Creatures of Fire On Fire
GARA (Scots Gaelic) [Gah-ra] - CLYDESDALE
Gara is Aiden's Clydesdale mare. He found her wandering the beach after he shipwrecked on the East Coast of Scotland. The Clydesdale is a large and powerful Scottish breed of horse. It was traditionally used for draught power, both in farming and in road haulage. Why, you ask, is there a Clydesdale in Scotland in the 1500s? Well, that, my friend, is a story for another time. Gara means "Protector" in Scots Gaelic. |
SAIN [SHay-N] - PEREGRINE FALCON
Sain is Gwydion's familiar (fae in animal form, spiritual guardians that protect and assist druids in their duties and practices). He understands English and is extremely protective of Evelyn and Jamie. He and Aiden have a mutual respect, a friendship of sorts, but otherwise, he will obey no one else. The peregrine falcon is a large, crow-sized falcon that is renowned for its speed. It can reach over 200 mph during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. Although its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds, the peregrine will sometimes hunt small mammals, small reptiles, or even insects. The peregrine falcon is a well-respected falconry bird due to its strong hunting ability, high trainability, versatility, and availability via captive breeding. It is effective on most game bird species, from small to large. It has also been used as a religious, royal, or national symbol across multiple eras and areas of human civilization. |
ELIAS - WULVER
A wulver is a wolf-like humanoid creature in the folklore of Scotland. They are said to be benevolent, although they can become violent if provoked. His home is a cave dug out of the side of a steep knowe, half-way up a hill. He is fond of catching and eating fish, and he has a small rock in the deep water known as the "Wulver's Stane". There he will sit fishing sillaks and piltaks for hour after hour. He is reported to frequently leave a few fish on the window-sills of those in need. |
THE SLUAGH (Scots Gaelic) [SLOO-AH]
Also called the Underfolk, the Wild Hunt, or the Host of Unforgiven Dead, the Sluagh is the foulest and most dreaded of the realm of Faerie. They are scavenging, animalistic creatures that prey on souls, especially the dying. Even Death himself stands no chance against the Sluagh if they get there first. There is a second means to call the Sluagh though, and that is through the silent hopelessness of one's heart, from sadness or loss. Long has it been said that a person could “die of a broken heart.” But, is it the sadness, or the Sluagh, that finally finishes you off? |
THE BLUE MEN OF THE MINCH
The blue men of the Minch, also known as storm kelpies, are creatures inhabiting the stretch of water between the northern Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland, looking for sailors to drown and stricken boats to sink. They are localized to the Minch and surrounding areas to the north and as far east as Wick, but as Aiden learns in the story, they can stray further south as well. Apart from their blue color, the creatures look much like humans, and are about the same size. They have the power to create storms, but when the weather is fine they float sleeping on or just below the surface of the water. The blue men swim with their torsos raised out of the sea, twisting and diving as porpoises do. They are able to speak, and when a group approaches a ship, its chief may shout two lines of poetry to the master of the vessel and challenge him to complete the verse. If the skipper fails in that task then the blue men will attempt to capsize his ship. |
BOOBRIE
The boobrie is a shapeshifting entity inhabiting the wilderness of Scotland. It commonly adopts the appearance of a gigantic water bird, resembling a cormorant or great northern diver, but it can also materialize in the form of various other creatures, such as a water bull. It is a generally malevolent entity, unless a traveler is on horseback. This is because it typically preys on livestock, its favorite being horses. It usually stays close to rivers and lochs because it is also fond of otters, of which it consumes a considerable number. In its manifestation as a water horse the creature is able to gallop across the top of lochs as if on solid ground. During the summer months it is seen infrequently as a large insect, sucking the blood of horses. |
BRYN - DRAGON
Bryn is a dragon - a large, magical, legendary creature thought to be extinct throughout the world during the timeline of our story. He is a winged, horned, four-legged, serpentine beast capable of breathing fire. He is also extremely empathetic and has an above-average intelligence. He can even understand most languages, both human and animal. |