Aureate Stags

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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]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Fair Unknown, Fallen London
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The 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 [...]"
  3. ↑ 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."
  4. ↑ 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."
  5. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "[...] stag rears as [...] wolf buries its teeth into its flank. Hot droplets of blood sizzle on the tourney ground."
  6. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "Someone has tamed this herd already."
  7. ↑ 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."
  8. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "The woman's mouth is fixed in a brilliant smile."
  9. ↑ 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 [...]"
  10. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "[...] your stag raises a hoof to counter his thrust [...]"
  11. ↑ 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."
  12. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "[...] your stag raises a hoof to counter [...] then kicks him hard in the chest. The Prince goes down [...]"
  13. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "[...] he feeds his Aureate Stag oats from a large bag."
  14. ↑ 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."
  15. ↑ 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."
  16. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "A silver Aureate Runt, [...]"
  17. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "[...] you spot a single silver stag, hanging back from the herd."
  18. ↑ The Fair Unknown, Fallen London "There is no guarantee of victory – but you will not surrender without a fight."
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