Eggs

[Wilphe]

In general horses are probably the way to go, though you would need between a half and full dozen per human you are going to support (the way the Huns, Mongols, etc) worked. Depends how hard you work them, how much fodder they have availible and how much time to graze you allow them. This only works where there is plenty of open grassland

However, you will only be eating cheese, blood (just open a vein and drink, when you are done bind it up) and a bit of meat, Your character will most likely stink and be constipated if he's not used to it - the main thing such a diet would seem to lack, Vitamin C, is present in milk if its really fresh.

Of course you are in a swamp, which is not good horse country, or any domesticated animal except maybe water buffalo. I am afraid you will have to deal with the fact that pastoralism is inherently less efficent than agriculture.

 

[Gez]

Wow! Didn't knew there were so much chicken-owners around there!

hmm, so someone educate me. Chickens lay eggs, which someone mentioned were unfertilized? Right, so if a chicken lays an egg, how does it then become fertilized by the rooster? Do chickens have sex, or do roosters just fertilize the eggs?

Hens lay eggs regardless. If the hen had sex with a rooster not long ago, she'll probably lay a full egg; otherwise she'll lay an empty egg. The eggs you may buy in a shop are not "full" (accidents are rare, it has happened to me only once to find a dead chick embryo in an egg).

Now, on the new topic. I've no experience with yaks; but goats are devious, cruel creatures. If you want to keep your goat leashed, you'll need to have a Str score or at least 14, I think. I've found out that if you want to move a goat, it's easier to lift and carry it than to try to make that retive quadruped move against its will. Trust me, the bonus against trip and bull rush from being a quadruped is justified, and probably a bit weak.

A goat will frequently attempt to escape in order to eat some plants it has seen nearby. Furthermore, it will also attempt to eat your clothings if they're not tight, and your hair if they're long.

As for cows, that's easier to get them to cooperate than goats, but there's a reason humans used oxen, not cows nor bulls, as pack animals. Cows are easily frightened. And you will not be able to move a cow against her will -- the beast weights around 500 kg (1000 pounds) and has four legs. A workaround is to have a mare. Put a lone mare with a cow herd, and she will become the "alpha cow". All cows will follow her. (It may works with male male horses as well, I don't know.) Then, you just have to mount on your horse and the cattle will follow.

However, if something frighten your cattle, the cows will run away. And a frightened cow runs fast -- too fast to stop instantly when the beast discover it's heading into danger, like a crevice. They tend to act panicky and get killed. If what has frightened your cow is the howling of worgs nearby, she may run into the predators...

For an adventurer, hunting and gathering are less problematic. Cattle requires you to be settled, or to move in safe territory.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Chickens need to eat a lot. My character initially had a chicken in her possession, and then, you know, I just sort of forgot about poor Cluckers there , cause I really don't even know why I had the chicken in the first place, and when I finally rememered, 6 games later, because I needed the chicken for something, my GM asked me if I'd been feeding it....and well...the result was I had managed to kill one poor chicken.

poor , poor chicken....

I like to think she just *ran away*...

Anyway....so if you get a chicken, remember to feed it. Seems like that may be hard in your situation and may be more trouble than it's worth...

~Sheri

 

[alsih2o]

...must...not...read...further...

like you don't wanna know!

 

[yennico]

*rlotf*

Anyway....so if you get a chicken, remember to feed it.

The same applies to spellcaster´s familiars

Just my 2 cents
yennico

 

[alsih2o]

i forgot bout the swamp part. that is one thoing about goats, they HATE to get wet. some folks who farm goats have learned to pen them against creeks, works better at penning them in than most fences.

 

[Zhure]

Are we forgetting the druid and the benefits of the wildshape ability? Just get an 11th level druid cohort.

But in Wildshape, as per Polymorph, any part of the creature that separates from the druid returns to it's normal state. Thus, no venom, no milk.

 

[Mark]

But in Wildshape, as per Polymorph, any part of the creature that separates from the druid returns to it's normal state. Thus, no venom, no milk.

...and a chicken egg becomes...?

Don't answer that...

 

[F5]

But in Wildshape, as per Polymorph, any part of the creature that separates from the druid returns to it's normal state. Thus, no venom, no milk.

Well, there's your answer. Buy a pig. Put a strong leash or chain on it. Polymorph it into a troll. When you;re hungry, just slice off a leg. The leg, once removed from the body, reverts back to its' natural form (a nice, fat ham hock), while the pig/troll regenerates it right back. Repeat as desired.

This brilliant plan should eliminate ANY inconveniences or complications that may arise from adventuring with livestock.

 

[Mark]

This brilliant plan should eliminate ANY inconveniences or complications that may arise from adventuring with livestock.

What do I have bid for this fine new sig quote...?

Do I hear "I'll wear it for a week?"

Got a week over in the corner...

Got a week, how about two weeks...?

Do I hear two weeks...?