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Athas Wildlife?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
scubasteve29
Jun 08, 2010 17:31:15
the Dark Sun setting appeals to me, but I'm not terribly familiar with the nuts and bolts of the world.

I know that the harsh setting forced intelligent species to adapt and grow stronger, but what was the affect on natural wildlife? In game terms, how does Athas' environment affect classes like Druids and Beast master Rangers?
#2
urpriest
Jun 08, 2010 17:48:44 I don't know a huge amount about Dark Sun, but from the 3.5 articles on it it appears that animals tend to be reptilian or insectoid, and often have psionic abilities. So don't get a bear.
#3
mouthymerc
Jun 08, 2010 18:08:56 Initially, large cats like the lion and such could be used. As the Dark Sun Monster Compendiums came out, though, we got more Dark Sun creatures. Psionic cats like the tagster and the tigone. The was the kirre which was cat-like. The klar from the Appendix II was bear-like. The zhackal was much like a jackal. Many creatures used for mounts or pulling carts like the kank or crodlu. Herd animals like the kip, z'tal or jankz.

Dark Sun is known for having some very dangerous flora and fauna.
#4
ian.thomson
Jun 08, 2010 18:18:11 Well, horses aren't present on Athas, neither are cows or pigs. There are Erdlus (think dire ostrich) to substitute for horses, and either Carru (kinda like bison with fluid sacs on their necks) and Kanks (giant ants) to substitute for cattle, and Aprigs (slap an armadillo and a pig together) or Kips (basically pigs with a pheremone that makes you apathetic) for pigs.

Since people raise aprigs instead of pigs, I'm guessing there aren't boars. However, there is a similar creature called a Baazrag (think dire armadillo) that probably would work well enough if a player insists on having a boar animal companion. Baazrags are pack creatures, but occasionally a larger and downright evil one known as a boneclaw will be born and basically run around killing and eating everything. Other than that, the categories are general enough that I think you can probably keep them.

Flipping through the Druid powers real quick, I'm not seeing anything that you couldn't outright use. I don't recall anything saying "no wolverines, no ravens." I don't think Druid powers are going to be affected.
#5
aegishjalmur
Jun 08, 2010 18:29:21 I suspect scorpions being a common Druid/Ranger animal. Other interesting animals included Cloud Rays (Massive whale sized manta rays that fly). Rocs existed as well but beyond Arakrokras I cannot remember any other avian species.

There are also those things that exist in the Silt Seas...
#6
Pennarin
Jun 08, 2010 19:17:17 Ian, erdlus are meat animals. What you describe is the crodlu.
#7
mouthymerc
Jun 08, 2010 21:22:05 Suggestions for beasts for the ranger...

Bear: Athasian sloth, klar.

Boar: Tembo, bonclaw baazrag, sand howler.

Cat: Tagster, tigone, kirre.

Lizard: Dagorran, gorak, jhakar, lirr.

Raptor: Razorwing, kes'trekel.

Serpent: Snakes are a part of the fauna of Dark Sun. Some new ones are interesting.

Spider: Antloid, crystal spider, mastyrial and, of course, scorpians and spiders.

Wolf: Rasclinn, zhackal.

#8
Pennarin
Jun 08, 2010 21:53:08 Good list mouthy!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 scubasteve29 Jun 08, 2010 17:31:15	the Dark Sun setting appeals to me, but I'm not terribly familiar with the nuts and bolts of the world. I know that the harsh setting forced intelligent species to adapt and grow stronger, but what was the affect on natural wildlife? In game terms, how does Athas' environment affect classes like Druids and Beast master Rangers?
#2 urpriest Jun 08, 2010 17:48:44	I don't know a huge amount about Dark Sun, but from the 3.5 articles on it it appears that animals tend to be reptilian or insectoid, and often have psionic abilities. So don't get a bear.
#3 mouthymerc Jun 08, 2010 18:08:56	Initially, large cats like the lion and such could be used. As the Dark Sun Monster Compendiums came out, though, we got more Dark Sun creatures. Psionic cats like the tagster and the tigone. The was the kirre which was cat-like. The klar from the Appendix II was bear-like. The zhackal was much like a jackal. Many creatures used for mounts or pulling carts like the kank or crodlu. Herd animals like the kip, z'tal or jankz. Dark Sun is known for having some very dangerous flora and fauna.
#4 ian.thomson Jun 08, 2010 18:18:11	Well, horses aren't present on Athas, neither are cows or pigs. There are Erdlus (think dire ostrich) to substitute for horses, and either Carru (kinda like bison with fluid sacs on their necks) and Kanks (giant ants) to substitute for cattle, and Aprigs (slap an armadillo and a pig together) or Kips (basically pigs with a pheremone that makes you apathetic) for pigs. Since people raise aprigs instead of pigs, I'm guessing there aren't boars. However, there is a similar creature called a Baazrag (think dire armadillo) that probably would work well enough if a player insists on having a boar animal companion. Baazrags are pack creatures, but occasionally a larger and downright evil one known as a boneclaw will be born and basically run around killing and eating everything. Other than that, the categories are general enough that I think you can probably keep them. Flipping through the Druid powers real quick, I'm not seeing anything that you couldn't outright use. I don't recall anything saying "no wolverines, no ravens." I don't think Druid powers are going to be affected.
#5 aegishjalmur Jun 08, 2010 18:29:21	I suspect scorpions being a common Druid/Ranger animal. Other interesting animals included Cloud Rays (Massive whale sized manta rays that fly). Rocs existed as well but beyond Arakrokras I cannot remember any other avian species. There are also those things that exist in the Silt Seas...
#6 Pennarin Jun 08, 2010 19:17:17	Ian, erdlus are meat animals. What you describe is the crodlu.
#7 mouthymerc Jun 08, 2010 21:22:05	Suggestions for beasts for the ranger... Bear: Athasian sloth, klar. Boar: Tembo, bonclaw baazrag, sand howler. Cat: Tagster, tigone, kirre. Lizard: Dagorran, gorak, jhakar, lirr. Raptor: Razorwing, kes'trekel. Serpent: Snakes are a part of the fauna of Dark Sun. Some new ones are interesting. Spider: Antloid, crystal spider, mastyrial and, of course, scorpians and spiders. Wolf: Rasclinn, zhackal.
#8 Pennarin Jun 08, 2010 21:53:08	Good list mouthy!