Famous Horses of the Galactic Empire

Eternal Trat

Eternal Trat, the white stallion, was the first Torsa horse to bond with humans. He has been around since the foundation of the Empire, and every emperor since Aturon has ridden him in an annual Showing to prove to the Bureau and to the Common Mind that they have not absconded, as Aturon did.

Some say that Trat is the same horse Kokkiro rode up the Stairway of Ice, and that he was once known as the White Stallion of Mars, and that his original name was Træsko.

Ahaha

Ahaha, the wild black mare, has been known for almost as long as the white stallion, but she usually shuns human contact, preferring her free existence on the Plains. She allowed Empress Quokisa to ride her, perhaps because that empress was a champion of the galaxy's outcasts who rode to defy the priests the Temple of Lal who ruled through the Temple's soul-gem.

It is commonly thought that all the Torsa are descended from the white stallion and the black mare, though there is no proof. No foal has ever been seen by humans, and genetic testing is impossible, since the Torsa's mimicry of Earthborn equines doesn't extend to cellular details.

Prancer

Prancer chose the future Emperor Zipo as his human partner. Zipo was a mindsea who attained his high position through mind-duels, and Prancer was the ideal dueling mount, always responsive to his rider's cues and ready to counter the opposnent's moves.

Sinking Whimsy

Sinking Whimsy was a wonderful battling stallion who helped his rider defeat numerous challengers in Deep-level duels. But when Roxun grew weary of the capital's glitter and slunk away to relax with his alternate persona as a beggar, Sinking Whimsy came along and pretended to be a mortal horse.

Lightning

Lightning was a black silver stallion who bonded with the Nander mindsea Kahee. He was a swift runner and won many mating flights for Kahee, though Kahee was indifferent to such things. He was happiest taking Lightning on forays through the Imperial Museum. For reenactments of ancient times, he might outfit him as a chariot horse.

Serious Quiav

Serious Quiav answered the call of Kahee's daughter Eria. She was a multi-talented mare. She won numerous mating flights, assisted Eria with her business, and kept her free from the agents of Imperial Major Horl, who wanted to seize her for his breeding projects. Eria was an intergalactic trader, and her ship was named after her horse. Some think that they were one and the same, that Serious Quiav took the form of a ship and galloped across intergalactic space.

Shadow

For millennia, Shadow was bonded with Ir, Member of the Circle and future Sage of Mosalno. When he deserted Ir to bond with another human, Ir crystallized.

Baquer

Baquer was the gold cream mare bonded with Hub, the longest-serving Member of the Circle. Usually citizens without mindpowers, like Hub, crystallize after a few hundred, or at most a few thousand years, but Hub's lifespan far exceeded the usual, and some think his bond with a Deep-level being was responsible.

When a glowworm plague devastated the capital, Baquer carried him to safety.

Mixing

Mixing is another horse who chose a bureaucrat for his partner. He carried Head of the Circle Raolin through several historical eras, keeping his rider sharp with frequent plunges into Deep-level intersections on the racetracks of Lal.

Neebreque

Neebreque was the skewbald mare bonded with Imperial Major Horl. She was an ardent racer, winning numerous mating flights for him even before he became major. During his millennia-long tenure as the Empire's mastermind, he found other jobs for her, such as guiding his Deep-level ship, Genesis IV, across the galaxy when he was too busy to fly it himself and had to send a Deep-blind lackey as the nominal pilot.

The Three Heroes' Horses

When it came time for the Three Heroes to ride against the lapis lazuli palace of Emperor Xublian, they called on their horses. Brodan rode his black stallion, Midnight Dares. Foske rode his pinto stallion, Owiwo. Kriwin rode his classic champagne mare, Sleek.

Superhuman Prog

Superhuman Prog picked out Dino, one of Emperor Thermeon's myriad sons, as her human. According to Dino, the most important thing a bonded human needs to remember is to play with their horse. This keeps both partners worry free and ready to race. Both Dino and Prog were known for their practical jokes.

Stampeder of Whimsies

Stampeder of Whimsies was Emperor Quintillion's horse. Unlike other emperors, he refused to ride the white stallion down the Way for the annual Showing. Instead, he would walk, without the white stallion, whom he never rode. He never rode Stampeder of Whimsies, either. He would allow her to walk along the Way with him. Sometimes he would carry her on his back, for his half-Nander heritage made him very powerful physically.

Summer

Summer was the roan mare who chose Empress Katora as her human. As Katora was the wisest and most powerful female mindsea, so Summer was supreme among horses. She was not the fastest racer, but used her intelligence and determination to lead the way.

Sunlight of Prophets

Sunlight of Prophets bonded with Sunfox, a detective who started his career at the Starfire Agency founded by Emperor Thermeon. Sunlight of Prophets saw Sunfox through many difficult cases. Whenever he was stumped by a mystery, Sunfox would go for a ride, and as he and his horse surged around a track, perhaps to plunge into a Deep-level intersection, he would find his deductive powers sharpened.

Ting

Ting, a classic champagne mare with snowflake markings, bonded with Mana, a granddaughter of Katora. Mana had no mindpowers, but in races through Deep-level obstacles, a good horse-and-rider team could outperform mindseas.

Greedy Warrior

Greedy Warrior was an amber champagne stallion who bonded with Ulf, an entertainer at the famous Meklodi Resort on Lal. Ulf was an ordinary citizen without mindpowers. He had no interest in mating flights or mind-duels, but he loved to have Greedy Warrior join him on the stage. They made quite a comedy team.