How to Win Your Spurs
Dated: 18 Feb, 2025
A brain-dump on the subject of Horse Furniture in Desktop Fantasy Role-Playing.
The other day I was watching a TV series by the wonderful and ever-elegant Lucy Worsley OBE and she was talking about the coronation of Mary I, first Tudor Queen of England. One of the trappings of this high office was some gold spurs that symbolise knighthood and chivalry. This item had to be represented, or at least recognised in Mary’s coronation, even though she couldn’t wear them. They could have been discarded, given the ridiculous skirts required of women in those days, but they weren’t – they were too important. A quick internet search and I discover these were first part of the English coronation ceremony with Richard I, the Lionheart, in 1189 and are still apart of the ceremony to this day, although it is not the same pair now. Very interesting.
But then I wondered “I’ve never come across any important spurs in TTFRPGs?”
I checked the 1st ed. Unearthed Arcana and, despite the importance of the Cavalier in that book, there is no mention of spurs, that I could find. Time for a bit of a think.
The necessity of spurs to a knight is significant. With your hands occupied with shields, swords, lances and so on, it’s your legs, knees and feet that you use to steer your horse, or whatever your steed is. Spurs are very useful then, but not just in a practical sense. The knight has to “win his spurs”, a term still prevalent in traditional cavalry units today, even in the days of tanks and missile launchers. Spurs are an important, symbolic element of the whole idea of the mounted warrior.
It became a rabbit hole down which I plunged with relish!
So, my mind immediately started thinking about magical spurs; what kind of powers might they give a knight? What about if the rider was a spellcaster? Or an archer? What if the mount wasn’t a horse? Would spurs be at all useful on a Dragon? Or a Wyvern? What about the other tackle associated with riding – saddles, stirrups and so on? Stirrups were, after all, one of the innovations that William the Conqueror had over Harrold’s Saxons (I read somewhere, but it's WRONG)? There are horseshoes mentioned in the 1st edition magic lists, but they have always struck me as less than useful, given you need a Farrier to fit them and horses, in my campaigns at least, seem to have a very short shelf-life, even Paladins’ Warhorses.
So, here’s my brain-dump on the subject of Horse Furniture. I hope you find it interesting or thought-provoking…
Magical Items:
Spurs of Bravery – Simple and practical spurs that give the rider a +1 attacking advantage on all attacks and make any mount fearless. +2 bonus on Spell Saves and the rider will never be unhorsed.
Spurs of Charging – Silver spurs that increase the speed of a mount by 25% for 10 combat rounds, 3 times a day, without increasing fatigue.
Spurs of Mastery – Plain spurs that allow the wearer to ride any animal-intelligence mount as if trained for it, regardless of their personal skill level. They will always succeed any skill check related to riding whilst wearing them.
Spurs of Bonding – Delicate Spurs of Eleven manufacture that create an empathic bond between a rider and a specific mount, similar to the bond between a spell-caster and a Familiar. The mount will answer a Telepathic summons from up to a mile away and understand exactly what the rider desires of the beast without any verbal communication.
Spurs of the Fey – allows anyone Good to ride a Unicorn but also allows the rider to pass in and out of the Fey Realm as they wish, as if passing through a Fairy Ring. Not limited to Unicorns, they work regardless of the nature of the mount or the rider's alignment, although the mount must be horse-sized (Gryphons, Pegasi et al.). The spurs have the slight drawback that about 1d6 days after passing, toadstools sprout where-ever the mounts feet fall – even on stone. These are a special form of Thaumofungus (see SM05 the World Guide to Barnaynia) and might have any kind of wonderful power.
Spurs of Protection from Normal Missiles – these steel items confer a permanent Protection from Normal Missiles spell on the wearer and mount, as well as improving Armour Class by +2 against magical and other physical missiles (not spells). These would have been very handy at Crecy or Agincourt.
Stirrups of Stability – a rather elaborate set of Stirrups designed for a specific species of mount that allows the rider to behave as if standing still on solid ground even at a gallop – perfect for archers and spell-casters.
Saddle of Protection – as per the magical Rings of the same name, these confer their protection on the mount and the rider, while they are in the saddle.
Saddle of Beast Control – tailored to specific species, when placed on the back of a suitable mount this allows a rider to control that mount as if the mount were broken and trained. Intelligent mounts might be allowed a saving throw. Large Dragons may need very elaborate saddles with long girths.
Saddle of Trekking – a large and comfy saddle that allows the rider and mount to trek for up to 16 hours a day at a fast walk over any terrain except mountains or water. Both mount and rider suffer no detrimental effects like saddle sores or fatigue and will be ready to do the same the next day, after a night’s rest.
Magic Barding – beast armour of as many different kinds as the normal armour listed in the books.
Legendary Items
The Spurs of Bloody Emperor Disclinius – these ruby-encrusted, golden spurs were worn by the greatest warrior emperor of the lands around Gorgola (the lands of the Wolf Nomads on Greyhawke) called Disclinius the Bloody after his ferocity in battle. Legend states that the commander who wears these spurs will never be defeated in battle. Disclinius was slain after his camp was ambushed by a bandit king and he didn’t have time to put his spurs on. It is thought a squire stole the spurs away when defeat was certain. It is not known if they are magical or if the tales are just a myth.
The Diamond Spurs of Dunromin – Worn by the Lord of Dunromin, King of the Land of the Young (perhaps Furyondi on Greyhawke) as a sign of office. They were a gift made for his ancestor by the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains and their powers are unknown. They may not even be magical, but they are decorated with 12 huge diamonds.
The Ice Spur – this single whale-bone spur was crafted by the Frost Giant Wizard Unflinguin of the Icy Wastes. Its powers relate to riding whales in the deep, functioning as both a Helm of Underwater Action and a Spur of Bonding, with a marine mammal of the wearer’s choice.
The Spurs of the Once and Future King – When Garim the Great Gorger fell under the power of the mighty Wizard Wonn, some thousands of years ago, he threw his spurs away as they were Lawful Good in nature and it burned him to wear them. Lost to history, it is said whomsoever might wear them would have the power to unite the scattered tribes of the Barbarians of the Western Wild Lands once more.
The Saddle of Andraxus Belgerderax (aka Zondar’s Saddle) – a saddle made of the hide of the Golden Great Wyrm Andraxus Belgerderax, which was the mount of the legendary hero Zondar (see SM16 The Book of Legends). This saddle allows anyone to command a Gold Dragon of their choice to be their mount. It also acts as a Saddle of Metallic Dragon Control over up to 12 such beasts (except Baphomet itself).
Has this tweaked your interest? Read more ideas and missives on the Dunromin University Press Blog Page HERE.