Beast Speech

[TheMonarchGamer]

Howdy,
I posted this as a reply and then figured it would better fit as its own thread
One question: beast speech. How do y'all describe/show this in your games? One of the players was speaking to an intelligent animal in my last game, and I ended up describing it like the animal wasn't 'talking' to him but he could 'feel' these emotions or thoughts coming off the animal, but in a way, that seems sort of cliché.
Speaking and listening to nature seems be an integral part of Tolkien, but I'm really not sure how to portray it well.
Thoughts?
-TMG

[Otaku-sempai]

Well, in The Hobbit the Great Eagles, the giant spiders of Mirkwood and the ravens of Erebor allegedly able to speak in Westron. Of course the Eagles have ties to the Valar and the spiders are arguably demon-spiders rather than natural creatures.

The Old Thrush seemed to understand the company easily enough; and Bard could understand it well under difficult circumstances. The Dwarves could understand the crows near the Lonely Mountain well enough to know that they were being insulting. Does this help at all?

[Feanor]

Your point is absolutely correct, in my view. Tolkienesque heroism, is that of old, understanding the creatures and nature, IS somewhat of a cliche. absolutely. Id argue they cant talk back, it is the way you sound and look when you talk to the creature that makes it understadn you.

[TheMonarchGamer]

Yes, this helped significantly. I guess its time for me to put on another one of my ridiculous accents
The other passage that I discovered that helped me was when the thrush goes to get the raven that tells them that Bard slew Smaug.
I hope that about covers it, but I'll let y'all know if I have any more questions. Thanks a ton!
-TMG