Manananggal

"I've heard tell of a monster in these parts that splits itself in two and thirsts for blood... Run for your lives! It's a Manananggal!"

―A Fenghuang crew member, 1725.

Rajah's warriors disguised as Manananggals

A Manananggal (lit. "remover") is a mythical creature in Filipino folklore said to be able to separate its upper torso from the lower part of its body. Most stories about Manananggals describe them as vampire-like creatures, possessing sharp fangs, wings, and an insatiable thirst for blood.

History

In 1725, the Visayan chief Rajah, during his occupation of Monkey Island, had several of his men disguise themselves as Manananggals using leaves, tree branches, and wooden masks in order to intimidate their enemies. These warriors were further empowered by the crescent amulet, a Piece of Eden in Rajah's possession, enhancing their strength, agility, and stamina to maintain the illusion that they were supernatural beings and discourage opposition against his resistance.

After the members of the Zhang Wei Union were temporarily stranded on Monkey Island upon being attacked by Rajah's resistance on their way to Cebu, the chief sent his Manananggal warriors to board their ship, the Fenghuang, and slaughter the entire crew. During a storm, the Manananggals were initially able to gain the upper hand over their enemies, who could not use their firearms due to the gunpowder having gotten wet from the rain. Shimazu Saito dueled one of the creatures and managed to slice it in half with her katana, but its two halves continued to attack her, making the crew believe that they were fighting real Manananggals.

Eventually, thanks to the multi-barreled cannons built by Yun Pyeong-Gyu, the Fenghuang's crew won the battle and killed most of their attackers, taking the survivors captive. Upon inspecting one of the captured Manananggals, Saito and Yun realized that they were regular humans empowered by the crescent amulet, which made them wary of the Piece of Eden's capabilities.

Meanwhile, another Manananggal attacked a woman and her infant child as they were returning to their village, though fortunately the pair were saved by John Young, who shot the Manananggal with his musket. This knocked off its mask and led the villagers to realize that the "Manananggal" was one of the men from their settlement who had been forcefully conscripted into Rajah's resistance. Edward Kenway subsequently incapacitated the man with his blowpipe, and he was brought inside to receive medical attention.

Behind the scenes

The word manananggál comes from the Tagalog word tanggál, which means "to remove" or "to separate". As such, manananggál literally translates to "remover", "separator", or "one who separates itself".

Gallery

• 
  A Manananggal boarding the Fenghuang
• 
  A Manananggal crawling after being cut in half
• 
  Saito being attacked by a Manananggal's two halves
• 
  A captured Manananggal
• 
  A Manananggal attacking a woman and her child

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple