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"A magnificent specimen, bronze-flanked and crowned in burning gold. Such a steed all but guarantees victory in the Tournament."[1]
"A silver runt, broken-crowned and midnight-eyed. Its coat is sheer silver and its crumpled antlers are seared with moonlight."[1]
Aureate Stags are majestic creatures that reside in the Oncewood of Parabola[2] – a dense forest of golden-needled trees where ash falls from a bleak sky.[3] They are famous for being the fastest steeds behind the mirror, able to sprint much quicker than ordinary horses.[2] They have golden pelts, soft skin, and antlers that glow like massive candleflames or pyres.[4] When injured, their blood appears boiling or sizzling.[5]
Aureate Stags travel in herds and can be tamed;[6] their Parabolan handlers resemble animated golden statues of great height, and carry orbs and shepherd's crooks cast into their hands.[7][8] During jousts these creatures' prowess is almost peerless; they are cunning fighters who defend with their antlers[9] and hooves[10] and attack with fierce bites and kicks.[11][12] Aureate Stags usually eat oats,[13] but they are also capable of consuming enemy weapons, and emit golden smoke from their ears upon doing so.[14]
Some Aureate Stags have silver coats, black eyes, and broken antlers that emit light resembling moonlight.[15] Known as Aureate Runts,[16] these specimens are weaker than their kin and have a shy demeanor, but they are still formidable allies to those willing to give them a chance.[17][18]
↑ 2.02.1The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"[...] the Aureate Stags of the Oncewood. The fastest short-distance beast of burden in all known Parabola. [...] With such an advantage over mere horses [...]"
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"The Oncewood [...] a thick forest. The needles of the trees are dark gold. Flakes of white-grey fall from a brooding sky. [...] these are of ash, rather than snow."
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"[...] a herd of gold-pelted stags. Their skin is soft as milk, their antlers crowned in a corona of light like candleflame."
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"[...] stag rears as [...] wolf buries its teeth into its flank. Hot droplets of blood sizzle on the tourney ground."
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"A woman – so tall [...] with skin of beaten gold [...] She carries a shepherd's crook and an orb, both of which seem to have been fitted to her hands, like metal cast for a statue."
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"Just as she fires, your stag leaps. With one elegant motion it counters the smoking shot with its antlers and sends her shot hurtling back [...]"
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"[...] your stag – it leaps, mouth wide. It bites the first smoky lance [...] capturing it. The Satrap flails but cannot free it."
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"[...] your stag raises a hoof to counter [...] then kicks him hard in the chest. The Prince goes down [...]"
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"Your stag leaps [...] With five quick bites it breaks the lances [...] and swallows them down. A few puffs of golden smoke emerge from its furry ears."
↑The Fair Unknown, Fallen London"A silver runt, broken-crowned and midnight-eyed. Its coat is sheer silver and its crumpled antlers are seared with moonlight."