Roll for encounter possibility based on terrain type

Region Types

DMs: 

• +1 if on road
• -1 if at sea

Animal Types

Animals can be described by the ecological niche they occupy.  The following broad categories describe effectively all animal types.  Note that some of these definitions overlap, because most animals have several available feeding behaviors and do what they need to do under the circumstances to get a meal.  For example, Terran baleen whales will scoop plankton while skimming through the sea (herbivore grazer behavior), but also take shoals of fish or mollusks from the bottom, which requires more work and is similar to herbivore intermittent behavior.  Similarly, lions can take live prey as carnivore pouncers or chasers, but can take another creature's kill, thereby functioning as scavenger hijackers.

When trying to assign an animal to such a niche, use its most frequent or typical behavior, as well as the most vigorous technique which it routinely uses.  For example, the lion would be be listed as a pouncer because it is not limited to hijacking behavior.

Herbivores

Animals which eat unresisting food are generally classed as herbivores.  While this usually means plant eaters, the definition here includes the eating of unresisting animals as well.  Herbivores are of three types:

Grazers:  Animals which devote most of their time to eating.  They may be solitary or grouped in herds.  Their primary defense is flight, although such action may result in stampedes which could endanger adventurers who get in their path.  When forced to fight, they will fight fiercely until killed or routed.  Typical Terran grazers are the antelope and the moose.  The baleen whale (which scoops krill from the sea as it swims through it) is also a grazer.

Intermittents:  Herbivores which do not devote their full time to eating.  They tend to be solitary.  Intermittents usually "freeze" when an encounter occurs, fleeing of attacked by a larger animal.  Sometimes an intermittent will attack in order to protect territory or young.  Typical Terran intermittents are the chipmunk and the elephant.

Filterers:  Herbivores which pass the environment through their bodies.  Unlike grazers, which move to eat food, filterers move a flow of water or air through themselves in order to gain food.  Generally, filterers suck, trip, push, or pull anything (even animals) at close range into a digestive sac.  A filterer can absorb an animal up to twice its own weight.  Filterers are solitary and generally slow moving, if they move at all.  Terran filterers are generally aquatic, such as the barnacle, coral, mussel, clam, etc.

Filterers attack differently than other animals.  They inflict automatic wounds of 1D6 per each 150 kilograms of animal mass (weapons and wound alteration is ignored).  They attack through reflex.  Freeing oneself from them is a Difficult task using Strength.

This task represents a prompt struggle by an adventurer; success secures an escape.  Up to four other characters may assist.  Each makes a Formidable roll versus Strength, and each success lowers the escaping player's difficulty level by one.  This task is hazardous: if a Catastrophic Failure occurs, one of the characters who was aiding in the escape has also been caught.  If no other characters were helping, ignore any Catastrophic Failures.

Omnivores

Animals which eat food without regard to its resistance.  The bear, which will eat fruits, berries, and moths as readily as it will hunt for fish or animals, is an omnivore.  Omnivores are of three types: gatherers, hunters, and eaters.

Gatherers:  Animals which display a greater tendency toward herbivorous behavior.  In most respects, they are similar to herbivore intermittents.  Typical Terran gatherers are the raccoon and the chimpanzees.

Hunters:  Animals which display a greater tendency toward carnivorous behavior.  In most respects, they are similar to small or inefficient carnivore chasers.  Typical Terran hunters are bears or humans.  These creatures can also function well as hijackers.

Eaters:  The true omnivore (in the sense that it will eat anything and everything) does not distinguish its food and consumes all that it confronts.  Eaters present considerable danger since they do not avoid anything when encountered.  A typical Terran eater is the army ant (where the entire colony is considered to be one organism, which it rather resembles, as it has only one reproductive unit — the queen).

Carnivores

Animals which prey on other animals by attacking and killing them in the face of resistance are carnivores.  Carnivores are of five types:

Pouncers:  Animals which kill their prey by attacking from hiding or by stalking and springing are pouncers.  Because of the difficulty of coordinating such attacks, pouncers are usually solitary animals.  In an encounter, pouncers which have achieved surprise have succeeded in their basic aim and will attack regardless of range.  If they do not have surprise, they will sometimes still attack.  They will flee if they themselves are surprised.  Typical Terran pouncers are cats.

Chasers:  Animals which kill their prey by attacking after a chase are termed chasers.  They tend to be pack animals.  The chased prey is not merely large animals, but is typically small.  Typical Terran chasers are wolves (and their typical prey is mice).

Trappers:  Animals which passively allow their prey to enter a created trap wherein they are killed and eaten.  Trappers tend to be solitary and slow, but will attak any animal which enters their trap.  Usually, a trap will not wound or damage the trapped individual, but will tend to hold the one trapped in order for the trapper to attack.  A typical Terran trapper is the spider or ant lion.

Generally, any character who is surprised by a trappers at close or short range is trapped (assuming that the creature is of sufficient size to normally feed on human-size prey).  Escaping is formidable task using Strength.

Sirens:  Distinct from the trapper, which creates a trap for its prey, a siren also creates a lure to draw prey to the trap.  The trap is treated in much the same manner as that of the trapper, but the lure entails additional consideration.

In most cases, the lure will be specific to some animal but will be unnoticed by humans.  In rare cases (roll 2 or less on 1D20), the lure will be universal, perhaps a smell or scent, or a mirage or a beautiful configuration, which will attract characters into a vulnerable position.  Very rarely, the lure will be psionic in nature.  Typical Terran sirens are the angler fish (it's mouth is the trap) and the Venus flytrap.

Killers:  A killer is a creature which is so powerful within its environment and well adapted to predation that it shows little fear of other creatures, regardless of their size.  It is able to kill quite effectively when it is hungry, or when an intruder encroaches on its territory.  Its ability to attack is so well-developed that attacking forms a relatively larger portion of its range of behavior than with most animals.  Therefore, such creatures are more likely to attack without apparent provocation (i.e., in response to provocations that are apparent only to the creature).  A Terran example is the shark.

Scavengers

Animals which share or steal the prey of others or that take the remains of kills are classed as scavengers.  Scavengers are of four types:

Intimidators:  These are scavengers which establish their claim to food by frightening or threatening other animals.  Their standard procedure is to approach a kill and force other animals away by appearing to be a threat.  A typical Terran intimidator is the jackal.

Hijackers:  These are scavengers which establish their claim to food by simply taking it  They rely on their superior strength or size to allow them to hijack food because the other animals present cannot effectively object.  This size and strength also allows them to function as pouncers and hunters.  A typical Terran hijacker is the lion.

Carrion Eaters:  These are scavengers which take dead meat when it becomes available (often waiting patiently for all other threats to disperse before beginning).  A typical Terran carrion-eater is the buzzard.

Reducers:  These are scavengers which act constantly on all available food.  They reduce the remains of food after all other scavengers are finished with it by consuming bone and other leavings.  Terran reducers are all microscopic, such as bacteria.