D&D 5E (2014) Faerun Visitors Bureau

[Staffan]

Aren't owlbears pretty much the archetypical "A wizard did it" monster?

 

[Riley37]

Aren't owlbears pretty much the archetypical "A wizard did it" monster?

The owlbear description in the first-ever Monster Manual, includes the story that the first-ever owlbear was created by an insane wizard.

If I recall correctly, the owlbear is the only creature described as the creation of an *insane* wizard, though clearly many other monsters were first created by spellcasters.

A sane wizard can create a crawling claw or an iron golem. But only a MAD wizard can create an owlbear.

A crazy wizard named Ray, perhaps?

Meh. I think the insanity, intrinsic to the creation of an owlbear, is the waste of resources. Start with a bear, add an owl's head: how much have you increased the deadliness, compared to the normal, natural bear you started with? The one whose jaws and fangs can crack human femurs open, to get at the marrow?

A venomous bear, a flying bear, a spiky bear, a bear with a breath weapon or a gaze attack: nope. You put your magical efforts into making *a bear with better night vision*. Oh, and as a side effect, though it can't fly, it DOES inherit hollow, lightweight, fragile bones. Yes, Ray is crazy. It's kinda sad, really.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Owlbear = post it note. Created en passant while trying to make a Flying Monkey+1.

 

[Cernor]

Owlbear = post it note. Created en passant while trying to make a Flying Monkey+1.

Well, the owl's wings were used for the monkey and the feathers were used to stuff Ray's pillow, so what else would he do with the head?

 

[Riley37]

Next question for the Faerun Visitor's Bureau:

How many tieflings live in the city of Phlan?
Is it plausible that there are zero? that no tiefling has ever set foot there?
Is "ten" a plausible answer?
How about a hundred?

 

[DEFCON 1]

Next question for the Faerun Visitor's Bureau:

How many tieflings live in the city of Phlan?
Is it plausible that there are zero? that no tiefling has ever set foot there?
Is "ten" a plausible answer?
How about a hundred?

Plausible that...

...there are zero tieflings currently in Phlan? - Yes.
...no tiefling has ever set foot in Phlan ever? - Unlikely.
...there are ten tieflings currently in Phlan? - Yes.
...there are 100 tieflings currently in Phlan? Unlikely.

But of course... these answers are just guesstimations based upon standard Realms numbers and history. Your campaign, your choices. If you want Phlan to be a haven for tiefling refugees such that there's more than a hundred of them wandering the streets... go nuts.

 

[Riley37]

Oh, to be sure. I could easily establish that there's a hundred who all fled Thay, and ended up in Phlan as refugees, and perhaps are the main occupants of a certain neighborhood which is becoming a "tiefling quarter".

The main thing, though, is to provide context for how people on the streets of Phlan interact with the one tiefling PC in the party at my table. That's my goal. I want my "instance" of Phlan to be internally consistent.

 

[DEFCON 1]

When it comes to most fantasy worlds such as what is found in D&D... people interact all the time with so many different races that any one particular one I personally would not imagine elicits much surprise or response. Even if someone sees a tiefling in person for the first time... they know of tieflings already, and have seen so many other people of varying races that this new one wouldn't be that much of a concern. And even if there was a chance that seeing a tiefling would be a "shock" to someone in Phlan... the Phlan citizen would most likely be able to mask that shock with a civil face and reaction.

 

[Staffan]

By the 4e book, tieflings are spread out all over the world in small numbers, though they are more common in some areas than others. But it's likely that there are a few around in Phlan.

 

[Riley37]

When it comes to most fantasy worlds such as what is found in D&D... people interact all the time with so many different races that any one particular one I personally would not imagine elicits much surprise or response. Even if someone sees a tiefling in person for the first time... they know of tieflings already, and have seen so many other people of varying races that this new one wouldn't be that much of a concern. And even if there was a chance that seeing a tiefling would be a "shock" to someone in Phlan... the Phlan citizen would most likely be able to mask that shock with a civil face and reaction.

Sure. That addresses about 20% of my concerns. I have another 80% or so, which that does not address.

For example, if there ARE another ten or another hundred tieflings in Phlan, then eventually they'll notice this newcomer who's making waves, and who apparently is very powerful.

Do some of them see him as dangerous, if he provokes the Black Fist into an anti-tiefling pogrom?

Do some of them see him as a potential leader or savior, who might help them find a real home?

Do any of them find him attractive? (Hey, ten tieflings is not a large dating pool!)

Do any of them want to become his apprentices?

Look, I understand that as the DM, this is in my hands. If you're willing to tell me more established FR canon, so that I can be as consistent as *I* want to be, for my oddball DM style, then please help. If you're trying to tell me not to worry about it, then please stop.