Starbuck_II
First Post
It happens: I was once in a low money 5th level campaign. No magic items (a couple masterwork armors though).
Chunk of Meat
Shin Okada
Explorer
Is it edible? Yes, at least Purify Food and Drink will make it edible.
Is it delicious? I don't know. Possibly reasonably tasty, as most rodents don't taste bad.
Will it be accepted by villagers? That is a different story.
Seriously, whether if certain animal is eaten or not depends largely on culture. For example, in most part of the world, pork is considered to be very popular meat. But muslims never eat it. Americans really like beef. But Hinduismsts never eat it. Octopus and squid are popular food here in Japan but most Westerners avoid them. Many of the insects are actually tasty and full of nutrition but not so widely eaten.
So that is the issue of world setting than to be game mechanic. If the DM decides that Dire Rats are widely eaten by people in that area, PCs will have no trouble selling it. If not, they will have hard time finding buyers.
Is it delicious? I don't know. Possibly reasonably tasty, as most rodents don't taste bad.
Will it be accepted by villagers? That is a different story.
Seriously, whether if certain animal is eaten or not depends largely on culture. For example, in most part of the world, pork is considered to be very popular meat. But muslims never eat it. Americans really like beef. But Hinduismsts never eat it. Octopus and squid are popular food here in Japan but most Westerners avoid them. Many of the insects are actually tasty and full of nutrition but not so widely eaten.
So that is the issue of world setting than to be game mechanic. If the DM decides that Dire Rats are widely eaten by people in that area, PCs will have no trouble selling it. If not, they will have hard time finding buyers.
frankthedm
First Post
I think Survival is a far superior skill to use. It contains hunting & foraging.
Survival Task DC 10 Get along in the wild. Move up to one-half your overland speed while hunting and foraging (no food or water supplies needed). You can provide food and water for one other person for every 2 points by which your check result exceeds 10.
I'd definitely price such meal as poor quality meals per day, so 5 coppers per 2 points over DC 10. As to how long the food lasts, I'll leave that up to the DM as well as how long hocking nuts, berries, grubs & small animal meat takes.
I would tend to agree except that survival is not supposed to be a substitute for profession skill check. That is it is not supposed to measure making a living off of it. I would rule that with a survival check what you find is not preserved - as in you have to eat it then becasue it won't keep and can't be transferred to market. Just like I would say that survival check won't allow skinning an animal in order to preserve the coat for use later on.
Now I think I would allow a bonus due to synergy for ranks in survival though.
Angel Tarragon
Dawn Dragon
Lenina Huxley: [Spartan encounters a burger grill in the underground world] Just don't ask them where the meat comes from.
John Spartan: Huxley, what's that supposed to mean?
Lenina Huxley: Do you see any cows around here, detective?
John Spartan: Que es este carne?
[What is this meat?]
Hamburger Stand Scrap: Este carne es de rata.
[This meat is from rats]
John Spartan: Rat? This is a rat burger?
[vendor nods]
John Spartan: Not bad! Matter of fact this is the best burger I've had in years!
Hamburger Stand Scrap: Gracias, Senor.
John Spartan: Prego. See ya later.
John Spartan: Huxley, what's that supposed to mean?
Lenina Huxley: Do you see any cows around here, detective?
John Spartan: Que es este carne?
[What is this meat?]
Hamburger Stand Scrap: Este carne es de rata.
[This meat is from rats]
John Spartan: Rat? This is a rat burger?
[vendor nods]
John Spartan: Not bad! Matter of fact this is the best burger I've had in years!
Hamburger Stand Scrap: Gracias, Senor.
John Spartan: Prego. See ya later.
Starbuck_II
First Post
Dung bettles? They eat, live in, and crap in dung... yes, poop.
Corbert
Explorer
Dung beetles are insects
Possum I'm told however, you fill the body cavity with vegetables, boil it really good and when its done throw the veggies away because they have absorbed all the grease. Supposedly Possum meat is so greasy that's the only way to make it edible.
taliesin15
First Post
OMG, this is the best laugh I've had in a long while at this site! I heartily agree with those that efforts at selling rat meat or rat fur at nearly any market would be met with derision and disgust at best.
To be constructive, however, IMC there's plenty of wild game around that even low level PCs ought to be able to easily hunt in the wilderness surrounding most towns and villages, if they are smart about it, and if they are really that poor.
I also agree with the notion that players attempting to do this brings up a great opportunity for role-playing in the campaign--one that could really bring the local town and market to life quite vividly.
On the topic of guinea pigs being a delicacy in South America, we here in the USA don't need to look even that far. Nutrea, a kind of swamp rat, is raised for eating in Louisiana and elsewhere here in the South. Apparently, it is pretty tasty and nutritious, though closer to pigs than the Dire Rat. I would hasten to point out that many in the fine state of Louisiana are Cajuns, folks with French ancestry, and one thing the French are known for is a rather wide palette. They eat snails, which most people find disgusting, but I gotta say for myself, escargot simmered in butter or olive oil with garlic is one of the best things I've ever eaten. And let's be honest here--shrimp and crawfish, quite delicious to eat, are nothing more than insects that live in water. Same with lobster and crab.
To be constructive, however, IMC there's plenty of wild game around that even low level PCs ought to be able to easily hunt in the wilderness surrounding most towns and villages, if they are smart about it, and if they are really that poor.
I also agree with the notion that players attempting to do this brings up a great opportunity for role-playing in the campaign--one that could really bring the local town and market to life quite vividly.
On the topic of guinea pigs being a delicacy in South America, we here in the USA don't need to look even that far. Nutrea, a kind of swamp rat, is raised for eating in Louisiana and elsewhere here in the South. Apparently, it is pretty tasty and nutritious, though closer to pigs than the Dire Rat. I would hasten to point out that many in the fine state of Louisiana are Cajuns, folks with French ancestry, and one thing the French are known for is a rather wide palette. They eat snails, which most people find disgusting, but I gotta say for myself, escargot simmered in butter or olive oil with garlic is one of the best things I've ever eaten. And let's be honest here--shrimp and crawfish, quite delicious to eat, are nothing more than insects that live in water. Same with lobster and crab.
