Werewolves & Lycanthropy (Patreon)

Welp, this article ended up being a lot longer than expected, so I'm splitting vampires into their own article!

Also, content warning for mentions of miscarriages below.

Lycanthropy, and perhaps therianthropy in general, is one of the most widespread and well-known magical afflictions. Once a month, on the night of the full moon, those affected will transform into a monstrous, half-wolf form, whether they like it or not. While many werewolves are able to control themselves in this state, others cannot - and there are some who may not even be aware they are cursed at all.

The lycanthropic curse is believed to have originated somewhere in eastern Europa, though the identity of the “first'' werewolf is unknown. Given the connection to animals, it is easy to understand that the magic that powers the curse is Natural in origin. Even today, druids, witches, and shamans are all capable of afflicting these curses on an individual - a serious offense in most jurisdictions - but the true danger lies in the curse being passed on from one werewolf to another, through biting.

Fortunately, it isn’t just any bite, but one that must occur during the night of the full moon. It only takes a single bite to pass the curse on, and as the effects will lay dormant for a full month until the next full moon, which is why an uninformed person may not even realize they’ve been cursed. However, the bite does not always turn an individual into a werewolf; for some people, the bite means death. Lycanthropy is also passed from parent to child, and the children born from werewolf parents often find it easier to control their shifting and other abilities than someone who was bitten later in life.

However, werewolf pregnancies can be dangerous, as can pregnancies that result from a pairing of wolf and non-wolf. For expecting werewolves, it is the early months of pregnancy that are the most dangerous. During the full moon, while they are forced to transform, their children are not. This can lead to an issue wherein the werewolf’s body cannot recognize the child growing within as their own, leading to a miscarriage. For non-werewolves, similar complications can occur during the later months of pregnancy, as their fetus will shift during the full moon, while they do not.

Werewolves who are able to control their abilities can shift in and out of their half-wolf form at will - except of course, during the full moon. Werewolves are also faster, stronger, and have better hearing and smelling even when not transformed - and those abilities are amplified further when they are. In addition to being faster and stronger even when not in werewolf form, the magic that powers their body’s the ability to shift forms also causes them to heal three to four times faster than a non-werewolf.

There is a common misconception that werewolves can assume the form of a wolf, or that they can control regular wolves, but these are myths or were actions assisted by magic. There is no known cure for lycanthropy, though werewolves can be weakened with silver or aconite, also known as wolfsbane. While aconite will weaken a werewolf’s supernatural abilities, silver will in fact prevent them from transforming, with the exception of during the full moon.

You can find werewolf communities all over Terra who work together to help one another control their abilities and overcome the more difficult parts of living with this curse. These communities do not actively seek to grow their numbers by passing on their curse, though they will often bring people into the fold who they feel may make good additions to their pack. At the same time, they understand all of the potential dangers that come with accepting the bite, and never act to force it on anyone.

There are different types of therianthropes also prevalent in other regions, each with their own rules and supernatural abilities. The werecats of Bhuvarsha are said to transform every night - but they are also said to have stronger and more inherent control over themselves. The werehyenas of Alkebulan, also known as bultungin, are said to have no such compulsions on when they can transform at all. Though the specific rules may vary, these curses all share the common thread of being bound to an animal - and often feared by the rest of the world.