Mammals

Hit Modifier= 20-THAC0 - Armor Class = 19-AC - Saving Throws = 8 + HD/2, up to 20
Beavers , Chipmunks , Ermines , Ferrets , Foxes , Gophers , Hedgehogs , Moles , Monkey , Mice , Minks , Muskrats , Opossum , Otters , Pigs , Rabbits , Raccoons , Squirrels , Flying squirrels , Giant black squirrels , Woodchucks , Porcupine, Brown porcupines , black porcupine , Giant Porcupine, Skunk, Giant Skunks, Ape, Carnivorous: , Baboon, Wild: , Badger: , Banderlog: , Bhaergala: , Boar, Wild: , Chattur: , Cooshee: , Dakon: , Debbi: , Goat: , Gorilla: , Hsing-sing: , Hyena: , Losel: , Monkey Spider: , Rothé: , Sleek: , Stag, Wild: , Stench Kow: , Taer: , Tyrg: , Warthog: , Weasel: , Minimal Mammals: , Weasel, Giant Weasel, Wolverine, Giant Wolverines

Mammals

Beavers

quickly chew trees and construct homes in ponds. Adult pelts are worth two gp.

Chipmunks

have excellent hearing and eyesight.

Ermines

are related to weasels. The white, spotted pelt is worth four gp.

Ferrets

are related to weasels. If captured as cubs or raised domestically, ferrets may be trained to perform simple tricks, retrieve objects, or hunt small burrowing game.

Foxes

have superb vision, hearing, and noses. Their pelts are worth three to five gp.

Gophers

live in large colonies burrowed into the soil of the plains. They have acute senses of hearing and smell. For each gopher encountered, another 1d10 are hiding in the burrows nearby.

Hedgehogs

are covered with sharp but harmless quills.

Moles

have an excellent ability to detect tastes and vibrations, but very poor vision.

Monkey

refers to a variety of small, non-hostile species (rhesus, spider, tamarind, lemurs, and others). THAC0 19.

Mice

infest virtually any human structure.

Minks

are related to weasels. The pelt is worth three gp.

Muskrats

have a moderately valuable pelt worth five sp.

Opossum

are woodland marsupials with good hearing.

Otters

are fast runners (12) and swimmers (18). They are friendly and only attack if cornered or if their young are threatened. Pelts are worth two to three gp. Giant otters are identical except for their size (10-15’ long). Pelts are worth 1,000-4,000 gp. THAC0 19 (sea and giant otters).

Pigs

may bite or attempt to stun, then crush a victim by butting. Domestic pigs are normally harmless unless angered or magically controlled. Wild pigs are domestic pigs that have escaped to the wild. They are smaller (2 feet long) and nonaggressive unless provoked. THAC0 19.

Rabbits

are difficult to surprise or catch due to their sensitive eyesight, hearing, nose, and natural paranoia.

Raccoons

only attack if cornered or rabid (10% chance). The pelts are worth one gp.

Squirrels

have good vision and hearing.

Flying squirrels

have furry membranes that enable them to glide five feet for each one foot they drop.

Giant black squirrels

are 2-foot-long residents of evil-dominated forests. They steal loose, small valuables (rings, gems, vials) to decorate their nests. THAC0 19.

Woodchucks

are capable of quickly gnawing through trees or wood. The pelts are worth 1 gp.

Porcupine

Porcupines are large rodents native to temperate forested areas. There are many species of porcupines that differ only in minor details. Porcupines are timid, panic-prone creatures with one very nasty defense mechanism – stiff, sharp hairs known as quills.

There are two distinct families of porcupine: black and brown.

Brown porcupines

are the smaller of the two, about two feet long, but with quills that grow up to one foot long.
The

black porcupine

is between 2½ and three feet long with a thick muscular tail, but has shorter quills (three inches long). Porcupines weigh between 35 and 50 pounds.

Combat: Contrary to some popular legends, a common (black or brown) porcupine doesn’t throw its quills, but it can readily detach them when they strike an enemy. These herbivores do not attack unless they feel threatened, and even then only when they cannot safely run away. Porcupines smash an attacker with their tails, dislodging quills. Black porcupines inflict 1-3 points of damage with their barbed quills, while the longer quills of the brown porcupines cause 1d4 points of damage. Creatures that try to touch a porcupine automatically suffer damage from their quills. Because of their overlapping barbs, porcupine quills are extremely difficult to remove, and cause painful swelling.

Habitat/Society: Porcupines live in heavily wooded areas. They are excellent tree climbers. They are not anti-social creatures, but seem to prefer a mate and young for their only company.

Ecology: Porcupines feed on the bark and leaves of trees; their appetite has sometimes killed the trees on which they feed. They also feed on fruits and are especially fond of salt. Few creatures attack the porcupine. There are no known potions or spells that use porcupine components.

Giant Porcupine

Giant porcupines are larger versions of the common woodland porcupines. They are identical in appearance to their smaller cousins, the brown porcupines, except that the white streaks of their quills are more obvious. They inhabit wooded areas. They are stupid and nonaggressive, but can defend themselves.

A giant porcupine can bite for 2d4 points of damage, but uses this attack in only the most desperate defense (if it is brought down to less than half its hit points). Its main defense is its ability to shoot 1d8 quills from its tail, each of which inflicts 1d4 points of damage. This attack has a range of 30 feet. As its quills are up to three feet long, any attacker that comes within six feet of the giant porcupine receives 1d4 quills from the porcupine’s defensive movements. There are over 80 quills in its tail and over 300 in its body.

The giant porcupine views any approach within 30 feet as a threat. If a creature approaches it at that distance, it croucches in a defensive posture and issues a warning hiss, giving the creature one round to leave before it attacks. As with normal porcupines, there are no known uses for giant porcupine components.

Skunk

Skunks are forest-dwelling omnivores found in most temperate and subtropical regions. They are easily recognized by the long white stripe running from their faces, down their black-furred backs, to the tips of their tails.

Combat: Skunks react to any serious threat by backing toward the opponent. If the other creature does not quickly get beyond range, the skunk discharges a vile cloud of stinking musk at it.

The cloud of a normal skunk is 10’×10’×10’. Any creature unfortunate enough to be caught in a skunk’s cloud must first save versus poison or be nauseated (lose 50% of Strength and Dexterity) for 1-4 rounds and retreat and retch. Anyone who makes the first saving throw, but chooses to remain within the cloud, must make an additional save versus poison each round he stays. After the results of the first saving throw have been determined, a second save versus poison must be made to determine whether or not the vile musk has gotten into the victim’s eyes, thereby blinding the unfortunate creature for 1-4 rounds.

The stench of the musk seems almost impossible to get rid of. All normal cloth materials must save versus acid or rot and become useless. All other items (i.e., flesh, leather, metal, etc.) must be washed and aired repeatedly for several days to remove the horrid stench. Washing the items in vinegar will remove the smell in only a few washings, while certain spells and magical items can accomplish the task quite nicely. A potion of sweet water poured carefully over the items to be cleaned will neutralize the musk in the garments of 2-5 people (depending on the quantity of gear and the care used in applying the fluid). Despite washing, any cloth that fails its saving throw – including magical items – will rot and become useless.

If cornered, skunks can bite, but usually loose their combination offense/defense musk cloud immediately. If two or more skunks are encountered, the DM should make careful note of where their clouds go. While skunks are immune to the nausea effects of other skunks, they can still be blinded by the acid musk just like any other living creature.

Habitat/Society: Skunks are wandering scavengers and have no social structure. They prefer to eat the leftovers of larger predators and always dwell deep in the forest.

Ecology: As mentioned above, skunks will eat almost anything, usually the remains of other kills. Their musk is secreted from a small posterior sac which is heavily muscled to permit the expulsion of the fluid. The fluid forms a heavy mist which lingers in an area for up to a week or more, depending on the prevailing winds and area filled. If the skunk is surprised and killed quickly, there is a 50% chance that the musk will be recoverable. A giant skunk killed in this way can be a prize worth close to 200 gp to a sage or alchemist, as the musk is a valued alchemical component (for stinking cloud scroll ink, smoke bombs, etc.)

A skunk pelt is relatively worthless as a luxury fur. Skunk meat is bitter and must be heavily seasoned to be palatable.

Skunks can be raised in captivity and make wonderful pets and combination low-cost garbage disposals/house guards.

Giant Skunks

Giant skunks are simply huge versions of the normal variety. Their musk clouds tend to be larger and more noxious than those of their cousins. The cloud is 20 feet wide by 20 feet high by 60 feet long and all saving throws against the musk of a giant skunk are at a penalty of -4.

Mammals are the most common of the vertebrate. Generally born alive, mammals possess hair.

Warm-blooded, mammals maintain a single body temperature, regulated by an internal thermostat. Most mammals are harmless to humanoids and they are often trained to perform a specific function.

Ape, Carnivorous:

Carnivorous apes gain a +2 to their surprise rolls. They eat anything they can kill.

Baboon, Wild:

Wild baboons are large, herbivorous primates that are characterized by long arms and legs, large dog-like muzzles, and sharp canine teeth.

Badger:

Badgers are vicious little creatures that prefer to run from danger than fight. If cornered, the badger will fight, attempting to bite the tender throat of its opponent.

Banderlog:

Banderlogs resemble baboons with green skin and brown fur. They throw retch plant fruit or coconuts at enemies. Coconuts cause 1d4+1 points damage while retch plant fruit splash a 5-foot radius area with nauseating fluids. Those caught in the splash, retch for three rounds and their Strength is reduced by half for the next hour (no saving throw allowed).

Bhaergala:

This predator jumps its prey from great heights. It can drop from as high as 60 feet, causing maximum damage plus 1d6 for every 10 feet dropped. This beast heals 2 hit points every day and gains a +3 to all saving throws vs. poison. Four times a day, the bhaergala can turn spells as the ring of spell turning.

Boar, Wild:

Wild boar continue to attack until they are reduced to -7 hit points. The giant boar is often called an alothere.

Chattur:

Chatturs, called space bandits, are small mammals that exhibit traits of both primates and rodents. Not very combative, they fight in defense of their nests, kin, or friends.

Cooshee:

Known as elven dogs, they only bark to warn their elven masters of danger. They can strike bipedal opponents with front paws to knock man-sized or smaller creatures down.

Dakon:

Dakons are intelligent apes with a reasonable grasp of the common tongue. When attacking it gains a +2 bonus.

Debbi:

This desert scavenger, a baboon-hyena crossbreed, can cause fear by stamping its feet in a slow, rhythm and calling forth magical power that makes its fur crackle and spark. This fear lasts for two rounds.

Goat:

When a goat charges, it gains a +2 attack bonus and does an additional 1-2 points damage.

Gorilla:

The gorilla is non-aggressive and shy, but fights fiercely when threatened or cornered.

Hsing-sing:

The hsing-sing are a recluse ape-like race believed to personify the principles of pacifism and harmony with nature. However, once a year, for 2d6+4 days, the males gather into raiding bands and complete the “war season”. Their bands attack humanoid settlements on the edge of their territory. Such attacks are impartial; pillaging good and evil creatures alike. To maximize the advantage of surprise, the hsing-sing rarely attack the same settlement two years in a row.

Hyena:

Often confused as a canine, the hyena taunts enemies with its nervous, high-pitched howl.

Jackal:

Jackals are timid scavengers that run from the threat of other predators. When attacking, the jackal darts in to bite its victim and quickly retreats to a safe distance. If more than one jackal is trying to down an animal, they attack in a haphazard fashion with little or no coordination of effort.

Losel:

An arboreal orc/baboon cross, losel resemble primitive humans in many respects. They can throw stones up to 20 yards for 1d4 points damage.

Monkey Spider:

Measuring 1-inch in length, monkey spiders fight creatures their own size, avoiding combat with larger creatures. If forced to battle such creatures, the monkeys jump and bite at an eye. The bite causes extreme pain and the victim must hold his eye and take no other action for a round, giving the monkey a chance to run away. Monkey spiders can jump 10 feet down or 5 feet forward and can climb anything a typical spider can.

Orange Porcupine:
Porcupines are covered with long barbed quills. The creature is unable to throw its quills. Generally, a predator who chases the fleeing creature gets a mouthful of quills which causes the damage cited above. Their fur under the quills is orange.

Rothé:

The rothé (pronounced "roth-AY") is a musk ox-like creature with an aversion to light. It prefers to live underground near lichen and moss.

Sleek:

This ermine-like mammal surprises opponents on 1-5 on 1d6. On an attack roll of 19 or 20, the sleek opens a major vein, causing 2d6 points of damage. Every round thereafter, the victim suffers 1d6 more points damage until the wound is wrapped with a tourniquet, direct pressure, or magical healing.

Stag, Wild:

Wild stags are the aggressive males of the deer herds. Normally docile and passive, they defend their herds against all but the most fearsome opponents.

Stench Kow:

Stench Kine are the cattle of the lower planes. They are immune to all forms of cold, fire, and poison. In close quarters, their breath and bodies are so foul, a save vs. poison must be made or the character is affected as if struck by a stinking cloud spell. The save must be made every three rounds of exposure.

Taer:

These vile primates live in cold mountain caves. They throw spears before closing in for hand-to-hand.

Tyrg:

When in melee, tyrgs emit fierce howls that mildly stun their victims (+2 penalty to initiative and -2 penalty to attack rolls) for the next three rounds (no saving throw allowed). These are tiger-dog crossbreeds that move silently 75% of the time and have a +2 bonus to avoid surprise.

Warthog:

The warthog is so aggressive, it continues to attack until it reduced to -7 hit points.

Weasel:

Weasels, related to minks and stoats, are common predators, though they are hunted for their pelts, or for pets.

Minimal Mammals:

Minimals are half-sized breeds of otherwise normal animals. They have the same physical and behavioral traits of their full-sized relatives, although most are not dangerous. Minimals generally have one-half the number of Hit Dice with a corresponding drop in THAC0, a +2 Armor Class penalty, and a -2 Morale penalty. The damage caused by a minimal is one-half that of the full-sized relative.

Giant Mammals: Giant mammals are double-sized breeds of otherwise normal animals. They have the same physical and behavioral traits of their full-sized relatives. These giants generally have double the number of Hit Dice, a corresponding rise in THAC0, a -2 AC bonus, and a +2 Morale bonus. The damage caused by the attacks of a giant mammal is twice that of the full-sized relative.

Weasel

The weasel is a lithe animal with a slender body and a long neck. The animal’s head is small and triangular with a pointed snout and a mouth full of needle-sharp teeth. The various breeds of weasel range from five to 16 inches in length. Nearly all varieties are brown with white undersides, although the furs of those in colder climates turn white in winter.

Combat: As a rule, common weasels do not attack unless they are cornered or surprised. When they do strike, however, their great speed and darting movements can make them somewhat dangerous. In most cases, however, they bite once and then flee before their adversary recovers.

Habitat/Society: Weasels are solitary creatures that stalk rodents and similar small animals for food. When two animals are encountered, they are often a mated pair.

Ecology: When hunting, the weasel usually attacks animals that are larger than itself. A common target in settled regions are domesticated poultry and similar fowl. Despite this, the common weasel does a great service for farmers by feeding on small animall that might otherwise damage or destroy their crops.

Weasel pelts are highly prized and can fetch prices as high as 100 gold pieces if they are in good condition. It is for this reason that in many regions weasels have been hunted to the brink of extinction, despite their roles as rodent killers and their importance in the food chain of the forest. The most valuable pelts are those of the weasels that inhabit colder regions, as they have a very pleasing texture and are bright white in color.

Female weasels make their nests out of straw, leaves, and moss in hollow, trees or crevices in the ground. Here they give birth to a litter that generally contains four or five young.

Weasels that are taken when they are young can be trained to serve as hunting animals or tamed and kept as companions. Generally, however, they are too temperamental to make satisfactory pets.

Giant Weasel

Giant weasels are giant-sized versions of this species that, although similar in many respects to normal weasels, are much more vicious and aggressive. Perhaps the most obvious difference is their tendency to live and hunt in packs. They attack men as often as any other prey and are relentless adversaries.

When a giant weasel bites, it locks its jaws onto its victim and refuses to let go. Instead, the weasel begins to suck the blood from its prey. Agents in the animal’s saliva not only prevent the victim’s blood from clotting, but actually promote the bleeding of the wound. The resulting blood loss is so rapid that it causes 2d6 points of damage per round. After the initial hit is scored, further rolls to inflict damage are not required.

When the lair of a pack of giant weasels is found, it often contains a minimum of four animals. There are young equal to the number of adults in the lair; the young are from 10% to 80% grown. They attack just as the adults would, inflicting damage appropriate to their degree of growth. If taken before they are half-grown, there is a 25% chance that giant weasels can be trained to serve as hunting or guard animals.

The pelts of giant weasels are valuable, as are those of their smaller cousins, and an intact one can fetch from 1,000 to 6,000 gold pieces on the open market. As a general rule, the most valuable pelts are those of the northern species, which are wholly white in color, or those of the rare black weasels.

Wolverine

Known also as the carcajou, quickhatch, and glutton, this fierce animal has been the scourge of many arctic cultures since the dawn of time.

The wolverine is closely related to the weasel, but in habit and physiology it has much more in common with the badger. The body of a wolverine is heavyset with short, thick legs. Its claws are long and curved, making it a very dangerous hunter. The wolverine’s head is blunt and rounded with wide-set eyes and a short sharp snout. Its body has a coat of brown fur with a light stripe running down each side. Its skeleton carries the head and tail low with an arch in the back.

Combat: When engaging in battle, the wolverine becomes a most fearsome adversary. Its great speed makes it difficult to strike (thus its decent Armor Class) and gives it a +4 bonus on its attack roll.

The wolverine normally attacks with a combination of its wicked claws and needle-like teeth. Its great speed enables it to strike once with each of its front claws and then follow that up with a ripping bite.

Enemies who are behind the wolverine are subject to attack by its musk gland. Like a skunk, this animal can release an oil that is disgusting to most other life forms. This spray takes the form of a cloud 10 feet wide by 10 feet high and 30 feet long. A victim of the musk must roll a successful saving throw vs. poison or be blinded for 1d4 hours. Even if the saving throw is successful, the victim instinctively draws back from the animal by half of its normal movement rate and loses 25% of his Strength and Dexterity for 1d4 turns due to nausea. Anyone who comes into the slightest contact with the wolverine’s musk is tainted by its foul stench and is shunned by all animals until he can be thoroughly cleaned.

Habitat/Society: Wolverines are loners that range throughout the forests of colder climates. Occasionally they are found in more temperate woodlands as well. Sometimes two wolverines may be encountered together, but they are almost always a mated pair that will go their own ways before long.

Female wolverines who have mated generally give birth to one to four pups in the late winter or early spring months. These animals are nurtured by the mother and remain with her until they are able to survive on their own.

Ecology: For the most part, wolverines are carnivores that take small mammals and rodents as prey. In times when food is short, they feed on carrion if unable to make their own kills. In addition, wolverines are clever, adept at looting the traps set for them by men.

In many regions where wolverines co-exist with man, they are hunted to the brink of destruction. The reasons for this are two-fold. Primarily, the animals are seen as a threat and as competitors for small game. Secondly, the pelt of a wolverine is exceptionally resistant to cold and frost, making it very useful in the manufacture of winter clothing.

Giant Wolverines

These fiendish creatures are vicious beasts that, like their more common cousins, take whatever prey they can. Unlike common wolverines, the giants often attack human travelers.

Creatures subjected to the creature’s musk find thar it is even more fearsome than that of the common wolverine. Because of its more vile nature and the greater quantity released, the musk of a giant wolverine is twice as potent as normal wolverine musk. For example, the cloud formed is 20 feet by 20 feet by 60 feet and those in it may be blinded for 1d8 hours. In addition to these effects, however, the oil has several other properties that must be taken into account. The victim must retreat at full speed for one round, and he loses 50% of his Strength and Dexterity for 1d8 turns. All cloth items contacted by the spray rot and become useless in a matter of hours (including magical cloth or parchment items that fail their saving throws vs. acid).