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So, back when the party cleared defeated the enraged owlbear, the party druid nursed the surviving cub back to health. They left the south eastern Kamelands unexplored so the owlbear would have decent hunting grounds... until recently.
The party druid headed south and spent his hero points to awaken the enormous owlbear... then brought it back to their capital as the new general. Not only are his physical abilities absurd, but the 3d6 roll for intelligence came out to 6+6+5. And the extra ability score it got from the HD increase went to that. The owlbear's better at every than any NPC, but naturally he's the general, leading an army which now consists of Bird Shamans, Bear Shamans, and barbarians.
Win.
The people of the kingdom have accepted "Beaky Hootsalot" as their General?
That is a very unique kingdom (and campaign)... as long as everyone's having fun... keep gettin' your owl bear on.
Did she cast it once or twice?
Also: how many years did you count for the cub to become fullgrown?
Also: why "enormous"? Owlbears are large, not bigger?
So, back when the party cleared defeated the enraged owlbear, the party druid nursed the surviving cub back to health. They left the south eastern Kamelands unexplored so the owlbear would have decent hunting grounds... until recently.
The party druid headed south and spent his hero points to awaken the enormous owlbear... then brought it back to their capital as the new general. Not only are his physical abilities absurd, but the 3d6 roll for intelligence came out to 6+6+5. And the extra ability score it got from the HD increase went to that. The owlbear's better at every than any NPC, but naturally he's the general, leading an army which now consists of Bird Shamans, Bear Shamans, and barbarians.
Win.
That is AWESOME!!!
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It is awesome! They also named him Ursurus Aurelius. He's one of the nation's greatest treasures.
Did she cast it once or twice?
Also: how many years did you count for the cub to become fullgrown?
Also: why "enormous"? Owlbears are large, not bigger?
He cast it once, although we just hand-waived the special bond considering that the druid had raised it personally, so it has the same attitude towards him with or without magical help. As for the enormity, it IS the progeny of the owlbear from the end of book three... I don't recall how long it took to grow, but whatever it was, we got it from Dungeon Denizens Revisited.
The people of the kingdom have accepted "Beaky Hootsalot" as their General?
PEASANT 1: I don't know how I feel with an owlbear as the general of our armies.
PEASANT 2: Fine. Do you want to be the one to tell him he's fired?
The people of the kingdom have accepted "Beaky Hootsalot" as their General?PEASANT 1: I don't know how I feel with an owlbear as the general of our armies.
PEASANT 2: Fine. Do you want to be the one to tell him he's fired?
I was thinking more of an exchange like this:
PEASANT 1: I don't know how I feel with an owlbear as the general of our armies.
PEASANT 2: Yes, I believe the King and Queen have lost their minds.
PEASANT 1: Should we go live somewhere else, before the madness grows?
PEASANT 2: Yes, this is a silly place.
Again, if everyone is having fun, then you're doing it right. That kind of silliness just doesn't have a place in my campaigns.
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Silliness? I dare say, it's the most serious thing that's happened in this campaign! The druid, a bear shaman, is the High Priest and worships an aspect of Erastil known as the Grizzled Warden (one we created specifically for this character; he wanted a bear, I needed someone to worship Erastil). The official state religion focuses on this aspect, so bears are revered by most people. There's even a holiday in early spring to celebrate the emergence of bears from hibernation. Having this owlbear in the kingdom is practically the equivalent of having a living god walk the streets.
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The people of the kingdom have accepted "Beaky Hootsalot" as their General?PEASANT 1: I don't know how I feel with an owlbear as the general of our armies.
PEASANT 2: Fine. Do you want to be the one to tell him he's fired?
I was thinking more of an exchange like this:
PEASANT 1: I don't know how I feel with an owlbear as the general of our armies.
PEASANT 2: Yes, I believe the King and Queen have lost their minds.
PEASANT 1: Should we go live somewhere else, before the madness grows?
PEASANT 2: Yes, this is a silly place.
Again, if everyone is having fun, then you're doing it right. That kind of silliness just doesn't have a place in my campaigns.
PEASANT 1: I don't know how I feel about being rules by adventurers, shouldn't the King and Queen be planning civic works and planning for drought.
PEASANT 2: Um, no, they're rulers in a magical land with dragons and demons.
PEASANT 3: Isn't this all a bit silly.
PEASANT 2: Well, I suppose if we play Stockbrokers and Accountants then we'll get running water and tv dinners. Let's ask the GM to stop with these fantasy shenanigans...
Not really saying that you should have this stuff in your campaign, but calling another person's idea 'silly' when your playing a fantasyRPG indicates a lack of perspective.
Just how much fantasy is a matter of taste but another's taste is not automatically silly if it is more flamboyant than your own.
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Silliness? I dare say, it's the most serious thing that's happened in this campaign! The druid, a bear shaman, is the High Priest and worships an aspect of Erastil known as the Grizzled Warden (one we created specifically for this character; he wanted a bear, I needed someone to worship Erastil). The official state religion focuses on this aspect, so bears are revered by most people. There's even a holiday in early spring to celebrate the emergence of bears from hibernation. Having this owlbear in the kingdom is practically the equivalent of having a living god walk the streets.
Lumber Punk all the way man.
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PEASANT 2: Yes, this is a silly place.Not really saying that you should have this stuff in your campaign, but calling another person's idea 'silly' when your playing a fantasyRPG indicates a lack of perspective.
Just how much fantasy is a matter of taste but another's taste is not automatically silly if it is more flamboyant than your own.
I believe the “This is a silly place” was a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
I love it when players do things like that. It makes for moments that you will talk about for years.
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I love it when players do things like that. It makes for moments that you will talk about for years.
We once tamed an ogre... kind of on accident. It has become my go-to favorite DnD story. Didn't make general status... In fact, wouldn't wake up the next morning when the party broke camp. So we left him a name-tag, in case we ever ran into him again.
I miss that campaign.
Just how much fantasy is a matter of taste but another's taste is not automatically silly if it is more flamboyant than your own.
Yeah... I'm pretty sure I said that, twice.
Here it is again:
As long as everyone is having fun, you're doing it right.
That style of campaign isn't one that I would like to participate in, but it is a unique and creative idea.
The people of the kingdom have accepted "Beaky Hootsalot" as their General?PEASANT 1: I don't know how I feel with an owlbear as the general of our armies.
PEASANT 2: Fine. Do you want to be the one to tell him he's fired?
I was thinking more of an exchange like this:
PEASANT 1: I don't know how I feel with an owlbear as the general of our armies.
PEASANT 2: Yes, I believe the King and Queen have lost their minds.
PEASANT 1: Should we go live somewhere else, before the madness grows?
PEASANT 2: Yes, this is a silly place.
Again, if everyone is having fun, then you're doing it right. That kind of silliness just doesn't have a place in my campaigns.
The problem is drawing a line. Once you're "in-genre," there's little that doesn't seem silly, and that which does not seem silly seems perverse. I mean, your kingdom has alignment. It's not only that the rulership are looked to in order to solve personally the kingdom's problems, its that they actually are the ones best suited to solve the kingdom's problems, and their whole right to rule is based upon those abilities. The idea that, at the point a giant, genius-IQ talking bear was given command over the armies, people would decide to start taking things seriously seems a bit artificial. Maybe I could see the argument if this wasn't Golarion, but it is Golarion.
In short, I don't think that this is necessarily silly. I think that you could play Colonel Woodsy Owl pretty darn straight. It's no more or less weird than a number of the other choices for positions in the leadership.
Don't see how a Narnia like kingdom is outta place in Golarian..
a liitle unusual, but no worse than a kingdom inspired by vampire tales.
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Owlbear...directing the battle flow by hoots & growls?Yeah - that's kinda the bit I had a problem with, but wasn't going to
comment on.How does 'beaky' get stuff done? He can't talk, so can't discuss plans
etc with subordinates; he can't write, so there goes the paperwork ;-p
Actually fitting him inside anything like a normal building for council
meetings would cause problems...
If he converses 'through' your Druid, I trust the Druid doesn't have an
active slot on the council due to the amount of time he'd spend being
'beaky's' secretary.It's a cool idea, and yet not something I'd personally get into.
Keep sharing, it gives me all sorts of insights whilst reading on these
boards as to what my players may, or may not, attempt! :)
well, by RAW, you can't Awaken an Owlbear at all, but I'd go with it as well. As far as talking/writing goes:
Awaken; Transmutation; Druid 5
Casting Time: 24 hours
Components: V, S, M (herbs and oils worth 2,000 gp), DFRange: touch
Target: animal or tree touched
Duration: instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; Spell Resistance yesEFFECTS
You awaken a tree or animal to human-like sentience. To succeed, you must make a Will save (DC 10 + the animal's current HD, or the HD the tree will have once awakened). The awakened animal or tree is friendly toward you. You have no special empathy or connection with a creature you awaken, although it serves you in specific tasks or endeavors if you communicate your desires to it. If you cast awaken again, any previously awakened creatures remain friendly to you, but they no longer undertake tasks for you unless it is in their best interests.An awakened tree has characteristics as if it were an animated object, except that it gains the plant type and its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are each 3d6. An awakened plant gains the ability to move its limbs, roots, vines, creepers, and so forth, and it has senses similar to a human's.
An awakened animal gets 3d6 Intelligence, +1d3 Charisma, and +2 HD. Its type becomes magical beast (augmented animal). An awakened animal can't serve as an animal companion, familiar, or special mount.
An awakened tree or animal can speak one language that you know, plus one additional language that you know per point of Intelligence bonus (if any). This spell does not function on an animal or plant with an Intelligence greater than 2.
(emphasis mine)
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How does 'beaky' get stuff done? He can't talk, so can't discuss plans
etc with subordinates; he can't write, so there goes the paperwork ;-p
Actually fitting him inside anything like a normal building for council
meetings would cause problems...
If he converses 'through' your Druid, I trust the Druid doesn't have an
active slot on the council due to the amount of time he'd spend being
'beaky's' secretary.It's a cool idea, and yet not something I'd personally get into.
Keep sharing, it gives me all sorts of insights whilst reading on these
boards as to what my players may, or may not, attempt! :)
Well he can talk because he is awakened. But we've taken things like this into account. We've been building a new wing in the castle for our council meetings and at the moment he doesn't really live near the kingdom. He lives on the outskirts in a cave. Plus, we never figured the general had much paperwork to do. =p
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Well he can talk because he is awakened. But we've taken things like this into account. We've been building a new wing in the castle for our council meetings and at the moment he doesn't really live near the kingdom. He lives on the outskirts in a cave. Plus, we never figured the general had much paperwork to do. =p
He does live in town now, actually, or at least near it until he has living quarters large enough for him.
love it.
now, to get him a Roc Mount...
Gargantuan Bird with Huge Owlbear flying on it, directing the battle flow by hoots & growls? Priceless...
You sir, are a genius of the highest caliber, a man of true vision.
And in Firstbourne's defense... our game is a bit silly. The king's a gnome illusionist so... you can imagine what sort of shenanigans that leads to. The owlbear's not the first unusual council member either - Chief Sootscale is their executioner/assassin. If that level of over-the-topitude isn't everyone's thing, I understand. Hell, as a DM I sometimes wish that the game could be a bit more serious, but it's incredibly fun so it's nothing to worry about :]
I can see making the owlbear a champion, but a general? He's only been sapient for a month or so, giving him less experience thinking strategically than a 4 year-old. With that INT he can, eventually, be pretty awesome, but at the start he's just not going to get it. The whole idea is too new.
Crownan the Bearbarian takes flak from no one. He rips off limbs when he's losing games of chance, not all that much different from a certain hairy walking carpet in a certain space opera series of motion pictures.
I rather imagine him bellowing in a 120 decibel "hoot" before roaring into the front lines of what ever sorry army has to tangle with him and his ravening pack of bear and eagle totem barbarians and shaman spells support ... should make for some epic battle scenes!
^_^
Don't see how a Narnia like kingdom is outta place in Golarian..
a liitle unusual, but no worse than a kingdom inspired by vampire tales.
I love it.
OWLBEAR!
I love the idea, but would *not* do it in my game.
For one: Can't awaken an owlbear (magical beast)
For two: I would consider it to take a few years for the owlbear to have reached a decent "age" where it doesn't act like a testosteron-filled teenager.. And even later, wouldn't something with high INT start feeling lonely? No wife/kids, etc?
I love the idea, but would *not* do it in my game.
For one: Can't awaken an owlbear (magical beast)
For two: I would consider it to take a few years for the owlbear to have reached a decent "age" where it doesn't act like a testosteron-filled teenager.. And even later, wouldn't something with high INT start feeling lonely? No wife/kids, etc?
Awaken a female owlbear. That's the obvious solution.
The scary part is when the DM gets talked into allowing the awakened quality to be inherited by their offspring...
This is totally awesome and sounds like something my players would come up with. I might have to seed the idea to them when it comes up... Incidentally, I see no problem with using awaken on magical beasts.
I love the idea, but would *not* do it in my game.
For one: Can't awaken an owlbear (magical beast)
For two: I would consider it to take a few years for the owlbear to have reached a decent "age" where it doesn't act like a testosteron-filled teenager.. And even later, wouldn't something with high INT start feeling lonely? No wife/kids, etc?Awaken a female owlbear. That's the obvious solution.
The scary part is when the DM gets talked into allowing the awakened quality to be inherited by their offspring...
There is no reason either way as to the offspring being awakened. After all, if there can be half-critters, awakened owlbearlings are nothing. Granted, they're generally foul-tempered by disposition, but the RP fun to be had is worth the wait.
Imagine the fun of the Owlbeartons (the happy, feathery-furry family) growing up devotees of Erastil, Mamma Owlbear tapping the (very large) cast iron skillet on her hip when Pappy Owlbear comes home late one night too often, the kids having to learn restraint around their tasty fellow citizens ...
Hehe,
my player's kingdom has Munguk, the hill giant, as the master assassin.
He acts the kingdom's executioner what makes everyone very loyal.
"Have you seen the rustler's execution yeterday!"
"Oh, yeah Councilor Munguk asked 'Ready?' and at the end of the rustler's nod it's nose hit the ground with a thud. The hulky giant asked 'Anyun else?' and the audience scattered quickly."
"Never saw a creature swinging the axe like a child's shovel!"
"Hope i don't see this from double arms length! May Erastil prevail, bye!"
:D
We stuffed the giant owlbear -- "Owlzilla" -- and it is mounted in the main square of our capital city. We're saving Owlzilla's armour for when the barbarian gets a larger mount -- we are hex-crawling to find a herd of rhinos -- or the druid's megaloceros companion has another growth spurt.
The cub-chick we nursed back to health and tamed, so now the owlbear we found and tamed earlier in the campaign has a playmate.
As such, I approve of making your owlbear the kingdom's general, and I only wish we'd thought of it.