Book Of Souls: A Comprehensive Guide To Cavallo

Creatures allowed to be created: Unicorns, Pegasus, and Normal Equine species. Hybrids are also a possibility but you may not join as a hybrid character, they are only to be created through on site reproduction.

Horses: Allowed to look however you would like but no abnormal markings/colours. Standard colours, markings and heights only.

Pegasus/Unicorns: Can appear any way you would like them to, meaning any colour you see fit, elaborate markings, horns, wings etc... Cannot join with any magic as magic is to be earned through challenges and quests.

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Companions will also be earned through quests or random events. Companion types will be as follows:

Normal- Any animal that exists as it does in real life today. Cannot have any sort of magical powers and are subject to the normal aging processes and illnesses as per their particular species. Special requests can be made but must be approved by admin.

Mythical: Creatures that only exist in books and legends. Can be born with minimal magical abilities that through time can evolve to have better control of this ability, and through guests and or challenges earn new abilities. Special requests can be made but must be approved by admin. (Nothing Humanoid)

Cavallo Creatures:
Something within the environment has made it so that all companion creatures are no larger than an everyday grizzly bear. They are the same creatures just consider them to be dwarfed versions.

Mythical Creature Companions:
Dragons: All dragons can breathe fire here in Cavallo. Colours to chose from: Red, Blue, Green, Gold, Brown, etc..etc..Find Out More
Phoenix: Find Out More
Hippogriff: Find Out More
Griffin: Find Out More
Kitsune: Find Out More
Werecat: Find Out More
Hellhound: Find Out More
Jackalope: Find Out More
Spirit Animal: Many Variations to choose from. Find Out More
Centicore: Find Out More
Roc: Find Out More
Sliver Cat: Find Out More

Magical abilities will be available through quests, challenges and events. The type and ability will be chosen based on the type of event. Magical Abilities must be within capacity of the gods and all are created with flaws, none will always be 100% accurate and each individual character must learn to control their abilities as they are awarded. Gods will have limitless power over their abilities but use it wisely.
Magic will be based between the powers of Fire, Water, Light, Earth, Spirit and Wind.

Sample Magical Abilities

Fire Based Abilities:
Fire x Water= Flash Fire- generate a thin layer of fire that ignites upon the surface of water. Able to burn any who come in contact with it.
Fire x Light= Light Darts- generate tiny, small darts of energy that burn the target upon contact
Fire x Earth= Pyrokinesis - create, control and manipulate fire, flame and heat.
Fire x Spirit= Heliokinesis - manipulate and control the sun and sunlight.
Fire x Wind = Fire Storm- ability to create fiery wind currents/tornados

Water Based Abilities:
Water x Fire= Flash Fire- generate a thin layer of fire that ignites upon the surface of water. Able to burn any who come in contact with it.
Water x Light= Hydrokinesis - manipulate and control water, mold it into any desired shape or form.
Water x Earth= Flash Flood- ability to generate a rapid torrent of water that can consume a given area destroying things in its path or washing it away.
Water x Spirit= Gifted Sight- ability to see things as an aquatic creature would from their eyes underwater
Water x Wind= Cryokinesis- The ability to create and/or manipulate ice and cold.

Light Based Abilities:
Light x Fire= Light Darts- generate tiny, small darts of energy that burn the target upon contact
Light x Water= Hydrokinesis - manipulate and control water, mold it into any desired shape or form.
Light x Earth= Electrokinesis - control, generate or absorb electric fields and shoot lightning bolts.
Light x Spirit= Photokinesis - create and manipulate pure light.
Light x Wind= Blinding- a moving flash of light that renders others unable to see for a couple seconds due to the brightness while user remains unaffected.

Earth Based Abilities:
Earth x Fire= Pyrokinesis - create, control and manipulate fire, flame and heat.
Earth x Water= Flash Flood- ability to generate a rapid torrent of water that can consume a given area destroying things in its path or washing it away.
Earth x Spirit= Ecological Empathy - feel state of nature.
Earth x Wind= Razor Wind- ability to generate a strong wind with razor sharp leaves that can damage an opponent upon contact
Earth x Light= Electrokinesis - control, generate or absorb electric fields and shoot lightning bolts.

Spirit based Abilities:
Spirit x Fire= Heliokinesis - manipulate and control the sun and sunlight.
Spirit x Water= Gifted Sight- ability to see things as an aquatic creature would from their eyes underwater
Spirit x Light= Photokinesis - create and manipulate pure light.
Spirit x Earth= Ecological Empathy - feel state of nature.
Spirit x Wind= Atmokinetic Sensing - sense the future weather patterns

Wind based Abilities:
Wind x Fire= Fire Storm- ability to create fiery wind currents/tornados
Wind x Water= Cryokinesis- The ability to create and/or manipulate ice and cold.
Wind x Spirit= Atmokinetic Sensing - sense the future weather patterns
Wind x Earth= Razor Wind- ability to generate a strong wind with razor sharp leaves that can damage an opponent upon contact
Wind x Light= Blinding- a moving flash of light that renders others unable to see for a couple seconds due to the brightness while user remains unaffected.

Other magic is available as long as you are using the same format to develop the ability.
[ x element] X [x element] = ability
= Flaws of the ability/limitations (All magic comes with a price admin will approve or modify to ensure fairness)

The muzzle is often called the "nose".
On the back legs, the Hock joint is not a knee - instead it is more like a human's ankle. The joint on the horse called "knee" is the equivalent of a human's wrist. A horse's hoof is its toe. Sometimes, especially many decades ago, a horse is deemed "useless" or put down if a leg (or more) is broken. The tail of a horse will lift upwards (as there is a bone in the tail, but not for the full length of it) when it is doing a number two. When doing a number one, a horse will usually stand still.


Equine Height
Horses' heights are measured when they are standing without shoes on a flat surface, to the highest point of their withers where their neck meets their back; they are not measured by their head's height, as the head's height changes depending on movement. Horses are measured in Hands in the English-speaking world. One hand is equal to 4 inches, and the height is expressed as the number of hands, followed by a point (.) then the number of additional inches, followed by the abbreviation "h" (hands) or "hh" (hands high).



Ponies
A Pony is a small horse, not a baby horse. A pony's definition changes depending on usage, but many organizations define it as equines that stand equal to, or less than 14.2hands (58 inches, 147cm). There are miniature horse breeds that are only about 34-38inches (86-97cm).


Horse Terminology
A very young horse is called a "Foal". In most cases, a "Filly" is a young female horse under the age of four years, and a young male horse under the age of four years is a "Colt". Over the age of four, a female horse is called a "Mare", while a male horse is called a "Stallion", although they can also be called (especially if they are being used to breed) "Stud", and male horses with the ability to breed taken away is often also called a "Gelding" Other terms you may encounter:




Behaviour:
Horses are animals and therefore they display emotions through both sounds and body language. If a horse blows down its nostrils at another horse's nostrils, it is usually taken to be saying "hi" - horses may also do this to humans. A horse's ears are very sensitive and dexterous - they are constantly moving to point towards sources of sounds and pick them up. They are also one of the easiest ways to tell a horse's mood; if a horse has its ears pointing forwards, it may be interested in something, while ears pointed back and stuck flat to its head can mean it is in a bad mood, especially if the whites of its eyes are showing or it’s bearing its teeth. This can mean it is scared, angry, etc, and may be aggressive. Sometimes backward pointing ears can mean the horse is listening to the back, listening to the rider when being ridden, or is feeling sleepy. Ears that flop naturally tend to mean the horse is calm and relaxed. A thrashing tail may indicate annoyance (or may be swatting flies) while a flattened tail with the hairs dangling between the legs like a canine can mean fear or unhappiness. Horses are prey animals, so their eyes are on the sides of their head. This means although they have a wide range of vision, they cannot see directly in front of them or directly behind them. Horses are flight animals; their first response to danger is usually to shy away or run

Excellent Link For Understanding Horse Behaviour


Sight:
Sight is the most important equine sense. For a prey animal like the horse, in the wild, good eyesight means the difference between life and death. Literally seeing trouble coming is the best way the horse has to make it to safety before a predator gets too close. Because horses have long, narrow heads with eyes on either side, they have the ability to take in more of the view than humans do. When their heads are facing forward, horses have a nearly 180-degree field of vision. They can see in front of and almost all the way around their bodies, though they do have some blind spots. One of a horse's blind spots is directly behind, so you should never approach a horse from the back unless the horse already knows you're there.

No one knows for sure how far horses can see, mainly because horses have trouble pronouncing the letters on eye tests. Scientists who have done experiments in this field have made some educated guesses that horses can see pretty darn far, in the realm of at least hundreds of yards away. Horses can distinguish patterns, which means they're able to take in fine details. They can also perceive depth well. Horses also have much better night vision than humans. Scientists know far less about horses' color vision than about other areas of equine sight, but they are certain that horses can see some colors. Red and blue seem to be particularly distinct to the equine eye, but beyond this, we don't know. Researchers need to do more tests to find out whether horses can see the full spectrum of the rainbow.



Hearing
A species that survives by getting a head start on marauding predators needs a pretty good sense of hearing. The fact that horses have survived all the way to modern times is testimony to their incredible hearing, which is considerably better than a human's. If you look at the shape of the horse's ear, you can see that it's built sort of like a funnel. With this design, the ear can capture sound in its outer part and channel it down into the ear canal. The broad outer part of the horse's ear very adequately takes in the slightest sound in the horse's environment. Using very mobile ears, horses constantly monitor the world around them. Just imagine trying to pay complete attention to different sounds coming in to either ear at the same time. Impossible for a human, yet the horse does this on a steady basis. A horse can take in the sounds of a car driving by, children playing, a bird chirping and a human approaching, all at once, from different places in the environment. The horse then processes that information and makes split second decisions about whether to react — all while picking out the best blades of pasture grass or meandering down a rocky trail. The process really is mind-blowing. Loud, unfamiliar noises can send a relaxed horse into a tizzy. On the other hand, a placid, reassuring sound can ease a horse's worries. It's amazing to see how a frightened horse can be comforted by a soft, gentle voice from a calm and confident human. Keep this fact in mind when handling your horse in a particularly noisy or frightening environment.

Smell
Like most non-human animals, horses have an acute sense of smell that they regularly employ to provide them with information on what is going on around them. Horses use their sense of smell in a number of different and important ways. Nature equipped the equine with a strong olfactory sense that can tell the animal whether a predator is near. All it takes is a strong upwind breeze to bring a dangerous scent to the attention of a wild herd. After getting a whiff of the predator, the herd literally high-tails it (their tails stick way up in the air as they flee) out of there in a flash. Horses also use smell as part of their complicated social structure. Horses typically greet each other nose to nose, each taking in the odor of the other. Horses also come to recognize each other by scent as well as by sight. Mares and foals quickly memorize each other's scents and use this information to help locate each other in a crowd of horses.


Touch
The equine sense of touch is an important (although often overlooked) element to the horse. Although many people think that horses have a tough hide, they really don't. Their skin is tougher than our human epidermis, but it is still rich with nerve endings. If you sit on a pasture fence and watch a herd of horses for a few hours, you'll see plenty of evidence of how horses use touch to communicate with each other. Mothers reassure their babies with a brush of the muzzle; comrades scratch each other's itches with their teeth. Whenever a message needs to be sent from one horse to another, visual cues and touch — or the threat of it — are nearly always used.

Elemental Based Personalities:

Earth:
Stable and resilient, earth is the element of solidity and support. It is the strongest element, but also the slowest. Earth characters are frequently dependable, strong, and, if female, motherly. However, they can also be stubborn and far too stuck in their ways. As such, it is aligned with the melancholic temperament. Earth — usually strong against electricity, and weak to fire, and utterly ineffective against air, although again this varies by the setting; sometimes Earth is strong to fire and weak to water and/or ice, and sometimes it is effective against Wind/Air (also similar to Light/Dark). The North corresponds to the element of Earth, representing the powers of stability, birth, death, and the power to keep Silent. It's time is midnight in the dead of winter. Its' colors are green and black, and its' primary tool is the pentacle. The Earth element is the one most closely linked with our physical world, and the densest of all the elements. It is the feminine element of the Mother Goddess and stands for stability and growth; it is the foundation on which the other elements move. Earth is a receptive energy, helping us to accept responsibility and bringing to our attention limitations in our makeup, Earth’s season is winter, and its direction is north. In the natural environment Earth’s place is a cave, the symbol of shelter, the womb, rebirth, and the home of ancient oracles. Other places associated with the Earth element, are forests, valleys and fields. Earth’s energy is grounding. Earth personalities love to be surrounded by family and are quite tactile, they enjoy the pleasures of the senses and have a healthy libido. An over abundance of the Earth element slows things down and progress is slow, too little of the Earth element causes an inability to dare, take risks or branch out.


Fire:
Has positive connotations like warmth, light, purification, and even rebirth. On the flipside, it's very, very easy to exaggerate it into an antagonistic element by emphasizing its wild, destructive, and unpredictable nature. Usually strong against wood, ice, or the undead while being weak to water. Sometimes weak to stone or earth (but just as often strong against the latter). The South corresponds to the element of Fire, representing passion, energy, and the powers of fierce change, and Will. It's time is high noon in the summertime. Its' color is red, and its tools are the athamé and the sword. Fire rules the south and is related to motivation, creativity and passion, it has a fast and forceful power and energy, it is positive and uplifting but can be frightening if it gets out of control. It is the creative spark within us all, it promotes courage and strength, helping us to fight for what we want. Fire personalities are charming, charismatic and passionate; they live life to the full, and rely heavily on their instincts and intuition. Their strengths are creativity and leadership, they are daring and bold in their career, and love life, liking stimulation, and challenge, in both areas. Too much fire can be destructive because no boundaries are imposed, leaving the fire entity worn out and off balance. An overabundance of fire leads to selfishness, egocentricity, and unrealistic expectations of others. Too little fire leads to low energy and a lack of motivation.


Wind/Air:
The element of change and movement; unpredictably calm one moment and flying into a tempest the next. The quickest of the elements, but sometimes seen as the weakest (unless it is referred to as "sky" or "heaven"), therefore, what it lacks in raw power it makes up for in offensive and defensive maneuvers. It can also include Weather Manipulation. Aligned with the sanguine temperament, air characters are often cheerful, energetic, free spirits. Noise, when used as an elemental attack, is sometimes depicted and treated as an air-like attack. Usually strong against earth, weak to fire and electricity. The East corresponds with the element of Air, representing the mind, intellect, the ability to reason, the power to Know. It's time is first morning light in the springtime, Its' color is yellow and its' tool is the wand. Air personalities are rational and analytical, they are clear thinkers and don’t rush into things, enjoying mental stimulation, a good debate, and an exchange of ideas. Too much Air makes for a judgemental and critical outlook, with a pedantic attitude towards all things. These personalities can put the damper on creative ideas in their early stages, without any rational. An overabundance of the Air element and a person can live in a fantasy world, given to ideas that have no substance. They can approach something that is untenable and be blind to the pitfalls.


Water:
The element of change and adaptability; capable of taking any form. Water is pretty much always seen positively, symbolizing healing, adaptability, and calm. While earth is strong and solid and air is weak but fluid, water is both strong and fluid, but not to the same extent as the other two. Aligned with the phlegmatic temperament, water characters are usually laid-back and "go with the flow". May be either strong or weak against fire, depending on whether it's classified with or separately from Water. If it's separate, then Water will be strong against Fire while Ice is weak to it; if they're combined, Fire and Ice will be equally strong against each other. The West corresponds to the element of Water, representing the Deep self, emotions, intuition, and the power to Dare. It's time is the twilight of sunset in the autumn. Its' color is the blue of the oceans, and its' tool is the chalice. The Water Element affects the subconscious, emotions and dreams; it is the element of love and emotions. Constantly active beneath the surface, influencing our moods and emotional responses. The energy of water rules the west and its season is autumn, it purifies, heals, offers emotional release, and removes all that is stagnant. The energy of Water is feminine and is symbolized by the womb, it is related to fertility. Water personalities are spiritual, emotional, sensitive and very intuitive. They approach life from a feeling perspective, rather than a thinking one, and can be quite spontaneous. In relationships they are empathetic and nurturing, but can be touchy. Too little Water makes them emotionally distant, with an inability to express themselves, causing them to keep people at arm’s length. In this instance they would be less empathetic, intuitive and psychic. Too much Water, takes all emotions to the extreme, making day to day functioning in the world difficult and possibly causing psychic overload


Light:
Is sometimes paired with air or fire, but more often is considered a separate form of power. Light can be for healing or destruction. Commonly used by angels, priests, and the forces of heaven (even if they're not the good guys). Light is, however, usually associated with absolute good. Sometimes mixed with Lightning or Fire. May also be portrayed as Sunlight, usually strong against water, but otherwise equal against fire and ice. Electricity can also be viewed as divine, and be effective against the undead for this reason (even if normal Light is not).Can be pretty useless against grass elements, earth, rock, and every other related to mineral or with grounding capabilities.


Spirit:
The Center corresponds to the element of Spirit, Ether, or Force, and represents the Deep Self in harmonic resonance with the other two layers of the human soul, namely Talking Self, and the fetch. It is that which connects the directions at the center, immanence, transcendence, and life which survives death. Its' colors are violet, white, or black, and its' tool is the cauldron, symbol of transformation. Spirit is the most difficult element to describe, it is everywhere and nowhere, and is the force that unites all things, in rituals it is our connection to the otherworld. The spirit element transports us beyond any narrow confines and allows us to open up to something much bigger, it is present in all aspects of life, and goes beyond thought and emotion. Unlike the other four elements it has no defined place or location, even though we cannot specifically place if we know it is there.

Fire: God || Opposite: Water ||


Water/Ice: Goddess || Opposite: Fire || Image: Water Goddess


Light/Dark: God || Opposite : Spirit ||


Wind/Air: Goddess || Opposite: Earth ||


Earth: God || Opposite: Wind ||


Spirit: Goddess || Opposite: Light ||

Well as you may have noticed, the seasons here in Cavallo are named differently from just plain english. The words are actually just a different version of the same thing, These are the seasons in Icelandic. We just wanted to spice things up a little and make things less apparent from other sites. XD Here are some descriptions depicting what a typical season here in Cavallo may look like:

Vor (Spring)
The sun rises in the earlier hours of the morning and sets later on in the afternoon. The days are getting slightly warmer. Spring flowers will start to appear, birds start building their nests and many mammals give birth to their young. Weather in spring is very varied. Some days it may be cold enough to snow, and some days it is warm. Windy days are common during this season as well as lots of rain fall.
Hazards: Flash Flooding, Thunderstorms, Predators, Deep Mud
Potential Illnesses/Conditions For Season: Parasites, Mud Fever, Rain Rot, Infections, Colic, Laminitis, Tetanus
Temperature Range: 1˚C (34˚F) to 17˚C (63˚F)


Sumar (Summer)
The days are becoming both warmer and longer and the sun shines high overhead. The sun poses the risk of overheating the earth so beware of staying out in it too long. Summer weather can vary, but if you are lucky, it will be some of the best days of the year.
Hazards: Flash Floods, Tornadoes, Predators, Thunderstorms
Potential Illnesses/Conditions For Season: Hyperthermia, Dehydration, Parasites, Infections, Colic, WNV, Tetanus
Temperature Range: 14˚C (57˚F) to 36˚C (92˚F)


Haust (Autumn)
Days become shorter and, although it is often warm and sunny during the daytime, it can be cold at night. Many colours light our forests as the leaves begin to fall off the trees. The growing season is coming to an end as the earth prepares itself for the upcoming winter ahead.
Hazards: Thunderstorms, Predators
Potential Illnesses/Conditions For Season: Infections, Colic, WNF, Tetanus
Temperature Range: 5˚C (41˚F) to 20˚C (68˚F)


Vetur (Winter)
During the winter months the current year will end and a new year begins. The days are shorter and often very cold. Sometimes the precipitation will fall as sleet or snow, and quite often we wake up in the morning to frost and ice on the ground. Temperatures can plummet to subzero temperatures so shelter is always a good idea during the long cold nights.
Hazards: Flash Freezes, Thin Ice upon rivers and lakes, Blizzards, Whiteouts, Freezing Rain, Wind Chill Factors
Potential Illnesses/Conditions For Season: Hypothermia, Frostbite, Starvation, Broken Bones from falls on ice, Pneumonia, Respiratory Infections, Colic.
Temperature Ranges: 5˚C (41˚F) to -25˚C (-6˚F) (Not including wind chill factors)