Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)
I was brainstorming for a campaign I am going to be running in a few onths,
and I got to thinking- wouldnt it be cool if wild animals could be
domesticated- not tamed, like elephants , but truly domesticated- for use by
sentient species?
The idea occurred after I had been reading "Guns , Germs, and Steel", a
pulitzer prize winning book on the developement of human societies, and I
had just finished a chapter on how a lack of domesticated animals slowed
the developement of Native American and Sub Shaharan African societies. The
author commented on how the species native to these regions are remarkably
resistant to domestication, and the cultures would be much, much different
if they could have been made to serve man.
Suddenly, my mind was filled with images of pygmies riding domesticated
gorillas in the arboreal heights of a rainforest, dwarves riding
domesticated rams and bears, lizardfolk patrolling on velociraptors, orcs
on dire wolves, amazons on domesticated saber-tooth tigers, thri kreen
mounted on dire ants, bushmen leading charges of domesticated war rhinos
supported by zebra mounted scouts across the kalahari... etc, etc.
I figure a fantasy world, with access to magic ( both druidic and arcane)
would have a much easier time domesticating such creatures than the real
world could. Note that "domesticated" is different than "tame"- a falcon
may be tamed, but will still give birth to wild falcons ( who would have to
be tamed, themselves, if you wanted to use them). A chicken gives birth to
domesticated chickens every time.
So, what should a 'domesticated' template involve? here are my thoughts:
Domesticated template: May be applied to any non-sentient animal normally
considered wild. This represents the purposeful selective breeding ,
normally over a very long period of time & supervised by a sentient race or
races, of a wild species to produce a new species more useful to them.
Traits:
- Docile: a domesticated creature is , nominally, passive. Though some may
be trained for war, or skittish, or need to be broken in (like a horse),
they normally will not cause harm to another creature unless greatly
provoked. Most would prefer flight to a fight.
- Obedient: through millenia of breeding and training, Domesticated animals
have been made to bend to the will of their masters.-4 will save against
any animal handling check made on it.
- For the Saddle born: A domesticated animal may be ridden by a creature of
the appropriate size. They may have to be broken in & trained beforehand,
but will eventually accept a rider. Alternatively, they may also be used as
draft animals , pulling chariots, carts, plows, or similiar transports &
equipment.
-Lambs to the slaughter: domesticated animals may be herded and corraled
relatively easily. From there, they may be slaughtered for food, shod, or
have their bodies handled & modified ( shearing sheep, gelding horses,
branding cattle, milking a goat, etc) with little difficulty.
Anyone else have ideas? Has this concept been explored already,perhaps?
--
Trav
hoodyhoo@KODT.net
To reply, replace 'KODT' with 'rfci'.
11/Sept/01: Never forget. Never forgive.
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do
nothing." -- Edmund Burke
I was brainstorming for a campaign I am going to be running in a few onths,
and I got to thinking- wouldnt it be cool if wild animals could be
domesticated- not tamed, like elephants , but truly domesticated- for use by
sentient species?
The idea occurred after I had been reading "Guns , Germs, and Steel", a
pulitzer prize winning book on the developement of human societies, and I
had just finished a chapter on how a lack of domesticated animals slowed
the developement of Native American and Sub Shaharan African societies. The
author commented on how the species native to these regions are remarkably
resistant to domestication, and the cultures would be much, much different
if they could have been made to serve man.
Suddenly, my mind was filled with images of pygmies riding domesticated
gorillas in the arboreal heights of a rainforest, dwarves riding
domesticated rams and bears, lizardfolk patrolling on velociraptors, orcs
on dire wolves, amazons on domesticated saber-tooth tigers, thri kreen
mounted on dire ants, bushmen leading charges of domesticated war rhinos
supported by zebra mounted scouts across the kalahari... etc, etc.
I figure a fantasy world, with access to magic ( both druidic and arcane)
would have a much easier time domesticating such creatures than the real
world could. Note that "domesticated" is different than "tame"- a falcon
may be tamed, but will still give birth to wild falcons ( who would have to
be tamed, themselves, if you wanted to use them). A chicken gives birth to
domesticated chickens every time.
So, what should a 'domesticated' template involve? here are my thoughts:
Domesticated template: May be applied to any non-sentient animal normally
considered wild. This represents the purposeful selective breeding ,
normally over a very long period of time & supervised by a sentient race or
races, of a wild species to produce a new species more useful to them.
Traits:
- Docile: a domesticated creature is , nominally, passive. Though some may
be trained for war, or skittish, or need to be broken in (like a horse),
they normally will not cause harm to another creature unless greatly
provoked. Most would prefer flight to a fight.
- Obedient: through millenia of breeding and training, Domesticated animals
have been made to bend to the will of their masters.-4 will save against
any animal handling check made on it.
- For the Saddle born: A domesticated animal may be ridden by a creature of
the appropriate size. They may have to be broken in & trained beforehand,
but will eventually accept a rider. Alternatively, they may also be used as
draft animals , pulling chariots, carts, plows, or similiar transports &
equipment.
-Lambs to the slaughter: domesticated animals may be herded and corraled
relatively easily. From there, they may be slaughtered for food, shod, or
have their bodies handled & modified ( shearing sheep, gelding horses,
branding cattle, milking a goat, etc) with little difficulty.
Anyone else have ideas? Has this concept been explored already,perhaps?
--
Trav
hoodyhoo@KODT.net
To reply, replace 'KODT' with 'rfci'.
11/Sept/01: Never forget. Never forgive.
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do
nothing." -- Edmund Burke
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