War Mounts

**Strand names:**

~ Equus

~ Peryton

~ Raptor

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**Place of Origin**

Silia de la Notre

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**Rarity**

~ Equus: common

~ Peryton: uncommon

~ Raptor: very uncommon

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**General Overview**

‘Strands’ are the term used for the different breeds of War Mount one can acquire, such as Equus, Peryton. Raptor etc. They are all connected and share the same base of horse blood mixed with that of other creatures.

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~ Equus

The Equus strand is the closest to horses as War Mounts will be, having been combined with very minor amounts of elephant. Built like rock and sturdy enough to tank a fireball, the Equus strand is a formidable and dominating force on the battlefield of pure muscle mass and might.

They can easily drag along and run with wagons full of food and liquids, a kick from their hooves or a stomp can pack 1,000lbs of force as an average.

Their gallops shake the ground and can be heard and even felt from 50 feet away.

In the last few hundred years they have become a more common sight amongst major kingdoms and farms, used to haul grain and protect the land and scare off some invaders, they can be rented on a working class wage and bought outright on a middle class wage.

They are rather intelligent as well, being able to recognise sound, words and hand gestures, and are difficult to frighten with sudden movements or fire, unless with loud bangs.

Their general greatest flaw is that they are slow off the mark to run and their size makes them difficult to accommodate, as well as needing half their weights worth of grass, berries, leaves and water almost every day.

Average weight - 700lbs.

Average height - 7’0 from hoof to ear tip.

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~ Peryton

A shocking contrast to the Equus strand, these War Mounts were bred from horses and Perytons.

This strand is agile, lithe and built for aerial superiority. While no match for a dragon or griffin, they are perhaps the closest to a ‘3rd aerial ruler’ one may find.

Their padded and claws hooves allow for rough landings like a cat and quick speed off the bat. Their weight allows them to be quieter in the brush, though they easily become restless when on the ground for too long.

While difficult to frighten like the Equus, water is their greatest weakness, they have a rigid fear of even rainfall or a light shower for their wings and fur are not waterproof, being even slightly damp will render them incapable of flight, though they may still run.

Perytons are often used for caravan guarding and patrols across vast distances, and a favourite amongst nobles for their regal appearance.

They can be rented from very few traders on a middle class wage and can be bought outright on an upper class wage.

They require constant cleaning, twice a day of their fur and thorough drying, they prefer digesting berries and leaves and can eat half their weights worth a day, becoming temperamental and aggressive if they do not get what they need or want.

Average weight - 250lbs, 50lbs for their horns, a side effect of their peryton genes.

Average height - 6’5 from hoof to ear tip, 1-2’0 max for their horns on top.

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~ Raptor

The most volatile and dangerous strand, the Raptor strand is an uncommon find and usually under control of a dominant individual who can handle aggression on a daily basis.

Usually found smothered in light but durable chains, it can be seen as cruel, with attempts to free them not being rare but these ‘rescue’ attempts always end in bloodshed of not just the rescuer, but any poor soul that comes into their sights as they run a rampage.

This strand is fearsome, aggressive and the most dangerous, while they can be controlled with a stern hand it is ill-advised to take one on without heavy preparation, experienced and high ranking soldiers are favoured for this.

They are so aggressive they will even attempt to leap onto dragons, giants and large beings, nothing is too much for them. They lash out on other Raptors and other strands as well.

Their claws and teeth and lack of acknowledgement of their own injuries until too late are what makes them so deadly in combat, being bred exactly for this purpose from strands of Deinosuchus and Glow Raptor DNA, stolen from the Bioluminescent Forest without permission by scientists of Silia de la Notre and the Oushivia Tower in recent years.

They are completely unstable, being rushed out and are completely incapable of breeding together, their newborns being deformed and putrid masses of flesh, meaning the only way to buy a Mountis Bellatrix Raptor is that of straight from Silia de la Notre. The Empires have and still are working to find a cure, with many Raptor strand enthusiasts backing the research financially.

They can eat almost anything given to them, but need more than other War Mounts, requiring a Medium to Upper class salary as a minimum to properly care for one.

Purchase also requires a permit from Silia de la Notre, stating the deed of the Mount to the owner and their permission to own one, and only one at a time.

Raptors will become extra vicious towards each other, keeping them out of sight of one another is highly advised, meaning only one or two should be brought to battle.

Average Weight - 400lbs.

Average Height - 6’5.

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**Race Alignment**

Equus - Neutral Good

Peryton - Chaotic Neutral

Raptor - Chaotic Evil

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**Natural Race Abilities/Affinities**

*Equus strand*

~ 1,000lbs of kick force with their back legs.

~ Capable of carrying and pulling around 2 tonnes of weight for prolonged periods of time with comfort, usually 20 posts/6hours before rest is needed for 4 posts/1 hour.

~ Max speed of 30mph.

~ Gallops that can be felt 50ft away.

~ Intelligent and great eyesight, sensitive sense of smell, average horse hearing for 30ft in front of them.

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*Peryton strand*

~Flight speed of around 65mph, excellent aerial maneuverability that makes them the skies 3rd best flyer.

~ Max running speed of 50mph.

~ Nimble and agile.

~ Can carry and pull up to 400lbs of weight, but carrying more than their own weight for more than 4 posts/1 hour is highly ill-advised.

~ Horns and back claws can be used for combat.

~ Heightened eyesight and smell, sensitive hearing for 30ft in front of them.

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*Raptor strand*

~ Max speed of 40mph.

~ Able to lift and carry up to 800lbs of force for 10 posts before needing to rest for 2 posts/20 minutes.

~ Lethal and long front claws that can rival steel, back claws and viscous teeth.

~ Heightened eyesight and smell, sensitive hearing for 30ft in front of them.

~ Leap and jump of 15ft height and length.

~ At night, Raptors glow a soft and dull blue due to their Glow Raptor DNA in various stripes and swirls. While not as prominent as their parent creature, it is enough to be able to see them in darkness.

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**Appearances**

All strands have the common fur, pointed ears and long manes tails, but most everything else varies.

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*Equus strand*

*Peryton strand*

*Raptor strand*

**History**

During the Silver Era, the kingdom of Silia de la Notre made their own efforts to establish a mount of their own that could make their immediate neighbouring lesser kingdoms double take, to protect them from invasion.

What came of this was a long adventure into warping and breeding the perfect war mounts using Horses as a base that has never truly reached its goal, even today, for many of the ‘strands’.

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**Created by Impy**

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