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Unicorn NPCs

October 23rd, 2017

Alex Riggs

Exotic Encounters Archive

It’s Unicorn Week here at Necromancers of the Northwest, so we’re celebrating one staple fantasy creature that doesn’t seem to get much love. Perhaps it’s because they’re a paltry CR 3, or perhaps it’s because, as good-aligned creatures, PCs are unlikely to fight them, but unicorns hardly seem to see any use, outside maybe serving as a mount to a paladin with Leadership who doesn’t want a flying pegasus for some reason. Rather than reinvent the wheel with a new unicorn stat-block, this week’s article provides ten unicorns with personality that can give you an excuse to use these majestic and iconic steeds in your game.

 

1. Caratacos, the Courier. With a short mane and a mother-of-pearl coat, this young unicorn is exceptionally lithe of build, with strong yet slender legs. His horn is short, straight, and narrow, coming to a sharp point at the end. He is known for his speed and his endurance both, and he is most often found on some quest or another on behalf of nymphs, treants, druids, and other sylvan creatures, delivering objects that must travel swiftly and safely, and are too large or too important to entrust to birds for delivery.

2. Feidlmid, the Gregarious. Her mane is long and luxurious, and seems to be made of threads of pure gold. Her horn, which is usually seen adorned with various hanging pieces of jewelry and gem-studded baubles, is smooth and polished, white and gleaming like a pearl, and forms a spiral shape, coming to a delicate rounded end. More than simply friendly, she is exceptionally amorous with beautiful young women that she meets, although her interest vanishes if she determines that the woman in question is not “sufficiently pure of heart and body.”

3. Galchobhar, the Transmuted. Born a gnome, Galchobar was transmuted into a unicorn by an enchantress whom he angered, as punishment for a prank that he played which was not well-received. For a time, he was forced to serve as the enchantress’s steed, but she eventually grew bored of him. Although he tells himself (and those he meets) that he is travelling in search of a way to return to his original form, the truth is that Galchobar has become rather accustomed to life as a unicorn, and is conflicted about the possibility of transforming back.

4. Cunobelinus, the Wise. This wizened, grey mare of a unicorn has a long, shaggy mane and deep, soulful eyes. Her horn was broken long ago, and only about half of it remains on her head, ending in an uneven surface that was once sharp and jagged, but has been worn smooth by time. She lives in retirement deep in a secluded forest glade, protected by numerous lesser fey, but is willing to grant counsel and knowledge to those who can pass her three trials.

5. Cynwrig, the Hunted. Cynwrig belongs to an extremely rare breed of unicorn, with a bright yellow coat that seems almost golden when the sun hits him just right, and a bright red mane and tail. His horn forms a spiral shape, with three bands: red, yellow, and white, all intertwining with one another. No unicorn with his unique features has been seen in centuries, and for the last two decades he has been constantly on the run from a dark wizard who is intent on taking Cynwrig’s horn, which he believes is even more potent a reagent than other unicorn horns.

6. Dazzlebud, the Glamorous. Vanity incarnate, this unicorn’s narcissism is made at least somewhat understandable by the fact that she truly is radiantly, blindingly beautiful to behold. Her mane and tail are shimmering and opalescent, each hair seeming to act as a prism and catch the light in a rainbow of vibrant colors. Her horn is a gleaming, white marble, veined with pink, delicate and exquisite on the eyes. She takes great offense at having to look at anything that doesn’t live up to her standards for beauty, and has little patience or attention span for anything not involving her own looks.

7. Nabrir, the Ancient. This mighty charger is said to be hundreds, perhaps thousands of years old, although he does not seem to have aged a day past his prime. His coat is black, his mane and tail shimmering like obsidian. His horn is a striking yellow shade, and has an unusual jagged shape, reminiscent of a lightning bolt. When he speaks, it is like thunder. He is said to appear once every century or so to marshal an army of sylvan crusaders and strike out against evil and corruption (although his definition of evil has, on more than one occasion, included encroaching civilization).

8. Clovertoes, the Wanderer. This chestnut-coated unicorn has a long, stringy mane of a striking green shade, which hangs down the side of her neck like strands of moss. She often wears flowers woven into her hair, making it appear like a floral curtain in some wondrous garden. Her horn is not straight at all, but twisted and bent, arcing this way and that, like a tree branch, although it has only a single point. She is rarely found in any one place long, and never returns to places she’s been, wandering in an endless trek across the wild places of the world.

9. Drafrisas, the Reveler. Flighty and fickle, Drafrisas cares for nothing other than revelry and merriment, and is always quick to attempt to bring others into his games, quickly tiring of those who can’t get into the spirit. Although the young unicorn stallion means well, he has a tendency to party hard, and is completely irresponsible, often leading his companions into one troublesome situation after another (and the rate at which he consumes alcohol and narcotics does nothing to help these tendencies). Most frustrating of all, the problems Drafrisas creates only seem to be problems for others, and he himself never suffers the consequences.

10. Triotrex, the Pure. Completely white and spotless from head to toe, Triotrex actually seems to glow with some kind of inner light, that only serves to accentuate her immaculate coat and pristine mane and horn. Dirt and debris seem unwilling to cling to her, no matter where she treks, leaving her always unsullied. She has rather extreme views regarding the purity of unicorns as a race, and believes that they must refrain from associating with lesser creatures like humanoids. Afraid that those who break this taboo may corrupt the rest, she strongly counsels for the exile or even death of “impure” unicorns.