The Koalas of Eberron

[Afgncaap5]

In the current Eberron game I'm running, a recurring villain is a "wizard" (mechanically he's more like an "Expert who has weird magic", but in-universe he's referred to as a wizard) who has a koala as a familiar. I have some rough ideas for the benefit that the koala is giving him, but I've also got a particular encounter in mind that'd take place in the the wizard's "home turf." So, if you had to pick a place for Koalas to come from in Eberron, where would you put it?

So far my thoughts include Q'Barra, maybe some place in Xen'Drik (though this feels way too easy a home for Marsupials), the Lhazaar Principalities, and the Talenta Plains (I can see koalas fitting in pretty well in a wild grassland/desert that's home to dinosaurs, but I don't know how "realistic" that is, even if I'm allowed to use such a word for such a topic.)

Alternatively... a few places that I just don't know enough about but might have some good places could include literally anywhere on the entire continents of Aerenal, Sarlona (though that feels unlikely), or Argonessen (that feels *really* unlikely...). A few obscure points in the Shadow Marches, Darguun, and Droaam look possible, as might some of the extreme southernmost areas of the Mror Holds, or Valenar. And... what's this spot on the map? "Lorghalan"?

*Googles*

Uh... I could make up that place as a haven for koalas. Seems like the island is mostly ruled by non-Zil gnomes who have been confounding the Princes of the Principalities with mind games, and practically nothing else has ever been written about it.

Anyway... thoughts? Thoughts on Koalas?

[daremetoidareyo]

In the current Eberron game I'm running, a recurring villain is a "wizard" (mechanically he's more like an "Expert who has weird magic", but in-universe he's referred to as a wizard) who has a koala as a familiar. I have some rough ideas for the benefit that the koala is giving him, but I've also got a particular encounter in mind that'd take place in the the wizard's "home turf." So, if you had to pick a place for Koalas to come from in Eberron, where would you put it?

So far my thoughts include Q'Barra, maybe some place in Xen'Drik (though this feels way too easy a home for Marsupials), the Lhazaar Principalities, and the Talenta Plains (I can see koalas fitting in pretty well in a wild grassland/desert that's home to dinosaurs, but I don't know how "realistic" that is, even if I'm allowed to use such a word for such a topic.)

Alternatively... a few places that I just don't know enough about but might have some good places could include literally anywhere on the entire continents of Aerenal, Sarlona (though that feels unlikely), or Argonessen (that feels *really* unlikely...). A few obscure points in the Shadow Marches, Darguun, and Droaam look possible, as might some of the extreme southernmost areas of the Mror Holds, or Valenar. And... what's this spot on the map? "Lorghalan"?

*Googles*

Uh... I could make up that place as a haven for koalas. Seems like the island is mostly ruled by non-Zil gnomes who have been confounding the Princes of the Principalities with mind games, and practically nothing else has ever been written about it.

Anyway... thoughts? Thoughts on Koalas?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala#Cultural_significance
I would have them do something with the lucid dreaming skill or grant a bonus oneiromancy feat or extend your dreamtouched state (secrets of sarlona) by like 2 rounds & perhaps dreamtouched benefits can be extended to them as familiars. If you can't decide, perhaps...make male and female koala's have different benefits?

[DrMotives]

I would say an intimidate bonus, because you tell everyone that the koala is a fearsome dropbear, the most dangerous marsupial around. If you want other marsupials, I know of 2 in 3.5. The Diprotodon from Sandstorm, and the Glyptodon from Frostburn. Giant wombat & armadillo, respectively.

[Afgncaap5]

I would say an intimidate bonus, because you tell everyone that the koala is a fearsome dropbear, the most dangerous marsupial around. If you want other marsupials, I know of 2 in 3.5. The Diprotodon from Sandstorm, and the Glyptodon from Frostburn. Giant wombat & armadillo, respectively.

I've actually already used some dropbears (there's some decent stats in the d20 Menace Manual). I've actually got the koala's benefit as being a boost to saves against poisons, toxins, and most other things that'd require a fortitude save (though an oneiromancy feat is an interesting idea. Intimidate might be good as well, but this wizard is a comically nonthreatening villain, even if some such bonus is in play.)

The main thing I'm trying to workshop, though, is thoughts on a location where a koala might be likely. It's tricky because, well... while Eberron has scads of lost continents, jungles, deserts, and extreme environments, most of them seem to have an ecology more in line with South America, Africa, Asia, or even the United States' Pacific Northwest. While it's easy enough to say "Well, Koalas can be in an environment like South America or Africa" that also doesn't feel "right" to me.

[KillingAScarab]

I have some rough ideas for the benefit that the koala is giving him, but I've also got a particular encounter in mind that'd take place in the the wizard's "home turf." So, if you had to pick a place for Koalas to come from in Eberron, where would you put it?The obvious familiar benefit is that a koala's master is immune to sleep effects; the koala does all the sleeping for them. 20 hours a day (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala#Foraging_and_activities).

Where should koalas be found? Near their food source. A modern koala can live in a range of climates, but is adapted to eat highly toxic leaves from which it gains very low nutrition, and part of that adaptation is a very slow metabolism relative to other mammals. Of course, you aren't dealing with a modern koala, just something which is recognizable enough as a koala. If you want to draw upon an earlier variety which lived in rainforests and off of more than one type of plant, you certainly can.

[Inevitability]

Well, koalas in our world live someplace with next to no large predators, or at least no large predators able to climb trees. Seems to me that Q'Barra and Xen'Drik are a bit too dangerous.

Maybe have them only inhabit a few, predator-free islands of the Lhazaar Principalities?

[Afgncaap5]

Well, koalas in our world live someplace with next to no large predators, or at least no large predators able to climb trees. Seems to me that Q'Barra and Xen'Drik are a bit too dangerous.

Maybe have them only inhabit a few, predator-free islands of the Lhazaar Principalities?

Lack of predators? Yeah... that'd remove a whole swath of territories. Lhazaar is lookin' better and better. Time for me to start writing material for Lorghalan, I guess!


The obvious familiar benefit is that a koala's master is immune to sleep effects; the koala does all the sleeping for them. 20 hours a day (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala#Foraging_and_activities).

That's actually brilliant. I think I'll take away his bonus to fort saves and replace it with something like that. I should... I should probably take away its Alertness feat for something with quite that much punch. (Which makes sense, if it's moments away from falling asleep all the time.)

What Knowledge (Arcana) DC would you put for knowing the bonuses conferred by familiars? Maybe 12-ish for regular ones (so not *quite* common knowledge), bump it up to 17 for more obscure ones like Koalas, Hummingbirds, and the like?

[daremetoidareyo]

What Knowledge (Arcana) DC would you put for knowing the bonuses conferred by familiars? Maybe 12-ish for regular ones (so not *quite* common knowledge), bump it up to 17 for more obscure ones like Koalas, Hummingbirds, and the like?

That's reasonable. But if you want the Players to know things, you should tell them. If you want their characters to know things, or possibly not, go with the knowledge checks

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Afgncaap5
The main thing I'm trying to workshop, though, is thoughts on a location where a koala might be likely.

Koalas need eucalyptus trees in lowland tropical and temperate habitats, so ideally you'd need somewhere that's isolated from major landmasses, or at least a peninsula which retains eucalypt habitat not found elsewhere on the continent.

As already noted, koalas can live in a wide range of biomes, from tropical savanna and woodlands through temperate forest and grasslands. I'm not that familiar with Eberron, but the Talenta Plains sound like they'd be a strong possibility. Otherwise, look for habitats along the eastern margin of landmasses in 20-40 degrees of latitude.

Just glancing at a map of Eberron, the Dark Sea coast of Xen'Drik looks like a decent match, and the southeastern reaches of Sarlona might be another option. If both of these continents are relatively unexplored, then you should be able to fit in some eucalypt forests (and koalas) without much trouble.


Originally Posted by Afgncaap5
I've actually got the koala's benefit as being a boost to saves against poisons, toxins, and most other things that'd require a fortitude save….

This seems like the best option to me, since koalas can detoxify a range of eucalypt poisons. I would definitely remove Alertness, though--and also keep in mind they have a small and relatively uncomplex brain.

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[Afgncaap5]

That's reasonable. But if you want the Players to know things, you should tell them. If you want their characters to know things, or possibly not, go with the knowledge checks

I would rather they not know, personally, but it also feels like something that could be knowable by wizards or sorcerers in the party. The party sorcerer would know that familiars can confer bonuses to their masters, and while a koala isn't a commonly available one it also feels like the sorcerer might have some chance of having overheard what koalas grant while studying and practicing methods of pushing their own arcane skill. Heck, considering how suffused Eberron is with arcane magic, I think a Knowledge (Nature) check might also give that with a DC 5 or so higher for a druid or ranger player.


Koalas need eucalyptus trees in lowland tropical and temperate habitats, so ideally you'd need somewhere that's isolated from major landmasses, or at least a peninsula which retains eucalypt habitat not found elsewhere on the continent.

As already noted, koalas can live in a wide range of biomes, from tropical savanna and woodlands through temperate forest and grasslands. I'm not that familiar with Eberron, but the Talenta Plains sound like they'd be a strong possibility. Otherwise, look for habitats along the eastern margin of landmasses in 20-40 degrees of latitude.

Just glancing at a map of Eberron, the Dark Sea coast of Xen'Drik looks like a decent match, and the southeastern reaches of Sarlona might be another option. If both of these continents are relatively unexplored, then you should be able to fit in some eucalypt forests (and koalas) without much trouble.


This seems like the best option to me, since koalas can detoxify a range of eucalypt poisons. I would definitely remove Alertness, though--and also keep in mind they have a small and relatively uncomplex brain.

Ahh! Lotsa useful stuff here. I'm still leaning toward the islands off the shores of Q'Barra, though Sarlona could also work pretty well. Xen'Drik... would be a lot of fun, but that place gets weird. It's not so much that I don't think koalas could exist there as it is that I think there are lots of options for predators.

[Palanan]

Koalas are subject to predation by large snakes and birds of prey, among other things, so they're not usually living in a predator-free environment.

Keep in mind that when they're sleeping twenty hours a day, they're usually ensconced somewhere fairly high in a tree, not moving and not making much sound. Like sloths in South America, they're much more vulnerable when they travel on the ground between trees. But during an ordinary day in the trees, koalas can generally avoid detection and survive in an area with predators. I wouldn't let that be a determining factor in where you place them.