Animal Motifs / Tabletop Games

• BattleTech: The Clans are all are named after various animals, many of which are extraterrestrial or genetically engineered (i.e. the sea fox was an aquatic predator native to Strana Mechty, while the diamond shark was engineered by Clan Snow Raven to wipe out sea foxes after a dispute with Clan Sea Fox, who later changed their name to Clan Diamond Shark in defiance). Except for Clan Blood Spirit. They had an animal named after them. Reinforced by Clan warriors sometimes wearing full-head masks patterned after their Clan's respective animal for ceremonial purposes. While this is seen most frequently in the fiction when the Khans assemble for council, it's not actually limited to them; similar occasions involving lower-ranking warriors are simply not shown as often.
• Clue: Mrs. Peacock, as her name implies, is associated with peacocks. Though this is likely intended more as a Color Motif, since all of the Clue characters are named after colors, the motif fits Mrs. Peacock being frequently portrayed as a vain and ditzy aristocrat. Some releases of the game reinforce the motif by adorning her attire with peacock feathers, while the film adaptation gave her a pin in the shape of a peacock.
• Dungeons & Dragons: In 3rd and 4th Edition, the familiars of wizards, sorcerers, and adepts bestow minor skill bonuses to their masters, which vary with the familiar's animal type. While some grant bonuses derived from their genuine aptitudes (e.g. Move Silently for a cat), other bonuses reflect the animal's anthropomorphized reputation (Bluff for snakes, Appraise for ravens).
• Exalted: Many Exalts take an animal for their character motifs. Lunars take it one step further, in that they can turn into any animals, provided they ritually hunt the animal first. Infernals on the other hand, takes some characteristics of their Coadjutors, which tends to be demonic version of certain animals. (Erymanthoi are demon-gorilla, Theodozjia are demon-cats, etc.)
• Legend of the Five Rings: The various clans are each named for an animal, and each draws on the symbolism of that animal as inspiration for their clan's nature.
• In Nomine: The angels who serve Jordi, the Archangel of Animals, are often attuned to animals who match their Choir's role or mannerisms in some way. Ofanim, who are creatures of motion and freedom, are attuned to flying animals. Malakim, who are defined by unflinching commitment to duty and loyalty, get pack hunters such as wolves. Mercurians, closest to humanity of any Choir, have the apes.
• Warhammer:
  • The Chaos Gods are each associated with a type of animal, and in the background lore it's said that Chaos cults often disguise themselves as unassuming animal totemists.
    • Khorne is associated with Savage Wolves and hounds. He is referred to by epithets such as the Bloodwolf or the Hound, and his daemons include the savage, doglike Flesh Hounds.
    • Tzeentch is strongly tied with birds, especially corvids. He is often referred to as the Raven or the Crow, and his daemons include the Lords of Change, who resemble giant humanoid birds, and Pink Horrors, who often sport avian beaks.
    • Nurgle is typically associated with insects, especially ones attracted to carrion and disease, and especially flies and maggots. His followers are always accompanied by swarming clouds of droning insects, and his more bestial daemons resembles immense flies and their giant, bloated larvae.
    • Slaanesh is often linked with snakes. Many daemon princes of Slaanesh often take the form of serpents, and Slaanesh himself is called a Serpent. Seeing as Snakes Are Sexy and Snakes Are Sinister (and how Slaanesh is associated with temptation), this makes sense.
  • Warhammer 40,000:
    • The Imperium of Man is symbolized by a double-headed eagle, in homage of various great empires through human history.
    • Many Space Marine chapters have animals they closely associate with and often use in their heraldry, usually ones with some thematic link to their outlook and traditions or which have an important presence on their homeworld.
    • The Space Wolves have wolves, referencing the Savage Wolves that roam their homeworld of Fenris and the themes of ferocious Germanic barbarism the chapter evokes.
    • The Raven Guard uses ravens and other corvid birds. Many of their successor chapters continue this trend and sometimes expand it to other birds, such as the Iron Ravens, the Knights of the Raven, the Necropolis Hawks and the Raptors.
    • The Iron Snakes have serpents, especially the Sea Serpents that swim in their seas of their homeworld and which they revere as holy.
    • The Hawk Lords and the Solar Hawks, chapters heavily focused on piloting and aerial warfare, use hawks and general birds of prey in their heraldry.
    • The Sons of the Phoenix use phoenix symbology to represent their willingness to throw themselves into the fiercest flames of battle.
    • The Mantis Warriors make heavy use of insect imagery and naming themes.
    • The Celestial Lions, as part of their subsaharan African Fantasy Counterpart Culture, use a lot of lion imagery.
    • The Alpha Legion's use of the hydra, the many-headed serpent of Greek Mythology, alludes to their command structure and immunity to Decapitated Army: cut off one head, and two more will sprout out from its place.
  • Warhammer Fantasy:
    • The wizards of the Gold College uses an eagle as their symbol, as this is an important motif among the High Elves whose scholarly and magical traditions the College seeks to emulate.
    • The Light College's symbol is the Serpent of Light, and its wizards make heavy use of snake symbolism in their clothes and gear.
    • The Blood Dragon vampires make heavy use of dragon imagery in their heraldry and armor, in order to remind themselves of their founder's slaying of a dragon and of their own ultimate goal to do the same.
    • Most of the Old World's gods have particular sacred animals. Morr, the God of the Dead, holds crows and ravens as sacred. Myrmidia, the goddess of strategic warfare, holds the eagle as sacred; eagle symbology is common in the gear and temples of her followers, and her high priests are referred to as "Eagles". Shallya, the Lady of Mercy, has the white dove. Wolves, especially white wolves, are sacred to Ulric.

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