Giant bat

Dire bats were giant bats the size of horses.

Description
Dire bats averaged 200 pounds (90 kilograms) and had leathery wings that stretched fifteen feet (4.6 meters) from end to end. Their bodies were covered in shaggy fur.

Behavior
Dire bats hunted at night and rested during the day. They were stealthy and used echolocation to locate prey.

These bats were easy to startle and tended to kill or drive away any other encountered creatures with their bite.

Ecology
Dire bats flourished in the deepest regions of the Underdark.

Reputation
Dire bats were favored by the orc god Shargaas. They were used as mounts by members of the Shadovar military and Zhentarim skymages. Shield dwarves of Oghrann in the Upperdark kept large populations of dire bats to use as mounts as well.