Swanmay

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Greyhawk Creature
Swanmay
A swanmay, as depicted in Book of Exalted Deeds (2003). Art by Rebecca Guay.
General information
Size:Medium
Alignment:Neutral good
Type:Humanoid
Subtype:Fey

Swanmays are a sisterhood of humanoids who can assume a swan form. In normal form, they resemble a slender, tawny, attractive human female, generally clad in light robes and some form of white, feathered garment. In swan form, they completely resemble swans.

Ecology

Swanmays are all originally human females who were given their form of shapeshifting by voluntarily accepting a token, such as a feathered garment or signet ring, from a current swanmay. The true purposes of the swanmay sisterhood are not known, but they seem to be peaceful protectors of nature and, in particular, water birds. They live in small lodges on the banks of lakes in deep forests, and these can generally be recognized by the large number of swans and other water birds around them. Swanmay lodges are only lightly fortified against attacks, but contain two escape routes: a tunnel leading to the lake and a hatch onto the roof, which can be used by swanmays when in swan form. Swanmays seem to protect swans out of pity due to their similarity more than for any other reason.

Environment

A sisterhood of 44 swanmays dwells within the Gnarley Forest. They are led by Matriarch Serendya, a priestess of Ehlonna.[1]

Typical physical characteristics

Swanmays are rather indistinguishable from normal humans when in normal form, but can assume the swan form at will (they have full control over their shapeshifting). Any garments they are wearing, particularly the feathered garments, become part of the plumage when they do so. Swanmays attack with whatever weapons they have when in normal form, but prefer to attack with their beaks and claws in swan form. Abhoring violence, swanmays will as soon fly away as attack. Swanmays rarely associate with other creatures, only communing regularly with feys, sylvan elves, and certain priests.

Alignment

They are neutral good in alignment.

Society

Religion

Many swanmays serve the goddess Fionnghuala. The quasi-deity Quaal has been known to grant copies of his Quaal's cloak to those swanmays who have earned his favor with their persistent opposition to evil. Some swanmays worship Ehlonna.

Language

Swanmays speak Common and Sylvan.

History

The first known swanmay, Fionnghuala, was a mortal human ranger who was rewarded for sacrificing her life to save an avatar of Oberon by being raised from the dead, made a demigoddess by Titania, and gifted with a white feather token that enabled her to take the form of a swan. Over the centuries since, a small, secret sorority of female rangers have been granted simulacra of Fionnghuala's feather, allowing them to also become swanmays.

Publication history

The swanmay first appeared in first edition in the original Monster Manual II (1983).[2]

The swanmay appeared in second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989),[3] and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993) with the bird maiden.[4] The swanmay is presented as a playable character species in The Complete Book of Humanoids (1993),[5] and is later presented as a playable character species again in Player's Option: Skills & Powers (1995). The bird maiden was further developed in Dragon #218 (June 1995).[6] The black swanmay appeared as a player character species in Dragon #266 (December 1999).[7]

The swanmay appeared in third edition as a prestige class in the Book of Exalted Deeds (2003).[8]

The species can, in particular exclusivity, become Rangers and Druids in second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, though in third edition Dungeons & Dragons swanmays were a prestige class. Either way, they had a predilection and affinity for nature. As they could already change their shape, druid was still a common class for the species in second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Noted in the Monster Manual as well as in The Complete Book of Humanoids: Player's Handbook Rules Supplement, the latter being a supplement for non-traditional player species, listing preconceptions for many of the species listed to fit within the Greyhawk setting. Whereas in third edition Dungeons & Dragons, swanmays could be of any class, but had to have certain prerequisites to become them as a Prestige Class. And, if they already had an existing spellcasting class as part of their Character Level makeup, they could gain Caster Level (CL) increases starting at level 2. Which would give them the benefit of casting more spells without having to sacrifice levels in swanmay to focus on their magic casting class, in this particular scenario usually druid or a nature-based cleric, Shugenja, Favored Soul and/or Spirit Shaman.

Creative origins

Swanmays were inspired by the swanmay in Poul Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions (1961),[9], who in turn was based on swan maidens in folklore.

References

Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.
External Links

References

Notes

Citations

  1. ↑ From the Ashes (1992), p.42, Campaign Book.
  2. ↑ Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual II (TSR, 1983)
  3. ↑ Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (TSR, 1989)
  4. ↑ Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1993)
  5. ↑ Slavicsek, Bill. The Complete Book of Humanoids (TSR, 1993)
  6. ↑ Culotta, Paul F. "The Ecology of the Bird Maiden." Dragon #218 (TSR, 1995)
  7. ↑ Wyatt, James. "Feathered Friends and Foes." Dragon #266 (TSR, 1999)
  8. ↑ James Wyatt, Christopher Perkins, Darren Drader. "Prestige Classes: Swanmay".Book of Exalted Deeds, pp. 76-77. (Wizards of the Coast, 2003)
  9. ↑ "Dungeons & Dragons, Monsters in" in (2014) The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters, Ashgate Publishing

Bibliography

———. The Marklands, pp. 18,36,37,39,42. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
———. Iuz the Evil, pp. 33, 34. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
———. The City of Skulls, p.31. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
———. From the Ashes, p.42. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
———. Monster Mythology. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
  • Slavicsek, Bill. The Complete Book of Humanoids. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
  • Wyatt, James. "Feathered Friends and Foes." Dragon #266. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1999.
  • Wyatt, James, Christopher Perkins, and Darren Drader. "Prestige Classes: Swanmay".Book of Exalted Deeds, pp. 76-77. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
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Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Swanmay Monster Dragon magazine #359 75
Swanmay Monster From the Ashes: References Card #14
Swanmay Monster MC2 - Monstrous Compendium Volume 2 Insert (Swanmay)
Swanmay Monster MC5 Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix Encounter Tables
Swanmay Monster Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e 334
Swanmay Monster Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e (Premium Edition) 334
Swanmay Monster Monster Manual 2, AD&D 1e 116, 117
Swanmay Monster Oerth Journal #33 20
Swanmay Monster PHBR10 - The Complete Book of Humanoids 5, 8, 9, 59-60, 72, 80, 82, 96, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120
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