A skinwalker. (Art by Chad Lewis)
| “ | Skinwalkers? Oh yeah. I've heard of them. They're supposed to be evil Navajo witches that can shapeshift into any animal to help them hunt any poor sap during the night. At first you might think it's another 'Wendigo' case but it's not. They're not spirits...they're people. At least I think they're people. But that's the scary thing about them...you'd never know you were standing next to one. | „ |
| ~ Lucas Woods |
Skinwalkers, also known Shifters, are individuals and/or creatures that possess the ability to transform into any animal they desire. The Navajo skinwalker is known as 'yee naaldlooshii' and is a variety of Navajo witch. It is apparently far more common for men to be skinwalkers, though it is possible for women as well.
Description[]
Skinwalkers are most frequently seen as coyotes, wolves, foxes, monkeys, eagles, owls, bears, cougars, or crows and are highly elusive creatures. Some Navajo believe that skinwalkers have the ability to steal the face of a person, and some believe that if one ever locks eyes with a skinwalker they can absorb themselves into a person's body, or that one's body might freeze up with fear, allowing a skinwalker to channel that fear to gain power and energy.
Skinwalkers rarely achieved a prominent status in civilized society. Instead, they preferred either a nomadic lifestyle or living close to the edges of society, supporting it as fishers, trackers, hunters, guides, or scouts. Others took up the call of an adventurer's life while yet others gave in to the expectations of society, letting their primal bloodlust fuel them in a life of crime.
In human form, Skinwalkers exhibit typical alien behavior. Quiet, distant, and seemingly uncomfortable in their own skin, they may be confused or completely disregard human customs but can adapt to whatever environment they are in. In terms of their physical appearances they more or less resemble humans, their close brethren, but with distinctively bestial features such as sharp teeth, claws, pointed ears, or fur. They are mildly attractive but otherwise unremarkable. Their aura, however, is what is most distinct about them.
Overview[]
Skinwalkers were often feared wherever they went, much like their therianthropic relatives. Because of the misconception that all lycanthropes were invariably and irreversibly evil (a product of the Beast Wars) there have been many horrific tales about things that skinwalkers perform on their victims, such as using a poison powder of corpse dust made from ground infant bones (preferably the finger and skull bones of twin infants) to kill them with.
One other legend states that a skinwalker is, or was, a shaman in its human life. As a rite of passage, they kill their entire family to drain and absorb their souls. They can then transform into any animal they desire, and any person although the latter is both very rare and difficult. It has the ability to mimic voices that are familiar to a certain person, as a method of luring that person out.
Those who have talked of their encounters with these evil beings describe a number of ways in which a skinwalker will try to inflict harm. Some describe hearing knocks on the window or banging on the walls. Others have spotted an animal-like figure peering in through a window. According to Navajo skinwalker legend, they are seldom caught. Those who do track a skinwalker and learn of their true identity must pronounce the name of the evil one in full. Once this happens, the skinwalker will get sick or die for the wrongs they have inflicted against others.
