werewolves

WARNING: The information written here is not necessary to read, and can be skipped if it isn't applicable to your character.

What's a werewolf?

Werewolves, also known as Lycanthropes, are beings infected with the Lycanthropy pathogen. Lycanthropy gives the infected heightened abilities, as well as a shift form.

While parts of the disease can be explained biologically, it is wholly a magical disease, originating from the fey realm. How it got from the fae realm to the middle realm is highly debated, and a few ideas have been put out, like a lycanthrope escaping from the fey realm into the middle, a human contracting it while in the fae realm and bringing it home, and so on and so forth. Detect Magic spells may give conflicting answers when used on a lycanthrope.

Werecreatures is a term that may also be used when referring to one with Lycanthropy that resembles a different animal, however the disease works the same, thus Lycanthropy is still an applicable term.

How does it work?

Lycanthropy can be acquired or hereditary, with hereditary forms being dormant until a certain age (most likely activated by the pituitary), or by carrying a gene that makes you more susceptible to Lycanthropy, with the pathogen working quicker to spread through the body and mutate cells faster. The pathogen is a Blood-borne Transmission pathogen, meaning that they're a microorganism that is present in human blood, and can cause disease in humans.

Mutated cells are the key to Lycanthropy, and often cause hormonal changes, as well as affect hair growth, heightened collagen levels, bone growth, and a handful of other effects on the body. As time goes on, Lycanthropy fully spreads and completely mutates cells until the whole body is infected. From here, shifting is easier and hurts less. Those with hereditary lycanthropy experience the same pains, though they are often attributed to growing pains.

Different strains lead to different forms (selkie, classic, feral) of shifts. Upon contracting two different strains, the pathogens will fight, either killing one of the strains or each other, which will, in turn, kill the infected depending on what stage of Lycanthropy they’re at.

Powers

Some quick facts on lycanthrope powers when shifted:

Heightened healing, wherein injuries may heal at 4x the speed it normally does.
- this goes for all facets of the body, internal and external
- wounds only partially regenerate. If the injury is too large, it may kill the lycanthrope
- due to increased collagen, it's rare that injuries will scar when one stays in a shifted form.
- however, when de-shifting with an injury, the wound may reopen or be generally aggravated. healing may occur at twice the speed it normally does.
Most lycanthropes can reach speeds of up to 35 mph!
Strength is the name of the game when it comes to lycanthropes! Namely, they can push a small car, or up to about 2,600 lbs.
Most canines can be understood. Lycanthropes report that they often don't hear canines word for word, rather they can get the general image of what they're saying.
A heightened sense of smell and hearing, as well as night vision.
Depending on the intensity of the shift, lycanthropes may gain up to 2 feet in height.

DID YOU KNOW: A lycanthrope has a lower dexterity than a human due to their elongated hands?

Shifting

The ability to turn into one's lycanthrope form is referred to as shifting. Shifting takes energy and often leaves the user hungry and/or tired due to how much change the body goes through. This can lead to the inexperienced falling into a starved state. Like many animals who have begun to starve, they will hunt for whatever they can get their mouths on without fear. This lasts until the lycanthrope eventually collapses from exhaustion. This has led to the many myths of blood-thirsty werewolves.

As one shifts, the Lycanthropic pathogens undergo mitosis faster and infection speeds up. This is the cause of feeling shifting side effects less and less. Lycanthropes may also begin to remember their time in their shifted form easier.

All lycanthropes are capable of shifting on will, however, whether or not they're actually able to depends on the person. This is often split into two categories, Free Reign (FR) shifting, and Stunted shifting.

Lycanthropes with stunted shifted are unable to use their lycanthropic form whenever they want. Often times these are lycanthropes new to shifting who aren't yet used to their powers, however, those who attempt to dissociate from their illness or resist it are often stunted shifters as well.

These shifters may find they're forced to shift during full moons. Most new to shifting don't quite know how to prepare, so they often go into hunger-driven rages; fighting, killing, and eating whatever they can get their paws on until exhaustion catches up. Those who properly prepare, however, may find they spent most of their time shifted doing normal wolf things, like peeing on things. Many don't remember their time shifted.

Those who are able to shift at whim are classified as Free Reign shifters. Many lycanthropes gain this ability by working to familiarize themself with their shifting and shifted form, which means there are no concrete rules or guides on becoming a FR shifter. During full moons, FR wolves aren’t forced to shift but will experience a strong urge to. FR shifters /do/ experience force shifts though, during blood moons and blue moons.

The deal with...

Silver

In traditional mythical lore, silver has always been shown as dangerous to lycanthropes, and it turns out, that it really is. Silver is particularly useful for killing the Lycanthropic pathogen.

Studies have not concluded if this is because of silver's anti-bacterial properties, or because of something supernatural. By injecting silver into the bloodstream in any way, it kills the bacteria at a fast rate, as well as infected cells. Those early on in their sickness are at low risk for death, however as one gets further along in their Lycanthropy, the risk raises.

When silver is used as a weapon against lycanthropes, it prevents the heightened healing a lycanthrope has gained from their lycanthropy.

Moon Cycles

The moon cycle can in fact influence a lycanthrope's shifting. Lycanthropes often find that the full moon has a certain "call" to it, that urges them to shift. It's believed that this might be due to some magical link between lycanthrope's shifting and the magic of the moon. Either way, it's a proven fact that full moons and other lunar events cause a lycanthrope to have a tougher time keeping their form stable. This can often be dangerous, as lycans might not have preparation time before the moon urges them shift.

Blood moons however are a dangerous lunar event. While a werewolf may be able to fight back a shift during a full moon, any shifter has no choice but to turn on a blood moon. This event also speeds up the illness, causing those in early in their lycanthropy to quickly move through stages. Some may even experience a closer connection with their wolf form, falling to a higher prey drive.

Types of Werewolves

Classic Werewolves

Classic werewolves are characterized by their upright stance and wholly animal-like appearance. To the right, Malachi L. shows off werewolf anatomy. These shifts often have long arms and front-facing, flexible shoulders that allow them to run on all fours, however, their anatomy allows them to walk upright, though often with a hunch.

This is one of the most common strains and the strongest. The classic strain will often beat out other strains, though may be fought if one is completely infected.

Here's a great guide to werewolf side-effects:

https://www.tumblr.com/throughthefieldsofamaranth/677483033577832448/a-very-quick-guide-to-my-werewolf-lore-hope-to?source=share

DID YOU KNOW: The alpha structure doesn't exist in real wolves? It was observed from random wolves put together in captivity, many of whom were quite stressed.

DID YOU KNOW: This is from Twilight? I'm sorry.

Feral Werewolves

The feral werewolf is another popular strain, yet is uncommon in comparison to the classic strain. This illness is characterized by a quadrupedal stance and purely animal like appearance. If the infected may pass as a regular wolf if one is the accurate size. Werewolves of this strain may become up to 2x larger than a regular wolf, and come in any natural, or slightly unnatural pelt color.

Lesser Known Types...

Selkie
- Werewolves of this strain will have a wolf pelt they slough off when shifting out of werewolf form. It's gruesome.

Anatomical
- Werewolves of this strain may range from "wolf man" to baboon like.
- This is the least-magical of all the strains, and can be easily beaten out by many strains if reinfected. This may cause death, however there's a smaller than average mortality rate upon reinfection.

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