>>5635298“What isss that?” you ask, feigning calm.
“A hippogriff,” Ekaterine answers. “A sort of… Like a gryphon, but the lion aspect has been replaced by horse—or, more, accurately, by a variety of equids and bovids—horses and cows and such—to produce an appropriate stature and strength.
Still with a great eagle or hawk’s tawny, razor-beaked head, though, you note. Hm.
The chimeric entity regards you with a certain unease, as if it faintly senses something wrong or uncanny about you. None of the humans pay it much heed, though, one of eh guards simply giving it a cuff about the head and directing it forward as he mounts it. The hippogriff-creature seems willing enough to take you to your destination, and so you ignore the beast as best you can, instead making smalltalk with Ekaterine, and informing her of your chosen destination:
>Somewhere elvenAn instant hit with your date, obviously… But the fare will be mostly vegetarian, which doesn’t tend to agree with you
>Somewhere dwarvenHardy food, quite heavy on meat and the sort of tuberous root and fungus which you can digest fairly well… But one or both of you will most likely get drunk, since alcohol is a must
>Somewhere beastlyBeast-men are associated with the East and South, most especially the East, and many are carnivores! You aren’t REALLY sure what to expect, though, or whether either of you will like it
>Somewhere halflingBarely exotic at all, but TECHNCIALLY nonhuman—a safe bet, though unlikely to impress overmuch if you were trying to appeal to the Princess’ love of foreign notions
>Somewhere orcish or goblinoidThere are few of them around the city, and their palates are notoriously ‘varied’ and ‘colourful’, but it COULD be interesting…
