The Spring Valley Herd
Welcome to Hotspur’s valley! Here, a place free from most predators, Hotspur settled. At first, he lived alone, before realizing the place was far too big and grand for just one stallion. So he decided he would go out and find mares to join him. As he contemplated everything, he decided that three or four stallions would be accepted in as well to work as patrollers and rangers, protecting the valley herd.
Should it grow to large size, Hotspur may let it break into two or more herds, each with its own lead mare and stallion in hopes of enforcing that the valley belongs to them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Threats
For the most part, the herd has few threats. Due to the rugged edges of the valley, and hidden nature of the main entrance, few predators ever go in – man included. However, young solitary stallions can find their way in and often do, pressing borders with the herd and attempting to snag mares alone to seduce them. For this reason, Hotspur appointed a few colts to stay in the herd and patrol the herd to be sure this doesn’t occur.
There are sections of the river which are rapid and swift-moving.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment
The Spring Valley is a deep gorge in the mountains with green carpets of grass and walls ranging from sheer cliff to steep, rocky inclines. In the North end, there is a large glade of tall pine trees with a pond in the center. Here, the herd often lounges about on hot days. In the Southwestern corner a sheer cliff which harbors a waterfall that falls into a pool. The water then flows down a rather small river which ambles through the whole territory. However, there are places in which the river speeds up and becomes rocky, the water turning to rapids and the current swift. This is a place Hotspur likes to avoid when foals are around.
Other than these areas, most of the valley is plains.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ranks
Lead Stallion – Lead protector of the Herd, male
Lead Mare – Leader of the herd, female, mate of Lead Stallion
Mares – Mares of the herd.
Rangers – Three stallions who patrol the edges of the herd to chase off solitary males.
Rangers’ mares - The mares chosen as the mates of the rangers – each Ranger has no more than three.
Bachelor Stallions – These are not herd stallions. While they do live in the valley, they are not Hotspur’s and they are not welcomed by the herd. They stay because of the obvious safety of the valley and, well, there are mares. Generally, unless it’s night, they stay away from the herd’s general proximity. However, they are allowed by me, not Hotspur, to try/succeed to mate with the mares as long as the mare’s owner approves. Just try to do this only sparingly, unless we want to make a conflict of it for a story of some kind.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rules and Laws
NOTE: If a rule states “Hotspur forbids,” as the lower ones will, it is IC. This DOES NOT MEAN it’s completely unallowed, it means Hotspur will frown upon you for it/throw you out (Doesn’t mean you must leave the valley, you’ll simply be moved to the Bachelor Stallion Section if you would like).
No fighting OOC.
No sparkle horses, no exceptions.
Dark backstories are allowed.
No condescending comments – i.e., making a comment on someone’s character/render that may or may not be unpleasant, but certainly has undertones that suggest you believe you are far better than them.
Similar to the above, no passive-aggressiveness.
No whining if you try for lead mare and don’t get it.
Remember! IC rules are NOT the same as OOC rules.
Hotspur forbids mating between Bachelor Stallions and his mares.
Hotspur forbids the murder of herd members or bachelors.
Hotspur forbids foals from going near the rapids alone/if they are less than six months old.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Herd Lead Stallion –
Hotspur © FVLead Mare –
Cinammon © BHB Mares
Savanna © Missus Art
All That Jazz © BlackHorseBeth
Cinnamon © BlackHorseBeth
Cottontail © BlackHorseBeth
Euphorie © MyLittleWorld
Lilith © DarkViver
Ranger Stallion 1 –
Dustin © HayleyWolf
His mares
Ranger Stallion 2 -
Brandon© Debbieana6615
His mares
Ranger Stallion 3 –[url]Rowtag[/url] © Pawface
His Mares
Foals
Bay filly - Hotspur's by Euphorie.
Chestnut Splash colt - Hotspur's by Nightmare.
Rhineland©FV - Hotspur's by Cottontail. Filly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bachelors
Windy Nights © FeatherVenom
