Ra'Dia
A rare breed, from a deep forest where illness has kept population to a low.
Hooves: Cloven
Mane: Short, smooth
Tail: Leonine
Horn: Forked
Feathering: Light to medium around front ankles only
Coloration: All colors, usually muted or natural tones. Heavy spotting/dappling on backside are common, but any sort of spotting patterns are possible.
Aging:Mature at 5, lives to be about 50. Females bear young until 45, both genders physically youthful until 47.
Power:Able to produce an electric current in their horn and hooves. More powerful individuals may be able to produce actual strike of lightning.
Mating is monogamous and for life. Either gender may choose their partner, but all pairs must be approved by the herd's Rieve. In a strict Ra'Dia society once a pair have chosen to become mates, they are never supposed to separate. If one of the unicorns in the couple should ever die, leaving the other behind, the living Ra'Dia is not supposed to enter into a relationship with another. (But because of dwindling population numbers, it has become acceptable to simply wait 5 years before joining with another.)
Both genders may gain and hold ranks within the herd, including leadership of said herd.
The worth of a stallion is judged by his wisdom, speed/agility, honesty, respectfulness, and skill at his given job.
The worth of a mare is judged by her beauty, kindness, modesty, skill with tending to foals and skill at her own job.
Since both genders can form herds and hold important ranks, both genders are expected to be capable with such responsibilities.
They worship their only Goddess, Kithra, and live their lives by her teachings. Kithra is often thought of as a very mischievous deity, a trickster of sorts. Her teaching explain that violence of any sort is wrong, and that there are far better ways to punish the wicked or settle a disagreement. The Ra'Dia society completely embraces this rule. Instead of engaging in battles for land, titles, pride, etc, they settle such disputes by racing. When an individual in their society commits a crime, they are not executed, but simply banished from the herd. They leave the unicorn's true punishment to their Goddess.
This punishment is being damned to spend their afterlife walking about in a place that they call the Endless Plain. This is a flat, featureless grassland where all the souls of the wrong doing are sent. They believe that the land goes on and on forever and is so vast that even if hundreds of thousands of spirits were there all at once, all continually walking for an eternity, that they would never even come close to seeing one another. Since family and being close to one another is something that they hold very dearly to them, such a fate truly would be the worst thing that could happen to you.
Those who lived a good, righteous life go to what they refer to as The Reunion. A beautiful paradise of a place where they can spend all of eternity with their closest friends and loved ones in a place free of pain, sorrow, anger, or danger.
The leader of a Ra'Dia herd is called the Rieve, the next in line for leadership would be the Rieve's chosen Heir(If the Reeve does not have an Heir, then the council is in charge of choosing a new leader). Although the Rieve gets final say in what goes on in the herd and is looked at as the sole leader, there is often a small council of unicorns below him/her and help him/her make his/her decisions. The council is often made up of the more respected Sages and/or Elders. The Sages of a Ra'Dia herd are the equivalent of the Priests of the other herds. Elders are the old and wise unicorns of the herd and are highly respected by the herd's younger members.
The normal way for Ra'Dias to greet each-other is by pawing or stamping at the ground, generally with their right hoof. When greeting someone of great importance, like the Rieve of a herd, one is expected to do this once then bow. When greeting a good friend or close family member, such things are often unneeded however. Affection can be displayed by resting one's head upon the shoulder-blade of another, in a sort of equine hugging gesture. Rubbing or nuzzling a unicorn in this area often shows a deeper affection.
