monster organization (elmwood players keep out!)

[Shadeydm]

So I am looking at the Monster Manuel entry for ettercaps specifically the organization of ettercaps and there is the following listing: solitary, pair, troupe. WTF is a troupe!?!? When I read troupe it conjures images of a theatre company or Cirque du Soleil so what the heck is a troupe of ettercaps cirque du spider?!?! All kidding aside what the heck is a troupe of ettercaps lol.

 

[Rhun]

All kidding aside what the heck is a troupe of ettercaps lol.

A troupe is 1-2 ettercaps + 2-4 medium monstrous spiders. It explains it in the parenthesis after the "troupe" designation.

 

[Shadeydm]

So a troupe is just a pair with a couple pets? Lame...

 

[shilsen]

So a troupe is just a pair with a couple pets? Lame...

Lame? So you really were expecting it to be the Cirque du Soleil?

I love gamers and how they react to words

 

[Rhun]

So a troupe is just a pair with a couple pets? Lame...

Well FWIW, you are the DM. You can make a troupe be whatever you want it to be.

 

[Shadeydm]

Lame? So you really were expecting it to be the Cirque du Soleil?

I love gamers and how they react to words

So you don't find it to be an odd choice of words?

 

[Shadeydm]

Lame? So you really were expecting it to be the Cirque du Soleil?

I love gamers and how they react to words

I suppose I was hoping out for a more pack like structure with an alpha ettercap etc.

 

[shilsen]

So you don't find it to be an odd choice of words?

No.

A collection of ravens is called a murder (or an unkindness). A collection of swine is a sounder. A collection of rattlesnakes is called a rhumba. A collection of rooks is a parliament (but not a rookery, which is what a collection of penguins is called).

In short, groups of animals often have apparently strange collective nouns associated with them. And words in different contexts mean different things.

You'd never guess I was an English teacher, would you?

 

[Shadeydm]

Does two really qualify as a collection?

 

[shilsen]

Does two really qualify as a collection?

It's at least 3-6 creatures.

More importantly, rule 17 of RPG sanity: Care not about names.