Familiars - Inventory?

[Norture]

If the familiar is limited to 25 pounds as a maximum weight, you wouldn't be able to put a lot of ore on it at all. Offhand I think they're 10 pounds each.

[Major Tom]

Hm.. perhaps, in the case of messengers, how 'bout this? Buy a caged raven, give it a conversation that lets you open the inventory, place your letter or whatever you wish to send, so long as it's within weight limits, then speak the character's name to the raven, at which point it'll do the 'fly' animation, and teleport to the character in question (with a delay, no doubt).

[Feronius]

That's a nice suggestion, but would require an entirely new system implemented, which I am guessing is more work than enabling such functions on familiars.

You can also perform a far more detailed and varied RP experience through the use of familiars / animal companions.
For example, you can't intercept a message send through the system you propose. And you can emote and interact with familiars, send a reply, pick pocket them, etc.

[Major Tom]

Not really an entirely new system - it already kind of exists with things like the oxen, and I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure the Port had an aviary where you could buy birds as pets.

If you're worried about interception, then consider this.. in order to 'deliver' such messages you'd need to AFK your character somewhere where the familiar can leave, thus probably out in the open (you won't be able to get in an inn, then possess your familiar and fly him down the stairs - Radu will kill it dead), and then travel, hopelessly searching for the character you intend to deliver it to. What about characters in other domains? Your familiar won't be able to pay the Vistani, or pass through the mists, or anything like that, even with you possessing it.

[Feronius]

No, I'd -like- the option to intercept the messages.

[Major Tom]

I know you would, I'm just sayin' you wouldn't be able to deliver a message in the first place given what you wanted to go with.

[Nemien Callishan]

I think part of the problem is that NWN handles familiars as summoned creatures and, when they are unsummoned, it basicaly kills them instead of saving them somewhere for later use. I believe not allowing them to interact with items and pick them up was an intentional design decision to avoid players losing items that had not been flagged to drop when a familiar vanished with them (and then didn't come back later on).

POTM would need to sort out some kind of persistant familiar inventory system before they could be allowed to carry items and objects.

[Ercvadasz]

Am with Norture on this.
And he only has mentioned like the tip of the ice-berg.