#nittaewo

Cryptid of the Day: Nittaewo

Sri Lankan folklore mentions the Nittaewo, a mysterious and intriguing concept. People believe that these fabled beings once resided in the deep forests of Sri Lanka, particularly in the eastern region. There are a few different ways to describe the Nittaewo, but in general, they are described as being humanoid creatures that are quite little and stand between three and four feet tall. They stand in stark contrast to their Bigfoot counterpart in North America which is huge. Reports stated that they had hair covering their bodies and used their strong claws to climb trees and hunt small creatures. Legends from the area assert that the Nittaewo were a primitive people that lacked the ability to communicate verbally or make use of tools. They lived in caverns and traveled in groups, conversing with one another through body language and noises. They were notorious for their aggressive attitude, and the indigenous Vedda people, who lived in the same woodlands, feared them not only because of their small stature but also because of their hostile nature. The connection between the Nittaewo and the Veddas was filled with tension, which resulted in stories of skirmishes and ultimately led to the demise of the Nittaewo.

One of the most well-known stories about the Nittaewo is that they met their end. According to legend, the Veddas decided to eradicate the Nittaewo after becoming fed up with their belligerent behavior and regular attacks. The Veddas imprisoned the Nittaewo in a cave, effectively sealing their fate with logs. It is believed that the Nittawo people became extinct over the course of time, leaving behind only myths and oral tales. Some people believe that the Nittaewo are nothing more than myths, while others wonder about the possible origins of these creatures. Numerous hypotheses suggest that the Nittaewo could have been a hominid species, potentially linked to Homo floresiensis, the Indonesian Hobbit people. It is believed that a small population of early humans, known as the Nittaewo, resided in Sri Lanka until relatively recently. This theory proposes that they continued to exist until relatively recently. However, there is currently no definitive archeological evidence to support this theory. This is the same narrative sometimes used to explain the Ebu Gogo in Indonesia.

[The nittaewo from Sri Lanka is another cryptid that Heuvelmans tried hard to strip the more folkloric elements from in order to claim it was a real organism. If you’re looking to add a Heuvelmans-esque australopithecine to your games, use the orang-pendak. If you want an awful little monkey-man, use this.]

Nittaewo CR 1/2 CE Monstrous Humanoid This small humanoid is covered in reddish fur and holds its long arms above its head. It screeches at you, bearing oversized talons.

The nittaewo are dwarfish creatures that combine features of man and apes, particularly gibbons. Although many of these ape-men, such as yeti and sasquatch, are peaceable and retiring, nittaewo are violent carnivores with a taste for intelligent, terrified meat. They are highly sociable creatures in their own way, living in large colonies led by the strongest and most cunning of their ilk. These elite nittaewo are usually clerics, commanding respect through their mastery of sinister magic and worshiping evil gods or demon lords.

Nittaewo have little material culture to speak of—they have mastered fire, which they use to light caves, cook meat and commit arson attacks. They do not use weapons, preferring their disproportionately huge talons, but covet armor and seek it out through raiding when possible. Their tribes live in scattered shelters made in trees, cliffs and caves. They will, however, steal the dwellings of other peoples if possible. Nittaewo attacks are typically conducted in numbers—gangs of nittaewo will first stalk prey silently, and then descend as a shrieking horde.

A nittaewo stands about three feet tall, with arms nearly that long, and weighs about 100 pounds. Male and female nittaewo do not differ dramatically in appearance, like their gibbon forbears.

Cryptid of the Day: Nittaewo

Description: On Sri Lanka, there’s a tribe of Yeti-like creatures called the Nittaewo, specifically from the Veddha tribe. The legends were recorded by Frederick Lewis in 1914, which described a meter tall ape-man with talon like nails. An expedition was led by primatologist WC Osman in 1945 in attempt to look for the ape.

*Edited version after complaint of ape-penis 

Cryptid of the Day: Nittaewo 

First Reported: 19th Century

Location: Sri Lanka 

Bizarre Theory: Surviving Homo Erectus 

And I take it they're intended to receive class levels?