likely think that I would rule the paladin gets left behind since he is an active combatant, but I may rule the other way if the PCs are all on a boat and it gets teleported. It is contradictory, but plot overides some of this. Now if I needed to have the PCs go to the home plane of the banished creature I may let hte paladin go there, but this leaves some of the players not playing.

Only for as long as it takes to roll up a new avatar.