There are five (known) species of mystical (that is, magical) equines that were originally created by the ancient Drifters. Each species is native to a certain part of the continent and each has unique physical traits as well as mystical abilities tied to elemental energy. Aside from the magic and weird body parts, they're horses, not that different from any other horse that walks the planet. They eat grass, they produce manure, and they can be ridden or used for other tasks. In their natural habitat, their mystical abilities are not quite as strong, but still there. Wild mystics are very animal-like in that they do not have a lot of rational thought and instead function on a basis of instinct. If there is danger, they either fight or take flight.
In bonded companionship, things are a bit different. The mental linkage (bond) to a Rider enhances their mental (rational) capabilities and makes them both fierce companions and leaders. The Outsiders as a whole view the equines and their Riders (bonded pairs) as the Alphas of the land, responsible for leadership, order, and protection. To be chosen by a foal is one of the highest honors anyone can ever recieve! The rest of this section of the guide focuses on all the details about the equines. If you want to know more about bonding or Rider training check out those sections of the compendium.
You probably are already wondering about the "eggs" mentioned in the People section, but let's back up just a bit before we get there. Before you can have eggs, the horses must breed! Mares come into season on various cycles depending upon both species and rank. Some species cycle fasther than others, while all lower ranked mares cycle less frequently. When a mare comes in season, she will have a mating ritual to choose a stallion.
The species of the mare will determine the nature of her mating ritual. Those with wings may choose to lead a flight, where the stallion who proves the winner will be allowed to be her mate. For mares that do not have wings, it is more often a run or climb, or even some sort of dance. This partially depends upon the mare's personality and what she values in a mate, but whoever she chooses as a winner of her challenge will be the one she allows as her mate. (Note: They still breed like a normal horse would, not while in flight or in dance or anything else. The mating challenge is just to win her attention.) Some Alphas will choose the same mate almost every time they are in season, while others tend to choose on a whim. It is rumored that those who have lifemates (essentially) may produce larger nests, but there is not quite enough variation or evidence to prove this fact either. And yes, mares can mate with stallions of a different species, which is not infrequent to see.
Once a mare has been bred, she will produce eggs. Now, this is where things get a little strange, but it was part of the way the ancient Drifters designed these species. They believed it was a way to increase populations faster (more than one foal at a time) while also offering more protection to the young. Rather than spending a year heavy with foal, mares would only carry the eggs a short time before laying them. After that, lower ranked mares (and stallions) could guard the eggs while the Alpha could go back to protecting the herd as a whole and fighting off danger in other places. When the eggs hatched, nurse mares would provide milk for the foals for a few weeks until they were strong enough to begin eating grass and soft hay. As a result, wild mares do not have a strong attachment to their foals and often do not recognize them even a year or two after their birth.
Bonded equines have a little more luxury. They live in towns where they have special stables and nesting centers, and things work just slightly differently. A mare will carry her eggs for 2-3 months after mating before the eggs are strong enough to survive in a nest. The eggs are still small (about watermelon/basketball sized) when they are laid and have a thick, slightly stretchy shell (think firm clay). They will continue to grow, and gradually harden, as they develop. Nests are often made of straw, arranged by the mare and her Rider. Once laid, the mare will continue watching over her nest much of the time, though she often has a couple of attendant mares who will offer both support and reprieve. After another 2-3 months in the nest, the eggs will hatch. By that point, the shells will be thin and brittle, easy enough for the foal inside to kick through. Foals will be able to eat soft hays and grasses almost immediately after birth, chewing with their gums, but may spend up to a week nursing milk from nurse mares or their mother or, most often, bottles from their Rider. Their age is calculated from the date of mating, so even though a Yearling has only been hatched for 6 months, they were formed as an egg 6 months prior to that, thus making them 1 year old.
As stated above, Low and Mid rank mares do not typically come into season as often as High ranked mares. When they do, they may not always mate or may not have a nest even if they do. Instead, they were biologically programmed to produce milk, even if they had no eggs of their own, in order to help nurse the foals of whatever mares had large nests at the time.
Like pack/herd creatures, the equines have a natural hierarchical rank somewhat determined at birth. This traces back to their herd hierarchy in the wild and carries over into their rank at birth when born in towns. Natural ranks are quite simple - the color of the iris of a foal's eyes will determine their natural rank. This is based on their 'essence' (element) and those which are rarer tend to be thought of as higher ranked. The catch? Foals are often born with near-black irises, which can make it difficult to tell their essence at birth. Some are obvious, but others will leave their Rider guessing for weeks or (rarely) months. Why eye color? The horses in the wild believed that eye color and essence signified fertility, aptitude, strength, and intelligence, and thus translated into leadership abilities.
Note: Natural ranks are just that - natural. Any bonded equine can prove to be completely the opposite of what their essence suggests, and any natural rank can ascend through the earned titles as explained in the next section.
The ranks are divided into three general classifications as follows:
High Rank: Phasma (red), Divinus (purple), Vitali (pink)
Mid Rank: Lux (yellow), Gemma (grey/rainbow), Orcus (black), Glacies (white/near-white), Eruditio (blue/navy), Silva (green)
Low Rank: Aria (sky/cyan), Ignis (orange), Terra (brown), Aecor (teal) Unranked: Void (blood)
Colors within some categories can vary. For example, a teal could be a variation of blue or green, while a violet could be a variation of purple or magenta. It is also rumored that blood (dark red) eyes signify a foal who will not bond, though this is partially just speculation. In the wild, blood, red, and black eyes are considered an ill omen and they are almost always outcast.
As already stated, natural ranks do have a bit of a correlation with mystical abilities. Those with high ranks rare essences. Vivid eye coloration may signify a purer essence, which translates into more or stronger abilities. Those with dull eye colors tend to only have the common abilities (usually only one) or may not have any abilities at all. There are, as with anything, variations in these trends.
Your lovely equine babies are named in a unique way, and this little section will explain exactly how that process goes. This is divided into the IC understanding of names (how characters perceive it) and OOC functions (how we twist this a little for some extra involvement).
In Character (Lore)
When a mystical foal is born, it already knows its name. This is not because it names itself, usually, but because those who have cared for it and its egg have already begun calling it something. Most often the foals are named by their mother and her Rider and occasionally by the mare's attendants. This is very similar to the idea of a pregnant woman already beginning to call the baby she is carrying a name without always consciously meaning to. The foal picks up on this name and will announce it to its chosen Rider at birth. Very rarely, the foal will randomly make up a name for itself. When it does...well, it can be rather unusual to say the least.
Out of Character (What Really Happens)
Though the IC naming traditions are 100% true, IC at least, we have stretched this a little bit to add some extra OOC fun. Once a meeting with the eggs has begun, a thread will open up which allow you (everyone) to submit name suggestions for each egg. This can be based on the feelings you get from it, the way it looks, or whatever else you want. The official name for the foal will be chosen by the staff from among the suggested names (and occasionally other names staff choose). While obviously not all of you are playing the dam or her Rider, this is a fun way to give everyone a chance to be involved in the naming process.
The equines grow at a fairly standard rate only slightly faster than non-mystical horses. They are born roughly 50-55% of their adult height (so a horse which will be 16 hands will be born about 8 hands or 32"), but quite spindly with long legs and very little meat on their bones. As they grow, they will fill out and stretch out, gradually becoming more balanced and actually resembling an adult. They can begin carrying the weight of a rider by at least 3/4 of the way through their training (about 9 months after hatching). They will reach their full growth, no matter what species, sometime between 1 and 2 years of age. Smaller species do tend to reach full growth by 1 year or just under, while the larger species may take up to the 2 year mark or just slightly over. It is very, very rare for any to continue growing very long after they turn 2, and would be considered a developmental mutation.
Like all creatures, even the mystical equines will eventually grow old and die. They are not immortal or invincible, and even the healing powers of a Merroyal cannot prevent aging. The average lifespan for a bonded companion is 40 years, give or take, while in the wild the average lifespan is only about 20-30 years. If your horse happens to die younger (for any reason), the Rider may choose to become a Hopeful again if they are still eligible.
If the Rider dies before the horse, the horse has a few options. They can bond to someone else, usually someone they already know and trust. They can become a sort of free-ranging town pet, continuing to live in the stable and be cared for but not officially bonded to anyone. Lastly, they can choose to go join a wild herd. This last option is generally rare and usually only seen among the Crosspyro.
Traditionally, naturally (by birth) high-ranked equines have been the leaders of their wild herds. They challenge one another just like any other feral horses do, fighting for the position as leader. In bonded situations, the high-ranked are still most likely to rise to prominent positions, but it is possible for some lower ranked equines to find themselves in titled positions if they are especially talented or work very hard for it. In addition to dueling for rank (see Dueling), titles can occasionally be given for merit (such as doing a very noble deed). The basic titled rank structure is outlined below.
Crown: The highest ranking Riders in a nation. They live in the capital of the nation and preside over everyone and everything in their Crowndom. Ex: Crown Rider.
Dignitary: The assistants to the Crown, who have been hand-selected by them. Each town within the nation has Dignitary Riders who are responsible for overseeing things in the town. Ex: Dignitary Rider.
Honorable: A title that comes with more prestige than power, any Rider can be given this title if a Crown or Dignitary sees fit. Ex: Honorable Rider.
Dishonorable: An undesirable title that is given to Riders who have fallen out of favor. Ex: Dishonorable Rider.
Admiral: A leader of the Guardian herd. Admirals have more authority than Chiefs of other herds. Ex: Admiral Guardian.
Chief: A leader within any other herd. Ex: Chief Trainer.
High Rank: Those with natural-born high rank that have not attained any title.
Mid Rank: Those with natural-born mid rank that have not attained any title.
Low Rank: Those with natural-born low rank that have not attained any title.
Once a Rider graduates training, they will be placed into a herd based upon their skills and aptitude shown during training. They will typically not have a rank (title) yet, but can still end up on higher-importance herds. Herds are dynamic, so it's possible to move from one herd to another if you are an apsiring individual!
Leadership
These are the 'government' type officials, including the high alphas and alphas of each town. They are in charge of making rules, handling disputes, and ensuring everything in Tir Dearthair towns runs smoothly. All other herds report to them as needed. (Ex: Guardians would let them know when there is a high threat of attack or other danger.) Each town has a leadership herd, which all meet together with the high crown from time to time.
Guardians
Guardians are the strongest military-like force of equines. While all equines and Riders go through basic combat and self-defence training, these guys are the ones patrolling the land and actively going out and fighting off dangerous creatures. They also help ensure that no random bandits come in and steal from the towns, try to keep peace with the Drifters, and other such things. They go through extensive training both for weapons and using their abilities - which means lots of dueling practice!
Trainers
These are those who are teaching our young Hopefuls and Weanings/Yearlings. They may have specialty areas (an Aerokni might teach flying or a saddler might teach how to make riding straps) but they will be in charge of general day to day lessons for everyone in training. Their schedule typically rotates a bit so they are not always overseeing the exact same classes for months on end. They are also responsible for creating and enforcing all training rules and ensuring that all Riders in training are behaving properly. They will be the primary group in deciding where Riders are placed when they graduate, though they have assistance from the leaders of each other herd.
Scouts
These are directly related to the Guardians, but are far less combat oriented. They spend more time observing the lands, often the more remote areas, and keeping an eye out for threats (from animals or Drifters) and natural hazards. If there is a drought, flood, or forest fire, they're going to be the first to know and usually the first to offer whatever assistance is needed. They're also the one scoping out new land to decide where it's best to develop or where resources are plentiful. They still go through basic combat training, but due to long periods of time spent out in untamed wilderness, survival skills are the most important.
Recruiters
This is a small group of Riders responsible for traveling from town to town (and other small villages) to find new Hopefuls. They will select promising individuals for inteviews with themselves or higher-ups. Typically, a small group of recruiters is sent to every major town about once a year, where they'll stay for perhaps a week recruiting and doing interviews. Though they do get to see a lot of the world, it's a relatively low-key herd and leaves more time for pursuing other hobbies.
Healers
The herd of healers consists of three main types of people: physicians/nurses, veterinarians, and Merroyals with Healing ability. These Riders staff the hospitals and are also first on-call to report in case of emergency. Healing Merroyals may not always end up on this herd, depending upon the skills of their Rider. They may find themselves more useful on Guardian, Trainers, or Scouts herds where they see more action but are available to heal when needed.
Earthworks
These equines and Riders are the labor force of the community. They perform tasks like constructing buildings, digging trenches, cleaning parks/gardens, and whatever other type of development is needed. They may be miners, masons, or carpenters, and often have horses dedicated to doing hard work. While it is a very labor-intensive herd, many of its members are performing the same types of jobs they did before becoming a Rider, so it may feel less like a significant life change for them.
Support
The Support herd may also be described as stable staff. Some of them may have former trades that are considered vital, which they perform as a service. That might include making saddles, blacksmithing, cooking in the stable kitchens, or serving as a stable hand. This is generally considered the "lowly" herd, and many who are on it seek positions on other herds as their skills improve. However, those who are allowed to work within their former trade may actually enjoy a placement on this herd.
Founding breeds are Earth breeds whose stature these species most resemble. Don't mistake it ias breeds these species come in!
Click for min and max size chart.
Click for a color chart! (You'll need this filling out your biography templates!)
Crosspyro
Nicknames: ???
Native Region: Cre Scath into Raon Mor
Rarity: Rare
Founding Breeds: Unknown
Genders: 90% Male, 10% Female
Height: 13.2-15.2hh
Stature: Long-backed and short with lean muscle
Top Running Speed: 55 mph (90 mph flying)
Unique Features: Dragon-like wings. Manes are short and spikey (think mohawk).
Heats: Once every 2-5 years (high fertility); Once every 15-20 years (low fertility)
Nest Sizes: 3-10 eggs
Associated Elements: Fire, Void
Stereotypes: Fierce, violent, anti-social
Merroyal/b>
Nicknames: Merrylegs
Native Region: Dheas'on into Tidewater
Rarity: Uncommon
Founding Breeds: Arabian, Akhal Tekes
Genders: 30% Male, 70% Female
Height: 14-15.2hh
Stature: Very delicate and refined, light and sleek
Top Running Speed: 65 mph
Unique Features: A "unicorn" horn made of gem-like material, as well as gem-like hooves. Coats usually have a pearly appearance. They are also gaited!
Heats: Once every 6-12 months (high fertility); Once every 5-7 years (low fertility)
Nest Sizes: 1-6 eggs
Associated Elements: Light, Water
Stereotypes: Finicky, vain, temperamental, skittish
Aerokni
Nicknames: Flying Knights
Native Region: Pairceanna
Rarity: Uncommon
Founding Breeds: Quarter Horse, Warmblood, Thoroughbred
Genders: 70% Male, 30% Female
Height: 15-17.2hh
Stature: Ranging from regal and a bit leggy to stocky and sturdy
Top Running Speed: 65 mph (80 mph flying)
Unique Features: Large, feathered wings. Small feathers grow along their crest. Fast at both flying and running.
Heats: Once every 3-6 months (high fertility); Once every 1-3 years (low fertility)
Nest Sizes: 3-8
Associated Elements: Air, Energy
Stereotypes: Noble, honorable, moral, friendly
Woolyfur
Nicknames: Woolies, Fluffs, Fluffbrains
Native Region: Raon Mor into Pairceanna
Rarity: Common
Founding Breeds: Welsh, Connemara, Haflinger, Baskir Curly
Genders: 60% Male, 40% Female
Height: 12.2-14.2hh
Stature: Stout, little tanks, but also usually pudgy
Top Running Speed: 80 mph
Unique Features: Very long, fluffy fur, especially on their underside (often shorter and curly over their body). Long, pointed ears. Spiral horns.
Heats: Once every 6-12 months (high fertility); Once every 4-6 years (low fertility)
Nest Sizes: 1-4 eggs
Associated Elements: Cosmos, Nature
Stereotypes: Mischievous, carefree, stubborn, whimsical, unintelligent
Highlander
Nicknames: Giants
Native Region: Highlands
Rarity: Common
Founding Breeds: Percheron, Gypsy Vanner
Genders: 50% Male, 50% Female
Height: 18-23hh
Stature: Very large, thick-boned, strong and sturdy
Top Running Speed: 35 mph
Unique Features: Stone hooves that never get sore. An underbelly 'shield'. Extreme strength.
Heats: Once every 1-3 years (high fertility); Once every 10-15 years (low fertility)
Nest Sizes: 6-15 eggs
** Due to their extreme size differences, Highlanders cannot cross-breed with other species except in rare cases. (such as small Highlander x large Aerokni)
Associated Elements: Earth, Ice
Stereotypes: Hard-working, loyal, affectionate, calm, docile
Everyone wants a Tuddle! These cute little guys are miniature horses, usually no higher than 36" tall (occasionally 40"). They're short, stout, tumbly, and full of fun! They can bond to humans, though their bonds are typically weaker than their larger cousins. One person can have multiple Tuddle pets...and many do simply because they're too cute to pass up. Tuddles come in natural horse shades (bay, chestnut, etc.) but may have wild-colored manes and tails. They look almost identical to a miniature horse (real life) except two key things. Their mane doesn't stop at their withers; instead it shortens and continues running down their back all the way to their tail. Some have every short extended manes, giving them short little mohawks.
Tuddles also have horns. They have one just below their poll and a shorter one a few inches below that, approximately where a Merroyals horn would be. Then they have shorter, third horn located in between their nostrils (think Triceratops-ish). Their horns grow slowly throughout life, so they'll need dulling from time to time if you don't want to risk getting stabbed. Tuddles can be born without horns, or with less than the standard 3, but this is not too common.
Tuddles are very similar to their larger, mystical cousins. They have a natural ranking system determined by eye color, have similar mating rituals, and hatch from eggs. Their bonds are not as strong or demanding, and their communication is much weaker. Though they can project their feelings or vague thoughts to their owner, they cannot speak full words. This less intense form of bonding is part of what makes it possible to easily bond multiple Tuddles. Of course, they still require daily care from grooming to feeding to cleaning up after them...but they can be excellent workers on a farm that can be used for pulling carts or plows.