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Description

Expedition Diary

The European Unicorn, most of the times simply called Unicorn, is the most common member of this curious family of mammals whose physiology has been greatly influenced by magic.

Freya's Note: I imagined unicorns to be a little more... which words could properly describe it? Far more elegant and not so... burly.

Well princess, I'm afraid you, like many others, have been deceived by not very accurate depictions of this animal, specially since you are more accustomed to seeing Alicorns, which better fit such popular descriptions, but I assure you princess, Unicorns are just as fascinating as any member of their family. Start of the entry:

- Common Name: Unicorn / European Unicorn
- Type: Magically Influenced
- Category: Mammalia
- Order: Perissodactyla
- Family: Monókerodae
- Genus: Monókeros
- Species: Monókeros ferus

General Information: Despite looking like some breed of large working horse, they are as closely related to horses as rhinoceros are, with the similarities between the two families being due to sharing a common ancestor and occupying the same ecological niche. However, their distinct feature, their horn, is more than just a tool for predator deterrence and fighting between their own for dominance of their herd, and is very well known for it's magical properties. Despite not being as fast as the fastest kinds of horses due to their size and bulk, they more than make up for it with their incredible stamina, being capable of running for more than ten times than their equine cousins.

Temperament: They are noble, docile and extremely intelligent creatures. However, they can become extremely aggressive when they defend themselves or members of their herd. They are amongst the smartest creatures on the planet.

Social behavior: They travel in herds like other herbivores and are extremely aggressive to predators. Females reach sexual maturity at 5 years while the males are capable of reproducing when they reach 10 years, with a gestation time of approximately 13 months, giving birth to a single foal and with a time period of 3 years between each birth. Each herd consist of a lead male with his harem of females and other young males and females down the herd's hierarchy. Their intelligence makes them capable of communicating and recognize each other individually, mostly through scent and sound patterns.

Habitat: They roam free through the grassy plains of most of the European continent. Just like their horse cousins, they are extremely adaptable and can withstand almost any climate.

Diet: As herbivores, they mainly feed from grass and other similar types of vegetation, though they can also eat certain types of fruits such as berries.

Special Characteristics: The special qualities of their horns seem render them immune to almost any type of dark magic, but it is unknown if this is actually absolute and further studies are needed. For some reason, they also appear to be unbothered by things like fire, probably an magically endorsed adaptation to deal with dragons and wyverns, their most common predator. Their overall presence has also proven to be therapeutic and fasten the pace of healing, both mental and physical. Unicorns horns are an effective medicine capable of curing most of diseases. It is also said that unicorn blood is an extremely powerful aphrodisiac and can delay aging, but this are just rumors.

Conservation Status: Vulnerable. Though recently they have started to recover some of their numbers, in the past they were hunted to the verge of extinction due to the healing and protective properties of their horns and the rumors of the special qualities of their blood. Fortunately, they have been a protected species since a hundred years ago, and slowly but surely will one day roam through all of Europe once again.

Human relationships: Due to the past extreme hunting of this animals, specially the white and black furred ones, nowadays, only certain nobles or members of The Order of Light such as elite templar knights are licensed to breed them in captivity and have a domesticated unicorn. Thanks to their great intelligence, they are even easier to train than horses and they do not let anyone ride them unless they consider them worthy. It is even said that they can feel if a person's heart is good or evil, which has lead some to believe this could be related not only to their intelligence and instincts but also to their connection to magic. Once they bond with a rider, they do it for life and it is rare for them to let anyone else ride them, which is another one of the reasons of why horses are still considered a superior travel animal.

End of the entry.

#junicorn
#junicorn2023

Description

Expedition Diary

The European Unicorn, most of the times simply called Unicorn, is the most common member of this curious family of mammals whose physiology has been greatly influenced by magic.

Freya's Note: I imagined unicorns to be a little more... which words could properly describe it? Far more elegant and not so... burly.

Well princess, I'm afraid you, like many others, have been deceived by not very accurate depictions of this animal, specially since you are more accustomed to seeing Alicorns, which better fit such popular descriptions, but I assure you princess, Unicorns are just as fascinating as any member of their family. Start of the entry:

- Common Name: Unicorn / European Unicorn
- Type: Magically Influenced
- Category: Mammalia
- Order: Perissodactyla
- Family: Monókerodae
- Genus: Monókeros
- Species: Monókeros ferus

General Information: Despite looking like some breed of large working horse, they are as closely related to horses as rhinoceros are, with the similarities between the two families being due to sharing a common ancestor and occupying the same ecological niche. However, their distinct feature, their horn, is more than just a tool for predator deterrence and fighting between their own for dominance of their herd, and is very well known for it's magical properties. Despite not being as fast as the fastest kinds of horses due to their size and bulk, they more than make up for it with their incredible stamina, being capable of running for more than ten times than their equine cousins.

Temperament: They are noble, docile and extremely intelligent creatures. However, they can become extremely aggressive when they defend themselves or members of their herd. They are amongst the smartest creatures on the planet.

Social behavior: They travel in herds like other herbivores and are extremely aggressive to predators. Females reach sexual maturity at 5 years while the males are capable of reproducing when they reach 10 years, with a gestation time of approximately 13 months, giving birth to a single foal and with a time period of 3 years between each birth. Each herd consist of a lead male with his harem of females and other young males and females down the herd's hierarchy. Their intelligence makes them capable of communicating and recognize each other individually, mostly through scent and sound patterns.

Habitat: They roam free through the grassy plains of most of the European continent. Just like their horse cousins, they are extremely adaptable and can withstand almost any climate.

Diet: As herbivores, they mainly feed from grass and other similar types of vegetation, though they can also eat certain types of fruits such as berries.

Special Characteristics: The special qualities of their horns seem render them immune to almost any type of dark magic, but it is unknown if this is actually absolute and further studies are needed. For some reason, they also appear to be unbothered by things like fire, probably an magically endorsed adaptation to deal with dragons and wyverns, their most common predator. Their overall presence has also proven to be therapeutic and fasten the pace of healing, both mental and physical. Unicorns horns are an effective medicine capable of curing most of diseases. It is also said that unicorn blood is an extremely powerful aphrodisiac and can delay aging, but this are just rumors.

Conservation Status: Vulnerable. Though recently they have started to recover some of their numbers, in the past they were hunted to the verge of extinction due to the healing and protective properties of their horns and the rumors of the special qualities of their blood. Fortunately, they have been a protected species since a hundred years ago, and slowly but surely will one day roam through all of Europe once again.

Human relationships: Due to the past extreme hunting of this animals, specially the white and black furred ones, nowadays, only certain nobles or members of The Order of Light such as elite templar knights are licensed to breed them in captivity and have a domesticated unicorn. Thanks to their great intelligence, they are even easier to train than horses and they do not let anyone ride them unless they consider them worthy. It is even said that they can feel if a person's heart is good or evil, which has lead some to believe this could be related not only to their intelligence and instincts but also to their connection to magic. Once they bond with a rider, they do it for life and it is rare for them to let anyone else ride them, which is another one of the reasons of why horses are still considered a superior travel animal.

End of the entry.

#junicorn
#junicorn2023