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Wendigo
The Wendigo is a creature from the Algonquin speaking Native American groups. They are created when a human resorts to cannibalism. They are found in various forms in Canada and the Northeastern United States. Some legends claim the Wendigo is an evil force present in all people waiting to be awoken. Cannibalism awakens this spirit giving them supernatural strength and ferocity. They are described as being twice as tall as a man with glowing eyes, sharp yellow teeth, and a lolling tongue. They have a muscular build covered in coarse hair. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for…
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Weetuck
The Weetuck were giant monsters from the Mohawk Native Americans. They’re thought to have been as tall as a pine tree and capable of wading into rivers 12-14 feet deep, catching multiple sturgeon at once. They hunted bears for sport by hitting them with large tree branches. They are thought to have lived ten generations or several centuries ago. Despite their ferocity, they were seen as peaceful to humans and could be placated with offerings of meat. Some think the legend can be related to the discovery of bones belonging to wooly mammoths, and there were bones found in Claverack, New York that were thought to belong to the Weetuck.…
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Wedge-Ledge Chomper
The Wedge-Ledge Chomper is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore in Maine. They’re hippo-sized creatures with massive mouths like bulldozers. They can range from the size of a car to a football. They have perfect camouflage and are rarely seen, with stony skin and sometimes even moss growing on them. They scrape up stone ledges, causing erosion and rockslides. They are thought to enjoy carving stair-like structures into the sides of mountains. After breaking the rocks, they consume the ones they can fit in their mouths. They rarely venture far and often return to the same place to eat nightly, leading to them often mistaken for boulders. They have great hearing…
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Waziya
Waziya is a mythical giant from Lakota mythology. He dresses in heavy furs and is known to blow the north winds and bring snow. He goes south during the Winter and North during the Summer. He constantly fights the South Winds and guards the Aurora Borealis. He is responsible for making snow and ice and was associated with Santa upon interacting with Christianity. Citations: Gill, Sam D., and Sullivan, Irene F.. Dictionary of Native American Mythology. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 1994.
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Wawkalak
The Wawkalak is a strange form of werewolf from Russian belief. They were formed when a person angered the devil and was cursed by him to become a wolf. The Wawkalak would be recognized and cared for by their family. They have no malevolence and are often quite friendly, but they are forever doomed to be driven out of the village they’re in over and over again. Citations: Guiley, Rosemary. The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters. United States, Facts On File, Incorporated, 2004.
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Wanagemeswak
The Wanagemeswak are mythical creatures from Penobscot mythology. They are dwarves with hatchet-like faces. They live in rivers and small pools of water and can only be seen from the side. They make small clay dolls and leave them behind for humans to find, bringing good luck. Citations: Gill, Sam D., and Sullivan, Irene F.. Dictionary of Native American Mythology. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 1994.
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Wamp
The Wamp is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore. They have the scientific name “Caudasal lakeshorekearn.” They have grey bodies shaped like salt sacks roughly the size of a raccoon. They notably have hollow tails with a structure resembling a salt shaker at the end. They sprinkle salt on tree roots for deer to lick up. Citations: Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
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Walriderske
The Walriderske is a creature from German folklore. They are spirits of nightmares much like the Mara or Alpen. They are most often female and appear as rough haired animals that are black, brown, or white. Sometimes they may appear as a girl who simply likes night walking. They are sometimes apparitions that haunt people and may even be in league with the devil. They may stick with someone for their entire life and could be kind figures as they aren’t inherently evil. They travel in a spirit form rather than physically, blending the corporeal and incorporeal. When the spirit leaves the body, they are left asleep and appear lifeless.…
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Vryolakas
The Vryolakas is a form of vampiric creature from the Republic of Macedonia related to the Vrykolakas. They are created when a cat or dog jumps over a body before it’s buried. They can also be created when someone dies from murder, suicide, if one ate meat from something killed by a werewolf, if someone splashes wine on the face of a corpse, or when an evil magic user dies. They are only active from 10 pm until morning and are weak to sunlight. They hunt humans to drain them completely of blood. They often have a compulsion to pour wine over their own faces, some believing they do this…
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Vrykolatios
The Vrykolatios is a form of vampire from Santorini, Greece similar to the Vrykolakas. They eat their victims alive and chew all the way down to the bone. They only stop feeding when the victim dies. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017.
