Mammalian Behaviour I (sage ability)

Mammalian Behavior I is an amateur-status sage ability in the study of Mammals that enables characters to make limited predictions about the actions of mammals with semi-intelligence or lower cognitive abilities. This skill is honed through extensive observation of thousands of mammalian behaviors throughout one's lifetime.

Characters with the skill should feel more encouraged when confronting or handling these animals, encouraging the character to pursue activies such as the ownership of dogs, horses and other working animals, with an eye towards the management of livestock also.

Prediction

When in combat with a mammal, during the character's round, knowledge of what the mammal is about to do is given ahead of time. This might include the mammal's intent to attack which persons, and with what attacks. Additionally, the character would know that if the mammal would prefer to take flight instead, or if the mammal feels harried by the proximity of others. Using this knowledge, the character could retreat to avoid the attack or warn others to back away.

Should an attack, say a bear's claw, be directed at the character in the next round, and the character retreat, that claw-attack doesn't occur at all during the bear's round. It's not directed at a different opponent.

One action can be predicted per 10 points of knowledge, per round. The character may specify what's sought after. For example, what the bear means to do with its left claw; alternately, whether the bear's overall intent is to attack, flee or defend its young. As the character accumulates knowledge, multiple things are known in advance, even of more than one mammal at a time, so long as these are within 20 feet of the character.