#I wouldn't say I'm fascinated by Wendigo Folklore without having done my research ON that folklore

[the-cosmos-withinus]

Just so you know, the term w****go comes from a closed culture (Anishinaabe mythology) and it is considered extremely offensive for outsiders to use it, especially considering that many people following those beliefs don't feel comfortable even speaking or typing it themselves

Yeah, no, buddy, we're not doing this.

Use of the Wendigo being "offensive" is a take I have only seen from online (usually white) "social justice warriors" speaking over ingenious people in order to be offended on their behalf. What I have read from actual indigenous people and anthropological studies is that opinions range from "we don't mind as long as you respect our culture" to real and valid offense at Hollywood portrayals of the Wendigo. I'm not from an area that has this spirit as part of their belief system, so I can't speak for them, but the indigenous people in my area are proud of their culture and stories, and are happy to have them shared with respect.

I've done my research, on both the Folklore and the cultures, and if I had to guess, I'd say this belief that using the Wendigo is offensive is the result of a merger between the superstition that saying the name of the Wendigo will draw the spirit to you (this is also dependent on the folklore by the way, just saying the name isn't enough in some cultures), the real offense taken by indengionous people at the attemps by big Hollywood trying to turn the Wendigo into just another pop culture cannible monster for an easy scare, or internat users claiming to have a "real encounter" with one for clout and of course internet obession with making assumptions and spreading misinformation.

By the way, the Anishinaabe are not a singular tribe, they are a group of culturally related peoples, there is no direct source of mythology behind the Wendigo which is why there are varying tales on what the spirit is, some of which don't even include actual physical cannibalism. It's all dependent on which culture any version of the story originates from. In short terms, it's a cautionary legend about the perils of selfishness and a reminder for communities to watch out for one another, which is a reoccurring theme in this AU and at the center of several characters' arcs and the impact that Belos and the Boiling Isles had on one another. That's in short terms, please go read up on the folklore yourself and see what Indigenous people themselves have to say about them

For this AU I lean more toward the variation where a Wendigo is largely indistinguishable from a human, the exception being when Belos hasn't fed, but I've also tried work in bits of ToH wonkiness and even explain the Hollywood aesthetic of his monster form as part of his struggle to maintain his humanity by clinging to the image of his childhood mask, which was supposed to be a deer. Its not a perfect representation of the Wendigo, by any means but I've put a lot of care into putting the cultural significance of the Wendigo legends at the forefront, and minimize the Hollywood influence as much as possible.

I will not answer any other asks of this nature. Everyone else, please be sure you know what you're talking about before you start preaching about what other people find offensive.