Shadowshield
The Shadowshield is a magic horse breed that is available in Star Stable Online.
Timeline
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| December 1, 2021 | A release date of December 8, 2021 is given for the Shadowshield on SSO's news page.[1] |
| December 6, 2021 | A trailer of the Shadowshield is dropped on SSO's social media. |
| December 8, 2021 | The Shadowshield is added to the game for a limited time of five weeks during the Christmas event.[2] |
| December 7, 2022 | The Shadowshield is added to the game for a limited time of five weeks during the Winter event.[3] |
Description
"One winter night a woman was traveling home through a forest. Brigands found her, but before she was robbed a mare appeared from the darkness. The woman climbed onto the offered back and the mare raced away, chased by the bandits. When the mare reached open fields illuminated by starlight she stopped, the woman frozen in fear as the robbers neared. But the brigands galloped past, the mare creating a shield of darkness that hid her and the woman. With the danger gone the mare carried her rider home. The woman thanked her savior with food and a warm stall to rest in, and in the morning the mare was gone. The woman no longer found winter nights cold, and she never lost her way at night again.
Shadowshield is one of Jorvik’s night spirits, a kind horse who guards those who venture into the darkness. She is happiest when racing with the Snowdancer stallion, as they are the snow under a clear night sky, glittering in the starlight. Every winter they meet, dancing and running together through and above the snow, the darkest night of the year meeting with the brightest white snow.
Shadowshield takes the form of an Arabian, a breed as enduring as the night sky. Like other magical Jorvegian horses they can disguise their true colors and gold markings, especially if they don’t trust a person. They are gentle and protective, tending to stay back and quietly observe. They respond to praise and gratitude, glad when their efforts are rewarded. If you match their gentleness and appreciate the silent moments, you will find the Shadowshield is a natural guardian and life long companion".
Unique Features
Color Changing
The Shadowshield is a magical horse with the special ability to change colors. When the player presses the "h" key or the magic horse icon on the horse's character sheet, the horse will change from its neutral colors to its natural (magic) colors and vice versa. The horse will not change colors during races or while the player is unmounted.
The Walking Rear
Note: The horse must reach level 7 to perform this move.
As the Shadowshield shares its model with the Gen 3 Arabian, it can perform their special move called the Walking Rear. The animation can be activated by pressing the spacebar, but only when standing still, otherwise the horse will jump instead of performing the move.
Colors, Pricing, and Location
The Shadowshield is sold for 950 SC and can be purchased during the Christmas event in the Winter Village. It comes in one variation.
Note: This horse is released for limited periods of time and is not always in the game.
- Natural color: Black body with white mane, and tail, gold hooves and streaks in its mane, with white and gold swirling designs on its body.
- Neutral color: Silver Black
Trivia
- The Shadowshield uses the G3 Arabian model.
- The Shadowshield was released with as a pair with Snowdancer.
- The Shadowshield, like most other Magic Horses, cannot have its hairstyle changed.
- The Shadowshield's name is a combination of the English words "shadow" (darkness seen from a form intercepting the light)[4] and "shield" (a piece of defensive armor).[5] This likely references its coat color and backstory.
- In a blog post, SSO's lead character and creature artist states that the inspiration for the Snowdancer and Shadowshield was the meeting of the darkness of the night with the snow, Yin and Yang, and old Christmas decorations. The Arabian model was chosen because it was thought to capture the feel of winter spirits.[6]
- While the Shadowshield is described as a mare within the in-game description, players can still choose to label the horse as a stallion or gelding in the customization settings.
References
- ↑ "Next Up in Jorvik!" Star Stable. Star Stable Entertainment, December 7, 2021. https://www.starstable.com/en/article/11171
- ↑ "Meet Shadowshield and Snowdancer." Star Stable. Star Stable Entertainment, December 8, 2021. https://www.starstable.com/en/article/11167
- ↑ "Chapter 1: A Snow Saga" Star Stable. Star Stable Entertainment, December 7, 2022. https://www.starstable.com/en/article/12982
- ↑ Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “shadow,” accessed December 22, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shadow.
- ↑ Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “shield,” accessed December 22, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shield.
- ↑ Patch, Hanna. “Magical Horses, My First Content, Ambassadors & Player Character Update.” Star Stable Entertainment. June 27, 2022. https://starstableentertainment.com/blog/blog-june-2022/