Hippogryphs

"Many of my fellows would say that the Pegasus is the grandest mount that any knight could ever aspire to. They speak of the Pegasi's grace, beauty and speed, extolling these as the greatest virtues to be had in any beast. But the only virtue I see in speed is if it gets me to the battlefield quicker, there is grace enough for me in the clash of arms and I forgot how to perceive beauty years ago. I don't expect tricks from my mount, I expect carnage and I get it from Eiiaos, my Hippogriff. Let other knights have their elegant winged horses, I prefer my savage friend."

- Lord Gildas Frangeau,Bretonnian Noble

Hippogryphs have the head and winged feathers of a bird of prey, the forequarters of a mountain lion and the rear end of a horse, complete with tail. Their unusual appearance speaks to their Chaotic origins.

Hippogryphs inhabit the upper reaches of the Grey Mountains, occasionally prowling the green lands below for sheep and cattle, although they also hunt Men, Orcs or any creature than cannot hide quickly enough. Hippogryphs are savage and attack with little to no provocation. When roused, Hippogryphs go beserk in their reckless fury, and only tearing their foes to ribbons of flesh will sate their aggression. In this manner, a Hippogryph will destroy an entire herd of animals, wantonly slaughtering every beast in sight. A Hippogryphs desire for warm flesh is so great that those around them can literally sense their terrible hunger. Survivors of a Hippogryph attack often keep a sharp lookout skywards for years afterwards. They are unrelentingly territorial and will fight to the death against any creature that strays into their chosen domain – so it is of little surprise that Hippogryphs tries to give each other a wide berth. When Hippogryphs do meet, they are likely to come to blows, typically in a violent and bloody battle that will last until the death of one or both creatures.

The Hippogryph possesses ferocious instinct, rather than fearsome intellect. Whilst hunting, its uncomplicated mind naturally assumes that a prey out of sight is a prey that has evaded it forever. Thus a Hippogryph prefer to swiftly close the distance between itself and its chosen prey before there is even a chance of escape. Victims that do elude a Hippogryph are quickly forgotten and the beast will look elsewhere for more immediate gratification. Hippogryphs are a favourite mount of  Bretonnian  knights who want a creature with a more vicious nature than the gentle tempered  Pegasus. Only the most committed of men can ride one of these beasts for Hippogryphs are strong-willed and ill-tempered, more than willing to fling their rider from his saddle should he prove lax upon the reins. A Hippogryph must be raised from a chick by the knight himself. He can accept no help, or the Hippogryph will never accept him as a rider. Even a young Hippogryph is capable of defending itself, which makes taking the beast along on adventures more practical.

Only the wealthiest of Knights can afford such a mount as a Hippogryph. Since acquiring a Hippogryph is such a daunting task, they will often offer great rewards to any of their peasants that manage the feat.

Source

 * Armybook: Bretonnia (7th Edition) pg. 56