Kelpie

== General==
Known to the rest of Equestria as mythological "lake ponies", kelpies are elusive tricks of the lights rumored to lure travelers to a watery grave. 
==Kelpie Creation Guide==
The information listed below is integral to making a kelpie character. We ask you to prioritize our worldbuilding, these facts must be kept in mind even when deviating from societal norms.
===Appearance===
===Land Form===
On dry land, kelpies will boast a nonthreatening disguise. This disguise will vary for each individual but always have two things in common. The first is that they look indistinguishable from a white coated earth pony. They may have markings but they will be similarly pale and often hard to make out. The second mainstay are the unusual cutiemarks, they are there from birth and only visible on the flank of the lake form. Their mane, tail, hooves, and eyes are not restricted to being pale and are often a broad variety of colors.
=== Lake Form ===
When drenched, either by becoming fully submerged or caught in a heavy rain, kelpies will transform, losing their hind legs in trade for a dolphin-like tail. Their mane will transform into slimy strands that mimics hair or occasionally into a fin. A kelpie's lake form can be any color and may even be unrelated to the colors of their lake form. They still have fur in this form but it is short and fine, leaving a lake form kelpie feeling sleek.
===Naming Scheme===
Kelpies have no specific naming structure. Many kelpies will take a "secondary name" for their land forms, these often sound like generic pony names. 
===Cutiemarks and Capabilities===
Kelpies do not receive cutiemarks, but their landforms have a fake and inconspicuous "cutiemark" from birth. This does not behave like actual marks, they won't change when ones soul is altered nor do they disappear if they failed the alicorn ritual. They do not have spellcasting or the ability to fly. They change into their dangerous lake forms when drenched.
=== Diet and Wakefulness ===
Kelpies are cathemeral carnivores, the other sentient species of Equestria are their ideal prey.
== Society==
The information found below is also very important to the character creation process, it is everything your OC would have been exposed to throughout their lives, it's what they know best, whether or not they fit that societal norm.
===Values and Demeanor ===
Under Construction.
* Family Oriented and Keeping Young Safe and On Surface
*Town oriented as well, families group together out of a deep compassion for fellow kelpies
*Hover Structure and craftiness
*"False Lives" and Preying upon Other Species
*Hunting tactics and vocal calls
===Religion and Traditions ===
Under Construction.
* Shadow Puppet
*Celestial Stories (Gifted Legs, Great Flood)
*Blood Lake Holiday
*Coming of Age Tradition: Heading into towns to live amongst other species (ideally earth pony but will settle for closer) for a few days to a week, they learn how ponies talk to one another and learn their habits, they also often practice storytelling to the younger kelpies when they return, playing up the events
*Marital Tradition: Oathing Bones
*Funeral Tradition: Cannibal Burial
===Politics and History===
Under Construction.
*Believed to be myths, if believed in at all.
*Haven't gotten involved in any part of equestrian history so far