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Wednesday, September 30, 2020

6 Animal Friends

I've seen a few comments around about the OSR being too grim.  And while I feel like I am good at coming up with creepy ideas more in tune with the spirit of early fairy tales or a savage, swords and sorcery type world, I'm completely sympathetic to someone that wants to just escape this rough ol' world a bit when they play.  So, for those of you that want something more cute or fun, I promise to try and keep you in mind with my posts too.  With that in mind, here are six animal companions for your players to find, tame, or buy:

6 Animal Friends

1. Blossom Moths - These moths the size of a fingernail are white on top and various colorful shades on bottom.  They perch on their owner in the dozens as a clump that looks something like a white mum.  When a stranger approaches, they burst into flight and flutter around their owner's head in all their color.

2. Long Fox - Two yards long or more, these creatures prefer to curl and clamber around their owner.  At a simple command, they will fluff up their silky-soft fur to its utmost, protecting their owner from even magic cold.

3. A Troupe of Hamsters - This dozen or so hamsters are found living in a keg fitted with straps to be carried on their owner's back.  The keg smells of sawdust and has a tiny door from which, when asked "Hey, what happened here?", the hamsters will trot out in little paper costumes and reenact whatever event happened in this location most recently.

4. Scout Gecko - Call its name, point to a room, and salute and this gecko will salute back, crawl ahead on walls and ceiling, and chirp when everything is clear.

5. Probable Pup - What is your favorite breed of puppy?   What a happy coincidence, that's the breed of this pup!  A single pup in your hands when scritching its belly or letting it gnaw your finger, when you set it down on the ground it blossoms into hundreds of pups loping and tumbling in every direction.  A roiling mass of pups covers the floor, but only where a pup wouldn't be hurt, so dangerous spots-- chute traps, trigger stones, snares, rotten flooring-- become quite obvious. 

6. Golden Joke Frog - A tiny green frog will drop a coin from it's mouth once a session when told a joke.  Rumor has it, it will drop two coins for each joke if you've given it a cute hat to wear.


1 comment:

  1. Excellent ideas as always. I expect the probable pups spend a lot of time yapping at Schrodinger's Cats, eh?

    Much belated, but I've posted my own take on a lighthearted and harmless critter that could serve as a pet, a bit of odd setting background, and even an adventure hook over on my blog:

    https://sanctumreconditesage.blogspot.com/2020/11/musical-fauna-piper-snails.html

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