|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:29 pm
 |
|
|
|
 (Please note, the herd currently has no name. Ideas or suggestions are welcomed and encouraged.)
The forest had no name that we knew; to many of us, it was simply 'home'. Generations of unicorns were born among those trees, generations of knowledge and magic shared amidst the haze that clung to the ground. To call it pretty would be an understatement, an insult upon the wood that sheltered us for so many hundreds of years; it was beautiful. An ancient redwood forest with towering trees and ferns that blanketed the leaf litter; a labyrinth of well used trails and long forgotten mustering grounds. Where the forest met the mountains, snow gathered in large mounds, and northern winds made for a constant atmosphere of wonder.
We had thought ourselves safe for so many years. Under the keen eyes of the Watchers, we flourished, unburdened by worry or fear. The time of Great Peace, we called it. Though we had no gods, our love of them was unmatched, and many worshiped and left trinkets for them. Winter solstice was a celebration of the spring to come, a song and dance to warm our hearts in the cold months, and summer solstice was a dedication to the youth that now stood on the brink of adulthood, the generation to pass. Our lives were happy and content.
Until the Era of Man began.
They fell upon the forest like a band of ravenous wolves, bringing ropes and spears, arrows and chains. They rode upon the backs of our brothers and sisters, our cousins who had long since lost connection with nature. Dogs led their hunters, and those that were not intended for capture were felled; slaughtered before their own kin and families. Parents wept as their children were taken from them, and children watched their mothers burned. Sometimes, one had no true knowledge of where their families might be, nor what befell them. Many times, the hunts split family groups apart, small bands capturing or killing each fleeing unicorn. Bodies were beaten and broken into submission, and with them, our hearts.
The fortunate of us died swiftly; the unfortunate were not so lucky. Chained, they were herded into overcrowded pens, numbers painted on their flanks as they were separated, one by one, and taken to the auctions. There, like cattle, they were sold to the highest bidder. Those who made their eventual escape are scarred, mentally as well as physically, by their time in that place. Our children and our mates taken from us, branded and humiliated, while we looked on.
Family groups began to separate, paranoia eating it's way deep into the wood. The glades drooped, and the forest seemed to die, slipping into an ever present winter. No longer did the trees flourish, bright and green. Without our magic, our happiness and peace, the forest shriveled, and curled in upon itself. Suddenly, what had once been safe was no more. Our Watchers were gone - fled, or died, we never knew. Children were raised no longer on stories of hope and adventure, but on caution and fear. To travel in groups was almost certain death, or capture, and ceremonial gatherings were no more.
We were pressed further and further south - north was the tundra, and west was the unsurpassable mountains. East was crowded with invading human settlers, and smoke from burning trees. Those of us who could, fled. We moved beyond our normal range, out of our wood, and into unknown territory. With so many dead or gone, what did we have to lose? No one stopped. No one dared. Travel went on for days at a time, if possible. Some went in groups, and many simply traveled alone, fearing that man might be further south, as well, and that they might draw loved ones into conflict. Those that made it found this place.
These lands have no name that we know; to many of us, it is simply 'home'.
 (Thank you Elf Princess Flannery for the beautiful totem!) |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:31 pm
|
|
|
 |
 
The Watchers
• Before the Era of Man was the time of Great Peace; during this time, a pair of Angenicorn watched over the forests and the unicorns, and protected them. Together, they cared for the wood and it's different inhabitants, ensuring that no one took more than they needed and that no one was left without. A story praising their deeds, and also telling of the sorrow of their disappearance just before the Era of Man began. Variations in why they disappeared depend on who tells the story, and all options are open and viable. Often ends on the note that they may one day return to lead the unicorns into a new age of peace and prosperity.
Atgas the Mad
• Or any variation thereof. A story of Atgas (or any other insane unicorn) that tells of her fall into madness (again, all manner of speculation and tales are welcome) and her path to fame through the murdering of man. Some storytellers in the herd may be affected by Ciryatan's propaganda to turn the mare into a figure of evil, or may be affected by Daldiara's hopeful outlook that she was a protector. Either way, it usually holds a moral that those foals who do not behave are taken away to be Atgas' puppet and go mad, themselves. Or something similar. As long as it has a moral.
The Time of Great Peace
• A relatively short tale of the old times, before the Era of Man began. This is when the Angenicorn watched over the forests and it's inhabitants. Both flourished and prospered under their watch. This story is where the saying 'Where happy Unicorns stay is it ever-spring' originates. The idea behind the tale is to describe the old woods before the Era of Man began, and to show that they can, once again, build a forest to the old wood's likening based on their own actions. A story of self-empowerment and hope.
The Era of Man
• A very warped and twisted story of how man descended upon their homeland. Likely not suitable as a bed-time story for foals, as it would be very scary. No one truly knows how, or why, this happened, but there are many tales on it. Some tell of the Angenicorn offering them up for power, some of man's own magical powers that brought them to the glade, and others still of a foolish hunter simply trapping his lands to extinction and being forced into their wood for selfish needs (coats, antlers/horns, busts). Who tells the story depends on just how gruesome the tale really is, and how cynical.
The Broken
• This tale tells of unicorns not of nature - Unicorns bred by man, or unicorns that lived in captivity for so long that they've grown bitter and cold to their own kind. The truth of this tale has yet to be seen, and many refuse to believe it based upon their own upbringing or their own hardships, but to those who listen, inklings of truth can be found. These unicorns were trained to trick a stampede of fleeing unicorns into following them, and often into a pen that could not be seen until it was too late. They are led by a band stallion who is supposed to be as cold as ice and as unmoving as stone. He feels no sympathy for his fellow unicorns, and only promises that the less they fight, the sooner it will be over.
The Great Migration
• A story of the hardships the original generation of unicorns faced when fleeing their homelands. This is something very generic that all unicorns who survived the Hunts should be able to relate to. The fear, the adrenaline, the sound of their heartbeat in their ears and the sensation of dogs snapping at their heels. Arrows singing past, unicorns screaming as they were felled, the nightmares that came with the sleepless nights. The weariness as they fled further and further south, the fatigue, the hope they clung to. The sight of the new lands, the forests, the rivers and pools. The moral tends to be to be thankful for what they have, and to never abuse the gift they have been given, the relief they have found.
Herd Creation Story
• Stuff will go here eventually!
• ('The Goddess', [whatever we plan to call her/him/them] explain how in their culture she is the one who shaped and built their old wood. Taking time to create the perfect woodland, [Aka, the Old Woods] she was content to watch the small animals play amongst the trees. It was only when winter brought chill to the land that she noticed one flaw. Everything she'd taken so long to sculpt was dying before her eyes. It was then she would create the first few unicorns. They would be the ones who watched over the land in the cold months, keeping it safe and warm under her happy gaze. IDK something random)
•('Winter's Chill' [Girl/boy/it] could be a deity who is jealous of the 'Goddess' and the praise she receives in the warming months. So jealous that he brings the cold in winter to wipe the land of the living and thriving plants in hope of gaining some recognition for the beauty in his winter wonderland. He would be viewed as 'evil' to some, but misunderstood to others or something. Yeaaah. Maybe xD)
• ('The Great Unicorn' A short story of the first unicorn and how he fought off the chill of winter for the 'Goddess'. Perhaps he did this with her promise of giving him others to love and start families with? He could battle the angry deity of winter to beat him back into hiding. Maybe he would have a short tale about how he was forever charged with fighting the cold, and was it was promised that as long as he keeps his word the 'goddess' would keep her children in the land to ensure the unicorns are happy?
• (Something about their belief in the land. Not just for the 'Goddess' but for the actually woods themselves. They take pride in the greenery, this is something most unicorns cherish from the old wood. Even if it's not tied to their main deity)
• TYPETYPEYTAAAAAAAAP
• (The Ceremony of the Summer)
• (The Ceremony of Winter)
• (The Ceremony of lifemating)
• (The Ceremony of Foal-hood)
• (The Trip to the Hotsprings 'The Cleansing')
• (Chasing the Foals off)
• (ANYTHING ELSEEEE)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:32 pm
|
|
|
|
 
i. Man is dangerous. Man is evil. We avoid man at all costs; we shun them. To do so is to keep the herd safe. Do not bring man into the herd, or it's forests, lest we shun you.
ii. Word of the glade must never be. Strangers live all around, travel through, and with them, the stink of man. See one, and let it be. Hide yourselves. The shadows hold dear our secret, and our hearts. Stay with them, and they will protect you.
iii. Find those without the stink of man. Warn them. Do not show them the glade; do not speak of the old ways. Learn them, first. Gauge their trust. Invite them in only when they understand. Foolish mingling can lead to consequence.
iv. Allow only the worthy to stay - the pure. Children, friends, lovers, confidants; these who lack the purity of i Almalthia will be tolerated, but never taught the old ways. Those of man are shunned - family or no.
No rank is held in regard above the other - all ranks are equal and respected for their individual strengths.
Alpha:
Protector:
The Watchers:
Defenders:
Scouts:
Elders:
Druids:
Songbirds:
Storytellers:
Healers:
Midwife:
Mothers:
Foals:
Standby:
í Almalthia - A term of endearment or respect. Can be used to say 'of the forest', 'of my love', or 'of strength'. The true definition has long since been lost, yet the meaning remains one known to unicorns of the old wood.
Example; Dalriada í Almalthia [when spoken by Ciryatan] - Dalriada of my soul. Can be shortened to mean Dalriada, my soul. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:33 pm
|
|
|
|
 
• The herd spends most of it’s time in the mountains during the Summer and Fall months. Due to the higher altitude and the scarcity of trees, it remains cooler than down on the plains and in the forest.
• Within the mountain territory, there’s a small valley. This valley serves as the main encampment for the herd. It offers protection on all sides from the harsh mountain winds, as well as attack. The valley itself is lush and green, with a river dividing it almost directly in half and forming a pool at the southern end.
• To get to the valley, there's a small, winding path through the mountains, the entrance to which only herd members know. This entrance is marked by an old, dead tree, wrapped with vines. Ciryatan has left an arrowhead notched in a root, hidden behind one of the thicker vines, that can only be seen from above. Dalriada has left (insert trinket here when decided on.) Members are welcome to leave small, inconspicuous things among the tree's roots and branches.
• Between Fall and Winter, the herd travels southwest to the forest. Here, they spend the coldest months. There are many trees that offer suitable windbreakers, and it is still close enough to the meadows that they can venture out and search for grass under the snow.
• Finally, between Winter and Spring, the herd travels southeast to a mix of meadow and forest by the lake. This area is far enough away that the runoff from the mountains is minimal, and the meadow grasses grow thick and rich after the snow melts.
• At any point, when a couple are ready and able to mate, they will follow the path along the base of the mountains from the main territory or from the Wintering grounds in order to spend some private time together in a small, secluded section of forest. This area includes a small, natural waterfall and plenty of shady boughs to rest under.
• Once a year, on the shortest day of winter, Dalriada and Ciryatan (and anyone who wishes to attend) will lead a small band of the year’s foals to the hot springs to bless them. This is also a time to refresh in the hot springs’ natural healing powers and to soak in their waters.
 HEEEYOMAHFRANDZZ WHOAWHOASTEPOFFMANG
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:35 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:36 pm
|
|
|
|
Physical Differences (Males vs. Females);
• The older a Unicorn is, the longer the horn (unless removed or partially removed) and the more respected the Unicorn becomes. Generally, an elder Unicorn will have a large, possibly curved horn (within reason) and a wizened look to him, often having longer fur around the neck and fetlocks, and occasionally the chin on males.
• Sexual differences between males and females shows in the tail, with males having longer fur on the tips of their tails and females generally having shorter. Females can, however, grow longer fur with age, and males can grow longer fur on their chins.
Cultual Differences (Males vs. Females);
• Aside from the obvious gender roles, whether or not something is deemed ‘out of the ordinary’ for a mare or a stallion is decided entirely upon by the character involved. An example here would be a yearling stallion choosing to learn healing instead of his usual physical training, or a mare wishing to learn to fight; in both cases, Cir would find the idea ludicrous, whereas Dal might find it refreshing. Gender roles are decided by the character, not the herd.
• As magickal beings, most Unicorns are very in tune with nature, and the magickal properties of the world around them. Because of this, they are very protective and respectful of the land, and events such as Summer and Winter Solstice are heavily celebrated. They do not take more than they need and are always thankful for what they are given.
• Religion doesn’t play a huge part in a Unicorn’s life. While some choose to believe in the Great Mother, others may choose to believe in an entirely different deity, while still others choose to have no spiritual beliefs.
Relationships;
• Due to the fact that couples would often not stay together after a breeding to ensure their safety (couples did not have the chance to foster true love and devotion for the sake of staying alive in the Old Ways), taking multiple partners is not uncommon within their society. While those who chose to devote themselves solely to one mate would be honored, any successful breeding is cause for celebration.
• When a mare is due to give birth, she will slowly drift away from the group and eventually distance herself altogether, only returning when the foals are a few weeks out of their baskets. This is to strengthen the bond between mother and foals, and also holds resonance in the Old Ways.
• Colts are taught in a more physical and callous way, while fillies are raised with intellect and nurturing. This also remains true to the Old Ways, in which colts were sent off near their first birthday, whereas fillies remained with their mothers until their second. Fathers usually played little part in the rearing according to the Old Ways, but given the new lands and their newfound security, stallions are welcome to help raise and nurture their offspring.
• Colts normally would be run off at one year of age by their mothers according to the OLD WAYS. However, due to their newfound bonds, colts would be allowed to stay should they so desire, but only after passing a test of courage, strength and loyalty. IE, Cir drops them off in an unfamiliar place under the pretense of a nice walk and tells them to find their way back or don't come back at all. If a colt finds his way home, he is welcomed as a stallion and celebrated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:37 pm
|
|
|
|
 (Due to the likelihood of high cost for a fully customed Horrocorn, stock Unicorns are accepted.
We're not looking for which idea has the most complicated hair, but the best personality and history. <3)
Breeds & Breed Traits
Unicorns: Must have cloven hooves and unicorn tail. Size of horn will dictate age; example, a yearling unicorn will have a smaller horn than a three or four year old unicorn.
Kirin: Must have cloven hooves, horn, unicorn tail and scales.
Forbidden Breeds: Skinwalkers, Kalonas, Nagaa, Mer, Ulun’suti and Gryphs.
All breeds are done on a case by case basis and must come with a plot that fits the current story line and subject themselves to Cir and Dal’s approval.
Colouration
(Any coloration is allowed, that is if the horse has the appearance and backstory to match.)
Body Colors: When coloring keep in mind the brighter a Unicorn’s pelt, the more likely they are to have extensive scarring. This is due to a higher chance of being caught in the old lands, or at least spotted. That being said, shading is always welcome to have a slightly unnatural color, such as Dal’s blue shading and Cir’s purple. (Please note, the color chosen for shading is taken as a reflection of the Unicorn’s magickal properties unless otherwise noted.)
Kirin colors can vary to a much larger degree, as they do not come from the same lands and perhaps, even, brighter colors are sought after across the sea, which might lead to a lack of duller colored Kirin? This is up to you.
Patterns: Natural patterning is preferred by Ducky, but we are open to any form of pattern. Once again, be aware that the more outlandish, the more likely the Unicorn is to be heavily scarred. There may be exceptions to these rules, but they will not be frequent.
Horn: Once again, size of horn dictates age, unless removed or partially removed. This does not apply to Kirin.
Please note that any other traits or mutations will likely be unacceptable. These are Unicorns, not mixed breeds or mutants.
But with the right plots and roleplay there is a chance they could be accepted.
Accessories
All accessories should be something found in nature. This includes, but is not limited to; feathers, leaves, flowers, etc.
However, certain accessories, such as collars, sashes, cuffs, chains and other methods of binding, and certain decorative pieces will be accepted within reason. Keep in mind, however, that these bind you to human interaction in some way, shape or form.
NO clothing will be accepted.
Names
Names are free choice, though we would prefer to keep them within the same confines as the current Horrorcorns. Atgas is a welsh name, Dalriada is a Gaelic name, Ciryatan and Eyther are Elvish. Other names include Erah, Rana, Avari, and Nim.
 (You are welcome to design your own Horrorcorn, should you have the means.
Or you can post a description and Sesshy or Ducky can match it as close as possible!
Also you are not required to scar or maim your Horrorcorn in any way.
So long as they have the background to support it, almost anything goes!
This also opens the plot up to existing Unicorns that you might have who could fit the bill.)
(Although, no relatives of Dal and Cir will be accepted without plots and approval.)
[size=12][color=black][b]The Horrors...[/b][/color][/size]
[size=9][color=black][b]Username:[/b]
[b]Soquili Name:[/b]
[b]Soquili Temper:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Rank:[/b]
[u][b]Appearance:[/b][/u][/color]
[color=white]xxxxxx[/color] [color=black][b]Base Colour(s):[/b] [/color]
[color=white]xxxxxx[/color] [color=black][b]Eyes:[/b] [/color]
[color=white]xxxxxx[/color] [color=black][b]Hair:[/b][/color]
[color=white]xxxxxx[/color] [color=black][b]Horn:[/b] [/color]
[color=white]xxxxxx[/color] [color=black][b]Accessories:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Background:[/b]
[b]Do you have any rp examples? (Links):[/b] (Optional)
[b]Plot Ideas:[/b] (Optional but Preferred)
[b]Herd Name Ideas:[/b] (Optional)[/color][/size]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:38 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:39 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:39 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:40 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:47 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:13 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:37 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
