Little redesign of the harts from DA:I. Always bothered me how weird they looked, especially in the face
Design notes under the cut:
General:
Longer backs than real deer + more even hips/shoulders for an easier ride
Longer, stronger legs and lower knees than real deer, similar to horses
Somewhat bigger hocks and hooves
More realistic colors and wide, fallow/red deer-like faces
Stag:
Brecilian Sure-foot
"Wild type" coloration with strong markings and a prominent dorsal stripe
Smaller, more compact antlers than the original harts (based on Megaloceros)
Stags are rarely kept intact, mostly due to aggression. While good breeding and training can result in an even-tempered stag, they still remain unpopular as mounts due to their large, uncomfortable shoulder humps, while their antlers block the rider's line of sight. If worked at all, intact stags are better suited for pulling carts or carrying loads
Antlers may be sawed off completely for safety, but usually only the points are cropped
Antlers and velvet are annually harvested, effective for crafting and potions
Castrated Stag
Pride of Arlathan -- smaller than most other breeds, built for endurance
Dilute color similar to mushroom in horses; less stark dorsal stripe, pale stockings rather than dark
Another, more uncommon genetic modifier: spotting. Since certain deer species (and most young) are known for their spots, I thought they suited these guys more than stripes
Dilute colors may cause lighter/amber eyes
White neck/chin caused by a gene similar to splash white/SW1 in horses
Once castrated, a stag's antlers grow in small and asymmetrical, won't shed, and typically stay in velvet year-round. The velvet nor the antlers can be safely harvested in these deer
Valericorn or "cactus" antlers are fairly common
Hind
Red Hart
This breed is known for its bright red fur, which lightens the dorsal stripe and usually the legs (though not in this one)
This hind also has white markings, which are very common in any breed. (Again, replaced the stripes on the rear with something more cervine -- in real deer, piebaldism, or a partial lack of melanin, causes a wide variety of white spots, splotches, etc., including this "tuxedo" pattern + socks. It's especially prevalent in domestic reindeer)
Unlike horses, there is notable sexual dimorphism in harts. Hinds are smaller and more lightweight than stags, but the difference isn't quite as severe as in real deer or wild harts. Hinds are actually preferred as mounts due to their small shoulder humps and lack of antlers
While not bred for it, hart milk is collected in times of hardship. Some clans even credit their survival to their over-productive hinds
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