Wendigos
Basic Information
Anatomy
Wendigos, like Werewolves, have two forms. Human form, and Beast form. Regardless of what form they are in, they are cursed with endless, insatiable hunger.
The wendigo's appearance in beast form reflects the bitter winters of the remote north and its presence is often signaled by sudden cold and wind. Though the appearance varies greatly per wendigo, depending on its personality, region, and age, they are all a terrifying sight to behold. Standing between 2.1 and 2.7 m tall they easily tower over all creatures they encounter. They are gaunt to the point of emaciation, with dessicated skin pulled tightly over protruding bones. Their complexion is that of ashes with supperations littering their flesh. Long limbs end in sharp, crooked claws. Yellow eyes are pushed back deep into their sockets and what lips it once had are tattered and bloody. A strange and eerie odor of decomposition seems to emit from each and every part of them.
A wendigo that lives in an extremely cold climate may have patches of matted, off-white fur covering its body while another could be covered in mud and moss, with mushrooms growing in the crevices between their ribs. Branches could grow out of their skull and down their spine like manes. Some wendigo possess facial features that no longer resemble those of a humanoid but instead of a creature of the forest; it is rumoured that wendigo with heads like deer stalk the forests - their massive horns giving them an impressive silhouette.
Growth Rate & Stages
These tiny babies, usually called Whelps, are born just like any human. They look just like any human too. Their ears may have a sharper look to them, and eyes may be a bright red, blue or gold that can look like they are glowing, but for the first two months nothing different is noticeable besides their large apatite. They eat every three hours just like their human counterparts. And then by two months, teeth. They may come in singles or pairs, but a welp will normally have teeth cropping up no later than four months. By six some may have a full mouth of teeth. At this point their protein requirement will double. Whelps will need a pureed blend of meat to supplement their diet 'til they are old enough for solids. Whelps are quick to crawling, but may be slow to walking and standing. It isn't unusual to see them prefer more animalistic sounds rather than speech.
By five Whelps will begin to exhibit traits of exclusion. They prefer to be alone and play separately where they can exhibit freedom in their play without rules or others dictating them as children will oft times do. They have a fixation on deep woods. Their quiet and skulky stance to remain unnoticed by others will sadly cause other children to notice the difference in their peer and open them up to bullying.
Regardless, a whelp won't see the emergence of their abilities til they have it puberty. Their healing ability will kick in including delayed aging, as will all manner of hormones. Teens will be voracious eaters, and quick to anger and fighting. Their strength will begin to crop up due to surges of hormones. They may begin to change gender, found as they begin to wonder about their own identity and how it can shift. By age 15 to 16, Whelps have learned to change their whole bodies to their feral form. By 19, all Wendigos have learned this ability. It may be so long to develop due to the maturity of the wendigo's brain for critical thinking.
Ecology and Habitats
These people have an affinity for wooded, rural and cold climates, so any place that fits the criteria is a possible location for them.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Wendigos are strictly carnivorous. They eat flesh, raw and cooked flesh. In all technicality, they can eat normal food while in Human form, but only in small amounts. In addition to this, the food is said to taste vile. Eating too much normal food will cause the Wendigo to become ill. Eating small amounts of normal food can help to keep the hunger at bay, but it is a dangerous game, as even the smallest slip up has dire consequences.
Behaviour
Wendigos tend to fall into one of two categories. Their are those that give in to the hunger, violent, insane individuals who revel in the feasting upon the flesh of another. Then, there are those who try to resist the temptation, the hunger. They hate what they are. The second sort tend to be quieter, and quite shy, but are always in pain due to the intense hunger.
Wendigos on the hunt are cunning beasts, capable of recognizing dangers. While they can recognize dangers, this does not mean they will retreat due to them. They have been known to disregard threats, if they believe they can still take down their prey. The one exception to this, is fire. Regardless of what form they take, they are terrified of it. Flares, campfires, and the sort are actually highly effective defenses, as the creatures will flee from the fire.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Wendigos are mostly solitary creatures. Whether the wendigo was tricked into this state of being by a force of evil or a human who committed cannibalism, they are not welcome to be a part of any tribe or form of society. Few creatures are capable of seeing past the outer appearance of a wendigo and into the human that still resides deep inside, but those who do so may find a powerful ally in them.
Despite their terrifying presence, not all wendigo are inherently evil - most young and newly formed wendigo experience an intense guilt for their constant hunger for more flesh. Some are even overcome by grief for the crimes they have committed against their fellow humans and seek to find redemption. The flesh they consume does not have to be fresh and as such, some of these wendigo have resorted to robbing graves to satiate their endless hunger. It is not uncommon for them to attack bandits and other trespassers who dare venture into their domain either.
The older a wendigo becomes, the more detached they become from their human side. Everyone they once knew is dead - their bones dust in the wind. By now, all they know day in, day out, is an ever-growing hunger. It might be easy to control at first - to fill the empty pit of their stomach with nothing but morals and values but with each time they give in to the hunger, with each corpse they consume - the hunger grows.
There comes a point where there is no turning back - the last shreds of humanity they clung to have slipped through their fingers. They become an evil force to be reckoned with. Once their hunt begins, they engage in torturous games - baiting their prey with shrieks and growls, even going as far as to mimic human voices crying for help.
Average Intelligence
Human or higher
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
While in Beast form, Wendigos are known to possess heightened aggression, strength, and agility. Also, their sense of smell is greatly heightened. They have the strength to tear entire limbs off of prey with great savagery. Wendigos have the ability to incite fear in their prey, even if the prey is unaware of the Wendigo's presence. This can be used to make the prey leave safety, and move into a place where they are an easier target.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Wendigo might stick with their human name until they can no longer remember the sound of a loved one calling for it. They may also take on a name that sounds like a shriek, gargle or scream. Few wendigo adopt names that are given to them by the frightened townsfolk.
Male: Ander, Blath, Bran, Helm
Female: Chernin, Hornraven, Calabra, Muiri
Titles: The Curse of the Blackmarsh, The Pale Demon, The Wendigo, The Beast of the Blackwoods, The Shrieker
Sounds: The sound of a shriek, gargle, scream or whisper.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Wendigo will willingly date and build lasting relationships with any race of humanoid, even Demons and Vampires.
Scientific Name
The Cursed Race
Origin/Ancestry
The Unknown Lands
Lifespan
200 years
Average Height
Human Form: 1.3 - 2 m
Beast Form: 2.1 - 2.7 m
Average Weight
63 - 125 kg
Geographic Distribution
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