The aphrotheres, whose name means "Creatures of the Foam", are the Fantasian water elementals. They get their name from their manner of emerging from the froth of waves and rapids (for those who've seen LOTR, think of the river-crossing scene in the first movie). The aphrotheres are less diverse than the other types of elementals, with only two known kinds in existence: the Froth Hounds (Aphrokynes) and the River Steeds (Aphropols). Both kinds have more frequently been sighted by rivers and lakes than by the seas, the reason for this is unknown.
The Froth Hounds have been described as large dark green dogs seen emerging from river rapids in a manner that looks as if the foam itself was forming into a large white dog that suddenly takes on a solidity of its own and a dark green hue. While the number of tales about these amazing creatures are not many, their variety is stunning. There are tales of froth hounds involved in several different roles including: rescuing drowning victims, befriending shipwreck survivers, fetching unsuspecting fishermen as husbands for their river-witch mistresses, and dragging unwary rivermen to a watery death. Clearly some of these tales are little more than rubbish, but such is the nature of legends. There are also legends among the land dwellers that the Selkies of the western coasts keep as pets large green canines with crystal blue eyes that can see into your soul. The bark of a froth hound can either stir your spirit or petrify you with fear depending on the intent, but it's bay is said to far more dangerous. It is said that the baying howl of a froth hound awakens in the hearts of people a deep insatiable wanderlust that in most cases leads to either life on the seas or as river transients. The underwater races have tales as well of heroes encountering the deep mournful howl of a hound in the open seas just before seeing ghostly apparitions of the large green beasts that vanish like a sea mirage. I see them in my mind as possessing a similar nature to that of Ulmo from the Silmarillion.
Despite the misleading name, river steeds have also been spotted emerging from the crests of waves. But since such tales are less popular they bear the name of their most common place of sighting. River steeds are very similar to the Kelpies and other water horses of Celtic folklore. Indeed they are the ancestors of the Fantasian shape-shifters the Kelpies, but that story comes later. They are described generally as small ponies with wet mains and tails that are either sighted emerging from rivers in much the samemanner as froth hounds or simply standing by rivers or lakes. Naturally their tales of their dragging anyone foolish enough to mount them down to the depths to devour/drown them or taking them on a terrifying ride that nearly kills them; however, there are also tales of them guiding lost travellers or transporting the injured. There is one famous tale of a great river steed that emerged from the sea to carry the Heroine Brighid across the plains of Armagh to warn her people of the coming Dwarf invasion. There is also the tale among the Kelpies of the Klepine River Basin of a white river stallion that rescued their matriarch Rhinelda (tentative name) after the death of her entire clan. According to the legend over time she came to love the horse, which I should probably mention was fully sentient after the nature of river steeds, and she used the magic of her people to take on an equine form so she could be with him. Imagine their surprise when she in horse form gave birth to humanoid children. Thus began the Kelpie race according to their own legends. Like the froth hounds, the underwater races of Fantasia have legends of heroes that encounter mirage-like horses in the depths of the seas or hear ghost-like whinnying at the sudden change of a current.
And those are the aphrotheres, the froth hounds and the river steeds. What do yall think. The last and final type of elementals after this are the silphes. Not sure when I'll get to tell yall about them. Until then I crave feedback so please ask questions and post comments.
In Christ,
Jordan
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