Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Chwinga

[@coreyeaston6823]

GREAT you've done it again! My wife wants one! Does your insidious and continued efforts to kill my campaign with CUTENESS know no bounds? Love it ;)

[@griffdaddy5579]

Always nice to hear about the benevolent creatures of the game

[@robouteguilliman6662]

Wait. You mean there are things that don’t wan to kill me?

[@Diditallforthexp]

@@robouteguilliman6662 give it time

[@sanddry738]

Yeah it’s nice to just see benevolent creatures. Like the Kirin which actively tries to help in its goodness unlike angles who more so enforce.

[@alphaamino]

"Observe Chwinga" would make a neat Elven High Magic ritual spell, with a casting time of 1 hour, and the potential to acquire a single-use charm if any of these little spirits take an interest

[@massimothetrog7111]

Chwinga-wap chwinga-wap chwinga-wap In the mountain , the mighty mountain, the dragon sleeps tonight.

[@chrisdesjarlais1307]

Awww reminds me of Princess Mononoke. Love that movie

[@trajanfidelis]

I like them. Finally a creature that isn’t trying to eat me/screw me over

[@JanusHoW]

These guys are potentially all over the place in _Tomb of Annihilation_ and can be a great way to give your party a minor leg-up in that meat grinder of a campaign, since you can assign whatever you feel like giving as a DM. For example, you could let the charm recipient cast _detect magic_ at will for the next few days.

[@blackgriffinxx]

Some how i could see a druid band playing deep in the woods and it just these guy rocking out to them.

[@thefelprince8391]

they work with the roadies at Heilung concerts

[@graciekoewers3120]

Just headbangin eating magic mushrooms and dancing like Woodstock being magic and shit. Chwingastock 2020 I'm doing it

[@purplehaze2358]

Chwinga seem so huggable! :D

[@robertwilson2516]

The way you describe Chwinga makes theme sound like a type of house fey like the Brownie.

[@daniell1483]

So many of the beings you cover are great and powerful magical creatures, but I think these humble nature elementals are one of my favorites. I've never heard of them before and now I really want to see them or myself. Thanks for the video.

[@agustinvenegas5238]

if i ever run a campaign ill be sure to pepper these all over and describe them in passing whenever someones rolls a 20 on their perception checks

[@florenmage]

Great forest themed creature. Cute. When your going on a stroll out in the woods and you wanna meet a monster that won't rip your face of and eat it. lol

[@social3ngin33rin]

I'm not sure which came first, but I'm glad tree spirits and chwingas exist, and are basically the same thing ^_^

[@AJPickett]

Dryad casts "Throw shade"

[@tatsusama3192]

Man, I haven't watched Princess Mononoke in over 20 years. Really need to start filling out my Miyazaki DVD hit list - Now I'm thinking of a cool character idea that would be an orphan druid who was raised by Chwinga😋

[@BaneRain]

They're all on Netflix now

[@mikesands4681]

Now to be confused with the Schwing-a!!, right Garth?!

[@ryderma1]

If there was a way to contact, befriend, and recruit these little guys; how cool would it be for a thieves guild 😁

[@AJPickett]

Not that I know of... I am sure it's not impossible though.

[@omegaangel6766]

Basically fey that aren’t giant pricks

[@nandodando9695]

Slowly building an immortals garden. Hoping to spawn nymph too. 100 year old trees you say.

[@kurtoogle4576]

Hmmm... I forsee my players running into a swamp filled with merry, pointless, harmless, but utterly adorable Chwingas.

[@almitrahopkins1873]

Don’t forget the Campestri.

[@moistmaidenlover5565]

Always good having some peaceful creatures to play with

[@theHedgex1]

princess mononoke

[@jakecrichton562]

I'm starting a forest based campaign on Saturday, so naturally I've been planning for months. I was considering including the Kodama, just for flavour. These guys save me a lot of work and are likely better than what i would have come up with on my own. Thanks again AJ, once again your timing is uncanny ( for one guy up in Canada).

[@scottyboi3759]

I just found one of these on my adventure. I was looting and it had a stone with a Chwinga inside I didn't know what they are. They seem interesting creatures.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

Hmmmm. So they are life elementals. Beings natualized to the complex mix of essences that is the prime material plane.

[@TheMightyBattleSquid]

Imagine a swarmkeeper ranger with their swarm flavored as these little friends and you can get conjur minor elementals to summon 8 more of them!

[@Greenscyth22]

I feel like these can only be studied by people with the ability to meld into elements, or perhaps planeshift. Like if a Dwarf druid wanted to study them he could Meld into Stone to witness them swimming through solid rock. I also feel like they would be the heralds of powerful elementals whom have been summoned to the material plane. A few would crawl out from their hiding places like insects running from a forest fire when a elder elemental is summoned.

[@A.J.Breadman]

These guys are the perfect cop out for when your players need magical weapons for an upcoming encounter

[@draxthemsklonst]

The artwork of Gilder Bairn (from MtG) would be a good visualization for them, now that I hear it aloud.

[@conrad111]

First dragonne and now Chwinga, it’s like you’re doing videos on all of my favorite monsters. Keep up the good work.

[@MaximumSherman]

Time to add a new creature to my game for my druid player to notice

[@baconlover7747]

I forgot these little guys existed. I feel like this is what my homebrew setting needs. A watchful yet benevolent backround creature for some players. But a definite ally to players of a more creative sort. Id definitely try to establish a connection with these little guys if i were a druid or ranger. And as a dm would set them in areas of strong positive energy like enchanted lakes or trees. Definitely the minion of nature guardians like wood woads and dryads. As a dm id also have the chawinga be a caretaker of these guardians. if said guardian is somehow corrupted the chawinga will gently "nudge" capable adventurers to maybe slay or even cure the corrupted entity. Possibly giving a charm to an adventuring party that specifically dissipates negative energy or influence. Seeing as chawinga are partly ethereal id do this simply by having them accumulate on the party like spider webs theyre walking through without noticing. And finally when they are close enough the chawinga will drop its ethereal form working as a group to quickly snatch something from the players in a game of keep away. Bouncing through rocks ferns and trees luring the party to where they need them to be. The charm the chawinga bestows being left on the item they took. Oftem left hanging from a branch or on a tree stump in the open as the chawinga WANT the player to get it back along with the charm. Personally i dont think id tell the players its even charmed id just let the encounter happen and have the charm activate on its own. Providing some damage immunity or advantages against environmental hazards. Sort of like a boss fight where the fight itself isnt the goal but a distraction from the real target. The charm being the key to a victory that isnt just slaughtering some corrupted water wyrd or spriggan

[@TerrariaGolem]

Chwinga bop oh Chwinga bop oh Chwinga bop... In Chult, the Jungles of Chult, The Chwingas creep tonighhhht.

[@brianfuller7691]

Thanks for this video. The Chwinga are definitely interesting.

[@johngleeman8347]

Love them. Fabulous accounting of the Chwinga AJ. Can never have too many wondrous creatures to make a pastoral setting all the more enjoyable to explore. I would beef up their magic though. I would give them: "Snare" (Mainly to annoy greedy hunters and disrespectful herbalists without doing any actual harm to them.) "Tiny Servant" (Used for manual labor, observation, or as a potential distraction for a friend of the wilds in trouble.) "Create Homunculus" (Beget Bogun. Would serve as a bodyguard, long-range scout, and a stronger warrior to help remove a more dangerous despoiler of their home if the "hints" weren't coming across.) "Conjure Elemental" (A ritual requiring six or more Chwingas, with bigger elementals answering the call when invoked by a large enough gathering of the tiny spirits.) They would only use the destructive power of their larger cousins at the behest of a treant or archdruid, and even then only if they agreed that it was necessary to destroy a threat from the far realm or a similar serious threat.

[@mikifauns]

3:30 They have a CR of 0. Could a wizard not polymorph into one to figure it out?

[@AJPickett]

That doesn't impart the ability to communicate.

[@Zasek2112]

To transend a language barrier the groups who want to communicate at least need to conceptualize the world in a similar way. I'm not sure even a tongue or telepathy spell would help, the mind you're trying to communicate with is just to different.

[@baconlover7747]

@@Zasek2112 id make it so the chawinga communicate using sensation. For example if your feet get pins and needles its a warning of danger. A sense of moisture being the presence of food or drinking water ect.

[@arcticdino1650]

Finally, a creature that doesn't want to consume my face

[@jacksonkalvin1205]

That’s what they want you to think!

[@snorgonofborkkad]

I know, I get so tired of everything either being a dangerous monster or a normal thing that also kills you. Oh look, it’s a mushroom... with fangs! Oh look it’s a treasure chest... with fangs! Oh look it’s a snail... that lives in a scull and is also poison!!!

[@willynthepoorboys2]

I can only imagine these creatures annoy Vecna to no end.

[@AJPickett]

Why?

[@willynthepoorboys2]

@@AJPickett You said they can slip away into a shelter where they can not be harmed and stay there as long as they want, gotta annoy Vecna that they can escape his undead grasp.

[@eldarhighelfhealermiriella7653]

@@willynthepoorboys2 "EHKEKEKEKEKE! I'm gonna destroy da world!...wait...where is my book?!" (Chiwinga puts books under rock) lol

[@theoriginalmess]

Hey AJ, I'm a student of D&D, fantasy, and historical mythos in general, but these little gems you give us are both priceless, and humbling.

[@Calibandream]

I'm so happy you made this video!!! :). Thanx Aj!

[@AJPickett]

Glad you liked it!

[@johnnikyecole9114]

Kinda like the tribal people in Pan exploding into big puffs of color... To damn cool

[@ETBass-zx3mw]

Reminds me of Native American beliefs of nature spirits, the tree, the river, and the mountain. Each has a spirit. Eastern European mythology has the vodyonoi and domovoi. Good to keep players surprised by something entertaining. 👍

[@movespammerguyteam7colors]

These creatures wouldn’t happen to be related to those little coconuts gremlin pirates that were chasing Moana in the Disney movie of the same name?

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

The Kakamora? IMO, They're a local name for the same thing. They just choose to wear coconut shells....possibly due to them being coconut spirits that have grown to disdain mortals.

[@AJPickett]

Sounds like fun

[@Faerie_King]

fascinating! I cannot resist a riddle!! Guess#1- they communicate by scent and their "hair" is the sensory organ they utilize for this process? Trees do this sometimes it seems fitting these charming little folk share this with the nature they are so connected to. Guess#2 - they make sounds that to others sound like normal forest sounds but have meaning among their kind?

[@coreymerrill3257]

"Is that not our own tracks in the snow again for the 6th time? Well. We are lost and if we dont get unlost we are going to be very dead...(rolls for perception all failed.). The party discusses and decides to go to their tracks and tangent away from them ... This should stop the circle walking... ( passes perception roll) ..who is giggeling ? I could use some of that humor myself right now...party all look confused. Dwarf speaks up " twasnt any of us , have ye gone mad? ... Are we going to have to deal with your psychotic rambleing whike freazing to d.(very loud giggles heard by entire party now)..eath..at least have the decensy to not drag any-aye down with you ,lout !" ( rattle rattle giggle).and now we cant even find the fottprints we just left in the snow what sort of magical garbage is this? Did you do this to us madman?... Another typical dwarf trying to talk shit loud enough to not let anyone smell that he just shit is britches. While all this is going on a pale creature appears out of thin air sitting on his head , amd starts mimicking the dwarfs very animated discontent , forcing a very heavy laugheter from everyone else. Dwarves do not like being laughed at and this enrages shitbritches the brownbeard. He starts shouting and grabs his pick planning on burrying it in the closest laughing face when he sees everyone suddenly has little white beings sitting on their heads. All mimicking and maybe mocking the situation and giggeling...the party looks up to see they are on the edge of a clearing...at the edge of the forest...wherent they just lost?..

[@Ariemius]

I always love the potential "natural evolution" background. The potential for a planet without divine influence is an awesome opportunity.

[@elenorefangirl3389]

They remind me of the tree spirits from Princess Mononoke.

[@coreymerrill3257]

They are the tree spirits from princess* mononoke. They* are forest elementals.

[@AJPickett]

That is exactly what they are.

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

They are the Kodama, only less cute.

[@vcdaniels]

Am I wrong for envisioning chwingas as those little claymation creatures you see in Tool music videos?

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

Yes. You are wrong for envisioning anything as anything from a Tool video. But it's not your fault.

[@AJPickett]

Heh! Just how dark is your campaign?

[@kestrel1234]

I have one built a Wind Duke sword. I figure they were agents of them and helping my players against Miska.

[@nicolaezenoaga9756]

So nice. Thank you.

[@AJPickett]

Most welcome

[@moonringXD]

Which Elemental plane do you think they originated from? Also great video it always nice to see newer monsters!

[@AJPickett]

Not sure, Chwinga are now so naturalized to the prime material plane that they seamlessly blend elements.

[@That80sGuy1972]

@@AJPickett Jann (genies) can claim that too.

[@devangoad]

Listing subscribestar before patreon got my subscription.

[@redevolution686]

Another excellent video! I always feel inspired after watching these, they help me with my drawings. Keep up the amazing work!

[@AJPickett]

Thank you! I plan to continue until everyone stops watching.

[@That80sGuy1972]

@@AJPickett So... how will you do that when you are dead and to the point where your corpse is dust?

[@AJPickett]

@@That80sGuy1972 lichdom

[@That80sGuy1972]

@@AJPickett Great come-back high-five **holds up open hand**

[@AJPickett]

@@That80sGuy1972 *Places desiccated hand of a god in his grasp* Thank you, can you please return this to Avernus and tell the Infernal half-dragon I am done with it.

[@kamronjohnson9517]

I’m playing a genie warlock (pact of the chain) and my dm let me have a chwinga as a familiar (limited a bit but still) so I used the voice of the chain master to give him his own voice and investment of the Chain master to give him wings and since I’m playing an earth genasi I got him to allow my familiar to use me as a natural shelter

[@Arius_Astronomy]

Aaaaw it's soo cute. I could practically SQUISH ITS LITTLE HEAD.

[@Arius_Astronomy]

@Ian Yoder Player: rolls d12...12 plus my strength of 5 so... 17. What happens?

[@Arius_Astronomy]

@Ian Yoder Player: GRRRRREAT! What's my reward!?

[@Arius_Astronomy]

@Ian Yoder Player: I burn the forest.......

[@AJPickett]

One of the numerous nature gods tears your soul from your body and hurls it into the abyss.. your character's physical body shudders and dies right where it is standing, and then something fouls slips into the sudden void within.. the sun's light begins to burn the corpses skin and it skuttles into the smoke and ash of the forest, it's empty eyes gleaming with the light of the grave and long, feral fangs drooling in hunger for the blood of the living. Roll up a new Character, an adventurer walking past the edge of the scorched forest, up ahead a group of strangers who seem to be talking with great alarm and waving their hands at you.. nearby you can hear a growl and something shaped like a person, stalking towards you... roll initiative.

[@Arius_Astronomy]

@@AJPickett Player *rolls dice* : I got a natural 20 on my seduction roll can I use that?

[@That80sGuy1972]

I've never used these beasties per-se. I did not know they were AD&D creatures when I DM'd. I used them, in my Japanese lore inspirations, as background color... not real beasties or beings. If you are nature-friendly in the East, nature itself shows you favor by you seeing these and the nature gods interact with you via these manifestations. Well, my version of them was color as a mythology buff... but AD&D now they are real beasties. Cool, I accept that, but if I should go back into DM'ing, they will still be background color. I'd also use these creatures on top of that. That'd be a nice way of trolling DM material reading players.

[@AmigoRoberto]

Mononoke vibes are flowing

[@Kid_illithid]

Have you ever seen the anime Mushishi? These guys remind me so much of the yokai in that show. There is a life stream that flows through all of life and these spirits in the show are in touch with it. They can travel through it and even communicate through it

[@nineteenlettersonly9687]

It looks kind of similar to Kaonashi ( No-Face) from Spirited Away... that was the first character to come to mind at least

[@Kid_illithid]

NineteenLettersOnly I’m impressed you know no faces real name! I wonder if I face is based on a similar spirit? I know he’s supposed to be a twist on some traditional yokai or another

[@nineteenlettersonly9687]

@@Kid_illithid Haha, Google works miracles :D

[@Kid_illithid]

NineteenLettersOnly I was pooping at work but ill look it up soon haha

[@AJPickett]

The little soot spirits in the furnace room are more like Chwinga.

[@Meun]

Time to use them for a fun encounter

[@myersproductionsstudios4749]

Now I want to use these guys for druidy encounters

[@faultyinterface]

Loving the new intro.

[@DracosDiabolis]

Well arnt these little critters cute. Good for a just budding campaign for the players to help or deal with. So many ways you could use them. I feel there is echos of Spirited Away in there somewhere. ..... may watch the film again and make some notes. Great video as always AJ.

[@cammieOsaurus]

So they're... Prime Material Elementals? In a way?

[@AJPickett]

Yes.

[@guybob548]

The Anime Mushishi is great inspiration for Japanese style spirits. Very mysterious, but peaceful atmosphere excellent before bed watching. Great examples of spirits just being part of nature, causing mysterious, or nature related issues when there is an imbalance in the environment.

[@snorgonofborkkad]

Weeb alert!!!

[@kendrickrochelanzot2053]

Getting that Hiso Hiso vibe (final fantasy)

[@Dahaka-rd6tw]

Chimera hybrids like Gorgimera & Mantimera. Biclops bred by cyclops and Ettin. And Ogrima by the Ogre and Oni. Can you make videos of you favorite "mix breed" monsters? I for some eason always had a soft spot for a such a creatures.

[@douglasburck1611]

Are the mask patterns a language?

[@AJPickett]

I would say so, yes.

[@Zennsunni]

There should be a Mogwai creature in D&D

[@calebdoty9090]

"Color of their hair"... Do they have color blindsight? How would they know what color an adventurers hair is?

[@AJPickett]

Birds tell them

[@calebdoty9090]

@@AJPickett Birds have impressive communication skills if they can describe colors to something that has never seen color! We need a video on these 25 Charisma birds!

[@mytzyxptlyx]

Great intro. Glorious video overall

[@AJPickett]

Thank you kindly

[@mytzyxptlyx]

@@AJPickett Ye are most welcome. Thank ye good sage

[@TheBigGuppy]

They remind me of Mandragora from Final Fantasy. Except Mandragora can attack you.

[@dibaterman]

The probably do talk... but very slowly - so slow it sounds like silence to any listener.

[@AKNeal81]

I can see these lil guys being used in a few very different ways: Cute lil mute smurf like npcs Rorschach face-changing evil murderous, mob rules strategic, Gulliver's Travels enemies And of course I've forgotten the 3rd one before finishing the first two lol EDIT: OH YES! I remembered number 3! If they are that curious about humanoids and what they do like playing wind instruments this is the perfect opportunity to make a PC the Pied Piper!

[@kevinbeelard6442]

Maybe I missed it but how far back in D&D lore do these little guys go back? Are they a recent addition to D&D lore or is there some hidden first edition reference to them?

[@AJPickett]

They were introduced in the 5th edition Tomb of Annihilation adventure set in Chult. Ice Chwinga are included in the Rime of the Frostmaiden adventure set in Icewind dale.

[@Cheerwine091]

My player argues that he can summon an unlimited number of these with summon lesser elementals.

[@jackdog06]

The spell says “8 elementals of challenge rating 1/4 or lower”, so how would that work?

[@maxgeckos]

" I have tons of videos for you to binge" ::Subscribed::

[@AJPickett]

Welcome to three solid weeks of D&D university, I will be your guest lecturer, be sure to bring snacks and beverages,

[@maxgeckos]

@@AJPickett lore is Literally one of the greatest things to listen to when you're brainstorming new campaign ideas or plot hooks. Have a notebook full of them.

[@discopartyslime55]

My dm just turned my yuan-ti into one

[@gyst8878]

Chwinga..sounds like a euphemism for Male parts.

[@WastelandSeven]

And so it shall be henceforth.

[@movespammerguyteam7colors]

I think you mean “SHWING”.

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

@@movespammerguyteam7colors Party on Garth.

[@movespammerguyteam7colors]

Not a Dog Party on Wayne.

[@captainkuddlez]

Mr. Lore Master, are you a single person putting out all this smexy info or are you a small team of people? Seem to do a lot of research for one man. o.O

[@AJPickett]

Nope, it's just me.

[@captainkuddlez]

One man library, you sir, are the awesome.

[@That80sGuy1972]

@@AJPickett Impressive!

[@gammagong9435]

Super early this time. Also, there are so many way you can use these little buggers. Gain the favor of a group of Chwinga for access to hidden secrets(world lore, charms, arms etc...). This 'should' pump the brakes on any murderhoboism as the party is literally forced to stop and smell the roses. Take a trapped one back to its forest, all the while trying(and likely failing) to understand it. Even a group of chwinga that are totally harmless, but so enthralled by the players, that they cast spells to prevent them from leaving their lair.

[@Scortch-lo3xy]

cool

[@nom1489]

Important question: can you play a chwinga?

[@AJPickett]

I could if the DM said they wanted me to.

[@PrimordialAnnihilator]

When will post the displacer beast vid

[@AJPickett]

Next week

[@Emil-Tiger02]

Yay!

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

Kara-Tur Chiwinga are just Kodama.

[@AJPickett]

Figures.

[@dragonballtalk8527]

Yetti tyke icewind dale

[@MrCSeay]

As always, 👍

[@postapocalypticnewsradio]

Here wuz Seamus

[@mbp1652]

Let's go

[@joshuazane3210]

When I saw the title I mistakenly thought of the chwidencha. I'm glad to have been mistaken; I *really* wasn't keen to see the artwork you'd dredge up for those awful things. 🤮

[@professorsponge1554]

Request: Grunge Elves. aka, the Grel.

[@snorgonofborkkad]

You don’t need to use a colon like that. You can just write a normal sentence.

[@LalaLillith]

Not at criticism just an observation but never seeing the word chwinga I though only a native English speaker could say this but then I hear “cha.wing.ga” not two syllables? Random I know

[@Xalashaska]

i have a kodama tattoo 🙂

[@Xalashaska]

@Regular Slime shut up slime

[@floppa2154]

мне понравилось ! накрутка лайка и комментарий , для алгоритмов ютуба =)!!