"Well, it could be a highly magical and symbolic horn of great power. On the other hand, it could just be a tatty old drinking horn, for all I know." – Brother Mace

Animal horns appeared as clue objects in every season of Knightmare, and were often useful, although some got dungeoneers into trouble (even bringing one quest to a memorably entertaining end).
For Team 6 of Series 1 and Team 3 of Series 2, a horn once owned by Joshua was vital to the completion of Level 3, as they could only bring down the wall of Jericho by blowing it six times. The latter team were successful, but the former had foolishly rejected it in favour of a dagger.

Joshua's horn also appears as a Level 2 clue object in the first Knightmare gamebook, Can You Beat The Challenge. Trying to use it in the wrong situation is at best unhelpful, at worst fatal.
In Series 3, an elf horn was twice used to summon Velda for help in fighting off a Behemoth; she was angry about them using the horn of Elvandis, as Golgarach described it. Desperate housewife Mrs. Grimwold was keen to get her own hands on the horn, but would not reveal what she intended to do with it: "Oh dearie, no, that's my secret - oohh, I couldn't tell you that, dearie!" The mind boggles.
Gwendoline also came to the rescue upon hearing a horn (when Skarkill was menacing Team 4 of Series 5). Sylvester Hands gave Team 4 of Series 7 a horn with which to call him, but they passed it on to Grimaldine who was seeking an Opposition minion to interrogate, and earned themselves a firestone for doing so.
Julius Scaramonger took a hunting horn off his assistant 'Young Grimwold' before trying to sell it to Team 6 of Series 6. Dungeoneer Sophia persuaded him to part with a different sort of horn - a dragon caller imported by Lord Fear.
Team 2 and Team 5 of Series 6 both picked up horns in Level 1 that were never needed. (Team 5 should have taken a bar of silver instead, but were not punished for the error.) Horns were also left in clue rooms by Team 3 of Series 6 and Team 6 of Series 8, who were told to "Be quick and be quiet" in Linghorm.
Team 5 of Series 8 were given the scroll clue "Music to wake him. Fire to feed him". This referred to Smirkenorff, who was awakened using a horn.
The most widely remembered horn in Knightmare was undoubtedly the goblin hunting horn, whose sudden blaring sound can still give full-grown adults the willies. First heard in episode 3 of Series 3, it usually signalled the approach of a goblin patrol, though it came to be used on its own as a warning for teams to hurry up.


Oddly, no goblins were ever seen carrying a horn. Odder still, the same sound was used in Series 8 to accompany Miremen and even Snapper-Jack!
A goblin horn was sometimes carried by Sylvester Hands for the purpose of calling in backup. He winded it just before capturing Team 4 of Series 6 ("I 'AVE TO BLOW MY 'ORN!"), and threatened the same if Team 6 of Series 7 showed any resistance. He also tricked Team 9 of Series 5 into buying a goblin caller, telling them it would summon Robin Hood; they incurred the wrath of Gwendoline by using it to scare off an assassin.
A worse fate befell Team 2 of Series 5 when they grabbed a horn, rather than a gold bar, in their haste to escape from Ariadne’s lair. They heroically tried to bluff their way past Skarkill with tales of a "magic horn" that could bring him riches, only to come unstuck when he asked to hear what it sounded like: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! That's a goblin horn... and I am Skarkill, master of the goblins!"
"Magic horn? Oh no it's not! I'm gonna put my irons on you!"
Team 4 and Team 6 of Series 4 blew a shrill, discordant version of the goblin horn, called Terror, to deafen and repel goblins outside the Castle of Doom and Dungarth. On the latter occasion it came in useful again as a bribe for Fatilla, with Dickon managing to convince him it was ancient and very important.
Team 2 of Series 8 found a curious item called the ACME self operating danger horn. It was not for blowing, but automatically sounded an alarm (identical to the goblin horn) when they entered the Raining Fireballs room. They later tried offering it to Brother Strange, who wasn't interested: "A bauble, a bauble! I have no need for horns!"


Different sound effects were used from time to time. Team 3 of Series 5 heard a horn twice during their quest - once when Julius Scaramonger was poaching a deer in the forest, and later when Sir Hugh approached them on horseback. In Series 8, the foxhunting call known as 'Leaving the Meet' seemed to be associated with Skeletrons. Faerie knights can be heard sounding bugles in The Future King gamebook.
In the final episode of Series 3, a horn dramatically materialised in the Level 2 clue room to signal the end of the original dungeon. "When the third blast sounds, the dungeon will disintegrate, only to reform for the next age."
Goblin horns made a return in the 2013 YouTube episode, but without the original sound effect, much to the disappointment of many watchers. Daisy blew one in an attempt to rouse Treguard from his sleep; another was heard as Garstang entered the Level 2 clue room.
Some of the programme's funniest double entendres were horn-related. David Learner (Pickle) told Debbie Glover that he once blurted out "Dickon's got the horn, master!", though it was evidently cut before broadcast. When stopped by Fatilla, Dickon himself offered to "give you a horn", to the obvious amusement of actor Michael Cule. Along similar lines, Sophia ordered Julius Scaramonger to "Give me the horn or else!", Treguard noted that Team 4 of Series 7 "also have the horn", and Series 8 advisor Gideon exclaimed "You could give him the horn, Daniel!" when Brother Strange wanted a favour in exchange for his magic. Perhaps Fatilla wasn't referring to the Helmet of Justice when he called them all "horny dunger-fingies".

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