Horse

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This article is about hornless unicorns. For horned horses, see unicorns.
The myth in motion

The horse is a creature that does not exist. However, there are many in-game references to this mythical creature.

Mentions

Mentions in NPC dialogue

  • Sylas mentions that he managed to acquire a hornless unicorn.[1]
  • When summoning K'klik in Recipe for Disaster, the player may choose to ask him for a horse, to which he replies that there are no horses in Gielinor.[2]
  • The dialogue of the pet Little Nightmare jokingly references horses as a non-existent entity.[3]
  • When talking to Hugor in Land's End he will ask where horses go, to which the player replies: "I've no idea what a Horse is my friend".[4]
  • Both Marley in Below Ice Mountain and Captain Braindeath in Rum Deal tell the player to "hold your horses".[5][6]
  • Captain Lawgof joyously exclaims that "the cavalry" has arrived at the beginning of Dwarf Cannon.[7] This term is derived from the Late Latin word caballus, which means 'horse'.
  • Sami mentions that camels are "far more useful than any horse or donkey".[8]
  • Sir Renitee will initially refuse to let the player use the outline of a horse as their heraldic crest, declaring the rumours that circulate about the beast to be insufficient proof of their existence.[9] Nevertheless, the chief herald of Falador will relent if shown a convincing carved figurine of the fabulous being, in the form of a toy horsey.[10]
  • Members of certain polities within Gielinor claim to uphold a code of morals they name 'chivalry', including the Varrockian aristocracy according to Dimintheis, and almost certainly the Knights of the Round Table, as illustrated by Sir Bedivere deriding the Black Knights for their 'unchivalrous' tactics, as well as their Knight Waves Training Grounds granting the player the ability to unlock the chivalry prayer.[11][12][13] The term 'chivalry', by way of the Old French chevaler, leads back to the Late Latin word for horseman, caballarius.
  • After sharing various stories that claim to retell the origin of Koschei's immortality, Thorvald the warrior is asked by the adventurer what he makes of the matter, to which he answers: "I believe you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth".[14] The injunction not to gaze into the equine jaw understands the horse as a kind of abyss.
  • Attempting to search information on horses using a state-of-the-art Zarosian information database results in one receiving an error message.[15]

Mentions in examine text

  • The peculiar foot print display in the Varrock museum shows the print of a horseshoe. Its examine text mentions that "the shape of this foot print must have belonged to a mythical animal..."
  • A cart at the Ruins of Unkah has the following message when examined: "Best used with a horse".
  • All unicorns have the examine text "Horse with a horn".
  • Their foals meanwhile are described using a slight variation, as "Horned Horsey".
    • Despite these descriptions, Alec Kincade of the Myths' Guild argues there to be no affiliation whatsoever between the horse and unicorn, stating the resemblance to be "purely superficial".[16]
  • When examining certain unicorn statues in the Hallowed Sepulchre, they display the following message in the chat box: "If it didn't have its horn, what would it be called?".
  • There is also a statue of a decapitated wizard one can encounter there, which the examine text speculates could be "A statue of a Saradomin wizard? Or maybe a Dullahan of Saradomin?" The Dullahan is a figure of Irish folklore, often depicted as a headless horseman riding a black horse.
  • When examining a Crystalline Unicorn in The Gauntlet, it displays the following message in the chatbox: "A crystal formed horse with a crystal formed horn".
  • Examining one of the two Centaurs that reside in the Enchanted Valley will lead to the cryptic term "Horseplay" being displayed.
  • The examine text of the metal pieces that can be seen on the wall of Horvik's Smithy in Varrock reads: "These would make fine shoes for... um... unicorns".
  • In the examine text of various carts, a mysterious mention of 'horsepower' is made: "One horsepower; wooden suspension: a beauty". This may imply an ancient animistic belief according to which a carriage is granted power in virtue of being possessed by these mythic creatures.
  • While attempting to hide behind the pseudonym "Ali", the true nature of Jasim and Ibil is revealed upon examination, when the voice in your head describes either camel as "a foul tempered, ugly, lumpy, yellow horse prone to spitting".

Item mentions

  • Toy horsies were released as a joke in April 2004 due to many player requests for horses in-game. These equine effigies can be purchased from Diango's Toy Store in four different finishes.
  • The silhouette of a horse can be painted onto heraldic armour at an easel in one's player-owned house, which include:
  • An item called 'horse shoe' could be found in the files of the RuneScape 2 beta, though players were not able to obtain it. Its examine text stated that it "brings good luck", implying that the horse may have been regarded as some sort of agent of providence, favouring those who carry its attributes.
  • Rada's census mentions a farrier - a specialist in equine hoof care. Why the farrier is considered a skilled inhabitant of Kourend is unclear, given that horses do not exist.

Mentions in updates and letters

  • Farmer Fred recounts finding a book by the name of The woolen horse of Troy at a meeting of the Group of Advanced Gardeners, inspiring him to fashion the Trojan cow.[17]
  • In the very first of the God Letters, Saradomin acknowledges the popularity of these so-called 'horses' among the playerbase, writing: "It seems many of you yearn for the creation of a four-legged riding creature, commonly referred to as a horse".[18]
  • In the very last of the God Letters, Saradomin is asked by a correspondent to "inquire to me what exactly do Toy Horses do?", to which the deity replies: "Certainly! What exactly do Toy Horses do?".[19]
  • When the question "Do you think you will create horses for our worlds?" is put to Zamorak, he confidently writes back: "Maybe. Hope that cleared that up for you".[20]
  • According to a response written by Alec Kincade published in a Postbag from the Hedge, Freja asserts that these elusive creatures may once have roamed the desolate arctic wastes of Acheron, declaring them to be vastly more dangerous than any of their alleged hooved relatives.[21]
  • Jerico defends the honour of the pigeons he keeps in an earlier edition of the Postbag, boasting they were used by the king of Ardougne as messenger birds in times of war, carrying vital information past besieging forces "faster than any horse" could.[22] Although the fanciful comparison to the speed of a 'horse' is likely but a hyperbolic flourish proper to a boastful tone of language, he enigmatically goes on to moderate his claim by stating there aren't "any of them left these days", or at least "not around here". Perhaps Jerico is alluding to the same conviction voiced by Freja, that the last remaining horses of legend may have yet survived extinction on the barren planes of uninhabitable Acheron.
  • At the end of a rather elaborate equipment rebalance blog on the subject of the prevalent Ranged meta, the developers applaud any reader who has made it through the long-winded explanations of arcane concepts like "effective Defence", and ascribe them the ability to "command the power of armies" as well as "punch a horse to the ground".
  • On the occasion of the fatigue system's introduction, a behind the scenes update post commented that adventurers could finally rejoice in the fact they could catch some well-deserved rest, even though they would have to do so while standing up. This caveat was then softened to some degree by reminding readers that "horses seem to manage OK", before immediately expressing regret at having invoked the name of that species, as if it were a curse: "Oh dear, horses. Probably shouldn't have said that word...".
  • During the final performance of the Runestone Basalt ARG, clue hunters were instructed to deliver a message "to a horseman in an ancient tongue".[23] Although he is not a horse, the horseman in question was revealed to be Diango, which was justified as follows in the official retrospective on the event: "What? He’s a horseman, he sells horses!".[24] Other aspects of Diango tie him to the 'horse' besides the horse-shaped statuettes he sells: for one, there appear to be spurs attached to his boots, which together with his leather chaps and distinctively shaped hat, grant him the semblance of a 'cowboy', that is to say a herder of animals said to perform their duties on horseback. While Diango is neither a cow nor a horse, these clues could point to him being some sort of hybrid beast, a motif not uncommon to the mythological realm the horse inhabits.
  • A poll blog proposing to buff the Greater Corruption spell by decreasing its accuracy boost follows up this paradoxical statement with a mandate to clutch one's 'horses'.[25]
  • A short biographical description of Sir Tristram could be read in the Area Guide to Seers' Village on the former Knowledge Base, where it is claimed Sir Tristam once knocked King Arthur off a 'horse' during a 'joust', earning him the title of 'jouster'.[26] The conjuration of a horse in this narrative is likely not to be interpreted literally, which is signalled by the author in the act of placing the story within the mythological realm of Britain.

Mentions in seasonal events

  • When tasked with the bulk purchase of toys from Diango during the 2017 Christmas event, the player asks in response: "Who's goin ta pony up?".[27] The so-called 'pony' that features in this idiomatic expression is thought to be a close mythological variant of the 'horse', although less power is generally attributed to it, making it a sort of 'lesser horse'.
  • During the 2018 Halloween event, the player had to help Eric write a scary story, which at one point involved a terrifying beast known as a 'horse' jumping out of the protagonist's toy cupboard.
  • During the 2021 Birthday event, the player had to catch a monkey riding on a unicorn, whose examine text stated: "Perhaps the monkey confused it for a... nevermind".
  • When handing Wyson the gardener his secret Santa present during the 2021 Christmas event, he wonders aloud: "What could it be... a hornless unicorn? Pumpkin pie? A party hat?".[28]
  • When attempting to enter the Christmas portal before starting the 2022 Christmas event, Santa Claus will stop the player and tell them "Ho Ho Hold your horses!" with the player character questioning what a horses is afterwards.[29][30]

Miscellaneous mentions

 Horse hit
The unused "horse hit" sound effect
File:Horse hit.ogg
  • An unused sound effect exists in the game files named horse_hit. The sound's creator Mod Ian later recalled: "I remember trying hard to make the sound of horse before finally deciding it was just to[sic] difficult".[31]
  • Kanel, one of Gertrude's sons, can be found playing with a toy model of the fabled creature.
  • When travelling on Hajedy's cart, the chatbox will mention that the cart is pulled by horses, although these are never seen in-game.[32]
    • By way of a letter published in the Postbag from the Hedge, an inquisitive adventurer appropriately asks Alec Kincade, the head of the Myths' Guild, to shine his light on this equine myth. In his response, Kincade states to have surveilled the aforementioned Hajedy, but that his agents' hunt for the horse did not bear fruit. According to Kincade, the cart driver's fabulous claim to transport people by 'horse' are likely a marketing ploy meant to lure in the gullible.[33]
  • There is a Flying Horse Inn in East Ardougne; a sign explains its namesake to hail from a delusion "often seen after 10 pints".
  • The shape of the North Brimhaven mine is thought to resemble some attribute of the mythical being, as it is labelled "the horseshoe mine" in the Karamja Achievement Diary.
  • The children in Mr. Mordaut's classroom keep a rocking horse in the shape of a unicorn at the back of the class.
  • Both the Neitiznot and the Jatizso coat of arms contain a squared section flanked by two heraldic animals at their centre, which appear to be shaped in the likeness of this mythological beast.
  • While visiting Emma or the Hairdresser, the range of hairstyles the adventurer can choose from includes a "ponytail" as well as a "side pony". Hair that is worn in this manner is believed to resemble the tail of a 'pony', which is the diminished specimen of 'horse' alluded to above.

Gallery

  • The entry for this cryptid in Jagex's internal "Lore Bible"
    The entry for this cryptid in Jagex's internal "Lore Bible"
  • The sign of the Flying Horse Inn
    The sign of the Flying Horse Inn
  • A coat of arms purportedly depicting the chimeric creature
    A coat of arms purportedly depicting the chimeric creature
  • A small child playing with a toy figure of the imaginary animal
    A small child playing with a toy figure of the imaginary animal
  • A monumental artwork thought to have been inspired by a 'horse'
    A monumental artwork thought to have been inspired by a 'horse'
  • This cart is believed by some to be possessed by invisible spirit 'horses', granting it power and locomotion
    This cart is believed by some to be possessed by invisible spirit 'horses', granting it power and locomotion
  • A charlatan exploiting myths of the illustrious beast for personal profit
    A charlatan exploiting myths of the illustrious beast for personal profit
  • The mark of the beast
    The mark of the beast
  • An eclectic collection of symbols attributed to the 'horse'
    An eclectic collection of symbols attributed to the 'horse'
  • The legendary 'horse' features as a boogeyman in the 'Tale of Derek'
    The legendary 'horse' features as a boogeyman in the 'Tale of Derek'
  • Imaginary though intimidating
    Imaginary though intimidating
  • A "lumpy yellow horse"
    A "lumpy yellow horse"
  • A coat of arms displaying fanciful heraldic animals
    A coat of arms displaying fanciful heraldic animals
  • On the frozen wastes of Acheron far beyond the Lunar Sea, horses may once have galloped
    On the frozen wastes of Acheron far beyond the Lunar Sea, horses may once have galloped

Trivia

  • In the real world, unicorns are mythological beasts based on horses, while in RuneScape, this is reversed. However, unicorns do not seem to have been domesticated, and unlike horses in the real world, are not used as a mode of transport, nor are they used for industrial or agricultural purposes.
  • Many parallels can be drawn between real life horses and camels in RuneScape. For example, Drunken Ali has a dialogue line with the joke 'A camel walks into the bar and orders a pint. The barman asks 'Why the long face!'', which is usually told with a horse instead of a camel in real life.[34] In the feathered journal from the Eagles' Peak quest, Arthur Artimus writes 'I could eat a camel right now', which is based on the identical real life idiom where the camel is replaced with a horse.[35] Finally, when Akila reflects on why he was granted the chance to linger on after his death, he concludes his musing by repeating a saying popular among Menaphite scholars: "Don’t look a gift camel in the mouth!".[36]

See also

  • Camel, a type of even-toed ungulate that is not fictional.
  • Donkey, a species of hoofed mammal thought to be closely related to the 'horse'.

References

  1. ^ Sylas in Grim Tales. Old School RuneScape. "Ah, well I'm glad you asked. My most prized possession to date: Through my connections, I managed to acquire a horn-less Unicorn! [Player: Really? That's amazing! A unicorn without a horn?]"
  2. ^ K'klik in Recipe for Disaster. Old School RuneScape. "[Player: I'd like a horse, please.] No horses in Gielinor. Try again."
  3. ^ Little Nightmare. Old School RuneScape. "[If you're a nightmare, would a male version of you be a nighthorse?] What's a horse?"
  4. ^ Hugor. Old School RuneScape. "Nope, tastes mighty fine! Any chance you *hic* know where Horses go? [Player: The what?] The Horses! [Player: Ah, the 'Horses'... How unfortunate, the wine has made you delirious. I've no idea what a Horse is my friend.]"
  5. ^ Marley in Below Ice Mountain. Old School RuneScape. "Woah woah woah, hold your horses there friend! I can't just eat anything. I have very specific dietary requirements."
  6. ^ Captain Braindeath in Rum Deal. Old School RuneScape. "Hold yer horses, [lad/lass]! While ye was off gallivantin' with yer slimy aquatic playmates, the 'rum' achieved spiritual critical mass."
  7. ^ Captain Lawgof in Dwarf Cannon. Old School RuneScape. "Guthix be praised, the cavalry has arrived! Hero, how would you like to be made an honorary member of the Black Guard?"
  8. ^ Sami. Old School RuneScape. "Ah wondrous creatures, ships of the desert, far more useful than any horse or donkey. A man's best friend."
  9. ^ Sir Renitee. Old School RuneScape. "A horse? I know people talk about them, but I'm not at all sure they ever existed. I don't think I could let you use one as your symbol unless you can fetch me some kind of model of one."
  10. ^ Sir Renitee. Old School RuneScape. "Ah, I see you've brought a toy horse for me to see. An interesting beast. Certainly you can use that as your crest if you like, although it seems a bit strange to me."
  11. ^ Dimintheis in Family Crest. Old School RuneScape. "Well, there is a long standing rule of chivalry amongst the Varrockian aristocracy, where each noble family is in possession of a unique crest, which signifies the honour and lineage of the family."
  12. ^ Sir Bedivere in King's Ransom. Old School RuneScape. "We are true knights who fight for honour. Those Black Knights didn't fight fair, so we were unprepared. Most unchivalrous of them."
  13. ^ Lithil. Old School RuneScape. "Ugh, of course not. The fool says he won't fight a woman. That demon thinks he's a pillar of chivalry."
  14. ^ Thorvald the warrior in The Fremennik Trials. Old School RuneScape. "Some say he cannot die, for he has hidden his heart outside of his body to be kept forever safe in a duck egg. Others say he has been cursed by the gods to wander this land forever, never knowing any peace in his life, but only combat. Some claim that the sword he carries is the source of all his power, and if he should lose it, then exactly one minute later, he will turn back into his true form; A weakened, lame, old man. [Player: And what do you believe?] I believe you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth."
  15. ^ Golem (Desert Treasure II) in Desert Treasure II - The Fallen Empire. Old School RuneScape. "Horses
    Designation: Error
    Status: Error
    Last Known Location: Error
    Notes: ??????????"
  16. ^ Alec Kincade. Postbag 32: "Equine myths and Trials of Fire". Letter 4. Old School RuneScape Postbags from the Hedge. Jagex. "It's true that the traditional depiction of horses looks a bit like a unicorn, but our research suggests the resemblance is purely superficial."
  17. ^ Farmer Fred. Postbag 8: "Pull the udder one!". Letter 3. RuneScape Postbags from the Hedge. Jagex. "Well, I was at a GAG meeting the other night and I noticed a book called “The woolen horse of Troy” or something like that. Gave me an idea…"
  18. ^ God Letter 1: "Saradomin Speaks". RuneScape God Letters. Jagex.
  19. ^ God Letter 27: "Saradomin Enlightens". RuneScape God Letters. Jagex.
  20. ^ God Letter 15: "Zamorak speaks his mind once more". RuneScape God Letters. Jagex.
  21. ^ Alec Kincade. Postbag 32: "Equine myths and Trials of Fire". Letter 4. Old School RuneScape Postbags from the Hedge. Jagex. "Freya has an interesting theory on the subject. She claims to have seen evidence that horses once roamed the wilds of Acheron. If that's true, these creatures may be far more dangerous than your average ungulate."
  22. ^ Jerico. Postbag 8: "Pull the udder one!". Letter 6. RuneScape Postbags from the Hedge. Jagex. "I'll have you know my family have been raising pigeons for the king for years! In wars gone past, our fastest birds were used to carry messages past the enemy to the other settlements, faster than any horse, not that there's any of them left these days. Not round here anyway."
  23. ^ "Secrets of the North Improvements". RuneScape News. Jagex. 18 January 2023. Archived from the original. "to find it you must speak a phrase / to a horseman in an ancient tongue"This message was discovered by clicking on the name "ǝıuɹɐS" found at the bottom of the update post.
  24. ^ "Gielinor Gazette - February 2023". RuneScape News. Jagex. 28 February 2023. Archived from the original. "(...) players discovered a code, which, if mentioned to Diango, would gift them the Mystic Cards item. What? He’s a horseman, he sells horses!"
  25. ^ "Poll 80: Wilderness, Tombs of Amascut & More!". RuneScape News. Jagex. 18 July 2023. Archived from the original. "Hold your horses – to compensate, we're doubling the Prayer drain effect on this spell. Scary stuff!"
  26. ^ Reldo. Seers' Village (Members). Jagex. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. "Sir Tristram first came to Camelot having already defeated Sir Palomedes in a joust, and before he was admitted to the Round Table he also knocked Arthur from his horse in another joust."
  27. ^ Player character in Christmas event 2017. Old School RuneScape. "Gor blimey wot's next? [Wise Old Man: The most important bit! Collecting the toys from Diango and paying for them.] Who's goin ta pony up?"
  28. ^ Wyson the gardener in Christmas event 2021. Old School RuneScape. "[Player: Any idea what it could be?] None at all, this is exciting! What could it be... a hornless unicorn? Pumpkin pie? A party hat?"
  29. ^ Santa Claus. Old School RuneScape. "Ho Ho Hold your horses! You're not allowed in there."
  30. ^ Player character. Old School RuneScape. "Oh sorry... Also what's a horses?"
  31. ^ Mod Ian T. "How were the original Runescape sounds created?". Reddit. 18 October 2017. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022.
  32. ^ Hajedy. Old School RuneScape. "You hop into the cart and the driver urges the horses on. You take a taxing journey through the jungle to Shilo Village. You feel tired from the journey, but at least you didn't have to walk all that distance."
  33. ^ Alec Kincade. Postbag 32: "Equine myths and Trials of Fire". Letter 4. Old School RuneScape Postbags from the Hedge. Jagex. "We have ourselves dispatched agents to the Karamjan Jungle to keep an eye on Mr Hajedy's… activities, but we are yet to witness these ‘horses' for ourselves. We can only assume it must be some sort of marketing tactic…"
  34. ^ Drunken Ali. Old School RuneScape. "Did you hear the one where the camel walks into the bar and orders a pint? The barman asks 'Why the long face!'."
  35. ^ "Feathered journal". Old School RuneScape. "The only 'loot' we managed to grab was a bag of refreshments from the gnome ball pitch. There'd better be something good in there, I could eat a camel right now."
  36. ^ Akila. Postbag 33: "TWO Steves!... and a confusing chaotic forcefield". Letter 7. Old School RuneScape Postbags from the Hedge. Jagex. Perhaps blessed Elidinis answered that prayer, and that’s why I have been allowed to linger on, when so many others have been lost? There is another saying among us scholars: don’t look a gift camel in the mouth!
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