Animal Companions

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Since it is impossible to give a complete list of animals that live within Sunndi a discussion on terrain and climate is helpful in making players and DMs decide if a certain animal would live in this region. After this discussion a list is given with a few example species with in some cases the name of the animal needed for determining the stats from the Monster Manual.

The climate of Sunndi is very warm. The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer describes it as warm but temperate with much rainfall during the whole year, especially in the winter. Snow is unknown. The Players Guide of 2nd edition Greyhawk specifically mentions Vast Swamp as having a sub-tropical climate with relatively dry summers and wet winters. Considering the location of the Glorioles, the idea that the southern parts of Sunndi are drier then the northern parts as far as rain is concerned is not too strange. Still, for those in the Vast Swamp it will give little comfort knowing there is less rain here as further up north. The wetness of the ground and the high humidity more then make up for the lack of rain. As far as temperature is concerned, even in winter this will never drop below 18 C (except in the mountains) and in summer the temperature will be around 32 C. In the northern parts of Sunndi temperatures might be a few degrees lower, but most people would hardly notice it. A good comparison as far as RL climate is concerned would be most likely the Mediterranean, except that it has got more rain.

As far as terrain is concerned, Sunndi has got it all. Huge and mysterious woods lie in Sunndi and directly at it's border. To the north low mountains give home to dwarves and less savory humanoids. To the south a humid swamp covers a vast area not unlike the Everglades in Florida. To the east and west Sunndi is bordered by hills and in it's center there are low rolling grassy hills. The only type of terrain Sunndi does not have is a desert.

Some Suggested Animals:

• Badger
• Bat
• Bear, black (this is the only bear native to Sunndi)
• Boar
• Cat (both wild and domesticated)
• Crocodile (obviously only useful in the Vast Swamp and the rivers bordering it)
• Dogs, wild (this are the small dogs, not the riding dogs)
• Domestic Animals (unlike other animals the druid has to buy these animals, else it will be considered theft)
  • Bulls (stats equal to the bison)
  • Dogs, both normal and riding
  • Donkey
  • Horse
  • Ponies
• Eagle
• Fox
• Hawk
• Jaguar (stats equal to a leopard)
• Lizard, normal
• Lizard, giant (only in the Vast Swamp)
• Monkey
• Owl
• Puma (stats equal to a leopard)
• Rat
• Raven
• Snakes (in all kinds of varieties)
• Swamp porpoise (which is rather useless as an animal companion in most adventures)
• Toad
• Weasel
• Wolf (these are red brown instead of gray)
• Dire animals -with the exception of dire rats- are exceptional rare. Within Sunndi dire weasels, dire badgers, dire bats and dire boars have been seen once in a while.

Animals that do NOT live in Sunndi:

• ape
• bear, brown
• bear, polar
• bear, dire
• camel
• cheetah
• elephant
• lion
• sea animals (such as octopi, porpoise and sharks)
• tiger
• wolverine

Animals and Civilization

Sunndi is ruled by elves, which means that wild animal companions are treated better by the law then in most other places of Greyhawk. Still, few people will really trust animals that are supposed to be wild. Guards will discourage druids taking dangerous animals with them, pointing out that cities are not an environment for these animals. The owner/friend of the animal is held fully responsible for the actions of his animal companion. Many times the guards will test how controlled the wild animal is. If for example, the animal attacks a child, the owner will be treated as if it was him that attacked the child. Most of the time the animal is set free far from civilization. Certain animals will never be allowed to enter towns and villages: pests (rats) and dire animals.