Viverrids et al. in GURPS
This page lists a number of small, generalized carnivores more closely related to cats than to dogs. At one time, they were all considered one family, the viverrids, but have since been split up into four.
- The viverrids proper are slinky and somewhat cat-like solitary nocturnal tree dwellers who are usually omnivorous to some degree or another. They are lithe, have semi-retractable claws, and possess anal glands housing stinky musk. This group includes civets, genets, and the African linsang.
- The herpestids, or mongooses, are feisty diurnal terrestrial predators with short legs and sturdy non-retractable claws for digging. Many are highly social and live in large family groups.
- The euplerids are a group closely related to mongooses which evolved in isolation on the island of Madagascar. They have radiated into many niches, from litter-foraging insectivores to cat-like apex predators to retaining many of their ancestor's mongoose-like traits.
- The prinonodontids are a group more closely related to cats than to mongooses or civets, but which have convered to the same general body plan and lifestye as the civet known as the African linsang. These Asian linsangs are small, lithe tree dwelling nocturnal predators with a solitary lifestyle.
In addition, the stenoplesictidae are an extinct group of carnivorans usually described as "civet like." They are poorly documented in the accessible litterature, but GMs running games set in the Oligocene or Miocene should feel free to use the templates for existing viverrids, euplerids, prinonodontids, and herpestids, and just file off the serial numbers and given them a new paint job to have them represent stenoplesictids.
Like most carnivorans, this group of viverrid-like animals have a keen sense of smell which they use for identification, social interaction, territory marking, warning of predators, and location and tracking of prey. Their hearing is also excellent, allowing them to pinpoint sounds. Vision is less well developed, and is better at detecting motion than making out fine details. Nocturnal species can generally see well in low light conditions. The sense of touch is most acute around the lips, nose, and face. This is enhanced by their vibrissae, or whiskers, which allow them to feel their way around in total darkness.
Game Statistics
| choose a species:
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Species
| Male
| Female
| (optional)
enter weight (kg)
| Captive?
| T? | HR? | |
| | Viverrids (Civets and genets)
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The radio button entries in the table above give typical sizes of the species of the selected sex. If you want a larger or smaller specimen, enter the weight in kg manually.
The Captive checkbox is for animals that have been kept in captivity all their lives, without the ability to hone their reflexes, muscles, and skills like their wild relatives. It would be appropriate for zoo animals.
Marking the T? checkbox will give you the stats in template form with all costs listed, otherwise you get a stat sheet as for a character.
Marking the HR? checkbox will print the information using all my house rules. Otherwise, the stats will be as compatable with plain vanilla GURPS as possible (although several custom advantages and disadvantages will be present, see my Traits page).
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