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A Gadabout is a modified spacefaring plant created by the elves in the Spelljammer campaign setting.[1]

Overview[]

Spacefaring elves use this small winged plant as a form of personal transportation across short distances outside a spelljammer vessel's air envelope, such as boarding actions between ships, or as emergency life-support.[1]

Description[]

A gadabout has large butterfly-like "wings" and long grasping vines. To safely fly through wildspace, a gadabout reflexively wraps its vines around its wearer, spreads its wings and generates an air bubble around them. The oxygen within the bubble is continually refreshed as the plant takes in carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen. The process of photosynthesis within its colorful wing-leaves even produces a nourishing syrup which the user can drink from a flexible stalk located near their head. A gadabout will maintain its air supply as long as its wings remain intact and there is sufficient sunlight. In the phlogiston, a continual light spell can substitute for sunlight.[1]

Creation[]

Gadabouts, as well as flitters, men-o-war, and armadas, are modified fruit from the starfly plant. However, the gadabout is arrested at the motile fruit stage, and is modified further to be seedless as well as responsive to commands. Gadabout are easily maintained as they only require exposure to sunlight and to be occasionally watered. Any humanoid can use a gadabout, since it can be controlled through sheer will, in the same way a spellcaster controls a ship using a helm. Though gadabouts are hardy, they do not tolerate abuse. If a gadabout's central body is punctured, the entire plant rapidly decomposes, turning into an evil-smelling mess within two hours.

Since the elves keep all information related to the cultivation and modification of starfly plants secret, most scholars have only the sketchiest idea about how they go about creating gadabouts. This dearth of knowledge, combined with the fact that gadabouts are seedless, as well as the fact that the elves have only recently sanctioned their sale to non-elven races, has kept gadabouts relatively rare in the market. This means that procuring a gadabout can be quite expensive as they go for about 2,500 gp.[1]

Ecology[]

Gadabouts live for about 25 years. The central part of the plant remains the same size; the only parts that grow are the wings. As with the elven ships created using these spacefaring plants, the owner must trim back the wings on occasion. The central plant is flexible enough to accommodate various humanoid body types, ranging in size from gnomes to ogres.[1]

Appendix[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Newton Ewell, MC9 Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix II, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Gadabout entry
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