Eckushkya

Eckuskya are a type of water elemental found across Creation, born where the flow or lay of water bodies such as lakes, streams, and rivers is impeded (by mudslides, evaporation, or engineering such as bridges, dams, fords, and irrigation).

Eckushkya are known colloquially as ‘water horses’, for they often appear as large black horses, with backwards-facing hooves and manes and tails of kelp, standing by the edges of streams at night. Often they will wear bridles and saddles, looking like fine steeds escaped from some noble owner, tempting tired travelers and greedy peasants into trying to claim them. When mounted or touched, their bodies exude a sticky slime, binding the would-be-rider to them, before they set off at a gallop, dragging the unfortunate mortal along until they are beaten to death on the ground or drown when the elemental dives into a waterway... some stories tell of escape by victims cutting off the bound limb so they might tumble free before they are dragged below the surface.

This is not the only danger of Eckuskya. They also take human shape on occasion, appearing as handsome men with straight black hair slick with water... on close inspection, water reeds and mud can be found within. In this form, they attempt to seduce women who regularly pass over the body of water in which they reside (via bridges, dams, or fords), and the result of their lovemaking will be pregnancy, the woman giving birth in nine months not to a humanoid child but to a small equine foal, that will grow into a Kelpmane horse.

Water Horses are generally malicious, particularly towards humans and the Exalted, though they shy away from violent confrontation. Some savants have posited that their behaviour is aimed to make human habitation near their waterways dangerous to the lives and lines of those who do so, pushing humans back from interfering with water flows. Their offspring, horses which can carry riders across water easily, have also been thought of as an attempt to reduce the need of human travelers to bridge or dam waterways.

Due to their ornery natures, sorcerers do not usually have reason to summon these elementals, though some will do so for breeding Kelpmanes. Often (particularly when facing the power of Exalts or other spirits) Eckuskya will find their home water body transformed or destroyed despite their best efforts, rendering them without purpose save their desire to inflict suffering on humans, and simple base greed. These unemployed Water Horses can be found engaging in banditry, serving as mercenaries, or providing muscle in the entourages of more powerful spirits. Though there are more beautiful spirits, Water Horses (much like Flame Ducks in the South) can also sometimes be found bound as travel-concubines or employed in exotic brothels, though their lovers are wise to sip Maiden Tea before such encounters.