Wendigo
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The Wendigo (/'wɛndɪgoʊ/) (or wiindigoo or wihtikow) is a creature or evil spirit that is said to visit locations in which over 50% of the original animal population has been hunted. There is a 1 in 200 chance that the Wendigo will appear at that point, but the odds become 1 in 20 when at least one of the native species is hunted to extinction.
When it appears, the Wendigo will automatically attack a character within 150 pixel radius who has used their hunting skill the most, adjusted according to species depletion. (i.e. the victim who has hunted a location's animal population below 50% is weighted as highest in rank versus another who has hunted more often, but not brought a particular species below the 50% threshold). Domesticated animals do not count.
There is a 1 in 500 chance that a Wendigo will appear at any location regardless of animal population during the winter season. But if a location has at least one extinct species and it is winter, then a Wendigo is almost certain to appear.
Description
The Wendigo is often said to be a malevolent spirit, sometimes depicted as a creature with human-like characteristics, which possesses human beings. The Wendigo is known to invoke feelings of insatiable greed/hunger, the desire to cannibalize other humans, as well as the propensity to commit murder in those that fall under its influence.
Description varies among those fortunate enough to have survived the creature's appearance and influence. Among indigenous accounts, the Wendigo is described as a giant humanoid with a heart of ice; a foul stench or sudden, unseasonable chill might precede its approach.
The Wendigo was gaunt to the point of emaciation, its desiccated skin pulled tightly over its bones. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash-gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave. What lips it had were tattered and bloody ... Unclean and suffering from suppuration of the flesh, the Wendigo gave off a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption.
Others describe a kind of human/beast hybrids featuring antlers or horns, like one might see on a deer or goat.
Behavior
The Wendigo is seen as the embodiment of gluttony, greed, and excess: never satisfied after killing and consuming one person, they are constantly searching for new victims.
Unlike the Kraken or the Chupacabra, Wendigo are intelligent creatures, capable of human cognition and speech. It may clearly communicate with its prospective victims or even deceive, threaten or taunt them. They are capable of using tools and weapons (although for some reason they seem to prefer primitive weapons), can survive partial dismemberment, and have even been reported to engage in autocannibalism.
When the Wendigo first appears in the ravaged location, it makes its presence known with a loud, wailing keen. Anyone within 150 pixel radius, including those in vehicles, ships, or other towns, hear the wailing sound. Anyone in the location of the Wendigo would see it as a character on the Character page who is "ancient" in age (no gender is given) with an appearance that varies from encounter to encounter, generally of a large, emaciated person.
Immediately after, the Wendigo picks its first victim based on how much and often they have hunted any animal original to that location below 50% of its original population. It then attacks that person once per day, but it never seems to tire since it uses its own hunting skill on its victims and not a fighting skill. After four days, it chooses a second victim and "hunts" them along with the first (regardless as to whether or not they have also utilized their hunting skill). This addition continues for every character within the 150 pixel radius. Those not in the immediate location of the Wendigo's initial appearance may also see the Wendigo as a character after the first attack.
To make matters worse, all food resources within 120 pixels, raw and cooked, begin to deplete and "rot" regardless if they are in a container, locked room, or inventory. Food is also consumed by attacked characters faster (same as when a person is exposed to a body and "feels faint" if not buried in a timely manner). There is also a chance that anyone in the same location as the Wendigo (outside in a town, on the road if in a vehicle, or on the main deck of a ship) may also involuntarily attack another character (following the mechanics for combat).
The Wendigo will also mimic and repeat the words of characters (like certain tamed birds) but will utilize more vocabulary. It will never enter a building.
Combating the Wendigo
There are three ways to defeat a Wendigo: The first is to kill it. The second is to flee far enough from its appearance location. The third is recovery of animal populations.
Killing
Unlike the Kraken or Chupacabra, the Wendigo will not flee if its health falls below 50%.
Bladed weapons, such as a steel battle axe, Steel sabre or claymore, deal no damage to the Wendigo until it reaches 50% health. Any damage by a bladed weapon before then is completely healed within the hour. Ranged weapons appear to be more effective, but bludgeoning weapons, such as the bone club, iron shod billy club, mace, or war hammer do the most damage.
If killed, the Wendigo drops a few meager products: an inedible form of rancid meat, small and large bones, thin deer antlers (horn), and a bit of pelt, which is barely usable for some very simple clothing (loin cloth, etc.). In addition, it will always drop a special item called the Dire Bow of the Old Ones, a cursed item that is capable of felling any animal in a single shot. However, using this item either brings on winter-like or drought conditions for ten days after each use, cumulatively (i.e. each use adds another ten days).
If the Wendigo cannot be killed, it will continue to seek victims within 150 pixels of its original apparition. When it runs out of victims, it will disappear.
Fleeing
If the character can get beyond the 150 pixel radius of the origin of its apparition, the Wendigo will cease to attack them. However, any victims of its attack will continue to consume food at twice the normal rate (e.g. instead of consuming 20 grams of dried fish per day, the victim will require 40 grams per day).
Animal Recovery
A third possibility is that the animals population rises to 50% or above of its maximum capacity in the location in which the Wendigo appeared. Should that happen, the Wendigo cries out again. Like it's heralding cry, it can be witnessed within the 150 pixel radius, but is distinct enough such that anyone who is left to hear it recognizes that the Wendigo has departed. As a result, the location experiences a continual "very good harvest" for twenty days.
