A few weeks ago I posted some ideas about beasts of burden in the Firelands. I received some feedback, and I thought I would address it.
The Scorpions of ZomusPrime
Zomus really liked the idea of giant scorpions. We chatted back and forth and came up with a working scorpion solution.
The “Santa Rays” of Big Shadow Dragon
After I chatted with Zomus, BigShadowDragon reached out and told me an idea he came up with: giant desert manta-rays. Instead of swimming in the sea, these rays magically hover just above the sand. Sand manta rays, or the portmanteau “santa rays.”
I really like this idea.
I Forgot the Obvious
As I was thinking about it more, I came across an obvious omission. I said before that I wanted the Firelands to feel like a cross between ancient Egypt and One Thousand and One (Arabian) Nights. While that speaks strongly for camel caravans, it also screams out “flying carpet!”
I’m not thinking of anything high-flying here, though those would exist. Much like the “santa ray” a “flying cargo carpet” hovers just above the surface. With some imagination, I might be able to come up with flying carpet construction rules like Traveller’s starship construction rules.
The More the Merrier
Zomus did point out that there was no reason to limit myself to a single answer. He is, of course, exactly correct.
This Post is Not Late
The official post day for this blog is Mondays. The last few months I’ve been making the post live on Sundays, so you can be forgiven for thinking that this is late. It’s later then it’s been (because I was working at my second job this weekend), but it’s still on time!
Anyway… thanks for all the feedback! Great ideas! Have any more that I can steal?
Thanks again for talking through the scorpion! I do like me some giant bugs, especially when they're allies. =D
ReplyDeleteAnd I *really* like the "santa ray" idea! It works as a fantastic amalgam between the mythos/aesthetic you're going for and a nice fantasy concept. Very much fits the fantasy-lite approach!
I did think the carpet construction concept was interesting, and was wondering (in the vein of multiple avenues), could that also be applied to the beasts? Not directly of course, but in terms of armor, general equipment, and (if you choose to go the route) some method of offense?
I can see some pretty fantastic scenarios playing out with one of the party members fighting from on top of an unburdened santa ray (of course requiring decent affinity with the species and that individual in particular).
Anyways, just some more spitballing here, but I'm really enjoying watching this world become fleshed out!