Animal Companions and NPC reactions

[hymer]

How do you handle your animal companions or wild cohorts or other such creature with regards to villages, towns and cities? Obviously, some generally pose no problem, like big dogs; and others have facilities that can deal with them, like stables for horses. They may accept a unicorn, too, maybe. But what if the locals aren’t all that keen on you bringing a bear or a dinosaur or what-have-you into their community grounds? Leaving it outside could also spell trouble, if it crosses paths with a local, even if the trouble is merely a panic.
How do/would you usually handle this as players or DMs?

[Greenish]

In D&D-land, anything with 1-2 Int can be domesticated and trained, and probably is given how dangerous the world is.

Unless the town doesn't have any druids or rangers (or people with ranks in Handle Animal) on its own, most creatures shouldn't cause undue alarm. There might be rules for keeping them in leash or similar, though.

[MonochromeTiger]

as a player: usually play evil so if anyone wants to comment about me bringing a tiger into town they can choose to sit down and be quiet or get mauled. my tiger, not trusting some stupid stable to keep it fed and safe.

as a DM: I abuse the wonderful power of players completely forgetting about how bringing a large (usually predatory) animal into town might be unusual by not having anyone react at all so I don't have to mention the various looks of awe and fear.

[sleepyphoenixx]

It depends on the setting but i usually handwave it. Kind of a "they're adventurers, what can you do?" thing.

[Bullet06320]

I once had a group I ran, which included several necromancers, walked right into town, with their undead minions intow, and wondered why the town guard immediately sounded the alarm and started attacking them
unfortunately it did not go well for my town, and the players had more minions then they started with, lol

[Dr. Cliché]

As a DM, it probably depends on exactly what the animal is, what sort of town they're in (and whether the town knows/trusts the PCs), and what (if anything) the animal does in town.

In one adventure, the party druid went to the town guard and asked for a certificate for his bear companion - to show that it was officially accepted.

[hymer]

@ Greenish: Well, that doesn't apply to any campaign I'm currently part of, but thanks for your thoughts. :smallsmile:

@ MT: I see. Thanks!

@ sleepyphoenixx: As with Greenish' post, I'm sure it makes sense in a lot of cases. Thanks!

@ Bullet06320: This is the sort of crossed wire I'm hoping to avoid. :smallsmile: Thanks!

@ Dr. Cliché: Well, assuming it's something that scares people and with good reason if it weren't controlled by a PC, then? I like the idea about certification. A talk with the local authorities is probably a good idea to avoid incidents.

[MesiDoomstalker]

The majority of NPCs (mainly the background ones with no names, no story and no relevance) will give Animal Companions as much berth as they give their Humanoid handler. However, moderately important NPCs, such as shopkeepers, guards, nobles and possibly quest givers (depending on the giver), might have something to say ranging from "You can't bring that beast in here" to "Get out". Major cities probably have some kind of form to fill out which will let you bring your large predator into the city's bounds (with some limitations) as well as what constitutes "too much threat".

[hymer]

@ Mesi: Good thoughts, my thanks for them. :smallsmile:

[jaydubs]

Some possibilities:

-Make the animal appear less threatening. If it's a grizzly bear, for instance, have it wear some clothes and a hat. Then cast reduce animal on it. A dog sized bear wearing funny clothes isn't going to freak anyone out. If anything, they'll want to play with it. There's also a shrink collar to do this without a spell.

-Teach the animal the perform trick, and come up with an "act" of some kind. If other party members actually have perform ranks (for instance bards), an animal companion can actually make it easier to get into places. Everyone likes a show.

-Simply talk your way in. Diplomacy, intimidate, and bluff are there for a reason. As others have mentioned, there are legitimate reasons to not leave a dangerous animal to wander on its own, and you have the skills to make sure it doesn't become a danger in your presence.

-Also, I could've sworn there was a spell that turns an animal into a figurine you can carry around, but I can't seem to find it atm...

[Dr. Cliché]

-Make the animal appear less threatening. If it's a grizzly bear, for instance, have it wear some clothes and a hat. Then cast reduce animal on it. A dog sized bear wearing funny clothes isn't going to freak anyone out. If anything, they'll want to play with it. There's also a shrink collar to do this without a spell.

For some reason you reminded me of this:

http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Sir+Bearington_943e80_3611103.jpg

[jaydubs]

Yeah, Sir Bearington is one of my favorites. :smallsmile:

Right alongside Los Tiburon (http://lolbot.net/?i=22854).

http://lolbot.net/pix/22854.jpg

[hymer]

I have no problems with bears. Quite the opposite, I love bears.

http://www.travelooce.com/pics/bear_picnic_table.jpg

@ jaydubs: Good thoughts, thanks! Do you happen to remember where the shrink collar can be found?

[jaydubs]

Shrink collar is from page 80 of the Arms & Equipment Guide.

[Raven777]

"My Sorcerer friend over there can ask your bones to snap, and they will, yet you have a problem with a bear?"

[hymer]

@ jaydubs: Thanks!

@ Raven777: As amusing and fulfiling as it would be to say that, I'm afraid it wouldn't really endear us to the locals. :smallbiggrin:

[Coidzor]

For the most part we just have the animal companion stick close to their master or have a token "leash" that's more for show than actually capable of holding the animal companion if it were to go bearserk.

Occasionally we've had to register them when we were going into capital cities, but that was generally part of registering the entire adventuring company or part of entering a tournament.

[hymer]

I guess the leash at least gives the indication that the big bear isn't here alone, and someone's got some sort of control (and is feeding it, hopefully). Then it's less likely to cause a panic. Thanks!

[Darrin]

How do you handle your animal companions or wild cohorts or other such creature with regards to villages, towns and cities?

Fez (1 SP) + brocade vest (8 GP) + harmonica (5 GP, +4 circumstance bonus on Bluff/Diplomacy/Disguise/Gather Info checks on commoners for 1d6 hours).

If the animal is already maxed out on tricks, add a Collar of Cleverness (700 GP, Masters of the Wild) to add the Perform trick.

[hymer]

One does not simply put a fez on a dire bear. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.

[phlidwsn]

For at least getting an exotic companion through the gate and to the Inn, I've used Aspect of the Wolf(SPC) cast on my companion. Guards can be persuaded to let a 'dog' in much easier than say a fleshraker or a dire ape.

[Greenish]

For at least getting an exotic companion through the gate and to the Inn, I've used Aspect of the Wolf(SPC) cast on my companion. Guards can be persuaded to let a 'dog' in much easier than say a fleshraker or a dire ape.
Guard: You can't bring dogs in here!
The Phantom: That's okay, Devil isn't a dog.

[Coidzor]

For at least getting an exotic companion through the gate and to the Inn, I've used Aspect of the Wolf(SPC) cast on my companion. Guards can be persuaded to let a 'dog' in much easier than say a fleshraker or a dire ape.

With a dire ape, you just dress it up and pretend it's a mute bodyguard from some exotic species. XD

[hymer]

@ phlidwsn: Good short-term solution for druids. I agree that bringing a wolf with you is generally as accepted as dogs. At least, I've never had problems with a wolf animal companion causing any more of a stir than a large dog would.

[Coidzor]

@ phlidwsn: Good short-term solution for druids. I agree that bringing a wolf with you is generally as accepted as dogs. At least, I've never had problems with a wolf animal companion causing any more of a stir than a large dog would.

Of course not, it's Headology. People see a large, furry canine creature walking around with humanoids. Obviously, regardless of appearances, it must be a dog, because wolves and coyotes just don't walk around with humanoids into cities.

[hymer]

True. And even more so if the one the canine walks around with has krisma.

[jaydubs]

Just had a strange idea. You could always teach the animal the "work" trick.

Then at the gates have your bear (or similar) be pulling the wagon. And when the guards ask, tell them it's an exotic Dwarven Wagon-Bear. Completely tame, eats oats, and just used by dwaven nobles as a status symbol.

[Pickford]

Greenish:

Guard: You can't bring dogs in here!
The Phantom: That's okay, Devil isn't a dog.


The appropriate response by the Ex-Adventurer turned Inn-keeper and his 7 ex-Adventurers turned retired bar guards is: "We don't serve (Insert Animal X here) except as the Sunday brunch meal. It gets out or its head is going up on my wall."

What? You guys thought you were the only level 20+ adventurers? Bonus points if you do this when your PCs 'accidentally' stroll into the Inn Between Worlds where the keeper just happens to be a deity.

[Coidzor]

The appropriate response by the Ex-Adventurer turned Inn-keeper and his 7 ex-Adventurers turned retired bar guards is: "We don't serve (Insert Animal X here) except as the Sunday brunch meal. It gets out or its head is going up on my wall."

What? You guys thought you were the only level 20+ adventurers? Bonus points if you do this when your PCs 'accidentally' stroll into the Inn Between Worlds where the keeper just happens to be a deity.

:smallconfused: How... How does that make more sense to you instead of making the exact opposite of sense?

[MonochromeTiger]

:smallconfused: How... How does that make more sense to you instead of making the exact opposite of sense?

maybe they just really don't like their players' pets... but yeah setting it up so that a class feature and possibly major part of a character's story or development get killed just for going into town is a bit messed up. it's like sundering a fighter's weapon or putting an unprepared caster in an anti magic field alone.

[Coidzor]

maybe they just really don't like their players' pets... but yeah setting it up so that a class feature and possibly major part of a character's story or development get killed just for going into town is a bit messed up. it's like sundering a fighter's weapon or putting an unprepared caster in an anti magic field alone.

I meant the former Adventurers and even a deity displaying anti-animal companion prejudice out of the blue when that's something more normally associated with ye olde superstitious, ignorant, non-adventuring common folk.

I suppose the metagame exploration/explanation would be the more pertinent one though.

[hymer]

Just had a strange idea. You could always teach the animal the "work" trick.
Then at the gates have your bear (or similar) be pulling the wagon. And when the guards ask, tell them it's an exotic Dwarven Wagon-Bear. Completely tame, eats oats, and just used by dwaven nobles as a status symbol.

You could do it without the duplicity as well. Like with the token leash, showing the beast doing something unusual for its kind (but usual for a tame animal) may be a strong subliminal message.

@ Pickford & MT: '20th level party as tavern owners' seems like highly specific and unusual case to me. How such people react is more likely to stem from their background and personality, and can easily be very different from that of the average Tom, Rich and Mary. I'm more interested in the general everyday reactions of people in the streets and shops, and how adventurers can deal with it all.