Animal Encounter: The Groat

[paltrysum]

Mongoose has redone many of the CT animal encounters. Anyone recall if the Groat has been redone anywhere? I'm sure I can convert it myself, but if there's new art and stats, I'd use them.

 

[Old School]

Have not come across that one.

 

[paltrysum]

Now that I've been digging around a bit, I don't think there are stats anywhere, not even for CT. Nice description in The Traveller Adventure that made its way into Aramis: The Traveller Adventure as well:

Groat: Herbivore native to Fulacin in the Rhylanor subsector.
Individual groats are harmless, but the outer members of a herd
will attack any perceived danger in groups. Groats have been
transplanted to several worlds in the Aramis subsector, most
notably Focaline.

The groat’s shaggy hair (known as groatle) is the most obvious
resource it provides. Once sheared, cleaned and groomed it
has a softness and silkiness rivalling the finest synthetics .In
addition, groatle contains a high concentration of metal salts,
which has two beneficial side effects. First, groatle cloth is proof
against most life-forms which eat other animal fibres (such as
various species of Terran moths). Second, a simple chemical
treatment brings out an iridescent, shimmering quality which is
very attractive. Groats are also raised for their meat, which is
highly prized by Vargr.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm unfamiliar with this animal. Was it intended as a parody of anything?

 

[Condottiere]

 

[Anonymous]

How does that story connect with the animal statistics?

Are you saying it's just a goat-with-a-different-name, and not these specific goats?

 

[paltrysum]

I'm unfamiliar with this animal. Was it intended as a parody of anything?

I don't think so. It was included with the CT book, "The Traveller Adventure" as part of the scenery on Fulacin/Spinward Marches. It is obviously very similar to a goat with some distinct differences. We have a need for a herbivorous farm animal in our campaign and the groat was lodged in my memory from reading those old books. I get a kick out of using old Traveller lore as much as possible and this seems like an opportunity. I generated some stats that I think will work:

 

[NOLATrav]

Looks good. I know there's an illustration of a groat in one of the old CT books, I'll see if I can find it....

Minor quibble, I'd probably make the scent gland invoke uncontrollable retching/nausea rather than fleeing uncontrollably. Bit too D&D for my group

EDIT: Found it, it's in the CT adventure Twilight's Peak. Several paragraphs of fluff text along with an illustration. Scanner is on the fritz momentarily but hopefully later today I can post something.

 

[paltrysum]

Minor quibble, I'd probably make the scent gland invoke uncontrollable retching/nausea rather than fleeing uncontrollably. Bit too D&D for my group

EDIT: Found it, it's in the CT adventure Twilight's Peak. Several paragraphs of fluff text along with an illustration. Scanner is on the fritz momentarily but hopefully later today I can post something.

Thanks, NOLATrav. There's a nice scan of the illustration on the Traveller Wiki. As far as the "run in fear" thing, sure it's a bit silly, but that's what the old book says it causes. I don't know what the original author intended there, but I'm going to take it as "it stinks so badly you have to get away." Not so much that it works like a 4th-level magic user fear spell or something.