Hello, lovelies!
Different from the mermaid in the previous Creature Writing post, the kelpie is a specialised creature present in Scottish lakes. It follows a long tradition of 'dangerous water entity luring people to their deaths', as well as horses being a common motive in Scottish folklore.
However, despite it not being widespread, I have chosen to post about the kelpie, in case anyone is planning a folklore/fantasy-themed story in Scotland. On top of that, I have noticed the creature is slowly going more mainstream, so that may be sooner than later.
General Description:
Stories of the kelpie actually give it multiple appearances besides its original form. These all occur above water to lure in victims, with the most common one being a beautiful white horse walking calmly along the banks of the lake.
Sometimes the horse will be in distress, in order to get someone to try and help it, only to be dragged into the water.
Two other common disguises are an old man with a stick, appearing fragile and weak, and a young, blonde boy with a flute or playing ball, attracting you with his beauty and music.
Which form it takes is going to have to depend on the character the kelpie has chosen as a victim.
Maybe they are used to care for the elderly and therefore more inclined to be taken in by the older man. Maybe they are a child looking for someone to play with and that's why they want to follow the boy.
The horse is still the most common appearance, as well as the most well-known, so it will give readers who know about the creature a little teaser or what's to come
Some stories also describe someone hearing a horse or flute in the distance before finding the kelpie, so you can choose to have the kelpie be very specific of who it wants to drown and who it will appear to.
A kelpie's original form is the opposite of the beautiful white horse it appears as above water. Instead, it becomes an emaciated, black horse, mimicking the dark waters it calls its home.
Other features depend on the story and are free for you to mix up. Some describe it having a fish tail, as well as hooves, glazy white eyes, like a dead horse, and skin that feels rotten and sticky, so victims can't escape.
Use:
The classic use of this creature in Scottish folklore is to be careful of bodies of water, to stop people from getting entangled in roots and drowning.
On top of that, it's a clear warning against malicious Fae creatures, to which the kelpie is said to belong to, who often use disguise to trick and harm humans.
The clear difference in appearances of the kelpie also lends itself well to symbolism.
Maybe you want to use it to illustrate a wolf in sheep's clothing scenario, or to teach your character to not just trust anything or anyone you see.
Another use is as an example of the danger of the Fae world, and the difference between how it appears and how it actually is. Maybe a character has a very romantic idea of the Fae, and you use the kelpie as a rude awakening.
Considering the initial beauty of the kelpie, and the revelation of its real nature. It is possible to use this creature as a metaphor for any habit or new discovery that seems wonderful at first, but is actually destructive.
Examples of this can be addictions, like drugs and alcohol, but also a new affair, a well-paying job, a sudden rise to power, or anything that seems to bring happiness, but eventually leads to problems.
This also ties in with the wolf in sheep's clothing scenario.
Interaction:
Like mentioned above, the form the kelpie takes depends on the character they are coming into contact with, as does how they choose to make them come closer.
However, it's important to think about how easy a character will fall for the ruse, or if they will fall at all.
This will depend on a number of factors, some in terms of strength and personality, others in terms of outside influences.
For the former, think about how susceptible your character is to beauty, how much they know about folklore, and maybe even the kelpie itself, how trusting they are of the world around them, how strong their will-power is, and how they react in the face of danger or disguise.
For the latter, think about the state of mind the character is in, what their position in life is at that moment, how much do they care about themselves and others, how much are they willing to fight to return home.
It's possible you choose to write for the kelpie's point of view as well. In which case, be aware that they are a Fae creature, not human, meaning they will not have the same morality or outlook on the world most humans will have.
You will need to get into a mindset where humans may not appear as anything but prey, toys, or maybe curiosities. That will depend on the kind of motivation you give the creature.
Most stories will not give a clear-cut motivation for the kelpie, other than drowning its victims, which gives you room to work with.
Maybe humans are a food source, and the kelpie's actions are purely for survival. However, most Fae have a long history of deliberately messing with humans, so it's more than possible that the kelpie likes seeing the reactions and distress humans display. Whether this is out of sadism or simple interest is up to you.
If a kelpie has a specific prey that they like, in terms of age, gender etc., you could also give a reason for that. Maybe they like the way they look or react to drowning specifically. Maybe they just like their appearance better.
Please, be aware that the kelpie is mostly considered a dangerous creature to be avoided. This can either be something to play into, or to subvert in some capacity, but that doesn't take away its ability to lure people into drowning.
I hope this has helped in some way, and if there is a creature you would want me to cover, feel free to comment.
Goodbye, lovelies!