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Horses on RuneScape

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Ancient Drew

Ancient Drew

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Before anyone starts bashing, please hear me out. I honestly believe horses do exist on RuneScape, but now are extremely rare and elusive. Evidence is shown in Twice Burnt, when a Zarosian expedition into Relekka, Char was said to have tended horses. She even rode one on this expedition. This proves that horses used to exist in the Second Age.

There are also unicorns found in numerous places around Gielinor. I believe the horses were mostly wiped out in the God Wars when Zamorak destroyed Forinthry, and the unicorns survived due to intervention by the gods. Normal unicorns are found near the Barbarian Village and around Kandarin, and these are aligned with Saradomin. Black unicorns are found dotted around the Wilderness where Forinthry once stood, and Relekka. It is possible that since Zamorak set foot around these areas, the unicorns there were infused with chaos energy, and that Saradomin protected the other unicorns with his own enchantments.

Horses in RuneScape seem to parallel rabbits in the Zelda series. Rabbits are never found in OoT or MM but the Bunny Hood provides a reference. Meanwhile, they are found in games set after the timeline split from OoT. As for horses here, the unicorn stallion familiar provides a reference with its examine text. There are plenty of other references to horses as well.

I believe that horses might return in the future, or may show up in different worlds such as Teragard. New Domina is unlikely because the planet turns very slowly which is why the Icyene migrate into daylight, to stay out of the cold which would kill them as well as horses.
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29-Feb-2016 14:35:16 - Last edited on 29-Feb-2016 15:04:37 by Ancient Drew

Cybernet377
Aug Member 2008

Cybernet377

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I really think the Lores and Histories are written by someone who has only the vaguest possible knowledge of Runescape.

Worth Comes in Battle also has Ozan, Ariane, and Raptor riding horses. No one questions this, finds it odd, or even wonders what superpowered mutant horse could carry Raptor and all of his armour and weaponry, given that his armour is so heavy that the PC wonders in examine text how he can even move.

29-Feb-2016 14:50:29

Eren Lapucet

Eren Lapucet

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I think your worry people will bash you is misplaced. More like people will roll their eyes, because this is a very very old topic, lol.

Eli Bacon: "Just look what happened to those useless no-horned unicorns that were all over the place a few years ago. When people worked out they tasted good they were wiped right out!"

Sylas owns a hornless unicorn.

The Karamja cart system is run by horses.

There are horses in the RS novels.

PoP: "Your ship (...) has passed an island where natives ride on strange beasts like hornless unicorns"

There are many other references, including Worth Comes in Battle.

Summary: Horses existed for a long time, and only became extinct in the last few years of the Fifth Age. It is possible that horses will appear in the future, like in Wushanko. However I wouldn't push my luck, since jmods have talked about horses in the last few years, and it seems like they aren't taking horses seriously.

Mod Wilson in the BHtB FAQ: "All the useless no-horned unicorns were eaten. Horses are still right there...invisibly hiding behind the scenery and tantalisingly unridable. :P "

Which is hard to tell if it's merely a joke or if there's a distinction between horses and hornless unicorns. Another thing we argued about extensively at one point.
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29-Feb-2016 14:52:33 - Last edited on 29-Feb-2016 14:57:25 by Eren Lapucet

sir eos lee

sir eos lee

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1) All known horses were eaten.
2) There are no horses in Runescape.
3) Any horses that do exist are called so because the person is telling a joke or exaggerating.

So in Worth Comes in Battle, the person who was talking about "Horses" was embellishing the tale.
The Raptor was clearly riding on a giant Battle Kyatt or even a Dragon. But in Runescape, such things are common or "ho-hum". So to make The Raptor sound even cooler, the story teller said "horses".


In real life, common men ride horses into battle, while heroes and myth ride Pegasus, Unicorns, Dragons and more.
In Runescape, common warriors ride Battle Tortoises, Dragons, , unicorns, and terror birds, while heroes of myth and legend ride horses.

29-Feb-2016 14:54:24 - Last edited on 29-Feb-2016 14:57:02 by sir eos lee

Lego Miester
Nov Member 2023

Lego Miester

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The novels I don't really take as strict canon, Sylas probably sawed a horn off a poor unicorn, the horse dialogue of the karamja system was removed so we can only assume it's now the cart driver hauling the cart himself (now there's a great mental image! Yah! Faster!) Headcanon Haven, where everything is made up and the points don't matter.
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29-Feb-2016 16:27:46

Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

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There is a reference to the lack of horses in RuneScape when Eli says "Just look at those useless no-horned unicorns that were all over the place a few years ago. When people worked out they tasted good they were wiped right out!".

From Binging Home the Bacon, there you go it's canon. Horses were all eaten during the 5th Age.
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29-Feb-2016 19:16:07

Aquamancer
May Member 2011

Aquamancer

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Solanumtinkr said :
There is a reference to the lack of horses in RuneScape when Eli says "Just look at those useless no-horned unicorns that were all over the place a few years ago. When people worked out they tasted good they were wiped right out!".

From Binging Home the Bacon, there you go it's canon. Horses were all eaten during the 5th Age.


That, however, is utterly nonsensical. Horses have been a useful animal for people for millennia, and it honestly makes no sense why people would suddenly give up and eat all of them: it hasn't happened in real life even when we have had no use for horses for a century, so why would Gielinor be ay different? Riding is the fastest way for people to travel and deliver messages, and teleportation and magic are way too exclusive for majority of the medieval society of RuneScape to use. Besides, there are carts and horseshoes and various other features that clearly show that the role horses are intended still exists, so clearly people use mounts for something even in the Sixth Age, even when we never see it.

29-Feb-2016 19:53:49

Solanumtinkr

Solanumtinkr

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Maybe they use Oxen to pull things about. But with teleporting being as easy as it has become with the lodestone network, and the advancement of the banking network, I'm betting that the loss of horses wasn't really noticed that much.

It's only overseas that requires shipping these days. They probably still have horses. This side of the pond, if the animal has no great use and tastes good, they'll be gobbled up like a candy store invaded by a gaggle of hyperactive kindergarteners. :P
The purpose of adventure is to shine light into dark places,
Poke monsters with a sharp stick, Then steal anything that isn't nailed down!
To the Manor Born QFC 185-186-367-65788716

29-Feb-2016 20:17:37 - Last edited on 29-Feb-2016 20:20:18 by Solanumtinkr

Chaos Lupus

Chaos Lupus

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Lego Miester said :
The novels I don't really take as strict canon, Sylas probably sawed a horn off a poor unicorn, the horse dialogue of the karamja system was removed so we can only assume it's now the cart driver hauling the cart himself (now there's a great mental image! Yah! Faster!)


The novels are canon where not contradicted by the game,. They took place in 164 of the Fifth Age, and Eli Bacon explains why there aren't any around anymore.
The strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the wolf is the pack.

29-Feb-2016 20:19:29

Ancient Drew

Ancient Drew

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Solanumtinkr said :
There is a reference to the lack of horses in RuneScape when Eli says "Just look at those useless no-horned unicorns that were all over the place a few years ago. When people worked out they tasted good they were wiped right out!".

From Binging Home the Bacon, there you go it's canon. Horses were all eaten during the 5th Age.
That reminds me of the horse meat scandal that's been going around. Restaurants apparently substituted beef, pork, lamb etc. with horse meat to keep costs down back in 2013.
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29-Feb-2016 20:23:31

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