Nuckelavee

Nuckelavee
Also Known as	Nucklave ; Nuckel
Appeared in	Series 2
Number	66
Point Value	15;

Nuckelavee is monster number 66, part of Series 2. It has a points value of fifteen. The figurine was available in all four Series 2 neon colours. The apearance of the figurine is a good match to traditional folkloric descriptions of the being, a horse with a single eye and a wide mouth, with a skeletal human torso rising from its back, the head hung low and the long arms dragging their hands on the ground.

Monster information

The Nuckelavee or Nucklave, or Nuckel for short, is a demon or fairy native to the Scottish island of Orkney, and is sometimes described as the most feared being in Scots folklore. A sea spirit, the Nuckelavee is linked to salt water, and thus haunts the island's shores. Early descriptions describe a huge-headed human-like spirit on horseback, but over time the creature's aspect changed to incorporate the two figures together, fusing the human and horse bodies so that the human torso grows from the horse's back. In a description from Faeries by Brian Froud and Alan Lee:

"Nuckelavee is surely the most awful of the Scottish sea faeries. A monstrous horse with legs that are part flipper, a huge mouth and one fiery eye and, rising from its back, joined to it at the waist, a hideous torso with arms that nearly reach to the ground, topped by a massive head that rolls from side to side as though its neck was too weak to hold it upright. "Worse than this though is the horrible appearance of the creature's flesh, for it has no skin. Black blood coursing through yellow veins, white sinews and powerful red muscles are all exposed to view."

The Nuckelavee is known to pursue solitary travellers. However, since it is a being of salt water, one need only cross fresh running water in order to escape - the Nuckelavee can cross such a barrier. The smell of burning kelp is also said to repel the beast. A related tale is that of the Nuggle or Noggelvi - the name clearly sharing roots with Nuckelavee - a spectral horse. Unlike the Nuckelavee, the Nuggle is a freshwater spirit and appears riderless.

Trading card text

(Translated from the mexican card)

Species: Amphibian horse

Born: XIII century in Scotland

Size: Slightly bigger than a horse

Habitat: The Northern seas Looks like a horse with a fiery red eye and a huge mouth that goes from ear to ear. On its back there's some kind of human torso whose head moves from side to side as this beast gallops in pursuit of its victims. As it is allergic to clean water you're able to fend it off using mineral water.== ==