The Unicorns

Although now extinct, The Unicorns- *The Horned Pearls of Overworld, Living Birchwood, and many more, depending on the local fairytales*- were once anything but a myth.

Unicorns were common-place Fragments hunted to extinction shortly before the Apocalypse hit, leaving the doors wide open for it to ravage the Paradise. The crystalline bodies of these graceful creatures were imbued with raw Life Energy, with their mere presence encouraging plant growth of disproportionate size and bounty to todays Overworld, and even guarded against rot and disease- Commonly thought to prolong one's health… Or life.

The poaching of the Unicorns was no easy affair, and has cost the hunters many side effects due to the volatile nature of their powers-It has only became commonplace once the collective work of achemists and carvers found a method to preserve their bodies, and keep the energy in the remains focused and stable- Leading to the creation of the “Crystal Heart”, an artifact that we know today..

## Lore

When laws and ways of Nature first settled onto the newborn Overworld, and the Entity set its gaze onto other realms, its new Paradise soon grew wild without its guidance.

Trees swallowed the soil underneath them and grew to eclipse the ever-so-confused mobs beneath their branches, leading to restless mayhem- until the growing desert wiped it all out, and Nature could start anew right the following morn, with the same sprawling forests, fields with grass taller than men, and mountains overgrown by ivy to the last. snowcapped inch.

Perhaps it was the endless wisdom of water, or a gift from the moon who was forced to watch this procession of chaos every nightfall- But during one particular night, as Nature recalled its creator and yearned for its guidance, Its warped reflections appeared upon all the rivers and ponds across the Overworld.

And with a ray of moonlight and lattices that held the memory of the Entity best of all, the reflections leaped from the water- all unigue, but all an homage to the God of Creation. And so, the creatures we now recall as Unicorns started their immortal vigils on the Overworld...

## Apperance

Although their depiction sometimes boils down to beautiful, white horses, the reality was much more different- and per Paradisian ways, much more colorful.

The Unicorn's appearance could have reflected any of the creatures that lived in the biome they held vigil in- The only constants being their proclivity for hooved, ungulate form, their faces being covered by white, ceramic masks reminiscent of Entity’s and their legendary golden horn- and of course, their equally legendary beauty, the sight of which made kings kneel and poets hunt the unicorns more fiercely than any hunter.

The ancient stories say that at the beginning of Nature, all the waters of the Overworld held the reflection of the Entity- And from this reflection, the Unicorns sprang, scattering all over the world to upkeep what Entity has sown. Due to this creation, their bodies were made of material similar to sea glass- a living crystal, capable of stretch and movement, but shattering soon upon the Unicorn's death.

## Behavior

The inherent power held in bright-eyed nature's machinations was enough to give Unicorns a form and purpuse, but unlike all creations that Entity gave breath, being a mere reflection couldn't gift them a soul of their own.

Thus, Unicorns were technically much closer to undead than living mobs. The unicorns had no need for rest or food, only ever needing a body of clear water to sustain themselves and the flowers that took root between the lattinces of their glass forms.

They had no emotions and nearly no thought except for a constant drive to strengthen and guide the local flora, pruning the trees until they knew how to grow themselves, and spreading seedlings where needed- And nature, as if encouraged by its mere presence, took hold beneath their hoofprints in lush. This lushness *could* be overdone, and thus, to spread the Life Energy evenly, the Unicorns kept to constant movement.

The unicorns had a constant, all-knowing awareness of the biome they lived in, and went where it was most needed- these never ending migrations were called "Vigils". Where they went, they brought either plentiful harvests or caused parasitic plants to wither from the root.

## Powers

### Charm

Altrough not a power of own, the sight of a Unicorn filled most with instrinctive protectiveness. This earned them favor and love from forest-dwellers and even common animals, who guarded Unicorns where they wouldn't guarded themselves. This duty commonly fell to the nature-dwelling origins like Lupines and Dryads.

## Trivia

* Due to many similarities between them- opposing forces, one herald of civilization while the other untamed nature- Unicorns were and remain often thought of as "sister fragments" to Žar-Ptaks, and often appear together in tales and tapestries.

* They are used as heraldic symbols for subjects relating to alchemy, natural magics and healing.

* Other than radiation, the lingering power of the Unicorns could be the foundation for the "Dryads" and plant people of today