RMA: Pegasus

Fly, my pretties! Fly!

Over the next few days, I'm going to take a look at a few of our fine-feathered monster friends. Today's entry? The Pegasus.


Another mythological classic that appears in just about every version of the game. Many's a PC has wished for a pegasus mount. I have a feeling that other gamers may have seen more of these creatures in play than I have. I think, for me and my group, that flight –the very thing that makes them cool– makes them harder to run and use in play.


Pegasus

It's a FLYING HORSE! I don't care who you are, that's cool. Apart from flight, they are listed (in Cook) as "semi-intelligent," which puts them a notch above most animals in the IQ department. I imagine that makes them fairly trainable (see below). As for the stats...

(from Cook)

No. App: (1d12)
AC: 6
AL: L
HD: 2+2
Move: 240' (80')
     -Fly: 480' (160')
Att: 2 (hooves)
Dmg: 1d6/1d6
Save: F2
Morale: 8

Apart from flight, they are approximately halfway between a war horse and a riding horse, but with better AC than either. As a foe, their main advantage is their tremendous speed in the air. They are among the fastest of the fast. That 480' is only matched by some birds (rocs, and normal-sized hawks). Nothing beats it on land, sea, or air. Dragons? Pshaw! Half a pegasus' speed. Even magic, like flying carpets, can't beat them. For transport, you have to go to teleportation to get there faster.

(insert sounds of tires squealing)

The are described as "wild and shy." Also "they cannot be tamed, but will serve Lawful characters (only) if captured when young and trained." They are also described as the natural enemies of hippogriffs, which is a nice bit of Gygaxian naturalism, I think.

I don't see a party having to fight pegasi too often. Although if some lord wants a pegasus mount and hires them to capture a foal, the herd might not take kindly to that.

Kelvernia: Lossaran Steppes

The Lossaran Steppes are a rolling, semi-arid, grassland. The Lossars are horsemen without peer. They live in semi-nomadic clans, moving their tent cities every few months. They live by herding cattle and trading between the clans.

Lossaran steeds are the finest in the world. Unlike the heavy draft horses of the west, or the small shaggy ponies of the Tolkat, Lossaran horses are sleek and fast, but can run for hours. As a result, the Lossars favor mounted fighting, favoring spears and curved swords with light armor. They also employ a style of horse archery using short bone bows that is particularly deadly. Some clans will hire out warriors as mercenary light cavalry. 

Once a year, the clans bring their horses and cattle to market at the town of Rat, on the Cramond border. For two weeks merchants come to trade with them and buy their livestock. It is a time of contests, races, auctions, and general high spirits. A clan with good herds can make a great deal of money to use in the coming year, so the Lossarans are eager to see all goes well. 

The Lossarans are not very religious. They believe in respecting their ancestors, and in the turn of the seasons, but not much else. Their clerics are more like shamans or medicine men than priests. 

Like anywhere in the world, the changed can be found in Lossara. Each clan has their own attitudes toward these individuals. Some are tolerant, some kill them on sight. Metalmen are treated in much the same way.