Difference between revisions of "Hârn Bestiary Horses"

Revision as of 09:26, 4 June 2017

All things relating to Hârn and researching, breaking down, and compiling Hârnic information.

Note: Green = I Have, Red = Don't Have, Orange = Old Scan, Blue = Misc, Black = ALL Base (Template)

Note: ADD/CREATE Kanday Breed Article, to flesh out Economics.

Note: CHANGE name of page to include RESOURCES within the name

Note: ADD internal links to sub-sections within this page for breeds, then ADD links to Location & Kingdom names.

Horses

• Credits

Horses are by far the most popular form of transportation on Hârn for nobility. The elite mounted knight, so closely associated with feudal warfare and law, ensures their important status.

There exists a considerable variety of horses on Hârn, raised from indigenous species or from the main horse breeds of western Lythia. Some breeds are larger and heavier, making excellent warhorses, while others are lighter and faster, characteristics desirable in riding and hunting horses. Purebred examples do exist on the island, but most ostlers sell horses that have the desirable qualities of at least two different breeds.

Breeds of Horses

There are three indigenous breeds of horse on the island of Hârn. Two have a common ancestry and existed on the island during the Age of the Sindarin and perhaps earlier. The third, the unicorn, is rare and found mainly in the Shava Forest.

Five major breeds exist on the continent of Lythia, each originating in the great horse-trading nations of Quarphor, Ketarh, Reksyna, Hacherdad, and Diramoa. Most horses found on the island are a mix of the first four Lythian breeds; horses from distant Diramoa are not found on Hârn. The donkey, which originated on the central Lythian steppes, is also found throughout the island.

Kaldor

Kaldoric horses display qualities commonly found in Lankum and Hacherdad breeds. Painted and palomino colorations are common, as are long flowing manes and tails. King Torastra rode a renowned charger with black forequarters, a long flowing mane, and an equally impressive white hindquarters and tail. In recent years, fast Khanseti bloodstock has been introduced, producing delicate riding horses with a graceful gait. Jedes is a renowned center of horse breeding. Ostler Iriel of Haskew from Jedes is the current guildmaster for eastern Hârn.

Melderyn

Horse breeding is an ancient art in Melderyn. The kingdom is renowned for its fast and agile chargers and coursers, bred from Khanseti and Reksyni bloodlines and, it is said, a "touch of magic." Some nobles prefer to keep purebreds in their stables, perhaps imitating King Chunel, who often rides a Khanseti "unicorn." Stables in Jetust and Cundras are the most popular in the kingdom.

Chybisa

The Treasure Wars destroyed much of Chybisa's horse stock, which was replaced from Melderyni stables. Horses raised on Chybisa's rich pastureland are often taller than their Meldryni cousins.

Tharda

Thardic legions place great emphasis on pack horses for transport, mainly bred from Chelni and Lankum stock. High-quality riding horses are less common, but Harmon Kainel of Ostenor breeds impressive warhorses of Reksyni and Lankum heritage. Kainel provides these to friends at reasonable prices, one reason he is a leading candidate for appointment as Warden of Coranan. Kainel's ostler, Kirdis of Olure, is the current guildmaster for western Hârn.

Kanday

Kanday's breeding stock originated in Melderyn, but Reksyni blood has been introduced into most herds over the past century. Kandian horses are now stronger and thicker than those commonly found in Melderyn. The Order of the Checkered Shield prefers dun warhorses to distinguish them from the dark gray and black warhorses ridden by knights of the Order of the Copper Hook. Dunir, Cuton, and Quivum are well-known stables for quality horses.

Rethem

Reksyni destriers are prized by Rethemi nobility and Agrikan fighting orders. These beasts are 16–17 hands high and extremely ill tempered. They often lash out at each other in combat, which can unhorse unwary riders. When handled by skilled riders, Reksyni warhorses are fearless and extremely dangerous in mounted combat.

Glossary

Charger: a large, war-trained stallion. The most common warhorse found on Hârn.

Cob: a small, fat-bodied horse with short legs, mostly used as a pack animal.

Colt: male horse younger than one year.

Courser: a large, fast, and agile horse trained for the hunt and to mount light cavalry or horse archers.

Destrier: a very large, war-trained stallion.

Dun: yellow-brown horse color.

Filly: female horse younger than one year.

Gelding: castrated male horse. Commonly done to riding and pack horses.

Gray: horse color from light to dark gray, sometimes with small black patches or spots.

Hand: measurement (hand-width or 4 inches) by which a horse is measured from its withers to the ground.

Jenny: the name given to the sterile offspring of a male horse and female donkey to differentiate it from a Mule.

Mare: female horse or pony.

Mule: the sterile offspring of a male donkey and female horse. They are less timid than most horses and less aggressive than donkeys.

Nag: broken or old horse of any type.

Painted: horse with large patches of two colors, generally brown and white or black and white.

Palfrey: a fine riding horse.

Palomino: a horse with a gold coat and white mane and tail.

Pony: generic name for a horse that is under 13 hands when mature. Also used by laymen to refer to a young horse of this size.

Rouncy: a standard riding horse.

Sorrel: red-brown horse color.

Stallion: male horse, ungelded. All warhorses are stallions.

Sumpter: a small pack horse or pony.

Withers: the highest point of a horse's back, at the base of the neck.

Yearling: an immature horse 1–2 years old. Yearlings cannot be ridden except by children.

Youngster: a horse 2–4 years old. Hard training is rarely begun until a horse is a youngster, and ideally not until near the end of this period.

Chelni

Hârnic Pony

The Chelni horse, also known as the Chelni pony, is indigenous to Hârn. Only 13 hands and weighing 700 pounds, these diminutive steeds have been bred by the Chelni to carry their warriors swiftly over rugged country. The Chelni are fanatical about keeping the breed pure. No other horses are allowed near a Chelni mare. If a Chelni horse is sold or for some reason leaves a tribal range, it is never allowed to return.

Chelni horses are distinguished by a unique gait. Called the hosk, this is a running walk, attaining speeds up to 12 leagues per hour. A troop of horse in the hosk quickly falls into rhythm; enemies of the Chelni fear the fourbeat staccato that thunders towards them. The final charge at the gallop reaches up to 16 leagues per hour, a true shock attack.

The Chelni horse matures slowly and is not ridden seriously until it is four years old. It achieves its greatest strength from 8 to 18 years.

Not all Chelni horses are prized. Only the best are used by warriors. The Chelni also maintain herds for trade and for use as utility animals. Although strong and fast, the Chelni horse is too small to be a warhorse for a mounted knight.

• Map (SVG)
  • Stats Table Sidebar

A

A

• A
  • A

A

A

• A
  • A

A

A

• A
  • A

A

A

• A
  • A

A

A

• A
  • A

A

A

• A
  • A

A

A

• A
  • A

A

A

• A
  • A

Notes

• A
  • A