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Cattle:Wild | Musky Ox | Hârnic | Ivinian | Shorkein

Wild Cattle
Animal craft (Herding)
Cooking Cattle
HMIII Rules

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Wild Cattle

Wild cattle range predominantly across the plains of north-western Lythia, although small herds exist on the island of Hârn. A few Orbaalese and Ivinians have begun domesticating the breed, but success thus far has not improved the breed's temperament.

Wild cattle have solid coats of black, brown or a mix with white. Both bulls and heifers have horns that sweep forward and out; the horns on a bull tend to be thicker if not longer than those of a heifer. Horns begin to grow around the second year; horn nubs can be seen on yearlings.

Wild cattle eat and move constantly, up to 12 KM in a single day; although they will linger if foliage is plentiful. They do not mind inclement weather and are adapt at scraping food from beneath snow or sleet. Wild cattle are found near running water and have been known to stampede towards the smell of water during droughts.

Bulls mate in the late autumn with all heifers in the herd. Usually rutting is proceeded by fights between the dominant bull and any younger bull willing to try their luck. Wild cattle rut fights are often fatal, with the loser gored and trampled under the victor's hooves. There is only one adult bull per herd and up to a dozen or more juvenile male calves still in the herd. Male calves are tolerated until they reach sexual maturity. Lost or wild cattle of other breeds are not tolerated by the lead bull, but may be bullied by other, more juvenile bulls into joining a smaller herd. Bulls tend to wander separate from the herd until autumn. Some bulls have been seen banding together to enjoy good foliage and nearby water, but come autumn, it's every bull for himself.

Wild cattle are considered a pest that destroys crops and endangers farmers as well as other animals. Often new settlements that cannot scare off a herd kills them instead. Large herds are known to populate mainland Lythia. Those found on Hârn are often expected to have escaped from some new breeding attempt, as they are often female and ornery.

Wild cattle meat is a delicacy to Ivinians, and its hide creates exceptional leather. Its horns are commonly used as drinking steins in Ivinian households.

Wild cattle will try to gore anything threatening. They will only bite if something comes in range of their lowered head, after trampling it.

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Animal craft (Herding)

Cattle shepherds are called drovers. They may be mounted on horses or on foot. A cattle herd will only move quickly if there is nothing on which to forage. Unlike with sheep and goats, cattle will ignore or charge a barking dog. They will, however, move to avoid a man they can see, or a horse. A man on the ground will be trampled.

Drovers quickly learn to discern wild cattle from domestic breeds. Wild cattle have a touchy temperament and are difficult to control. Often their coloring differs greatly from the domestic breed and they tend to be larger. A wild bull will quickly dominate a domestic breed and constantly try to lead it away from the domestic range (often towards better, wild, fodder). Not having been reared by a drover, wild cattle will attack any person who enters the herd, treating them as an intruder.

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Cooking Cattle

Beef from cattle is rarely available outside a manor house. Few cooks know how to prepare beef outside of a stew or pie; the Ivinians believe the best meat is cooked atop your enemies breastplate over an open fire.

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HMIII Rules

Wild Cattle
Habitat Plains, open grassland
Height 1.8 - 2.0 M
Weight 1000- 2000 KG
Diet Vegetarian
Life span 8-16 years
Group 10-20 (herd)
Price 150d+
Attributes
40 Str 09 Eye 06 Int 21 End
20 Sta 19 Hrg 01 Aur 30 Mov
10 Agl 09 Sml 15 Wil    
Skills
55 Initiative 80 Awareness
45 Dodge 35 Jumping
50 Trample 4B 30 Stealth
60 Bite 1P 50 Swimming
50 Horn 4P 60 Kick 4P
Armor
  B5 E5 P4 F4
Strike Locations
  01-15 Head
  16-19 Neck
  20-35 · Fore Leg
  36-66 · Flank (thorax)
  67-78 Abdomen
  79-90 · Quarter (hip)
  91-98 · Hind Leg
  99-00 Tail
  · Odd = Left, Even = Right

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Cattle:Wild | Musky Ox | Hârnic | Ivinian | Shorkein

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