Enchanting: Suggestions for Keen Eyed Beasts

Burning Wheel Subsystem Advice and Guidance
1

So I partially completed character creation for a new game and I am pondering potential ideas for two of the players Beliefs. The setting is a small village that has known 100 years of darkness. Then recently, the pitch black skies turned gray and the village is cautiously exploring the world once again in hopes of finding why the light has returned and if it can be brought back fully.

So, the players have beliefs centered on exploring the outside world and protecting or aiding the village.
One character is an enchanter that wanted to create something that would help protect the village and we settled on a mask that would enhance the sight of the wearer so lookouts or scouts could see danger coming from farther away. So he has a belief about finding a sharp-eyed creature he can harvest an antecedent from for his mask.

Another character is a hunter and village guard and she wrote a belief about tracking down a great beast that had been sighted in the woods beyond the village.

So, my first thought was simply to burn up a great wolf of some description since wolves in a forest out of Slavic folklore is pretty much required by law. However, it is also typical in those tales for the beasts to talk and be quite helpful if treated well and I think I’d like to try and go that route. So that means I would need a second beast to point the Enchanter at for his component.

So I am looking for suggestions. Any keen eyed creatures crop up in your games that would fit the bill?

2

Might it not be more interesting to make the wolf the keen-eyed beast, and have it be friendly and helpful - but not to the extent that it would freely give up its blood or other antecedent-suitable part. So the PCs are faced with a sympathetic character who they are asking too much of. Do they take what they want by force? Seems like a good way to challenge their beliefs. But I could also see it bringing things to a halt, depends on your players.

3

What about finding a creature with the “Lynx-Eyed Trait” like an orc/goblin or a Troll?

4

@ Lonely Scribe: That is exactly what I plan to do with the wolf. But, so as to not have things grind to a halt if they befriend or spare the wolf, I planned to have the wolf pass on information about another appropriate beast for the enchanter’s purpose.

@ Kublai: Hmmm. I had planned to introduce goblins and the like as they ventured farther out from the village. A few advance goblin scouts or a young troll could fit the bill.

5

Forests are full of hawks and eagles and other keen-eyed creatures. Though, if it’s been experiencing that sort of long darkness, an owl might be more likely–and they’re easier to find at night. You know, when the other beasties are out, hunting the characters.