Unicorn
Climate/Terrain:
| Temperate sylvan woodlands |
|
Frequency:
| Rare
|
Organization:
| Family
|
Activity Cycle:
| Day
|
Diet:
| Herbivorous
|
Intelligence:
| Average (8-10)
|
Treasure:
| X
|
Alignment:
| Chaotic good
|
No. Appearing:
| 1-6
|
Armor Class:
| 2
|
Movement:
| 24
|
Hit Dice:
| 4+4
|
THAC0:
| 15
|
No. of Attacks:
| 3
|
Damage/Attack:
| 1-6/1-6/1-12
|
Special Attacks:
| Charge
|
Special Defenses:
| See below
|
Magic Resistance:
| Nil
|
Size:
| L
|
Morale:
| Elite (14)
|
XP Value:
| 650
|
Unicorns dwell only in temperate woodlands, away from human habitation. These
fierce but good creatures shun contact with all but sylvan creatures (dryads,
pixies, sprites, and the like); however, they will show themselves to defend
their woodland home.
Powerful steeds with gleaming coats of pure white hair, unicorn eyes are
usually deep sea blue or fiery pink. Long, silky white strands of hair hang down
from the mane and forelock. A single ivory-colored horn, 2 to 3 feet in length,
grows from the center of each unicorn's forehead. Males are distinguished by the
white beard beneath the chin; females by their more elegant and slimmer
musculature. The hooves of a unicorn are cloven and yellow-ivory in color. Unicorns
speak their own language as well as those of other sylvan creatures and elves.
Combat: Unicorns can sense an enemy from 240 yards away. Likewise, unicorns move very
silently, so opponents are penalized -6 on their surprise rolls. Unicorns can
kick with their front hooves and thrust with the horn each round. Due to the
horn's magical nature, it always has a +2 bonus to hit. Unicorns can charge into
battle, using the horn like a lance. To make this charge, there must be at least
30 feet of open space between the unicorn and his opponent. Opponents struck
by a charging unicorn suffer 3-36 points of damage from impaling. Unicorns may
not attack with their front hooves in the round they charge.
Once per day a unicorn can use a
teleport spell of limited range. This spell will transport the unicorn (and its rider)
to any place that the unicorn desires, up to 360 yards away. Unicorns often
use this ability as a last resort to avoid death or capture.
In addition, unicorns can never be
charmed or
held by magic. They are immune to death spells and make all saving throws against
spells as if they were wizards of 11th level. Unicorns are immune to poison.
Habitat/Society: Unicorns mate for life and make their home in an open dell of the forest they
have chosen to protect. There, in the boles of the trees, unicorns etch a
glyph, recognizable to sylvan creatures, indicating that the forest is under unicorn
protection. Rangers have a 10% chance per level of determining correctly
whether a forest is guarded by unicorns. Once a woodland has a unicorn protector, no
other unicorn will enter that forest unless the forest is very large. Each
family of unicorns stakes out a territory approximately 400 square miles (20 miles
by 20 miles).
Travelers may pass through a unicorn's forest freely and even hunt there, but
anyone killing for sport or damaging the forest maliciously will be attacked if
the unicorn is nearby (10% chance). The ferocity of this attack is determined
by the evil of the trespasser. Truant youths throwing stones at animals, for
example, would be driven off with just a few bruises as a reminder, while
pillaging orcs would be hunted down and slain.
Lone unicorns occasionally allow themselves to be tamed and ridden by a human
or elf maiden of pure heart and good alignment. A unicorn that submits once and
is treated kindly will act as the maiden's steed for life, even carrying her
beyond the realm of his forest if she so desires. Unicorns make exceptionally
loyal mounts and will protect their riders even unto death.
Ecology: Unicorns are herbivores, living on tender leaves and grasses. Their only
enemies are griffons and those creatures who destroy forests, in particular red
dragons and orcs.
The life span of unicorns has never been recorded but is known to surpass
1,000 years. They are believed to maintain their youth until death is only weeks
away. The secret to this longevity is the strong magical nature of the horn.
Unicorn horns are highly sought after, since possession of one is a sovereign
remedy against all poisons. Alternately, a single horn can be used, by an alchemist,
to manufacture 2-12 potions of
healing. Unicorn horns sell for 1,500 gold pieces or more on the open market.
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