WTW | Qualm | Swamp god

Name: Qualm
  Age: Unknown
Gender: Stallion
Height: 18 hh
Breed: -


Orientation: heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single

    Mate: none
Family: unknown
    

Herd Affiliation: gods
    Rank: god
Location: the Swamp

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|Personality|


[Predator]
Qualm's hunting instincts are very strong and he has been known to tirelessly track down prey. He also seems to be able to 'smell fear' and will often mention this when confronting someone new. If they are very afraid he knows they will be easy prey.

[Earthy]
Unlike many other gods, Qualm doesn't deal with the high and mighty. He doesn't think himself better than anyone else, and he never uses his powers for show. In fact he doesn't use his powers at all unless absolutely necessary, as he prefers to rely on his own knowledge of his surroundings. He is also very attuned to nature and loves it, despite his fearsome appearance he has been known to use his powers care and protect for injured creatures. 

[Manipulative/cunning]
This is displayed most with those who are not natives to the swamp. To them he has been known to be unhelpful and even hostile. Those travelers unlucky enough to cross his path in the marsh, he will give them a riddle. If they answer correctly Qualm will let them pass unharmed, if they don't however the poor soul will find themselves sinking to a watery grave. At times the swamp god will show favors or mercy to those he meets, only to appear later and expect a favor in return. 

[Serpentine]
Many who come across this god would describe him as a snake, with his staring eyes. Other's swear he can speak with snakes and turn into a giant python. How much of this is true is unknown. However one is very much reminded of a dangerous snake when they meet this god.  

[Powerful]
Qualm may look disgusting and thin but that doesn't mean he is any less powerful than the other gods. In fact if anyone were to challenge him while he was in his swamp it would end very badly for them. 

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|History|
King of the Mire
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When this being came into existence no one is certain, however it is believed that he was once a mortal horse who fell victim to the marsh. Either by chance or some other factor he survived and literally became the essence of the swamp. Soon after this the swamplands began to grow and become more hostile to passersby. Rumors spread that a powerful being lived in the swamp and one by one horses, drawn by the prospect of power, began to travel to the marsh. Many of course didn't meet Qualm's standards, but a few did. These were allowed to live in there and they became known as the kelpies, others Qualm shared unique knowledge of poisons and witchcraft. 
Every so often Qualm would leave his swamp and travel far and wide. On one of these trips he met a lovely mare, who's beauty and grace captivated the swamp god. With all kindness he led her back to the swamp so that they could live together, he even made her a little island so she would be safe. But before long the mare began to long for her home of wide grasslands and forests. And so one night while Qualm was out roaming the marsh his bride ran away, but she still knew little of the swamp's dangers and became entrapped in mud. By the time Qualm heard of her escape he was too late, she had been pulled under the murky water and drowned. This tragic event brought a swift change upon the god, he refused to leave his swamp and became even more hostile to anyone who ventured into the swamp. Only the kelpies and other swamp born creatures were safe. Qualm hid himself away in the remotest regions of his land and only rarely shows himself to others. 


Notes
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 his saliva glows and contains a nasty paralytic poison 
the little bits of bone in his ears often change 
  the glowy frogs which spawn from his back, can be used as spies as he is able to 'see through their eyes' 
 the black goo which oozes from his mane, tail and hooves can be controlled and is sticky like tar
 when in his presence others often feel uneasy or ill, this may be how he acquired his name