Chevall

A chevall shifts at will between two shapes: an intelligent horse and a strong centaur. As a horse it may be any color, though each individual keeps its own shade, and it is about the size of a light war horse. As a centaur it is a little smaller than most of that race, with pointed, elfin ears.

In horse form a chevall kicks and bites. In centaur form it still bites, but usually trades the kicks for a short bow or a wooden club. In either shape only silver or +1 or better magical weapons can hurt it. Once a day it can call 1d3 medium war horses to its aid; they show up 1d4 rounds later.

In both forms it speaks with horses through neighs and whinnies that sound like nothing more to human ears, and it can order any horse, wild or tame, to obey. A paladin's warhorse and other special mounts of average Intelligence or better resist the command. As a centaur it also speaks common, centaur and the woodland sylvan tongue.

Chevalls devote themselves to the welfare of horses. Once creatures of the plains, they now go wherever horses live, wild or kept. They often wander in horse form, quietly checking on horses that serve humans, demihumans and humanoids, and a chevall that finds one suffering from cruelty or neglect will not rest until the animal is free.

A chevall may travel solo or with one or two others; a trio has a 50% chance of being a mated pair with a foal, which has half an adult's Hit Dice and deals half its damage. They forage as they go, preferring vegetables and grain. In horse form they can live on grass, though they find it bland next to oats and barley. Although omnivores, most stick to a vegetarian diet out of conviction or simple habit. Treasure they pick up is usually traded with centaurs and other friendly folk for food and goods.

Horses never fear a chevall, though dogs and the like keep their distance. Chevalls hate wolves and are mortal foes of werewolves. Their own lore says a god made them long ago to protect horses abused by human owners.

Loads of up to 260 pounds leave its speed unchanged; up to 390 pounds halves it, and up to 520 pounds slows it to a third. At a steady trot over good ground, its daily range in miles is twice its movement rate, or 48 miles as a horse. Pressed hard, it may gallop for an hour or canter for twice that long, then needs an hour at a walk before speeding up again. A load heavy enough to halve its pace rules out galloping, and one that cuts its pace to a third rules out cantering as well.