> This is a fantasy world where Ducks talk, there are bears with
> big pumpkin heads, intelligent Tapirs, and people are actually
> debating the temperament of a mythical cat?
>
> I am all for realism in gaming but this debate seems to be
> drifting into rather strange waters. If these cats have a
> trainable disposition then why not use them for hunting? It
> is a fantasy game after all.
I am happy for Yinkin cultists to "train" their cats to help them hunt. This is something cats like doing, can see the point of, and are very good at.
I am not happy for Orlanth cultists to train their cats to be good obedient helpful shepherding animals ("sheepcats"). Archetypally, cats simply don't obey orders well (or at all). They don't *have* a "trainable disposition". They are elegant, selfish, lazy individuals who enjoy playing around or sleeping and generally doing their own thing while keeping fastidiously clean. All of this behaviour works fine for hunting and for a noble's "status animal"; less well for herding and a common farm-worker's helpmate.
OK, so they may be Fantasy Cats, but I'd emphasise the "Cat". If you want to stress "Fantasy" and have dull shepherding barking work-animals called "Cats" in your Glorantha, fair enuf. But why not simply stick with dogs, and avoid the whole mucky situation arising in the first place?
(Oh, I forget: because dogs are selfish loners who "walk by themselves" and would rather preen and snooze and play with their prey than do an honest day's work. While a cat is a man's best friend. And so on...)
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Nick
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