Rules question: Obviously the Kenku can't speak except in sounds and heard phrases but with the great old one Awakened Mind can people understand what I am trying to say in their head or do I still only speak in known fragments because of lack of creativity?
"You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language." - This right here answers your question. You relay information that are universally recognised and understood by any creature able to speak a language. The way I envision it is that you send the concept and the recipient's brain translates that concept into any language they might know to make it understandable to them.
Also, while it is true that Kenkus rely on external sounds to communicate, they are by no means hollow husks filled with other people's ideas, concept and so no, they are a highly intelligent race, perfectly capable of their own thoughts. Even though those thoughts might be impossible to understand should another creature peer into the head of a Kenku, the Awakened Mind feature effectively bypasses the possible difference in mind-processes.
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
The Kenku sidebar encourages you to communicate through body language, and there's nothing in the race write up about the written word required to be copied. I see no reason to extend this beyond pure voice. "You can read and write Common and Auran, but you can speak only by using your Mimicry trait."
Granted, I have to ask why someone would want to play a Kenku and immediately get around the flaw. Isn't that part of the appeal of the race?
I actually am planning on a kenku great old one warlock being my next character, making him sort of a sage by taking a lot of divination type spells, and really playing up the dichotomy between his verbal speech and the wealth of knowledge and sophistication locked within his mind. I think it's a fun take on the race, and doesn't have to be a way to simply ignore the coolest part about them. Like, the spells that let you pose questions to an extraplanar being... what does that look like when a god answers a question that just sounds like the clacking of stones?! :p
Rules question: Obviously the Kenku can't speak except in sounds and heard phrases but with the great old one Awakened Mind can people understand what I am trying to say in their head or do I still only speak in known fragments because of lack of creativity?
I would say they understand you. It's purely mental, so you could be putting ideas, concepts, images, etc.
Dungeonmastering since 1992!
Yes but would it only be concepts, ideas, and images I have seen or heard personally and not my own ideas?
"You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language." - This right here answers your question. You relay information that are universally recognised and understood by any creature able to speak a language. The way I envision it is that you send the concept and the recipient's brain translates that concept into any language they might know to make it understandable to them.
Also, while it is true that Kenkus rely on external sounds to communicate, they are by no means hollow husks filled with other people's ideas, concept and so no, they are a highly intelligent race, perfectly capable of their own thoughts. Even though those thoughts might be impossible to understand should another creature peer into the head of a Kenku, the Awakened Mind feature effectively bypasses the possible difference in mind-processes.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
The Kenku sidebar encourages you to communicate through body language, and there's nothing in the race write up about the written word required to be copied. I see no reason to extend this beyond pure voice. "You can read and write Common and Auran, but you can speak only by using your Mimicry trait."
Granted, I have to ask why someone would want to play a Kenku and immediately get around the flaw. Isn't that part of the appeal of the race?
I actually am planning on a kenku great old one warlock being my next character, making him sort of a sage by taking a lot of divination type spells, and really playing up the dichotomy between his verbal speech and the wealth of knowledge and sophistication locked within his mind. I think it's a fun take on the race, and doesn't have to be a way to simply ignore the coolest part about them. Like, the spells that let you pose questions to an extraplanar being... what does that look like when a god answers a question that just sounds like the clacking of stones?! :p
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
I don't want to get around the flaw the opposite really. I was just wondering if it would bypass it on its own.
Verbally, you would still be limited by the mimicry of standard Kenku dialect.
Telepathically, you could be as flexible and specific as you wish.
In fact, it would be amusing to have a Kenku who is actually very articulate and eloquent...
Kenku: (repeats dialogue) "Up yours, jackass!"
(mental translation) - "I disagree with your intentions, good sir!"