Aswang

An Aswang (AH-swahng; Tag. "monster") or Tik-tik (TIK-tik; Tag. onomatopoeia) is a ghoul-like Wesen that appeared in.

Characteristics
When woged, Aswang are bald, ghoul-like creatures with pale grey skin and three nostrils. Their featureless, silver eyes glow faintly in the dark. The vertebrae along their backs enlarge to the point where they form a noticeable ridge, and they possess needle-like fangs and claws.

Aswang are notable for their black forked proboscis tongue that is able to stretch several times the length of their bodies. The tongue is designed to pierce flesh and can move solids in both directions through its long tube.

They are nimble climbers, and apparently very light, given the speed at how they can scale walls and trees. However, they aren't very strong, as Wu was able to kick away Lani Tomas a fair distance with only one leg.

Behavior
Their tongues serve three purposes, each related to the grisly habit they are infamous for. After chewing valerian root, Aswangs will use their tongues to pierce the naval of a pregnant woman, and inject the chemical properties into the woman tranquilizing her. From there the Aswang will use their tongues to suck the infant out of the womb, but not before sucking up a large amount of amniotic fluid. Under normal circumstances, there would be a high risk of the amniotic sack breaking, which would cause labor or a miscarriage. Since Aswang do not have this problem, it would mean their tongues are fine and precise as surgical tools. Traditionally, a female Aswang will consume her first conceived grandchild in order to extend her lifespan. Without doing this act, she will die within a month.

Aswang frequently make ticking sounds with their tongues, hence their alternate name, tik-tiks.

Excerpt from Grimm Diaries
''After the midwife was able to quell the hemorrhaging, the young woman gained consciousness. She told me it was an Aswang that had caused the tragedy. She had been sold as a bride, to be impregnated so that her firstborn may be consumed as means for a prolonged, healthy life.''

''Aswangs use their long tongues to inject chewed up valerian root to sedate their victims as they attack. These attacks are often incorrectly diagnosed as miscarriages, and for the process to work, the fetus must be a blood relative to the Aswang.''

I've also learned that Awang have an name - Tik-tiks, due to the ticking sound they make with their tongue.



Trivia

 * Aswang is a generic term in the Tagalog language of the Philippines that refers to a demon, ghost, witch, or other monster. The aswang depicted in the legend told in is most like the , although instead of temporarily severing her body in half and sprouting wings to fly to the victim, Lani Tomas instead is a very adept climber. The name tik-tik is also given to this creature, but the flapping of her wings is said to produce the sound.