Sea Trow

*'Sea trows can get anything' - Eran Iliakambar*

## Introduction

Sea trows are a short, shy species of sea fae who are often employed as servants, similar to land trows. Ondine employs some sea trows on the Mantissa.

## Physical Description

They are described as being similar to trows from the land, but with giant drooping fins where ears would be. They also have fins on their necks. As they are similar to land trows, it is likely that they have grey skin and wrinkled countenances, with black eyes and hooked noses, along with fragile, long, clever fingers.

## Abilities

Sea trows are able to teleport and also have the ability to manipulate objects without touching them, such as opening doors or bringing objects down from high places they can't reach. It is not stated, but it is likely they have the same magic to preserve food as land trows.

## Characteristics (culture, habits)

The sea trows are more independent and less service-oriented than their land-based counterparts. They seem to be bolder, too, as one used a rude hand gesture at Awan when he quipped about calling Gwyn ap Nudd the 'Trow-Charmer. They are said to be cheeky and will only work well for those they respect, though if someone they respect tells them to assist someone else, they will do so. None of the trows are ever referred to with a name, implying they are as secretive about them as land trows are.

Like their land cousins, they have a penchant for stealing silver.

They speak with sign language, using their own, quickly changing language among themselves while speaking to other fae in a different language. They value silver, especially when it it stolen. The sea trows have a love for trow-henks, which are sociable dances they perform with each other.

According to the Raven Prince, trows never referred to themselves as Seelie or Unseelie until Davix and Olphix forced fixed alignments upon the entire world, and the trows resented it and did their best to ignore the barrier meant to divide them.

When Gwyn, Augus Each Uisge, Ash Glashtyn, Mosk Manytrees, Eran Iliakambar, and Julvia Dubna Vajat were taken onto the Mantissa, the sea trows were quick to come greet Gwyn, and Awan noted that they liked him. Mosk later observed that the sea trows seem selective about which orders they'll follow, as they'll listen to Ondine, Uhina, and Awan, but will turn their nose up at others and sometimes even choose selective deafness. Even so, the trows provided good service to Gwyn's party, making their beds and washing their clothes, with the exception of Mosk, who they seem uninclined to assist. Eran later found out this was because the trows had seen Mosk fetching blankets and assumed he was a servant like them, and Eran convinced them to begin assisting Mosk, too.

## Folklore/Mythology

'A trow [trʌu](also trowe or drow or dtrow), is a malignant or mischievous fairy or spirit in the folkloric traditions of the Orkney and Shetland islands. Trows are generally inclined to be short of stature, ugly, and shy in nature.

Trows are nocturnal creatures, like the troll of Scandinavian legend with which the trow shares many similarities. They venture out of their 'trowie knowes' (earthen mound dwellings) solely in the evening, and often enter households as the inhabitants sleep. Trows traditionally have a fondness for music, and folktales tell of their habit of kidnapping musicians or luring them to their dens.

. . . It was also considered unlucky to catch sight of a trow, though auspicious to hear one speaking. . . . The sea trow (Latin: Troicis *recté* Trowis) of Stronsay, as described by Jo. Ben's *Description of the Orkney Islands* (1529), was a maritime monster resembling a colt whose entire body was cloaked in seaweed, with a coiled or matted coat of hair, sexual organs like a horse's, and known to copulate with the women of the island. . . . According to Samuel Hibbert[,] the sea trow was a local version of the *neckar*, and he specified that it was reputed to be decked with various stuff from out of the sea, especially *fuci* (*Fucus* spp. of seaweed), whose larger forms near shore are known as "tang" in the Shetlands. And though Hibbert does not make the connection, other sources have equated the sea trow with the tangie.'

## References

1. ↑ *The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas*, Chapter 3: Pushed Over. Accessed 21 May 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *The Ice Plague: Book 1 - The Forest of Fire*, Chapter 32: Somewhere Safe. Accessed 20 May 2021.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 *The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas*, Chapter 1: The Past Revisited. Accessed 20 May 2021.
4. ↑ *Game Theory*, Chapter 46: King. Accessed 20 May 2021.
5. ↑ *The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas*, Chapter 11: Lessons. Accessed 20 May 2021.
6. ↑ *The Court of Five Thrones*, Chapter 20: Mirror. Accessed 20 May 2021.
7. ↑ *The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas*, Chapter 20: What Did You Expect? Accessed 20 May 2021.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 *The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas*, Chapter 22: Service. Accessed 20 May 2021.
9. ↑ *Game Theory*, Chapter 36: Demotion. Accessed 20 May 2021.
10. ↑ *The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas*, Chapter 10: Veils. Accessed 21 May 2021.
11. ↑ *The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas*, Chapter 17: Just Like You. Accessed 20 May 2021.
12. ↑ "Trow (folklore)". Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trow\_(folklore). Accessed 20 May 2021.