Paladin's Warhorse

The paladin's warhorse, also known as a "meara," is an unusual breed of wild horse, the largest of which are chosen to be worthy of paladins by holy spirits called "a luris," or beings of light. Upon entering the meara, the spirit acts as a familiar within the warhorse; it and the warhorse together await the paladin whom they are destined to serve.

This explains the meara's intelligence and long life (it won't die before the paladin does), as well as the warhorse's eternal service to the paladin once his or she has reached the 4th level of experience.

Communication

Upon reaching that milestone, the paladin's warhorse shall present itself and the first opportunity, usually within 3-12 hours — unless the paladin is in a place that horses cannot enter, such that might be the case within an underground dungeon. Thereafter, the warhorse acts as companion, mount and protector, not only of the paladin but also of anyone the paladin loves. It shares an understanding of the paladin's needs that resembles ESP ... but while the warhorse may understand the paladin perfectly, this communication isn't reciprocal.

The paladin must somehow communicate with the warhorse as he or she would any other equine — though naturally, the warhorse can express its thoughts intelligently through body language. As the warhorse understands the paladin's spoken word, it can also be asked questions, to sort out what the warhorse might know. Of course, if the paladin finds a way to speak with animals, a full understanding can be reached.

Allies

The warhorse shall recognise the paladin's connection to his or her companions, and its importance, and so in addition the horse will seek to protect such persons also. It won't abandon the paladin to do so, but can make choices about the paladin's well-being and that of other persons in the immediate moment.

The warhorse is ready to allow other riders as the paladin wishes, and always takes care of such persons as well as it's able. This is true even if the warhorse isn't in the paladin's company. For example, if the warhorse were instructed to bear the party's mage to another land or region, the warhorse would willingly do so, for as long as the task requires ... but thereafter it would return to the paladin, whose location it always knows by means of the spirit dwelling within the warhorse.

Description

The warhorse is usually a destrier, or heavy warhorse, of enormous size; typically it measures 17 to 18 hands tall, 2,300 lbs., with flanks that make for easy riding and a steady, smooth and even bearing. The hindquarters are powerful, allowing it to easily react and spring, to stop, spin, turn or sprint forward. Physically, it has a short back and well-muscled loins, strong bones and a well-arched neck. The mane and tail hair is typically lush and quite long, though it can be trimmed if desired.

It's nature is to ease whatever particular gait is being employed. If the paladin is too small in stature for such an animal, the paladin's warhorse might be a medium warhorse, some 16 hands high and a mere 1,900 lbs. Overall, however, the warhorse's performance is about the same.

In all cases the warhorse appears fine and very strong, commonly of a colour that best suits the paladin's taste. For game purposes, the player is free to choose markings and colour if desired; in any case, the colour will be startlingly rich, so that even by day or night the animal appears glossy and healthy. The warhorse's gender may also be chosen. Male warhorses are always be geldings.

Advantages

As a combatant, the paladin's warhorse conforms to other heavy warhorses, with the following exceptions: intelligence of 18, natural armour class of 6, hit dice 5+5 and it has 6 action points. Attacks with the hoof do 2-9, and with the bite, 2-5. All meara have 2d6 per hit die for hit points, with a minimum of 40 hit points.

Due to its intelligence, the warhorse doubles the paladin's knowledge of horseback riding up to a maximum of 80 points. If this still doesn't allow the paladin to handle the horse, he or she is considered to be an assisted rider — which allows the paladin to be a passenger as a maximum trotting gait, but no faster and the paladin cannot fight from horseback.

See Warhorse