by WitchHazel » Wed Nov 04, 2020 4:41 am
I'd like to adopt this lambicorn!
Username: WitchHazel
Name: Evian
Gender: Male
Prompt: I'm a folklorist, so that's where my mind goes when seeing this prompt c: One of the weirdest creatures from my culture's folklore (in a broad sense) I can think of is the Nuckelavee! It's a demon from Orcadian mythology (the island of Orkney, off of Scotland) with a strong Scandinavian influence. It's one of the nastiest creatures in Scottish folklore. In appearance, it combines characteristics of a humanoid and an equine - similar to a centaur, it is said to have a man's torso attached to a horse's back as if riding the horse. Its long arms hand down to the ground, and its humanoid head is said to be ten times larger than that of a regular human. Its head has a single, large mouth that is as wide as a whale's and juts out like a pig's snout, and emits black, noxious fumes. Its singular giant eye burns with red flame. Its entire body is hairless and skinless, with thick black blood coursing through its veins. It has fin-like flaps on its equine legs. Its breath has been said to wilt crops and sicken livestock, and it was often blamed for disease and droughts. Though primarily a seadweller, the Nuckelavee would venture ashore to complete its sole purpose - to plague the people.
It is said that the Nuckelavee cannot tolerate freshwater, and as such would never come up on shore if it was raining. Inhabitants of Orkney were so terrified of it that they wouldn't say its name without uttering a prayer; they believed it to be a creature of the purest evil. The only being able to control it is the Mither o' the Sea, but that's another story.
A fun fact is that the burning of seaweed was said to anger the Nuckelavee - it would release a horrible, deadly plague upon the horses and livestock whenever seaweed was burned.
Hi there!
I'm WitchHazel; your friendly neighborhood witch. You can call me Hazel for short c:
I use she/they pronouns
Status: perpetually anxious

Justice for minorities <3