Wendigo

a lexica entry by Asazoh Feuergeist

Alternate Names: Windigos, Wetikos, Cannibalism Monsters, Mankind Devourers

Most common in the Far West, Wendigos are documented to cannibalistic, demonic spirits. Natives tend to avoid some locations within deep forests, to not provoke these spirits. Ever so often, a Wendigo leaves its hideout to hunt and still its everlasting, insatiable hunger for meat. It hunts and eats any animal, but will always crave a humanoid being as nourishment.

A Wendigo is a creature of ice; the skin hard as steel, the heart frozen to the core, only the most stubborn, hottest fire can melt it. Where the temperatures are below the freezing point, snow covers the lands and treetops of a closeby forest for perfect hunting grounds, a Wendigo would feel at home in underground environments, like caves or forbidden mineshafts.

Here is where it’s reported that Wendigos also live near silver veins, being entirely unaffected by silver, unlike most demons.

One does turn into a Wendigo when defaulting to cannibalism at a place that would be considered “homely” for Wendigos. This can happen under a Wendigo’s curse, its demonic possession, forced or under free will.

General appearance
Different sightings, especially the youngest ones, describe different images of Wendigos. Originally, they appear humanoid in form, their limbs almost spider-like, parched and bones clearly visible - Wendigos are always hungry, craving, near starving. If any, they would only have very little hair left on their legs. The eyes of a Wendigo are near grey, dull, as their sight suffers from the lack of sunlight and nutrition.

Other reports clearly describe Wendigos are creatures in the shape of undead stags or deer, with skull faces, feathers, fur. Considering their hunting strategies (refer to “Abilities” paragraph), this is most likely a way for Wendigos to appear more intimidating and at the same time confusing, as stags and deer in most mythologies are considered symbols of fertility. The colors of choice of a Wendigo would be anything that has them camouflaged, for improved hinting success: White, grey, brown.

Characteristics
Wendigos are only known to seldom make use of any language, and only in order to lure and bait their victims into traps. They think everything through properly and are patient, but rarely overconfident. Even if their hunger drives a Wendigo mad, it will hold out for a perfect moment to attack a victim separated from its group or pack.

Only a few cases of Wendigos hunting in packs are documented to this very day. It appears to be most common for Wendigos to live and hunt alone, which might be rooting in simple jealousy about food. However, witnesses have reported of humans turned Wendigo being able to remember beloved ones, such as siblings, parents or friends, and wanting to turn them into Wendigos as well.

Attributes
Benefits: Weaknesses:
 * darkness +
 * night time ++
 * ice +++
 * blending light -
 * holy -
 * fire - - -

Abilities
There are no reports of Wendigo having any magic capabilities, though they do not seem to need any. From the day they are turned into a Wendigo, one has a tough skin, harder than steel or black ice, that can only be broken through by fire. Their heart of ice keeps, them alive under at the brink of death, as they are forever starving, and no matter how harmed their body, as long as the heart is still beating, it can restore the rest. This heart can only be molten by the hottest flames, which is why Wendigos are absolutely terrified of fire, as it is their only grand weakness.

When the body of a Wendigo is destroyed, the spirit is set free, escapes and can claim any other humanoid body with a mind not strong enough to resist. Once this body defaults to cannibalism, it will become a perfect new husk for the demonic spirit.

Wendigos are excellent hunters who tend to outsmart their victims by observing their behavior, playing mind tricks on them, baiting them into traps and separating them from others to single them out. Some even manage to mind-control to a certain degree and turn befriended prey against each other.

Barely any sound is heard from a Wendigo quickly moving through difficult terrain, which is impressive, considering that its eyes are barely functioning and can only watch prey when it’s moving. If the victim is holding entirely still, a Wendigo might easily lose track of it.

Once the Wendigo realizes is chance, it quickly hurls towards the victim, tackling them with astounding strength and killing or crippling it with sharp fands and claws.