What’s the point of Pets in games like Shroud of the Avatar?

Perhaps I don’t understand, but what’s the point of "Pets" and "taming" in games like Shroud of the Avatar? I know that games like World of Warcraft have these and it seems to be quite a big deal. Do you ride them to cover more distance? Do they help you do battle? Are they just an amusement, something to play with inside of the game as a distraction?

SotA has made a big deal about this being one of their stretch goals, but it really doesn’t make any sense to me. How does this make the game more entertaining or enjoyable?

And while we’re on the subject, when did adding seasons become a stretch goal? Considering the technology and scope of this game, seasons would be a given. I don’t think we need to run around building snowmen or avoiding puddles, but weather has been in games for years. Unless there is something quite new and magical planned, I’m not sure why this was listed as a stretch goal.

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