#cool mounts

(Caustic Bronco by Brent Hollowell)

(I do not like the Thunder Junction MTG set. Its worse sin by far is repeating the terra nullius myth in an act of blatant colonialism apologia, but that terra nullius also just means a setting nearly empty of worldbuilding and a bunch of villain characters who have way better things to do wandering into a shitty saloon. Marchesa? Rakdos?? And if this happened so recently why is it all dusty?

I do like the rattlesnake horse, though. That's fun. And I like cool mounts and this is the set that introduced mounts as a concept, so... snorse.)

CR2 TN Large Magical Beast

Snorse are magical hybrids of snake and horse, volatile and dangerous creatures created as mounts of war. They proved to be ill-tempered and dangerous rides, and most that did not escape were culled. Feral populations now roam areas of chaparral and desert, where their endurance and speed combined with their venom makes them deadly hunters; ironically, their preferred prey is horses, as they can match their running capabilities. 

A small domestic population of snorse have endured, and they are mostly kept as pets and novelties for the particularly adventurous. Some keepers remove the venom glands of the animal to make them safer to own and ride; others consider this abuse. Although the original project was a failure, individual snorse have subsequently been tamed and used as war mounts, where their venomous bite and intimidating presence has been put to good use. Outlaws and fledgling nations alike may flock around a snorse rider, as the creatures have become a status symbol of might and cruelty.

There is no good reason for me to have this. I did a single run of the necessary duty, and was dead 90% of the time.

I think I've gone and spent all my luck.

(Felidar Sovereign by Zoltan Boros)

(I'm posting for the time being! Expect two posts a week right now.

Magic the Gathering has a habit of creating types of beast to make their settings more fleshed out and fill out the mechanical slot of "generic large beast" in different places- felidar, krushok, cerodon, thoctar... all are creatures with a defined look and name. They're fun targets for monster creating, and I'm generally looking to make these Magical Beasts to keep it interesting. I started with Felidar because, well, I love big cats. As with all my creatures, I tried to give them a fun plot hook.)

CR6 NG Large Magical Beast

Felidar are large catlike predators typically found in mountainous regions, where they use their powerful roars and expert climbing skills to hunt down and kill prey. Felidar are more intelligent than an animal, though not by much- they have no true language, and prefer to live in simple family units or just hunt alone. Perhaps their most intelligent aspect is their knowledge of magic and magical places, as well as a capability for empathy- a felidar who sees an injured humanoid is willing to provide healing, and one whose trust has been gained will often lead humanoids to places of great magic potential- or to the location of a dangerous interloper or creature that needs to be dealt with for the good of the mountain.

Felidar are beings connected to the Plane of Positive Energy, and a vivacious life flows through them. One pint of felidar blood can be used as 100gp of materials to craft any potion of the Healing subschool. Felidar never give this blood freely, instead using their roar or Cure Moderate Wounds spell-like ability- some unscrupulous mages take this blood by force, typically injuring or killing these majestic animals.

(Mawcor by John Matson)

(The Mawcor card has two distinct designs; the newer one being a sort of blobby shape with strange limbs and two boxy heads that look like generic fantasy beasts. The other, which caught my eye, is this ethereal, alien wind rider. I figured it fits perfectly in the Plane of Air, and can serve as a cool- if highly unethical- chariot.)

CR7 CN Huge Outsider (Air)

Strange, silent beasts from the elemental plane of air, mawcor still the air around them and assault anything large enough to be perceived as a rival or a threat. They are intelligent, but possess few needs beyond the freedom of open, clean sky, and so are notoriously difficult to negotiate with. 

Wild mawcor are a threat to large cargo or cruise skyships, but they have been known to be magically coerced into acting as servants, using their immense strength to pull lesser vessels and their Calm Air spell-like ability to provide smooth sailing. Mawcor are sentient creatures who rarely feel any sort of social need to share their strength, meaning they must be forced against their will to act as simple servants. Such a mawcor, if freed, is bitter enough to hold a vendetta against its captor and just grateful enough to give its liberator a minute to escape.

(Have you heard of Serina, a spec evo project done by Dylan Bajda AKA Sheather? It's the other long-form spec evo project I mentioned, and with all due respect to Kaimere, it is my personal favorite. The setting is a seed world designed to be a perfect home for canaries. The birds, as well as the plants and animals brought alongside them to support their ecosystem, quickly diversify, and what follows is several periods, each lasting tens of millions of years, with their own ecosystems and clades. If you're at all interested in sci fi, zoology, or the convergance of the two, it's a must read in my opinion.

These two animals I'm porting to Pathfinder are derived canaries living 250 million years after the moon was seeded. They are, notably, also large herbivorous quadrupeds who live in groups, which are qualities of many domesticated animals. As such, I have Glidegander filling the role of common flying mount- a role I suggest DMs introduce to their wolds with care, as I imagine your average scout or messenger being able to saddle up a flying animal will have massive worldbuilding implications.)

Ambulopteran, Glidegander

(Glidegander by Dylan Bajda)

CR1 TN Large Animal

Glideganders are common quadrupedal birds of a distant moon. In nature, they are migratory grazers, flying massive distances to find the most productive meadows. They are relatively fragile animals, for their size. An injury to any limb means a glidegander will be unable to fly, and they are aware of it- glidegander herds prefer to run rather than face threats head-on. And they do run; taking off for a glidegander takes effort, and in nature they generally only do so when it’s time to move on to fresher feeding grounds, or when it’s their only option for escape. Glideganders, like all archangels, lay eggs that are large, soft, and leathery; these eggs are then buried in large clutches.

On many planets, glideganders have been domesticated; they are docile, social, can be fed on cheap grasses, and most crucially all this is paired with the capability of long-distance flight. Glidegander are not particularly strong, however; a single glidegander can only carry about 250lbs before being unable to fly. Those wishing to use them for shipping goods typically use two “lead” birds, most often old females guided by riders, to lead a flock of “carriers”. Riders, rather than sit perpendicular to the animal’s back, instead straddle them to reduce drag. On planets where ambulopterans are common, a glidegander typically sells for 400gp, and a combat trained specimen for 600gp. 

Glidegander Companions

Glideganders can be taken as a cavalier mount for cavaliers from cultures that have them. Glideganders can only be taken as companions with DM permission.

Starting Statistics: AC: +2 Size: Large Speed: 40ft, Fly 60ft (Good) Attack: Bite (1d4) Ability Scores: Str:12 Dex:18 Con:12 Int:2 Wis:13 Cha:10 Special Qualities: Honk 4th level Advancement: AC: +2, Attack: Bite (1d6), Ability Scores: Str +4, Con +2

Ambulopteran, Stormsonor

(Stormsonor by Dylan Bajda)

CR5 TN Huge Animal

Stormsonors are towering relatives of the glidegander, being among the largest of creatures who fly without magical means. Stormsonors, like glideganders, are migratory, often traveling distances on a continental scale to find their preferred food, soft water plants, although they are capable of eating mosses and some grasses, too. Stormsonors are named for their long, mournful cries which carry for many miles, and for their tendency to follow rainstorms to feed on the lush growth that follows such an event.

Unlike glideganders, stormsonors have not been truly domesticated due to the incredible distance of their migrations. Despite this, they can be tamed; if raised from hatching, they are loyal and courageous mounts, capable of flying great distances. Many planets regard these animals as sacred, and their capture is allowed only to the most important leaders and warriors. Because of this, a stormsonor egg is worth 2,000gp, and a trained specimen is worth ten times that.

Stormsonor Companions

Starting Statistics: AC: +4 Size: Medium Speed: 40ft, 60ft Fly (Poor) Attack: Bite (1d6) Ability Scores: Str:14 Dex:19 Con:10 Int:2 Wis:16 Cha:12 7th Level Advancement: AC: +2 Size: Large Attack: Bite (2d4) Ability Scores: Str +4, Con +4

(model by Safari ltd)

(My partner is really into animal toy collecting; they particularly like dinosaurs, but exposure to Safari has since got me exposed to their dragon line. Which has some genuinely cool, interesting design!

Anyway, a long-term theme you'll see in this blog is Cool Mounts, quadrupedal Large creatures that can be ridden by creatures of various levels. This one, I imagine, is perfect for a druid or ranger in a forest's hour of need.)

CR11 CG Large Dragon (Air)

Dazzling creatures of the forest, stag dragons are rarely seen by humanoids, preferring invisibility or the guise of a fey shape to keep themselves hidden. They are herbivores, browsing on high foliage and fast-growing ferns, although they are deliberately careful not to overgraze in any one tree or spot.

Stag dragons are guardians of the local ecology of their region. They monitor the wellbeing of their undergrowth, of the deer they run with, and the many small creatures from insects to songbirds that live in their home. They tend to allow forage and subsistence hunting, understanding humanoids as part of the ecology, but do not permit civilization's encroach.

In times of crisis, stag dragons are known to take valorous and trustworthy heroes as riders, although this agreement typically lasts as long as the danger.