Unicorn

This article will focus primarily on the medieval unicorn - people can feel free to add onto this article with anything else they feel would be necissary.

Overview

The unicorn is a mythological creature commonly said to be a horse with a single, spiraling horn growing from it's forehead - thus uni-, meaning "one", and cornus, meanin "horn". Also known as the Monocerous (mono-" again meaning "one" and cerous menaing "horn").

However, the unicorn's actual appearance is quite varied. It is said to resemble a kid, an ox, a wild ass, or a deer. It is even said to resemble a hodgepodge of these animals, with the feet of a goat or deer, the body of a wild ass, and the tail of a lion. One thing is in common with all of these descriptions, however - the unicorn strongly resembles either an equus or an ungulate, and all have the long, magical horn known as the alicorn.

The Unicorn's Horn

The unicorn's horn, or alicorn, is said to be the source of the unicorn's powers. It has the ability to detect and neutralize poisons, to heal the sickly and wounded, and to ward away evil. It is said that these powers continue even if physically removed form the unicorn, thus ensuring a heavy trade in both real, and false, unicorn horns. It is said that the unicorn will only be attracted to virgins, and this was quite a popular hunting technique.