Well this is one of the first posts about my world so try to help me where I screw up.

Unicorns in their appearance look similar to horses, however they are much larger and stronger. An average horse would be two thirds the size of an average unicorn. Despite the fact they are larger than horses they are not faster and a horse could outrun a unicorn, though unicorns are much stronger being used for thousands of years for warhorses. Unicorns are extremely hard to break and much more wild than normal horses, they are very expensive to buy and are often recognized as symbols of strength, power and wealth. Unicorns range in color greatly and more than in horses. Though the gene pool favors mostly one color on a unicorn.

Unicorns mostly live in herds in plains, fields, deserts or some rocky areas where they eat grass and other vegetation but can resort to eating insects if the situation calls for it. The unicorn's signature horn is a dominant allele in the gene pool, meaning most have horns while some others do not. The horn is a mating tool, a war tool and a representative of the unicorn's social standing. The unicorn herd is divided based upon the males with the largest horns, with the male with the largest horn on top and the males with no horns on bottom. The horn is simply a bony outgrowth from the head such as the one on a rhino or walrus.

This bone grows through adolescence and childhood, growing to its full capacity at adulthood. Female unicorns do not have horns as female cows do not have horns and try to marry the mate with the largest horns. Once a male and female unicorn mate they are companions for life and raise their children together. The male will never mate with another unicorn and neither will the female. If the male or female dies they never take another mate.

What are their intelligence factors? What are their puzzle solving skills, how clever are they?

Do they have any magical capabilities?

Are they easier/harder to ride then normal horses?

Unicorns are much more intelligent than horses and have an intelligence close to that of an octopus or a collie. Stablemasters have a hard time keeping them because of their innate ability to escape their confines. Unicorns are trainable after being broken, they are able to understand certain commands and relate them to learned tasks which can be very useful in battle situations.



Only if given them by a Wizard or other power in magical arts.



It depends on the unicorn. Unicorns give more jerky movements and are rough to stay on but respond quicker and help the rider stay on its back.
It depends on what the rider's strong points are.

Thanks so much for the questions!

I'm not the only one with unicorns with multiple colors!

They look pretty interesting. Are unicorns born into captivity easier to train than ones caught in the wild?

Yes Ma'am. Sorry I only answered yes to this question. I don't really know what else I need to expand on.

Wouldn't it depend on who took care of it? Because if a really weird guy decided he wanted a unicorn, he would treat it differently, and it would be a different level of difficulty to ride than one that was trained by an expert?

Of course. But generally the average unicorn will be better trained if it was raised in captivity around people (rather than mistreated by a careless human).

Very interesting, Aeleknight.

How dangerous are they when encountered in the wild?

Are they very aggressive?

Would their natural instincts cause them to fight or flee when faced with danger?

Once broken, do they show any loyalty or affection for their master?

They are very dangerous in the wild. A male's horn can be used to impale any animal or person that would seems a threat. They are very territorial and protective. A male or mostly a group of males will attack at any time if anyone gets to close to its family or territory.


Very aggressive, this fact is why they are prized as warhorses however difficult to catch and cost large sums of money. Some of the larger, more dominant males will attack other males that seems in competition for its position or mate. These unicorns are extremely dangerous and are treated as a person would treat a bear or a wild boar if not worse since they live in groups and can run much faster.


It would depend on the unicorn and the danger. A young colt would quickly flee if faced by a dragon or a group of armed men. However a fully grown unicorn would fight a group of men and a group of unicorns would fight a dragon. If I were to generally answer the question it would be fight.


One of the reasons these animals are such prized steeds are their loyalty to their rider. A unicorn will sacrifice its life for its rider and has an unbreakable bond with it. A problem amongst thieves frequently is stealing unicorns because they either escape and return to their master and/or kill the man trying to steal them. A Unicorn will choose its rider it will imprint on and not respond to any other rider, that is part of what makes a unicorn easier to ride.

Hope that answered your questions. Thanks for taking such an interest!

-Aeleknight

It did. Thanks, Aeleknight. I like them.

I like them, too. Especially the part about females not having horns. Very creative.

Thanks. I was thinking since female cows don't have horns, female walri (For you Sven) don't have tusks and neither do female elephants. Why would a female Unicorn have a horn?

Hehe! Walruses!

That is very different than what we typically think of Unicorns being. I like that they aren't sooped-up horses. They are individual and unique. Good work.

So does that mean if a Unicorn rider was to die would that mean the unicorn is basically depressed for the rest of it's life? Leaving all life it previously had behind and going off to mourn for the rest of it's life?

Generally no, but it depends on the unicorn. It is similar to a marriage; if a wife or husband dies there is an extended time of mourning but the spouse may eventually take a new spouse. A unicorn may form a bond with a younger rider if it is similar to the older one. If a rider dies the unicorn normally forms a bond with the son of the rider or brother. A unicorn is normally bequeathed to the brother or son of the rider. But an older unicorn may never have another bond with a rider. A riderless unicorn would never have prolonged depression or suicidal tendencies. Hope that answers your questions.

*listens with fascination * I need to get in here more often. I rarely make it into the bestiary anymore... I need to make some room on my schedule.