HOME | DD

Description

I should start this entry by immediately clarifying what we are talking about here. This is because saying the word "penanggalan" brings up a very different being to most folks' minds. The usual image is of a severed woman's head flying around, dragging her entrails with her. A rather bizarre form for a vampire, but that isn't what I am discussing in this entry. Would be hard for me to talk about it, because magic is heavily involved in the creation of a "human penanggalan." That is what I am going to call it to differentiate it from the subject of this entry. Those born of dark magic and feasting on human blood are the "human penanggalan," while the species I am writing about is just the "penanggalan." Now I know other researchers often refer to this species as the "false penanggalan" or "pseudo penanggalan," which is indeed a decent name, but it always makes me feel a little bad. It is a fascinating species, and then it gets labeled as a fake, a phony? I don't know, feels a bit unfair, and like we are undermining the poor thing. So keep in mind that those names above are ones attributed to this species, but for the rest of the entry I will simply refer to it as the "penanggalan." It deserves it!

So what is a penanggalan? Well, it is when a dark ritual is used to allow one to sever their own head and- NO! That is the human penanggalan, you fool! What the penanggalan species is is a colonial organism, one made of dozens of smaller parts and pieces! Every sac, tendril and bulb on the penanggalan is its own creature, but they grow and clump together to form this mobile colony. There are different castes among the colony, with some used for creating the gases need for floating, others for collecting food and then ones specialized to digest said food! They need one another to make the whole colony function, and when they are together in one form, they work together so seamlessly that most folk assume it is just a singular organism! These colonies live in the forests and jungles of their home region, silently floating through the air. They are a nocturnal species, hunting and traveling during the night, while hiding in the shadows and branches when the sun is out. Despite the constant comparison to the vampire, the penanggalan is not harmed by sunlight, they just prefer the cover of night. However, they have been seen out during the day on rare occasions, if hunger or any other disturbance forces them from their hiding place. It is believed that their dark tangle of tendrils atop their "heads" helps protect them from the harsh rays of the sun when forced to travel by day. These colonies produce a gas that lets them float, and changes in concentration can allow them to rise and fall as needed. Releases of gas and trapped air propels them, and the use of their tendrils can also pull them along or anchor down if the weather is rough.

While the species can seem to drift about aimlessly, they are carnivores and they don't rely on blind luck to score them a meal. The penanggalan has sensory tendrils that help it "taste" the air around it, to locate the signs of prey. It isn't as in depth as like a snake or wolf, rather they use these senses to find places where prey populations are the densest. Areas where food can commonly be found, where their chances at snaring prey is higher. Despite their scary appearance, the penanggalan typically eats smaller animals, usually aerial or arboreal critters. Birds, bats, monkeys and snakes can be on the list, and they don't stand a chance if a colony gets a hold of them. The red fuzzy looking tendrils that dangle from its "body" are actually loaded with venomous stingers, which inject a high powered paralytic in those it touches. These tentacles may seem slow and lazy, but when prey is detected, they lash out with frightening speed. That is their typical deception, as the penanggalan moves so silently and slowly that other animals don't pay them mind or think they are an easy threat to escape. When the colony gets within a certain distance, a rapid blast of air and the quick swipe of its tentacles quickly closes the gap and tangles the prey in stinging tendrils. The venom typically kills smaller prey instantly, as the powerful neurotoxin shuts down their whole body. Even if some are alive and frozen, the tendrils will pull its body upward, where the polyps and smaller tentacles will bathe it in digestive fluids. Prey is swallowed up in its membranes and melted down, the nutrients later shared amongst the individuals. While their acid is powerful, the penanggalan typically spits out bones and harden pellets of tough materials. Given time, its enzymes would break these down, however, the colony doesn't want to sit around and wait for that while these waste products weigh them down.

The unfortunate part to mention is that while the penanggalan often goes after smaller animals, they may try to eat larger prey. Even if they don't succeed in that, coming in contact with one of these colonies is a pretty big danger. In some cases, the penanggalan may target a deer, or even a human, creeping up with its stealthy floating. It will lash out with its paralytic tendrils, but when prey is immobilized, it cannot swallow them. The food is simply too big to gulp down, so the colony essentially latches on and lets its acid slowly eat away at them bit by bit. The tendrils will pull up softened chunks, eating what it can before it will inevitably have to abandon the body. Though they sport a nasty venom, penanggalan can be vulnerable to predators and parasites. Sitting in one spot and eating a corpse over the course of days leaves it wide open, so sooner or later it will let go of the unfinished meal and vanish. Typically, scavengers or other predators get a whiff of the dead flesh and come snooping around for a free meal. Their presence is often enough for the colony to abandon their claim. However, the penanggalan can be a danger even if it doesn't want to eat you. The stingers on its tendrils activate instantly on contact with living flesh, they have no say when they go off. So accidentally blundering into one will get you stung, and getting too much venom in you is a death sentence. Small doses are extremely painful and can freeze your limbs, but if there is help close by, they can administer an antidote and carry you off somewhere safe. If you are alone and get stung, you are kind of done for. The jungle is no place to be left frozen and defenseless. If you get multiple stings, the higher amount of venom will straight up shut down your organs and you will asphyxiate. So this is a species that just screams "DO NOT TOUCH!"

Obviously, with their connections to the vampire and their venom coated tendrils, the penanggalan is a feared species. Folks are always warned about traveling the wilds at dark, as these colonies are out and about. Their deadly reputation has certainly caused them to be hyped up in local legends, often given powers and abilities that the species doesn't have. Some folk say they can lift a grown man and carry him away, but that isn't true. They are not nearly that strong. If they grabbed a human and the person could still move and run, the penanggalan would just be a helpless balloon bouncing and bobbing as it desperately held on to the flailing victim. The species has been rumored to have the power of hypnosis, which is often attributed to the "eye" that can be seen peeking out from the dark tendrils from time to time. This isn't an eye, more of an organ within the floating bell, and they do not hypnotize prey. The stories of prey freezing in their tracks and the penanggalan descending upon their helpless unmoving form is probably due to them getting dosed by the venom. Legends say they go after small children, which may have some weight to it. I guess the better way to say it is that children are more likely to fall victim to the penanggalan, as they are both a smaller prey item they target and children can sometimes be unwary of the dangers before them. I have heard of a tale where a group of youngsters found a drifting penanggalan out during the day, and they decided to have some fun with it. Throwing rocks, poking it with sticks and of course the favorite event of "who can stand closest to the weird creature?" So caught up in their games and impressing their friends, they will be caught by surprise when the colony surges forth with previously unknown speed and smothers one of their buddies in its deadly embrace. This is why educating our children about nature and the wonders and dangers it brings is vital! Let them know how amazing the natural world is, while also knowing it is not something to mess around with!

Now of course this brings up the ever looming question of which came first: the species or the vampire? Some argue that the monster had to have come first, in order for the name to come around to apply to the species that shared the image. After all, who would see this floating squishy animal that brought to mind a head and organs then just call it "penanggalan" out of nowhere? But then folk have pointed out the bizarre coincidence that would have to go down in order for a flesh monstrosity to be birthed, only to later find that there is this species out there that shares a frighteningly similar look. I, for one, go with the idea that this species came around first, but perhaps there was a different name given to it. Later down the road, some twisted individual came up with the ritual to become a penanggalan, and this new creation had its name granted to the species after. I mainly say that because I cannot imagine this animal would see a human penanggalan and decide to mimic that appearance, doesn't make much sense. But obviously my own idea has its own holes and questions risen, showing that this debate will probably be unending.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-------------------------------------------------------------

The perfect fit for the spooky season! Also, I have to say I really like penanggalans, I find them both cool and charming. Might just be my style, but I think every one I draw comes out kind of cute.

Description

I should start this entry by immediately clarifying what we are talking about here. This is because saying the word "penanggalan" brings up a very different being to most folks' minds. The usual image is of a severed woman's head flying around, dragging her entrails with her. A rather bizarre form for a vampire, but that isn't what I am discussing in this entry. Would be hard for me to talk about it, because magic is heavily involved in the creation of a "human penanggalan." That is what I am going to call it to differentiate it from the subject of this entry. Those born of dark magic and feasting on human blood are the "human penanggalan," while the species I am writing about is just the "penanggalan." Now I know other researchers often refer to this species as the "false penanggalan" or "pseudo penanggalan," which is indeed a decent name, but it always makes me feel a little bad. It is a fascinating species, and then it gets labeled as a fake, a phony? I don't know, feels a bit unfair, and like we are undermining the poor thing. So keep in mind that those names above are ones attributed to this species, but for the rest of the entry I will simply refer to it as the "penanggalan." It deserves it!

So what is a penanggalan? Well, it is when a dark ritual is used to allow one to sever their own head and- NO! That is the human penanggalan, you fool! What the penanggalan species is is a colonial organism, one made of dozens of smaller parts and pieces! Every sac, tendril and bulb on the penanggalan is its own creature, but they grow and clump together to form this mobile colony. There are different castes among the colony, with some used for creating the gases need for floating, others for collecting food and then ones specialized to digest said food! They need one another to make the whole colony function, and when they are together in one form, they work together so seamlessly that most folk assume it is just a singular organism! These colonies live in the forests and jungles of their home region, silently floating through the air. They are a nocturnal species, hunting and traveling during the night, while hiding in the shadows and branches when the sun is out. Despite the constant comparison to the vampire, the penanggalan is not harmed by sunlight, they just prefer the cover of night. However, they have been seen out during the day on rare occasions, if hunger or any other disturbance forces them from their hiding place. It is believed that their dark tangle of tendrils atop their "heads" helps protect them from the harsh rays of the sun when forced to travel by day. These colonies produce a gas that lets them float, and changes in concentration can allow them to rise and fall as needed. Releases of gas and trapped air propels them, and the use of their tendrils can also pull them along or anchor down if the weather is rough.

While the species can seem to drift about aimlessly, they are carnivores and they don't rely on blind luck to score them a meal. The penanggalan has sensory tendrils that help it "taste" the air around it, to locate the signs of prey. It isn't as in depth as like a snake or wolf, rather they use these senses to find places where prey populations are the densest. Areas where food can commonly be found, where their chances at snaring prey is higher. Despite their scary appearance, the penanggalan typically eats smaller animals, usually aerial or arboreal critters. Birds, bats, monkeys and snakes can be on the list, and they don't stand a chance if a colony gets a hold of them. The red fuzzy looking tendrils that dangle from its "body" are actually loaded with venomous stingers, which inject a high powered paralytic in those it touches. These tentacles may seem slow and lazy, but when prey is detected, they lash out with frightening speed. That is their typical deception, as the penanggalan moves so silently and slowly that other animals don't pay them mind or think they are an easy threat to escape. When the colony gets within a certain distance, a rapid blast of air and the quick swipe of its tentacles quickly closes the gap and tangles the prey in stinging tendrils. The venom typically kills smaller prey instantly, as the powerful neurotoxin shuts down their whole body. Even if some are alive and frozen, the tendrils will pull its body upward, where the polyps and smaller tentacles will bathe it in digestive fluids. Prey is swallowed up in its membranes and melted down, the nutrients later shared amongst the individuals. While their acid is powerful, the penanggalan typically spits out bones and harden pellets of tough materials. Given time, its enzymes would break these down, however, the colony doesn't want to sit around and wait for that while these waste products weigh them down.

The unfortunate part to mention is that while the penanggalan often goes after smaller animals, they may try to eat larger prey. Even if they don't succeed in that, coming in contact with one of these colonies is a pretty big danger. In some cases, the penanggalan may target a deer, or even a human, creeping up with its stealthy floating. It will lash out with its paralytic tendrils, but when prey is immobilized, it cannot swallow them. The food is simply too big to gulp down, so the colony essentially latches on and lets its acid slowly eat away at them bit by bit. The tendrils will pull up softened chunks, eating what it can before it will inevitably have to abandon the body. Though they sport a nasty venom, penanggalan can be vulnerable to predators and parasites. Sitting in one spot and eating a corpse over the course of days leaves it wide open, so sooner or later it will let go of the unfinished meal and vanish. Typically, scavengers or other predators get a whiff of the dead flesh and come snooping around for a free meal. Their presence is often enough for the colony to abandon their claim. However, the penanggalan can be a danger even if it doesn't want to eat you. The stingers on its tendrils activate instantly on contact with living flesh, they have no say when they go off. So accidentally blundering into one will get you stung, and getting too much venom in you is a death sentence. Small doses are extremely painful and can freeze your limbs, but if there is help close by, they can administer an antidote and carry you off somewhere safe. If you are alone and get stung, you are kind of done for. The jungle is no place to be left frozen and defenseless. If you get multiple stings, the higher amount of venom will straight up shut down your organs and you will asphyxiate. So this is a species that just screams "DO NOT TOUCH!"

Obviously, with their connections to the vampire and their venom coated tendrils, the penanggalan is a feared species. Folks are always warned about traveling the wilds at dark, as these colonies are out and about. Their deadly reputation has certainly caused them to be hyped up in local legends, often given powers and abilities that the species doesn't have. Some folk say they can lift a grown man and carry him away, but that isn't true. They are not nearly that strong. If they grabbed a human and the person could still move and run, the penanggalan would just be a helpless balloon bouncing and bobbing as it desperately held on to the flailing victim. The species has been rumored to have the power of hypnosis, which is often attributed to the "eye" that can be seen peeking out from the dark tendrils from time to time. This isn't an eye, more of an organ within the floating bell, and they do not hypnotize prey. The stories of prey freezing in their tracks and the penanggalan descending upon their helpless unmoving form is probably due to them getting dosed by the venom. Legends say they go after small children, which may have some weight to it. I guess the better way to say it is that children are more likely to fall victim to the penanggalan, as they are both a smaller prey item they target and children can sometimes be unwary of the dangers before them. I have heard of a tale where a group of youngsters found a drifting penanggalan out during the day, and they decided to have some fun with it. Throwing rocks, poking it with sticks and of course the favorite event of "who can stand closest to the weird creature?" So caught up in their games and impressing their friends, they will be caught by surprise when the colony surges forth with previously unknown speed and smothers one of their buddies in its deadly embrace. This is why educating our children about nature and the wonders and dangers it brings is vital! Let them know how amazing the natural world is, while also knowing it is not something to mess around with!

Now of course this brings up the ever looming question of which came first: the species or the vampire? Some argue that the monster had to have come first, in order for the name to come around to apply to the species that shared the image. After all, who would see this floating squishy animal that brought to mind a head and organs then just call it "penanggalan" out of nowhere? But then folk have pointed out the bizarre coincidence that would have to go down in order for a flesh monstrosity to be birthed, only to later find that there is this species out there that shares a frighteningly similar look. I, for one, go with the idea that this species came around first, but perhaps there was a different name given to it. Later down the road, some twisted individual came up with the ritual to become a penanggalan, and this new creation had its name granted to the species after. I mainly say that because I cannot imagine this animal would see a human penanggalan and decide to mimic that appearance, doesn't make much sense. But obviously my own idea has its own holes and questions risen, showing that this debate will probably be unending.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-------------------------------------------------------------

The perfect fit for the spooky season! Also, I have to say I really like penanggalans, I find them both cool and charming. Might just be my style, but I think every one I draw comes out kind of cute.