When it comes to world design, the devil's in the details. Yeah, different kinds of dragons, chimeras, and other magical beasts are nice but what about the common creatures. Are the breeds of dogs and horses different, or are they just like the real world's with different names? Or do people ride an entirely different kind of animal? What sorts of creatures do people keep as pets? What unique plants and trees exist in the forest outside the city? Basically, how is your world's ecology different than earths? Has anyone ever created mundane plants and animals for their campaign worlds, or do most people think such details are beneath notice? Feel free to post examples from your campaign.
The "mundane"
- Thread starter slwoyach
- Start date
While I haven't had many campaigns featuring new mundane critters- really, I can only think of one- I have had worlds where many such creatures are simply absent due to world-shaping events.
The world in which the critters differed, there were only 2 mundane creatures that differed enough to be statted out. One was an 8 legged reptilian creature that filled a similar ecological niche as a cheetah. A plains-dweller, it had the ability to put on short bursts of high speed, and had a venomous (paralytic) bite. If it could get close enough for a nip, it would use that bite to poison its prey and let the venom do the work. (The party Druid had one as an animal companion. Eventually, he cast "Awaken" upon it...and I had it talk like Elvis.)
The other was a creature similar in appearance to an American Buffalo, but with a temperment similar to a horse. (The party's Paladin called one as her mount.)
In the alternative scenario, often the world's mid-sized or larger mundane land critters have been wiped out, leaving only sentient beings. Without draft or riding animals, all hard labor is human(oid) labor. And carnivores? Yes, they prey on their neighbors.
In a subset of that last scenario, I even include sentient motile plant beings.
The world in which the critters differed, there were only 2 mundane creatures that differed enough to be statted out. One was an 8 legged reptilian creature that filled a similar ecological niche as a cheetah. A plains-dweller, it had the ability to put on short bursts of high speed, and had a venomous (paralytic) bite. If it could get close enough for a nip, it would use that bite to poison its prey and let the venom do the work. (The party Druid had one as an animal companion. Eventually, he cast "Awaken" upon it...and I had it talk like Elvis.)
The other was a creature similar in appearance to an American Buffalo, but with a temperment similar to a horse. (The party's Paladin called one as her mount.)
In the alternative scenario, often the world's mid-sized or larger mundane land critters have been wiped out, leaving only sentient beings. Without draft or riding animals, all hard labor is human(oid) labor. And carnivores? Yes, they prey on their neighbors.
In a subset of that last scenario, I even include sentient motile plant beings.
chronoplasm
First Post
Well, here's some ideas I had.
Purse Keepers
These little domesticated creatures are kept as protection against pick-pockets. They are trained to nest in pouches of coins and to protect their nest at all costs. They identify their master's hand as their mother. If a hand that does not belong to their mother enters the purse, or they sense that their nest has been taken by a creature they don't recognize, they will instinctively let out a ear-shattering scream and latch on to the thief with their powerful jaws.
More exotic breeds of purse keepers, with vibrant colors and unusual jaws, are flaunted by their masters as a form of fashion accessory. Some nobles will keep multiple purse keepers of different colors to match different outfits.
Pangolins
Kobolds use them as mounts.
Purse Keepers
These little domesticated creatures are kept as protection against pick-pockets. They are trained to nest in pouches of coins and to protect their nest at all costs. They identify their master's hand as their mother. If a hand that does not belong to their mother enters the purse, or they sense that their nest has been taken by a creature they don't recognize, they will instinctively let out a ear-shattering scream and latch on to the thief with their powerful jaws.
More exotic breeds of purse keepers, with vibrant colors and unusual jaws, are flaunted by their masters as a form of fashion accessory. Some nobles will keep multiple purse keepers of different colors to match different outfits.
Pangolins
Kobolds use them as mounts.
the Jester
Legend
In my previous campaign, there was a group of people that exported millions of people to a parallel material plane with an entirely different ecology, so yes, I've done stuff like that.
In the early days of my present campaign, horses were essentially unknown- instead, there were garen (like zebras, but brown, green and yellow) and kocho (mean riding birds).
chronoplasm
First Post
the Jester
Legend
Think of a giant moa crossed with a foul-tempered parrot.
They're still around, though I have to admit, I don't think they have made much of an appearance since the early 3e days...
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