Terry Pratchett's "The Luggage"

[IndyPendant]

Based on other character's reactions to it, I would give it a whole bunch of ranks in Intimidate as well.

It probably has Improved Bull Rush and Improved Grapple.

Not even going to try to stat that thing out. : )

 

[Quartz]

In game terms I'd suggest a Permanent Awakened Tenser's Floating Disk with a whole bunch of SFX.

 

[Quartz]

Actually, never mind Awakened, think of the Living Spell template.

 

[Sejs]

Golem: Somewhat mindless; Spell Immunity; it is a made thing.

If not a golem, call it a construct, then. It's a manufactured thing, yet is a creature and has many creature-appropriate abilities. It has hit dice, skills (mostly intimidate), creature abilities such as Improved Grab (triggered on its bite) and Swallow Whole, and it's linked to its owner. In many ways it's like a tourist's Shield Guardian. Luggage Guardian.

The fact that it can reproduce with other members of its own kind is just one of the features of the particular type of construct it is.

 

[shilsen]

It has hit dice...

Huh? Above and beyond the fact that Pratchett is writing novels that have nothing to do with the D&D game system, I can't recall anything from the books which would lead me to believe that the Luggage has anything that we could approximate to hit dice. It's effectively invulnerable, as far as has been thus far seen, which would arguably mean that hit dice are never a factor with it (i.e. it doesn't get rendered nonfunctional by a given volume of damage).

 

[Sejs]

I can't recall anything from the books which would lead me to believe that the Luggage has anything that we could approximate to hit dice. It's effectively invulnerable, as far as has been thus far seen, which would arguably mean that hit dice are never a factor with it (i.e. it doesn't get rendered nonfunctional by a given volume of damage).

I should've been more clear. You're right in that it doesn't demonstrate a harm threshhold.

But it does show demonstratable skill in combat several times, what with all its eating of people and things. In D&D that would generally translate to hit dice and a special attack, or some sort of unique 'save or you're swallowed' spell effect. The luggage batters stuff around, knocks enemies over, etc.

The fighting / BAB aspect of hit dice is more what I was talking about.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Actually, in the novel "Interesting Times", Rincewind discovers lots of other such sentient pieces of luggage in the Agatean Empire. The Luggage even 'mates' with another smaller piece of luggage and has a brood of kids.

Wow, I don't remember that at all. Not saying it isn't so, just that it's been some time since I read that one. I always blast right through the Discworld books so fast that I'm sure I've actually forgotten a LOT - and with 30+ books in the series there's a lot that can be forgotten anyway. I'm rereading Thief of Time right now. Maybe I'll reread Interesting Times after that.

 

[shilsen]

Wow, I don't remember that at all. Not saying it isn't so, just that it's been some time since I read that one. I always blast right through the Discworld books so fast that I'm sure I've actually forgotten a LOT - and with 30+ books in the series there's a lot that can be forgotten anyway. I'm rereading Thief of Time right now. Maybe I'll reread Interesting Times after that.

I've always found the Discworld books to be very rewarding of a second, third and more readings, since I'll often catch more allusions and wordplay that I missed on a previous reading.

I personally found the whole Luggage mating thing not really fitting what Pratchett's shown us of the Luggage thus far, but it was mildly amusing. The invasion of the Agatean Empire by the Silver Horde? Now that was very amusing

 

[Moonstone Spider]

The luggage seems to have either an illusion ability or the ability to actually create matter. Several times when Rincewind was a prisoner (Most notably in "Sourcery") the luggage appeared in the path of Rincewind's captors with it's lid open, overflowing with gold. It seems doubtful to me that Rincewind owns a huge pile of gold so the Luggage probably either created the gold, stole it from somewhere and didn't give it to Rincewind, or else the luggage is using some sort of fairy gold effect to lure people into bite range.

 

[Felix]

The luggage seems to have either an illusion ability or the ability to actually create matter. Several times when Rincewind was a prisoner (Most notably in "Sourcery") the luggage appeared in the path of Rincewind's captors with it's lid open, overflowing with gold. It seems doubtful to me that Rincewind owns a huge pile of gold so the Luggage probably either created the gold, stole it from somewhere and didn't give it to Rincewind, or else the luggage is using some sort of fairy gold effect to lure people into bite range.

Twoflower came from the Atagean Empire, though, where gold is horribly common; he did indeed have a luggage full of gold and pressed undies when he showed up in Ankh-Morpork.

Not that the Luggage doesn't have some kind of illusion ability, but it was full of real gold at one point in The Color of Magic.