HALLOWEEN THEMED CREATURE IDEA FOR YOUR 5E GAME!
The Wendigo
I first came across the legend of the Wendigo when a friend in my fifth grade class loaned me his copy of the book “The Wendigo”. He was a big horror fan and he had found this book at a yard sale locally and recommended it. I liked monster movies and thought I would give it a read.
Originally written in 1910 by Algernon Blackwood the story is about five men on a hunting trip in the Canadian wilderness who encounter a supernatural entity. The story focuses on psychological terror and isolation as one of the men is seemingly transformed by the creature, leading to a chilling encounter and the eventual, tragic fate of the character. The book was very heavy for such a young mind, but it encouraged me to look up the legend behind the Wendigo.
The Wendigo is a creature from Native American folklore, primarily from the Great Lakes region, depicted as a gaunt, monstrous spirit or human transformed by greed and a hunger for human flesh. Legends describe it as an emaciated giant with a ravenous appetite, a creature of cold and winter, or an evil spirit that can possess a person. The concept of a twisted, transformed human, corrupted by greed and cannibalism was both fascinating and horrifying.
Now as a DM, this creature has been on my mind to insert into a game, either as a one shot, or as a minion of a greater nature based evil for a longer campaign. There is so much potential with this creature and I am surprised I have not seen or heard more about it in D&D horror games or even as a Lord of one of the Realms of Dread.
Many out there are fans of cryptids and use them in their horror campaigns. Some consider the Wendigo a cryptic, that classification is debated, as its origins in Algonquian folklore as a spirit rather than a physical creature. The term "cryptid" typically refers to an animal with unproven existence, while the Wendigo is more a supernatural being rooted in myth and legend, so many consider it a spirit, not a cryptid.
Personally I think the Wendigo is unique. It has a misshapen foot in both worlds. The lore and stat block for this creature makes it a perfect choice for any table. Perhaps you run a horror based game and you like Cryptids and monsters to throw at your players. Perhaps you want to spin it and tie the legend into something from the Fey Wild, perhaps a cursed creature that betrayed a Fey Queen, cursed to prowl the primordial forests for all time.
Check out the stat block. Give us your thoughts. What do you think about the Wendigo? Have you used it at your table? Have you considered it and just not know how to work it into your campaign? Click the images below for a closer look, and give us your thoughts in the comment section below. We’d love to hear from you!
