Atshen

Atshen

Atshen are monstrous cannibalistic spirits from Inuit folklore similar to the fabled Wendigo from North America.

Overview

Atshen were depicted as cannibalistic monsters from Inuit folklore and shared many similarities to the Wendigo. In fact, some believe that Atshen are a type of Wendigo much like how the Adlet are considered to be a type of werewolf. It is unknown how they came to be although the Inuit believe that they are the spirits of their ancestors who manifest as wrathful monsters to destroy those who defile their lands and traditions. Others say that they are a product of the "One Who Walks in Wind."

Much like the Wendigo, Atshen are born from the cursed souls of those who engage in cannibalism. These creatures hunt victims in the permafrost and like many creatures in Inuit folklore, are an embodiment of the brutal, unforgiving landscape in which many Inuit tribes had to survive. The Inuit tribes say that the crew of Henry Hudson's expedition who were mutined and forced to set adrift in the harsh blizzards of the North Passage in 1611 have more than likely turned to cannibalism to survive, thus sealing their fate in becoming Atshen and hunting their former comrades.