MrMopp
Two Thousand Club
I am currently in the process of creating a D&D like fantasy world. It has most of the basic races like elves and what not, but I'm also taking a few creatures from traditional folklore and am tailoring them to suit my needs.
One of these creatures is the Coatl, the Feather-Snake. After the Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl. They're actualy featured in the D&D Monster Manual as gigantic snakes with feathered wings, but in my world, they're a bit different.
For one: they're a lot smaller. The average coatl is about 6 ft long from head to tail and, standing up comfortably, about 3 ft. Second: they are more neutral than lawful. Personality wise, Coatl are like winged dolphins, carefree and playful (except with all the laziness and vanity of a cat). And third: there are LOTS of them. They hang out in flocks, and where they live, they interact with other races on a daily basis.
That's where we have a problem. How can a race that doesn't have hands be a part of society? How can they earn a living? I mean, they don't HAVE to. They could just sit around, gossiping like birds on a telephone wire and dispensing useless commentary to passerby's. Hunt when they get hungry. But humanoids can provide coatl with certain luxuries that they can't provide themselves, like cooked food and comfortable housing. All they need is a way to EARN some cash and then a way to TRANSPORT it.
Earning money is simple enough. While coatl cannot easily hold tools and lack the strength for manual labor, they do have a voice and could make a living as storytellers, heralds, advisers, messengers and criers (which is like a news reporter/advertiser, except he stands on a box in the middle of town and shouts it out at the top of lungs). It also stands to reason that- if they're like birds- they would have a beautiful singing voice so we can add Bard to that list. If you're a shopkeeper at the market and you need to attract some business, all you need to do is find some coatl who's loafing around, offer him a silver piece, and BAM! You have a bright, colorful, feather duster sitting on your tent spewing propaganda for you (but you better not piss him off or he might KILL your business out of spite).
As far as CARRYING currency, well, actually a coatl would not need to get paid in the first place. After all, beggars and bards would strategically get themselves invited to parties and then eat off the banquet table in leu of payment. Still, there is this one, itty-bitty, teeny-tiny thing...
COATL LOVE SHINIES!!!
Even if a Coatl didn't need money, they would probably still COLLECT the coins. They might decorate their nest with it or trade it amongst themselves like Pokemon cards. Anyway, if a coatl wanted to carry more coins than he could fit in his mouth, all he'd have to do is have a humanoid punch a hole in them and string em' on a necklace. From there, the coatl could- with a little practice- put it on himself by grabbing the necklace in his mouth, tossing it into the air, and letting it land around his neck. Although, if they have feathers all along their body (haven't decided), taking it OFF might be tricky.
Any thoughts?
One of these creatures is the Coatl, the Feather-Snake. After the Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl. They're actualy featured in the D&D Monster Manual as gigantic snakes with feathered wings, but in my world, they're a bit different.
For one: they're a lot smaller. The average coatl is about 6 ft long from head to tail and, standing up comfortably, about 3 ft. Second: they are more neutral than lawful. Personality wise, Coatl are like winged dolphins, carefree and playful (except with all the laziness and vanity of a cat). And third: there are LOTS of them. They hang out in flocks, and where they live, they interact with other races on a daily basis.
That's where we have a problem. How can a race that doesn't have hands be a part of society? How can they earn a living? I mean, they don't HAVE to. They could just sit around, gossiping like birds on a telephone wire and dispensing useless commentary to passerby's. Hunt when they get hungry. But humanoids can provide coatl with certain luxuries that they can't provide themselves, like cooked food and comfortable housing. All they need is a way to EARN some cash and then a way to TRANSPORT it.
Earning money is simple enough. While coatl cannot easily hold tools and lack the strength for manual labor, they do have a voice and could make a living as storytellers, heralds, advisers, messengers and criers (which is like a news reporter/advertiser, except he stands on a box in the middle of town and shouts it out at the top of lungs). It also stands to reason that- if they're like birds- they would have a beautiful singing voice so we can add Bard to that list. If you're a shopkeeper at the market and you need to attract some business, all you need to do is find some coatl who's loafing around, offer him a silver piece, and BAM! You have a bright, colorful, feather duster sitting on your tent spewing propaganda for you (but you better not piss him off or he might KILL your business out of spite).
As far as CARRYING currency, well, actually a coatl would not need to get paid in the first place. After all, beggars and bards would strategically get themselves invited to parties and then eat off the banquet table in leu of payment. Still, there is this one, itty-bitty, teeny-tiny thing...
COATL LOVE SHINIES!!!
Even if a Coatl didn't need money, they would probably still COLLECT the coins. They might decorate their nest with it or trade it amongst themselves like Pokemon cards. Anyway, if a coatl wanted to carry more coins than he could fit in his mouth, all he'd have to do is have a humanoid punch a hole in them and string em' on a necklace. From there, the coatl could- with a little practice- put it on himself by grabbing the necklace in his mouth, tossing it into the air, and letting it land around his neck. Although, if they have feathers all along their body (haven't decided), taking it OFF might be tricky.
Any thoughts?
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