Author Topic: Do Familiars Talk? (Read 1302 times)

Rowana · « **Reply #20 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:22:16 pm »

Layonara specific Fairy Dragons do not speak common. Please keep in mind when you consider the RP of your familiar that you are not using Forgotten Realms lore or any other boxed D'nD module, you are in fact in Layonara which has it's own copywritten lore.

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Jearick Hgar - 2/14/2007 3:00 PM

Er since when could Fairy Dragons not talk. As logn as i've known Dragons in general they've all been able to talk. The game eveng ives the Dragons Personallities int heir descirption at creation. Also in shadows of undrentide Your first task is to answer the riddles of a fairy dragon. Plus the dragons have Int and Char scores. The fairy dragon has 12 char adn 14 int.

Most orcs have alot lower than 14 int, yet they can talk, and the 12 char state that they have apersonallity. These are miniature dragons, The game describes the psuedo dragons a minaiture fire dragons, jsut they aren't evil. So if they are everythign a dragon is except they are smaller in size, why can't they talk?

~row

Dorganath · « **Reply #21 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:24:04 pm »

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/pseudodragon.htm
Now, to put the clamps on anyone who picks up on the telepathic communication mentioned here, there is no telepathy in Layonara for PCs, and it should not be RPed at all, whether directly or through their familiars.
Keep in mind also that Pseudodragons and Faerie dragons are not standard D&D familiars.
And what Rowana stated is also true. Layonara is not Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk or any other campaign setting. Layonara's rules override any others.

Witch Hunter · « **Reply #22 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:31:10 pm »

"Telepathy (Su)
Pseudodragons can communicate telepathically with creatures that speak Common or Sylvan, provided they are within 60 feet. "

So it is capable of speaking with the caster via telepathy? (I mean a one way conversation, the caster can't use telepathy to converse back)

Dyslogia · « **Reply #23 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:32:24 pm »

Just adding a bit on the subject; to me, it would be within reason that familiars, who have some resemblance to animals (panthers, bats, doggies and so on), won't be speaking any "humanoid" language. Though their intelligence is higher than the normal 1 or 2 for animals, their evolution isn't - their language will still be growls and groans (the animal language, right?), which would translate into something like Rowana said. Their intelligence would moreover allow them to understand languages, not restricted to animal.
However the "monstrous" familiars (imps, eyeballs, mephits, and pixies) all have an intelligence higher than ten, even in the wild, and should therefore be able to speak. The Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual even clarifies that they do speak common (eyeballs being beholderkin). Pseudodragons are something special here, as the manual states that "A pseudodragon can communicate telepathically and can also vocalize animal noises, such as a rasping purr (pleasure), a hiss (unpleasant surprise), a chirp (desire), or a growl (anger). As to Fairydragons, are there anybody here who remember talkative Riisi from SoU?

But again, it was from the Monster Manual... and Riisi was Forgotten Realms.
There is some useful links about roleplaying with a familiar around the forum, here's a couple:
http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=30669&posts=13&start=1
http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=23516&posts=11&start=1
♣ Dyslogia

Dorganath · « **Reply #24 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:35:21 pm »

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Witch Hunter - 2/14/2007 3:31 PM "Telepathy (Su) Pseudodragons can communicate telepathically with creatures that speak Common or Sylvan, provided they are within 60 feet. "
So it is capable of speaking with the caster via telepathy? (I mean a one way conversation, the caster can't use telepathy to converse back)

Written by me just above your post:

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Now, to put the clamps on anyone who picks up on the telepathic communication mentioned here, there is no telepathy in Layonara for PCs, and it should not be RPed at all, whether directly or through their familiars.

To say yet again, familiars can communicate through an empathic link with the wizard/sorcerer.

ShiffDrgnhrt · « **Reply #25 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:51:02 pm »

Are we missing the point that this isnt FORGETTEN REALMS? That would mean anything in Ice Wind Dale, Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter Nights, or the Dungeons and Dragons Books (DM guide, players hand book, monster manual, ETC) does not apply here? Layo is Leanthars creation, not "Wizards of the Coast's" (TM). So we should remember that..... Right?

ShiffDrgnhrt · « **Reply #26 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:52:22 pm »

And just in case anyone wants to ask again, as Dorganath Said There is no telepathy in Layonare

Empathy On the other hand is NOT TELEPATHY!!!! Instead of relaying thoughts, empathy is the relaying of emtions. So if Bob's psuedoDragon is hungry, Bob might pick on that by becoming hungry himself. Or if Bob's PD is mad, Bob might notice by becomin a bit miffed himself, or at least sensing that Little Bob is upset

Lilswanwillow · « **Reply #27 on:** February 14, 2007, 01:55:21 pm »

well, thanks for the clarification..
IWO, from the higher ups:

NO, although they have high INT scores, the only things that can speak are imps and fairys. end of story.

its too bad, I would like my lil dragon to speak, but I'd rather have a good RP standing than go round the rules, eh?

Drizzlin · « **Reply #28 on:** February 14, 2007, 02:27:07 pm »

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Jearick Hgar - 2/14/2007 1:00 PM

Er since when could Fairy Dragons not talk. As logn as i've known Dragons in general they've all been able to talk. The game eveng ives the Dragons Personallities int heir descirption at creation. Also in shadows of undrentide Your first task is to answer the riddles of a fairy dragon. Plus the dragons have Int and Char scores. The fairy dragon has 12 char adn 14 int.

Most orcs have alot lower than 14 int, yet they can talk, and the 12 char state that they have apersonallity. These are miniature dragons, The game describes the psuedo dragons a minaiture fire dragons, jsut they aren't evil. So if they are everythign a dragon is except they are smaller in size, why can't they talk?

Well if you look up Pseudodragon in the MM, it says "A pseudodragon can communicate telepathically and can also vocalize animal noises, such as a reasping pure, hiss, a chir, or a grow."

It says nothing about them being able to talk. In fact it goes as far as to describe the methods the pseudo(which means fake)dragon can communicate. So unless changed by the Layo DM team, they can not talk. Which by the way the DM team here says no telepathy, so I assume they communicate with empathy instead in Layo.

Drizzlin · « **Reply #29 on:** February 14, 2007, 02:31:41 pm »

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Lilswanwillow - 2/14/2007 1:55 PM

well, thanks for the clarification..
IWO, from the higher ups:

NO, although they have high INT scores, the only things that can speak are imps and fairys. end of story.

its too bad, I would like my lil dragon to speak, but I'd rather have a good RP standing than go round the rules, eh?

Well if a creature does not have a vocal box, or the means to form certain sounds, they simply can not. They are left with barks, howls, purring, and hissing. With D&D it is always a good idea to look a creature up in a MM, if you have one, to determine things such as what they can speak.

Drizzlin · « **Reply #30 on:** February 14, 2007, 02:33:48 pm »

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ShiffDrgnhrt - 2/14/2007 1:51 PM

Are we missing the point that this isnt FORGETTEN REALMS? That would mean anything in Ice Wind Dale, Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter Nights, or the Dungeons and Dragons Books (DM guide, players hand book, monster manual, ETC) does not apply here? Layo is Leanthars creation, not "Wizards of the Coast's" (TM). So we should remember that..... Right?

Of course we remember that. However we also know that Leanther made this world from D&D, and unless stated differently from D&D in LORE or the layo handbook, all the same rules apply in the world of Layonara that apply in D&D 3.0.

Rayenoir · « **Reply #31 on:** February 14, 2007, 02:46:34 pm »

- post removed after realizing it sounded needlessly petulant and personal.

Dorganath · « **Reply #32 on:** February 14, 2007, 03:48:30 pm »

OK, this is just getting silly.
Let me summarize.
A wizard or sorcerer shares an empathic link with his/her familiar.
With the exceptions of Faerie Dragons, Imps and Pixies, familiars do not speak common.
Magical beast or not, an animal that is a familiar does not simply gain the necessary structures (vocal cords, dental structure, pallate shape, facial muscles, etc) to speak in the language of humanoids.
THERE IS NO TELEPATHY.
Animal companions, at best, can communicate through the use of the Animal language, but then only in a manner befitting the animal's natural intelligence.
A ranger/druid and his/her animal companion share no sort of communicative link other that a strong bond of friendship.
Without exception, animal companions do not speak Common or any other humanoid language.
EDIT: and this thread will not turn into a "why familiars are broken" thread.

Rayenoir · « **Reply #33 on:** February 14, 2007, 04:11:48 pm »

For those of us who have RPed our familiars who do not fall into your guidelines as acceptable having spoken in the past, do we retroactively state that our familiars never spoke common, or must we invent a reason why this is no longer the case?

Dorganath · « **Reply #34 on:** February 14, 2007, 04:39:28 pm »

After some research, I have added Faerie dragons to the above list. They are specifically called out as being able to speak.
All others simply lack the capacity to vocalize words.

Doc-Holiday · « **Reply #35 on:** February 14, 2007, 04:39:54 pm »

or.. we could just not move on and not question the now lack of talking...

a sort of cosmic hiccup

lunchboxkilla · « **Reply #36 on:** February 14, 2007, 05:56:06 pm »

I thought that psudo dragons can talk? Fairy dragons do riddles to cofuse adventruers

Doc-Holiday · « **Reply #37 on:** February 14, 2007, 05:59:13 pm »

Gah!.. you didn't read >< Dorgie said layonara's world setting is DIFFRENT than the DnD setting.. meaning.. animal behavior and creature habits

Drizzlin · « **Reply #38 on:** February 14, 2007, 06:01:12 pm »

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lunchboxkilla - 2/14/2007 5:56 PM

I thought that psudo dragons can talk? Fairy dragons do riddles to cofuse adventruers

But they can not, just look it up in the Monster Manual.

Stephen_Zuckerman · « **Reply #39 on:** February 14, 2007, 06:03:34 pm »

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Dorganath - 2/14/2007 7:39 PM After some research, I have added Faerie dragons to the above list. They are specifically called out as being able to speak.
All others simply lack the capacity to vocalize words.

I hate to revisit something I think has already been covered, but for clarification... It's been stated that Ravens could speak Common (or ONE other language the character is fluent in), earlier in the thread. Is this the case? If not, can ravens still speak a limited number of words (say, one per HD) in Common (or other)? I just think that that would be a really cool RP device. I'm unsure as to whether or not RL ravens can (with training) vocalize recognizable words... On the other hand, if parrots can... *Shrugs.* As a side note, I would personally prefer the second (third, counting no speech) option, that of limited vocabulary.