Jas Coinneach

jas coinneach

Jas eats people.

No, really. 

Some say not to believe in stereotypes; that even within the most hardened heart, there is a little glimmer of goodness somewhere, deep inside. You're more than welcome to look, of course, just good luck getting out of there alive. For you see he is the reason that little children shouldn't wander off after dark, the thing that goes bump in the night. It's what he is, it's who he is; it isn't an occupation, it's a way of life. He can be slick if he wants to, put on a civil face and blend in. He's worked hard on cultivating a more sophisticated accent, and in company he's ever the gentleman, a friendly- if distant- socialite. He's a flatterer, a shameless flirt, the sort of vain, arrogant know-it-all that you might expect to be the son of some fancy noble. It's all an act, of course- well, maybe not the bit about the vanity, he's pretty gorgeous after all- but though he might lure you in with silver words and offer you a shoulder to cry on, don't believe it. That's only part of the chase.

He is, first and foremost, a hunter. Oh, sure, he has to eat to stay alive; some might even use that as an excuse, saying that since he's only trying to survive he might not be a terrible person. They'd be wrong- and they just might pay the price for it, too. Jas lives for the Hunt, he takes dark delight in seeing a chase to its inevitable conclusion. He's violent, he's sadistic, he loves nothing more than to see a victim broken and sobbing in their final moments. And he doesn't regret a thing. He believes in survival of the fittest, and if you're too weak to stand up to him then it isn't his problem whether you live or die. The creature has a strong distaste for humans and tends to look down on them; when it comes to other creatures at least he won't downright attack them, even if he still prefers his solitude.

Prove you're stronger than him and you might earn his respect, or at least his obedience- I never said he was brave, at least with his life on the line. But until you've managed to assert dominance he'll do his own thing, and you'll find very little respect in him, even for the gods. He's a lone wolf, with a big head and major authority issues; either put him in his place or get out of the way. Or, well, that's what he'd like others to think, in any case. If you're strong- or at least not completely pathetic- and treat him as your equal you might just be able to befriend him. In that case you'll find a playful, if cool, companion. He shares many things in common with his fairy brethren, including a love of pranks, music, and dancing. He tends to shy away from most modern technology but that doesn't mean he doesn't keep up with fashion; he loves clubs and bars as well, anything with a loud beat. Though it might be surprising he's quite friendly to those who aren't food, and he loves a good party. Oh, he also has a complete soft spot for lesser animals. Shh. Don't tell anyone.

Jas is a creature known as an Each Uisge, an old Scottish monster of legend. He's a water demon, one of the wicked fairy courts, born to be a menace to humankind. As a young creature he haunted a small sea loch, swimming around in his true form and eating whatever he could sink his fangs into. As he grew and his magic grew stronger, however, he began to go after more powerful prey. He was still young- sixty or seventy maybe- when he completed his first successful hunt of the prey he was made for: humans. In the beginning he'd disguise himself as a horse, baiting the weary traveler to try to take an easy ride before dragging them down into the bottom of his loch, drowning them before making a meal of them- he never did care for a meal that was still struggling, thank you very much. As he grew even more powerful over the next century or two he first learned to take human form. He was handsome to them, apparently; it was a convenient tool. He'd wait along the shore, seducing any human that came his way with tales of woe, before dragging them into the depths. Life was good.

Until it wasn't. Time went on, things changed; tales of the haunted loch kept travelers away, and it became harder and harder to keep himself fed. The humans learned to stay away from his hunting grounds, or at least to be wary of lone strangers by the water. He was forced to grow trickier, expand his range; by the time he was three hundred he was forced to leave the waters that had given birth to him in search of better hunting. It was strange; one of his kind usually picked a single body of water, but he found himself living in the sea itself, haunting the rocky shores. And he was able to subsist that way for some time, staying close to shore and taking whatever humans he could get his hands on. But the humans evolved; they stopped believing in the fey, stopped falling for strangers in the night. Finally he was driven out of the wilds, forced to walk among mankind, only returning to his true form in stolen moments or the instant just before a kill.

And you know what? He didn't mind. This "music" invention was quite lovely, and he took a shine to humanity's night life. Sin and corruption, the beat of a club and the press of warm bodies around him- he evolved too, changing from a hunter running purely on instinct to a more sophisticated predator. His chases grew longer; it was no longer enough to drag them off by force, no. They had to come willingly, they had to trust him, they had to love him- only then could it be the most satisfying when he took his true skin and devoured them. He grew more patient, more involved with his games- he'd seduce them for a night, a week, a month, before finally making his move. He grew more familiar with humans, though he never sympathized with them; even with all their clever technology they were still stupid, still just prey. This was the natural order of things, the way life worked. It was what he did, day after day, his hobby, his job, his lifestyle. Police grew more and more intelligent, sure, but he just grew better at avoiding them, and all was right with the world.

Until he was yanked right out of it, plopped onto an island filled with strange beasts- not all of which he could best. He was no longer the top predator, and these crystal clear seas were nothing like the dark, dreary cliffs he was raised on. But he would adapt, he would survive, just like he always had.

Fionnghall (Finn)
It's an owl. A snowy owl, to be precise. He doesn't really talk much- can he even talk?- though Jas likes to talk at him. He's quite adorable, very white and fluffy, with wide, bright blue eyes. When it comes to Jas he's loyal and affectionate; he enjoys head rubs and taking naps on his friend's shoulder. When it comes to other people he's a lot less friendly, though for the most part he's content to just watch them, hooting occasionally to draw Jas's attention to various things. Sometimes he'll go on scouting adventures to look for prey, of both the rodent and humanoid variety. Don't be fooled, though, as when Jas is aggressive he gets aggressive as well. Because he might be cute and fluffy, but like his companion, he also kills things. Those giant talons are there for a reason.

Each Uisge is less of a power and more of a species, though there are several abilities associated with his kind. He is first and foremost a shapeshifter, and it can be hard to tell which form is his "true" one. His human form, though handsome, doesn't give many hints as to his supernatural origins. The most notable aspect is likely his heterochromatic eyes- one blue, and one blood red. He generally sticks with the same human face, though things like apparent age can shift depending on his mood and the situation. He doesn't boast any particular powers in this form, though he does have several notable weaknesses. Technically he's a type of fairy, a mischievous spirit of the wild prone to testing mankind. Though he's definitely more violent and ominous than many of the fair folk he still shares some attributes, mainly his weakness to iron and inability to lie. He can tell half-truths and manipulate you all day long, but he can never tell a downright lie. He's also bound to follow through with any sort of contract or promise, though he's grown quite adept at weaving in loopholes, so that isn't to be trusted. If you want to capture him you'll have better luck with his second form.

Said second form is that of a black horse. That's it. Just a horse. It's an incredibly fine horse, granted, and boasts the strength of ten of his mortal brethren, but there's nothing particularly ominous about it. The only way to tell him from any other well-bred steed is that long pieces of kelp and seaweed are threaded through his mane and tail; yet they don't seem to give him any sort of ability. As long as he isn't near large bodies of water he can even be ridden to no ill-effect of the rider. This happens to be one of his greatest weaknesses, as when inland this equine form can be captured and made to obey any who can place a bridle on it. Many of his kind in the past have been enslaved and made to work as simple draft animals- just don't let him near the sea, as his powers return and he regains the ability to shift to his monstrous form.

His monstrous skin is the one that is usually identified as his "true" form, though he doesn't particularly prefer any one skin over another. The true Each Uisge can appear similar to just another horse, but only at a distance. His eyes are forward facing and predatory, rather than on the side of the head like an herbivore. His teeth are thin and needle-like, his hooves inverted and webbed. His mane and tail are still shot through with seaweed but unlike vefore it constantly drips water. His pelt is jet black and shiny, his entire body appearing wet to the touch- and it is. His skin is a powerful adhesive, and those who touch it quickly become stuck. He's a strong swimmer and has nearly invisible gill slits that allow him to breath underwater, supplementing his lungs, which can still breath air in a pinch. When he's in his element- dark lakes, choppy seas- he's certainly a force to be reckoned with. If forced to face him in combat you should definitely try to get him out of the water, as though he's still quick and agile at least he isn't the speed demon he is when fighting on his own turf. If you can, drag him as far away from the ocean as possible- the moment he can no longer smell the salty sea he loses access to his true form and reverts back to a normal horse.

In his human form he carries a steel trident as a weapon. Steel, though not as powerful as iron, is still quite painful for a fairy; he carries it to use against others of his kind. As long as he only holds it by the wooden handle and doesn't cut himself he's fine.

He loves the smell of roasted meat and adores music. He's actually a pretty decent player, though that's more through hard work than magic. Cooked meat and good music can be used to draw him out of hiding; at the very least it catches his interest, and he's bound to show up. Just be careful about what kind of meat you sacrifice- he despises liver with a passion, won't touch the stuff.

An Each Uisge haunts sea lochs and the ocean; Kelpies haunt streams and rivers. There's a difference. He isn't a Kelpie, he wants nothing to do with fresh water. Don't mix them up, he gets quite offended.

In the old days his first name was Coinneach- from caoin, "handsome", and each, "horse". It's what he considers to be his true name. Jas is a modern name, only picked up in the last few decades or so- it was the name of a certain musician he'd hunted, the chase of which he'd particularly enjoyed. He took it as a sort of homage to a worthy adversary; besides, it's slick and modern, exactly the sort of feeling he likes to give off.

ZERO -- [b]KATEKYO HITMAN REBORN[/b], [i]mukuro rokudo[/i]; jas coinneach