New Niche: The Guardian

Here's an optional character niche.  I wound up not including it in the Quick Start rules, but might include it in the final expanded version of the game.

The Guardian
Description: Guardians are animals sworn to protect a person, community, place, or object with their lives. Whether they are loyal shepherding dogs, predators defending their claim on a hunting ground, or prey patrolling the edges of their territory on watch for attackers, guardian animals are the noblest and most dedicated of animal warriors. In many ways, they are the knights of the animal world.

Niche Ability: When you select Guardian as your niche, you gain three special abilities.

• First, you gain a +2 bonus on all attack and damage rolls against opponents who are a clear and present danger to anyone or anything you have placed under your protection.  This bonus increases to +4 at 8th niche level.
• You are also capable of inspiring your allies when they aid you in defending your charge.  With a successful lore check, you can grant a +1 attack & damage bonus to a number of allies equal to your Guardian level who are in your vicinity and actively defending your charge.  
• Conversely, you can attempt to undermine the confidence of attackers or intruders who pose a threat to your charge.  Once per day, with a successful lore check, you can force a number of enemies equal to your Guardian level to make a Tough saving throw vs. paralysis or suffer a -1 penalty on all their attack and damage rolls against you, your allies, and/or your charge for a number of rounds equal to your Guardian level.  

Other Abilities:  Add your Guardian level to all lore checks involving security arrangements, assessing the strength of foes, tracking those under your protection, and influencing the Attitude of both friends and enemies. 

Saving Throw: Paralysis

Threat: Average (+6). This increases to Tough (+3) at 2nd total level, Challenging (+0) at 5th total level, and Formidable (–3) at 8th total level.