In many adventures, horses are little more than transportation between dungeons. In this campaign, they are something far greater.
The roads ahead are long. Ancient forests, mist-covered hills, forgotten ruins, and distant kingdoms all lie beyond the next horizon. No hero travels these lands alone. Every adventurer will be partnered with a horse chosen not merely for strength or speed, but for compatibility, temperament, and the unique challenges that await.
These horses are trusted companions, steadfast allies, and living members of the party. They will carry you through danger, stand beside you in moments of triumph, and share in the stories that emerge from your travels.
The Horses
The horses selected for this campaign come from exceptional bloodlines and traditions. While each is an individual with its own personality, many possess qualities that will earn them legendary reputations among travelers, warriors, merchants, and storytellers alike.
Waybound
The Waybound are the companions of travelers, scouts, merchants, messengers, and adventurers. They are practical, dependable horses whose greatest gift is carrying their riders safely from one horizon to the next.
Waybound horses seem born knowing the road. They possess remarkable endurance, adaptability, and a quiet confidence that makes them trusted partners in almost any situation. If a path exists, a Waybound horse will find it.
Fey-Touched
Some horses are said to have grazed beneath moonlit hills, crossed hidden boundaries between worlds, or descended from mysterious ancestors who wandered the Feywild.
Fey-Touched horses often display unusual intelligence, uncanny instincts, and a deep awareness of the natural world. Travelers tell stories of these horses sensing danger before it arrives, finding forgotten paths, or staring into the darkness as though seeing things beyond mortal sight.
Whether these tales are true or merely folklore depends on whom you ask.
Procession
The Procession horses carry the weight of tradition, ceremony, and honor. They are often associated with nobles, champions, knights, and sacred duties.
These horses possess a commanding presence that draws attention wherever they travel. They are creatures of dignity and purpose, equally at home leading a victory parade, carrying a champion into battle, or bearing an honored guest along a royal road.
Many believe a Procession horse chooses its rider as much as the rider chooses the horse.
Stray Road
The Stray Road belongs to those who live beyond maps, boundaries, and expectations.
These horses are wanderers, survivors, and free spirits. Some were abandoned and endured. Others escaped comfortable lives in search of something unknown. They often possess unusual quirks, surprising talents, and a stubborn determination that can frustrate and inspire in equal measure.
No one truly owns a Stray Road horse. At best, horse and rider reach an understanding and choose to walk the same path for a time.
Campaign Bond Levels and Progression
The heroes will begin the campaign with a horse they have already been matched with and the Befriended Bond Rank. From there, it’s up to the heroes to maintain or improve the Bond Rank in order for their horse to advance. New Bond Ranks will only be awarded after Session 3 and Session 5.
Bond Levels
Befriended (Starting Bond Level)
The horse has grown comfortable with the rider’s presence and handling.
- Mounting or dismounting costs 5 feet of movement instead of half movement.
- Rider gains advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks involving this horse.
- Horse reliably obeys basic verbal commands from the rider.
Horse recognizes rider’s voice and scent.
Trusted (Awarded by GMs, +2HD, Increase Proficiency Bonuses +1)
The horse accepts the rider as a dependable partner.
- Rider gains advantage on checks and saving throws made to remain mounted.
- Horse gains advantage on saving throws against being frightened while rider is mounted.
- Horse may move through non-magical difficult terrain without penalty while carrying its bonded rider.
- Horse may perform simple trained maneuvers without requiring rein guidance.
Devoted (Awarded by GMs, +2 HD, Increase Proficiency Bonuses +1)
The horse willingly endures hardship and danger for the rider.
- Once per short rest, when the rider takes damage while mounted, the horse may use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Horse and rider cannot be surprised while mounted if either notices the threat.
- Horse gains temporary hit points equal to rider’s proficiency bonus after each long rest.
- Rider has advantage on any check made to calm or direct the horse in combat.
Bond Progression
At the end of each session, GMs will include in their End of Session Summary if each character did one of the following:
- Maintained the bond with their horse,
- Advanced the bond with their horse, or
- Broke the bond with their horse due to mistreatment, intentional endangerment, or neglect. If the bond is broken, the character loses the horse. It may leave the party, or choose to bond with another character.
At the conclusion of Session 3 and Session 5, a horse may advance one Bond Rank if:
- The bond advanced at least once since the prior bond level., and;
- The bond was never broken.
Below are examples of how characters can build the bond with their horse. GMs will determine when dice rolls are needed for a player’s action to succeed and how the horse reacts if the roll fails or critically fails.
Small, meaningful moments – DC 10
- Calm companionship
- Leisure riding
- Respecting fear/boundaries
- Personalized care
Notable, trust-building experiences – DC 15
- Successful training session
- Treating injuries personally
- Surviving danger together
- Significant downtime bonding
Major emotional or narrative milestones – DC 20
- Reuniting after presumed loss
- Horse risking itself voluntarily
- Story-defining emotional scene
The Master of Horses
Traveling with the party will be a respected Master of Horses, an expert in breeding, training, veterinary care, tack, and equine behavior.
The Master of Horses has been hired specifically to oversee the party’s mounts throughout the campaign. Their responsibilities include:
- Matching a horse with an adventurer
- Providing guidance on riding, handling, and horse care
- Assisting with training and bonding opportunities
- Helping manage the horses during extended journeys
- Advising the party on equipment, travel, and horse-related challenges
While the Master of Horses cannot solve every problem, they possess a lifetime of experience and are an invaluable resource for anyone hoping to build a lasting partnership with their mount.
Finding Your Match: Not every rider suits every horse.
Some horses prefer bold leaders. Others thrive with patient companions. A horse called to carry a heavily armored knight is less likely to bond with a wandering ranger, a curious wizard, or a clever rogue.
Before the campaign begins, each player will complete a Horse Selection Questionnaire. This questionnaire will help the Master of Horses understand your character’s personality, goals, travel style, and preferences.
Using these answers, the Master of Horses will find a horse interested in the promise for companionship your character offers.
No two pairings will be exactly alike.
Some partnerships may feel immediately natural. Others may require patience and trust before horse and rider truly understand one another. The journey of building that bond is part of the story.