Dust-Striders are large, feathered bipedal runners native to open scrublands, arid plains, and other broad dry country. Standing roughly two metres at the hip, they possess long powerful legs, a balancing tail, excellent eyesight, and coarse feathering that rises along the neck and back when alarmed. They are highly social, intelligent omnivores and can exceed 65 km/h in short bursts.

Widely domesticated, Dust-Striders are among Veyrath’s premier riding animals. They are exceptionally sure-footed over loose and broken ground and instinctively flee rather than freeze when confronted by predators. Scouts, couriers, frontier patrols, surveyors, and cavalry make extensive use of them, riding from specialized saddles positioned over the hips. Their ability to forage on seeds, grasses, roots, insects, and small animals also makes them considerably easier to supply in the field than horses.