Mimic Ecology

[Qc Storm]

After a recent dungeon run, we have come across a mimic we have not slain immediately. We merely knocked it unconscious and went on our merry way. After a while though, the party discussed the possibility of allying ourselves with the mimic. They are relatively intelligent, neutral, common-speaking oddballs.

What exactly do mimics eat? Where do they come from? Considering their hunting habits and disguises, it seems humanoids are a main part of their diet. But this kind of lifestyle would require them to have a very efficient organism (dungeons are not highways after all). Their existence also seems to imply a crazy wizard (again) created them to to troll adventurers, after the original troll lost his job.

Considering mimics appear to live to eat people and carry treasure, would a mimic agree to join us? We would semi-regularly feed it with humanoids (do mimics eat only live targets?), and it would get to carry and protect very valuable treasure (ours). We would carry it in our wagon, so it could see the world, too. Not something many mimics can brag about.

In exchange, the mimic could trap and devour any unauthorized individuals approaching it without speaking a particular word.

This seems like a very beneficial offer for a mimic, but I don't know them enough to know if it would work.

[Maginomicon]

Dragon Magazine #75 page 6 has an article called "The Ecology of the Mimic" that might be of interest to you.

[LordChaos13]

I'm pretty sure the Mimic eats more than just Adventurers. Likely nomming on the other dungeon dwellers who put their gold and treasure in the mimic's home as payment for not eating them.
Not enough treasure = noms next time they come to deposit gold or perhaps take some back to spend on whatever they spend gold on.

Also: A group of Mimics are totally called a Bank of Mimics :smallbiggrin:

[Deophaun]

It's 4e, but this WotC article (http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drdd/20110608) and its associated PDF says they aren't the product of wizards, but rather another monster from the Far Realm. Plus, they grow to the size of towers.

Far Realm means their larger motives may be inscrutable.

[Cicciograna]

When it comes to the ecology of the dungeons, I always thought that no critter has naturally "adventurers" on its diet: the food income would be simply too scarce.
I think that many beasts feast on mice, maybe fungi, fishes, bats and other small animals that dwell in the depths of the dungeons, adapting their metabolism to sussist on such meager meals; perhaps the lone wandering kobold could be a richer prey, but I reckon that such intelligent dwellers of the underground realms are well to aware of the dangers that hide in the depths of a dungeon.

Another thing to keep in mind is that I am not really knowledgeable about underground environments, so I could entirely be wrong :smallredface:

[Fouredged Sword]

I always thought of them like snakes or such. They don't eat frequently, and hibernate between feedings. I would imagine they would eat anything that touches them.

It has an Int of 10, so it is as smart as an average person, and they speak common, so sure, one could negotiate with one. It would make for a very interesting camp defense.

[forsaken1111]

A tamed mimic sounds rather like the luggage from Discworld

[Bronk]

A tamed mimic sounds rather like the luggage from Discworld

Maybe a mimic/nightmare crossbreed?

[Fouredged Sword]

Fiendish Half dragon mimic probably.

[Tvtyrant]

In my latest campaign they all have the ability to use detect thoughts at-will, so they transform into whatever the upcoming creature is most likely to want. Groups of them will even make complex arrangements like a hotel lobby with a bell for summoning the manager.

The treasure chest is common because adventurers are greedy, but they might also turn into a stalactite or corpse to lure food.

[lytokk]

I was kinda wondering on this myself. Had an idea to give my adventurers the opportunity to enlist the services of a mimic in order to store their treasure, but I hadn't figured out how to or even if the thing needed to eat. (part of it would be a bargain to just get out of the dusty hole its been in for centuries.) Also the thing would serve as a receptionist once they set up their adventuring business. (them talking about it is what got me to think about it).

[SimonMoon6]

Mimics are definitely weird.

I had thought about a mimic as a PC (and not just because of that web comic that has a mimic as a main character) so I started thinking about a lot of these issues.

Clearly, mimics are patient. You'd have to be to wait for thousands of years in a dusty old tomb that no creatures ever venture into, in hopes that someone will venture into it just so you can eat them. Seems like a daft plan to me.

So, I also assume mimics are not very practical. They have crazy ideas about what a sensible plan is. For example, if hired to kill a king, they might just wait for him to age to death. Problem solved.

Also, just imagine what a PC could do with the vast powers of a mimic, able to look like *anything*. But a mimic-- with average human intelligence-- would rather just look like a chest and hide in a tomb. They could find all sorts of yummy prey in a variety of other situations... or even talk to people and get hired for jobs and things... but no, that would be too practical.

Remember, they are usually *neutral*, not evil, so they're not killing people just to kill people. They just want food, and they somehow think that attacking well-armed highly intelligent humanoids is the best way to obtain food.

And with all that in mind, I would assume that mimics are capable of hibernating for thousands of years. Otherwise, they'd never get enough food.

And I'd also assume that they're an endangered species. After all, the only time they ever get to eat, they're fighting adventurers and adventurers almost always win. So, the first time that they ever get to eat, they die.

[SimonMoon6]

they might also turn into a stalactite

Now I'm imagining them preying on piercers and taking their place. Imagine a treasure chest crawling along the ceiling sucking out all the fleshy goodness from a ceiling dwelling mollusk. What's the piercer gonna do? It's just out of luck.

That's assuming that there's not a friendly lurker above to help out. But then, the trapper and stun jellies might have to get involved too...

[Tvtyrant]

Now I'm imagining them preying on piercers and taking their place. Imagine a treasure chest crawling along the ceiling sucking out all the fleshy goodness from a ceiling dwelling mollusk. What's the piercer gonna do? It's just out of luck.

That's assuming that there's not a friendly lurker above to help out. But then, the trapper and stun jellies might have to get involved too...

The mimics slowly devour all else in the Underdark.

[Ravens_cry]

Everyone knows that mimics are commonly found in the company of rust monsters and gelatinous cubes.:smallbiggrin:

[Qc Storm]

This topic raised a few questions, and answered many.

One big thing remains a mystery to me however, and it's a pretty big deal.

Would mimics eat things that are already dead?

I do not think they are very picky with their food, (Being mimics, they can turn into things that can lure anything to them) but could they eat the hunt of someone else?

It would make feeding this guy a lot easier, if we could just turn him into a garbage bin. We keep the loot, he keeps the food. No pollution. Everyone is happy.