Mounts

Many of the human and non-human races of Glorantha ride mounts, from horses, to the Praxian riding animals to the demibirds of the dragonewts and giant wasps ridden by special trollkin. This section details a sample of the mounts available in Glorantha.

Bisons

The bison is a surly and intractable beast, save in the presence of its rider. Its thick skin gives it some protection and its basic attack is the charge. They also butt and trample.

Occasionally (5% chance), there will be a white bison in a herd. White bison hides are extremely valuable (300–2,000 L, depending on condition). However, white bison are sacred to the White Bull Society, an inter-tribal Praxian society.

Bison riders are one of the Five Great Tribes of Prax.

Characteristics	Average
STR 3D6+24	34–35
CON 3D6	10–11
SIZ 3D6+24	34–35
POW 3D6	10–11
DEX 2D6	7
Hit Points: 17	Move: 12
Magic Points: 11	Base SR: 4

Armor: 3-point hide.

Praxian Bison Hit Locations

Location	D20	Armor/HP
Right Hind Leg	01–02	3/6
Left Hind Leg	03–04	3/6
Hindquarter	05–07	3/8
Forequarter	08–10	3/8
Right Foreleg	11–13	3/6
Left Foreleg	14–16	3/6
Head	17–20	3/7

Weapon	%	Damage	SR
Head Butt*	50	2D10+3D6	8
Trample*	50	6D6 to downed foe	8

* A bison cannot head butt and trample in the same melee round.

Horses

Hippogriff was the favorite child of King Griffin, and an ally to Splendid Yamsur, the eldest son of Yelm. Splendid Yamsur and Hippogriff had taken solemn oaths of friendship together, but in several fights, Hippogriff was hurt and abandoned by her erstwhile friend.

Hippogriff underwent a series of painful and humiliating experiences during the Gods War and the Great Darkness. First, she met Storm Bull in raging battle, and her proud fangs were broken out of her mouth. In a fight with Maran Gor, the Earthshaker, Hippogriff ’s legs were broken. Her bronze claws were ripped from her feet, but Yamsur was able to replace them with hooves. The greatest defeat was when Zorak Zoran tore off her golden wings, laughing as he robbed her of ever returning to the sky. But most humiliating was when this once great godling was taken and broken by a mortal, Hyalor Horsebreaker.

Hyalor was a leader among men and a believer in the long-disappeared Sun. He claimed descent from Splendid Yamsur, who was slain by the Devil. Hyalor claimed that he was freeing her crippled spirit from Death and wished to make an alliance. He rescued her by changing her name and her identity. Even so, man got the better of the bargain. She was called Hippoi, or simply “horse”. Ever since then, her descendants have worked more for man than man has worked for horse. When the Sun rose again, Hyalor was ready to accept him, having survived the Darkness through great faith and courage. The horse, already used to slavery, leapt to meet her old master. The pair together received great bounty at the Dawn, and their herds and numbers increased greatly with the blessings of Yelm.

Dragon Pass is home to some of the finest horse breeders in Glorantha, the Grazeland Pony Breeders. For other peoples, horses are valuable and an indicator of wealth. Horses with the size, stamina and skill of a trained warhorse are few and far between. They are also quite expensive.

Characteristics	Average
STR 4D6+12	26
CON 2D6+6	13
SIZ 4D6+12	26
POW 3D6	10–11
DEX 3D6	10–11
Hit Points: 17	Move: 12
Magic Points: 11	Base SR: 3

Armor: 1-point hide.

Skills: Climb 30%, Dodge 25%, Jump 75%, Listen 40%, Scan 30%, Scent Intruder 30%, Swim 50%.

Horse Hit Locations

Location	D20	Armor/HP
Right Hind Leg	01–02	1/6
Left Hind Leg	03–04	1/6
Hindquarter	05–07	1/8
Forequarter	08–10	1/8
Right Foreleg	11–13	1/6
Left Foreleg	14–16	1/6
Head	17–20	1/7

Weapon	%	Damage	SR
Bite	25	1D8	7
Kick	25	1D6+2D6	7
Rear & Plunge	25	2D6+2D6	7
Trample	25	4D6 to downed foe	7

Note: A horse may attack once in a melee round. A ridden non-warhorse normally makes no attacks on behalf of its rider, but may attack something threatening it directly, such as a serpent.

Cavalry Horses

The cavalry horse is trained to stay calm and follow its rider’s commands amidst the noise and hubbub of a battle. They are not traditionally trained to fight in battle and because of this, they cost less to train. However, a cavalry horse can be trained to fight, at which time it becomes a warhorse (see below). A cavalry horse can fight on its own but will not do so in coordination with its rider. The rider must make Ride rolls and do nothing else if the horse commenced fighting for any reason.

A cavalry horse can be depended on to stay steady in the face of most monsters.

Riding Horses

The riding horse is the standard riding animal among most humans outside of Prax. It can carry a rider and gear for a goodly distance during any given period if it is given adequate care and feeding. Any horse (or any of the other vegetarian riding animals mentioned later) is less efficient when subsiding solely on grass. Oats and other high-energy grains will keep a horse used to them going longer, but such fare must be carried. A riding horse will not fight unless cornered, startled, or engaged in a territory fight with another horse, and they almost never fight to kill another horse.

Warhorses

The warhorse is a highly specialized animal, trained to absolutely respond to the demands of its rider and ignore outside influences. They are also trained to fight on their own. A warhorse is almost always a gelding. Generally, stallions are totally unreliable as warhorses because they are far more interested in mares. Mares can be used for warhorses but are usually too small to be used for the kind of close-quarters fighting a warhorse is used for.

The single most important cost factor in a warhorse is training. A warhorse must be trained to coordinate its attacks with those of its rider. A warhorse can be trained to attempt three types of attack: kick with its forelegs; bite with its teeth; and rear and plunge. It will attack whatever is in front of it that it is either directed to attack or which attacks it first. Unless specifically directed, a warhorse will not attack another mount. A warhorse or similarly trained mount will not panic and bolt at the sight and/or smell of a monster, or other form of riding animal.

A horse needs an average STR and SIZ of at least 26 to function as a mount for heavy cavalry.

War Zebras

War zebras are the mounts of the Pavis Survivors, a remnant of the days when the city of Pavis ruled Prax. They are as large as horses but can live in Prax and the Wastes without molestation by the Animal Nomads.

War zebras are in all abilities identical to horses except that the nomads of Prax accept them.