D&D 5E Brainstorm - stories to tell with WotC's new position on various folk (fka "race")

[opacitizen]

A Mind Flayer (…) frequents the city's library

What does it eat? No, really.

Illithids subsist on the brains of humanoids. The brains provide enzymes, hormones, and psychic energy necessary for their survival. An illithid healthy from a brain-rich diet secretes a thin glaze of mucus that coats its mauve skin.

— Monster Manual, p.221

 

[Nickolaidas]

What does it eat? No, really.

Illithids subsist on the brains of humanoids. The brains provide enzymes, hormones, and psychic energy necessary for their survival. An illithid healthy from a brain-rich diet secretes a thin glaze of mucus that coats its mauve skin.

— Monster Manual, p.221

It preys on the goblin denizens of the sewers below the city. The townsfolk claim that aside from the occasional goblinoid scream coming from below, there is no trouble coming from the sewers anymore.

 

[ZeshinX]

It preys on the goblin denizens of the sewers below the city. The townsfolk claim that aside from the occasional goblinoid scream coming from below, there is no trouble coming from the sewers anymore.

And then a goblin survivor comes to the surface to hire any adventurers willing to stop the creature preying on the brains of the goblins. The goblins are desperate and willing to stop their banditry and illegal activities in exchange for help and are willing to work and maintain the sewer systems they have come to know so well, so long as they are treated as equal citizens.

 

[shesheyan]

Humans only for PCs in my current campaign which started in May 2019. Elves, dwarves, halflings (and other 5e PHB) races don't even exist in my world. Also, no orcs, goblins or any «evil» sentient humanoids that feel too LOTR or derivatives. 90% of enemies have been humans with ill intentions towards the «goodly people of the realm». The PCs from a noble family are trying to stump them out. My only indulgence has been using devils and their weird monstrous pet creatures has instigators behind the «nihilist» human cults. The players are enjoying it immensely.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Deekin.

 

[opacitizen]

And then a goblin survivor comes to the surface to hire any adventurers willing to stop the creature preying on the brains of the goblins. The goblins are desperate and willing to stop their banditry and illegal activities in exchange for help and are willing to work and maintain the sewer systems they have come to know so well, so long as they are treated as equal citizens.

And then the Mind Flayer points out that

1. it just has to eat like everyone else, that can't be a crime, especially as it's not its fault that it can only sustain itself on other sentient creatures' brains, and

2. the goblins have been involved in banditry and illegal activities anyway which had caused the city a much bigger setback already, and the goblins would deserve to be punished for their many crimes anyway. Not to mention that the Mind Flayer's eating habits already protected dozens of lives and prevented a series of crimes.

The Mind Flayer is totally willing to continue to restrict its diet to the goblins and other evildoers of the city (as approved by the local leadership and judiciary), as long as it's treated as an equal citizen. If needed, it brings up that it has a spellcaster friend who can speak with plants and animals, and would the PCs like to know what their would-be dinner thinks of them.

Also, isn't it a bad stereotype that the goblins live in the sewers and are into widespread banditry and illegal activities? And isn't cannibalism (which the Illithid, like so many other cannibals, practices for its biological needs) forbidden by law?

How will the PCs reach a solution that leaves everyone relatively happy and equal?

And your players thought they were in for a simple dungeoneering adventure.

 

[Nickolaidas]

And then the Mind Flayer points out that

1. it just has to eat like everyone else, that can't be a crime, especially as it's not its fault that it can only sustain itself on other sentient creatures' brains, and

2. the goblins have been involved in banditry and illegal activities anyway which had caused the city a much bigger setback already, and the goblins would deserve to be punished for their many crimes anyway. Not to mention that the Mind Flayer's eating habits already protected dozens of lives and prevented a series of crimes.

The Mind Flayer is totally willing to continue to restrict its diet to the goblins and other evildoers of the city (as approved by the local leadership and judiciary), as long as it's treated as an equal citizen. If needed, it brings up that it has a spellcaster friend who can speak with plants and animals, and would the PCs like to know what their would-be dinner thinks of them.

Also, isn't it a bad stereotype that the goblins live in the sewers and are into widespread banditry and illegal activities? And isn't cannibalism (which the Illithid, like so many other cannibals, practices for its biological needs) forbidden by law?

How will the PCs reach a solution that leaves everyone relatively happy and equal?

And your players thought they were in for a simple dungeoneering adventure.

And just like that, an Adventure Module was born ...

 

[Eyes of Nine]

The PCs come to the defense of towns where the militia has been defunded.

This actually came up in our Mad Mage game last night. We had gone back to Waterdeep (WD) for some downtime, and were approached by the head of the WD Watch. There was some back and forth about defunding the watch - but we ended up saying we'd support the Watch; but ALSO see about developing some social services - of which there is a marked lack in Waterdeep

 

[Eyes of Nine]

(Actual example from a solo adventure I'm working on.)

The PC is approached by a kobold from a nonhostile community that raises chinchilla-like giant rats for wool and is asked to help find a rat that has been lost.

I love this. Chinchilli are adorable. Proof:

 

[Eyes of Nine]

A Mind Flayer has left its colony and is free from its Elder Brain's influence. It frequents the city's library and studies its books in order to learn of a way to remain free of its influence, but the townsfolk are afraid the Falyer's here to spy on them and learn their weaknesses to share with its colony.

Cool! I could see the players then getting drawn into either helping him; or maybe befriending him and at higher levels defending him from other mind-flayers trying to bring him back to the elder brain.

And maybe even ultimately figuring out how to decouple mind flayer biology from needing sentient creatures to prey upon to reproduce (iirc, there's some aspect of illithid reproductive cycle that requires a living sentient brain?)