Dullahan

Among all the creatures that prowl Fasach-- all the fey of the Otherworld or all the dark creatures of the Shadow Realm-- few are as terrifying as the dullahan. Mothers scare their children with tales of these headless riders that steal misbehaving children away in the night, but even they fear the sound of hoofbeats in the night.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Due to their headless nature and withered look, it is believed by many that dullahan are undead creatures, like the dreaded draugr. This is not true, however. Instead, they are fey of the Otherworld, although they seem to have a connection to the Shadow Realm that is not well understood. Mages of other lands have attempted to study this duality, but none have succeeded.
Dullahan can be male or female, although males are far more common. Their heads are separate from their bodies and are usually carried during their travels, and their speech can come from either their head or body. They also invariably possess bone whips that resemble spines. They seem to have unnatural control of these whips, including an ability to extend their reach. These weapons lose some of these properties upon the dullahan's death.
They are also nearly inseparable from their mounts, black horses with baleful red eyes. It is believed that these creatures are not independent beings, but extensions of the dullahan. Some dullahan mounts have been killed. Upon their deaths, the horses fade into black mist, and the dullahan seems to have very little trouble conjuring a new one.

Ecology and Habitats

It is unknown if these creatures have lairs anywhere, as none have ever found a dullahan's home. These creatures always seem to be traveling. They seem to have no trouble traveling between the Material Plane, the Otherworld, or the Shadow Realm, as they have been found equally on all planes.
Curiously, they have not been seen in the Material Plane during the day, and it is believed they hate light. Some reports claim they recoil from bright lights such as those produced by the daylight spell, but others have claimed they are unaffected by it. They are, however, not physically harmed by the light.

Behaviour

Dullahan serve a role similar to bounty hunters for beings of darkness. They serve creatures such as creatures of shadow, or the Unseelie Court by bringing them whatever beings they are commanded to, usually alive though not always. It is believed a few even serve dread beings from beyond Fasach, such as Baba Yaga.
Their attacks are rarely subtle as their victims tend to hear their hoofbeats long before they strike-- sometimes days before. They often wound their prey multiple times before finally wrapping them up with their whips and riding off with them. It is believed they somehow feed on the fear they cause, but others have theorized they only do this due to sheer sadism.
These creatures rarely speak, although they are perfectly capable. On most occasions, they only announce themselves to their prey and tell them why they are attacking and for whom. It is believed their silence is an intimidation tactic, but of course, they don't explain their reasons.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Since their heads are not attached to their bodies, some adventurers have attempted to blind them by destroying or taking their heads. This tactic seems ineffective. While they can see and hear from their heads, no matter the distance from their bodies, their headless bodies seem to have unerring senses of their own.
Indeed, their senses seem to be unnaturally keen, as they are able to find their prey in total darkness. Even magical darkness is not enough to blind these creatures. It is said they are even capable of seeing into the Ethereal Plane, but not enough study has been conducted to determine if this is a trait of the head, the body, or both.

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Height

5 ft. - 5 ft. 10 in. (unmounted)

Average Weight

150 lbs. - 180 lbs. (unmounted)

Geographic Distribution

• Skogsmark