Mundane Beastiary (a few new beasts)

Playing an animal-dominated mage and a shapeshifting companion I've had the need to expand the beastiary a little. Here is what I made so far, if anyone is interested.

Lynx (Eurasian Lynx)
V: Improved statistics x2, Lightning reflexes, Perfect balance
F: Nocturnal, Reclusive
Q: Ambush predator, Camouflage, Crafty, Good jumper, Hardy, Keen eyesight, Pursuit predator, Sharp ears, Skilled climber, Tick fur
Size -1, Cun +1, Per +3, Str -1, Sta +2, Pre -2, Com -5, Dex +3, Qik +3
Athletics 4 (contortion, climbing +3, jumping +3, balance +6), Awareness 4 (keeping watch, sight +3, hearing +3), Brawl 4 (claw), Hunt 4 (covering tracks), Stealth 4 (natural areas +4), Survival 5 (winter), Swim 3 (small rivers)
Soak +3
Claw: Init +2, Atk +10, Dfn +11, Dam +1
Bite: Init +3, Atk +10, Dfn +8, Dam +0
Sneak attack (bonus): Init auto, Atk +3, first round only
Fatigue levels: OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Inc (13-16), Dead (17+)
Personality: Independent +3
Reputation: Dangerous +1
Appearance: Lynx have short tails and tufts of black hair on the tips of their ears. They have large, padded paws for walking on snow, and long whiskers. Their body color varies from medium brown to goldish to beige-white; the coloring varies by climate and season.

Raven (Common Raven)
V: Piercing gaze, Puissant (Awareness)
F: Weakness to object (shiny metal)
Q: Accomplished flyer, Crafty, Keen eyesight, Mimicry, Vocal
Size -4, Cun +0, Per +4, Str -7, Sta +1, Pre +0, Com +2, Dex +1, Qik +5
Athletics 5 (flying), Awareness 6 (shiny metal, sight +3), Brawl 3 (beak), Music 3 (signals), Survival 3 (woodland), (Living language 3 if intelligent)
Soak +1
Beak: Init +5, Atk +6, Dfn +10, Dam -6
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound penalties: -1 (1), -3 (2), -5 (3), Inc (4), Dead (5+)
Personality: Coward +2, Curious +2, Playful +2
Reputation: Spiritual figure +2
Appearance: The raven is a large, all-black songbird. It has a religious meaning to many cultures.

Beaver (Eurasian Beaver)
V: Puissant (Swim), Tough
F: Obsessed (building dam and hideout)
Q: Amphibious, Crafty, Hardy, Keen sense of smell, Large teeth, Sharp ears, Thick fur, Tireless
Size -2, Cun +1, Per +2, Str -3, Sta +1, Pre -3, Com -4, Dex +2, Qik +3
Athletics 3 (contortion), Awareness 3 (predators, smell +3, hearing +3), Brawl 3 (bite), Craft: Woodworking 3 (construct dam), Stealth 3 (hiding), Survival 5 (wetlands), Swim 6 (while carrying)
Soak +5
Fatigue levels: OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3/-3, -5, Unconscious
Teeth: Init +3, Atk +10, Dfn +8, Dmg +0
Wound penalties: -1 (1-3), -3 (4-6), -5 (7-9), Inc (10-12), Dead (13+)
Personality: Helpful +1, Timid +1
Reputation: None
Appearance: Beavers are big rodents with large front teeth. Their colors may vary, from light chestnut-rust to dark brown or black. They have a broad tail: when frightened, a swimming beaver will rapidly dive while forcefully slapping the water with its tail, audible over great distances above and below water.

Wild Alpha Boar
V: Berserk, Enduring Constitution, Ferocity (when cornered) , Improved Characteristics x2, Though
F: Greedy, Proud, Wrathful
Q: Aggressive, Tusks, Hardy, Herd Animal, Pack leader, Tireless, Tough Hide
Size +1, Cun +0, Per +0, Str +4, Sta +3, Pre -3, Com -4, Dex +1, Qik +1
Athletics 5 (sprinting), Awareness 4 (threats), Brawl 6 (tusks), Leadership 5 (wild boars), Survival 5 (forest)
Soak +8
Fatigue levels: OK, 0/0, -1/-1, -3/-3, -5, Unconscious
Tusks: Ini +1, Atk +12, Def +10, Dmg +9
Berserk (bonus): Atk +2, Def -2
Wound penalties: -1 (1-6), -3 (7-12), -5 (13-18), Inc (19-24), Dead (25+)
Personality: Brave +4, Angry +3
Reputation: Ferocious 2
Appearance: The wild boar has prominent tusks and a hairy ridge along its spine. The alpha boar is an exceptional individual, raging over the herd, leading them.

Sparrow (House Sparrow)
V: Careful (Awareness), Perfect Balance
F: Optimistic
Q: Accomplished flyer, Camouflage, Crafty, Hardy, Vocal
Size -8, Cun +1, Per +3, Str -15, Sta +1, Pre -3, Com +2, Dex +1, Qik +9
Athletics 5 (flying), Awareness 5 (alertness, careful), Brawl 2 (dodge), Music 3 (mating call), Stealth 0 (camouflage +3), Survival 5 (find food)
Soak +1
Dodge: Ini +9, Dfn +12
Fatigue levels: OK, 0/0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound penalties: Dead (1+)
Personality: Curious +1, Cautious +2, Social +2
Reputation: None
Appearance: The sparrow is a small, grey and brown songbird. It is one of the most common birds worldwide, able to survive in both urban and rural environments. Mostly considered friendly and harmless a peasant wouldn’t be too pleased about a large flock feasting in his fields.

Great Eagle (Golden Eagle)
V: Improved Characteristics, Lesser immunity (blindness), Piercing Gaze, Second Sight
F: Proud, Reclusive
Q: Aggressive, Fast Flyer, Imposing Appearance, Keen Vision, Pursuit Predator
Size -2, Cun +0, Per +4, Str -2, Sta +1, Pre +1, Com -2, Dex +2, Qik +3
Athletics 3 (flying, speed +3), Awareness 4 (small prey, sight +3), Brawl 5 (claws) , Hunt 4 (prey), Survival 3 (mountain)
Soak +1
Claws: Ini +3, Atk +10, Def +12, Dmg +0
Beek: Ini +4, Atk +10, Def +9, Dmg -1
Fatigue levels: OK, 0/0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound penalties: -1 (1-3), -3 (4-6), -5 (7-9), Inc (10-12), Dead (13+)
Personality: Proud +2, Fierce +2
Reputation: Fierce 1
Appearance: The Golden Eagle is a large, dark brown raptor with broad wings. Most of them live in the mountains. They are known to be excellent hunters, capable of killing and carrying a small goat or even a human toddler.

Otter (Old World Otter)
V: Puissant (Swim), Ferocity (against water creatures)
F: Carefree
Q: Amphibious, Keen sense of smell, Pursuit predator
Size -3, Cun +0, Per +2, Str -5, Sta +1, Pre -2, Com -5, Dex +2, Qik +4
Athletics 3 (contortion), Awareness 3 (underwater, smell +3), Brawl 4 (bite), Hunt 4 (prey), Survival 3 (rivers), Swim 6 (speed)
Soak +1
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1/-1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Teeth: Init +4, Atk +10, Dfn +10, Dmg -4
Wound penalties: -1 (1-2), -3 (3-4), -5 (5-6), Inc (7-8), Dead (9+)
Personality: Playful +2, Brave +2
Reputation: None
Appearance: The otter is a long, slender creature, colored brown above and cream below.

Nice! Thanks for sharing.

I would suggest making the lynx Size -2. According to Wikipedia, it weights about the same as a beaver (40 to 60 pounds), and less than a wolf (80 to 100 pounds).

Thanks for sharing!

Happy if it could be of any help

Lynx size is based on the charts in HoH:MC.
About size, I was in a bit of doubt myself. It seems like the table judges the size not only by weight, but also by length and reach of the body: e.g. birds and felines tend score at least one size category higher than animals like rodents and livestock of similar weight.
I guess there is some actual thought behind this: size is more abstract than pure mass; I therefore chose to stick to the table.

Similar reasoning are behind my picks of sizes for the birds I have created. Feel free to rip and modify the size if you see it fit for your own use.

I dig this. Thanks!

Just a note, but this is the sort of material we love to get at Sub Rosa.

You can mail us at subrosa@distantlandspublishing.com if you've got an idea for an article and we can make sure we save room.

Just saying.

-Ben.

I need to claim Serf's Parma, but shouldn't the predators and the boar have ferocity?

-Ben.

Thanks

Based on what I have read in HoH:MC ferocity isn’t tied to predators in any way. If I missed something or there are better sources, please enlighten me.

I’ve made a few corrections in the original post. All natural weapons should now be ordered by power (most powerful first). I also corrected other minor sorting/typo issues.

Nice one!

What I tend to do with sizes (this might be from a book I just can't recall where) is drop a wound category for each size below -4, starting with the lightest ones.

-5: Medium (1), Heavy (2), Incap (3), Dead (4)
-6: Heavy (1), Incap (2), Dead (3)
-7: Incap (1), Dead (2)
-8: Dead (1)
-9: Dead (any blow)

Thus, sparrows die with a single hit solid enough to inflict a light wound on a normal person, and flies die even if hit by swatting them with a book. Of course, flies have remarkable quickness. You can spend a long time trying to swat a fly, and you probably want to make use of the +3 surprise attack modifier too.

It is indeed from Realms of Power: Faerie, page 49.

It's the minor virtue that allows animals to have confidence used in appropriate situations. And generally, I've given it to predators, which was why I was thinking it.

-Ben.

Flies among some other things also tend to be horribly resilient. You think you´ve made them go splat against a wall or something, and even if they HAVE, an hour or two later, they´re buzzing around being just as annoying as before once again.

I made a Donkey and so on.

I like the additional rule about size and wound categories. Original post updated.
As for "resilient" insects the SG could add this as a possible botch outcome? Rules can't be perfect

The boar has ferocity, but I have chosen to not give it to the other animals. Mostly a question of personal preference I guess. To me, the golden eagle seems powerful enough without (and the original guidelines a more generic eagle do not suggest they have it). The lynx, large and dangerous as it is, is still an example of a non-aggressive predator that is more likely to not attack or flee from a fight when the odds are against it.

Vociferously seconded (although I'm not officially anything to do with SubRosa, I contribute as often as I can and try and continue to support it however I can).

There are some extra mundane beasts in SubRosa #9 left over from the Cradle and the Crescent (Ass/Donkey, Saqr falcon, Ostrich and Waral / Monitor Lizard). Eagles are short-statted as variants of falcons in tCatC as well, mainly for space reasons - we just couldn't fit all the full stat blocks in and the book is oversized in any case. Some of the other critters cut will find their way into another upcoming supplement soon.

IMO mundane beasts are useful not only as opponents, mounts, familiars and minor background characters but also as the basis for Faerie beasts, Animals of Virtue and as HeartBeast shapes.

Frankly I believe we need more crittters, if not a separate sourcebook or PDF download similar to the great start provided by Andrew Gronosky's Book of Mundane Beasts.

SubRosa is a great place to start. It's where many of the author pool first tired their hand at writing for the line or were recruited on the basis of articles they had written.

Also note (and Ben or Mark will correct me if I'm wrong here) anything published in SubRosa can later be used in official Ars Magica products as SubRosa still reverts rights back to the author after a period of time ie. you can then submit such a creature as part of an OpenCall or work on a manuscript. Atlas takes a different view on web-published material although this is possibly negotiable.

Cheers,

Lachie

Would anyone happen to have statted an otter?

I got one now.
Added to the first post aswell.

Otter (Old World Otter)
V: Puissant (Swim), Ferocity (against water creatures)
F: Carefree
Q: Amphibious, Keen sense of smell, Pursuit predator
Size -3, Cun +0, Per +2, Str -5, Sta +1, Pre -2, Com -5, Dex +2, Qik +4
Athletics 3 (contortion), Awareness 3 (underwater, smell +3), Brawl 4 (bite), Hunt 4 (prey), Survival 3 (rivers), Swim 6 (speed)
Soak +1
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1/-1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Teeth: Init +4, Atk +10, Dfn +10, Dmg -4
Wound penalties: -1 (1-2), -3 (3-4), -5 (5-6), Inc (7-8), Dead (9+)
Personality: Playful +2, Brave +2
Reputation: None
Appearance: The otter is a long, slender creature, colored brown above and cream below.

Thank you!

Even better than that, we get "the rights" to stick the work in our magazine, but the author never actually loses them. They don't get to use the artwork without permission, but the article copy (edited or not) is theirs to do with as they please.