Wendigo

Racial Lore:

Wendigo are an ancient and feral breed, focusing on shamanism and warfare. They date back to the First Era, hailing from across the Godseye, ancient, and living on a vast blue and green jungle covered floating city named Blue Island. The harsh world they are raised in is populated with ancient creatures, the Old Gods, and other tribes of Wendigo all aiming to survive and dominate the island. They’re the only species who believed in the existence of other universes. The opening of the Godseye is seen more as a religious confirmation to them than an act of science. The past placed Wendigo at constant war for survival, but presently they follow the Child, a young one who appeared at the time of the Godseye opening, holding and afflicted with every magical ability of each of the tribes. Around NSC200, they became incredibly rare, usually hiding their shapeshifting and beast abilities from the public.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Wendigo look like a human in peak physical condition, made of denser faster stuffs than the average human. Their natural hair colors are often shock white or lush greens, with a larger variety of eye colors as well. Wendigo also have a preferred form of afflicted animathropy, whether this is boar, bear, wolf, or anything else depends on their tribe.

Genetics and Reproduction

Wendigo reproduce naturally, though they are not compatible with humans. Whether Wendigo can reproduce with a copied animal type is unknown, as they tend to only do so in human form, or if in beast form, they reproduce only with those of their tribe or preferred form.

Ecology and Habitats

Blue island was a lush, dangerous jungle, where everything was supplied for a hunter-gatherer society, but everything was also trying to kill you. They loved it, were moulded by it, and thrived. The Wendigo tend to stick to a Habitats jungle districts for this reason, though they're shocked at the variety of geography and climates throughout this 'new to them' solar system.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Wendigo eat cooked meat in their humanoid form, and consume anything their preferred creature would without issue regardless of form. For example, a snake-wendigo would swallow game whole, while a shark would prefer fish and other creatures torn apart in sea-water.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Wendigo have keen senses even in human form, with twice the sight, hearing, smell, and tactile recognition of an average human. However, their beast form is where the largest difference occurs. Generally a "dire" form of a beast, as large as a man if not larger, and bipedal, the Wendigo fuses the best of sapient and bestial together to create a very dangerous primal force.

Wendigo Employment:

Wendigo are most often found employed in two areas. The First is bartering, the study of scarcity, considering most of there was in brokering a natural resource the inner rim wanted. For this reason, they are almost all inclined towards mercantilism and social networking, while using their blunt callousness to mock and ridicule various proprieties and aristocracy. The second type of employment the Wendigo usually involves combat. Partially because their ability to take the form of animals allows easy camouflage, allowing them to get closer to danger zones than anyone else, and also because of their ability with Mysticism, allowing them small amounts of protection when dealing with magical and social forces, it isn’t uncommon to find Wendigo parties working as mercenaries, this is usually solitary work and requires holding no personal allegiances, and the Wendigo are nothing if not closely bound by blood and race, considering all Wendigo family.

Roleplaying a Wendigo:

When roleplaying a Wendigo; the most important thing to keep in mind is their feral nature. Not only were their beginnings in an isolated jungle island floating above a Godseye planet, they were a very tribal and mystically based race which believed in might over right for almost any political dispute. Their entire social hierarchy is based off who the alpha is, in a very literal sense. Half the Wendigo were originally cannibals and the other half were shape shifters, who were as much animal as sentient beings. They never tolerated encroachment on their planet, except for those attempting to buy or trade for the resources they had access to, such as the EUS. As a result, the Wendigo are quick to trust each other, but rarely trust any who aren’t their species or who they haven’t spent long periods of time with. Wendigo usually are boisterous, direct, aggressive, and well versed in physical combat. Even post solar war Wendigo are usually based off either purely physical or a fusion of physical and mystical prowess because of the way their societal heritage was built.

Wendigo in Private:

In private Wendigo are almost always found training in some way. Either physically training, making mercantile deals and keeping up on economics, or practicing communing with the spirits. The Wendigo are a highly superstitious group of individuals, who have almost no faith placed in modern science. Wendigo almost exclusively follow the Gaia (the Child), the machine placed in control of nature and the earth on their home planet, and in control of all that flourishes there. Gaia has a medium amount of presence post solar war, and additionally has a physical form. This physical form was the point of political power and movement in Blue Island, and is known as the Child, a small girl seemingly of 10-14 years of age, who happens to show symptoms and abilities from all the magical skills known. The child is often used as a word of reverence, but also fear and a curse, the inflection deciding its value. In Wendigo company, to insult the child or Gaia is a quick trip to a beating, and to dispute her orders is a quick path to exile or death. Only the most powerful and prominent Wendigo can even question the meaning of, or interpret her messages. In private the Wendigo will almost always be found in the company of the group they are traveling with, and even more commonly, with another Wendigo who share their beast form. Though the Wendigo most certainly will tolerate each other’s company and respect each other’s lifestyle, it’s very common for them to split off with the advent of the Godseye and the end of the solar war, each attempting to be their own Alpha as they travel. Wendigo in Public:

In public Wendigo are often boisterous and loud. You will almost never find one who isn’t attempting to express dominance in a group. They are likely to view other races as playthings, toys for their amusement. Wendigo are often heavily into sadism and gain a lot of pleasure mocking status and prestige. Wendigo are closed cast individuals, keeping their private matters under lock and key, while keeping public matters to either accruing personal satisfaction, networking, or fighting. It is never the case that a Wendigo will perform an action without some sort of give and take attached. Wendigo who are social are almost always are found in groups, usually of the same favored animal that they display when shape shifting. These Wendigo are violent, quelled only by might, and their only respect for authority is removed if they think they can become the new Alpha. Wendigo women especially are particularly aggressive, not only having equivalent strength to the Wendigo males, but also knowing that they are privileged with carrying the ability to reproduce, meaning that the Wendigo Populace views males as largely disposable, while females are not only often exalted, but a carefully protected resource. Do not mistake this protection for objectification, but more of a type of necessity, as due to their odd genetics, children are incredibly rare and difficult to produce. It is not uncommon for a Wendigo chieftain to listen to even the lowest of Wendigo females if a request is made. In this way, the Wendigo have a largely matriarchal society. Wendigo who are capable in mysticism, regardless of their other abilities, are regarded highly in their tribal system. A Wendigo who is of high level or ability in mysticism is almost always treated with respect and outside of the chain of command for whatever pack of Wendigo they are a part of.