Livestock
Table of contents:
- Livestock
- Goats
- HMIII Rules
- Market value
- Sheep
- Animal craft (sheep/Goat)
- HM III Rules
- Market value
- Cattle
- Oxen
- Wild Cattle
- Animal craft (Herding)
- Cooking Cattle
- HMIII Rules
- Musky Ox
- Animal craft (Musky Ox/Wild Cattle)
- Musk of Musky Ox
- HMIII Rules
- Hârnic Cattle
- Hidework (specialty: Leather worker)
- HMIII Rules
- Market Value
- Ivinian Cattle
- Salters and Hide workers
- Cattle and peasantry
- HMIII Rules
- Market Value
- Shorkein Cattle
- On Breeds and breeding
- HMIII Rules
- Market Value
- Swine
- Swine and settled farms
- HMIII Rules
- Market Values
- Wild boar
- Domesticated "wild" boar?
- Myth of the Gargantuan
- HMIII Rules
- Glossary
- A word on pricing
- Size
- Why Livestock?
- Alternate Rule: Intimidation
- REFERENCES
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Livestock
Livestock is a generic term used to refer to the animals reared and slaughtered by farmers as part of their manorial duties. Wealthier peasants occasionally own a head or two of livestock themselves which are shepherds along with the manorial livestock, but fed and stalled locally.
While there is a considerable variety of livestock available, the domesticated breeds do not differ greatly from each other. Primarily the differences show through the generations of animal husbandry which have created sturdier breeds and often appealing colorization, but only occasionally has led to larger, more sturdier animals overall. The examples taken from the island of Hârn are common to all of north-western Lythia.
Note that this article does not include fowl, which are rarely counted amongst the manorial herds. Nor does it include the horses, mules and donkeys that may work the land or be part of the manorial stables. Instead, it covers the most common cloven hoofed animals that can be both owned by the manor lord as well as his tenants.
Livestock owned by the manor is used to feed and clothe the manor lord's household; only occasionally is it used to garner profit. Livestock owned by the lesser classes, by contrast, is usually used to garner profit and killed only when there is an abundance in the herd or the beast's health falters. Herd culling always occurs in the fall when meat can be salted and stored throughout the winter. Usually the lesser classes take their lead from the manor lord, or more specifically the manor's reeve, and cull their own herds in proportion to the culling done to the manor lord's herd.
Livestock preferences differ by country. Cattle are the predominant livestock along the Thardic River, whereas goats, sheep and swine are found equally everywhere else. Rethem is renowned for its spicy pork sausage and smoked meat. Kanday and Chybisa are famous for its cheeses and Kaldor is said to have the finest vellum. Disputed territory between Rethem and Tharda (Themeson, prime river-bottom land) is home to the largest cattle herd on the island. Split amongst eight manors, it was once the pride of the Thardic Legion; and many believe it will be the source of war before the decade is over.
Each herd has at least one shepherd, sometimes more, depending on the size of the herd. The shepherds range greatly in age and ability. Masters tend to send young out with the animals, while more senior shepherds only deal with birthing and culling.
Livestock is as good as hard currency in most places, and even better in others. Prices listed are an average price for a full grown animal of average size. Prices can differ by as much as 500% depending on age, health and virility as well as sex. Usually animals are only purchased full grown for slaughter. Animals purchased to increase a herd are usually juvenile, as they are more readily accepted, cheaper and easier to transport.
Domesticated herds tend to be over 90% female, as most female livestock also produces milk. Males are more aggressive and less useful than females. Extra males are castrated at a young age and kept as either beasts of burden or slaughtered after achieving their optimal weight. Each herd always has at least one full grown male as a stud. As a rule, the manor lord often owns the males of the herd and trades the rights of its breeding.
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Glossary
The following terms are used throughout this article.
| Term |
Definition |
|---|---|
| Billy |
A male goat of breeding age. |
| Boar |
A male swine of breeding age. |
| Bull |
A male cow of breeding age. |
| Calf |
A juvenile cow of either sex. |
| Calving |
The period when gestation ends and the cow gives birth to calves. |
| Drive |
Herding cattle is a `cattle drive'. People that herd cattle are said to drive, work, or push them. |
| Drover |
A shepherd of cows. |
| Ewe |
A female sheep of breeding age. |
| Heifer |
A female cow of breeding age. |
| Herd |
A group of cattle or oxen. |
| Herder |
Someone who guides a group of cattle or oxen. |
| Kid |
A juvenile goat of either sex. |
| Kidneys |
The period when gestation ends and the nanny gives birth to kids. |
| Lamb |
A juvenile sheep of either sex. |
| Nanny |
A female goat of breeding age. |
| Ox |
A castrated adult male cow trained as draft animals, usually over 4 years of age. |
| Pelt |
Untanned hide. |
| Piglet |
A juvenile swine of either sex. |
| Ram |
A male sheep of breeding age. |
| Sow |
A female swine of breeding age. |
| Spans |
Two or more Yokes of oxen. |
| Steer |
A castrated male cow raised for meat. |
| Sweet Meats |
Vital organs of an animal and its brain. This includes: Liver, stomach, intestines, spleen, heart, lungs, kidneys, genitals and brain. |
| Wether |
A castrated male sheep. |
| Yokes |
A trained pair of oxen. |
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A word on pricing
Domestic animals have a list of prices beneath the stat block. These prices do not differ much one from another. No part of an animal goes to waste. What cannot sell (or starts to rot) is fed to swine or dogs (or both). All meat is either eaten within the 10-day of its slaughter or smoked. All meat must hang for at least 1/2 a day; this allows the meat to tenderize. The art to hanging meat is taught to every butcher or manor house cook. Hang meat for too long and it will require more spices for it to be eaten. Hang meat for too short a time and it will be tough.
Prices listed in this article are provided as a guide. No one sells their goods at these prices. A few offer lower prices, but most offer much higher. Even reeves will negotiate, trying to get the most they can; and goods traded for goods muddles the pricing even more. In cities, coin is king. Tradesmen (markets/merchants) will take coin, you can sell your goods to one tradesman for coin and use that coin to get what you want. In a manor however, they will take labor, or any good or product you have that they need in trade.
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Size
In HMIII, creature size determines its impact damage. Size and reach is included when its stats and damage bonus (written beside the skill used to do the damage) are calculated. In this article, sheep, goats, swine and wild boards can only do d4s of damage, instead of the average d6. Cattle, while large, still only do d6 of damage since they are less than 12 feet in length/height.
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Why Livestock?
I’ve been asked this question a few times now. Game stats are probably not the first thing you think about having handy if your party is approached by a cow or a sheep. But it is part and parcel of a good bestiary to have stats for regular animals on hand. From these great beasts can be generated. Or perhaps I should say: Gargantuan beasts.
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Alternate Rule: Intimidation
Every animal with the nerve to attack has the intimidation skill. It is a specialty of Rhetoric, used to establish dominance. The beast will try to use it before any attack, if it can.
| Animal | ML |
|---|---|
| Goat | 23 |
| Sheep | 21 |
| Oxen | 30 |
| Wild Cattle | 24 |
| Musky Ox | 16 |
| Hârnic Cattle | 17 |
| Shorkein Cattle | 18 |
| Ivinian Cattle | 17 |
| Swine | 21 |
| Wild boar | 21 |
Note that just because an animal has a specialty of Rhetoric - it does not mean the beast has the Rhetoric skill. It does not even have a voice stat. When calculating the base ML, a score of 3 was used for voice.
Refer to HMIII Skills 12 for the resolution table for Intimidation checks.
Bonuses:
| Situation | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Beast is bigger than opponent | +25 |
| Beast is smaller than opponent | -25 |
| Beast is female protecting its own | +15 |
| Beast is male, protecting its own | +05 |
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REFERENCES
Information derived from:
- Breeds of the British Isles: http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/region/f-brit.html
- Animal names found: http://www.geocities.com/crossword_links_au/Animal_and_Insect_Names.htm
- Oxen information derived from http://www.fact-index.com/c/ca/cattle.html
- Milk production information derived from http://www.justaddmilk.ca/fun/dairy/moo_to_you.html
- Oxen based heavily on the works of James S. Watson. http://www.mailbag.com/users/jswatson/beasts.htm
- Format based heavily on the new bestiary format by Columbia Games Ltd.
- © 1984, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc.
- © 2004, Rebecca Downey, Author
- Editor: Joe Adams.
This work, created by Rebecca Downey is a derivative work of copyrighted material published by Columbia Games Inc. and released for free distribution and personal use by Rebecca Downey and without permission or endorsement by N. Robin Crossby or Columbia Games, Inc. No modification of said work may be made without permission of Rebecca Downey. Hârn, HârnWorld, and HârnMaster are Trademarks of Columbia Games Inc. Use of these or other trademarks are not intended as a challenge to the status of said trademarks. All distributions must keep this copyright and trademark notice intact. Rule information provided here in this article is designed for HârnMaster III.
This is version 2. Changes include: editing by Joe Adams.
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