Beast

Character Type Description

A Beast is something we would recognize as an animal. It may or may not be a “natural” animal.

Subtypes and Crosstypes

The subtypes of the Beast are as follows:

Subtype	Distinctive Features
Natural Beast	A mundane animal such as a dog, horse or falcon, which looks and behaves much as the animals we are familiar with. These can be encountered anywhere.
Unnatural Beast	Usually combines elements of several natural beasts (a lion and an eagle, an owl and a bear…). Usually encountered in remote regions.
Heraldic Beast	An animal which we would think of as mythical. Usually encountered in remote regions.

All three kinds of beast may be able to talk, although this is more likely for heraldic beasts and less likely for unnatural beasts. If you have the “dial” for magic set low for your particular game, ignore this possibility.

Players in Errantry can play talking beasts (including heraldic or unnatural beasts) if they want to and their setting permits. They can also play humans transformed into beasts, who may or may not be able to speak.

There are no crosstypes of the Beast.

Names

A wild beast will usually be known only by its species. A horse, hound or falcon is likely to have a name, however.

Abilities and Secrets

Closed Abilities

These abilities are restricted to the Beast character type. Nobody who is not a Beast can take these abilities, but all Beasts have these abilities. There is no single characteristic ability for Beasts, nor do they have any other abilities apart from these four (anything else they can do is a Secret).

Attack (Valour) This is the animal’s strength and ferocity. Even animals, such as a tame cow, that do not normally attack people may have a high Attack, as they’d be formidable if provoked.

Escape (Valour) This is the animal’s quickness and control. It is used to dodge blows, run away, and be fast like a rabbit. The animal defends against attacks using an Escape ability check.

Senses (Courtesie) This is the animal’s ability to notice its surroundings. If you are trying to sneak up on an animal, you will be in a contest of Stealth versus Senses, for example.

Brain (Artes) This is a measure of the animal’s intelligence and will, and is used like Reason. While it may be a hinderance to domestication, it is also used for a domesticated animal to understand commands.

Beasts should have few, if any, points in their pools. One or two points in Courtesie makes them a much more formidable foe, and one or two points in Valour makes them devastating. No points should be in Artes unless the animal is a Speaking Beast or magical.

The Tenan should assign the points, if any, by his or her own judgement when making up the beast.

An animal may have one or two Secrets to represent special abilities that it has, such as a prehensile tail. If you are making up new Beasts, you can remove the cost from these Secrets if the ability is built into the animal.

Closed Secrets

These secrets are restricted to the Beast character type. Nobody who is not a Beast can take these secrets.

Attack Secrets

The following Secrets require a successful Attack ability check to activate. They double the success rating obtained from the ability check if it is successful.

Secret of Deadly Breath The Beast breathes poison, fire etc. as an attack. Cost: 1 Artes.

Secret of Deadly Gaze The Beast’s gaze functions as an attack. Cost: 1 Artes.

Weapons and Armour

Beasts have natural weapons such as claws, hooves, teeth and horns, and natural armour such as thick hides. The plus values can be added (for weapons) and deducted (for armour) from attacks in which the relevant weapon or armour can reasonably be deployed.

A four-legged beast with claws can be taken to have two weapons at each end. Horns generally count as just one weapon, however.

A four-legged beast with hooves can be taken to have one weapon at each end, and can’t use both at once.

Initial Attitude

Refer to the Beast Chart.

Retainers and Companions

Assume that beasts normally occur singly.

Creating Unnatural Beasts

If an Unnatural Beast is indicated by the Encounter Chart, combine two or more natural beasts into one. Use your imagination as to how the parts fit together. The Beast’s weapons, abilities etc. should be based on how the parts are assembled, for example, if it has the claws of a cat it gets the equivalent weapon rating for a cat’s claws.

Creating Speaking Beasts

Speaking beasts may have magical Secrets (chosen from the list under the Enchanter character type). They may also have Keys.

Heraldic beasts, particularly dragons and unicorns, may also speak and have Secrets and Keys.

These are notes for a work in progress. Don’t expect everything to be consistent or make sense.