Hi :) I had read something a while ago that the donkey we first ever got in the game (from an event/quest for beginners, I think only given to our first character) is somehow different from the Strong Black Donkey we can buy over & over at the stables. Is this correct?

I wasn't aware of this when I sold it and bought new donkeys for my shorter alts so I could name them something relevant in association wih the names of those characters. Since I couldn't figure out back then how to rename my "special" strong black [one-time beginner quest] donkey like I could with horses, I didn't think there'd be anything wrong with selling it except for having to start its leveling over. But I swore I remembered that donkey being crazy fast. Perhaps my memory of it is just off though?

It's just that the regular store-bought strong black donkeys seem so slow, and I'm worried I made a huge mistake I can't undo. Wish I could somehow get that quest donkey back if it was indeed faster than the store-bought ones. It used to be the one I used for my Shai (who is my main) until I got the Shai-Specific donkey ♡ which I of course love way more (due to its stripey legs, skills, & extra inventory). But I don't really remember a speed difference when I switched over to that donkey. Which is why I was perfectly happy to give it to an alt who was short and needed a mount but looked weird on a horse. And as that donkey wasn't Shai-bound, I could give it to them.

Let me know if the speed and such is an illuson! If it is, I won't feel so bad. But if it isn't, then maybe there'll eventually be a way to get it back, I hope.

Oh and also, I swore I remembered my quest donkey being shinier lol... as if it was wet from the rain xD  And a richer velvety black. But perhaps this is a warped memory too.

Shai class has an extra line of quests for a "special" donkey that has skills, better stats than other donkeys, and runs faster but has to be used by Shai. Still, it is worthless compared to any horse.

I know - that's what I said I have on my Shai. But that quest came much later in the game progression once I had already leveled & done quite a lot of the story lines. Before I got the Shai-Specific donkey, there was another quest (not Shai-Specific) at the very beginning of the game when I first made my account & started playing with her. I believe it started in Velia or Heidel. Can't quite remember as it was super long ago. This donkey was granted as a gift/reward, only offered to my first character as a beginner's boost. And it could be traded amongst characters. But I never got that quest again with anyone else.

When the Shai was first introduced, there was a once per family quest to get a "super" donkey in Velia at level 10.  After doing this you can only get the regular Shai donkey from the level 56 quest.  I still have one of these donkeys on each of my accounts and they can be ridden by other characters (not just Shai), but only Shai can use the special donkey skills.  Otherwise, the stats and skills are very similar to the donkey from the level 56 Shai quest.