video; un: weishappened

[weisshappened]

Type: Video
Sender ID: weishappened (Davrin)
To: All
Subject: Horse Training
Warnings: N/A


[The video is of a rocky shoreline, under a grey autumn sky. A small handful of the demon horses can be seen grazing on washed up seaweed.]

[Davrin slowly lowers the camera back down, turning it to face himself. Both he and Assan the griffon, are perched on a couple rocks higher up. Out of immediate view of the horses.]

I know we're supposed to be gathering clippings from these things but... call me crazy.

[Assan lifts his head from where he'd had it balanced on his foreclaws, looking skeptical.]

- Not you. [Then back to the camera.] Anybody tried maybe... taming one of them?

[They're no halla, but maybe it'd be a good idea to have a horse around for land-based travel.]

Comments

video; un: seasaltkeys

[seasaltkeys]

That a good idea?

[His expression is curious. And maybe just this side of skeptical.]

text UN:🖕nunya🖕

[telepathicignorance]

(...Huh.)

You might be onto something.

(Having a form of land transport might not be a bad idea.)

[weisshappened]

No clue. But I guess I'll find out.

[Way to be a role model, Davrin.]

[weisshappened]

Yeah?

Figure if we can't totally tame them, getting them used to people means better access to their hair.

text; un: crystalrepose

[crystalrepose]

Oh, I know these! The--horses, gamigin, not the bird creature of yours.

And I have seen a tamed gamigin, as a matter of fact. It had grown a horn on its head, unlike the rest of its kind. I'm less certain of how one would set about doing that, however. The one coachman I saw with one was...well, he probably had all the time he liked to do so.

[weisshappened]

That's Assan. He's here with me from home.

Know anything else about them? What they eat, things to watch out for? That kind of thing.

[seasaltkeys]

[Sliding towards the skeptical side.]

That just sounds, kinda dangerous.

[empyrean_mirror]

...I think you'd probably want a lot of protective equipment, first. Even normal horses are pretty dangerous when feral.

[Says a man with a unicorn.]

[weisshappened]

I'm a Grey Warden. And a monster hunter.

My sense of "dangerous" is a little skewed.

[weisshappened]

Like what? Armor?

You can't move well enough in armor to approach wild animals. You want quiet and slow. Armor... well. You're slow.

[empyrean_mirror]

Only if it's metal. Wouldn't something padded at least add some layers between you and the...teeth?

[And the hooves and the horns and...]

I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but I've heard a horse can shatter bones with a single kick. I imagine these don't hit any less hard.

[weisshappened]

I appreciate the concern. But I've been handling animals since I was a kid.

[He holds up a hand.] I'm not saying I'm not going to be careful, just that wild animals aren't new to me... Do you know anything about these horses, specifically?

[empyrean_mirror]

These ones? No...my husband wouldn't let me take the manta request.

[Kaveh huffs loudly.] I swear, I bring home one rescue and he thinks I'll adopt any animal I see!

[weisshappened]

Hah. I hear that happens. I mean, look at me.

[He gestures over his shoulder to where Assan is curled. The griffon flicks an ear.]

Already got one kid, looking to pick up another.

[empyrean_mirror]

I mean, they're quite a handsome young one, I can't say I don't understand the impulse.

[Kaveh chuckles a little, and then turns his phone slightly so Nima--an actual goddamn unicorn--is in frame.

And...all the chocobo...don't worry about those.]

Nima got a little too big for the island we live on, so we had to bring her over to a larger space...I think she likes being with the flock, though.

[weisshappened]

[Assan lifts his head, clearly hearing that-]

This is Assan. He came from Thedas with me.

[And - what. What is that.]

Your horse has a horn. [Because it can't actually be what it looks like. Right?]

[empyrean_mirror]

They're called unicorns, apparently. Nima is native to this world.

[He's going to give her chinscritches, for being a very good girl!]

She was in...a rather terrible situation, but seems to have imprinted on me after we saved her. How long have you known Assan?

[weisshappened]

I... was kind of thinking you were about to say that.

[He's only heard the word a few times, in passing. In legends. There's never been one actually seen, as far as he knows.]

I can definitely understand taking her in, in that case. As for Assan... well. Since he hatched. And launched himself at me.

video

[obliviscere]

What would you do with them if you did tame one?

[siege_harder]

Crazy.

[ There's amusement in Varric's voice, though as he shakes his head and watches the images play out. Those creatures don't look like anything he'd want to mess with, under any circumstances. ]

Have things been too tame for you lately or something, Warden?

[crystalrepose]

They're not nearly as skittish as a normal horse; I'm not sure if anything frightens them at all. If something tries to startle them they'll trample it first and ask questions later, and kick you if you avoid the first charge.

They also bite. I assume you'd like to keep your fingers.

[weisshappened]

I was waiting for that.

[Darin does chuckle though, taking the comment in stride - he did ask for it.]

Without darkspawn around, I've got to do something risky, or else I get dismissed from the Wardens. [This wise guy-] But, we aren't really spoiled for land travel options here. Figured this might help, if we can get it tamed.

[weisshappened]

What most people'd do with a horse, probably. It'd be nice to have a decent transport on land around here.

[obliviscere]

Honestly, I've never ridden one. Or seen one up close. [ ... or not so up close. But she's had pretty limited experiences. ] Do you think it'd want to be ridden as transport?

[weisshappened]

That's actually good to know. If they're less skittish, that makes the approach simpler. I don't want to startle them.

Yeah... fingers tend to be helpful.