Imbunche

Lore & Background

According to legend, the imbunche is a first-born child less than nine days old, kidnapped by or sold by their parents to a Brujo Chilote. If the baby had been christened, the warlock debaptizes them through unknown means of black magic. The warlock transforms the child into a deformed hairy monster by breaking their right leg and twisting it over their back. When the child is three months old, their tongue is forked, teeth turn sharp, skin turns blue, and a magic cream is applied to cause thick hairs. During its first months, the imbunche is fed on black cat's milk and goat flesh, and later with human corpses from cemeteries.

Reader's Guide

The imbunche serves as a protector of the warlock's cave entrance and is also used as an instrument for revenge or curses. Because it acquires magical knowledge over its lifetime guarding the cave, it sometimes acts as the warlock's advisor, even if not initiated into wizardry. The creature leaves the cave only in certain circumstances, such as when the cave is destroyed or discovered, when warlocks carry it to scare townspeople and announce misfortune, or when taken to the Warlock's Council. It is fed solely by warlocks and may search for its own food only if supplies are lacking. The imbunche has appeared in various works of popular culture, including José Donoso's novel The Obscene Bird of Night, Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia, Alan Moore's Swamp Thing comics, the Secret Saturdays animated series, Isabel Allende's Portrait in Sepia, the television series Constantine, Mariana Enriquez's Nuestra parte de noche, and the animated film Nahuel and the Magic Book.

Did You Know?

• The imbunche has its head twisted backwards, one leg attached to the back of its neck, and walks on one foot or on three feet (one leg and two hands).
• It communicates only by guttural, rough and unpleasant sounds and cannot talk.
• The creature is fed on black cat's milk and goat flesh in its first months, and later on human corpses from cemeteries.
• In Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, the imbunche (spelled invunche) has both legs turned backwards and the left hand sewn under the skin of the right abdominal area.