Alpaca

Alpacas are a smaller version of the guanaco and llama. They are timid animals. They are able to spit at opponents but as this is only saliva mixed with a little stomach acid, it is merely unpleasant. Apart from its hoof, which causes 1-4 damage, the alpaca can only protect itself with a wark ~ a high-pitched shrieking whine that will warn others in the herd. This wark will have no effect on creatures of greater than 3 intelligence ~ but it will put off a less intelligent creature (such as a trained dog or other predator) for a full two rounds, enabling the alpaca to flee.

Behaviour

During the day, alpaca gather in loose groups, from 3 to 10 hexes apart as they crop for food. They will huddle for warmth at night. Alpaca are indifferent herbivores and will ignore any approach up to 60 hexes away.

Nearer than that distance, so long as they are approached at a slow walk (no more than 3 AP expended per round) and gently without noise, the alpaca will remain calm until approached to 30 hexes. Closer than that and there is 5 in 6 chance that the nearest alpaca will begin to move away at a rate of 2 hexes per round, typically towards any high ground. Any alpaca within four hexes of one that is moving will also begin to move at the same pace.

The alpacas can then be approached cumulatively one hex at a time, up to 17 hexes. By that time, the alpacas may or may not have reached rocky ground (they do not like to be far from it). Once within 16 hexes (whether or not the alpaca have moved up to this time), a d8 is rolled. On a 1, the alpaca will give a wark ... whereupon all the alpaca will break into a run for the nearest high rocks, jumping upwards to where they expect to find safety. If no wark occurs, another die is rolled when approached within 15 hexes and each hex nearer until the alpaca can actually be touched.

If any alpaca is wounded at any time, several will give a wark and all will run.

If offered sugar, tubers, vegetables or fruit at a distance of 4 hexes, there is a 1 in 4 chance the alpaca will be curious and come forward and take it without fear.

See Bestiary