History of The Wendigo Pt. 1

Early History of the Wendigo: The Chronicles of Yuhia

In the dawn days of the wendigo, when the Forest Father breathed life into the world, his children were born from the sacred groves and dark forests, imbued with the power to dominate nature and the wisdom of their creator. Alongside them, however, emerged a blasphemous imitation—the druids. These pale reflections of the wendigo dared to claim kinship with the Forest Father, twisting his gifts into something perverse and unnatural.

The world, once ruled by the greater elves of the Emerald Empire, was plunged into chaos with the collapse of their dominion. As the emerald elves withered into goblins, the wendigo watched as humans expanded their influence across the lands. The human kingdoms, led by their Sultan Sancar of Mu, dared to encroach upon the sacred territories that the Forest Father had bestowed upon his true children. But the arrogance of the humans was their downfall. The wendigo, with the guidance of the Forest Father, unleashed their wrath upon Mu, decimating its armies and leaving its lands ripe for wendigo dominion.

However, the war was not yet over. The wendigo's victory over the humans was short-lived, as the druids, led by the treacherous Jarl Sigtrygg of the Northwood, rose against them. The wendigo fought valiantly, but the druids' perverse magic and knowledge of the forest allowed them to enslave the wendigo, binding them in chains of nature's magic. For over seven hundred years, the wendigo were forced into servitude, used as war slaves by their hated enemies.

The Forest Father had not abandoned his true children despite what the druids claimed. A warrior arose among the wendigo, Hjalmar Kinshalbur, who bore the title of Nature's Wrath. With the strength of the Forest Father in his veins, Hjalmar rallied the wendigo and led a rebellion against the druids. His war cry echoed through the forests, and the wendigo rose up as one. In a Holy Crusade, Hjalmar reclaimed the Holy Land Gladsheim, purging it of druidic corruption and retaking their ancestral territories.

The victory was hard-won and marked the birth of the wendigo kingdom of Yuhia. Hjalmar, crowned as the first king, established Yuhia as a monarchy ruled by strength and power—a kraterocracy where only the mightiest could ascend to the throne. Under his leadership, the wendigo waged a final war against both humans and druids and while he would not live to see the end of the war his daughter Lina Hjalmardóttir Kinshalbur would lead their forces. This war, known as the Twin Purges, saw the wendigo secure their borders against the humans with the construction of Fort City Lavi, and against the druids with the reclamation of the Gladsheim, which now stood as a sacred barrier between the two peoples.

In the centuries that followed, the wendigo would remember the legacy of Hjalmar Kinshalbur, the warrior king who had freed them from bondage and established their kingdom. His bloodline would continue to rule Yuhia, each king and queen proving their right to the throne through strength, cunning, and an unbreakable connection with the Forest Father. The wendigo would continue to guard their sacred lands, ever watchful of the blasphemous druids and the ever-encroaching humans, knowing that the Forest Father’s wrath was their shield and their sword.

Born of Domination: The Wendigo's Account

0 FA - The Creation of the Wendigo

In the year 0 FA, the Forest Father descended from the Higher Planes, bringing with him the breath of life that would create the wendigo. He molded them from the very essence of the forests, giving them strength, wisdom, and a deep connection to the natural world. The wendigo revered him as their creator and protector, and under his guidance, they began to settle in the lands that would become Yuhia. The wendigo were his apex predators tasked with ruling the forest and conquering all the natural world.

12 FA - The Arrival of the Druids

Twelve years after the creation of the wendigo, the druids emerged, seemingly birthed from the same forests that nurtured the wendigo. The wendigo viewed the druids with suspicion, seeing them as blasphemous imitations of themselves. However, the druids kept to their own ways, and for a time, the two peoples coexisted in an uneasy peace.

24 FA - The Dawn of War

In the year 24 FA, the fragile peace was shattered. The Sultanate of Mu, under Sultan Sancar, had long coveted the fertile lands of the forests. Believing the wendigo to be nothing more than savage beasts, the humans began to expand their territories, pushing deeper into the sacred lands of the wendigo. The Forest Father, seeing the threat to his children, took up arms alongside the wendigo. Thus began the First War, a conflict that would rage for 250 years.

48 FA - The Battle of Bloodwood Grove

One of the earliest and most significant battles occurred in 48 FA at Bloodwood Grove. The human armies, led by General Timur, sought to cut down the ancient trees that were sacred to the wendigo. The Forest Father, with his mighty wrath, descended upon the battlefield, leading the wendigo into battle. The humans were driven back, their blood soaking the ground, giving the grove its name. This battle marked the wendigo’s first major victory in the war.

73 FA - The Birth of Hjalti Kinshalbur

In 73 FA, Hjalti Kinshalbur, a mighty warrior destined to become a legend, was born. His birth was seen as a sign of the Forest Father's continued favor, and his presence would later inspire many wendigo to fight with unmatched ferocity.

92 FA - The Siege of Timberfall

By 92 FA, the humans had regrouped under Sultan Sancar's son, Prince Erdem. They launched a massive assault on Timberfall, a wendigo settlement near the heart of their territory. The siege lasted for seven years, with the wendigo fiercely defending their home. The Forest Father, though present in spirit, allowed the wendigo to take the lead in this battle. The siege ended with the wendigo pushing back the human forces, but at great cost. Many wendigo warriors, including several revered elders, were lost.

144 FA - Ascension of the Forest Father

The war dragged on, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. In 144 FA, after nearly 120 years of battle, the Forest Father began to fade. His divine essence, worn thin by constant warfare, could no longer sustain his physical form. Before departing the mortal realm, he bestowed his final blessings upon the wendigo, entrusting them with the defense of their lands. His departure marked the end of an era, but his legacy lived on in the hearts of the wendigo.

148 FA - The Battle of Witherwatch

In the year 148 FA, the wendigo, now without the direct guidance of the Forest Father, faced one of their greatest challenges. The humans, seeking to capitalize on the Forest Father's departure, launched a massive offensive at Witherwatch. Led by Hjalti Kinshalbur, now a seasoned warrior, the wendigo fought with unmatched fury. Hjalti’s leadership turned the tide of battle, and the humans were forced to retreat. This victory was a turning point in the war, cementing Hjalti’s reputation as a legendary leader. He would become the Great Warlord and lead the wendigo with an iron fist.

173 FA - The Great Division

By 173 FA, the war had taken its toll on both sides and the human kingdoms began to fracture under the strain of the prolonged conflict. The once-united Sultanate of Mu splintered into several smaller states, each vying for control and power. This division weakened the human forces, allowing the wendigo to reclaim much of their lost territory.

274 FA - The Final Battle at Stonefang

The final, decisive battle of the First War occurred in 274 FA at Stonefang, a rocky outcrop that marked the border between wendigo and human lands. The battle was fierce, with both sides knowing that the outcome would determine the future of their peoples. Hjalti Kinshalbur, now an elder warrior, led the wendigo with the strength and wisdom he had gained over a lifetime of war. The humans, disorganized and weakened by years of infighting, faced a crushing defeat. The Sultanate of Mu officially fell with the royal family slain and eaten as human survivors were hunted or were forced to retreat beyond the borders of Yuhia.