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SleipnirEquus chthonii
Sapient Lifeforms
Sleipnir (Equus chthonii, "chthonian horse," in reference to their planet's namesake) are the least populous species on Tartarus, existing solely within the royal family. All Tartareans are ruled by the negligent king, Helhest, and the royal family of Sleipnir. They evolved from Humi horses.
Surprisingly, not much is known about the Sleipnir, and much of Tartarus has not once laid eyes on royalty. They are famously reclusive, having not made a single public appearance in living memory. Some Tartareans believe them not exist at all, or at least not any longer. Bursti propoganda tends to paint them in a "forgiveable" and "all will be revealed in due time; be patient and have faith" light. Only the appearance of King Helhest, a hauntingly beautiful, Stygian unicorn, is known to his denizens, for his likeness is plastered all over said propoganda.
Only one Sleipnir "remains"—the king himself, an unliving specter of the skeleton rooted to his throne. The rest of his family fell to the machinations of the Bursti, and it is only because of his mystical nature, in combination with vengeance, that roots him to the mortal plane. Though magically powerful enough to seal the castle, Helhest is unable to leave the throne room. Inversely, the Bursti defend against anyone who would dare venture inside, leaving Helhest no way to expose their lies. The Bursti, in other words, are the true rulers of Tartarus in all but name, and Helhest is powerless to stop them.
At the very least, Helhest's presence means that the Bursti cannot officially assume the crown. The forlorn king can only maintain his seal and hope for the downfall of a once respected sovereignty. He has long side made peace with this; his only wish now is for his good people to rule.
Sleipnir, when they lived, were magnanimous and imaginative (favoring artistic pursuits), with many other traits that eventually gained them their regal status. They were quite tall and famously stunning, perhaps in part due to spontaneous surfacing of unicorns within their bloodline (not all Sleipnir are unicorns, however). They were herbivorous.
Before they died out, Sleipnir magic was used as an alternative, "renewable" fuel source. It was able to revive/repair Machina, leading them to theorize that what the automatons run on—and, by extension, all ancient technology—is Anima. This discovery was not a fortunate one; in being sensitive to it, the Sleipnir knew that the Anima on Tartarus was declining. All of this was kept secret (much like their extended knowledge on Humi), and until their final breaths, the Sleipnir ceaselessly toiled away at finding a solution.