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Description
Despite what the legends say or imply, the beast known as the Kelpie is not a flesh and blood creature. They are not a species of amphibious horse, nor are they some supernatural demon that haunts the rivers and lakes. In truth, Kelpies are Slimes, but ones that have become infested with a certain parasite. This parasitic species is called the "Gilimus," and they are the creators of the Kelpies.

The Gilimus are aquatic invertebrates that live in ponds and lakes. They prefer water sources that are dirty or murky, ones that contain large amounts of silt, algae and other debris. They can also be found in rivers or streams, but only ones that have a sluggish flow. The reason they like these certain habitats is for two reasons. One is that the water seems to contain the right materials that they can feed on, filtering it through their suctioning mouths. The other is that these muddy waters make visibility quite poor, which makes it difficult for predators to find them. They will keep close to the shores and will remain near the bottom of the water body. If foes come close, they will flail their tendrils about to stir up the silt and disorient the attacker. Their shovel-shaped head also allows them to bury themselves in mud with ease, practically diving into it like it was water. While the Gilimus is fine with dwelling in such a place and feeding on the murky waters, that is not the life that they truly want. What they desire most of all is a Slime to parasitize.

Though some folk find Slimes to be strange and utterly bizarre, they still require the same things all living things need. They need food and they also need water. Some can get water when it rains, some get enough from the prey they consume, and some simply suck it up from ponds and streams. This latter example is the one the Gilimus is waiting for, and it is the reason they stick close to shorelines. When a Slime comes to drink, they will extend a limb from their pseudobody to start siphoning water. As one should be able to recall, Slimes control their pseudobody by having their heart send out signals through the slime. When the appendage is touching the water, echos of the heart's signals can come off from the slime and go through the water. This is what the Gilimus is searching for, using sensitive tendrils to detect these faint, fading signals. When it senses them, it will rush towards the source and look to locate the appendage. If the Gilimus is lucky, the Slime will not be done drinking, and it will have time to plunge itself into the siphoning limb. Once embedded in the pseudobody, it will use its burrowing head to quickly force its way to the heart. The Gilimus has very little time to reach the heart before the Slime recovers from the surprise and attempts to remove or kill the parasite. Furiously digging, it will make its way to the heart and grab it in its suctioning mouth. The Gilimus' tendrils will stab themselves into the organ and the whole parasite will begin to hijack the Slime's heart and pseudobody. Once fully attached, the parasite is impossible to remove, and the Slime will be powerless to stop it. With its host under its control, the Gilimus will begin to make changes in the pseudobody to make a form that is more suitable to its needs. When it is done, what will emerge will be what we all know as a Kelpie.

The first thing that I have to say is that no one really knows why the Gilimus always create this shape. Though there are some Kelpies that have variation to their form, they always have the vague resemblance of a fish-tailed horse. This body is created by shaping the pseudobody, and it is used to hunt and consume prey for the Gilimus. One of the famous traits of the Kelpie is their extremely adhesive hide that traps victims, which is seen a lot in legend when naive children try to ride one of these beasts while they are disguised as a normal horse. The tales are making stuff up when they say the Kelpie can create the illusion of a regular horse, but they are quite right about the sticky skin. This is created by altering the composition and density of the hijacked slime. The Gilimus makes the heart compress the slime and change it into this thick, sticky substance. Many have compared the Kelpie's slime body to tar, and it brings to mind tar pits where man and beast may become trapped and drowned. Much like these deadly pools, the Kelpie uses this highly adhesive body to capture prey and prevent escape. Once one is ensnared in this slime, they are pretty much doomed. One extra thing to note about this adhesive slime is that it is so thick that it actually inhibits the breathing ability of the Slime. Slimes have a special system that allows them to run air through their pseudobodies and into their hearts, but the super thick slime cannot do this. Instead, the Gilimus has to shape the body so that it has breathing tubes that create an opening directly to the heart and parasite. These are usually located around the torso of the Kelpie, and it allows air and water to run straight through to the vital parts. When in water, these breathing tubes will pulse in a fashion so that it pumps fresh water through the body, keeping the heart and parasite from asphyxiating. This action creates an odd gurgling sound that many people interpret is heavy, wet breathing. This noise is what gave people the idea that Kelpies were flesh and blood beasts, and their ragged "breathing" is often an early warning of a Kelpie attack.

When it comes to hunting, Kelpies like to dwell near the shores and banks so that they can ambush prey. When one comes to drink or forage, the Kelpie will rise from the water and attack. Some of these creatures may simply lunge at the victim in hopes of nabbing them with their adhesive bodies. Others may use tongue-like appendages to whip out and tangle prey. Once wrapped in the sticky tentacle, the Kelpie will reel them in and pull them into their thick slime. To dispatch captured victims, the Kelpie will either asphyxiate them with their slime, or drag them into the water and drown them. Very rarely will a Kelpie use violence to kill its prey, as it prefers the much easier route. Even when fighting for its life, it will look to overwhelm foes with its slimy body and smother them in its bulk. After prey is deceased, it will use its appendages to pull them apart into smaller chunks and suck them deeper into the body for digestion, which creates nutrients that the heart and Gilimus can absorb. To help with this, the Kelpie will use teeth of bone and rock to shred corpses, which they collect from the waters and previous victims. In fact, a lot of the Kelpie's appearance is aided by pieces of victims and random debris that gets stuck in their slime. These teeth often make up the appearance of a head, and the ripping job that it performs gives off the impression of eating. Often this is a very messy job, and chunks of the deceased will get scattered about and lost in the water. People may later find these pieces floating near the shore, which tips them off to the presence of some hungry entity.

Due to their aggressive nature and their presence at water bodies, Kelpies are infamous and dangerous creatures. When one forms and takes up residence in a popular watering hole, they will wind up claiming many victims, both man and beast. For towns that rely on local rivers and ponds, a Kelpie can cause serious problems. Trying to use that water body will be a huge risk, as all it takes is for the Kelpie to get one slimy limb on you. Many fishermen and launderers have become victims to these creatures, and once they are established, they are incredibly difficult to remove. Their thick slime makes weapons nearly useless, as no blade or arrow can penetrate it deep enough to do real damage. One can easily identify an old, notorious Kelpie by the swords, spears and arrows that are sticking out of its body. The only way to slay a Kelpie is to destroy the heart or the Gilimus that is controlling it. Normally I would advise against killing the heart, as that is an innocent Slime that has been captured. Unfortunately, the Gilimus is an impossible parasite to remove, so there is no way the parasitized Slime can be saved. The tendrils are buried too deep, which would leave fatal wounds if the Gilimus was forcibly removed. Sadly, the best course of action is to kill the duo and end the poor Slime's suffering. While the adhesive body is too thick and sticky to penetrate, the breathing tubes of the Kelpie leave a viable opening. These holes lead directly to the heart, so a long weapon and a precise hand could reach the Kelpie's core. The issue, though, is getting close enough to line up a shot, as the Kelpie is not going to give you a lot of time to do such a thing. One should hunt these creatures in teams, so that someone can hold its attention while the others attempt to reach the vulnerable openings.

Since the Gilimus is a irremovable parasite, it is important that Slimes do all that they can to avoid being a victim to them. The best way to save a Slime from this parasite is to ensure that they never get one to begin with. For this, I stress the importance of drinking from clean water sources and avoiding ponds that are murky and dirty-looking. If there is no other choice, then do not use your pseudobody to directly drink from it. Rather, use a makeshift cup or vessel to fill and then drink from that. As long as one doesn't touch the water with their slime, the Gilimus cannot track them. For communities that live near their water source, I advise that they take steps to avoid pollution and contamination. It is easy for a town to have its waste and trash wind up in these water bodies, which is not only good for creating disease, but it may make that lake viable for Gilimus infestation. Like I said before, once a Kelpie is formed, it is really hard to get rid of them. Take the precautions and avoid dealing with these nasty creatures entirely.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

---------------------------------------------

"Slimes with giant giardia are kelpies" is my favorite way to summarize this creature.

Description
Despite what the legends say or imply, the beast known as the Kelpie is not a flesh and blood creature. They are not a species of amphibious horse, nor are they some supernatural demon that haunts the rivers and lakes. In truth, Kelpies are Slimes, but ones that have become infested with a certain parasite. This parasitic species is called the "Gilimus," and they are the creators of the Kelpies.

The Gilimus are aquatic invertebrates that live in ponds and lakes. They prefer water sources that are dirty or murky, ones that contain large amounts of silt, algae and other debris. They can also be found in rivers or streams, but only ones that have a sluggish flow. The reason they like these certain habitats is for two reasons. One is that the water seems to contain the right materials that they can feed on, filtering it through their suctioning mouths. The other is that these muddy waters make visibility quite poor, which makes it difficult for predators to find them. They will keep close to the shores and will remain near the bottom of the water body. If foes come close, they will flail their tendrils about to stir up the silt and disorient the attacker. Their shovel-shaped head also allows them to bury themselves in mud with ease, practically diving into it like it was water. While the Gilimus is fine with dwelling in such a place and feeding on the murky waters, that is not the life that they truly want. What they desire most of all is a Slime to parasitize.

Though some folk find Slimes to be strange and utterly bizarre, they still require the same things all living things need. They need food and they also need water. Some can get water when it rains, some get enough from the prey they consume, and some simply suck it up from ponds and streams. This latter example is the one the Gilimus is waiting for, and it is the reason they stick close to shorelines. When a Slime comes to drink, they will extend a limb from their pseudobody to start siphoning water. As one should be able to recall, Slimes control their pseudobody by having their heart send out signals through the slime. When the appendage is touching the water, echos of the heart's signals can come off from the slime and go through the water. This is what the Gilimus is searching for, using sensitive tendrils to detect these faint, fading signals. When it senses them, it will rush towards the source and look to locate the appendage. If the Gilimus is lucky, the Slime will not be done drinking, and it will have time to plunge itself into the siphoning limb. Once embedded in the pseudobody, it will use its burrowing head to quickly force its way to the heart. The Gilimus has very little time to reach the heart before the Slime recovers from the surprise and attempts to remove or kill the parasite. Furiously digging, it will make its way to the heart and grab it in its suctioning mouth. The Gilimus' tendrils will stab themselves into the organ and the whole parasite will begin to hijack the Slime's heart and pseudobody. Once fully attached, the parasite is impossible to remove, and the Slime will be powerless to stop it. With its host under its control, the Gilimus will begin to make changes in the pseudobody to make a form that is more suitable to its needs. When it is done, what will emerge will be what we all know as a Kelpie.

The first thing that I have to say is that no one really knows why the Gilimus always create this shape. Though there are some Kelpies that have variation to their form, they always have the vague resemblance of a fish-tailed horse. This body is created by shaping the pseudobody, and it is used to hunt and consume prey for the Gilimus. One of the famous traits of the Kelpie is their extremely adhesive hide that traps victims, which is seen a lot in legend when naive children try to ride one of these beasts while they are disguised as a normal horse. The tales are making stuff up when they say the Kelpie can create the illusion of a regular horse, but they are quite right about the sticky skin. This is created by altering the composition and density of the hijacked slime. The Gilimus makes the heart compress the slime and change it into this thick, sticky substance. Many have compared the Kelpie's slime body to tar, and it brings to mind tar pits where man and beast may become trapped and drowned. Much like these deadly pools, the Kelpie uses this highly adhesive body to capture prey and prevent escape. Once one is ensnared in this slime, they are pretty much doomed. One extra thing to note about this adhesive slime is that it is so thick that it actually inhibits the breathing ability of the Slime. Slimes have a special system that allows them to run air through their pseudobodies and into their hearts, but the super thick slime cannot do this. Instead, the Gilimus has to shape the body so that it has breathing tubes that create an opening directly to the heart and parasite. These are usually located around the torso of the Kelpie, and it allows air and water to run straight through to the vital parts. When in water, these breathing tubes will pulse in a fashion so that it pumps fresh water through the body, keeping the heart and parasite from asphyxiating. This action creates an odd gurgling sound that many people interpret is heavy, wet breathing. This noise is what gave people the idea that Kelpies were flesh and blood beasts, and their ragged "breathing" is often an early warning of a Kelpie attack.

When it comes to hunting, Kelpies like to dwell near the shores and banks so that they can ambush prey. When one comes to drink or forage, the Kelpie will rise from the water and attack. Some of these creatures may simply lunge at the victim in hopes of nabbing them with their adhesive bodies. Others may use tongue-like appendages to whip out and tangle prey. Once wrapped in the sticky tentacle, the Kelpie will reel them in and pull them into their thick slime. To dispatch captured victims, the Kelpie will either asphyxiate them with their slime, or drag them into the water and drown them. Very rarely will a Kelpie use violence to kill its prey, as it prefers the much easier route. Even when fighting for its life, it will look to overwhelm foes with its slimy body and smother them in its bulk. After prey is deceased, it will use its appendages to pull them apart into smaller chunks and suck them deeper into the body for digestion, which creates nutrients that the heart and Gilimus can absorb. To help with this, the Kelpie will use teeth of bone and rock to shred corpses, which they collect from the waters and previous victims. In fact, a lot of the Kelpie's appearance is aided by pieces of victims and random debris that gets stuck in their slime. These teeth often make up the appearance of a head, and the ripping job that it performs gives off the impression of eating. Often this is a very messy job, and chunks of the deceased will get scattered about and lost in the water. People may later find these pieces floating near the shore, which tips them off to the presence of some hungry entity.

Due to their aggressive nature and their presence at water bodies, Kelpies are infamous and dangerous creatures. When one forms and takes up residence in a popular watering hole, they will wind up claiming many victims, both man and beast. For towns that rely on local rivers and ponds, a Kelpie can cause serious problems. Trying to use that water body will be a huge risk, as all it takes is for the Kelpie to get one slimy limb on you. Many fishermen and launderers have become victims to these creatures, and once they are established, they are incredibly difficult to remove. Their thick slime makes weapons nearly useless, as no blade or arrow can penetrate it deep enough to do real damage. One can easily identify an old, notorious Kelpie by the swords, spears and arrows that are sticking out of its body. The only way to slay a Kelpie is to destroy the heart or the Gilimus that is controlling it. Normally I would advise against killing the heart, as that is an innocent Slime that has been captured. Unfortunately, the Gilimus is an impossible parasite to remove, so there is no way the parasitized Slime can be saved. The tendrils are buried too deep, which would leave fatal wounds if the Gilimus was forcibly removed. Sadly, the best course of action is to kill the duo and end the poor Slime's suffering. While the adhesive body is too thick and sticky to penetrate, the breathing tubes of the Kelpie leave a viable opening. These holes lead directly to the heart, so a long weapon and a precise hand could reach the Kelpie's core. The issue, though, is getting close enough to line up a shot, as the Kelpie is not going to give you a lot of time to do such a thing. One should hunt these creatures in teams, so that someone can hold its attention while the others attempt to reach the vulnerable openings.

Since the Gilimus is a irremovable parasite, it is important that Slimes do all that they can to avoid being a victim to them. The best way to save a Slime from this parasite is to ensure that they never get one to begin with. For this, I stress the importance of drinking from clean water sources and avoiding ponds that are murky and dirty-looking. If there is no other choice, then do not use your pseudobody to directly drink from it. Rather, use a makeshift cup or vessel to fill and then drink from that. As long as one doesn't touch the water with their slime, the Gilimus cannot track them. For communities that live near their water source, I advise that they take steps to avoid pollution and contamination. It is easy for a town to have its waste and trash wind up in these water bodies, which is not only good for creating disease, but it may make that lake viable for Gilimus infestation. Like I said before, once a Kelpie is formed, it is really hard to get rid of them. Take the precautions and avoid dealing with these nasty creatures entirely.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

---------------------------------------------

"Slimes with giant giardia are kelpies" is my favorite way to summarize this creature.