Lutrai/??? in the Zola Fel?

[g33k]

So, there are "Giant Otters" in the Zola Fel.  Are they a sentient, tool-using species/culture?

Are they the same as (or related to) the "Lutrai" of Maniria/Wenelia (and if so, is it specified that there IS or that there IS NOT any communication/interchange between the populations?) ?

Or is the Zola Fel species just "semi-intelligent"?

... or?

===

Also, physically:  is the real-world cognate for Glorantha's intelligent otters specified?  In the real world, the "Sea Otter" (of the Pacific Northwest coast of N.America) is oceanic, and heavier; the "Giant Otter" (of Amazonia, roughly) is a fresh-water species, longer but slightly lighter (n.b. historically, this species was even larger than today, but it's presumed that human hunting-pressure has notably reduced the largest sizes).

In the event that it isn't specified, I think I may make both into different "Clans" of Lutrai...

 

[M Helsdon]

2 hours ago, g33k said:

Are they the same as (or related to) the "Lutrai" of Maniria/Wenelia (and if so, is it specified that there IS or that there IS NOT any communication/interchange between the populations?) ?

In the Great Darkness, Heort the Founder threw a rock at a dead otter fighting a live salmon and scared the ghost away; since that event, no otters are found in the Creekstream River or in Choralinthor Bay. This means there is a divide between western otters and those of the River of Cradles.

 

[David Scott]

Pavis GtA says they are an intelligent race. I imagine they are a small groups of families spread along the length of the river. As with the other river folk they likely keep to themselves to themselves, and the other river folk. Population is likely less than 250 - a small clan as they dont appear in the population stats of the area. I'd base them physically on Pteronura brasiliensis and have them speak riverspeech. Using the standard population setup we use, 50% are pups and 1% of the population are magic specialists, so likely a couple of Zola Fel priests and a river shaman. I realised I'd left them out of the intelligent non-humans of the Wastes - added now, thanks for the prompt. 

[g33k]

6 hours ago, David Scott said:

Pavis GtA says they are an intelligent race. I imagine they are a small groups of families spread along the length of the river. As with the other river folk they likely keep to themselves to themselves, and the other river folk. Population is likely less than 250 - a small clan as they dont appear in the population stats of the area. I'd base them physically on Pteronura brasiliensis and have them speak riverspeech. Using the standard population setup we use, 50% are pups and 1% of the population are magic specialists, so likely a couple of Zola Fel priests and a river shaman. I realised I'd left them out of the intelligent non-humans of the Wastes - added now, thanks for the prompt. 

I don't know whether it was someone's house campaign, or a published source, but I am *certain* that I recall seeing an intelligent-otter who was a significant NPC spellcaster... and I'm pretty sure it was in the Zola  Fel, but not an all-otter clan setting.

One question, though -- as a predator (not omnivore) species, should the population assumptions change?

[Yelm's Light]

41 minutes ago, g33k said:

I don't know whether it was someone's house campaign, or a published source, but I am *certain* that I recall seeing an intelligent-otter who was a significant NPC spellcaster... and I'm pretty sure it was in the Zola  Fel, but not an all-otter clan setting.

One question, though -- as a predator (not omnivore) species, should the population assumptions change?

There's an intelligent otter in the Troubled Waters campaign in the AH River of Cradles, but no suggestion that it's a spellcaster.  It communicates with the PC's via body language and has a boy with it who explains the situation in more readily understandable terms.

[g33k]

On 11/30/2016 at 11:29 PM, Yelm's Light said:

There's an intelligent otter in the Troubled Waters campaign in the AH River of Cradles, but no suggestion that it's a spellcaster.  It communicates with the PC's via body language and has a boy with it who explains the situation in more readily understandable terms.

Found the reference -- it does seem to be someone's "House" game, a play-by-forum sandbox set in Pavis / Valley of Cradles:

• Sramsk - Zola fel Shaman/priest [Intelligent giant otter]
• https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Sundry_notes

It seems to draw heavily from published sources, but the GM has added both NPC's and house-rules.  :-)  I think I had conflated his work with "official" NPCs... 

[Noita]

6 hours ago, g33k said:

Found the reference -- it does seem to be someone's "House" game, a play-by-forum sandbox set in Pavis / Valley of Cradles:

• Sramsk - Zola fel Shaman/priest [Intelligent giant otter]
• https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Sundry_notes

It seems to draw heavily from published sources, but the GM has added both NPC's and house-rules.  :-)  I think I had conflated his work with "official" NPCs... 

I was in that game. Dont remember the otter though.