Aughisky

Aughiskies, or water-horses (sometimes water horses), were evil, amphibious horses.

Description
Aughiskies resembled beautiful horses of the highest quality.

Behavior
Water horses were carnivorous, and would often come on land to prey on cattle and other farm animals. They often attempted to trick unwitting people into mounting them, then running directly into the sea to drown them. Aughiskies could turn their backs highly adhesive, effectively trapping any riders unless they wore a ring of free action, or similar magical protection.

Aughiskies could be tamed, but if they ever spotted salt water, they would instantly revert to their wild state and try to drown their rider.

Combat
They typically attacked by trampling or kicking opponents with their hooves, or biting them with sharp teeth. They were equally good at fighting on land and in water.

Ecology
Aughiskies were solitary creatures, usually claiming a 10 mile (16 km) stretch of coastline as their territory. They had no natural enemies, but were occasionally hunted by humans and merfolk when they caused harm.

How aughiskies reproduced was unknown, however male specimens occasionally mated with normal female horses. The offspring of such a coupling was always an exemplary specimen, a normal horse in every way save its required diet of raw meat.

Inconsistencies
In Dragon #48, the water-horse is described as an intelligent creature capable of shapechanging. In the later Celts Campaign Sourcebook, the water-horse is only semi-intelligent and is not mentioned as having shapechanging abilities. This article gives primacy to the most recent source.

Appearances

 * Gamebooks
 * Spawn of Dragonspear
 * Novels
 * Realms of Infamy: "Thieves' Honor" • Realms of Magic: "Thieves' Reward" • Realms of Mystery: "Thieves' Justice"