Bison
Bison1 are large, horned, wild herd animals similar to the more frequently domesticated aurochs.2
Appearance
Bison are distinguished by a hump at their shoulders; small, upward-facing horns; and a shaggy, furry coat. A bison can be up to 7 feet tall at its hump and 12 feet long, and weighs an average of 2,200 pounds.2
Abilities
Like other large herd animals, several bison can stampede together as a group.2
Ecology
Bison most often travel in herds of up to 30. They are generally more aggressive than aurochs, and male bison are known to kill rivals within a herd during mating seasons.2
On Golarion
A bison's fur coat makes it more suitable for colder climates than aurochs, and they are known to herd in places like the Realm of the Mammoth Lords,3 where local Kellids often hunt them or even trigger stampedes against intruders;45 and in Irrisen's Thronehold, where stilyagi imitate Kellid barbarians and hunt bison.6 Further south bison can also be found in the Algid Wastes of Smokespur in the Hold of Belkzen;7 the Whistling Plains of Taldor, where herds number in the tens of thousands.8 They also roam throughout the northern reaches of Numeria and the River Kingdoms9 and near the Worldwound, where fiendish powers corrupt them into carnivorous beasts.10 Further afield bison can be found roaming across the vast steppes of central Casmaron, in particular throughout the Grass Sea and are a common site across the nation of Karazh.9
Domestication
Bison are domesticated less frequently than aurochs, though they can be adopted as animal companions2 and a few cavaliers find ways to adopt bison as mounts.11 Bison can also be summoned, and summoned bison persist longer when summoned by divine magic users of the plains.12
References
- ↑ The singular and plural of bison are the same.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 “Monsters A to Z” in Bestiary, 174. Paizo Inc., 2009 .
- ↑ “The Inner Sea” in Inner Sea Primer, 12. Paizo Inc., 2010 .
- ↑ Keep of the Huscarl King, 12. Paizo Inc., 2011 .
- ↑ Where Mammoths Dare Not Tread, 5. Paizo Inc., 2013 .
- ↑ “Irrisen” in Irrisen, Land of Eternal Winter, 27. Paizo Inc., 2013 .
- ↑ “Belkzen Gazetteer” in Belkzen, Hold of the Orc Hordes, 14. Paizo Inc., 2015 .
- ↑ “Taldor, Empire in Decline” in Taldor, Echoes of Glory, 9. Paizo Inc., 2009 .
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 “Monsters A-Z” in Bestiary 3, 32. Paizo Inc., 2021 .
- ↑ “Storasta” in Lost Cities of Golarion, 32. Paizo Inc., 2011 .
- ↑ “Chapter 1: Classes” in Ultimate Combat, 36. Paizo Inc., 2011 .
- ↑ “Chapter 1: Spellcasters” in Ultimate Magic, 35. Paizo Inc., 2011 .
External links
- Bison (real-world animal) on Wikipedia
- Common creatures
- Neutral creatures
- Large creatures
- Animal creatures
- Fauna
- Herd animals
- Realm of the Mammoth Lords/Nature
- Varisia/Nature
- Hold of Belkzen/Nature
- Irrisen/Nature
- Taldor/Nature
- Worldwound/Nature
- Animals
- Mounts
- Animal companions
- Summonable creatures
- CR 4 creatures
- Cold plain creatures
- Temperate plain creatures
- Level 4 creatures