Asperii
Large Magical Beast (Cold, Air)
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: 50 ft, 120 ft flying (average)
AC: 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
Attacks: 2 hooves, +8 melee; 1 bite +3 melee
Damage: Hooves 1d8+4, bite 1d6+4
Face/Reach: 5’x10’/15’
Special Qualities: Cold subtype, true seeing, telepathy,
flight, smooth ride
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Animal Empathy +7, Listen +12, Move Silently +8,
Spot+12, Wilderness Lore +7
Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack
Climate/Terrain: Mountain peaks
Organization: Herd (1-4)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Always neutral good
Advancement: 6-7 HD (Large)
Asperii, also known as wind steeds, are intelligent, horse-like creatures that fly without wings. They are usually silver-grey, white, or dun in color, with small manes, flowing tails, and feathered hooves. They are prized as mounts and can be loyal to their riders, provided they are trained when young and their rider is neutral good, lawful neutral, or true neutral. Asperii consider themselves to be at war with hippogriffs and griffons, but they get along well with pegasi.
Despite looking almost identical to normal horses, asperii are omnivores. Their favorite foods are mint leaves, mistletoe, fresh fish, and hawk flesh. They can go for extended periods of time without eating, far longer than could be expected from a creature of their size, but when food is available, especially their favorite foods, they seem to have unlimited appetites and extra stomachs.
Combat
Asperii dislike fighting, and will
attempt to avoid it if possible. If they need to fight, they do
so as normal horses do, with hooves and bites.
Cold Subtype (Ex): Cold immunity, double damage from fire except on a successful save.
Immunities (Ex): Asperii are completely immune to air attacks, including the attacks from air elementals. They are also fully in control of their flight, and an air elementals air mastery does not impose a penalty on them. They are also immune to all forms of gaze attacks.
True Seeing (Sp): Asperii have extremely keen vision, which acts as a constant, permanent true seeing spell. They can also see into the Astral.
Telepathy (Su): Asperii communicate amongst themselves and other intelligent beings via telepathy, with a range of 180’.
Flight (Su): Though they lack wings, asperii are capable of flight through a natural levitation ability. In addition, they are capable of "riding the winds," adding 10 feet to their movement for every each mile the winds are blowing over 20 mph. Finally, they are capable of casting feather fall four times per day, either on themselves or on another being that they can touch.
Smooth Ride (Ex): Asperii are very smooth flyers, and a spellcaster who rides one while flying can cast spells normally, without need for a Concentration check. If the asperii engages in combat while being ridden, normal penalties for spellcasting under violent conditions apply.
Varient
Noble asperii, an extremely rare
offshoot of the more common variety, is larger and more powerful,
having 6d10+18 hit dice, telepathy with a range of 270’, and
the ability to implant a suggestion in any being with
which it is in telepathy communication. Noble asperii are said to
have coats like polished abalone shells. Noble asperii have a CR
of 5.
From the 2e Forgotten Realms Monstrous Compendium
