Vol Cob

The Vol Cob was the species of horse that pulled the caravans of the People of Volri and still continues to be used by the Volrishtad in the present. After the Black Night, they remained with the People of Volri at the location now known as Sasha's Folly, and they were one of the earliest tools the Volrishtad had at their disposal to help beat back the Blight before their transformation set in. Because these horses also grazed on many of the same novel, Void-saturated flora that the Volrishtad were eating and lived under the same environmental conditions, they underwent a transformation in much the same way the Volrishtad did.

Basic Information

Anatomy

To those unfamiliar with these horses, the Vol Cob looks like a nightmare. They have a unique sail flap on their neck and glowing, solid purple orbs for eyes. Their coat color is solid black, and their mane, tail, and feathering have become long, shadowy mists that trail behind them. They are otherwise relatively small and compact, usually with somewhat shorter legs.

One of the early evolutions of the Vol Cob that stuck around is a second stomach upfront of their esophagus around the location of their neck flap. It exists to process the Void material that heavily saturates their diet. The processed Void material forms a gastrolith that is frequently replaced by the Vol Cob by coughing it up.

Their Void-suffused beings have given them an affinity for the shadows much like the Volrishtad. As the Vol Cob picks up speed, the shadows around the base of their legs wisp underneath their hooves and envelop them, acting as a sort of cushioning and allowing them to traverse difficult terrain unhindered. At full gallop, the shadows envelop their bodies entirely, giving them a minor form of cloaking that - though not completely invisible - makes the Vol Cob very difficult to keep track of.

Genetics and Reproduction

The estrous cycle controls when a Vol Cob mare is sexually receptive to a stallion and can thus conceive. This is usually triggered by the shortening of days, usually becoming sexually receptive during the month of Senectus into early Frigus. This allows her to give birth in the spring. Once impregnated, mares have a gestation period of approximately 6 months (320-370 days). They usually give birth to one foal, with twins being rare.

Growth Rate & Stages

Once born, foals start developing quickly, being able to stand and drink its mother's milk within the first hour of life and running within the first few hours. They begin to eat forage within the first 4 weeks and are weaned off of their mothers after 3 months, maximum. The Vol Cob is considered physically mature at age four.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Like other domestic horses, the Vol Cob is an herbivore with a digestive system adapted to a forage diet of grasses and other plant material. They have evolved a second stomach that is purely used to process the heavily Void-infested lichens and other forage found scattered throughout the Outlands which comprises the bulk of their diet. They eat steadily throughout the day, usually pausing to eat whenever food is in sight. The Volrishtad in particular have taken note of where good forage spots are on their traditional circuits and plan their travels accordingly to allow for their horses to receive a steady supply of food.

Behaviour

The trauma instilled in these horses during the Black Night have so deeply affected them that it carries genetically across generations. The Vol Cob has an innate fear of anything to do with the Void, so much so that many of the initially transformed horses, upon seeing one of their own kind, would occasionally initiate a strong fight-or-flight response, and there was a high likelihood of them rejecting their even more heavily-transformed foals. The Volrishtad struggled with trying to breed them during these initial stages, but in time, the Vol Cob learned to recognize members of their own species and form herds with each other, as normal. They still have a strong fight-or-flight response to Void creatures, however, so as foals, they must undergo heavy socialization and desensitization training to accept Volrishtad as companions and not spook so easily on sight of a Void creature. They're otherwise very responsive with calm, gentle temperaments, and their expected behavior is consistent with that of other domestic horses.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The Vol Cob is primarily a draft animal, most famously known for pulling Volrishtad caravans. The various Outlands settlements also make use of them to pull carts and move loads and occasionally as a pack animal, or beast of burden.

Their steady gait, ability to ignore difficult terrain, and shadow cloaking capabilities make them a particularly attractive riding hourse, especially for Desolation Striders, but a Vol Cob must be trained to keep its speed under control when working as a draft or pack animal. There have been quite a few unfortunate tales of a spooked Vol Cob who took off at full gallop, making them - and the stuff they were carrying - difficult to track down.

At the end of a Vol Cob's working life, the Volrishtad in particular have been known to slaughter their draft horses for meat, leather, and tallow, though those who can afford to will keep their horses until the end of their natural life, viewing them as a family member.

The gastroliths that a Vol Cob coughs up have found a unique use among the Benevolents. Pure solidified Void energy comprises the majority of these stones' composition. While the Volrishtad refuse to handle these stones because they originate from a Vol Cob's mouth and are hacked onto the ground, making them impure by two different metrics in their culture, a crafty Benevolent who finds one left behind on the ground can process it into a tincture that can act as an antidote used to slow - or even stop - Void-based poisons.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

These horses are domestic animals and thus are not found naturally in the wild. They're most often seen pulling Volrishtad caravans and are thus found on their travel circuits, though they can also be found around some Outlands settlements.

Civilization and Culture

Common Myths and Legends

Several myths have sprung up around this ethereal animal. One of the most pervasive is that the shadows that envelop a Vol Cob at full gallop is Void energy that will damage its rider, and only the Volrishtad and Desolation Striders are able to ride one at top speed without getting hurt. While this isn't true, most folks aren't brave enough to try and refuse to be in the vicinity of a galloping Vol Cob, giving it a wide berth.

Scientific Name

Equus ferus noxumbra

Origin/Ancestry

Domestic Horse (Equus ferus caballus)

Lifespan

25 to 30 years

Average Height

13-16.2 hands high (132-168 cm)

Average Weight

1100-1700 lbs