From: sweatshop
Date: 2001-12-11 06:29:31
Common Amre (name subject to change)
OVERVIEW:
An Amre is a small mammal-like rodent, with large inscisors and rather long fur. Although not quite quills, this fur is they can straighten, and, as it becomes rather hard and unelastic, it can cause hundreds of minute cuts, which can itch for days, if handled incorrectly. Besides this, they are generally harmless. Colors range from white to brown to black, although in the northern regions, a species of Amre (aptly named the Northern Amre) shed their fur as the temperature cools, changing to a whiter color, and shed once again in springtime, and their fur becomes more of a brownish-gray. Size ranges from 2 cm at infancy, to about 10 cm (plus a 6-8 cm tail) once they reach adulthood. There is no size difference between males or females, although the males have more muscular legs.
Being quite agile and avid climbers, they can often escape harm, and rarely are forced to use their hair-straightening defense. However, as there are many predators that feed on them (Amres are near the bottom of the food chain), they have a need to reproduce quickly. Females give birth two weeks after mating, and can have a litter of up to 18 baby Amres, which are almost fully developed, and can life on their own in about another two weeks. Before giving birth, a female Amre climbs the highest tree she can find, and has her babies in either an abandoned bird's nest, or in any available crevice among the foliage.
Amres are mostly herbavores, although the have been known to eat smaller creatures, and in times of need, carrion. Once, as recorded in an Ancient text, during a great famine, a hoard of Amres managed to take down an entire horse and devoured it, although this is the only known reference to this event, and many scholars believe it to be simply myth, or possibly a story used to frighten little children. The diet consists mainly of grains and berries.
Found throughout the known world, these rodents are pest to some, and lunch to others. Almost anywhere you look, you could find Amres, but the cluster in large numbers around urban areas or other areas where they can feed on left overs from the town's inhabitants.
Ancient texts have always told tales of the Amre, so many are led to believe they are as old as time itself. When they first appeared or where is unknown, but certainly happened long ago.
CHARACTERISTICS IN SUMMARY:
=========================================================
|CLIMATE/TERRAIN: | Almost anywhere where there's food. |
---------------------------------------------------------
|FREQUENCY: | VERY common. |
---------------------------------------------------------
|ORGANIZATION: | Family groups. Mate for life. |
---------------------------------------------------------
|ACTIVITY CYCLE: | Day/Night/Whenever they feel like it |
---------------------------------------------------------
|DIET: | Berries, Grains, anything else. |
---------------------------------------------------------
|INTELLIGENCE: | Low |
---------------------------------------------------------
|WORLD VIEW: | Meek prey. Running and hiding is good.|
=========================================================
~created by the one known as 'sweatshop' on Jicra, but whose real name is Paul.
From: sweatshop
Date: 2001-12-11 06:30:52
In-Reply-To: 87
of course that chart wouldn't come out right... sigh.
From: sweatshop
Date: 2001-12-11 06:51:19
In-Reply-To: 87
Well... after some critique... here's my updated version... but I can still take a little more criticism :)
Common Amre
Note: Common Amre is the general term of a variety of Amre species, including the northern, desert, and city Amres.
OVERVIEW:
An Amre is a small mammal-like rodent, with large incisors and rather long fur. Although not quite quills, this fur is they can straighten, and, as it becomes rather hard and inelastic, it can cause hundreds of minute cuts, which can itch for days, if handled incorrectly. Besides this, they are generally harmless. Colors range from white to brown to black, although in the northern regions, a species of Amre (aptly named the Northern Amre) shed their fur as the temperature cools, changing to a whiter color, and shed once again in springtime, and their fur becomes more of a brownish-gray. Size ranges from 2 cm at infancy, to about 10 cm (plus a 6-8 cm tail) once they reach adulthood. There is no size difference between males or females, although the males have more muscular legs. |||||||||
Being quite agile and avid climbers, they can often escape harm, and rarely are forced to use their hair-straightening defense. However, as there are many predators that feed on them (Amres are near the bottom of the food chain), they have a need to reproduce quickly. Females give birth two weeks after mating, and can have a litter of up to 18 baby Amres, which are almost fully developed, and can live on their own in about another two weeks. Before giving birth, a female Amre climbs (alone) the highest tree she can find, and has her babies in either an abandoned bird's nest, or in any available crevice among the foliage. If a tree is unavailable, they will search for other high places, like rooftops, often nesting between shingles, or in cracks in walls. Generally, the Amres live in family groups, which may include two parents, older relatives, and the many children (generally, with a complete one year’s litter, 20-30 of this rodent). The benefits of this include more help in feeding and raising the children, and add additional protection in their fight for survival among such a hostile world. |||||||||
Amres are mostly herbivores, although the have been known to eat smaller creatures, and in times of need, carrion. Once, as recorded in an Ancient text, during a great famine, a hoard of Amres managed to take down an entire horse and devoured it, although this is the only known reference to this event, and many scholars believe it to be simply myth, or possibly a story used to frighten little children. The diet consists mainly of grains and berries. |||||||||
Found throughout the known world, these rodents are pest to some, and lunch to others. Almost anywhere you look, you could find Amres, but the cluster in large numbers around urban areas or other areas where they can feed on leftovers from the town's inhabitants. |||||||||
Ancient texts have always told tales of the Amre, so many are led to believe they are as old as time itself. When they first appeared or where is unknown, but certainly happened long ago. |||||||||
CHARACTERISTICS IN SUMMARY::::::::
=========================================================
|CLIMATE/TERRAIN: | Almost anywhere where there's food. |
---------------------------------------------------------
|FREQUENCY: | VERY common. |
---------------------------------------------------------
|ORGANIZATION: | Family groups. Mate for life. |
---------------------------------------------------------
|ACTIVITY CYCLE: | Day/Night/Whenever they feel like it |
---------------------------------------------------------
|DIET: | Berries, Grains, anything else. |
---------------------------------------------------------
|INTELLIGENCE: | Low |
---------------------------------------------------------
|WORLD VIEW: | Meek prey. Running and hiding is good.|
=========================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Created by the one known as 'sweatshop' on Jicra IRC.
From: sweatshop
Date: 2001-12-11 07:03:52
In-Reply-To: 87
also, if you want to contact me, use: paulbaumgart@earthlink.net , But be warned. spammers/advertisers will be hanged on the spot. :) (I love happy thoughts).
From: sweatshop
Date: 2001-12-12 03:49:54
In-Reply-To: 87
UNDERCLASSIFICATIONS OF AMRES:
Northern Amre:
Sheds fur biseasonally, from white during winter to brownish in summer. Generally larger than an average Amre, stemming from the fact that it has a mass of blubber under its skin to protect form the cold. Northern Amres are more agressive than those of more temperate climates, but in general they are similar to their near cousins. Live in burrows.
Desert Amre:
Colored like the sand; light brown/beige. It is nocturnal, and, due to its location, feeds mainly on insects or desert plant seeds. Range of colors, from white to black to brown. Lives under rocks / in burrows
Polis*** Amre:
Found almost only around civilization, and feeds off waste/scraps of larger animals and humans. Usually grey colored, and sleeps in short naps, so that some of of the species can be found awake at all times. Live in nooks/crannies anywhere inside urban areas.
***Greek name for city, but if there is a certain name for 'city' in majik, i would be glad to change it.
I guess 10 cm might be too small (although its 15 with tail). So, I guess, as I am only a random nobody, the size could certainly be changed, although, I think that making it too large would make it rather hard for a smaller hawk to eat. :)
~sweatshop.
From: namhas
Date: 2001-12-12 11:56:07
In-Reply-To: 87
There has been some discussion whether small animals
should be added to the WorldBook or not. I think they
should, because we are adding descs about plants and vegetation too. The bigger monsters really needs
something for eat (meat too), as Sweatshop reminded.
From: sweatshop
Date: 2001-12-13 01:06:23
In-Reply-To: 87
I drew a picture of what I think an Amre might look like,
and uploaded it to geocities, so visit:
http://www.geocities.com/sweatshopspictures/
to see my bad pencil drawing.
Oh yes, phunky mentioned that if the Amres, and smaller
animals in general, stayed underground/in burrows/out of
sight most of the time, then there would only have to be a
few 'outside' of the burrow at any one time/location, and, although he probably already mentioned it to you, I think would solve the problem of common creatures like rodents.
