Hippogriff
- Habitat
- Rolling hills and desolate temperate or tropic uplands
- Biomes
- grassland, +mountain
- Spawn
- pack, day
- Temper
- Territorial, wary, trainable
- Threat
- Moderate
- Rarity
- Rare
- Move
- sprint; fly.
- Special
- Nil; attacks with two raking talons and a heavier shearing bite from its beak.
- STR17
- DEX19
- CON16
- INT4
- Health152
- Damage32
- Armor20
A flying hybrid of eagle and horse, roughly the size of a light riding mount. Its head, wings, forelegs, and raking talons are those of a great raptor, while the ears, neck, mane, torso, and hind legs belong to a horse. Plumage runs russet, golden tan, or mixed browns, usually a shade off from the hide, and the hooked beak gleams ivory or yellow-gold. Hippogriffs hold strict territories around a guarded hill-top nest, taking flight at the first hint of intrusion. They are omnivores that will hunt prey as large as bison and, lacking other meat, may stoop on small bands of travelers. Captured young, they make prized and maneuverable flying steeds.
Behavior
- Launches from high ground and attacks on the wing with talons and beak.
- Defends a fixed grazing-and-hunting range and a single hidden nest.
- Forages widely as an omnivore, eating greenery, fruit, or fresh kills.
- Carries carcasses and debris downhill, keeping its nest clean.
- Males hoard bright, sparkly trinkets to display for mates.
Abilities
- Raking Talons. Twin foreclaws tear at a target in passing strikes.
- Shearing Beak. A scissor-like bite that delivers its heaviest wound.
- Powered Flight. Strong, nimble flier able to climb quickly from open ground.
- Territorial Dive. Plunges on intruders that stray near its nest.
Drops & Crafting
- Broad flight feathers (fletching, ornament)
- Hollow lightweight bones (tool hafts, whistles)
- Curved talons and beak (hooks, awls)
- Mixed hide-and-feather pelt
- Bright trinkets from a male's display cache