"UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNICOORRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNN!!! UUUUUUUUUUUUUNICOORRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!"
UNICORN (Equus narwhalus)
Role: Solitary Forest Protector, Untameable Spirit
PL 8 (126), PL 10 (126) with Affliction- Minion Rank 9, Sidekick Rank 31
Normal Version: PL 6-8
STRENGTH 4 STAMINA 6 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -3 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 0
Skills:
Athletics 8 (+12)
Insight 6 (+10)
Perception 8 (+12)
Stealth 6 (+8, +7 Size)
Advantages:
Attractive (To Women), Diehard, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Horn) 2, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash, Move-By Action, Power Attack
Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Acute Scent, Low-Light Vision, Radius Sight) [3]
"Animal Physiology" Speed 3 (16 mph) [3]
"Forest Protector"
Senses 7 (Detect Evil- Ranged 2 & Acute, Virginity Awareness- Ranged & Acute) [7]
Comprehend (Plants) 2 [4]
"Unicorn Horn"
Strength-Damage +4 [4]
Immunity 2 (Poison, Disease) [2]
"Stun Evil" Affliction 10 (Will; Entranced/Stunned/Paralyzed) (Extras: Cumulative, Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Limited to Evil Creatures) (20) -- [23]
- AE: "Ward Evil" Affliction 10 (Will; Entranced/Compelled/Controlled) (Extras: Cumulative, Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Limited to "Leave This Area", Limited to Evil Creatures) (10)
- AE: Healing 6 (12)
- AE: "Forest Transfer" Teleport 7 (Flaws: Limited to Forest) (7)
Reach 1 [1]
Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Horn +8 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +6
Defenses:
Dodge +7 (DC 17), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +6, Fortitude +9, Will +9
Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Unicorns cannot speak to humans, nor use their hooves to easily manipulate objects.
Honor- Unicorns will not allow humans to ride them unless they are virgin maidens.
Enemy (Hunters)- One of the most sacred of all animals, Unicorns are constantly sought out and hunted for their magical horns, and for bragging rights.
Responsibility (The Forest)- Unicorns are primary protectors of forested regions, and must run to their defense.
Total: Abilities: 38 / Skills: 28--14 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 50 / Defenses: 15 (126)
Era: Fantasy Realms
Range: Forests of Europe
Stereotypes: Noble, proud, mysterious.
Colouring: White
Size: Up to 7.5 feet long (500-800 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Solitary.
Diet: Grass & vegetation
Tactics: Flee using speed or impale with powerful horn.
-Among the most rare and mysterious creatures on Castellia are the mythical Unicorns- few beings have ever seen them, and even those who've spent lifetimes hunting them cannot claim to have spotted one for more than a glimmer of an instant. Highly secretive and elusive, they hide from all but those they deem the most caring. They are seen as Forest Spirits, almost more akin to Fae creatures than animals. They congregate in hidden groves, listen to the reactions of Faeries, Elves and other forest creatures, and have a sixth sense as to when danger is near. A forest protected by Unicorns is a safe place indeed.
-Many myths exist about Unicorns- a chief one is the fact that they will allow only maidens to ride them. This is, as far as most scholars can tell, largely accurate, though high-ranking Fae creatures or Wood Elves are known to be exceptions to some- it is likely that some Unicorns don't feel as strongly about the matter as others.
-The powers of their horns are not to be underestimated- some exaggerated accounts has them single-handedly killing scores of elephants or even solitary Dragons, but they are indeed very dangerous- much moreso than their comparatively small size implies. More powerful, however, are the magical properties contained within- Unicorn Horns are among the most powerful ingredients in Spells, can nullify any poison they touch, and more.
Jab's Notes: Unicorns are one of the most important mythical creatures in European history (so much so that they appear on the British Coat of Arms). Specializing in being an entity of otherworldly power and purity, they're one of the rare mythological beings to be on the "good" side of the equation. Traditionally, they appear as small white horses, featuring a billy goat's beard, cloven hooves, and a lion's tail. In live action films, they're usually played by large, real horses (for obvious reasons), so they appear bigger there. It's said that they allow themselves to be ridden by pure maidens (note: that means virgins), and that at least one instance resulted in a single unicorn spearing THREE elephants and only then dying from the strain (likely a one-time incident among myth-spinners). It's generally assumed that their myth comes from a combination of love of fancy horses in Europe, one-horned versions of creatures like Oryx or Ibex (which are known to exist occasionally), the Rhinoceros when described by explorers from foreign lands, and discovered Narwhal horns (which are nearly identical in shape to what we imagine Unicorn horns look like). Their horns are a myth in themselves, said to be able to nullify the effects of poison if you drink from it.
-Unicorns don't show up much in comics, mainly because they've been seen as kind of a cliche and a little too goofy and childish- like something Lisa Frank thought up. Their highlight in the worlds of fiction has very much come from "The Last Unicorn", a BAD-ASS example of non-Disney cartooning, and a movie that creeped the frick out of me while fascinating me at the same time. The movie had a rare amount of emotion for a cartoon (the sadness of scenes like the one where Molly's grief for the Unicorn appearing to her now "When I am *THIS!*"- ie. a non virgin- or the terror of the Red Bull and the Skeleton's mad freak-out), and was also funny as balls ("I can't believe I'm engaged to a Douglas Fir!").
-The Unicorn operates on a different principle than most other horselike animals, being much smaller and weaker, able to carry a slender female and that's about it. Their real power is of course the horn, offering a MASSIVE Strike, Immunity to Poison & Disease, the ability to detect virginity (not much use in battle), etc. It's PL 8 in Combat, but against truly Evil Creatures, it acts as a powerful Ward or Stunning weapon. It also has a few benefits as a Protector of the Forests, being able to communicate with trees and find out what evil befouls their environment.