Figurehead

[The Pressman]

Me and a friend are co-dming a campaign soon, and we have a boat. What I need is a figurehead, which will also be a topiary guardian. So I need a good monster/animal/haberdasher/etc. to use.

[Morithias]

Me and a friend are co-dming a campaign soon, and we have a boat. What I need is a figurehead, which will also be a topiary guardian. So I need a good monster/animal/haberdasher/etc. to use.

This is going to sound real cheesy, but how about using the aasimar?

[Serpentine]

Just throwin' it out there: a Dragon magazine contained mechanics for Robin Hobb's Liveships. They're pretty great.

Elsewise... Dragons and mermaids are pretty standard.

[The Pressman]

Just throwin' it out there: a Dragon magazine contained mechanics for Robin Hobb's Liveships. They're pretty great.

Elsewise... Dragons and mermaids are pretty standard.

Standard is a tad decried. Just a tad.

[Balain]

I was thinking Robin Hobbs Liveships. An old Mereman stabbing people with it's giant trident comes to mind

[Serpentine]

Standard is a tad decried. Just a tad.

Okay. In that case... More detail would be helpful. Without that...
Dolphin, seahorse, random fish, that sort of thing. If that's still too standard...
Giant squid, octopus (other ship grappling!), flying fish, manta ray. Given the fantasy context, sea elf, sea wolf, sea tiger, water elemental. If you want to get away from the aquatic theme...
Wolf, eagle, horse, pegasus, unicorn... Um... Dinosaur?

[The Pressman]

Okay. In that case... More detail would be helpful. Without that...
Dolphin, seahorse, random fish, that sort of thing. If that's still too standard...
Giant squid, octopus (other ship grappling!), flying fish, manta ray. Given the fantasy context, sea elf, sea wolf, sea tiger, water elemental. If you want to get away from the aquatic theme...
Wolf, eagle, horse, pegasus, unicorn... Um... Dinosaur?

What kind of detail?
Also, I'm keeping owlbear as a reserve choice.

[Flickerdart]

The best figurehead is a trebuchet that fires warforged titans.

[Serpentine]

Well... What sort of boat? A swift scouting vessel, or a lumbering behemoth?
What is it for? War, pirating, exploration, trade?
Where will it be going? Local harbours or untouched oceans?
What sort of message do you want it to send? "Don't mess with us, we're dangerous", "don't even bother running, we'll get you", "run run as fast as you can, you can't catch us we're... faster than you"?
What sort of background do your characters/the shipbuilders have? Cosmopolitan gnomes, tree-hugging druids, stoic traditionalist dwarves?

Etc, etc, so on and so forth.

[The Pressman]

Well... What sort of boat? A Dhow.
What is it for? Transport of passengers and cargo.
Where will it be going? Local harbours or untouched oceans? Across a lake.
What sort of message do you want it to send? "Don't mess with us, we're dangerous", "don't even bother running, we'll get you", "run run as fast as you can, you can't catch us we're... faster than you"? Not quite sure yet.
What sort of background do your characters/the shipbuilders have? Cosmopolitan gnomes, tree-hugging druids, stoic traditionalist dwarves?
Many different ones. The background is diversity, overlaid with light bureaucracy.
Etc, etc, so on and so forth.

Anything else?

A dhow is a boat with one or more large triangular sails.
Pics:

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[Serpentine]

Hmmm... Inland, economic, probably non-agressive... A bull comes to mind. They're pretty heavily laden with cultural significance. What sort of animals are economically and/or religiously significant to the area?

[The Pressman]

Hmmm... Inland, economic, probably non-agressive... A bull comes to mind. They're pretty heavily laden with cultural significance. What sort of animals are economically and/or religiously significant to the area?

Hmm. We hadn't fleshed out the world that much, but I'll give it a stab. I'd say sheep, cows, chickens, common farm animals, etc. However, since it's Fantasy, I'm going to say that their main industries are Digester farming and darkmantle breeding.

Edit: religious: probably octopi.

[Serpentine]

Ew, digester

Bulls are very very prominent in ancient religions, especially agrarian ones. Consider that. Octopus could be pretty snazzy too. Or an eagle, or some other sort of bird of prey or aerial fantasy beast.

[Gan The Grey]

Huge goat...for battering purposes.

[The Pressman]

I'm liking the octopus idea. Plus, an octopus made out of shrubbery would be amazing.

[Snake-Aes]

What about an actual horse? Bonus if it can walk on water, especially if on fire.

[Noneoyabizzness]

tie a drow to the masthead

[The-Mage-King]

The best figurehead is a trebuchet that fires warforged titans.

I second this.