Riding Dragon
Riding Dragon by Stone Gargoyle
Riding Dragons are therapod type dinosaur-like warm blooded animals with massive, powerful hind legs, massive horns and wings. Most of them have vestigal wings, with only 30% of them being able to fly. They are covered in large scales and have yellow and brown markings, occasionally red or purple. The underbelly is creamy tan, yellow, or a whitish color. Females are roughly the same size but have lighter markings typically. Both have slitted eyes which are yellow, orange, red or green in color. The males also have a tiny pair of bone horns on the tip of their nose whereas females do not. Their ram-like top horns curve to protect their faces, with female horns being less pronounced. They are extremely hardy and can go without water for up to three weeks and will travel, without rest, for up to 10 hours in a single day.
They are more easily domesticated than their distant cousins, the Silonar, and are more intelligent and submissive, having been bred to bring out those traits over thousands of years. If not, these beasts would be impossible to control.
Alignment: Any, but usually scrupulous.
The Eight Attributes: I.Q. 1d6+2, M.E. 2d6, M.A. 3d6+2, P.S. 30+1d6, P.P. 3d6, P.E. 30+2d6, Spd 20+4d6 (X3 flight for those capable of it)
Hit Points: 6d6+14
S.D.C.: 4d6+60
Natural A.R.: 12
Horror Factor: 12
P.P.E.: 2d6
O.C.C.: None, animal
Natural Abilities: 01-30% can fly, can run without pause or exhaustion for 10 hours, Leap 20 feet lengthwise and 10 feet high, can go without food or water for a week without ill effect; eats just about anything from carrion to shrubs to fresh kills of small and large animals, though will not typically attack humans unless provoked. Track by scent 45%.
Attacks per melee: Four
Damage: Bite does 2d6 damage, small foreclaws do 3d6 plus P.S. damage bonus, tail slash 2d6, head butt 3d4 damage, and clawed feet inflict 4d6 damage plus P.S. damage bonus.
Bonuses: +1 initiative, +1 to strike and parry, +3 dodge, +2 save vs. psionics, +8 vs. Horror Factor. These are all in addition to any attribute bonuses.
Magic: None
Psionics: None
Life Span: 50 years
Languages: None, but can learn to understand commands in any language
Enemies: Large predators
Allies: None
Value: 600,000 for a trained specimen
Size: 10 to 12 feet at the shoulders; wingspan usually 2 to 4 feet, rarely 12 to 16 feet (on the ones that can fly)
Weight: 600 to 1000 pounds
Habitat: Deserts of all kinds, particularly sand and stony ones. They cannot survive in climates cooler than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold desert nights followed by hot days are easily tolerated, especially if te animal is covered or sheltered. 3d4 days of constant cold temperatures will kill the beast.
