Legacy:Beast

From Project: Redcap

Version 1

Date: 2008-08-05 01:10:24 GMT Author: pm Comment: Initial version


= Synopsis

A *beast* usually refers to a creature or entity that, for the most part, has the typical features of an animal.

= Mythical Beasts

A beast may be a mundane beast with no special qualities beyond its obvious properties. Beasts may also be aligned with one of the [[Realms of Power]], which may or may not be noticeable to a careful beholder, depending on whether the behavior of the beast (deliberately or unconsciously) is secretive or indifferent about its true nature.

Beasts aligned with a [[Realm]] almost always have at least minor mythical powers associated with that [[Realm]]. Again, it mostly depends on the creature's nature and personality whether it is willing to reveal such powers, or rather tries to remain incognito. In the latter case, the beast will most probably act and behave like a typical representative of the respective mundane species, whereas an agent of a [[Realm]] that tries to attract the beholder's attention might act atypical or intelligent, or might even appear as if acting completely randomly.

There are also mythical beasts in [[Mythic Europe]] that are quite obviously not mundane creatures. [[Dragon]]s, griffins, and pegasi would be examples of such creatures that (more or less) clearly do not belong to the mundane world. In such a case, a responsible scholar might prefer the term �creature� instead of �beast�.

= References

* [[ArM5]] p. 184, 191.
* [[RoPI]] p. 77 ([[Corrupted Beast|Corrupted Beasts]]).
* [[RoPM]] p. 55 ([[Beast of Virtue|Beasts of Virtue]]), 140.
* [[http://www.atlas-games.com/pdf_storage/ArM5Beasts.pdf|Book of Mundane Beasts]]: [[RoPM]] p. 140

= See also

* [[Heartbeast]]: a [[Bjornaer]] [[Mystery]]

Version 2

Date: 2010-02-24 22:39:46 GMT Author: AndrewGronosky Comment: Re-organized references,added link to medieval bestiary


A '''beast''' usually refers to a creature or entity that, for the most part, has the typical features of an animal.

Beasts are usually of animal intelligence and hence have [[Cunning]] as a [[Characteristic]] instead of [[Intelligence]]. 

= Mythical Beasts

A beast may be a [[mundane]] beast with no special qualities beyond its obvious properties. Beasts may also be aligned with one of the [[Realms of Power]], which may or may not be noticeable to a careful beholder, depending on whether the behavior of the beast (deliberately or unconsciously) is secretive or indifferent about its true nature.

Beasts aligned with a [[Realm]] almost always have at least minor mythical powers associated with that [[Realm]]. Again, it mostly depends on the creature's nature and personality whether it is willing to reveal such powers, or rather tries to remain incognito. In the latter case, the beast will most probably act and behave like a typical representative of the respective mundane species, whereas an agent of a [[Realm]] that tries to attract the beholder's attention might act atypical or intelligent, or might even appear as if acting completely randomly.

There are also mythical beasts in [[Mythic Europe]] that are quite obviously not mundane creatures. [[Dragon]]s, griffins, and pegasi would be examples of such creatures that (more or less) clearly do not belong to the mundane world. In such a case, a responsible scholar might prefer the term "creature" instead of "beast".

= References

* [[ArM5]] p. 184, 191.
* [[http://www.atlas-games.com/pdf_storage/ArM5Beasts.pdf|Book of Mundane Beasts]]: [[RoPM]] p. 140

= Related Topics

* [[Beast of Virtue]], [[RoPM]] pages 55, 140
* [[Corrupted Beast]], [[RoPM]] p. 77
* [[Heartbeast]]: a [[Bjornaer]] [[Mystery]]

= Related Sites

* [[http://bestiary.ca/|The Medieval Bestiary]]