Baku were powerful psionic outsiders native to the Outlands.[1]
Description[]
Baku resembled 9‑foot-tall (2.7‑meter) elephants with lizard-like tails and lion-like hind feet. Dragon-like scales covered the back and the tail; on male baku, the scales also covered the head. The rest of the hide was tough like rhinoceros skin. Baku had short trunks, only about 4 feet (1.2 meters) long; they superstitiously believed that a long trunk was a sign of greater ability.[1]
Personality[]
It was known that 80% of all baku were good creatures, who were timid and peace-loving, but still favored helping others and would resolutely battle evil monsters. A minority of 15% were called "The Dark Ones", for they were evil and preferred ruining the plans of their more kindly kin. The remaining 5% of baku were the Great Ones, or Holy Ones, for they were true neutral and, while they had no abilities (apart from genius-level intellect) that set them apart from other baku, all other baku revered and obeyed them.[1]
Abilities[]
Baku possessed several innate psionic abilities, including the ability to turn invisible at will and unleash a trumpeting blast that affected creatures based on the baku's alignment: the blast from a good baku effected evil creatures, and vice versa, while the blast from a Holy One could effect either good or evil creatures as needed.[1]
Additionally, baku also had a number of psionic abilities. In the discipline of clairvoyance, they knew the science of aura sight, and the devotions of comprehend writing and danger sense. In the discipline of psychometabolism, they knew the sciences of animal affinity and metamorphosis, and the devotions of absorb disease, cell adjustment, ectoplasmic form, lend health, and reduction. In the discipline of telepathy, they knew the sciences of psychic crush and superior invisibility, and the devotions of awe, conceal thoughts, contact, mindlink, mind thrust, telepathic projection, and truthear. And lastly, in the discipline of psychoportation, they knew the science of probability travel, and the devotions of dream travel and astral projection.[1]
Combat[]
A baku standing upright.
Besides their powerful psionic powers, baku were known to attack with their tusks and front legs (by stomping on anything shorter than 6 feet (1.8 meters)). Additionally, since they could hold simple devices with their trunk, some baku were known to use magical weapons or devices.[1]
Society[]
Baku were native to the Outlands, where they preferred to live amongst other people in semitropical forests. They were herbivorous and diurnal by nature.[1]
Amongst evil merchants, baku tusks could be sold for some 200 gp apiece. Good merchants considered trafficking in baku tusks abhorrent, and even neutral ones considered the trade tasteless. Additionally, Holy One baku who heard of tusk merchants would travel long distances (either physically or through astral projection) to counsel such traders against the evil of their ways. If the merchant in question ignored the advice, then the baku were known to enlist nearby adventurers to retrieve the tusks for proper burial.[1]
Baku were known to act as messengers of Gond, Deneir, Moradin, Laduguer, Thard Harr, and Urogalan.[4][5]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Allen Varney, ed. (June 1994). Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 30–31. ISBN 978-1560768623.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (September 1982). “Featured Creatures”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #65 (TSR, Inc.), p. 25.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 12. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 54, 62. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 72, 78, 86, 176. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.