To make this the true D&D experience, you need give players a level of creative freedom... thats not possible in a D&D game, but I thought by explaining some of the things I would LIKE to do, that the people making this game could see some of our bizarre creative desires and perhaps take them into account? I dont know.
For starters, there is no reality where I wouldnt hatch that Owlbear Egg... it isnt going to happen, same with the Spider Egg you find. Use Tashas sidekick rules for these guys and we get a nice easy new party member.
That Oxen that wants to become a Druid? Let us Awaken him... PLEASE!!! LET US HELP HIM ACHIEVE HIS DREAM!!!!
Let us Awaken Scratch, and the Owlbear Cub. Lets be real here, because of how Awaken works... It would be a nightmare to actually make it a spell, think about it... if we could awaken every animal in the game, then we would. You would be better off making awaken a druidic ability that we could do on Key animals once we reach a certain level. Make a list of animals you think the player would like to Awaken, and stick to that list guys! Let us do it through dialogue, and not a spell. And that is probably the optimal way to integrate it.
THE BRAINS!!!! ON the Mind Flayer ship I picked up several miscellaneous objects whose flavor text describes them as LIVING BRAINS, these are ALIVE!!! THESE ARE LIVING ALIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE FULLY ALIVE AND LIVING, but in a jar.
Knowing this, I would do what any sane play would do in a D&D game, hold onto these until we have access to the Regenerate spell so we could grow them new bodies! THESE ARE INNOCENT BODYLESS PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE! Let us save them!
