D&D Movie/TV New D&D movie details? Vecna?!

[Undrave]

Im well aware. But the underdark isnt like RL caves. Its filled with dim light and semi frequent surface interlopers with normal vision.

Completely dfferent adaptive pressure.

the Underdark needs more bioluminescent critters... Would be a cool power for an under dark race.

 

[Arnwolf666]

the Underdark needs more bioluminescent critters... Would be a cool power for an under dark race.

Glow in the dark in the fantasy underdark is like a sign that says come eat me. Still cool though.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

the Underdark needs more bioluminescent critters... Would be a cool power for an under dark race.

Actually i has a ton of bioluminescant life. Most people just dont notice because either the entries are dated or the mention of that feature in a given entry is in passing or not the focus.

Lots of fungi, invertebrates, fish, and even the walls in large regions are glowing due to biofilm.

The drow are actually pressured pretty hard to be dark skinned because it provides a major advantage against the occasional sighted creature and invasive species.

Geographically the drow live in a more isolated environment than that of our caves but mechanically and in practice far less as there are creatures that venture down frequently by comparison to real world caves.

 

[Undrave]

Glow in the dark in the fantasy underdark is like a sign that says come eat me. Still cool though.

Not if you control it and use it as bait.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Glow in the dark in the fantasy underdark is like a sign that says come eat me. Still cool though.

Can also be a means of communication (like irl) and a means of intentionally attracting creatures to eat fruiting bodies, then spread the next generation for plants and fungi (also irl) and also a means of scaring away predators or attracting prey (also both irl). Bioluminescance is both advantageous and disadvantageous.

 

[Umbran]

Glow in the dark in the fantasy underdark is like a sign that says come eat me.

One word: Anglerfish.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

The Blindheim, D&D's foremost bioluminescent critter, is in Mordekeinen's Fiend Folio Vol 1 at the DMs Guild for Extra Life.

 

[Coroc]

the Underdark needs more bioluminescent critters... Would be a cool power for an under dark race.

You mean like humanoids glowing in the dark? Totally or? I mean only their ears eventually? Or their hair? Or their....

Ah best make it their hair

Edit also @Umbran saw your post only after i sent the reply to Undraves post, made me cringe additionally ...

 

[Son of the Serpent]

You mean like humanoids glowing in the dark? Totally or? I mean only their ears eventually? Or their hair? Or their....

Ah best make it their hair

Could make it everything that adapted from a certain constellation of traits we associate with a certain point in evolutionary divergence. Like specialized keratonous skin cells/scales in origin. I know teeth were inherited as the result of modified fish scales and i would wonder if hair and nails were the same. Keraton is not tye same as enamel but i expect it has similar adaptive origins. So maybe make it hair, teeth, and nails due to some anatomical and evolutionary commonality or common base part? Applying this to non humanoid animals immagine some maned beast coming at you in the dark. All you see is the exposed claws (just the nail part not the phalanges) a glowing halo of a mane and in the empty blackness at the center just glowing teeth. Eery (i dont know how to spell this word).

 

[dave2008]

Im well aware. But the underdark isnt like RL caves. Its filled with dim light and semi frequent surface interlopers with normal vision.

Completely dfferent adaptive pressure.

Of course the lack of pigment in RL animals is not an adaptive advantage either. And if adventurers are as rare as I think they are I doubt the "semi-frequent" surface interlopers pressure. Though the dim light is a thing, but I didn't think that was pervasive either (but I am not really up to speed on the Underdark).

Personally I think both Mind Flayers and beholders might be more eerie if there were pale, coolerless denizens of the dark. I might just make that change if I do an adventure in the UD.