hippocrachus
First Post
If no one offers, kirinke, I will take over your Teleri and Alinis characters. I have a large vocabulary, I promise not to shame you 
The Lamentation of Lolth - OoC V
- Thread starter Majin
- Start date
Manzanita
First Post
I thought I'd open a little discussion on animal companions. It seems most Druids (& rangers) play them as personal friends, and honored companions. That they may be, but it seems by the rules that they are easily replaced. Another can be summoned almost immediately if one dies, and they can be dismissed & replaced at any time without penalty.
As such, I interpret them more as a servent given to the druid by the same forces of nature that give the druid his other abilities. They're not animals, but magical creatures. What do you think happens to them if they are 'released from service'? Do they disapear into the woods to live a life as a normal dog (or whatever) or do they disapear into a puff of smoke? Do they have parents or are they created specifically for the druid?
Since there aren't other horses, dogs etc that are magical animals out there wandering about, I assume they aren't created the normal way, (sexually, by others of their kind) but created specifically for the druid like a summoned animal would be.
Since Drogo has no qualms about sending a summoned creature into deadly combat, I don't feel he should feel any differently about Rex.
I'm wondering how others interpret this? It's relavent in terms of how Drogo treats Rex. Could he, for instance, send him in front of the group into a very dangerous situation because he's 'expendable' and replacable? How attached do you think Drogo ought to be to him? Would he be 'punished' by his power source for putting Rex into very risky situation? Should Drogo casually replace him whenever a more suitable companion seems appropriate? (Like when I considered 'trading' him in for a crocodile when we went into the well?)
I'm curious how you guys feel about this.
As such, I interpret them more as a servent given to the druid by the same forces of nature that give the druid his other abilities. They're not animals, but magical creatures. What do you think happens to them if they are 'released from service'? Do they disapear into the woods to live a life as a normal dog (or whatever) or do they disapear into a puff of smoke? Do they have parents or are they created specifically for the druid?
Since there aren't other horses, dogs etc that are magical animals out there wandering about, I assume they aren't created the normal way, (sexually, by others of their kind) but created specifically for the druid like a summoned animal would be.
Since Drogo has no qualms about sending a summoned creature into deadly combat, I don't feel he should feel any differently about Rex.
I'm wondering how others interpret this? It's relavent in terms of how Drogo treats Rex. Could he, for instance, send him in front of the group into a very dangerous situation because he's 'expendable' and replacable? How attached do you think Drogo ought to be to him? Would he be 'punished' by his power source for putting Rex into very risky situation? Should Drogo casually replace him whenever a more suitable companion seems appropriate? (Like when I considered 'trading' him in for a crocodile when we went into the well?)
I'm curious how you guys feel about this.
hippocrachus
First Post
Geez, I thought Rex was just your riding dog. I didn't know he was your actual "animal companion."
Character-wise, Rex has been around for the entire time, it would probably be a relatively big deal if he just disappeared. I think if an expendable animal companion was truly expendable, it wouldn't really have a name per see. It would just be another animal, which names don't apply to since it doesn't always live amongst humans.
I think giving it a name is the one thing that personifies the animal companion. Take away the name and it is just like any other natural insentient living creature.
I don't want to get too much into the argument of the philosophy this involves, 'cause that is really only my view In Game. An imaginary animal in an imaginary world without a name is just as infinitesimal as the sound a falling tree makes when nobody is around to hear it. Except more so.
Character-wise, Rex has been around for the entire time, it would probably be a relatively big deal if he just disappeared. I think if an expendable animal companion was truly expendable, it wouldn't really have a name per see. It would just be another animal, which names don't apply to since it doesn't always live amongst humans.
I think giving it a name is the one thing that personifies the animal companion. Take away the name and it is just like any other natural insentient living creature.
I don't want to get too much into the argument of the philosophy this involves, 'cause that is really only my view In Game. An imaginary animal in an imaginary world without a name is just as infinitesimal as the sound a falling tree makes when nobody is around to hear it. Except more so.
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hmmm. valid points there hipp.
But here's how I'd play it.
Imagine that that dog is your best, four-legged bud. A partner in much the same way a cop is with a police-dog. Now, imagine that he got hurt, shot whatever. How would you feel? How would that character you're playing feel in that connontation?
I mean, even if the animal is easily replacable, you'd still develope some sort of emotional attachment. And I'd play the character the same way. If he wasn't evil.
Now if the character was evil....![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
But here's how I'd play it.
Imagine that that dog is your best, four-legged bud. A partner in much the same way a cop is with a police-dog. Now, imagine that he got hurt, shot whatever. How would you feel? How would that character you're playing feel in that connontation?
I mean, even if the animal is easily replacable, you'd still develope some sort of emotional attachment. And I'd play the character the same way. If he wasn't evil.
Now if the character was evil....
Dhes
Explorer
I would think that a Druid or Ranger would have a deeper relation ship with his or her animal companion. I don’t see a nature orientated character using animals as cannon fodder. There are no rules set down as far as I know, but I know that Dunstand would have a problem with you killing of Rex. Come-on look in to his puppy dog eyes and tell me you can bring him to the slaughter. 
I have always assumed that Druids/Rangers animal companions are an equivalent to an Wizards/Sorcerers familiar. Even though they can't communicate mentally I believe (of course this is just my look on it) that the bond between them is just as great.
Look at it as if they were a family pet, my cat has been with me for 14 years and there is no way in hell I would just up and replace her, not even if a better cat came along (of course in my mind that's just not possible.)
Ultimately I think its up to the gm to decide how much of a bond there is...
Look at it as if they were a family pet, my cat has been with me for 14 years and there is no way in hell I would just up and replace her, not even if a better cat came along (of course in my mind that's just not possible.)
Ultimately I think its up to the gm to decide how much of a bond there is...
Majin
First Post
I would agree with the general consensus that as an animal companion, for a druid or ranger, they would be more attached to this particular creature than any other and would not send it on a suicide mission unless the circumstances were extremely dire. I was also under the impression that animal companions had to be first befriended through animal empathy checks and so forth before taking on the magical bond between them and their master, but this could have been changed for 3.5.
It really all depends on Drogo himself in this case and what kind of druid he is. There are evil druids out there that may use animals as fodder, but I don't think it would be in even a neutral druid's character to treat animals as such without a valid reason. It comes down to how close you really want to get with them and how much your character cares about fauna compared to the flora of nature. Take Drizzt for instance. Although his panther is not "technically" his animal companion because it originates from a seperate magical item, he treats it as a dear friend, as their experiences over the years have drawn them closer together.
But in the end, it's up to you and the way you want to play Drogo and his relationship with animals.
It really all depends on Drogo himself in this case and what kind of druid he is. There are evil druids out there that may use animals as fodder, but I don't think it would be in even a neutral druid's character to treat animals as such without a valid reason. It comes down to how close you really want to get with them and how much your character cares about fauna compared to the flora of nature. Take Drizzt for instance. Although his panther is not "technically" his animal companion because it originates from a seperate magical item, he treats it as a dear friend, as their experiences over the years have drawn them closer together.
But in the end, it's up to you and the way you want to play Drogo and his relationship with animals.
