Some more Scandinavian folklore skins I think I’m entitled to at this point
Bækhest (’creek horse’) Orisa - A spirit who’d take the shape of a beautiful white horse lingering near creeks and rivers. If you mounted the horse to bring it home, it would ride you into the creek to drown you - transforming into it’s true, hideous, half-rotten form as well. There’s so many good things you could do for Orisa, shining white gold on one half, murky and muddy on the other? Make her look like her legs have been submerged?? Give her a long flowing mane???
Kirkegrim (’church grim’) Soldier - Being the first person buried in a cemetery meant bad luck, so an animal - typically a black dog, a ram or a white horse -would be buried beneath a corner of a new church. This animal would become a spirit guarding the grounds from evil spirits. Black dog soldier is very cool, but also the theme of something dead hunting down any evil entering its territory, a being caught somewhere between vengeful and benevolent
Helhest (’Hell horse’) Reaper - A variation of the myth above, originally believed to be the steed of the Norse goddess of death Hel, but reworked into the Christian understanding of a church grim. A ghostly, dark horse with glowing eyes and three legs. Seeing the horse is a sign of death or sickness. If you hear the sound of its three-legged canter it’s wisest to close your eyes. Horse skull Reaper with glowing eyes I’ll say no more
Ellekonge (’elfking’) Rein - The king of the elves holding great banquets in his keep, concealed as a hill. The hill is only open to mortals at specific times and those who enter to join the feast never come back out. I know the king motif with Rein has been done to death but I still want to see him decked out in flowers and fairy lights looking somewhere between enthralling and unnerving
Nisse (’elf’) Torbjörn - A tiny magical creature living on farms. They wear a red hat, have great white beards and smoke a pipe. If the farmer is good to them they watch over the grounds but if the farmer mistreats them they’ll use their magic to cause ruin on the farm. I just want Torb in a pointy red hat okay?
