AKA: Msi-kinepikwa, Pita-skog, Sinti lapitta, Olobit, Antlered Serpent, Oniare, Misiginebig

Tribal Affiliations: Cherokee, Dakota, Ojibwe, Cree, Shawnee, Chero, Muscogee, Yuchi, Natchez, Tewa, Algonquin, Ottawa, Menominee, Iroquois

Once there was a girl who refused to be satisfied by simple things－trinkets, food, even people. Her parents grew weary of her incessant complaints, but, most of all, they feared she would die alone. Playing matchmaker, they set up meetings with optimistic suitors; each was met with a rude remark: “He’s too fat”, “Did you see how shabby his clothing was”, “I didn’t like how he spoke”, or , “No, that one won’t do.”

One night, while the family was home sitting beside a low-flickering fire, a strangely dressed, young warrior came to their door. “Dahjoh,” the mother called to her daughter. “Come inside,” she motioned to the warrior to sit as they waited for her to enter the room, but he remained inside, just out of the light.

“I have come to ask you to be my wife,” he said, pointing at Dahjoh. Looking at the man dramatically illuminated in the firelight, she was captivated, finding him exceptionally handsome, almost magical. Above his belt was a wide strip of black and yellow wampum that shimmered like water and on his head stood two feathers; he appeared strong, fit, and moved with elegance, grace. She had never seen another like him. Her mother, though, was worried, especially after seeing Dahjoh’s uncommon interest, “Dahjoh, you wouldn't take any of the men in our village, why would you marry a stranger whose clan you don’t even know?”

Waving away her mother’s concern, she eagerly accepted the man’s proposal and packed her belongings. Leaving that night with the young warrior, she followed him into the forest; they walked through the darkness for several hours, a path seeming to lead nowhere. Dahjoh began to grow fearful. Perhaps her mother was right; why did she come all this way with a man she knew nothing about or had ever seen before?

Suddenly, her husband gently grasped her arm, “Don’t be afraid,” he whispered, “We will soon be home.”

“How can that be,” she asked, concerned, “We are very close to the river. Too close.”

Her husband grabbed her arm once more, “Here, follow me,” he smiled slightly, “Just down this hill, and we will be almost there.” The two walked down a steep bank brightened by the moonlight. Soon, a lodge came into view; the building had a pair of horns like a giant elk’s fastened above the door, “This is our home. Tomorrow I will take you to meet my family.” He led her inside the dark building.

The rest of the night, Dahjoh huddled alone in fear. Strange noises seemed to constantly bellow from outside and the house smelled strongly of fish. Holding the blankets tightly around her and covering her eyes, she waited for the sun’s morning light to clear away her fears. The next day, however, there was no sunshine, only gray clouds and a faint light.

That morning, her husband greeted her, bringing her a new dress; it was covered in the same black and yellow wampum as his belt. “You must put this on,” he told her, “Then you’ll be ready to meet my people.” Scared, she refused.

“It smells like fish, I won’t wear it,” she shook her head. Her husband scowled with anger but said no more, leaving the garment beside her. He soon walked to the door, “I have to go out for a little while,” he said softly, “Do not leave this place, and don’t be afraid of anything you see while I’m gone.”

There, Dahjoh sat for a long time alone, crying; she worried about what would happen to her and regretted her decision. She thought forlornly of her mother’s lodge and all the simple, good-hearted men who had asked her to marry them. Just then, a large, horned serpent pushed open the door of the house; rendered still with fear, it slithered up to her and stared her in the eyes. Around its body were bands of yellow and black, which glittered even in what little light fell into the home. As fast as it entered, it left, crawling out of the door. Slowly, Dahjoh followed after it, peering outside. To her horror, she saw several such creatures: some horned, some with jewel-studded foreheads, and others with wings. Then she knew; she married not a man, but some horrible creature－a serpent disguised as a man.

Even if threatened, she would not put on the dress and turn into monster. She anxiously pondered how she could escape, falling asleep amidst her thoughts, as she was so tired since she hadn’t slept the night before. In her dreams, an old man appeared, “My granddaughter,” he spoke in a deep voice, “Let me help you. You must run away and leave this place at once; head to the edge of the village. There, you will find a cliff. Climb it and do not turn back, or your husband’s people will stop you. Once you reach the top, I will be there to help you.”

When Dahjoh awoke, she knew the old man’s words were true. Looking outside, she saw her husband coming, appearing once more as a handsome, graceful man. She knew she had to leave immediately, or she would never have another chance. As fast as she could, she burst from the lodge and sprinted to the cliffs. “Come back,” she heard her husband shout, but she didn’t look behind her. The cliffs seemed so far away, even as she ran faster. Then she heard a noise coming from behind her, like the rustle of wind between reeds－but still, she didn’t look back. Looking up, the cliffs were much closer; she heard her husband’s voice close to her, whispering sweetly, “Come back, my wife. Come join my people.”

She reached the base of the cliffs and began to climb, using all the strength she had left and holding onto the old man’s promise. Her hands were bloodied and cramped, yet she pulled herself higher and higher. When she reached for the top, she felt someone help her up; looking down, she saw that she had climbed out from the river－the lodge was only an illusion. Behind In the her, numerous serpents writhed and hissed, each enormous and ferocious. The old man stood beside her and hurled lightning at the monsters; she realized that he was Heno, the Thunderer.

Lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and in the river snakes scattered, trying to escape Heno’s aim. The storm passed with the serpent’s deaths; a gentle rain washed the land and Dahjoh’s dirty, tear-streaked face. The Thunderer looked down at her, “You are very brave, my child. Thank you for helping me rid the earth of these monsters. Someday, I may call on you again, for your deeds have given you power.” He then raised his hand, causing a cloud to drift down towards them; the pair stepped onto it and it carried them back to her village.

Dahjoh later fell in love and married a man with a good heart; together they raised many children and taught them of the Thunderers and the Horned Serpents. Heno came and visited her on many occasions; sometimes, they would fly together on the clouds, looking for Uktena to kill. When she was old, she told her grandchildren this: “Be satisfied with simple things.”

-The Girl Who Was Not Satisfied With Simple Things－an Iroquois Tale

Found in the Southeastern and Great Lakes portions of North America, Uktena are giant snakes with magical abilities and dragon-like appearances. Perceived by most as evil, and hunted by the Thunderers, Uktenas are remembered as villains in most tales－ones that are both dangerous and cunning.

According to legend, the first Uktena was created by the Yunwi Tsunsdi’; angered by a sun-being that sent a sickness to destroy them, they transformed a human into a magical, monstrous snake. Tricking him into doing their bidding, “Keen-Eyed” failed to kill the solar-creature; Rattlesnake was created and sent instead. Rattlesnake’s success made “Keen-Eyed” so terribly jealous and irritable that everyone around him began to fear him. As his mood soured more and more, he was soon cast out of their community and forced to reside with other dangerous creatures. He, however, left this place, choosing to reside nearer to humans instead. Hidden deep underwater or sometimes within treacherous, mountain passes, “Keen-Eyed” mourned in his abysmal loneliness; taking pity on him, the fae created a companion to ease his suffering.

The forms of Horned Serpents vary from region to region slightly; this entry details the lives and bodies of those found in West Virginia.

Anatomy, Physical Attributes, & the Ulunsuti Stone

All Uktenas are covered in opalescent, crystalline scales that are painted in fiery hues; they have sprawling, pointed antlers on their head like a deer, a gem in the center of their forehead, and two large, yellow eyes halved by a black slit－which glints red at night when brightened by light. Thick as a tree, along the reptile’s body there are brightly colored, beautiful rings (yellow outlined in black). The seventh ‘o’ lies just above the creature’s heart (numbered from head to tail); this location is the only place a fatal blow can be dealt to the Uktena. Females are smaller, but have giant, feathery, pale yellow wings on their backs, which wick off water.

Upon their forehead is a thick, blazing crest like a diamond, called the Ulunsuti stone. It is said to be the most powerful thing a person can possess; those who hold the gem have power over light and darkness, will be granted success in all their endeavors, be able to change the weather, and see into the future or past. When gazed into, the Ulunsuti stone causes the viewer to see a white or red, blood-like streak; this is the essence of the creature, the ever-living source of its magic. Not many people know how to use the gem’s mysterious powers, though the Ani Yunwiya are said to invoke them by chanting sets of words or statements. Instructions passed down for the gems require that they be stored in a buckskin pouch or wrapped in hide; they are then required to be left outside of the home, or, better yet, placed in an earthen jar hidden in a cave or the mountains. For the Ulunsuti’s magic to be sustained, it must be massaged with blood every seven days; the blood must always be fresh and it must also be fed the blood of a deer or larger animal twice per year.

If an Ulunsuti stone is not taken care of properly, it will blaze with fire－the flames taking the shape of a winged Uktena; the magical gem will then fly through the air, looking to satisfy its great thirst with the blood of the gem’s caretaker or one of their family. To prevent this, the wielder may tell the gemstone that they will not need its services, causing it to go dormant and feel no hunger until it is once again awakened; as soon as it is roused, however, it demands blood. Obtaining this gem is incredibly rare and risky, as, according to legend, whoever sees an Uktena is so enraptured by its dazzling colors that they run towards the snake, as if entranced and unaware of danger; folklore also states that even those that look upon a sleeping Uktena are not safe－the individual’s family marked by the beast, seen by its ever-watching gemstone.

An Uktena’s size depends on their sex and subspecies, which is denoted by the presence of wings and their iridescent, pastel horns. The largest and most powerful of the Uktena have red horns; they have influence over the waters they reside in, in addition to being able to call forth torrents of rain, gusts of wind, and thunderheads. Red Uktenas can grow to be four times the length of an average man. Yellow (influence over lightning) and white (influence over rain and/or wind) horned Uktena are the second-largest kind, growing to be double the length of an average man. Horned snakes with blue antlers (influence of their water source) are the smallest of the creatures, growing to be 5 - 6.5 ft long. Red Uktenas are always female, and blue always male. Horns grow to be several feet long; every so often, a new prong develops on the structure.

The interior of an Uktena is comparable to that of an average snake. When eating, the snake’s jaw unhinges to swallow large prey whole. Unique to the species, its throat is connected to a specialized organ that produces an acidic substance, as well as a secondary organ that produces a foul, bacteria-laden fluid; the serpent can spray either or both liquids on targets. The scent of this concoction is sulphuric, it can be expelled at long distances, and is said to spread illness; larger kinds of Uktena also possess a third gland that spews a corrosive poison.

Uktena Society and Life at Home or in the Wild

Uktena live in tunnels and caves within deep, wide rivers or lakes, as well as in muddy regions or hidden pools in the mountains. Most find natural terrain to reside within, but others dig out domains for themselves; all living quarters have escape tunnels and pockets of air, as the creatures cannot breathe underwater. Those that reside with halflings or humans live in large rooms that have circulated, fresh air－which enters from holes to the outside world in the cave or tunnel. The serpents may live in groups of 20 or less, comprised of a wide variety of subspecies, such as Ukans (half-human, half-Uktena), Huks (¾ human, ¼ Uktena), and Ukies (humans transformed by Uktena to serve as mates). The air exhaled by Uktena and Ukans causes humans to hallucinate: under their spell, humans believe that they see ornate houses in caves or on the riverside, when they are actually within a river, cave, or lake with no such structures in sight－only crude, open-air shanties. The unpleasant odor or moistness of the residence, however, is not covered by the illusion; the smell of the nest and the snakes’ bodies are described as overpoweringly fishy.

Red-horned Uktena live alone most of their lives, meeting others only to mate. The sources of water they reside in become polluted with their pheromones, poisonous to most other creatures. Once every five years, the enormous serpent calls males to her side －some more reluctant than others, though all must answer the call. The creatures reproduce as any mundane serpent; gametes are stored for future fertilization of eggs, as well as for immediate reproduction. Females lay 5 - 8 eggs per clutch, most of which are born male. White and yellow-horned females choose to live in completely female communities for the most part; a small portion travel alone or reside in mixed gatherings made up mostly of male Uktenas and Ukans. Unlike the red serpents, white and yellow Uktenas can transform themselves into attractive men and women.

Horned Serpents form close-knit families and communities, though all but the red prefer (and are able) to take human spouses; some females join with a human and Uktena partner, producing numerous children. Women typically lure men by appearing in groups, bathing near their underwater dens, and cooking aromatic meals or gathering wild food on the riverside. Once their attention has been acquired, they are magically entranced to their home, where the Uktena keep them forever. Male Uktenas travel great distances looking for the most beautiful human woman they can find; appearing before her family, or on her doorstep, the exceptionally attractive man asks for her hand in marriage－occasionally in a romantic manner. If successful, the male Uktena takes his new wife home and introduces her to his family; when she becomes comfortable in the arrangement, he reveals his and his family’s true forms－sometimes seeking love and acceptance, other times forcing familiarity for the Uktenas’ comfort.

Shapeshifting only takes a few minutes and is accompanied by guttural, animal noises, as the serpent uncomfortably grows limbs and human features－or loses them. Children that are produced by these unions sometimes display characteristics of their Uktena parent’s human and serpent forms, though they cannot shapeshift; offspring may have slitted eyes, unusually attractive features, yellow irises, a tail, snake fangs, forked tongue, small deer horns, or be fully or partially covered in snakeskin, in addition to having extended lives; Huks may also display some of these traits, though less prominently and in fewer number. Uktenas may speak while in serpent form, though their forked tongues gives them a strange, lisping accent; all offspring may develop this speech impediment, even those without forked tongues.

These mystical beings can live 3 - 7 human lifespans (depending on their size and kind, with smaller serpents living shorter lives). Some love their spouse(s) and children so much, that they use magic to transform them fully into Uktenas, so that they can be together longer. Deaths of humans and halflings are met with different reactions by different groups of Uktena; some bury them within their dens, enacting memorials in their honor, whereas others eat the dead, wasting no fresh meat. Uktenas treat the passing of their own kind in a similar way, though they are less likely to be given a grave, especially in cases of red-horned individuals. It is believed that Uktenas find each other repulsive, developing few emotional attachments to each other’s cold bodies. Though these creatures wed and even fall in love with humans, most still hunt and consume them; in some stories, they are also said to steal away humans’ voices for their enjoyment or to prevent their escape.

Since humans and Uktenas have lived near one another, people have been targeted and mercilessly eaten by the giant creatures. In lakes and streams, Horned Serpents lurk in the shadows, snapping up those that swim in the water or dwell along the bank; according to the Iroquois, the serpents once focused on canoes, capsizing them to obtain the morsels within. In some parts of West Virginia, travelers and locals offer valuables or food on the banks of supposed Uktena dens in exchange for safe passage; some of the snakes honor this arrangement, though others take both the gift and their lives. Uktenas are predominantly carnivorous, eating field vermin, large and small game, and fish, in addition to humans; all but red-horned Uktenas may also farm near their dwellings, gather forageables, or raise fungi in their dens. Red-horned Uktenas do not need to hunt, as they exude an aura that beckons nearby creatures to them and makes them feel calm and safe.

As humans, Uktenas can be of good or evil character, though most lean towards maliciousness (especially red and yellow-horned individuals). Evil deeds, however, are more often remembered, giving all Uktenas a poor reputation－one that elicits hatred. Most humans and humanoids view the serpent people as untrustworthy and frightening; they often ask for help from Thunderers to destroy them.

All Uktenas are weak to electricity, especially shots fired from the bird peoples’ magic bows. Hated enemies that are constantly at war and contesting for the same human spouses, the Uktena often falls prey to Thunderers; the serpents are eaten at their buffets, used to strengthen their bodies and magic, pursued for fun and their possessions. Aside from these sky beings, the serpents have few natural predators except Tlanuwa, who hunt them in the winter, and Thunderbirds, who hunt them in other parts of North America.

Development and Childhood

Full-blooded Uktena are born from eggs that are incubated for 10 - 12 months and halflings are birthed as a normal human; all kinds emerge first as small serpents. Halflings quickly develop limbs and human features, while true Uktenas are not able to shapeshift until the age of 16 or 17, when they reach maturity. Huks and Ukans lose all snake-like attributes that are non-permanent by the age of two. For some women, birthing the strange child reveals the true nature of their lover; some mothers may abandon their offspring and spouse with this revelation.

For the most part, Uktena halflings develop as human children, though they learn Uktena customs and the extremity of their serpent heritage. Full-blooded Uktenas, however, develop like snakes, but much slower. Each is taught how to speak, find dwellings, hunt, hide from enemies, carry out their reproductive duties, and societal/hierarchical norms. Depending on the Uktena parent and community, the serpents may be very involved with child-rearing or detached－ these offspring learning predominantly by observance. All young stay with their mothers, though only halflings nurse; adequate food is brought to true Uktenas until they are old enough to hunt with others (age 8), or on their own (age 13); children are assigned chores as soon as they are competent enough to carry them out, the difficulty and quantity increasing with age. With their kind being despised and hunted down, Uktenas do not receive a name until they are fully grown; their name is bestowed upon them by the community, though in some regions, the young adult may choose his/her own.

Grown Uktenas may leave their community to travel solo for a time or to join another group; many stay in their parent’s gathering their entire lives, marrying and having children join into the group.