In a home brew game my party has been made landed nobles, with a catch. The Land we have is on a continent that has been under a curse for a thousand years where only males can be born, hatched, etc.... As a result of this there are, effectively, no native species anymore. The one exception to this is rabbits (another long story).
In our last campaign, with a differnt party, we managed to lift the curse. Fast forward to now.....
Because of this curse there are basically no animals on the majority of the continent. My group believes a good plan to grow our economy is to get a large sheep herd going. Wool would be in huge demand since, well, there are no sheep and managing the herd would be prety easy since there are also no predators.
I am looking for suggestions on how I can "create" sheep? Polymorph, use a teleportation circle from a place that has sheep, etc.....
Pretty mundane but we need to fund a war (another long story) and I am looking for short cuts.
Any suggestions are welcome!
Should of covered that....
There is only one other continent and the ocean between the continents is full of undead Kraken that destroy all shipping. Thus, not a possibility....
Yeah, welcome to our world. Nothing can be easy.
We have come up with some options. I just want to see if there is anything we missed that the clever people here can come up with!
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baleful polymorph. get some evil villain and poly them into a female sheep then get another and make him a male. then cast Unnatural Lust on both of them and lol as they mate eachother.
actually if you get low hd targets lesser geas will force them to mate each other.
Sounds like you need a visit from Johnny Appleseedsheep.
Just don't let any wizard accidentally create were-sheep.
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How does the land have any life? No female plants (no edible vegetation, fruit, crops), no female animals (no pollinating bees either)... how do you even have people (and PCs)?
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On a serious(er) note, use a teleportation circle to get as many sheep across as you need to maintain a viable population. Then use create demiplane (in conjunction with at least one greater version) for a bountiful, double time plane. It's expensive and I don't know what kind of capital you are starting with (or what level you are).
Bonus points if you find an existing plane where time flows even faster.
Out of curiosity does the curse extend to insects? Ill assume it doesn't effect plants. Either way the conrinent woukd probably be barren of a lot of vegitarion if no insects.
Our Party is lvl 9, soon level 10, and we do not currently have access to high level casters although we may be able to arrange something in the near future.
Belafon - nice reference =)
I did not really want to get into all the details but the curse was lifted about 100 years ago. The curse did not affect most plants, like grass, trees, etc... What can I say, it's magic and not science right =) The curse did extend to al least soe insects, but once again.... it's magic not science =)
There are esatblished populations along the coasts as the people on this continent migrated to the coasts and the curse ended ar the coastline. So, go 50' off-shore on a boat and "mate" and you have a chance of a female.
We are good to go as far as breeding animals now, we just need tog et them. The leading candidate is teleport circle or polymorph, but the cloudwalk as potential. If I tell our Druid about reincarnate she will want to try that, although it'll get expensive.
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Sounds like you need a visit from Johnny Apple
seedsheep.
Funny story, the elves who live on this continent used magic to develop "Ham Bushes" and "Steak Trees" as well as "Bacon Ivy" to get their protein since they could not raise livestock.
Do you have any transport capacity at all back to civilization?
There is a spell called carry companion that transforms a helpful animal into a small statue.
With this spell, you could simply teleport or overland flight or whatever back to civilization, get a whole flock of sheep, and put them into a small suitcase. Once you get back, the spell is easily reversible with no damage to the sheep. Perhaps best of all, the spell is free to cast and only second level; I suspect both the druid and the wizard could devote a dozen spell slots to them each day.
This is a great suggestion but I don't think the spell comes from material we can use. That is from the Inner Sea guide correct?
Worth a try though.
This is a great suggestion but I don't think the spell comes from material we can use. That is from the Inner Sea guide correct?
Knights of the Inner Sea. Slightly different. I'm surprised that a GM would put up that much of a fight in a homebrew game. Heck, you can just research the spell if needed.
The GM for this game maybe the definition of "Control Freak" and he fears arcane caster more than pretty much anything else.
We had a huge debate over the "Ant Haul" spell as he was convince we would find some way to exploit it.
Never a dull moment.
Under those conditions people on the continent should not even know about animals! I am assuming that there is some form of contact with the other continent bypassing the undead kraken and that is how your players got there and even know about stuff like sheep.
In that case teleport or teleport circle is probably your best bet. Airships if they are available.
How about celestial sheep. Sheep could be summoned via gate or perhaps a trip to the planes or alternate earths to bring animals back.
Hire or become an awesome necromancer to control the undead in the ocean and allow for a transport monopoly.
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I would say Polymorph the rabbits, but sadly the only permanent polymorphs are Baleful Polymorph and Polymorph Any Object. The former can't do sheep since they are size Medium, and the latter is an 8th level spell.
So with that out, your best bet is to Wind Walk or Teleport them from the other continent. If the distances involved are too great, you could probably use Lesser Planar Ally to contract an outsider to do it for you - a lot of them have Greater Teleport at will, which has no range limit. Most of them would probably see shepherding as beneath them, but I'm sure you can convince one with a juicy reward.
I have to ask: did this curse only affect animals? Or did it affect insects as well?
If it affected insects, then the entire ecosystem is all sorts of messed up. A lot of crops won't even work due to a lack of pollination.
Sounds like you need a visit from Johnny Apple
seedsheep.Just don't let any wizard accidentally create were-sheep.
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How does the land have any life? No female plants (no edible vegetation, fruit, crops), no female animals (no pollinating bees either)... how do you even have people (and PCs)?
Maybe it only prevents organisms who define sex with an x/y chromosome from being born. IIRC, there are some animals who do so by the presence or absence of a chromosome or by being haploid/diploid, or where the female is the heterozygote as opposed to the male.
That answer is one of those things that we just write off to.... "It is magic and not science".
Because it is magic most anything could be happening. Sometimes it does not pay to try and figure out the details and you just go with it.
The Outsider angle is a good one also, something we had not considered. Dunno if we have anything that would be a big enough bribe. I guess it never hurts to ask.
I am just picturing a Solar showing up at a livestock market and asking to buy sheep. I mean, it's not like he would just steal them =)
"A wizard did it."
I suspect it depends on the outsider. Erastil would be bang alongside the idea of repopulating a barren continent.
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Baleful polymorph would make for interesting worldbuilding. "Fun facts about my campaign setting: All sheep are descended from the evil warlord Maraxus, who was polymorphed into a sheep following a sheep-destroying plague."
Plane shifting (or finding a portal) to a place that has abundant sheep (Elysium?) and bartering for them could make a memorable adventure too. "A Quest for Sheep." Write that up as a PFS scenario.
Step 1) Don't get sheep, they tend to overgraze.
Step 2) Use goats instead. They have less tendency to overgraze if cared for properly.
You need to fund a war on a continent that has no animals besides rabbits? How are there enough people to even have a war? It would have taken a lot of loveboats in undead-kraken infested waters to create that kind of population.
With no sheep or other animals, where does everyone in this continent get clothing? Is everyone wearing rabbit fur?
You said there are only two continents and that the ocean between your continent and the other is FULL of undead kraken. -What about the ocean on the other side of your continent, is that also full of undead kraken? If not, I would travel in that ocean instead.
As far as money making, what are your options, what drives the economy? You might want to consider creating a stock market to trade rabbit futures. Think about it, with rabbits being the only abundant source of food and clothing, you'd be a fantasy Rockefeller.
Invent the lucky rabbit's foot and start a craze where everyone wants to buy one, like troll dolls in the 90's.
Wait, how do you guys get around, do you have horses?
I really just need some ideas on the sheep issue. I was trying to avoid all the gory details as I did not think anyone would care.
It funny how everyone wants to take everything to the extreme. I'll say it one more time, it's a fantasy game. As a general observation I think more people would enjoy themselves a heck of alot more if you just suspended belief while playing =) I play RPG's to escape reality so I don't constantly try and drag it back into the game.
"It is magic, not science"
Based on some of the answers I can only imagine the long arguments you guys have with your GM's over fairly trivial things.
As I said earlier, there have been cities along the coasts the entire time the curse has been in effect. There are other "loop holes" such as being underground a certain depth seems to of been a good answer also to reproduce. Thus, dwarfs.
The elves were largely unaffected as in this home brew they are "effectively" immortal (think Tolkein Elves.)
It's only real empty inland. The coast has cities and an established population.
We only recently got our hands on some horses. Yup, walking everywhere. Due to this we have not been able to explore great distances.
The war we are 'semi in the middle of' is against drow, orcs, goblins and the like that are coming up out of the under dark since the curse has been lifted. There are lots of totally abandoned cities inland. The bad guys have taken a liking to them.
Just figured it out!
Get a new friend to join the game. Seriously!
Have him play a Beastmaster Ranger and he can bring along two animal companions. Mate them and you're all set. You might not get sheep but you could get boars or horses and get some leather out of it.
Better yet, get two snakes or two wolves or some predators. With so many rabbits, their population will explode!
I mean, he's going to need some reason in his backstory for getting to the land of "why would anyone move here?" but I doubt your GM would restrict him to having only rabbits for animal companions.
Alternatively, you could also just give up and join the army that you are trying to raise money to fight. It doesn't sound like your land is really worth fighting for anyway.
In light of your recent post, why don't you just go to the elves or dwarves? If they were largely unaffected, they should have a number of higher level casters among them who could easily cast the spells you need. I think it would be mutually beneficial to you and the other races to repopulate the continent with wildlife.
Otherwise, I would just drop the sheep idea, it wouldn't be very profitable and the time it would take to amass enough money from wool to outfit an army would be astronomical.
Instead, I would use what money you have to invest in activities that make sense. Mining and logging will not only yield a profit, but will also provide you with the raw materials you need to outfit an army.
I get that "it's magic, not science," but it's still a stretch. Think about the things that it would actually effect in-game. You can't cast any of the early stat buff spells like bear's endurance or fox's cunning because no spell components would be available. Light requires a firefly and darkness requires bat fur. Every single caster would need eschew materials.
You could, as a way to make money, rent out horse services. Use your existing horses for spell components (horse hair) and conjure horses for people who need them to make deliveries or who need to travel only a few hours.
And don't get me wrong here, while I am making light of it, I'm still trying to help. You are apparently stuck in a messed up world and I'm trying to come up with solutions that mirror that theme and fit-in.
I re-read my post and it was a bit more abrasive than I meant it to be. I did not mean to come across as lecturing everyone. Sorrry about that. Everyone has differetn styles.
It has been over a hundred years since the curse was lifted so there has been a good deal of time for many things to "normalize", at least along the coasts.
Good point on the spell components, but we don't typically use things like spell componenets unless there is a signnificant cost. It is just one of those things we gloss over in the interest of having fun.
Also a good call on the dwarfs and elves. We are actually landed nobles in the elven court as were key in the on-going war helping to defend the elven forest from the "under dark invasion". Really long story here but most of the higher level elves are otherwise occupied at the moment. The dwarfs.... well, let's just say they are basically raging a-holes and not worth dealing with.
Remember, nothing can be easy for our group.
Go somewhere with a flock of sheep. If you are honest, buy them. If not, don't bother. Have druid persuade them to enter a portable hole or large bag of holding. Teleport to field. Dump them out before they suffocate. Rinse and repeat as desired.
If you don't have a druid, you could also use a funnel coral with the bag of holding or portable hole at the neck. Then have a scary summoned animal chase them in.
Have the druid use that spell (can't remember name) to get rid of vermin first. You don't want a bunch of new bugs introduce with nothing to eat them.
If all you need to do is go 50 feet off shore to get away from the curse, why don’t you just build a long pier or barge on an area of the continent with relatively calm waters and breed sheep there? Herd them to the barge for mating and then back off to graze / live the rest of the time.
-TimD
Oh, trust me, as the barbarian of the group I am in favor of just smashing things but we have ended up as landed nobles. The sheep idea is just a "fire and forget" way to generate income.
For the record, I would like to have the Falkland Islands!
Lazer, yeah, we could exploit it but that does not mean we would =) Nope, no exploiting the spell since we got access.
Where our land is positoned is nearly the middle of the continent. Our 9th level wizard's teleport just barely reaches a couple of the cities on the coast. Otherwise is an 800+ mile overland walk. We are on the Southern Continent and the Northern Continent is to far for a standard teleport, we need a greater teleport to traverse continents which we do not have ready access too.
Basically, there are no sheep for sale on this continent, at least not at the "several hundred" we would want. I need to "make" them or find another option.
No natural resources (mining and such) in our general area aside from a small stone quarry. Even if we could log (in the elven forest maybe not a good idea) the biggest issue we have is transport something like lumber due to the distance and lack of horses.
We have looked at all our options. Our Farming situation is really good. We have adruid, everything gets blessed, etc....
Also, the scale I am thinking is probably 5+ years so we have some time.
I just need sheep. They could double as a dwarf brothel!
I just need sheep. They could double as a dwarf brothel!
So hard top ype while laughing !@1!
Why not look into manufacturing small items that can be easily teleported? Jewelry, stone ornaments, statuettes, stoneware eating utensils, etc. Or magic items. Create them at home, teleport with them to the various cities on the coast for sale. These could be used in tandem with the sheep idea, stone/magic items out, sheep back home.
Also, there was a magic cart back in 3.0 dayz (might even have been 2ed.). It was called a Mouse Cart or somesuch. Miniature cart that when it had a mouse harnessed to it, grew to full size, mouse included(used horse movement stats), and became fully functional. Create something like that using all those rabbits you have available. Giant rabbit cart caravans across the continent!
BTW, just a guess, but either you folks are from Australia or your GM loves that continent. Am I close? :)
Lesser Planar Ally can get you a Janni Genie which can planeshift you to the astral plane for a second then to the other continent. Get him for two days and you've got your sheep. Unconscious sheep are willing.
If you've been reading the OP, the curse is no longer a factor.If all you need to do is go 50 feet off shore to get away from the curse, why don’t you just build a long pier or barge on an area of the continent with relatively calm waters and breed sheep there? Herd them to the barge for mating and then back off to graze / live the rest of the time.
-TimD
Somehow I missed the "curse has been lifted" part.
-TimD
In a couple levels your Druid can cast Transport via Plants. It's slow, but he could travel back and forth bringing a few sheep at a time from the other continent. Also, take trade goods with you as mentioned above. Maybe the secret of Rabbit Carts... ;)
baleful polymorph. get some evil villain and poly them into a female sheep then get another and make him a male. then cast Unnatural Lust on both of them and lol as they mate eachother.
actually if you get low hd targets lesser geas will force them to mate each other.
Baleful polymorph would make for interesting worldbuilding. "Fun facts about my campaign setting: All sheep are descended from the evil warlord Maraxus, who was polymorphed into a sheep following a sheep-destroying plague."
THIS. All of this.
It seems that the requisite spells are attainable at your level, and could be cast on POWs, volunteers, or test animals with equal (if not equally funny) results.They could double as a dwarf brothel!
That's horrible, but sadly where I thought this was going from the first of the OP, lol
My DM has allowed me to use this so far.
Summon Lantern archon,
Small bag of holding.
Directions:
Get mostly into bag of holding.
Cast SM III, Lantarn Archon
Cast bulls stregnth on LA. [not sure why he says they have to lift, but whatever]
Command LA to teleport bag to wherever you need to go.
get into bag.
.
.
.
wait one min.
.
.
Arive at destination.
Place a couple of sheep in bag on retrun trip..