PHANTOM RIDER OF THE ANDES

ORIGIN: South America.

Andes, known for their rugged like beauty and dangerous passes, is in fact the backdrop for this tale that has scared locals and adventurers for centuries.

The legend speaks of a rider who appears during storms or when heavy mist cloaks the mountain trails. 

Those who claim to have seen him describe him as a figure dressed in a tattered poncho and a wide-brimmed hat, riding a skeletal horse with pitch black eyes that still somehow glow a bit in the darkness. 

His face is covered, but some say they have seen a glimpse of a skull beneath his shadow body. 

The rider often silently watches people from a ridge or follows travelers at a distance.

The Phantom Rider is widely believed to be the spirit of a traveler who perished in the wilds, either betrayed by his companions or killed by nature's harsh elements. 

His soul is trapped, eternally seeking for the path home. 

Encountering him is a bad omen and a warning; of soon coming accident, avalanche, or death along the perilous mountain paths.

All the stories passed down through generations warn those traveling into the Andes to respect the mountains and the spirits that roam them, including the Phantom Rider.

Many believe that showing fear or disrespect to the Phantom Rider can provoke his wrath, leading to misfortunes of all kinds.