Creature:Wendigo

"A great chill in the air heralds their coming. In the darkness, only their shadows are made manifest. They move faster than the charge of a lion; quieter than the movement of mice. Trees can be severed from their trunks with one fell swoop of their claws. But the worst thing? The smell. Darkness has rotted their bodies and minds, and there is always the stench of a fresh kill on their matted fur."

- Unknown

Wendigos are a cursed form of life roving primarily in the northwestern reaches of, primarily Talmyr, the Silver Steppe, Everwinter Highlands and the Western Forests. Wendigos are among Koldenwelt's foulest and darkest life forms, driven by an unnatural desire to kill and feed whatever crosses one's path. They are the subject of great contempt in the north of Koldenwelt, and are a notable terror in the woods to the north. Despite this, Wendigos are uncommon sight, nevertheless an exceptionally dangerous one.

History
The first Wendigos were tribal cultures of humans and elves that existed tens of millennia ago in the northwest, on the shores of the Everwinter Highlands and bordering Talmyr. The ancient and savage magic emanating from Talmyr, primarily from the underground presence of, the Simulacrum of Nightmares. The corrupting magic of Kaicaiusarin drove many forms of life, including the very trees to die and warp beyond natural capability, and such magic despite its malevolence would entice many creatures to bask in its presence. Due to the accursed atmosphere that Kaicaiusarin breathed around the north, these tribal cultures were over time and generations slowly driven insane and savage - eventually giving rise to the Wendigo as the weaker members of their tribe died out. Myths describe the birth of the Wendigo as a lie weaved by Kaicaiusarin; the tribes fell to the belief that cannibalism would release them of their curse, although in turn it only accelerated their deformities. The survivors were distorted and turned into creatures of what appeared to be a cursed kind of, as the first Wendigos began to multiply by converting others into their own kind.

The had worked in unison with the Natelevarí Elves in order to cull the Wendigo populace in the north, having done so successfully until the Natelevarí Elves were forcefully assimilated into the. The Kormacvarah continued to stave off the Wendigos despite this, and in turn the Wendigo began to culminate closer to Talmyr and in turn becoming more sparse in the Western Forests. Since the millennia that have passed after the end of the Adamantine Age, the Wendigos have begun to appear further south again as well as more sightings in the north, indicating that a surge of dark energies emanating from Talmyr (that eventually ended in Kaicaiusarin's release) caused more Wendigo to be spawned.

Appearance
Wendigos are ultimately c in appearance, but in truth are Deiwes turned into animalistic and malignant forms of their former selves. There is little indication of their former identity as Deiwes, as their heads are similar to that of a stag. They are of great size, most of which are over four metres tall, and older Wendigos to be over six metres tall. Wendigos are emaciated, some appearing to be halted in a state of decomposition as matted fur covers their upper halves and either flesh-draped bones or bare bones stick out from their rib cages. Wendigos have immense claws that appear to be retractable. Due to their unnatural state of being, a cloud of cold air and foul stench follows their disjointed and aggressive gait. It is said that a Wendigo grows in size after feeding, and that the oldest and most powerful of their kind are truly gigantic.

Behaviour
The curse laid upon the Wendigos; one of endless pain and torturous hunger drives them to be among Koldenwelt's most aggressive and savage creatures. It is said that Wendigos are only mildly relieved of their hunger when feeding - specifically cannibalism, although the pain that seeps into their destroyed souls causes them to frenzy at the sight of anything that moves. Despite this, older Wendigos have slightly more sophisticated hunting methods, such as the ability to silently stalk their prey. As nocturnal creatures, Wendigos fear the sunlight and tend to hide during the day, or perhaps bury themselves underground. They appear to prefer colder climates and wooded areas, although some are known to hide in the tall grasslands of the Sliver Steppe.

Wendigos are mostly solitary creatures, and more 'juvenile' Wendigos are known to attack each other in a bout for territory or to feed. It is not known of the reasons behind older Wendigos, although it is apparent that the older victims of the curse are able to ascertain a pack mentality among younger Wendigos, quite possibly due to the intensity of the curse upon them.

Abilities
The curse of the Wendigo grants them with incredible physical strength that is only further built upon with each victim a Wendigo feeds upon. With this, a Wendigo is also capable of sprinting paces faster than the lions and bears that inhabit the north. Wendigos appear to be highly resistant to most forms of magic for the exception of fire, light and sun magic, of which the three are able to seriously harm and even kill a Wendigo. Wendigos are also capable of spawning more of their own kind through converting them into accursed lifeforms in a manner similar to.