Lizard houdah

The giant blue was much larger than the average riding lizard, as it moved through the streets of Zaetron Derraz. Its passage was guarded by the warriors of Yanta Menohtar with their finest black armor. Houdah was beautifully decorated, with spider silk curtains covering the passenger. Curtains or not, moons and stars in the carriage's design gave enough hints that Moondancer was inside.

The carriage stopped in front of Treiw'delmah, to the surprise of the youngest daughter of Palefury family. She saw how the giant blue lizard would lay to the ground, hissing in protest and guards would compete who would open the curtains and give their helping hand for the beautiful young drow maiden.

Elithera Moondancer, the younger sister of the Prophet, stepped out of the howdah while gazing at the mansion. This, May'chal knew, was no common occurrence.

Lizard houdah (or howdah) is a type of carriage that can be strapped to a back of particularly large riding lizard. These are most commonly used by nobles and the wealthy, yet some of them have ended up in commoner use as taxis.

Types

Houdahs come in 2 different variations, the city standard, and the hunting houdah.

The city houdahs are used in roads and cities, simply as transportation from one place to another. These carriages often have a roof, curtains and the base of the houdah has made longer to discourage the lizard from climbing on the walls. They can be incredibly ornate, to show off the wealth and status of the passenger.

The hunting houdahs have no roof, they have always some kind of strapping mechanism for passengers and compartments for storing supplies like food and arrows, and some are even armed with large crossbows. These meant for hunting and warfare, though are often trickier to manage than what they are worth. With a talented crew, however, these carriages can be deadly in battle.

Materials

Most houdahs are made from strong mushroom material covered in paint or gilding, or then wood, which is expensive and hard to get in Underdark. Some cheaper ones can be partially weaved out of underground plant life. Houdah must stay relatively light for the lizard to carry it, so heavy materials are thought about with great care, especially in case of the hunting houdah.

Class

Carriage

Price

80gp to 180 gp or more, depending on materials

Rarity

Common among highborn classes

Complement / Crew

Rider, Riding Lizard

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

2 to 4 passangers + rider

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Reptile by Jose Aragones

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Quick transportation

Riding lizards the are fastest way to get around in underdark. Because of their long tails, tendency to climb on roofs and quick temper they are not ideal to pulling wagons. As such, other beasts that are used to carry burdens where lizards are mainly used for riding specifically.
Despite of this, the speed of the riding lizard is still very desirable to some. For this reason, all vehicles used with the lizards are strapped to their backs and often have a system in place for passengers to strap in in case the lizard decides to take a trip to the walls of the cavern.

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