Songsorrow
The Songsorrow is a magic horse breed that is available in Star Stable Online.
Timeline
| Date | Developement |
|---|---|
| October 12, 2021 | A teaser image of the Songsorrow is revealed on SSO's social media.[1] |
| October 14, 2021 | A trailer of the Songsorrow is released on SSO's social media.[2] |
| October 20, 2021 | The Songsorrow is added to the game for a limited time during the Halloween event.[3] |
| October 12, 2022 | The Songsorrow is added to the game for a limited time during the Halloween event.[4] |
| October 18, 2023 | The Songsorrow is added to the game for a limited time during the Halloween event.[5] |
Description
"Jorvik is rich with tales of nature spirits appearing as horses. Two of those spirits are strongly linked to grim stories reminding the listener that appearances are deceiving. The Duskgrim of the barren mountains look deadly even though they come to help. On the flip side the Songsorrows seem tame, even pitiful, until it is too late to escape the vicious water horse.
The Songsorrows are Jorvik’s waters given threatening form. Nearly every beach, river, and lake has at least one story of a Songsorrow. In some accounts the water source was created by the horse’s tears after losing their rider, and now the spirit waits for their rider’s return, crying a haunting song that lures the unsuspecting onto their back. The person may be released when the Songsorrow realizes the human on their back is not the one they are waiting for. The other possibility is the Songsorrow, in a grief stricken rage, will drag the human into the water never to be seen again. Deadlier waters tend to have stories of Songsorrows not driven by mourning but malice, using their song to intentionally draw in victims who rarely escape a watery grave. The main similarities across all the legends is that the spirits sing and create sorrow, intentionally or not.
As a legend intrinsically tied to Jorvik’s landscape it is no surprise that they appear as Jorvik Wild Horses. They disguise themselves as beautiful, if otherworldly, white horses to hide their true watery appearance. Seeing their true form is a sign of trust, whether as a friend or as a victim who won’t share the secret is up to you.
Songsorrows, as embodiments of water, are versatile in temperament. They can be calm or dangerous, frozen or boiling, and should be treated with caution. To befriend a Songsorrow is no easy task as they are willful creatures, demanding time and patience to overcome their emotional and volatile nature.
Or perhaps you are the one they have been waiting for all this time?"
Unique Features
Color Changing
The Songsorrow 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 Mezair
Note: The horse must reach level 7 to perform this gait.
While most breeds in SSO only have five gaits, the Songsorrow has six. This special gait is called the "Mezair," a gait derived from the Airs Above Ground move by the same name. To make your horse do the Mezair, the horse must be walking. The player then must hold down the Shift key and then simultaneously hit either the up arrow or the 'w' key. The Songsorrow will then begin to perform the special gait. During the Mezair, the horse cannot move to a faster gait or jump. To stop the Mezair, simply slow your horse down like you would with any other.
The Lay Down
Note: The horse must reach level 7 to perform this move.
The Songsorrow can perform a special move called the Lay Down. The animation can be activated by pressing the spacebar, but only when standing still, otherwise the horse will jump instead of performing the move.
Feathers
The Songsorrow sports moderate feathering on its legs. This long hair covering the horses' cannon and fetlock means that the Songsorrow cannot wear leg wraps or open front boots in the game.
Colors, Pricing, and Location
The Songsorrow is sold for 975 SC and can be purchased during the Halloween event in Galloper's Keep. It comes in one variation.
Note: This horse is released for limited periods of time and is not always in the game.
- Natural color: Green body, dark green mane and tail with flowers in them
- Neutral color: Grey, with flowers in mane and tail
Trivia
- The Songsorrow uses the Jorvik Wild Horse model.
- The Songsorrow was released as a pair with Duskgrim.
- The Songsorrow, like most other Magic Horses, cannot have its hairstyle changed.
- The name Songsorrow is a compound of the English words “song” (a poem or set of words set to music) and “sorrow” (a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune).[6][7] These are allusions to the horse’s folkloric inspirations.
- The Songsorrow takes inspiration from the Water horse myths of many cultures, as well as certain traits from the Banshee, Nixie, and Sirens.[8][9][10][11] A possible encounter on the Haunted Trail Ride with a Songsorrow further confirms this.
References
- ↑ Stable Online, “Next up in Jorvik!,” Instagram, October 12, 2021, accessed November 20, 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/CU7W-V8oWW9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link.
- ↑ Star Stable, “Meet Duskgrim and Songsorrow! 🪶☠️ | Star Stable Magic Horses ✨,” October 14, 2021, Trailer, 0:48, https://youtu.be/Cc9qbYF1a24.
- ↑ "The Spooky Season is Upon Us!" Star Stable. Star Stable Entertainment, October 2, 2021. https://www.starstable.com/en/article/10928.
- ↑ "Get Ready for a Horrifying Halloween!" Star Stable. Star Stable Entertainment, October 12, 2022. https://www.starstable.com/en/article/12841.
- ↑ "Bewitching Horses!" Star Stable. Star Stable Entertainment, October 18, 2023. https://www.starstable.com/en/article/13829.
- ↑ Merriam-Webster, s.v. “Song,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/song.
- ↑ Merriam-Webster, s.v. “Sorrow,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sorrow.
- ↑ Wikipedia, s.v. “Water horse,” last modified March 29, 2022 11:46, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_horse.
- ↑ Wikipedia, s.v. “Banshee,” last modified November 6, 2022 15:20, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banshee.
- ↑ Wikipedia, s.v. “Nixie (folklore): In horse form,” last modified October 30, 2022 08:11, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixie_(folklore)#In_horse_form.
- ↑ Wikipedia, s.v. “Siren (mythology),” last modified November 14, 2022 20:00, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren_(mythology).