DnD Head Canons

[RedMage125]

Iggwilv is a distant descendant of Orcus (from his mortal life). This rectifies Iuz's background as the son of Grazzt with his other background as a descendant of Orcus

I'm in shock. I actually never knew Orcus used to be mortal. I looked it up, but it mostly seems to be FR lore that says that. But Iggwilv is Greyhawk. Is it true across the settings?

[Unoriginal]

I'm in shock. I actually never knew Orcus used to be mortal. I looked it up, but it mostly seems to be FR lore that says that. But Iggwilv is Greyhawk. Is it true across the settings?

Most Demon Princes used to be mortals, for a very loose definition of "used to be".

How direct the link between mortal and Demon depends on the edition. In 5e, chaotic evil souls are absorbed by the Abyss, which then produces Demons. Orcus is not described as one of the Demon Princes who are exceptions to the usual, so we can assume it is how he came to be Orcus.

(In any case, 5e Orcus would be sincerely disgusted by the suggestion he ever participated in the creation of something living, and the identity of the mortal who got digested until the Demon who eventually became Orcus is likely not very relevant).

[Millstone85]

In 5e, chaotic evil souls are absorbed by the Abyss, which then produces Demons. Orcus is not described as one of the Demon Princes who are exceptions to the usual, so we can assume it is how he came to be Orcus.

That's not my reading of the 5e lore.

The Abyss creates demons as extensions of itself, spontaneously forming fiends out of filth and carnage. Some are unique monstrosities, while others represent uniform strains virtually identical to each other. Other demons (such as manes) are created from mortal souls shunned or cursed by the gods, or which are otherwise trapped in the Abyss.

To me, it sounds like a large part of the demonic population does not come from mortal souls.

[Unoriginal]

That's not my reading of the 5e lore.

To me, it sounds like a large part of the demonic population does not come from mortal souls.

You are 100% correct, but I did say 'for a very loose definition of "used to be".'

Demons dying in the Abyss are reabsorbed by it, and it'll eventually spawn new Demons, so it can be said that all Demons are made from Soulyent Green, just more or less processed.

There's also at least one confirmed case of a mortal exteriorizing some of the chaotic evil in their soul to not have to deal with it, and that part of themselves turning into a Drecht as a result

The MM text also says:

A demon might spawn as a manes, then become a dretch, and eventually transform to a vrock after untold time spent fighting and surviving in the Abyss. Such elevations are rare, however, for most demons are destroyed before they attain significant power. The greatest of those that do survive make up the ranks of the demon lords that threaten to tear the Abyss apart with their endless warring.

Meaning that most Demon Lords got their might from being the rare Demons able to ascend again and again, rather than just emerging from the Abyss that strong.


I admit my explanation was either too unclear or overstating the case, though.

[oudeis]

Merchants and smiths don't actually keep magic items in stock. They have a supply of high-quality mundane pieces on display and the ability to imbue them, provided the proper magic source and incantation are used: after the adventurer provides the (surreptitiously tested) coin for their purchase, the vendor will insist that they give that ring/sword/armor "just a quick touch-up" before it leaves the shop; in reality however, the courtesy pass with the 'cleaning fluid' (the energizing infusion) and the tuneless ditty they sing as they work (the binding charm) are the final step in the enchantment process. This makes robbery virtually pointless, and since the reagent and the charm are specific to each item and property, even torture isn't a reliable means of insuring an easy magic haul. Additionally, most magic retailers are actually fronts for arcane crafting syndicates or powerful wizards who don't want hordes of unwashed vagabonds pestering them for 'Like, a totally badass pigsticker, dude!', so murder hobos would be well-advised to keep their customary anti-social tendencies in check.

Warlock pacts are contracts that can be traded by the sponsoring entity, or even usurped by a rival or greater power, depending on how the politics of the particular realm work. You drank the trothwine with The Dancer upon The Starlight Meads, that is true, but they offended the Vortex Incarnadine, and since the Fey are too preoccupied with their own affairs to be drawn into another pointless brush war with the Fiends, your pact was bundled up with a sheaf of others and gifted as a peace offering. Meet the New Boss, etc.

On some worlds, Godzilla, Skynet, and The Man in Black are Patrons. Trying to pact with Galactus is considered a bad idea, however.

Dragonborn isn't a race, it's a class, landing somewhere between Monk and Sorceror in its mechanics.

Chaotic Spelljammers are known to occasionally load their vessels with great quantities of astral ice and go joyriding past primitive worlds. When they reach the correct distance, they start releasing the ice, creating a new comet in the sky and terrifying the unsuspecting denizens below.

Power Word: Ni!

One of the most common misconceptions about Dragons is that the size of the hoard is commensurate with the power of the monster. In fact, a Dragon's growth and abilities are limited by the amount of treasure they accumulate: they are literally unable to get stronger without increasing their wealth. No non-dragon understands the exact mechanism behind this, though numerous theories have been proposed over the ages. Some sages think that gross weight is the determining factor, others claim that volume is the critical measurement, while more mercantile-minded scholars argue that a dragon's size and ability is dependent on the market value of their treasure-bed. The artificial scarcity created by removing mass amounts of coinage from circulation inflates both their wealth and their girth. These conjectures rapidly get weighed down by calculations of the interrelationships between local exchange rates, spot prices, shipping and storage costs, and the effects of national monetary policies and international trade treaties, so proponents of this position are rarely able to find an audience willing to sit still long enough to hear them out.

[Batcathat]

Merchants and smiths don't actually keep magic items in stock. They have a supply of high-quality mundane pieces on display and the ability to imbue them, provided the proper magic source and incantation are used: after the adventurer provides the (surreptitiously tested) coin for their purchase, the vendor will insist that they give that ring/sword/armor "just a quick touch-up" before it leaves the shop; in reality however, the courtesy pass with the 'cleaning fluid' (actually a potent magical infusion) or whatever and the tuneless ditty they sing as they work are the final step in the enchantment process. This makes robbery virtually pointless, and since the reagent and the charm are specific to each item and property, even torture isn't a reliable means of insuring an easy magic haul. Additionally, most magic retailers are actually fronts for arcane crafting syndicates or powerful wizards who don't want hordes of unwashed vagabonds pestering them for 'Like, a totally badass pigsticker, dude!', so murder hobos would be well-advised to keep their customary anti-social tendencies in check.

Wouldn't keeping this a secret mean it doesn't do much to prevent robbery (since the robbers won't know it was for nothing until they've already done it)? I suppose it might prevent repeat robberies, but it might be better to put up big sign saying "MAGIC ITEMS WON'T WORK UNTIL ACTIVATED" or whatever.

[oudeis]

@Batcathat: sorry, was changing some wording when you quoted me


Once word spreads that the last crew that tried to pull a snatch-and-grab at Weyland's World of Weapons not only ended up with a bunch of glamored-up munitions-grade kit instead of the high-ticket items they thought they got, but were mysteriously vaporized by lightning right in the middle of the Mudlark's Market without a cloud in the sky, people will get the message.

[AMFV]

Elves and Dwarves don't actually mature that much more slowly than humans.

Elves being chaotic don't actually have formal schooling for their children and they don't normally allow Elvish children out into the world until they have sufficient knowledge. This is usually around a hundred years of age. Since Elves have such a long life there's no reason for Elves to be worried about your kid spending a hundred years or so finding themselves. And that fits their Chaotic Societies.

Dwarves on the other hand have a ton of responsibilities. You have your required military service, the amount of time you're supposed to serve as an apprentice in a trade, basically free labor. Their schooling is longer than human schooling, although it's not inherently better just intended to ensure conformity.

[KorvinStarmast]

Headcanon:
The drow magical item Tentacle Rod was originally designed by a jaded aristocrat for erotic encounters.
During development - similar to what happened at 3M with the adhesive that ended up on those yellow sticky note pads, or the blood thinner Viagra - things didn't quite work out as projected and they ended up better suited as something else: in this case, a weapon.

[Witty Username]

Something that I am still griping the implications of:
Arcane Magic in D&D is a creative pursuit, as much artistry or performance as it is applied knowledge.

I think this has lead to or has sprung from my just not groking the sorcerer vs wizard divide. It feels like something that just wouldn't have as sharp a division at the very least.

[Millstone85]

Something that I am still griping the implications of:
Arcane Magic in D&D is a creative pursuit, as much artistry or performance as it is applied knowledge.

I think this has lead to or has sprung from my just not groking the sorcerer vs wizard divide. It feels like something that just wouldn't have as sharp a division at the very least.

I don't see sorcerers as being particularly artistic. Rather, they brute force their way with draconic blood or wild magic.

Bards, now... The way the wizard Gale of BG3 speaks about the Weave, how from an early age he could "compose it much like a musician or a poet", I have no hesitation respeccing him as a bard. Well, I could also see him as a sorcerer, but because of his more recent and more explosive circumstances.