Puka

Aka: púca, puca, pwca, pooka, phouka, puck

I’ll follow you. I’ll lead you about a round,
Through a bog, through bush, through brake, through brier.
Sometime a horse I’ll be, sometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire,
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

~ Puck, Midsummer Night's Dream, III.i.

Once upon a time...

In the deep dark woods, across the heather with its howling wind, where the rocks are sharp and the bogs swallow whole man and beast alike, lives a laughing black pony.

When the Wild Hunt rides, it is not lead by Hellhounds, nor Cu Sith, nor Sidhe, nor Goblin. Instead, Puka takes point in the chaotic charge, shapeshifting and dancing as it races across the lands, driving all living things to flee for life and sanity.

If the Puka catches you, everything will change... for better or worse.

The most chaotic of the Fae, a Pooka or Puck is a trickster Wild Fae. Its preferred form is that of a tiny black pony, usually quite stocky, with a large, expressive mouth. It shows either very white, blocky teeth (when the Puka is amused) or needle-sharp fangs dripping with blood (when vengeful).

Alternatively, a Puck takes on a generic fae form with a feral humanoid form. This was one Puka's favorite shape when it was in service to the then-Summer Knight, Oberon. Some of the tricks of the pair were hinted at in Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Rumor has it that the Puka befriended the bard and played muse, inspiring several Shakespearean fairy characters.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Pooka are one of the few fae species where the true form is not known for certain. Most believe that the favored pony form is the creature's true nature, but this has never been verified. A Puck is a primal shapeshifter with this ability being innate from birth... probably.

Dietary Needs and Habits

A Pooka will eat anything and anyone. Whole. In a single swallow. Stories tell of men filled with terror, suffering anxiety for the remainder of their lives, after witnessing a Puck eat.

Behaviour

Pukas are mischeivous creatures. They believe themselves to be hilarious, and, to the Fae, they are. However, the humor that Pukas favor tends to be quite dark and macabre to mortals. It is said that the way to distract a Puka who has targeted you is to make it laugh, which can be difficult while being run down by the Wild Hunt or faced with being eaten by a small pony with large, pointy teeth.

Interestingly, a Puck believes that any sapient beings that it consumes deserve the punishment for their actions. However, most mortals, when presented with the eaten's "crimes," are horrified by such a drastic penalty for things most of humanity sees as petty or barely worth noticing. These crimes can be anything from gossiping to making an ugly face to a child behind her mother's back. Bullies, in particular, are targeted by Pukas, though most would argue whether those targeted are really bullies or just kids having a bad day.

Additional Information

Domestication

*hysterical Fae laughter*

Average Intelligence

Pookas are very clever and witty, but not necessarily highly intelligent. They are fantastic at word-play, but have a very open relationship with facts and science. Pookas frequently confuse mortals by talking quite confidently about how the sun swims through the Loch to get back to the East each night... or something similarly fantastic.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Aside from one Puka using "Puck" as a name (apparently), no Puka has ever indicated it has a name. While this is entirely possible for Pukas, it may be a way to avoid being Named.

Gender Ideals

No Puka has ever admitted to a gender, though some seem to prefer some pronouns over others. "It" and "they" seem to be most favored to the species as a whole, but at least one Puka expressed pleasure at being referred to with "he/him."

Or maybe "he" was just messing with the mortals involved.

Relationship Ideals

Do NOT get into a relationship with these beings. You will regret it. A lot.

Common Etiquette Rules

Proper behavior is dependent on the Puka's mood. Or a movie it just watched. Or a dream it had a century ago...

Just avoid them. There are no rules that will save you from their sometimes homicidal whims.

Historical Figures

• Puck - the servant/sidekick of Oberon, Titania's consort and occassional opposition
  
• Alastor - a black horse (one of four) that pulls Hades' chariot
• Svaðilfari - the stallion that fathered Sleipnir
• Llamrei - King Arthur's mount during and after the ceremony which married him to the land of England
• The Nuckelavee - an Orcadian horse with no skin
• Pegasus - a Greek horse with wings
• The White Horse of Kent

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Fae

Scientific Name

Faerum Equus

Average Physique

Small body (~5 ft tall at the whithers).
Large, almost cartoonish head.
Pure black with a single white spot, either on the chest or center of the forehead, or pure white with black socks.
Very red, purple or opalescent eyes.

Geographic Distribution

• Fae Wilds