Shannon comes out of the tack room lugging a book.
Here's the Northern Unicorn records book.
Not much in there yet ,
but it does have a section on Northern Unicorn Clans ,
if you're interested to find out more.
Shannon passes you a book , and flicking through the yellowed (and dusty :))pages ,
you come across and entry titled
About the Clans of the Northern unicorns
Sitting down , you proceed to read the entry.
Northern Unicorn Clans are sort of like our star signs -
they determine what the unicorn's coat colour and temprament is going to be.
Over the years , the different clans
have been favoured by different groups
of people of Sapphire Isle - and still continue to do so today.
Here is a summary of the different clans
(There are four clans which are often found , but there are many more which are rare , or have not been discovered yet.)
Black Magick
This Clan has been
particularly favoured by
both the mages and for racing.
The are known to have a fiery temper ,
and easily excitable - especially the stallions.
They love to run at fast speeds -
which explains their use for racing and message delivering.
Once they are bonded, however , you have a firm friend for life.
The stallions of the Clan are black in colour ,
and the females are dark brown.
No markings are permitted.
Red Fire
This Clan has always been the favoured mount of the wealthy and the nobles ,
because of their flashy colouring.
The males can be a little fiery and hard to train -
(almost like the Black Magick Clan :)
but the females are laid back and make very good mounts.
They are known for their showy paces -
which means that they often excel at dressage.
Mares of this Clan are bay in colour ,
while the stallions are chestnut.
Markings are permissible.
Grey Mist
This clan has always been the favoured mount for knights -
especially the northern nobles of the Highlands -
and unicorns of this clan have been highly prized as steeds of war.
More heavily built than the other Clans they possess
feathering and long manes and tails ,
and the feathering is seen on all unicorns of the clan.
Some of the wild unicorns can
dissapear into the mist to avoid capture -
but it is not yet known whether captured wild unicorns
or the domestic ones of this clan posess this gift.
They have a gentle, easy, paces
and a generally smooth gait - especially at the canter.
They love jumping , and are often used
to go hunting in woods and forest -
for it is their element :)
The stallions range from a light to a dark dapple grey ,
and the mares are fleabitten grey.
All markings permissible.
Hidden Colours
These lovely unicorns are often used in riding schools
and as child's first mounts.
They are extrememly gentle ,
and are fond of children.
They are often used to teach young children to ride -
many a noble or mage recalls tha their first unicorn
was from the Hidden Colours Clan.
They would be best as a child's firt riding horses ,
or as a companion to another unicorn from another clan
(Maybe provide a calming influence
to a Black Magick unicorn or a Red Fire Mare?)
The stallions are usually red roan ,
the mares are blue roan in colour.
All colours permissible.
Golden Sun Clan
This is a very rare clan - not many of this clan have been domesticated.
For this reason , Golden Sun unicorns (especially the mares) are very much favoured by royalty.
The King owns all of the currently existing Golden Sun unicorns -
although one or two turn up in the wild herds.
Thay have a very regal bearing, with the mares tending to be very aloof,
and the stallions have a tendency to be a little vain :)
Because of this, it may take a little longer for them to gain your trust - but it is well worth it !
The stallions of this Clan are pale cream ,
whilst the mares are a rich golden palomino colour.
All markings permissible -
but the least markings , the better for showing purposes.
Painted Moon Clan
This was a clan that was only recently discovered in the Sapphire Isle ,
when a whole herd of these painted beauties was sighted.
Previous to this , it was thought that northern unicorns could not be 'painted' ,
and hence this is thought to be a great discovery.
However, these unicorns are distrustful of humans , making observation difficult.
It can be said, though,
that it is the mares which are the most inquisitive (and are more likely to approach humans) ,
whilst the stallions are rather shy.
The stallions are piebald in colour (black with white patches) ,
whilst the mares are skewbald
(brown , chestnut and grey patches appear to be the most dominant colours)
Any markings are permissible ,
and these equines are also partial to jewellery -
especially if it is silver , or has a crescent moon shape :)
You place down the large book , satisfied that you know all about the clans. !
