7 Exotic Mounts

1-Giant Pterodactyl 

This giant flying reptile has great endurance and as long as its owner treats it well will be loyal. It needs plenty of fish to keep it well fed, healthy and happy, and will not swoop down in combat on archers or  those armed with long spears as it values its life. It will, however, consent to fly high above them so it’s owner can drop rocks, napalm, darts, or combat magic on them from out of range.

2-Tamed Kelpie

The Kelpie is a farie creature, a black water horse that can swim through water indefinitely without drowning, even with a rider on its back. They like to trick people into riding them, then jump into the nearest deep body of water and drag the rider down, drowning and eating them. This particular Kelpie was summoned by a mage of great renown and magically bound with a geas, so as long as it was not maltreated, it would be bound to obey its rider.

As a farie creature, it cannot cross a line of salt or of cold iron, and if it is not treated well by it’s owner, the geas that keeps it docile and obedient will expire and it will try and kill it’s owner.

3-Giant Snufflehound

The Giant Snufflehound if treated well is a loyal, loving companion that can smell a scent from miles away. It needs plenty of exercise and good meat and loves strokes and having its tummy tickled . On the negative side, it is almost impossible to stop it chasing and eating cats or defecting and urinating in the streets, and some towns and cities ban it from entry, whilst many landlords won’t let to it’s owners. It’s bark is very loud.

4-Giant Lizard

The Giant Lizard is a hardy creature of desert and scrubland regions, and with its huge teeth, is willing and able to fight against the enemies of its owner. As long as it has access to water, it can march for miles unharmed even in great heat, and only needs to eat every few days. It likes back strokes from its owner, but rarely likes having its belly touched. Its weakness is cold weather, which makes it lazy, then sluggish, and can harm or kill it if it is cold enough for long enough. Hot sand does it’s clawed feet no harm , but ice can in effect burn them. Vegetables makes the Giant Lizards throw up if they eat them.

5-Panzerbear

Unlike the other mounts, the armoured Panzerbears are intelligent and fully sentient. Huge polar bears with large teeth, armoured with armour that they make themselves, the cold is no problem for them, and if paid enough in advance they will consent to be ridden. Their main weakness is heat. They hate hot deserts and refuse to enter them even if they have plenty of water. They are proud and can be quick to anger.

6-Tame Dragon

Hatched from the egg, they are loyal to their owners as long as they are well fed and watered and treated well. And unlike the relatively soft bodies of the Giant Pterodactyl, their bodies are armoured with scales that are proof against the average arrow or spear, and will charge down to fight and breath fire at their foes. Only nobles can legally own them, both because of how much it costs to feed and water them properly and how dangerous they can be even to fully trained troops.

Ballista bolts and certain magical spells can kill them, and after about two centuries they become intelligent. When that happens, the wise noble frees his dragon before it revolts and eats him or sets fire to his lands and castle.

7-Giant Spider

Favourite mounts of drow and dark elves, if raised from the egg and treated well, they are loyal and not afraid to fight those enemies of their owner who are unarmed, or armed with clubs, daggers or even swords, although bowmen and spearmen normally make them think twice. In combat they spit web at their foes, then try to fang them, poison them and wrap them up to eat later. They sleep in webs that they make themselves.

They dislike bright lights, and only their thorax is safe to stroke without a leather or chainmail glove on as the hairs on their abdomen sting like nettles if touched with bare skin. They dislike having their belly stroked or their fangs touched even by their owner, and make this clear with a snarl and a threat display, and a “dry bite” if necessary. They need plenty of meat to keep them healthy and happy, so only the rich drows and dark elves can afford to own them.