No. Appearing: 2-24
Armor Class: 4
Movement: 15, Sw 10
Hit Dice: 10
THAC0: 10
No. of Attacks: 3
Damage/Attack: 2-6 / 2-6 / 1-6
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defenses: Nil
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: L (6' @ the shoulder)
Morale: Unsteady (7)
XP Value: 850
Hippotauns are large, two legged creatures that appear to be related to hippopotomi. Their heads are deffinitely similar to those of the hippopotomus. It has a thick, wide body, with two vestigeal fore-limbs that it can barely use to clean its teeth. It's massively built tail serves not only as a counter-weight to the creature's large body, but stores fat, as well.
Combat: When attacking, hippotauns have no qualms about trying to eat anything that attacks them, provided that its small enough for them to swallow or grind down with their large molars. Their bite attack deals 2d6 points of damage. They can also head butt for 2d6 points of damage, and they can choose to either use a tail swipe for 1d6 points, or trample a smaller foe, for 1d6 points. Note that all three of its attacks may be directed against the same opponent -- but it could attack three opponents at once.
Habitat/Society: They are relatively peaceful herd animals that move through the hills, stripping them of vegetation as they go. They eat continually as they travel, unless they're migrating. Migration patterns vary from herd to herd, but they often travel to wetter climates to birth their young (they are mammals). Females hippotauns have between two and twelve (2d6) young, once each year, with a gestation period of ten (10) months. The young are fully aquatic, complete with a blow-hole on the tops of their heads.
Ecology: Hippotauns make excellent cavalry mounts, and work fairly well as travelling mounts. They can eat just about anything, and so are easy to feed. They can also swim relatively well, even with mounts. The disadvantage to them is that they are difficult to control, and must have a constant, round-the-clock vigilance, lest they eat their tethers, ropes, saddles, leathers, and everything around them. They also must eat a considerable amount of food.
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