Aureate Stags

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## Aureate Stag

* Golden-Crowned
* Broken-Crowned

### Location

The Oncewood of Parabola

> *"A magnificent specimen, bronze-flanked and crowned in burning gold. Such a steed all but guarantees victory in the Tournament."*
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> *"A silver runt, broken-crowned and midnight-eyed. Its coat is sheer silver and its crumpled antlers are seared with moonlight."*
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**Aureate Stags** are majestic creatures that reside in the **Oncewood** of Parabola – a dense forest of golden-needled trees where ash falls from a bleak sky. They are famous for being the fastest steeds behind the mirror, able to sprint *much* quicker than ordinary horses. They have golden pelts, soft skin, and antlers that glow like massive candleflames or pyres. When injured, their blood appears boiling or sizzling.

Aureate Stags travel in herds and can be tamed; their Parabolan handlers resemble animated golden statues of great height, and carry orbs and shepherd's crooks cast into their hands. During jousts these creatures' prowess is almost peerless; they are cunning fighters who defend with their antlers and hooves and attack with fierce bites and kicks. Aureate Stags usually eat oats, but they are also capable of consuming *enemy weapons*, and emit golden smoke from their ears upon doing so.

Some Aureate Stags have silver coats, black eyes, and broken antlers that emit light resembling moonlight. Known as **Aureate Runts**, these specimens are weaker than their kin and have a shy demeanor, but they are still formidable allies to those willing to give them a chance.

## References

2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"[...] the Aureate Stags of the Oncewood. The fastest short-distance beast of burden in all known Parabola. [...] With such an advantage over mere horses [...]"*
3. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"The Oncewood [...] a thick forest. The needles of the trees are dark gold. Flakes of white-grey fall from a brooding sky. [...] these are of ash, rather than snow."*
4. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"[...] a herd of gold-pelted stags. Their skin is soft as milk, their antlers crowned in a corona of light like candleflame."*
5. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"[...] stag rears as [...] wolf buries its teeth into its flank. Hot droplets of blood sizzle on the tourney ground."*
6. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"Someone has tamed this herd already."*
7. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"A woman – so tall [...] with skin of beaten gold [...] She carries a shepherd's crook and an orb, both of which seem to have been fitted to her hands, like metal cast for a statue."*
8. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"The woman's mouth is fixed in a brilliant smile."*
9. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"Just as she fires, your stag leaps. With one elegant motion it counters the smoking shot with its antlers and sends her shot hurtling back [...]"*
10. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"[...] your stag raises a hoof to counter his thrust [...]"*
11. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"[...] your stag – it leaps, mouth wide. It bites the first smoky lance [...] capturing it. The Satrap flails but cannot free it."*
12. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"[...] your stag raises a hoof to counter [...] then kicks him hard in the chest. The Prince goes down [...]"*
13. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"[...] he feeds his Aureate Stag oats from a large bag."*
14. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"Your stag leaps [...] With five quick bites it breaks the lances [...] and swallows them down. A few puffs of golden smoke emerge from its furry ears."*
15. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"A silver runt, broken-crowned and midnight-eyed. Its coat is sheer silver and its crumpled antlers are seared with moonlight."*
16. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"A silver Aureate Runt, [...]"*
17. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"[...] you spot a single silver stag, hanging back from the herd."*
18. ↑ The Fair Unknown, *Fallen London* *"There is no guarantee of victory – but you will not surrender without a fight."*