Hobgoblins on Dire Caribou?

[Cuddly]

In a current campaign, the PCs are going to wander up north, beyond the Splintered Peaks, and come across an undiscovered Hobgoblin empire. These hobbos will live in the frozen arctic wastes, but survive with magic and clever resource extraction.

Anyway, Orcs from the east, riding dire wolves, are going to begin spilling into Hobgoblin lands (they've already pushed goblins into the human lands, leading to strife, raids, and other problems). The militaristic hobgoblins will only be too happy to meet them on the field of battle.

Other than tight box formations with Roman-style weapons, armor, and tactics (for that proper militaristic, disciplined flavor), I'm wondering what their cavalry should ride.

I'm thinking caribou. Dire caribou. In Mongolia, their are people that ride reindeer- the domesticated caribou. This makes sense, as a sedentary empire, they'd want pets that eat low on the food chain, since it requires less room to keep them. This would contrast the rapacious, pillaging orcs, riding their wolf mounts and consuming everything in their path.

What would a dire caribou's stats look like? How would combat work with dire caribou? A gore attack? Special abilities? Maybe a woodland stride ability when in arctic regions- snow, ice, etc. don't impede, with a hefty survival bonus?

Is this idea stupid?

[JackMage666]

Frostburn has some interesting choices.

Winter Wolves, also, might be a good choice, depending on the ECL you're looking for. They're intelligent, like Worgs, but they're also stronger in almost all ways.

[Cuddly]

Winter wolves are
a) too brutal win played smartly, which the hobgoblins would do and
b) carnivores. I need a foil to the orcs' wolves.

[Satyr]

I think that deer riding hobs are a great idea. But if you really want to show off and yu are in the frozen lands - take mammoths and wooly rhinos. Not necessarily for the whole cavalery, but for a small elite. Because war elephants are cool.

[Cuddly]

Ooh, mammoths. Good call.

I'm thinking I'm going to give those to the Frost Gian Jarls- a semi-pastoral society that will be a Carthage to the Hobgoblins.

[Rift_Wolf]

There's Dire Elk in MM2. Think the idea of deer riding gobbos is sound enough, as they have a nasty gore attack and should be a fair fight between a riding wolf.

[Sebastian]

What about bears? They are onnivores so probably could do to your case

Dire boars would be nice, too. A hobgoblin riding a dire boars would be pretty cool.

[Cuddly]

The arctic is too cold for boars. For whatever reason, pigs can't live that far north. I guess. I dunno. Dire pigs could work. Or vorpal boars.

I gave bears some thought, but they're too slow to make effect mounts, and are currently too... Golden Compass. I already got flak for having a wand of Ghoul Touch being fashioned from bone, like Voldemort's wand. I always thought Volde's wand was just like Potters? Wood? I was just going to have necromancy wands be made from bones and other charnel material.

Besides that, bears have grapple, and I'm trying to get away from grappling. It's really tedious, and none of us are that sure on the rules. It's also far too effective against my PCs, especially when there are only 3 of them.

What about magic beasts?
I think I'm going to have some Remorhaz or Frost Worm riding Fey.

[Sebastian]

The arctic is too cold for boars. For whatever reason, pigs can't live that far north. I guess. I dunno. Dire pigs could work. Or vorpal boars.

make them polar boars, or something. It is D&D, not National Geographic. ;)

I gave bears some thought, but they're too slow to make effect mounts, and are currently too... Golden Compass. I already got flak for having a wand of Ghoul Touch being fashioned from bone, like Voldemort's wand. I always thought Volde's wand was just like Potters? Wood? I was just going to have necromancy wands be made from bones and other charnel material.

what?I'm sure that bears as mounts in fantasy were around way before that movie, or even the book, come out, and necromantic wand made from undead or corpses parts are just classic, man. I don't see why they should give you flak for it, what is next? someone complain because you make a magic ring made of gold like the One Ring.

[wadledo]

I agree with you on Bears and boars, they don't fit the image your going for.
What about giant owls?
They can be vegetarians, as they are sentient, and they really help if your going for the kinda good empire.

[Cuddly]

I agree with you on Bears and boars, they don't fit the image your going for.
What about giant owls?
They can be vegetarians, as they are sentient, and they really help if your going for the kinda good empire.

They're not good, they're just going to be... different. A different sort of bad. The utilitarian sort of evil of Sparta, perhaps. Flying stuff is too much work for me as a DM. I'm thinking they'd be very superstitious, pagan, worship rocks and old swords. Not polytheistic, but druidic. No anthropomorphism, like the Etruscans worshipped. Something similar to this sentiment:

If you have ever come upon a thick grove of ancient trees which rise far above the usual height and block the view of the sky with their umbrella of intertwining branches, then the height of the forest and the seclusion of the spot and the wonder of so dense and uninterrupted a shade out of doors creates in you a belief in deity.... We venerate the sources of great rivers; we build altars where large streams of water suddenly burst forth from hidden regions; we worship hot springs; and we consecrate lakes because of their darkness or depth.

-- Seneca the Younger



What about a large bird? In essence a feathered dinosaur! Does that fit? Feathered battle T-Rex fighting frost giants & mammoths?

[Ashes]

I say go for the Dire Elk from MM2 or the special Caribou from Frostburn. If you need details, give me a PM.

[Zenos]

The arctic is too cold for boars. For whatever reason, pigs can't live that far north. I guess. I dunno. Dire pigs could work. Or vorpal boars.

I gave bears some thought, but they're too slow to make effect mounts, and are currently too... Golden Compass. I already got flak for having a wand of Ghoul Touch being fashioned from bone, like Voldemort's wand. I always thought Volde's wand was just like Potters? Wood? I was just going to have necromancy wands be made from bones and other charnel material.

Besides that, bears have grapple, and I'm trying to get away from grappling. It's really tedious, and none of us are that sure on the rules. It's also far too effective against my PCs, especially when there are only 3 of them.

What about magic beasts?
I think I'm going to have some Remorhaz or Frost Worm riding Fey.

Whee! Arctic Fremen.

[Cuddly]

Whee! Arctic Fremen.

Hells yeah.

[Subotei]

I'm thinking caribou. Dire caribou. In Mongolia, their are people that ride reindeer- the domesticated caribou. This makes sense, as a sedentary empire, they'd want pets that eat low on the food chain, since it requires less room to keep them. This would contrast the rapacious, pillaging orcs, riding their wolf mounts and consuming everything in their path...


...Is this idea stupid?

Mongolians are more into riding horses and camels than reindeer - too far south for caribou. I think its an interesting twist - go with it. Hobgoblins on war sledges as well, perhaps? In Lappland reindeer sledges are still used.

[Lemur]

Frostburn also has the Megaloceros, which is basically a dire elk or reindeer. It has less HD than MM2's Dire Elk, but it has the ability to pick people up and toss them with its antlers, which is you have to admit is pretty funny. It also works as a mechanical foil to wolve's trip ability.

[Cuddly]

Mongolians are more into riding horses and camels than reindeer - too far south for caribou. I think its an interesting twist - go with it. Hobgoblins on war sledges as well, perhaps? In Lappland reindeer sledges are still used.

http://www.infohub.com/TRAVEL/SIT/sit_pages/15889.html

The Tsaatan ride reindeer.

Frostburn also has the Megaloceros, which is basically a dire elk or reindeer. It has less HD than MM2's Dire Elk, but it has the ability to pick people up and toss them with its antlers, which is you have to admit is pretty funny. It also works as a mechanical foil to wolve's trip ability.

OOh, thanks, I'll check that one out.

[Dwarkanath]

Is this idea stupid?

Heck no! Awesome flavor (and no fat or calories)!

Just to throw out an idea: If the Hobgoblins have any druids, maybe there is an Awakened dire caribou or two in the mix?

-- Dave

[Nowhere Girl]

They're not good, they're just going to be... different. A different sort of bad. The utilitarian sort of evil of Sparta, perhaps.

I sense the potential for a 300 parody.

"Madness ...?"

[ealan]

I don't know about stats but we just went thru our Xmas adventure, random encounter more like, with a Razor demon and 9 Fiendish-Dire Caribou... Was odd... i.e. Satan Clause

Oh and Santa came first.... I got a horrible present...

[holywhippet]

I gave bears some thought, but they're too slow to make effect mounts, and are currently too... Golden Compass. I already got flak for having a wand of Ghoul Touch being fashioned from bone, like Voldemort's wand. I always thought Volde's wand was just like Potters? Wood? I was just going to have necromancy wands be made from bones and other charnel material.

Slow? Polar bears can run at 25 Miles per hour for short distances, that would be one scary charge.

Voldemort's wand has the same core as Harry's - a phoenix feather. Both are made of wood - Harry's wand is made of holly while V's wands is made of yew. At least in the books it is, I believe his wand looks like it's made of bone in the movies but I don't recall any wand not being made out of wood.

[EvilJames]

The dire reindeer is a good idea I think and adds a touch of unreal realism to the game. most people don't think of Reindeer as animals you can ride even though you can. In addition both the dire wolf and the dire reindeer (Irish Elk) were real animals from the Pleistocene era. To that extent you may consider using Wooly Rhinoceroses as well

[BRC]

Q: Hobgoblins on Dire Caribou?
A: Yes, Very Yes.

[Copacetic]

I suggest Tlalusks, They even have training rules already. Also, they're herbvores which is a plus.

[Subotei]

[url]The Tsaatan ride reindeer.

I stand corrected.

[Magnor Criol]

"Hobgoblins on Dire Caribou" justifies this idea based on the sheer double-take power of the phrase itself alone.

DM: "Cresting the hill ahead of you you spot several figures. After a moment, you realize that they're hobgoblins atop their dire caribou mounts..."
Player: "...wait, what?"

"Dire" and "Caribou" are two words you don't really envision next to each other. =p

On a more serious note, the idea really does sound like a good one. Your low-on-the-food-chain logic is very sound, and they will certainly provide a good foil for the more chaotic, ravaging orcs with wolves.

[Ralfarius]

This is a magnificent idea, and I must steal it at the earliest opportunity.