AKA: Gallywampus, Whistling Wampus, WampasSeveral stories claim to reveal the origin of the Wampus Cat, but all share one aspect: the Wampus Cat was created by the supernatural. This tale is its most widely known origin story: Ew’ah, an evil daemon known as the Spirit of Madness, was terrorizing Chota. Shamans and war-chiefs from the village were called together to devise a way to combat her. The wise shamans explained to the war-chiefs that sending braves to fight Ew’ah would not work, as she could drive men to insanity with a glace; angered, the warchiefs insisted that something had to be done, as their children’s minds were being fed upon. After much deliberation, both parties agreed to send only their strongest, bravest warriors to kill the evil being.Standing Bear was the cleverest, quickest, stealthiest, strongest, and most respected brave in all the Cherokee nation—so he was specifically chosen to battle Ew’ah. The shamans bid him well and the war-chiefs gave him their best weapons; on the outskirts of town, his wife, Running Deer, gave him the last goodbye.After weeks had passed, there was still no news of Standing Bear’s plight. Then, late one night, he came running into camp, screaming and clawing his eyes out with bloodied fingers. With one look, Running Deer knew it was no longer her husband—the man she knew was no more. With time, she hoped, he would be able to pick berries or work in the fields with the widows and little girls, but according to Cherokee law, he would never be considered a good husband again and was treated as if dead; Standing Bear’s name was never uttered again.Running Deer, however, did not forget him. She grieved deeply for him, as she had only ever had a great love for him. Vengeance on her mind, she planned the daemon’s death. Running Deer consulted the shamans, who gave her a booger mask of a bobcat’s face. The told her that the spirit of the mountain cat would stand against Ew’ah—but only if she surprised the daemon. The war-chiefs gave her a black paste, which would conceal her scent from the monster, as well as her form. Courage welling inside her, Running Deer kissed her husband once more on his forehead, his eyes showing no recognition.She set out into the forest, which she knew just as well as her village. Along the way, she ate berries and wild herbs to maintain her strength, but after several days, she still found no sign of Ew’ah. Then, late one night she heard a creature slinking down by the river. She crept slowly towards the water, hearing a twig snap behind her; she spun around, fearful that the end was near. Yet, behind her was only a fox darting across the path.“If that had been Ew’ah, I would have been done for…” she pondered shakily. At the edge of the creek, she saw fresh footprints that belonged to no mere animal. Following them, she spotted the daemon upstream, lurching hideously above the water; it drank from the clear, mountain spring vulgarly. She smiled—Ew’ah had not seen or heard her. Running Deer crept closer and closer, until she could bring herself no further, her body trembling; before she could decide otherwise, she sprang on the creature.Ew’ah spun, seeing the magical Cat-Spirit-Mask. The daemon began to tear at itself as the spirit of the mountain cat reflected the creature’s evil bewitchments upon it. The monster fell backward into the water, fizzling and thrashing around. Running Deer fled back to the village as fast as she could, never looking back. Unbeknown to her, part of the daemon latched onto her soul, determined to return upon her passing.When she arrived home, she sang a quiet, grief-stricken song for her husband, but also one of joy over the death of the daemon’s banishment. Running Deer was given two new names: Spirit-Talker and Home-Protector.Some say that with her death, the Wampus Cats were made—the evil she banished broken and divided, as well as her benevolence, courage, and strength; her essence was fragmented, forcefully entering and changing women across the region into monsters, and sometimes heroes. According to legend, these bobcat-women fight daemons, eternally protecting Cherokee lands from the evil that hides in the dark; yet, they are also capable of great wickedness, harm. These first Wampas were hexed by Ew’ah, cursed to live as a vehement cougar most of their days; bonded to their souls, the daemon’s curse follows all females born to Wampus Cats, allowing both the evil entity and her human rival to live on in an eternal struggle.Part cougar, part human, Wampus Cats are sinister, intelligent creatures seen throughout the Appalachian region just after dark or before the sunrise. Covered in black fur, its humanoid form can be seen running incredibly fast through the woods and fields on two legs, or sometimes on all four. The halflings have slender bodies, usually 5 - 8 ft long from head to tail, and weigh between 100 - 150 lbs. Their glowing yellow eyes strike fear into those that see them and its ghostly, shrill voice turns blood cold. Looking similar to a black cougar, Wampus Cats have long, black manes that resemble a male lion’s mane; their eyebrows, whiskers, and claws are white, some also having white bellies and/or a white-tipped tail. Most often, they are seen in Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia; the beasts are feared in the regions they inhabit, once inspiring witch hunts and homemade wards.In cities, the Wampus Cat lives in sewers, drainage systems, or old, abandoned shacks and buildings that lay on the fringes of development; outside of towns, Wampus Cats live where other large cats can be found. Though much happier in the wild, these halflings feel compelled to live near human communities; they, however, always behave hostile towards people. Generally, Wampas prey on deer or smaller, woodland animals, but they may also hunt domesticated animals, insects, and children if game is scarce. Like cougars, Wampus Cats are stealthy, cunning hunters that can hide until their prey draws near enough to pounce upon— precisely tearing with claws or fangs. There are some Wampas who seek out daemons, banishing them back to their realm—at least for a time. The halflings find great pride in their destruction, as well as an interesting diversion; it is said that each kill makes them stronger, more feared, yet revered by those who know and respect them.During most of their life, Wampus Cats are solitary, befriending neither feline nor human. However, the halflings become human once per year, shirking off their animal flesh as if it were a garment and exposing the form of a beautiful, dark-haired woman. Those of child-rearing age seek out young men, while older or younger individuals take time to hesitantly explore human communities. Children accompany their mother during the first three years of their life, before meandering about cities on their own, meeting up with her later. By age 15, the youths are considered adults; once their time in the human world has ended, they go off on their own. Interactions with the wild shapeshifters seem strange to humans: they speak with an unusual accent—lingering on their ‘s’—and seem both fearful, yet fascinated by mundane activities and objects. Only when in their human form are Wampas able to overcome their repulsion and hatred of humans; there are stories of such creatures falling in love with men, visiting them once per year, often hiding their nature out of fear that their lover will despise them. Even the strongest of bonds do not matter to Wampas outside of their human form—in the wild, loved ones are not remembered or treated kindly.Wampus Cats develop and grow a little bit faster than their human counterparts. They are mostly helpless against other predators, until age three, when they begin to acquire hunting skills and an aggressive, haughty attitude. Once they are able, Wampus Cats bear children—the only company they allow continually by their side. At one time, the halflings may birth between 2 - 5 young; 90% of these offspring are female. When they reach the age of 60 (with 20 years or less of life left), a Wampas’ default form becomes that of an old, ill-tempered woman. Usually, these Wampus Cats live far away on the edge of society; throughout time, they have been viewed as servants of evil beings, witches, or as weird characters all their own. Though they cannot do so often, they can wear their old hide and become an agile, yet old, cat.Wampus Cats seen in the wild are believed to bring bad luck or an early death to viewers; due to their aggressiveness and connection to daemons, most see them as an evil creature. While their violent, hostile tendencies are due to their cursed natures, when in human form, their personalities and moral decisions are their own to make. Age, however, seems to embitter the halflings, leading them to a similar attitude when confined to human flesh.A West Virginian Wampus Cat Woman Deep in the hills of West Virginia, an old woman lived alone in a small cabin. People in the valley rarely saw her, but often heard her talking to herself or working late at night. Those that had never seen her thought she was a monster, a humanoid beast that stole their goods and killed their livestock; yet, those that had seen her knew she didn’t look like a monster but felt there was still something sinister about her, something beyond what they could see. They all whispered her new name, the Black-Eyed Witch; after speaking of her, the townsfolk performed one of many cleansing rituals—superstitions meant to protect them from curses.One night, several villager’s chickens and cows were killed and partially eaten; the next night, neighboring fences were destroyed, swaths of crops were trampled, and a little boy went missing; it was the last straw. Forming a mob in the morning, the villagers stormed the cabin in the mountains just after dawn. Bursting through the door, they discovered the old woman transforming into a mountain lion. With a vicious snarl, the beast leapt at the villagers, grabbing one around the throat with a fang-filled mouth. In a panic, the others fled back to their homes and gathered their things, leaving without another word.Obsidian Tomcat | Shapeshifters in the Foothills Male Wampus Cats are rare individuals. Though they share similarities with their mothers and sisters, they are not cursed, as the hex was reserved only for females. Unlike their other family members, male Wampas can change between human and feline forms whenever they please—but the fullness of their transformation depends on the moon’s cycle. During full moons, the only oddity seen by an outsider would be the halfling’s ears, which are slightly pointed at all times; at this time, they are unable to enter any feline form. During new moons, an Obsidian Tomcat can fully transform into a large-breed of domesticated cat, lending them grace, agility, perceptiveness, and stealth. When able to fully or almost completely become a cat, some take the guise of a family’s outdoor pet.Obsidian Tomcats spend their childhoods with their mother, though they may leave their family group before their sisters; oftentimes, they are treated poorly by their other family members out of jealousy or from the curse’s influence. However, Obsidian Tomcats can find a place within human society fairly easily, for their mischievous, suave personalities are endearing to some. Unlike female Wampas, males never feel the same resentment towards humans, forming their own views on life and humanity through their individual experiences. These halflings’ forms are handsome, though boyish and devious; their hair is always black over dark skin and some let their nails grow long, sharpening them to be like a feline’s claws. In any form, bright light glints red off of their reflective eyes. Additionally, during a new moon, the halflings cannot obscure their cat-eyes—unnerving slits in the whites of their eyes. Some hunt daemons, like other Wampus Cats, seeking them out for enjoyment and a thrill.For the most part, Obsidian Tomcats take a romantic interest in humans, though some fall in love with female Wampas; love between members of their own kind consists of meeting them only when they are in human form, as they are also treated with aggression after maturity. In the human world, the halflings do not keep jobs long, growing bored with anything mundane; typically, they move restlessly from place to place, seeking interesting things to hold their attention. Even the most good-hearted of male Wampas are fickle and somewhat self-centered; they are quick to ignore someone and provide a cold shoulder, then excitedly tell a story or profess affection within minutes.