Does Awaken Affect Lifespan?

[GrandMajora]

So, the 5th level spell for Druids and Bards, 'Awaken', is described as increasing the subject's intelligence score to 10 (so basic, human level), and giving them the ability to speak one language that the caster knows.

But is that all that it affects? Because depending on what species you cast it on, you might very well give them a sense of existential dread. Like, if you awakened a hamster, and they found out their species only lives about 2-4 years...

[sevensided]

Potentially dark, but no, the spell would not, RAW, or RAI I think, change the lifespan itself. Though intelligence could led to the awakened animal/plant finding ways to extend its life.

This does pose an interesting philosophical question: does gaining sapience also automatically come with existential dread or the fear of death?

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by sevensided:

This does pose an interesting philosophical question: does gaining sapience also automatically come with existential dread or the fear of death?

From what I know about the lore of the Beastlands (the plane reserved for the souls of animals), they eventually reincarnate after a while. So a non-sapient animal wouldn't really have a reason to fear death, if they knew it was only a temporary state of affairs.

The problem, however, is that they are not cognizant enough to be self aware. And after gaining enough intelligence to be so, they may begin contemplating their own mortality.

[Gaius]

Frankly, this by itself should not lead to existential dread, because a life span of 2-4 years is not per se terrifying - the existential dread comes from fear of death, and not how long a life is - if it's the normal to a given species.

I anything, I'd say long living species would be more prone to cowardice because a longer life could potentially feel more valuable and not worth taking risks. So if you awaken a thousand years old fungus creature, it might just not want to risk it's life no matter what you offer or just be incredibly egotistical.

In the same vein, that's why I feel elves should be mostly neutral or evil and basically never good - the idea of valuing species that live very short lives - compared to their - doesn't sound that realistic.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by Gaius:

In the same vein, that's why I feel elves should be mostly neutral or evil and basically never good - the idea of valuing species that live very short lives - compared to their - doesn't sound that realistic.

The reason why elves typically avoid violence isn't because they're pacifists. It's because their extremely long lives are balanced out by having a very low fertility rate. It can take decades of trying before an elven couple is able to produce a child, and it can take centuries for their population to recover from a massive loss of life. Such as the kind that one might accrue during war time.

Elves can not afford to casually throw their lives away, when it takes a very long time to replace them.

[mclaubs]

Awakening by itself would not extend lifespan. Beast Bond does extend the lifespan of a creature. So let's say you awakened your Rangers Wolf Companion. The Ranger now has back sass from an animal that is going to live as long as they do.

[dolby]

why does that matter for bg 3? Do you expect them to let you do that in game or what?

[sevensided]

Originally posted by dolby:

why does that matter for bg 3? Do you expect them to let you do that in game or what?

It doesn't matter for BG3. The topic is more about DnD in general. Sometimes such things are discussed in this forum, since its a DnD game.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by mclaubs:

Awakening by itself would not extend lifespan. Beast Bond does extend the lifespan of a creature. So let's say you awakened your Rangers Wolf Companion. The Ranger now has back sass from an animal that is going to live as long as they do.

Are you sure about that? I just looked it up, and all the spell does is allow you to telepathically communicate with a creature who's intelligence is less than 4. And the spell only lasts 10 minutes.

Originally posted by dolby:

why does that matter for bg 3? Do you expect them to let you do that in game or what?

Just something I've been curious about.

[ExcaliburV]

Originally posted by Gaius:

Frankly, this by itself should not lead to existential dread, because a life span of 2-4 years is not per se terrifying - the existential dread comes from fear of death, and not how long a life is - if it's the normal to a given species.

I do think this is an interesting thing to consider. No, I don't think Awakening expands the creature's life, but I don't know if the existential dread would be quite as much of a factor. After all, does a human have constant existential dread over the fact that an elf will live ten times longer than them? Possibly some, though some others might be envious, and some might just not consider it at all. After all, they may have human levels of intelligence, but that doesn't make them human, and a full life is still a full life, whether it's 4 years or 1000.

[Unclechopchop]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

But is that all that it affects? Because depending on what species you cast it on, you might very well give them a sense of existential dread. Like, if you awakened a hamster, and they found out their species only lives about 2-4 years...

You're assuming that hamsters don't already know that............