Kelpies

Kelpies are a strange, semi-aquatic species of centaur. Their body can come in any color, but remains wet no matter how long a kelpie is out of the water. They have pointed ears similar to an elf's. Their most obvious difference, however, is their size. They are much smaller than most centaurs at about twenty feet tall(, but still extremely dangerous!).

Kelpies posess the power to distort their body in a way that allows them to swallow creatures up to about human size. This is thought to be based upon water magic, but no one knows for sure due to the agressive nature of kelpies. Though widlely known to be able to breathe underwater, very few people know that this is extended to anyone touching them. Ironicly, many believe they drown their prey before eating it.

This species is especially feared due to the fact that they typically gorge themselves on as much food as they can hold when they get hungry, fasting a day or two in between meals. Added to the fact their belly is distendable, this means despite their small size, a kelpie can eat five or six humans in one meal!

Even when not hungry, a kelpie is extremely dangerous to encounter. They often kill creatures for just coming to near them! However, they are quite friendly with water elementals and have a tenative, if peaceful (by kelpie terms!) truce with fairies. On the other side of things, they hate merfolk above all else and often "mob" mermaids as crows would mob a hawk. In battle, kelpies use their hooves and a sort of heavy, wooden spear with a stone head. This type of spear is called a lugh, and each kelpie that is of age* owns one, which they keep with them at all times. The type of stone used as the spearhead is determined by which clan a kelpie belongs to.

Kelpie towns and villiages float at midwater, each building anchored by weed rope and a weight to the bottom of the lake. The weight can be anything from a boulder to a stolen ship's anchor to a sword they aquired from a human victim. The buildings themselves are typically constructed from driftwood, aquatic plants and just about anything else they can get their hands on that floats.

Their society highly values martial skill, and fighting is common even between members their own kind. Most often fights end at first blood, but duels to the death aren't exactly uncommon. Though it may seem contradictory, beyond violence, the kelpie society is of an 'it takes a villiage' nature, and being selfish is the easiest way for a kelpie to be banished. When banished, the spearhead will be taken from that individual's lugh before they're chased away.

*-Equivalent of a fourteen years of age in a human.

Well I don't think they'd have to distort too much to swallow human sized prey if they're around 20ft. It's still pretty big.

As for the rest of the idea I'm gonna say that it needs more development. I'm also interested to know where you got the inspiration.

As for this:

Quote :

This species is especially feared due to the fact that even when easy, non-sentient prey is before them, kelpies go out of their way to hunt human, elves or nekos.

Why would they do that? It's established that humans, nekos and elves are not the main diet, they are occasional snacks when predators come across them. It just seems silly for them to ignore perfectly good food just to go after sentient.

Hmm, I suppose you're right. I'll remove that.

There's a few thing I considered that I forgot to add as well. For example, they have very good relations with water elementals.

As for the distortion thing, I did the math. Their humanoid torso is approximately four times the size of a human's and the horse part is about twice the size of a normal horse. There would be distorting.

Yeah there would be. IT does depend where the stomach is though, or if it's in both the humanoid and the tauric parts. One human isn't going to distend them too much. but 5 or 6 will and if they do eat that much they're not going to be moving anywhere fast. It also sounds a bit like nagas in that respect, seeing as they can do a similar thing.

Also, the act of swallowing would require distortion. As for the gorging thing, I got the idea from the fact that in some tales, kelpies will devour cows or regular horses single-handedly. Really, half of what I wrote is originated from Celtic lore in some way or another.

The name "Kelpies" seems really familiar somehow.

I guess it fits this kind of creature. Could use a bit more work, since it seems like another kinda generic eating machine. It's got some promise though.

It's familiar because the name is straight out of mythology. Do you have any suggestions for it?

Not much I can think of at the moment.

Though I would like to ask: do these kelpies reside anywhere in specific? Is there an area where their concentration is greater?

Funny you should ask that, I've been trying to figure out a place like that that could work. As of now, the contenders are Sullon Lake, the Lake of Illusions and the Lake of Arrows.

As for development, I'm going to add quite a bit on their culture and I'm considering removing the gorging habit altogether.

Since It's relevant:

Kelpies (mythology)

"The classic water horse in Celtic, and especially Scottish, tradition. The Kelpie haunted rivers rather than lochs or the sea. When a storm was due, the Kelpie could sometimes be heard howling and wailing. he could also assume human form when he needed to, appearing as a rough shaggy man. In this shape, he would sometimes leap up behind solitary riders, gripping them in his strong arms or frightening them to death. However, his most usual shape was that of a young horse and in common with others of his kind his favorite trick was to lure travelers onto his back and then rush with them into a deep pool, where he struck the water with his tail, causing a sound like thunder, and then vanished in a flash of light. He was also suspected of sometimes tearing people to pieces and devouring them.

A brave member of the MacGregor clan nonce found a Kelpie with a magical bridle and took it off. The Kelpie begged him to put it back, but the man kept it and used it to work magic. On the other hand, anyone who could put the human bridle on the Kelpie could subdue him to his will. A man of the Graham clan from Morphie once caught a Kelpie in this way and used it to drag stones to build a new castle. When the castle was finished he took off the bridle and the poor exhausted Kelpie ran in to the nearest river, where he paused and said:

Sad back and sad bones
Driving the Laird o' Morphie's stones.
The Laird of Morphie will never thrive,
So long as the Kelpie's alive!

From then on, misfortune dogged the Grahams of Morphie to the end of their line."

There you have it should have plenty of ideas XD

Well, that's only one of many descriptions, but I may add the curse of misfortune part. Actually, I've seen that article before myself, so I don't know why I didn't think of that.

This might make for a cool water elemental. It would also be cool if they could trot on water. Capturing and taming the Kelpie allows for boats to be drawn by one to four of these creatures at speeds currently unattainable by modern technology (inexpensive modern technology, that is), Imagine a chariot (boat) being drawn by these water steeds, crossing oceans in a matter of hours O.O

So it's safe to assume the kelpy works with curses in addition to being an elemental.

Meh, not too hot on that part.

Pendragon wrote:

So it's safe to assume the kelpy works with curses in addition to being an elemental.

Meh, not too hot on that part.

See what happened there? That was a no no.

I'm not big on the curses either, thus I didn't include them in my suggestion. I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to capture and tame a cursed elemental. XP
There's quite a bit from the original myth that I wouldn't carry over. But that's just me.