I don’t run a lot of mounted combat in my games, which typically take place in more intimate settings like towns, dungeons, and forests. But for those of you who do, the Girja provides an option for a quicker, lighter combatant. Just a few long range attackers on these can provide a lot of trouble for slower groups of enemies, and can make for a fun encounter when used against PCs, forcing them to get creative.
Details
Favored among the plains-dwelling elves, Girja are one of the fastest land mounts to be found. Their long legs and enormous stride enable them to easily outpace the quickest riding horses. They are not without their physical limitations however. They are clearly built for speed, and are otherwise relatively frail compared to other mounts.
They cannot carry much more than a single human sized rider with light gear. Additionally, their long legs can be quite vulnerable, so they do not do well on rockier terrain, or on the front lines of battle. They do however make great courier mounts. Elven archers often use them to great effect hunting or harrying enemies in smaller skirmishes. But firing a bow accurately from the back of such a fast moving creature does not come without its own set of challenges.
