Greetings!

A long time ago, I grew somewhat frustrated with the theme presented within D&D of the creatures in the Monster Manual, being of course, typically savage monsters trying to eat people. That I certainly necessary and welcome, of course, though from a world-building point of view, I made several leaps in thought that in a fantastic, magical world with all of these hostile, predatory animals and monsters around, there would surely be other, less ferocious creatures that were also affected by magic, or have strange, mystical properties. It didn't seem quite right that whole categories of animals and creatures would otherwise be entirely mundane.

Thus, I created my own addendum of weird creatures, unusual and mystic farm animals and other more or less innocuous or inoffensive animals that would have mystical features and attributes.

I created some magical cows, that provided different flavours of vitamin-enriched milk. Likewise, the steaks and Brisket made from such cows also features some unusual properties.

I created about a dozen or more kinds of unusual fish, each with different properties. This has also created entirely distinctive fishing industries, and as a cascading effect, influenced different fish markets.

I detailed several kinds of large, flightless birds, like mystical ostrich and giant Orange Chickens, that also have tasty meat and produce especially valuable eggs, with the yolks having some unusual properties. In some regions, the Giant Orange Chicken ha formed a significant part of the local diet, and also has formed its own niche within the local diet and food chain.

I have some regions that raise huge farms of Giant Ants, which the Giant Ants are them processed for food that is supplied to local communities, as well as more distant markets.

I have found that embracing such ideas creates its own kind of distinctive Magic Item, or "Treasure Resource" definitely on the adventuring band level, but also having interesting and distinctive impact on diet, cuisine, and local food customs. From this, there are entire industries that can develop focused on raising such animals, harvesting them, processing them for food, then transporting such food to markets, and distribution to markets, faires, as well as restaurants and Feast Halls.

Have you experimented with mystical Farm Animals? Introduced weird animals as food items?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: SHARK on June 19, 2023, 09:11:20 AMHave you experimented with mystical Farm Animals?

Well, the group with my kids and their friends is a bit obsessed with pets.  They've got a goat, a talking horse, a quarter hell hound 3/4 big, nasty, mutt, a blood hawk, and a talking horse.  As I said before the look on their faces when the dog breathed fire was priceless.

Not magical, but dwarves IMC raise giant ladder-back cave crickets which are the size of large dogs. In addition to being delicious, they create a huge racket if any non-dwarf enters the mushroom forests where they live. Thus acting as a sort of alarm system.

I ran a one-shot adventure where the PC's were walking down the street of a large city and they met a wizard and his young daughter.  The girl was crying because her cat chased a rat down into the sewer and had not come out for a while.  The wizard offered the party a sum of money to be shrunk via magic and descend into the sewer and retrieve the cat. 

Since everyone is 6 inches tall they meet "giant" versions of the animals that dwell down there.  The cat has the stats (and temperament) of a tiger. 

Also the party has 2 hours to finish the job and get out or they become normal sized...in a very tight space.

Dire skunks.

Just, dire skunks.

The party opted for facing an adult dragon over having to face dire skunks.

Quote from: hedgehobbit on June 19, 2023, 07:38:08 PM
Not magical, but dwarves IMC raise giant ladder-back cave crickets which are the size of large dogs. In addition to being delicious, they create a huge racket if any non-dwarf enters the mushroom forests where they live. Thus acting as a sort of alarm system.

Greetings!

GIANT LADDER-BACK CAVE CRICKETS!!!

Nice! That's very cool, Hedgehobbit! I also like using insects, too.

"The Other White Meat!"

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK