Probably my favorite thread from the old board, so let's bring it back!

We are hoping to make a lush background for Wreck-Age, what animals and plants do you expect to come back in a big way?

An example from my brainstorming-

A Pack of Lions:
Mountain lions (now often known as mountain screamers) adapted aggressively in the dark times, filling a void left by rampant extinction and becoming an apex predator by year zero, and one that often hunts in packs as well. These hearty beasts can seemingly devour anything, and their hungry calls to each other often indicated the last moments of a lone wanderers life. With the resurgence their numbers have grown, making them a danger to even small groups of armed men, and their fearless nature often makes these clashes commonplace.

Also expect a lot of Kudzu and the Water Hyacinth. What plants and animals do you expect to make a big comeback?

Read more: wreck-age.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=...ead=40#ixzz1rCWP9AKp

zombies!!!

Okay, chickens. wild chickens. I heard about this town in florida where they used to do cock-fighting and then illegalized it, and now they have chickens like pigeons. They can fly, so....maybe a chicken hybrid? Hens are nasty beasts.

Or how about Hemp? I hear there are lots of uses for Hemp. Seriously guys.

I expect lots of orphans, maybe someone could domesticate them.

Bummer, but it is another instance of mountain lions in an urban setting: www.cnn.com/2012/05/22/us/california-mou...index.html?hpt=hp_t2

So we are looking for animals and plants that survive and thrive despite pollution and its correlating side effects (acid rain, low light conditions), thus make it to the Exodus, then survive the various wars (an thus the break down of supporting infrastructure), then somehow survive the Dark Times (a time of starvation and mass extinction), and thus become prominent at Year Zero.

Starting with the questions:
What would survive an eco-disaster? Things that are hardy
What would survive a breakdown of supporting infrastructure? Things that do not require mankind to procreate and survive any condition without support.
What would surive the Dark Times? Something that can run away, breed faster than it is eaten, is imprinted on the human pyschie, or can fight back.

I vould see the following plants surviving:
Tubers - so radishes, turnips, carrots and potatoes would be the go to foods.
Grains - Corn has been around forever, though with the breakdown of modern fertilizers and pesticides - only certain breeds would survive. So that multicolored shriveled up corn you see decorating the thanksgiving table, that is what would be considered a bounty.
Cacti and suculants - they would spread slowly but I have seen cacti growing in Winnipeg, so I can see them slowly appearing across the landscape.


Animal wise I can see the following surviving:
The boar, which you have models of, is an amazing adapting creature.

Rats and mice are an obvious creature that could survive. Lesser considered animals that seem to do well in an urban environments: Raccoons,Squirrels, Skunks, and coyotes would also survive.

Dogs, well they would be both wild and domestic variants (side note: if you ever read the comic Wasteland, there is a collection about the Dog Tribe. Very good stuff.) They would become I think the most common predator and scavenger, a new breed of mutts that would weed out some of those weaknesses we, as humans, have bred in. Closer to Coyote in coloration, size a bit bigger, with the capability to run down prey. Depending on the circumstances they can be used for food.

Cats. People will coddle their pets, cats would be one such pet to probably survive. And while Dogs have reached a certain level of universal domestication, cats are still very independent.

Ground Hogs and gophers, they are able to live most anywhere, though depending on the desperation of those around them, they also could be consumed during the Fall.

Goats, considered one of the best animals for space colonization due to its sturdiness, utility (milk) and willingness to eat nearly anything would probably do well.

Tilapia (as a fish) are very adaptable, they can even breath air should the water become too polluted.

Iguanas I see being frequent in tropical climes, in fact there is an "plague" of iguanas in Key West.

Gators/Crocodiles/Caymans: They live in some of the most fetid waters in the world and thrive. Ambush predators that could easily survive in the back waters and bayous, and the great swamps created by the rising waters.

As mentioned earlier, Wild/Feral Chickens, also are a problem in Key West.

So the above are all good candiates for surviving the Eco-disaster, and the break down of infrastructure.


So from a predator pyramid standpoint

Lakes/Rivers
Talapia>Gators

Tropical
Iguanas> Snakes

Plains
Ground Hogs> Feral Dogs

Mountains and Hills
Feral Goats> Feral Dogs

Forests
Boars> very desperate Feral Dogs

Ruins
Roaches>Rats>Cats

Sorry for the long and rambling post, but I think I communicated what I wanted.
That to exist in numbers in Year Zero, the animal has to survive the destruction of the environment prior to the Exodus, then the devastation and cross-species starvation up to and during the Dark Times, and then finally fit in the predator pyramid.

Of course this is just my opinion, and I am not a scientist by any stretch of the imagination, so take this all with a grain of salt.

A good source of info might be found here - but it hinges on the assumption that man "vanishes" which we know in Wreck-age is not the case: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aftermath:_Population_Zero

Awesome stuff... Here is an excerpt from the rule book itself:


Alligator
Basics: A long time ago, too far back to matter, alligators were mostly confined to the southeast corner of the States. Still primarily found in a place called the Foreverglades, they have also spread much farther inland thanks to the rising water table that flooded both coasts and drowned so much of the old world. People died; alligators thrived.

Survival: A run-in with an alligator, or worse a whole pack of them, is all a matter of distance and terrain. If you’re lucky you will be on dry land and you’ll see them before they see you. If that is the case, get up high and move higher as fast as you can. While alligators cannot run long distances very well they are lightning fast in the short sprint. If they can see you, you are way too close to make a break for it. Climb something and aim for the head.

If you are in the water with alligators, the best thing to have on hand is a pistol. That way you can shoot yourself in the head and skip the part where they swarm you, drag you down, tear your limbs off and pin you to the bottom so you can rot.

Uses: If you can kill an alligator, you’ve made quite a haul! Their tough hide is great for clothes, especially boots and armor patches. Treated right, some alligator hide is thick enough to stop an arrow or a bullet. What’s under the scales is good too; alligator meat is not only tasty, it’s easy to harvest and quick to cook too. Don’t try to keep it long. Even salted, alligator goes sour very fast, especially in the heat.

Fun Fact: Some communes in the South raise alligators from birth as guard and hunting animals. These domesticated alligators are usually smaller than their wild cousins and have thinner, less protective hides. Hard living, it seems, has its rewards.

August wrote this up for a laugh this week:

Raccoons
Basics: These furry little bastards are the ultimate pack animal, not because they travel or hunt in packs but because they rip one open and scatter its contents before you can even say ‘furry little bastard’. While many species have met their end through the Poisoned Years, raccoons are still going strong. If anything they are stronger and faster than ever before. What makes them worse is that they also seem smarter, able to outfox traps and outthink even a determined pack of Drifters on the hunt.

Then again, I have had boots smarter than some Drifters so that may not be saying much.

Survival: A single raccoon is not much of a challenge in any sort of real fight. They have not gotten any tougher than they were before the Crash. They do scavenge in packs when they can and they are brave enough to attack small prey when the numbers are in their favor. They can also be incensed by the smell of blood so an open wound might make you a tempting target as well. Even if you are injured, you should be able to fend off even a large group of these trailer rats and suffer only a few bites and scrapes along the way.

Unfortunately, that is where the real threat of a raccoon comes in. These animals are generally filthy to the point of diseased. They are rarely affected by the infections they carry but their victims are rarely so lucky. If a raccoon every breaks your skin or you come into contact with a dead one, clean up however you have to as fast as you can. Yes, that may mean taking fire to a bad wound. Burning is preferable to rabies, dear readers. Trust me on that one.

Uses: Do not eat a raccoon. You can skin them and boil the hide if you are careful not to let them infect you. The hard years since the Crash have only made these bandit-masked incubators meaner and more virulent. Do not eat a raccoon. They have no real value besides their fur and tendons, the latter of which are usually more trouble to get than they are worth.
Also? Do not eat a raccoon.

Fun Fact: These pusillanimous vermin are prized in many Staker areas for a bizarre and slightly disgusting reason. They, like most mammals aside from humans, possess a baculum. This bone is situated in the stomach and, when needed, is pushed into the fleshy part of the penis in order to ensure that the penis will become erect quickly. Many penis bones are straight, but the raccoon's baculum is curved and hooks at the end. This alone may explain the terrible noises made by mating raccoons.

A common Staker custom says that, if a man wants to win a woman's heart, he should boil a raccoon penis bone, tie it to a string, and give it to his sweetheart as a necklace. Staker gamblers and outriders also carry a raccoon baculum wrapped in a twenty-dollar bill in their pocket for good luck. This humble writer can only say that anyone desperate enough to carry around ‘coon wang clearly needs all the fortune they can get.

disgusting.

Ha ha, yeah, that fun fact might not make the book.

You should feel thankful that you aren't August. I send him some rather unique requests at 3 AM here and there.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baculum

Okay, I am duly thankful

Heh, he makes the requests. I just writes 'em up.

-A

Excerpt from Duster's Almanac about Curare:

A favorite of Stitchmen who specialize in natural medicines and cultivation, curare is also used by Drifter tribes with elders wise enough to know how to gather it. The method of use today hardly differs from its use when it was first discovered; it is considered an arrow poison and used by coating projectile weapons. Mild dosages can be used to paralyze victims. Larger doses will make your heart forget how to beat and your lungs forget how to breathe. Before long, your body forgets how to live.

So...what are we talking about here? elder berries?

why did I post this twice? Why can't I delete the post?

So...what are we talking about here? elder berries?

It's just an excerpt

Here is the wiki page for it if you want a pretty picture

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curare

Badger (this one we will be using post book)
Basics: Sometimes called rodents and often called terrifying, the badger can be found in many parts of the world as a thriving part of the new ecology. Once content to forage and scavenge when possible, badgers have become more aggressive and violent as competition for food increased after the environmental collapse ruined their habitats. Badgers are larger than their predecessors and prone to attack solitary humans on sight. Rivalry for territory has all but broken the previous clan nature of badgers; most are solitary and extremely territorial.

Survival: The best way to live through a badger attack is to never travel alone. Because most badgers hunt by themselves, they are loathe to pick fights with groups. Even a single person with a hunting dog or beast of burden will usually be too much a badger, at least at first sight. Badgers are known to stalk prey, however. That same person might walk up one morning to find their animal(s) savaged at the edge of camp.

If you have to fight a badger, remember that everything dangerous is all up front. Never take a badger head on as their front claws are extremely sharp and their bite is capable of tearing through body armor if it gets a good enough hold. Badgers are also mostly impervious to pain. Never try to drive one off. A fight with a badger only ends with something dying.

Uses: Badger meat is fairly awful but edible. Always cook or boil it thoroughly as badgers are often heavily diseased and carry some of the wild’s worst ills. Badger pelts are extremely hardy and retain a great deal of heat. They make excellent harsh weather clothes.

Fun Fact: Before the Exodus, badgers were often portrayed in stories as strong, wise characters and even appeared in literature as sympathetic heroes. At least one tribe of Drifters reveres the badger as their totem animal and considers anyone wearing parts of a badger to be an enemy on sight. This last bit would normally be in the Survival section but if you have been spotted by a tribe of Drifters, you were probably screwed already.

By Duster One (August Hahn)