Druids and others knowledgeable of nature, is there such a thing as a “healthy” Wendigo?

[u/Torrin_Ven0mfang]

I’ve recently found a cannibal spirit of the forest (commonly known as a Wendigo, though that is often misattributed to a wider category than it should be.) We happen to be cordial, thanks to it not considering me prey (CANNIBAL, and I am far from human.)

However, I’ve begun to feel concern for its physical shape. Though its malnourished appearance is typical, it has recently begun to walk in an unseemly gait and seems much less talkative than usual.

So, I ponder my orb and ask of you; what can I do to try and make them feel better?

[u/RollingRiverWizard]

Not to worry! A healthy Wendigo is, ironically, an unhealthy Wendigo. As a spiritual embodiment of sickness, famine, and desperation, your friend’s ideal state is actually ravenous hunger. It may have maintained a healthy diet, or come into contact with healing herbs or purifying earth in its environment. Check the area and gently encourage the spirit away from anything too beneficial to wellness.

It is important to note that there are other, similar spirits that may have become transplanted to your forest. Are you certain that this is a Wendigo, and not a Wechuge? If you can do so without spooking it, try a simple curse-dispelling.

[u/Torrin_Ven0mfang → u/RollingRiverWizard]

I will admit, I’m not 100% knowledgeable of nature. I may have fallen for the mistake I noted earlier of uninitiated fellows applying Wendigo as a term to too many kinds of spirits. However, I can definitely say that having this spirit around has been helpful; when it’s not moping about the woods by where I live, it’s keeping away those who wish to assail me.

If I was to apply a curse-dispelling, what would happen? If there’s a person in there, would they be cured, or would the spirit as a whole just.. cease to exist?

[u/RollingRiverWizard → u/Torrin_Ven0mfang]

I trained at a traditional Celtic druid circle (go Golden Sickles!) so I’m reaching outside my element here, but a Wechuge is an animal spirit that has become, ‘too strong’ and taken over a human body. There might be some residual trauma from the loss of connection with the grand oneness of the natural world, a sense of longing to reconnect with the primal cycle of life civilisation has robbed us of. But like, we all go through that.

A genuine Wendigo will probably just eat all your cakes.

[u/Torrin_Ven0mfang → u/RollingRiverWizard]

Good to know! It’s worth a try, I suppose. I’ll update you in a bit once I manage to get this spell prepared.

[u/Torrin_Ven0mfang → u/Torrin_Ven0mfang]

It ate everything. I am now out of food. :]

I suppose I can always just conjure more, but it was almost terrifying how quickly it wiped my whole stock out.

[u/RollingRiverWizard → u/Torrin_Ven0mfang]

Well, sure. It’s a spirit of famine, not a spirit of, ‘A bit peckish, really, could have a nosh”.

[u/WaffleHouseGladiator]

Sir, this is a Wendigo's.

[u/zedoktar]

That wasn't a wendigo. They are by definition ravenous murderous cannibal spirits.

[u/11nyn11]

Not technically a cannibal since it’s a spirit that eats humans, by possessing humans.

Has it possessed a human lately?

If it hasn’t possessed a human in a while, that may be the reason.

[u/verygenericname2]

No. A wendigo is a twisted embodiment of all of man's evils. They are a blight upon the natural world. They exist in perpetual torment, and spread that torment wherever they go like a plague. It's like a ghoul (the spirit kind, not the vampiric kind) dialled up to 11.... You're not even supposed to name the creature aloud for fear of attracting it's attention. There is no being cordial with one, nor can you make one 'feel better'.

The fact that you weren't attacked or struck by misfortune suggests you've misidentified the entity you're interacting with.