Mares of Diomedes

Large Magical Beast, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class: 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 136 (16d10 + 48)
Speed: 60 ft., Charge 90 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	6 (−2)	12 (+1)	8 (−1)

Saving Throws: Str +10, Dex +6, Con +7
Skills: Perception +5, Survival +5
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages: Understands Common but cannot speak
Challenge: 8 (3,900 XP)

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Traits

Rampaging Charge. When the Mares of Diomedes move at least 20 ft. straight toward a target and hit with a Hooves attack, the target takes an extra 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Man-Eater Instinct (Ex). Whenever the Mares of Diomedes hit a creature with a Hooves or Bite attack, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength or Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone and take an additional 2d8 piercing damage from savage bites.

Pack Tactics. The Mares have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of their allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Frightful Presence (Recharge 5–6). Each creature of the Mares’ choice within 30 ft. and aware of them must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

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Actions

Multiattack. The Mares of Diomedes make two attacks: one with Hooves and one with Bite.

Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage.

Trample (Recharge 6). The Mares move up to their speed in a straight line. Each creature in their path must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.

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Legendary Actions

The Mares can take 2 legendary actions, only one at a time, at the end of another creature’s turn. Legendary actions reset at the start of their turn.

• Hooves Strike. Make one Hooves attack.
• Terrifying Whinny (Costs 2 Actions). The Mares emit a blood-curdling, high-pitched whinny. Each creature of the Mares’ choice within 20 ft. must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.

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Tactics

The Mares of Diomedes strike with terrifying coordination, charging from the flanks to isolate prey. They use Frightful Presence to scatter groups, then knock enemies prone with Man-Eater Instinct and capitalize on fallen targets with Hooves and Bite attacks. In tight terrain, they attempt to herd foes toward cliffs or hazards, exploiting superior speed and pack coordination. Bold or strong opponents may slow them, but the Mares rarely retreat, relying on aggression, fear, and raw power to dominate the battlefield.

Mares of Diomedes

Large Magical Beast, Chaotic Evil

CR: 8 | XP: 3,900 | Race: Magical Beast | Init: +2
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11 | Aura: Frightful Presence 30 ft. (DC 15)

These savage, man-eating mares of Thrace charge with relentless fury, their blood-streaked manes flying as molten-gold eyes blaze with predatory intelligence. Legends say they were fed human flesh by their cruel master, leaving a lingering aura of fear wherever they roam.

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DEFENSE

AC: 20, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+6 natural, +2 Dex, +2 size)
HP: 136 (16d10+48) | Fort: +9 | Ref: +6 | Will: +4
Defensive Abilities: Immune: poison, frightened, charmed | Resistances: Bludgeoning 5, Piercing 5

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OFFENSE

Speed: 60 ft., charge 90 ft.
Melee: Hooves +13 (2d10+6), Bite +13 (2d8+6) | Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Trample (6d6, DC 16), Rampaging Charge (extra 4d6 on charge), Man-Eater Instinct (grappled creatures take 2d8 slashing at start of turn)
Spell-Like Abilities: Frightful Presence (Su) 3/day, Terrifying Whinny (Su) 2/day — DC 15 Will save; see above for effects

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STATISTICS

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	6 (−2)	12 (+1)	8 (−1)

Base Atk: +12 | CMB: +13 | CMD: 27
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Multiattack, Skill Focus (Perception), Dodge
Skills: Perception +11, Survival +11
Languages: Understands Common but cannot speak

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

Rampaging Charge (Ex): Extra 4d6 damage and DC 16 Strength check to avoid being knocked prone when charging 20 ft. or more.
Man-Eater Instinct (Ex): Grappled creatures take 2d8 slashing damage at the start of the Mares’ turn.
Pack Tactics (Ex): +2 bonus on attack rolls when at least one ally is adjacent to the target.
Frightful Presence (Su): Creatures within 30 ft. may be shaken.
Terrifying Whinny (Su): Creatures within 20 ft. may be frightened.

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TACTICS

The Mares of Diomedes attack in coordinated packs, using superior speed to flank and isolate prey. They employ Frightful Presence to scatter groups and focus on the weakest targets. In confined terrain, they herd foes toward cliffs or hazards, exploiting their charge and Trample abilities. They rarely retreat, relying on aggression and raw power to dominate the battlefield.

Mares of Diomedes

The Eighth Labour of Heracles

The Mares of Diomedes are man-eating horses. Magnificent, wild, and uncontrollable, they belonged to the giant Diomedes, king of Thrace, a son of Ares and Cyrene who lived on the shores of the Black Sea.

One of the Twelve Labours of Hercules was to steal the Mares. Heracles took the mares and were chased by Diomedes and his men.

Heracles was not aware that the horses were kept tethered to a bronze manger because they were wild, man-eating and uncontrollable, and Heracles left Abderus in charge of them while he fought Diomedes, but Abderus was eaten. In revenge, Heracles fed Diomedes to his own horses, then founded Abdera next to the boy’s tomb.

In another version, Heracles stayed awake so that he didn’t have his throat cut by Diomedes in the night, and cut the chains binding the horses. Having scared the horses onto the high ground of a peninsula, Heracles quickly dug a trench through the peninsula, filling it with water, thus making it an island. When Diomedes arrived, Heracles killed him with an axe (the one used to dig the trench), and fed the body to the horses.

Eating made the horses calmer and Heracles took the opportunity to bind their mouths shut, and easily took them back to King Eurystheus, who dedicated the horses to Hera. In some versions, they were allowed to roam freely around Argos, having become permanently calm, but in others, Eurystheus ordered the horses taken to Olympus to be sacrificed to Zeus, but Zeus refused them, and sent wolves, lions, and bears to kill them

You see four black horses with red manes and eyes. Their hooves sound like the clanging of metal when it strikes the floor. However, what calls your attention the most is the fact they have sharp filed teeth; these are carnivorous horses.

Horse Horror
Large magical beast
Hit Dice	9d10+36 (85 hp)
Initiative	+1
Speed	60 ft. (12 squares)
AC	19 (-1 size, +1 Dexterity, +9 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple	+9/+19
Attack	Bite +14 melee (1d8+6) or hoof +14 melee (1d8+6)
Full Attack	Bite +14 melee (1d8+6) and 2 hooves +9 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach	10 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks	Rage
Special Qualities	Damage reduction 3/-, Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves	Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities	Strength 22, Dexterity 13, Constitution 19, Intelligence 4, Wisdom 14, Charisma 8
Skills	Listen +12 Spot +12
Feats	Diehard, Endurance, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Run
Environment	Any
Organisation	Solitary, pair, pack (3-6) or herd (7-12)
Challenge Rating	7
Treasure	None
Alignment	Usually neutral evil
Advancement	10-27 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment	+4 (cohort)

These monsters are an evil meat-eating strain of normal horses, bred in the lower planes and then released on the material world to kill and feed on mortals. One of these creatures appears as an especially large horse with long filled teeth and bloodthirsty eyes. A horse horror’s skin is usually black or a near-black shade of blue or red; its mane runs the gamut from maroon to vivid blood red. The beast’s hooves and bones have the strength and consistency of bronze.

Combat

Horse horrors attack potential prey on sight, even if they are not hungry – which is rare anyway.

Rage (Ex): Once per day, a horse horror can enter a rage state, gaining a +4 bonus to its Strength and Constitution scores and suffering a -2 penalty to its Armour Class. This rage state lasts until the horse horror dies or no living enemy remains in sight. The additional hit points the horse horror gains from this Constitution increase are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. A horse horror cannot end a rage voluntarily, nor is it fatigued at the end of a rage.

Skills: The sharp senses of horse horrors give them a +4 racial bonus on all Listen and Spot checks.