A unicorn was a mysterious and majestic magical beast resembling a horse with a horn protruding from its forehead.[3]
Description[]
A unicorn resembled a horse with a white coat, mane, and tail. However, it had a number of traits that distinguished it from a horse, including cloven hooves and a long ivory-colored horn that protruded from its forehead. Males had a white beard.[3]
Abilities[]
Unicorns were not subject to poison, death magic, or charm spells.[5] Unicorns were able to sense evil nearby and radiate an aura which protected them from most evil spells. A touch of the unicorn's horn could both heal wounds and cure poison.[3] Unicorns also had the ability to teleport to nearby locations.[2]
Varieties[]
A beautiful and graceful unicorn.
There several varieties of unicorn recorded in Faerun besides the so-called "regular" unicorn (or sylvan unicorn, according to some scholars).[7]
- Black unicorn
Black unicorns were the evil counterparts of regular unicorns. They were created through magical breeding programs by the Red Wizards of Thay.[8]
- Celestial charger
Celestial chargers were unicorns from Celestia that were the enemies of all evil creatures that would destroy woodlands.[3]
- Dusk unicorn
Dusk unicorns were a rare, dark-colored variant considered auspicious by fey.[2]
- Sea unicorn
Sea unicorns were a rumored variety of aquatic unicorn found in the Sea of Fallen Stars, resembling a hippocampus with a horn.[9]
Additionally, there were certain depraved rituals that required removing the horn of a living unicorn. Most of the time, the unicorn so violated only survived a short time, but in some cases they went mad and, under a mild demonic influence, transformed into a horror called a bloodlance.[10]
Combat[]
Unicorns attacked primarily by impaling foes on their horns, although they could also use their hooves as weapons.[2]
Society[]
Unicorns dwelt deep within their forests and shunned most creatures, only conferring with fey such as pixies, dryads, and sprites. They usually showed themselves only in defense of their forests.[3] They scratched glyphs into the bark of trees in the areas under their protection.[4]
Unicorns mated for life.[3]
Unicorns that rested at the Place of the Unicorn, sacred to the unicorn goddess Lurue, in the Sword Mountains were healed of all injury and disease.[11]
Habitats[]
A unicorn and her foal.
At least 100 unicorns could be found in the High Forest[12], as well as a few down through the Unicorn Run.[13] Unicorns were most likely to be seen near the Sisters waterfalls, where seeing them and the moon rise above the cliffs were seen as a sign of good fortune from the goddess Mielikki.[12][14] Other locations home to unicorns included the Forgotten Forest.[14]
Relationships[]
Unicorns were often sent as servants of Corellon Larethian, Eldath, Isis, Labelas Enoreth, Lurue, Mielikki, Mystra, Rillifane Rallathil, Sheela Peryroyl, Silvanus, Solonor Thelandira, and Tymora to aid their worshipers.[15]
Usages[]
Unicorn horns were reputed to have magical and healing properties.[2] They could be used in the production of antidotes and healing potions.[4] They could be sold to alchemists for thousands of gold pieces. However, there were many people in the Realms, particularly followers of Mielikki and Lurue, who were willing to punish slayers of unicorns with death.[16]
Unicorn horns were considered a status symbol by wealthy demons of the Abyss. These gruesome items were used as post-meal toothpicks.[17]
History[]
A cavalry of 50-100 "unicornriders" existed in ancient Cormanthyr.[18]
During the Shoon Dynasty, rulers experimented on unicorns in an attempt to discover the secrets of eternal youth.[19] A herd of unicorns used to inhabit Shilmista before they and the elves that tended them were slaughtered in 355 DR by Necroqysar Shoon VII for use in the Tome of the Unicorn and the Staff of Shoon.[20]
In the 1370s DR, inhumanely shackled and clamped unicorns could be found in the Stockyards of Samora, Azzagrat, chained and manacled around their necks to stakes driven deep into the ground, heavy metal harnesses preventing them from teleporting away or even lifting their heads as they awaited being slaughtered and eaten by influential residents of the Abyss such as Graz'zt's loyal servant Maretta, Lady of the Counting-House.[17]
Notable Unicorns[]
- Andahar, a magical unicorn able to be summoned by Drizzt Do'Urden.[21]
- Kamerynn, a unicorn inhabiting the Moonshae Isles.[22]
- Mooncolor, a unicorn trapped in Avernus in the late 15th century DR.[23]
- Zhalruban, a unicorn also trapped in Avernus.[24]
Trivia[]
- The symbols of the goddesses Lurue and Mielikki were unicorns.[25]
- A number of the locations in Faerûn were named after unicorns, such as Unicorn Run and the Place of the Unicorn.
- Unicorns were a popular theme for inns and taverns, such as Unicorn & Crescent, the Weeping Unicorn, The Jaded Unicorn, and House of the Wise Unicorn.
- The name of the year 355 DR, the Year of the Mourning Horns, may refer to the slaughter of unicorns in that year.[20]
- In Cormyr, the unicorn symbolized the "hidden mysteries and serenity at the heart of the forest."[26]
- Stone unicorns from a bridge over the Silverymoon Ford were relocated to the High Palace of Silverymoon.[27]
- Two common expressions among druids from Sossal when making a promise were, "Swear by the oak and the unicorn's horn," and "By the unicorn..."[28]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
- Duruch'i-lin
- Ki-rin
- Pegasus
- Category:Images of unicorns. A collection of images featuring unicorns.
- Shadow unicorn, a species endemic to the Domains of Dread.
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Novels & Short Stories
Video Games
Board Games
Card Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
Further Reading[]
- Kim Mohan (September 1983). “The Ecology of the Unicorn”. In Roger Moore ed. Dragon #77 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 14–16.
- James Wyatt (March 2000). “Animal Henchmen”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #269 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 33–34.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 294. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 257. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 249–250. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 353. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 98. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kim Mohan (September 1983). “The Ecology of the Unicorn”. In Roger Moore ed. Dragon #77 (TSR, Inc.), p. 14.
- ↑ Michael John Wybo II (February 1993). “Unique Unicorns”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #190 (TSR, Inc.), p. 91.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 84. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 153. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
- ↑ Nicolas Quimby (July 2007). “Defiled Monsters: Nature's Revenge”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #357 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 46–48.
- ↑ slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 37. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 52. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 166. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), pp. 56–57. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 10–15. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (1996). Volo's Guide to All Things Magical. (TSR, Inc), p. 42. ISBN 0-7869-0446-1.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Dale Donovan (May 1998). For Duty & Deity. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 0-7869-1234-0.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 49. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 121. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 137. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (March 2014). Night of the Hunter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 110. ISBN 0-7869-6511-8.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (September 2004). Darkwalker on Moonshae. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-3560-X.
- ↑ Adam Lee, et al. (September 2019). Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 113. ISBN 978-0-7869-6687-5.
- ↑ Cameron Blair (2020). In the Garden of Evil (DDAL09-08) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Avernus Rising (Wizards of the Coast).
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 235. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 111. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 46. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ Richard Lee Byers (May 2006). The Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 238, 248. ISBN 0-7869-4003-4.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell (July 2004). Lady of Poison. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0786931613.
Connections[]
| Angel (any good alignment) | ||
| Archon (lawful good) | Guardinal (neutral good) | Eladrin (chaotic good) |
Arcadian avenger • Asura • Bariaur • Couatl • Einheriar • Foo creature (Foo dog • Foo lion) • Harmonious choir of the words • Hollyphant • Ki-rin • Lillend • Moon dog • Pegasus • Shirokinukatsukami • Sliver • Unicorn (Celestial charger)
Related Creatures
Aasimar (Deva) • Celestial creature • Half-celestial