Re: Praxian herd economics

From: Sandy Petersen <sandyp_at_idgecko.idsoftware.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 96 17:46:15 -0500


Richard Crawley
> Praxians prefer to kill and eat others' animals rather than their

> own. Do they just hunt and kill them and butcher them on site?
>I presume "tribal purity" requirements prevent the long-term
>holding of these "foreign" beasts.

        No. Praxian herds normally include a number of foreign, but acceptable beasts. Thus, a successful Sable Rider might own a pair of bulls, 60 cows, and a half-dozen foreign beasts, such as impalas, bison, zebra. Maybe a herd man if he's not picky. When his family is hungry, he'll prefer to kill one of his impalas or bison rather than a sable, unless one of the sables is elderly or sick anyway. Zebra has a foul aftertaste, and won't be eaten except in extremity (this aftertaste is not noticed by non-Praxians, and is probably part of the nomad anti-horse prejudice.)

        Animal nomads do _not_ let foreign beasts breed within their herds. Pregnant animals are allowed to give birth, but the young are normally killed (and eaten) at once.

        Nomads don't generally milk their captured cows, claiming their own beasts' lactate is better.

        Animal nomads usually don't use foreign beasts to pull wagons, but this isn't a special rule -- bison and sable riders don't do this, because their own beasts are fine for this task, and easier to control. High llama, rhino, and impala riders don't do this, because they don't use wagons. Morocanth don't do this, because their own wagons and carts are designed for human use, and aren't suited to four-footed beasts.

        Hunting tribes, such as rhino, bolo lizard, or ostrich, don't usually keep captured beasts for long, because they need a constant meat supply.

        All Praxians are perfectly willing to sell foreign herd beasts to purchasers. They're more reluctant to part with their own, except to fellow tribesmembers.

Sandy P.


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