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Nagrim

Name: Nagrim

Category: Mounts

Type: Avians, Mammalians

Size: Huge

Region: Mountains

Rarity: Uncommon

Lifespan: 50-60 years

Appearance

Nagrim are similar to lions in body form, usually around five feet in height at the shoulder and with large feathered wings that sprout from just in front of the forelegs and enable it to fly. The body is covered in short and silky purple-black fur, with darker patches around the ears and snout, a goatee-style beard, and a much longer mane that extends all the way down the spine and under the belly. This longer fur continues down the length of the twin tails, which are some six feet in length and recombine in a teardrop-shaped flare of fur that is either darker (for males) or lighter (for females) than the body's colour depending on the nagrim's gender.

Though the nagrim is often likened to a winged lion, the body and skull are longer and narrower, and it has two long, smooth horns that spiral out towards the shoulders from just behind the ears. The eyes and tongue are both a shade of purple that is usually lighter than the body fur.

Behaviour

Nagrim are surprisingly gentle despite being carnivores. They're fairly intelligent as well, so while they don't have a recognisable language and talk to each other only via a series of growls and rumbling calls, they still manage to communicate with humanoids using simple facial expressions.

They're also fairly easy to train as mounts, so they're often called "poor man's dragon" and are known as "The Sage Ones" in folklore and mythology.

Males are more aggressive during mating season but, even then, their only interest is in defending their mate and offspring. That said, they have wicked teeth and claws so they're quite capable of defending themselves; they'd simply rather not.

Diet: Birds, small reptiles and mammals.

Habitat: Nagrim are adapted for cold climates and usually nest in snowy caves at the top of the Elysian and Dardanian mountains.

Breeding: Mating season comes around once a year in early spring, at which time nagrim come down the mountain to join a migratory "pride" in search of a mate. Litter sizes range from one to three cubs, which take three years to grow fully and leave the den, although they are almost adult-sized at one year.

Special Information

Strengths/Abilities:

• Nagrim can fly while carrying a fully grown humanoid, making them excellent mounts.
• They're more intelligent than most animals, though still not on a par with humanoids or dragons.

Weaknesses:

• They're a gentle species so would rather retreat than enter combat, unless protecting family.

Uses:

• Nagrim can be trained as a flying mount, and enter the price range between the taroch and the pegasus.

Origin: Due to their colour, nagrim are associated with Xanth and assumed to be her creations.

Other Info: Nagrim feature a great deal in Elysian folklore and mythology as The Sage, known for its gentle disposition and its uncanny ability to "reprimand" its owner with a single look when they make mistakes. Seen most often in the high peaks where they've adapted to the cold, the great winged beasts are easily trained and will defend their riders in a pinch, although they would much rather retreat if violence can be avoided.

Creator: Emma