# Mounts of the Air

*The Stable, Mounts, Barding, and Mounted Combat for Exodus NDS. Source: https://exodusnds.com/sourcebooks/the-stable/mounts-of-the-air*

Flying mounts change what a game is about. A party with four hippogriffs does not walk through the forest of spiders.

A GM who allows them should read Chapter 5 for what flight costs: a flyer over half its Carry cannot take off, a rider in plate is over half the Carry of most of them, and a mount that is hurt comes down.

The rules for a dragon that chooses to carry someone are at the end of Chapter 5.

<img class="framed" src="https://exodusnds.com/assets/sourcebook/the_stable/the-stable-air.jpg">

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Pegasus
<span class="weapon-aka">Winged horse, sky horse</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">2</span>
<span class="speed">2, fly 2</span>
<span class="wounds">12</span>
<span class="res">2</span>
<span class="def">0 / 1</span>
<span class="carry">14</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">3 / 3 / 2 / 3 / 3 / 2</span>
<span class="travel">60</span>
<span class="price">10000</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">Equine, Light</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Swift, Bonded Only</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Hooves (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4; Knockdown)

A winged horse, as clever as a good dog and prouder than its rider. It is not broken to the saddle: it agrees to carry one person, and may stop agreeing.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Hippogriff
<span class="weapon-aka">Eagle-horse, cliff steed</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">2</span>
<span class="speed">2, fly 2</span>
<span class="wounds">14</span>
<span class="res">3</span>
<span class="def">1 / 2</span>
<span class="carry">14</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">3 / 4 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 1</span>
<span class="travel">50</span>
<span class="price">7000</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">Avian, Light</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Sure Wing, Panic Climb, Meat-Eater, Temper 1</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Talon Kick (Unarmed; Damage 5; Crit 4); Beak (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4)

Eagle in front and horse behind, and easier to train than either parent suggests. It is the usual courier and highland mount where such things exist. **Panic Climb**: when it is injured it climbs one elevation as a reaction, once in an encounter, whatever its rider wants.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Griffon
<span class="weapon-aka">Gryphon, lion-eagle</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">2</span>
<span class="speed">2, fly 2</span>
<span class="wounds">16</span>
<span class="res">3</span>
<span class="def">1 / 2</span>
<span class="carry">16</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">4 / 3 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 1</span>
<span class="travel">45</span>
<span class="price">20000</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">Avian, Medium</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Battle-Trained, Stoop, Horse Terror, Bonded Only, Meat-Eater</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Talons (Unarmed; Damage 5; Crit 3; Pierce 2); Beak (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4)

Lion behind and eagle in front. It can be trained only if it is raised from the egg, and it serves one rider. It hunts horses by preference.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Giant Eagle
<span class="weapon-aka">Great eagle, sky lord</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">2</span>
<span class="speed">1, fly 3</span>
<span class="wounds">13</span>
<span class="res">3</span>
<span class="def">1 / 2</span>
<span class="carry">10</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">3 / 4 / 2 / 3 / 3 / 1</span>
<span class="travel">80</span>
<span class="price">—</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">None</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Stoop, Keen Sight, Bonded Only, Meat-Eater</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Talon Dive (Unarmed; Damage 5; Crit 4; Pierce 1); Beak (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4)

A horse-sized eagle that can carry one light rider and nothing else. It is not for sale. Some are raised as sacred messengers and will bear the person they were raised with.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Giant Owl
<span class="weapon-aka">Night flyer, moon owl</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">2</span>
<span class="speed">1, fly 2</span>
<span class="wounds">11</span>
<span class="res">2</span>
<span class="def">1 / 2</span>
<span class="carry">8</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">3 / 4 / 2 / 4 / 3 / 1</span>
<span class="travel">40</span>
<span class="price">9000</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">None</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Silent Flight, Night Sight, Bonded Only, Meat-Eater</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Talons (Unarmed; Damage 5; Crit 4; Pierce 1)

It flies without a sound and sees in the dark. **Silent Flight**: it adds 2 Boon Dice to Stealth checks made in the air at night. It carries a small rider, or a light one of ordinary size.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Giant Bat
<span class="weapon-aka">Cave bat, night wing</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">2</span>
<span class="speed">1, fly 2</span>
<span class="wounds">10</span>
<span class="res">1</span>
<span class="def">1 / 2</span>
<span class="carry">8</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">2 / 4 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 1</span>
<span class="travel">40</span>
<span class="price">3000</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">None</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Echo Sense, Hanger, Temper 2</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Bite (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4)

The flying mount of people who live underground. **Echo Sense**: darkness, smoke, and fog do not hinder it. It cannot take off from flat ground with a rider: it drops from a height.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Giant Dragonfly
<span class="weapon-aka">Darter, marsh skimmer</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">1</span>
<span class="speed">1, fly 3</span>
<span class="wounds">7</span>
<span class="res">1</span>
<span class="def">2 / 2</span>
<span class="carry">5</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">2 / 5 / 0 / 3 / 1 / 0</span>
<span class="travel">30</span>
<span class="price">1200</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">None</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Small Mount, Hover, Short-Lived</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Bite (Unarmed; Damage 3; Crit 4)

An insect with a wingspan of three metres, ridden by small folk of marsh country. **Hover**: it may stay still in the air. **Short-Lived**: a season, and it cannot be trained, only steered.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Wyvern
<span class="weapon-aka">Two-legged drake, sting-tail</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">3</span>
<span class="speed">1, fly 2</span>
<span class="wounds">15</span>
<span class="res">5</span>
<span class="def">1 / 2</span>
<span class="carry">20</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">3 / 3 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 0</span>
<span class="travel">40</span>
<span class="price">25000</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">Reptile, Medium</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Battle-Trained, Stoop, Horse Terror, Bonded Only, Meat-Eater, Temper 2</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Bite (Heavy Melee; Damage 5; Crit 4); Venom Tail (Heavy Melee; Damage 5; Crit 3; Pierce 1, Poison 3)

A winged reptile with two legs and a venomous tail: a dragon's shape without a dragon's mind. It is an animal, and a vicious one. Raised from the egg, it carries a rider in armour into battle.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Glasswing Drake
<span class="weapon-aka">Sky drake, courier drake</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">2</span>
<span class="speed">1, fly 3</span>
<span class="wounds">16</span>
<span class="res">3</span>
<span class="def">2 / 2</span>
<span class="carry">10</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">3 / 4 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 1</span>
<span class="travel">70</span>
<span class="price">18000</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">Reptile, Light</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Sure Wing, Swift, Meat-Eater, Temper 1</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Glass Talons (Unarmed; Damage 5; Crit 4)

A slim, four-winged drake with translucent wing membranes. It is the fastest thing in this chapter and carries the least.

##### <span class="mount-bar air"></span>Roc
<span class="weapon-aka">Mountain bird, storm eagle</span>

<div class="mount air">

<span class="scale">4</span>
<span class="speed">1, fly 2</span>
<span class="wounds">25</span>
<span class="res">6</span>
<span class="def">1 / 1</span>
<span class="carry">60</span>

</div>

<div class="mount-detail">

<span class="chars">4 / 3 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 1</span>
<span class="travel">60</span>
<span class="price">—</span>
<span class="avail">Rare</span>
<span class="fit">None</span>
<span class="qual">Flyer, Platform, Skyhook, Horse Terror, Bonded Only, Meat-Eater</span>

</div>

- **Attacks:** Mountain Talons (Unarmed; Damage 7; Crit 3; Pierce 3); Beak Hammer (Unarmed; Damage 6; Crit 3)

A bird that carries off oxen. A roc raised from the egg by a giant, or by a people with generations of patience, carries a basket with six passengers. **Skyhook**: it may seize a target of Scale 2 or less with 3 Boons and carry it one elevation upward.

<img class="framed" src="https://exodusnds.com/assets/sourcebook/the_stable/the-stable-stoop.jpg" alt="A griffon and its rider in the stoop" loading="lazy">
