JohnB's Games

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====== Animals ======

People's attitudes to animals are slightly different in Sakhar.  There are, of course, animals that you wouldn't expect to see in more northern climates, and some animals that take on a different significance, in this southern land.


  * **Cats**:  Cats have a special significance in the religious life of Sakhar, once associated with a long forgotten deity, they still retain an aura of being ‘God touched’.  Most temple keep a few cats on the premises, and city Mausoleum Gardens always have a few semi-domesticated cats living in them.  It is considered bad luck to hurt a cat and, while it isn’t enshrined in law, ‘feeding the cats’ is considered to be a good and lucky act.  It is common for people visiting the gardens to take a few scraps of meat with them as a gift for the cats. 
  * **Camels**: Desert camels and mountain camels share the same game statistics as noted in the Monstrous Compendium. However, mountain camels have smaller feet, and while they are more sure-footed in hilly terrain, they are not very useful in the desert. A white camel is considered a sign of good fortune, and as such may fetch 2 to 5 times its listed price.  No type of camel is suitable for riding into combat unless it has been trained as a war camel. (Even then, it is a stubborn, uncomfortable mount.) Further, a camel that is designated for breeding is not usually used as a beast of burden. 
  * **Dogs**:  Dogs are not generally seen as household pets in Sakar, although many homes have guard dogs, and the tribes all have dogs to help with their herds.  Feral dogs are often chased away and, sometimes, even hunted down and culled.
  * **Horses**: The larger and heavier breeds of horse found in less civilized lands are not suited to Zakhara. Their size causes them to overheat quickly, and most do not survive. As a result, the “mounted knight” from foreign lands is doubly damned, both for his own heavy armor and his straining mount are a hindrance in the Land of Fate. The lighter and more nimble breeds of horse are common as Zakharan mounts, and only rarely do they serve as pack animals (they are too valuable for such work). In the most savage and parched deserts of Zakhara, horses are impractical. 
  * **Monkeys**: A small monkey is a common urban pet, and is very entertaining and inquisitive. Monkeys can be trained to perform simple tasks. They have been known to carry off small valuables, and Zakharan law declares that a master is responsible for the actions of his or her pet. 
  * **Pigeons**: The common pigeon or dove is kept in gardens for decorations. The homing pigeon has been trained to return to a particular location when released. The land-seeking pigeon has been trained to head for the nearest land, and is used by mariners at sea. Once released, this pigeon will fly up, then use its uncanny sense of geography to head for the nearest island or continent within 150 miles. If no such land exists, then the bird will return to the ship. Once the pigeon reaches land, it is never seen again by its original owners. 
  * **Songbirds**: Songbirds of a wide variety of plumage and voice abound in the jungles and along the shores of the Land of Fate. They are also valued additions to urban gardens. A songbird may be trained to a particular song at greater cost. 
  * **Storks**: The stork is a symbol of good fortune to the city peoples, who admire the bird’s fidelity, apparent honesty, and willingness to let lesser birds nest beside it for protection. Storks purchased in a bazaar are raised for sale, and never slain.