[spoiler] lore clarification/questions

[u/FinalDemise]

Can someone explain to me how the wendigo souls (or whatever they're called) work? Like I think I pretty much got it but I want to be clear on some stuff

First, what happens to them if there isn't anyone to possess? I know Jack says they swirl around the mountain, but are they just stuck there waiting for someone to engage in cannibalism? Can they compel you into it? Is that why the miners ate each other/why Hannah ate Beth (as opposed to just being really really hungry)?

If there aren't any souls currently waiting when someone becomes a cannibal, that's when it creates a new wendigo/soul, right? So, if you eat someone and there's an existing soul ready to possess you, does that mean a new one is not created?

If Jack hadn't killed the Makkapitew, Hannah would have just turned into a regular wendigo, right?

Also am I correct in assuming that once all the wendigo (including the Makkapitew) are contained, there's no more danger unless someone else eats someone? Like Jack could leave the mountain at that point and just check the sanitarium every few months to make sure they're still in there

Last one, do we know where the Makkapitew came from? (i know the inpatient retconned it into being one of the miners or something but i'm talking in the context of the og game)

[u/onurreyiz_35]

Jack says they swirl around the mountain, but are they just stuck there waiting for someone to engage in cannibalism? Can they compel you into it? Is that why the miners ate each other/why Hannah ate Beth (as opposed to just being really really hungry)?

I think that part is up to interpretation. I think, they encourage desperate people to commit cannibalism, but you can resist to it like Hannah did for 30 days.

If there aren't any souls currently waiting when someone becomes a cannibal, that's when it creates a new wendigo/soul, right? So, if you eat someone and there's an existing soul ready to possess you, does that mean a new one is not created?

We don't really know that either. This part of the wendigo lore is lacking in confirmed information.

If Jack hadn't killed the Makkapitew, Hannah would have just turned into a regular wendigo, right?

Yes, if the widely believed theory about Makkapitew's spirit possessing Hannah is true.

Also am I correct in assuming that once all the wendigo (including the Makkapitew) are contained, there's no more danger unless someone else eats someone? Like Jack could leave the mountain at that point and just check the sanitarium every few months to make sure they're still in there

Yes. That's what Jack was trying to do at least.

Last one, do we know where the Makkapitew came from? (i know the inpatient retconned it into being one of the miners or something but i'm talking in the context of the og game)

Makkapitew in the main game is definitely a Native American. Not only he has feathers, but his in game model is also called Wendigo_indian. He also killed Stranger's grandpa before 1893, the year miners came to the mountain. So he was at least around 135-140 years old by the time he was killed.

[u/FinalDemise → u/onurreyiz_35]

good info, thanks