Brook Horse

Not so long ago, when the cottages and villages were still lit up by oil lamps or simple candles, there circulated folk stories of the denizens of brooks and streams. The village elders warned the children to steer clear of the water, lest they might be tricked into it by a vicious beast that took the form of a horse, a man or woman. Today, we might dismiss such stories as old wives' tales, lore cooked up by adults to ensure that their young ones would not fall into the stream and drown. Little do the modern human know with what truth those stories ring.

One form of guardians for the streams, lakes and rivers that course through the countryside are the Brook Horses, mythical shapeshifting creatures who with their cunning and their talents lure innocents victims into the water where they drown them. If one was to withstand their lure, one could learn great secrets in the finer arts from them, with a little persuasion. While not always malevolent, these creatures don't give anything for free. If captured, they are said to grant their captor strange abilities and powers - if they can manage to hold on to them for long enough, lest they might end up resting in a watery grave.

Biology
Brook Horses are spirit-kin made corporeal - embodiments of a stream, lake or river made to guard it from all that would do it harm. Like the waters they inhabit, they can change their form. Able to take on the shape of an equine or a human, their artistic skills tend to entice nearby humans whom the Brook Horse can then prey on. Their diet is mainly meat based, making them predatory creatures - contrary to what their equine forms might lead one to believe.

Water is dependent on the sun to maintain its liquid state. The hydrologic cycle with its weather changes is brought on by the warming rays of our solar system's star, and like the source from which they sprang forth, so too are the Brook Horses governed by the sun's seasonal movements across the sky. Depending on what Kin they belong to and that Kin's affinity with the sun, they have periods of the year where they are stronger.

Habitat and Population
Brook Horses live in any naturally occurring bodies of waters; streams and rivers, brooks and lakes, marshlands and bogs - sometimes close to shore in the ocean, usually in sheltered bays. Though naturally water-dwelling, they need access to land in order to hunt. Their homes are usually located in the deeper parts of their territories, inaccessible to any who might want to disturb them. A majority of their waking time is spent on the shore-side or in the shallows. They may have a favourite rock where they enjoy passing the time. There is rarely more than one Brook Horse per body of water. They are territorial creatures, and conflicts between close-dwelling Brook Horses are common - especially if prey is scarce.

Physiology
It is impossible to tell which shape came first; the human form or that of the Brook Horse's equine shape (also known as their Coat). These are the two shapes they are limited to. Legend tells of them turning into such varying things as treasures on the bottom of the stream, monstrous, dog-like creatures, or headless men, but there is no truth to such myths. Since they are water-dwellers, Brook Horses can breathe underwater. They are not dependent on having water around them or being submerged for any specific period of time, but they do find it mentally distressing to be parted from their home waters for extended periods of time. Therefore, they seldom stray far away from the waters.

Regardless of what form they take at the moment, Brook Horses are sturdily built. They are not always visibly muscular, but their bodies are always incredibly strong and durable. Just like horses, they can pull and lift a great deal of weight, and they have stamina enough to run for long distances at a time. In this, they exceed their equine kin in that they can carry more and run further. Therefore, they have in horse form been sought after as beasts of burdens, heavy-working draft horses or gorgeous steeds. A feat that isn't completely impossible, given the fact that they have a few natural weaknesses that can be taken advantage of in order to capture and enslave one.

Brook Horses are vulnerable to iron. While the metal doesn't harm them simply by touching them, they find themselves robbed of their will if they cannot directly remove it on their own. A bit in the mouth of a Brook Horse in equine form makes for an obedient steed, whilst a bracelet, chain or similar piece of jewelry on one in human form may effectively enslave them for a set period of a year. So long as the iron stays on their body (braided into their head, around their neck, etc), the enchantment holds. Only at their strongest (on their Solar Day) may they break free from the enslavement, and when they do they often make their captor meet a swift end. There are means by which a captor can avoid this and permanently enslave a Brook Horse, but the means by which to do so are obscure and hard to come by. The rewards for such a travesty, however, are enormous.

They are born into genders upon coming into existence, and as such there are both male and female Brook Horses. Why is up for debate.

Life cycle
Born out of the stream they guard through some mystical means, Brook Horses emerge out of the waters fully grown. Some believe they might be remnants of the True Fae who might have trod the earth once as they have little in common with other spirits (given their corporeal status), others believe they might be souls that are bound to the streams through ritualistic sacrifices carried out in ancient times. No one knows for sure, as the Brook Horses themselves awake with no collection of who they might be or where they might come from, only their purpose clear in their minds. Brook Horses do not have families or parents as they do not reproduce through sexual means. This does not mean they are sterile or barren. It is not unheard of that a Brook Horse and a human has conceived together, but the progeny is never anything other than human. A child born out of such a union has never showed any special talents or magical abilities; they might, however, be slightly more fond of water than a normal human child would be.

As a species, Brook Horses have a natural affinity for languages, quickly catching on to the cadence of speech. Throughout their young years they harness their abilities and learn to control them, while simultaneously creating their own identities. Intelligence and wisdom comes with age; young Brook Horses are usually much easier to trick, and can be both naive and overly curious.

Like horses, Brook Horses require very little sleep. On average, they need three hours of sleep in a twenty-four hour period of time, and it doesn't have to be consistent. Instead,they can break it up in smaller portions throughout the day, snatching some needed rest whenever they can find the time. Fifteen minutes here and there is enough to keep them well rested. They sleep lightly and are easy to wake up.

The diet consists mostly of meat, fish being a favourite for most of the Kin. Should they run out, they can sustain on grass or hay in emergencies, though it is not their preferable dish. More important than food to a Brook Horse is water; they need to stay well-hydrated and can therefore consume more water per day than a human can - up to eight litres a day if given free access to water.

Brook Horses do not age naturally - their senses do not dim, nor do their strength diminish. They stay the same shape they were born into, losing muscle mass only if they starve. Their hair does not grey. However, it must be pointed out that they are not invulnerable. They may be killed through most means that would kill other supernatural beings; being shot multiple times, beheaded or stabbed. Though durable and tough to kill, they heal at a human rate if wounded.

Should a Brook Horse be killed, it will take the stream they guarded some time before a new one is formed; a decade or two is not unusual. Eerily enough, the new Brook Horse often look identical to its predecessor.

Kin
Kin is the term used to differentiate between the various kinds of Brook Horses in existence. They are generally divided up into Kin by their own special attributes and preferences in environment.

It is important to keep in mind that there are exceptions to the rules of thumb listed below. Just like people, Brook Horses have distinct personalities, and not one is completely identical to the other. Kin are broad generalizations supposed to give an idea about what to expect from each kind, as they are generally true.

Brag
The tricksters of the species, Brags are the least malevolent out of all of Brook Horse Kin. Instead of killing their victims, they prefer to humiliate them. In horse form, they trick them onto their backs and, once they reach a muddy puddle or a thorny bush, they suddenly toss the rider off - running off laughing as they do so. The victims survive with a bruised ego and a bewildered sense of disorientation. In human form, they expertly imitate voices to lead unsuspecting humans astray, mocking and confounding them gleefully from out of view.

The Brag doesn't like being bored, and they prefer trying to live life to the fullest over staying safe. Naturally curious and inquisitive, Brags are likely to seek out human company just for the fun of it. They are unreliable, wild and mischievous, as quick with their wits as they are on their hooves. Often joking, they might not seem like they take anything seriously and like they are only wasting time.

They are at their strongest at the Winter Solstice, when the day is at its shortest. Whilst it is the darkest day of the year, it is a time associated with celebration and luck, fitting this small, impish creature to a T.
 * Common Coats: Small, shaggy pony or donkey.
 * Preferred Waters: Wild waters full of torrents; rapids.
 * Solar Day: The Winter Solstice

Bäckahäst
Sensitive and creative, the Bäckahästar are the most artistic of the Kin. They can be show-offs, as they are proud of their accomplishments and like sharing their talents with the world. If a person is cunning (or lucky) enough, they might even be able to get private lessons taught to them by a Bäckahäst in the craft of their choice, as these are the most approachable of the Brook Horses. Still, their enchanted tunes have strange effects on its listeners, and like the rest of their kind, the Bäckahäst drowns those that might threaten them.

They tend to be a bit more philosophical than the rest of their kind, dwelling on deeper questions whilst they create. This leaves them a bit somber, prone to melancholy as they are.

They are at their strongest at the Summer Solstice, when the day is at its longest. The Summer Solstice is associated with magic and renewal, strong emotions and light. All of those are inspirations the Bäckahäst might use for their artistic crafts.
 * Common Coats: Majestic white horse with noble features and a tail that trails the ground.
 * Preferred Waters: Streams, lakes and ponds located in forests or woodlands.
 * Solar Day:The Summer Solstice

Each-uisge
Vicious and perhaps the most dangerous out of the bunch, the Each-uisge prefer red meat over that of fish. In horse form, their skin can turn adhesive, making a victim they have lured into touching or riding them stick to them as they drag them underwater. Once the victim has drowned, they tear them apart and eat them piece by piece. They are grand creatures with a stong sense of entitlement; people approaching the abode of an Each-uisge seldom escape intact. However, in olden times they were highly sought after as steeds because of their noble bearings.

A bit on the haughty side, they tend to view humans and other critters as nothing but a source of food. However, by sharing a piece of valuable information the Each-uisge did not previously know, a prospect victim might be able to escape with their lives intact as the beast relishes in new insights.

They are their strongest at the Autumnal Equinox, when the day and the night are equally long but the nights are getting longer. This day is associated with remembrance of the dead as well as the harvest, both of which can be tied to this creature given their knack for murdering and their ego which can be stroked in order to coax them into helping.
 * Common Coats: Elegant, delicately built equine; often muddy or sandy, depending on habitat.
 * Preferred Waters: Salt water gulfs or seaside beaches, alternately larger lakes
 * Solar Day: The Autumnal Equinox

Kelpie
The most ambivalent out of all Brook Horse Kin, Kelpies are usually described as malevolent and capricious. This is misleading; they may be helpful if they feel up for it, albeit quite unreliable (as they could potentially turn on an unsuspecting human at any time). They hunt by luring their prey into the water, where they tear them asunder and eat them piece by piece, leaving only the entrails to drift up onto shore. They are the strongest out of the Kin, and therefore dangerous to approach - their chosen habitat of treacherous marshlands making it no easier.

Kelpies are often rebellious, dark of mind, and refuse to conform expectations. Once you figure that you have one pinned down, they turn and do something unexpected, reveling in the confusion and unease their behaviour gives raise to.

They are at their strongest during solar eclipses, rare instances when the sun is partially or completely hidden by the moon. The superstitions of solar eclipses are of a chaotic nature; the end of the world, the devouring of the sun, angry gods to appease. All of these are fitting images for this dark, volatile creature.
 * Common Coats: Large, black horse with long, seaweed-tangled mane and tail. Might be red-eyed.
 * Preferred Waters: Marshlands, swamps or bogs.
 * Solar Day: The Solar Eclipse

Wihwin
The Wihwin are the most mobile out of the Brook Horses, enjoying nocturnal treks as they search for prey. Their territories are usually stretching further away from their home waters than the others do, since they live in high altitude places where food is scare to come by, leading them to wander around in search for victims. They enjoy exploring and fear confinement, steering clear of larger human settlements and often attempting to disrupt dam works if such should be conducted along their rivers.

Uncommon as it might be for Brook Horses, Wihwin may willingly leave their waters unguarded for a few days in order to scout out the surrounding area. They are explorers by heart, wandering great distances in just a day to satiate their thirst for something else than what they are used to. Fiercely independent, they have a distrusting nature and keep to themselves (even by Brook Horse standards).

They are their strongest at the Vernal Equinox, when the day and the night are equally long but the days are getting longer. The Vernal Equinox is associated with rebirth and new beginnings; fitting, as the Wihwin enjoys new sights.
 * Common Coats: Lanky and smallish with a compact built. They often have sharp teeth.
 * Preferred Waters: High altitude, mountainous lakes and streams; waterfalls.
 * Solar Day: The Vernal Equinox

The Medium and Flair
Aside from the innate abilities all Brook Horses share, they have a certain (very specific) ability that they excel in. It differs from individual to individual, and is usually within an artistic field such as arts, crafts, writing or music. When the Brook Horse practices this certain talent of theirs, they can get magical effects. These abilities are known as their Flair - an inborn ability to create certain, specific effects, usually meant to help in hunting or protecting their home waters, when practicing their craft at an (unmatched) master level.

It is important to note that this master level can only be achieved at a single, specific thing, and that it is not transferable to other skills even if they are found within the same area of interest. A Brook Horse whose Flair it is to play the flute can do so in a manner that humans cannot achieve, but their musical skill is not transferable to another instrument. Where they to play a piano, they would likely find themselves good at it - but not exceedingly so. Other skills would have to be practiced if the Brook Horse wishes to get good at them, and even then they would never be able to achieve the level of mastery in that skill as they have in their Flair.

The key to using a Flair is an item known as the Medium. Brook Horses are born with the Medium by their side, and it is the source to their Flair abilities. It is usually an item associated with their crafts of choice, like a pencil, a canvas or an instrument. Without it, they cannot channel their Flair, and though their abilities would be intact using another instrument (if music is their expert field) they will not be able to replicate the effects of their Flair. No magic could be achieved through another channel than their Medium.

The Flair is a gift that can create amazing feats of power. Therefore, it has been sought after by those privy to this information and hungry for power themselves. People who want to acquire it for themselves so that they might harness it for their own purposes.

Consciousness and Thought
Brook Horses are on par with humans when it comes to intelligence; they are thinking, feeling and reasoning creatures perfectly capable of using their intellects. In some areas they might do poorer than the average human would (like in mathematical skills or interpersonal interactions), in others they do better (like the sort of intelligence that corresponds with their Flair). They are perfectly capable of understanding, reasoning and planning ahead, leaving them with well-functioning cognition. However, their logic might seem a bit alien to those not of their own kind.

As guardians and predators, Brook Horses have sharp senses and a good capacity when it comes to doing multiple tasks at the same time. In their home environments they are often aware of their surroundings to a very high agree, sensitive to shifts in mood or "tone" of the forest. They do not possess any supernatural senses that allow them to pick up things like auras or such, but their five normal ones are sharpened to the same level as that of a horse.

Often, Brook Horses are more wise than they are intelligent, a trait that depends on their age and experience level. Over the course of their lives they never stop learning, and their experiences accumulate over time. Where a young Brook Horse might be unruly, rash and overly confident, an old one tends to be shrewd, cautious and rational.

Motivation and Emotion
The instincts of a Brook Horse are stronger than that of a human; when they are young, they tend to be more animalistic as the drive to follow their senses rather than their sensibilities is very strong. Even as they grow older, wiser, and learn to set their instincts aside in favour for a more rational approach, there will always be something beast-like about them. Human as their guise may be, Brook Horses are wild animals, and as such they always retain some of the unruly beast within; be it visible in an irritable toss of the head, a dark, predatory glance or a shying step back at the sight of something unexpected.

While the Brook Horse's non-human form is that of an equine, they are not as heavily subject to their prey instincts. They have horse-like characteristics and movements, but are not as easily spooked as a real equestrian being would be in certain situations. Being predators, they are instead more prone to acting aggressive if threatened than to flee the scene.

The drive to guard their territory is the strongest motivation these beings possess. Born into the purpose of protecting their home waters, the wish to do so can be strong to resist. Deeply territorial, they do not like sharing with others. The cases where the coexistence between a Brook Horse and another predatory animal on the same level (like a human or another supernatural being) has worked out within the same (small) territory for longer periods of time are far between, albeit not completely unheard of.

Another strong motivation in a Brook Horse's life is that to create. Their Flair is a separate drive in itself, leading them to practice and honing their skills every day. Depression might hit a Brook Horse who is not capable or allowed to practice their art in any way, shape or form. They live and breathe their art form, and have a deep connection to it on a soul level. It's as important as breathing to them.

A Brook Horse's range of emotions can be just broad as a human's is. However, it is a little alien from what you would expect if you were examining a human. Brook Horses are passionate creatures with deep emotions, but most of those are connected to other stimuli and interests than those of the ordinary human. They are much alike artists in that they lose themselves in their art completely and are able to give themselves wholly to the task at hand. Without their Medium, they feel empty and abandoned. They seldom worry about small things or fear the future, as their lives will end only if something happens to them - something, which is out of their hands until that day comes.

Tied to this depth of emotions is also a deep melancholy that often hit members of this species. No creature is created to be completely solitary for decades, centuries or millennia. While the Brook Horse's instincts are all aimed at ensuring their existence separate from other intelligent creatures, there are parts of them that still long for company. Over time, the melancholy caused by their loneliness builds until it becomes hard to handle.

Brook Horse Interactions and Society
Unlike other equestrians, Brook Horses do not live in herds nor are they nomadic. They are not social creatures in the manner humans are either. Solitude is their lot in life; guarding their streams is a lonely work that requires time and vigilance. What interactions they do have, they usually have by the shore of their waters with those crossing through their territories.

Brook Horses tend to have different depths of knowledge when it comes to other supernatural races depending on how many pass by. It is actually more likely that they have come across a pack or Uratha or a Promethean going to the Wastes than that they have encountered one of their own kind; since they are not prone to leaving their waters unprotected, visiting another stream happens very seldom. Inter-species interactions tend to go over well so long as the Brook Horse doesn't feel threatened; other supernatural beings are not easy prey and are better left alone. They may politely be informed that they have trespassed into another being's turf, but generally these water-dwelling creatures tend to watch from a distance instead, keeping an eye on the intruders until they eventually move on, never finding a need for them to announce their presence.

There is no such thing as a Brook Horse society. Encounters between Brook Horses usually only happen if territories overlap, like when two streams meet to form a larger river. Should this happen, the two individuals usually meet to calmly discuss borders and jurisdiction. A peaceful solution is usually met, but if no deal is brokered it might come to blows in bloody turf wars.

When it comes to humans and Brook Horses, the latter views the former as a fleeting form of amusement, a source of interesting tales, or a nice (still moving) plate of dinner. A Bäckahäst might play for the enjoyment of a nearby village, but the tunes of their enchanted instrument tend to lead the listeners into frenzied dances; a Kelpie in horse form may approach a group of children and lure them onto its back, only to toss itself into the stream with its precious cargo, enough for them to snack on now and save for later; a Brag can choose to follow an unsuspecting human around for days as they trek upstream, calling obscenities and disappearing into the stream before the poor soul realizes who it is that is mocking them. It often comes down to the Brook Horse's personality and disposition how the encounter ends.

Sexuality and love
Since Brook Horses don't reproduce sexually, love and sexuality can be quite foreign concepts to them. That doesn't mean they can't experience it; history is full of instances where Brook Horses have fallen for humans and decided to attempt to live normal lives with them (which usually ends miserably with them heading back to their watery homes when the longing for their stream becomes too strong). Other tales tell of them attempting to coerce the object of their affections into joining them in their stream, which (naturally) also ends in disaster.

Sexuality itself is not strange to Brook Horses, even though it can be foreign. Lust of the flesh is far simpler for them to wrap their heads around, as it is a basic, instinctual drive that talks to their animal side. It is not looked down upon, and much of their allure may stem from a sort of sexual magnetism. Love is more problematic to understand.

Love itself has been a source of fascination for many of these lonely creatures. Made to be the lone guardians of brooks and streams across the world, Brook Horses were never taught to understand the concept of loving someone else and putting them before you. They hold no maternal or paternal instincts since they are not expected to procreate. But the idea of holding someone in such high regard fascinates them to a point where a few of them long more for the feeling of overwhelming infatuation than the satiation of lust. Love is a romanticized word among many Brook Horses, who might compare it to the passion they feel for their Flair. Few ever get to experience it for themselves, as love affairs like these are often destined for tragedy.

Progeny between Brook Horses and humans are possible. Children born of sexual intercourse between a Brook Horse and a human are rare but not strange. They inherit nothing from their supernatural parent asides from, perhaps, a stronger liking of water than what is to be expected.

Origins
Though there is no consensus as to where Brook Horses come from or how they come to be, there exists a few common theories as to what they are and from where they might originate. Below are the most common beliefs. There are those who believe that Brook Horses are the spirits of the deceased humans and animals that were sacrificed in the old days. Vikings held rituals (called "blot") on the solstices and equinoxes where they made sacrifices to ensure luck in a war, fertility, a plentiful harvest or other heavenly boons they believed could only be granted by making a blood sacrifice. Brook Horses might be the souls of those sacrificed to the Gods and then disposed of into the streams, bound to this duty by those to whom their souls were sold. The True Fae can manipulate the elements themselves, and some believe they once roamed the earth like the now do Arcadia. According to this belief, Brook Horses might be remnants of Fae magic, creatures sprung to life to govern the streams now that the Fae have left our plane of existence. The Uratha believe most things on earth has a spirit, so it's only logical to believe that Brook Horses might be one of the many embodiments of water. How they are given such a tangible form is up for discussion, but there is enough evidence to support this theory somewhat.
 * Brook Horses are spirits of sacrifices that were tossed into rivers, lakes and streams to assure the Gods' favour.
 *  Brook Horses are remnant True Fae magic sprung to life and given corporeal form.
 * Brook Horses are the embodiment of the body of water they are governing.