Blood horse

Blood horses, also known as a blood pegasi, were winged, nightmarish equines that resembled a cross between a horse and a dire bat.

They were often used as mounts by the sky mages of the Zhentarim.

Description
Blood horses resembled sleek, lithely muscled horses about tall at the shoulder and weighing approximately. Blood horses also had massive bat-like wings with a wingspan. They had a jet-black coat and small, pink eyes. The nostrils were oddly flared. Blood horses had hooves that closely resembled talons, and they had sharp carnivore teeth. The tail was thin and hairless.

Abilities
Blood horses could see by emitting high-frequency sounds for up to ,. However, a silence spell or effect could negate the ability, forcing them to rely on their poor (only at most) darkvision. They could also detect good at will.

Blood horses were capable of making an ear-piercing screech to partially deafen and stun potential prey within of the blood horse.

While flying or walking, a blood horse could easily carry up to. They could less easily carry up to, or as much as with great effort.

Ecology
Blood horses were carnivores that would eat almost any prey, but they preferred the taste of fresh blood, and were known to pin and drain enemies during combat. They were fickle, cruel creatures that typically lived in warm or temperate forests, hills, and plains.

Blood horses were known to live alone, in pairs, or in herds of 5-8 individuals. They matured at the same rate as normal horses.

Blood horses were fairly intelligent and understood Common, although they could not speak.

History
Historically, blood horses were originally created by another being and did not naturally appear on Toril. Their progenitor was a former Red Wizard of Thay that later joined the ranks of the Zhentarim.

As of the mid–14 century DR, a blood horse filly or colt was worth about 8,000 gp. The cost for rearing a foal was about one quarter that price.