equinox
goodbye forever
ahaha, they could shear meat in between like teeth do
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Original Description:
The promised fencing diagram! Time to dump y’all with a BUTTLOAD of unicorn lore!
Btw just wanted to shout out jackiebloom and :lopoddity for inspiring this piece with their own fabulous ideas about these horned horsies!! Check em out if you haven’t seen em!
Unicorn Horns:
Original Description:
The promised fencing diagram! Time to dump y’all with a BUTTLOAD of unicorn lore!
Btw just wanted to shout out jackiebloom and :lopoddity for inspiring this piece with their own fabulous ideas about these horned horsies!! Check em out if you haven’t seen em!
Unicorn Horns:
- Unicorn horns are advanced magical structures composed of bone and calcium phosphate, or enamel, with fleshy cores. The core contains blood vessels, nerves, and crystals (these are made by the body during infancy as the horn develops; the chemical nature of an individual’s crystals vary, and these are also responsible for the color of a unicorn’s magical aura or “sparkle”) which act as connectors between the outer layers of the horn and another organ called the vas lumens. The vas lumens connects the horn from the enlarged pineal gland, where magic originates and is sometimes known as the “magic stone”, to the crystals which transport magic through the horn. The spiral structure of the horn allows for direct, controlled magic use. As for magic itself, very little is really understood about its nature. It is known to be an essential, elemental force in this world, but beyond that, it is difficult to truly define. A unicorn’s aura is one of countless ways in which magic makes itself known.
- Horns are the hardest part on the average unicorn’s body. They seldom get scuffed or scratched, nor are they easily broken. For example, it took an ursa minor to break Tempest Shadow’s horn, but foal horns are indeed more prone to breakage. There is a special technique that unicorns can use to break each other’s horns in duels of honor (more info below). This knowledge is only shared in the most elite of circles which practice duels of honor because breaking a unicorn’s horn is an extremely serious act, nearly taboo in fact, and the average unicorn could not imagine breaking another’s horn. However, it is a part of unicorn culture nonetheless, and those with broken horns are taboo in themselves and are therefore disgraced, hence why Tempest Shadow was rejected as a child for her accident.
- Horns are covered in a soft velvet layer of fur, and infant horns are definitely the softest. Their horns are made of cartilage when they’re first born and are only visible as tiny bumps, but they quickly develop into solid bone and grow to proportionate size within a matter of days. Like with teething in human babies, this growth period can be uncomfortable, so ponies have toys or playsets for the foal to rub their itchy horns on. Also, as Rarity described in Baby Cakes, young unicorns experience random bursts of magic, and have they typically have difficulty controlling this magic, but this is not always true. Pumpkin Cake had astonishing control of her magic as a baby, as did Flurry Heart. Eventually, magical surges will calm, and settle at the pony’s natural magical level. Unicorns also vary highly in their inherent magical capabilities, but magic can also be learned and trained. Most unicorns can effortlessly perform telekinesis, while others can perform a wider variety of spells.
Fencing
- A staple sport of elite unicorn culture is horn fencing. It is a very, very old sport, with records dating back to the first known unicorn societies. Therefore it holds great significance, and reflects the values of unicorn culture; grace, agility, breeding (heritage is seen as a big contributor to one’s inherent skills), quality of character, etc etc. Despite its importance, it is really only practiced by the elite in present days, in order to maintain the prestige of tradition and that only the “best” unicorns ought to be allowed to practice it. Of course this is a contentious issue to not only unicorns, but those who want to try their hooves (or claws) at fencing themselves using artificial horns.
- Since fencing is so intertwined in unicorn society, it is also used for duels of honor. These are extremely serious challenges, ones that require permission by a unicorn in an authoritative position, which occur if one unicorn dishonors another or violates a social rule which is not a crime and cannot go through the “normal” legal process. These must be taken so seriously because the outcome is always that one unicorn will break the horn of their opponent. These are initiated by a hard strike to the horn, resulting in a shower of magical sparks. If the challenge is approved, the two will battle until one’s horn is broken. Once it begins, it cannot be stopped, and if an opponent or initiator runs from the fight, they are as disgraced as a hornless unicorn. So, thanks to the joy of living in a prideful society where one’s reputation is life itself, unicorns don’t often run from a challenge. It is essentially life vs death. That being said, there are many hornless unicorns, like Tempest, who get along just fine and are working to fight the stigma against hornless unicorns.
How to Win:
- Opponents face each other on a stage or otherwise marked area (l’endroit)
a. Opponents wear special helmets that protect the face and horn. They are made of a thick, magically augmented fabric with a rubber-tipped horn, usually sporting contrasting colors for each participant or team.
- Opponents lunge and attack each other, aiming to force the other off of l’endroit, or out of bounds, without ever touching each other.
- A winner is declared when one is forced out of bounds. Meanwhile, points are also gathered, grading form and technique
Rules:
- If opponent physically pushes their opponent out of bounds, accidentally or intentionally, it is considered a foul and both are forced to reset. Additionally, if opponents touch at all (excluding horns) during the match, points are docked from the responsible opponent as needed.
- If a toucher de cornes class move is performed (meaning opponents strike covered horns), once again accidentally or intentionally, it is a legal but low-point maneuver which puts the unicorn committing the maneuver at risk of a rebound. Some fencing schools discourage the maneuver altogether for its inefficiency and gracelessness. There are even some circles of fencing which consider it a foul, and there is some contention in the sport’s legislature. However, as it stands, toucher de cornes class moves are legal and acceptable and the only form of touching allowed.
a. In professional matches featuring teams or individual players, a holographer is assigned to record the match. Holographers are unicorns capable of making hologram recordings of events, which they are able to replay to a team of judges if needed. For example, if it is difficult to discern who struck who’s horn in a toucher de cornes event, a holographer would replay the match to determine which opponent experiences point gain.
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