Giant Eagles

[Eilshalis]

I am curious about this. I have looked up some basic stats on the SRD about Giant Eagles and noticed that they are intelligent magical beasts that have the ability to actually speak. Do the ones on the game have this ability and if so, how is it RP'd? How do we know what languages they speak and who Rp's the giant eagles? As a companion, I normally use the order command and have it pose, but I wasn't sure about this speaking thing.

Eilshalis

[Kohadon]

All pets are able to speak, but you'd have to know how to speak animal to understand. Now I'm not sure if you mean for the eagles to speak something like common, but I doubt they can for now. But if you say the rules say they're able to, then that might change. Who knows

[Tavik]

I don't know what to tell you about the giant eagles. Being as they are magical beasts, I would agree that they should be able to speak. But, we'll see what the ruling is on them.

As for mundane, normal pets, those should NOT be able to speak. Simply because the code lets you, doesn't mean a horse has the necessary intelligence and coordination of the mouth to form words. The only pet I would say could get away with talking are parrots and even then, they should only be able to repeat things, not answer intelligently. Again, these are mundane pets I am speaking of. There are other, magical pets that can speak.

That being the case, I'd like to make a side note that polymorphed/shapechanged characters do not have the ability to speak while in a mundane animal's form. I've seen this in the past and I think it bears mentioning. If you take something's form, you take it completely. That means if the form you take can't talk normally, you can't talk. (Note, you can still intelligently communicate via actions though).

[Nedylene]

I just have one thing about animals speaking. They can and should be able to speak the animal tongue. While animals in the wild communicate with body movements and noise the mud has the language solely on noise. suspend belief for a moment or two. Of course it means you need to know animal to understand them.

[Lerytha]

I'd rather rangers and anyone who can speak animal makes their animals communicate in more animal-like ways.

i.e,

"big iron ape" (knight)
"grey-fang-swift" (wolf)
"fang on hand" (sword)
"fast-hoof" (horse)

That way it makes it more of a challenge to actually roleplay the animal. Sure, you can roleplay the ranger, but can you get inside that animals mind and imagine how it would communicate?

Which leads to the question about the giant eagle. Because it has a more advanced brain, it can express itself with language closer to human tongue, although it still expresses itself with sound. So, basically, a ranger can interpret the animal noises from the following animals (well, all animals, but the list is just for convenience):

horse, wolf, dog, pig, bear, bee, pegasus, giant eagle

Pigs and wolves are quite intelligent, they express themselves quite well but still strangely. Wolves obviously being carnivores talk of themselves more, because they are focused on hunting others. Pigs being prey, talk about threats more. Other animals express less intelligently and even less coherently. Pegasi and giant eagles however, express themselves intelligently and can formulate sentences if the listener can interpret the neighs of a pegasus.

And remember, the neighs of a pegasus are very different, and contain the near-human intelligence that is considerably lacking in the neighs of a horse.

So, yes, roleplay that giant eagles can speak. Just remember it doesn't speak common. And it will never use the word antidisestablishmentarianism.

Unless it really objects to the freedom of religious expression in eagle society.

[Tavik]

The way I understood it, is that animals that don't have the mouth parts to speak shouldn't.

Pets should be roleplayed properly as to the type of pet they are and their race. If it is a horse it should not talk for instance. You should also not take your pet into places it should not go, like taking a pet into a temple. If your pet is a wild bear do not take it into the city and so on.

I've been reprimanded (nicely) before for talking while polymorphed as a horse to a ranger. It was explained to me that a horse simply does not have the physical capacity to speak at all and that if I wished to communicate, then I should do so with smoted actions (i.e. shaking head instead of saying no, nodding briefly and bowing a little as a greeting, etc.) When I asked why there was an animal language at all, I was told that the language was a means by which rangers could communicate with any animal in a manner that they understand. Furthermore, it is a language rangers and druids can use sort of as their own secret language. So, I guess my question is, does the old rule of animals not talking still apply, or has this been revised to allow animals to speak?[/b]

[Nedylene]

When I asked why there was an animal language at all, I was told that the language was a means by which rangers could communicate with any animal in a manner that they understand. Furthermore, it is a language rangers and druids can use sort of as their own secret language. So, I guess my question is, does the old rule of animals not talking still apply, or has this been revised to allow animals to speak?

I have a druid that actively shapechanged into animals because point blank she feels more comfortable being around strangers if they think she is a companion to some ranger/druid somewhere. That said she will speak in animal and it is rped as neighs, knickers, purrs, growls etc before said. I have never been criticized for it and I am sure not to use an amulet of communication or ANYTHING like that while shapechange is active.

So then it is asked... how does an animal speak? They do speak to each other in a language of growls, body language and other noises. A Bird of Paradise dances, bees smell each other.. there are MANY forms of communication in the animal world but needless there IS communication. The language of the animals is turned into "talking" by mud code but it is not all talk. So, then it is to ask.. do we say "No an animal cannot use the animal language" simply because the code cannot mimic reality and have it be a string of growls, purrs, slinking of shoulders and flicking of tails to convey the message? When you are suspending reality where do you draw the line from how something in REAL life commutes and MUD commutes. When rping an animal companion or shapechanging yourself I rather feel that when you speak animal you are using that combination of communications to get your message heard... So next time you see a ranger speaking to a horse see them stomping their feet, swinging their hip, knickering and snorting... and next time you hear a wolf speaking animal... imaging them bearing their teeth, wagging their tail, lifting a paw, changing where they focus their eyes and growling, whining and barking throughout.

Just.. my two cents

[Hviti]

How about familiars?

Speak with Master (Ex)

If the master is 5th level or higher, a familiar and the master can communicate verbally as if they were using a common language. Other creatures do not understand the communication without magical help.

Could one use a less common language for this? (e.g. magical, ancient)

A raven familiar can speak one language of its master’s choice as a supernatural ability.

A specific case, but would raven familiars be allowed to speak a "regular" language (e.g. common)?

[Nedylene]

The familiar thing I know I am a bit wary of. I do know one of my own wizards has a custom familiar who is coded to speak the magical tongue as a way to mimic the communication between wizard and "master"

[Oghma]

Some higher-end magical pets are coded to speak certain languages like common or more exotic kinds. The trick though is deciding if it is feasible or ridiculous for them to speak. Also bearing in mind that it might not be spoken but understood.

[Keltorn]

So, yes, roleplay that giant eagles can speak. Just remember it doesn't speak common. And it will never use the word antidisestablishmentarianism.

But why wouldn't they speak common? They certainly can in D&D.

Giant eagles speak Common and Auran.

They are magical beasts, and they are as intelligent as the average human. I don't know if I care for them speaking with their beaks just as well as having lips (think of them trying to make the "O" sound), but they are magical.

As for the use of that particular word... Yeah, that might be a bit outside of their capabilities.

[Lerytha]

My post appears to have been misconstrued. I just mean they don't have the mouth for common. It has nothing to do with intelligence. I think Nedylene summed it up perfectly, actually.

Basically, when you see an animal (any animal mob) speaking with "animal" they aren't making sounds like French, they are growling or neighing. Any animal will make noises, it is just that intelligent ones like pegasi or giant eagles will -mean- more with the same noises.

So:

Horse says, "Nice grass. Yummy grass." Is just a bunch of neighs. A ranger knows the horse wants grass.

Giant eagle says, "There are orcs back that way, my companion." It is just a bunch of caws. A ranger knows the eagle is warning about orcs.

Both speak "animal" codewise. Both make different noises RPwise. Both have a different intelligence and as a result, can construct more complex sentences.

(And sorry for the antidiestablishmentarianism joke... couldn't resist)

[Nedylene]

Some of the best example of how the giant eagles act in Faerun are written in the pages of the novel Evermeet: Isle of the elves. If anyone has a copy pick it up and read through it where Maura calls for the elves and convinces them to take a "not-elf" to fight against the elf eater. He calls the elf eater "big bug" and Zaor's daughter "Zaor's elf-chick" .. They can speak common but as previously pointed out it is not the common we know and love.