Greetings!
Capybaras. Yes, in parts of my campaign world, Halflings and Gnomes often ride Giant Capybaras as mounts.
Capybaras are the *normal world's* largest living rodent. They are also aquatic, and love to swim. They live in families and extended herds. Capybaras seem to be friendly, gregarious, and inoffensive creatures. Capybaras seem to be primarily vegetarian in their diet, eating plants and leaves, though insects and small amphibians might be eaten as well.
It's kind of neat having something different for the shorter races as mounts. And, well, the women tend to think that Capybaras are cute, too.
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Don't duckduckgo Josephoartigasia monesi or Phoberomys burmeisteri, or you might have to get bigger halflings.
Quote from: SHARK on January 30, 2022, 03:07:58 PM
Greetings!
Capybaras. Yes, in parts of my campaign world, Halflings and Gnomes often ride Giant Capybaras as mounts.
Capybaras are the *normal world's* largest living rodent. They are also aquatic, and love to swim. They live in families and extended herds. Capybaras seem to be friendly, gregarious, and inoffensive creatures. Capybaras seem to be primarily vegetarian in their diet, eating plants and leaves, though insects and small amphibians might be eaten as well.
It's kind of neat having something different for the shorter races as mounts. And, well, the women tend to think that Capybaras are cute, too.
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
I use them as livestock for their meat and pelts on some of my off-world colonies.
Quote from: SHARK on January 30, 2022, 03:07:58 PMCapybaras. Yes, in parts of my campaign world, Halflings and Gnomes often ride Giant Capybaras as mounts.
We floated the idea of doing exactly this a bunch of times back in the day. Not sure we ever got around showing them in action in play, but it was on the works. Halfling warriors riding cute giant rodents into battle, with pride!
What did make it into play a couple of times was the idea of dwarven boar riders. Elite mounted warriors riding mighty, overgrown boars. Players kept forgetting to use their boars in combat, but it helped establish dwarven cavalry as consisting of boar riding warriors.
Not exactly capybaras but my upcoming book on Brazilian folkloric monsters has (hafling-sized) Caiporas riding collared peccary. Which, curiously enough, is an actual myth...
(https://scontent-gru2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/83225835_581047869116258_8152103779009822720_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=9267fe&_nc_ohc=63ZprmbXEVUAX8SAzSe&_nc_ht=scontent-gru2-1.xx&oh=00_AT_pFDmVrs06Ig1t8E-H1q9ZXtWdwL4V-ocmEqOydNXd2Q&oe=621AD8DC)
Capybaras!? I freakin love those things. ;D
Interesting choice for a mount. It'd be great to magically fuck with, so they become bigger, meaner & more aggressive. Maybe grow their gnarly teeth out of their skulls.
They are so gentle and I've always wanted one. Climate is too cold here though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqwh9O0QCbk
Quote from: Rob Necronomicon on January 30, 2022, 08:58:52 PM
Capybaras!? I freakin love those things. ;D
Interesting choice for a mount. It'd be great to magically fuck with, so they become bigger, meaner & more aggressive. Maybe grow their gnarly teeth out of their skulls.
They are so gentle and I've always wanted one. Climate is too cold here though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqwh9O0QCbk
Greetings!
Yeah, Rob! That's right! These little guys are awesome! I think I read they mostly live in South America, by rivers and lakes. They don't bother anyone, and run away from most danger and predators--though apparently, Capybaras do defend themselves and their herd by biting and helping each other. So, Capybaras are loyal, and compassionate.
I've seen them at the zoo. They are about the size of a good-sized dog, and they are adorable! Little furry bodies, bright brown eyes, and they make these weird little noises too. Such wonderful creatures! ;D
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Can they carry loads? I guess if you bred them for a few generations they would be good beasts of burden.
... Jungle Giants with capybaras as pet hamsters? :o I could probably fit that somewhere on Mystara or Hollow Earth! Magic-made huge and colorful plastic tubing, capybara- (human-) sized "hamster balls," tubing that goes around the jungle canopy... :D Yes, I need this now.
Quote from: SHARK on January 30, 2022, 10:30:04 PM
Yeah, Rob! That's right! These little guys are awesome! I think I read they mostly live in South America, by rivers and lakes. They don't bother anyone, and run away from most danger and predators--though apparently, Capybaras do defend themselves and their herd by biting and helping each other. So, Capybaras are loyal, and compassionate.
I've seen them at the zoo. They are about the size of a good-sized dog, and they are adorable! Little furry bodies, bright brown eyes, and they make these weird little noises too. Such wonderful creatures! ;D
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Yeah man, completely mellow little dudes (or quite big dudes I should say). Great idea for mounts though. I could see jungle pygmies using them to scoot around the plains. But in D&D anything goes so they could be a lot bigger too!