Unicorns?

[Ireth]

In my WIP Summer's Blood, the protagonists come across multiple unicorns at various points on their quest through Faerie. The first two they encounter are a mother and her baby; the heroine of the novel rescues the baby unicorn from a dry well that it falls into. Much later they meet a male unicorn, probably the mate of the aforesaid mother unicorn, which one of the heroes rescues from some trouble; it serves an important purpose in the climax.

My question is, do you think the unicorns should be more on the people-with-hooves end of the scale, with the means to actually communicate with the protagonists (telepathy, perhaps), or more like animals with above-average intelligence? I don't want them to be purely animal like the unicorns in HP seem to be, because the fact that my unicorns are capable of understanding human speech (more so than a trained dog could) and even knowingly repaying debts means they have to be reasonably smart. I just don't want it to seem silly if I make them TOO intelligent. Your thoughts?

[Graylorne]

You could give them the mindset of an elephant, who cares for her young, mourn the dead, have a sense of humor, use tools and never forget who their enemies are. Perhaps they could communicate in mental pictures, instead of words?

Somehow the other end, a centaur-like unicorn, doesn't feel very Faerie..

[Ireth]

Good idea, Graylorne. I like that.

I don't mean "people with hooves" to refer to the unicorns being like centaurs. I mean that they'd still be horse-shaped (more or less; they have horsey heads and bodies and deer-like legs), but with human-like personalities and intelligence.

[Graylorne]

But what would they do with their intelligence without arms? Thinkers, philosophers?

That's why I thought of centaurs, able to manipulate things. Besides, pure white, elegant centaurs with horns would be something of a novelty...

[Ireth]

That's true, but that to me says more "hybrid" than "pure unicorn", and there are no centaurs mentioned at all in this series. I can kind of see a Pooka mating with a unicorn, if the Pooka was in equine form at the time... or maybe there's a Daoine Sidhe or other permanently-humanoid Fae out there who's into bestiality?

*sideways glance at Fiachra and his horse* >.>;

...nevermind, the horse is male. Fiachra's quite straight. But yeah.

[Graylorne]

Well, what's not there can't breed.

But hybrid, your pooka has a goblin-form and accidents can happen. Only would the result be pleasing? What would it be, a ubigob?

[Ireth]

...I dunno if I even want to think about what a goblicorn would look like. XDDD Might run counter to the overall mood of the story as well.

[Graylorne]

Quite probably. I 'm not a unicorn-expert, really. The only unicorn I have story-wise is in a concept. It's sarcastic, sour and actually a dethroned and bewitched elf-king. I don't really see my way in that story atm.

Probably your super-intelligent animal-type would be easier.

[Queshire]

Hmmm.... so let me guess, in the climax the unicorns have a big damn heroes moment where they come to the protagonist's assisstance?

If their only appearance is when they get helped by the protagonist and they then help the protagonist in turn, I'd just give them above-animal-not-quite-human intelligence. Human intelligence means speech, speech means talking to the protagonists and saying why they helped out. That's a scene you have to splice into your story that doesn't have anything to do with the plot. With above-animal-not-quite-human intelligence, there's no need for them to explain or talk to the protagonist.

[Ireth]

Hmmm.... so let me guess, in the climax the unicorns have a big damn heroes moment where they come to the protagonist's assisstance?

If their only appearance is when they get helped by the protagonist and they then help the protagonist in turn, I'd just give them above-animal-not-quite-human intelligence. Human intelligence means speech, speech means talking to the protagonists and saying why they helped out. That's a scene you have to splice into your story that doesn't have anything to do with the plot. With above-animal-not-quite-human intelligence, there's no need for them to explain or talk to the protagonist.

Yup, pretty much, though it's just one unicorn who shows up at the climax rather than a whole herd. And he doesn't come thundering in at the exact right moment, he's actually there shortly beforehand. But the effect is still the same, he still does his part to help save the day. XD

The reason the unicorns help the heroes out is quite simple -- the heroes helped them first, they're just repaying the debt. It's a bit of a theme throughout the book and its prequel.