Classification: Mythical Beasts & Cryptids

Temporal Range: Unknown

Geographic Range: Athabaskan territories, Western North America

Diet: Cannibalistic

Horde: North American

Amongst the Athabaskan people of Canada and parts of the northwest US, the Wechuge is a creature that represents someone who has been cursed. Often these beasts are the result of someone who craved the power of a great spirit animal but could not control it and was turned into a Wechuge as punishment.

Other ways of becoming Wechuge include breaking societal taboos. These range from eating meat contaminated by fly eggs to having your photograph taken with the flash on. Thankfully, in the time of smartphones, you might be able to avoid that one but perhaps refrain from taking any selfies at night.

Wechuge can appear as normal animals - perhaps a representation of the spirit animal they were attempting to utilise - or as a creature made entirely of ice. If the creature is in its ice form, it can be defeated by throwing or pushing it onto a campfire, which should make short work of it. We are certain this would also make short work of it if it were in its animal form too but we do not recommend throwing deer or bears onto campfires just in case they might be a Wechuge.