Physical Description
Lycanthropes are humanoids of any kind that possess the natural power to turn into an animal. Typically the animal is a mammalian predator such as a wolf, bear, or tiger, but all sorts of lycanthropes have been observed. Sharks, eagles, rats, and boars are frequent. While in animal form, lycanthropes feel the urges of that animal to hunt and stalk prey as if they were a natural predator. Experienced lycanthropes also have a hybrid shape that mixes their animal strength with human intelligence and opposable thumbs. Additionally, all lycanthropes are resistant to physical attacks unless the weapon is made from silver.
Lycanthrope transformations are not always at will. The three nights of a full moon can trigger transformation into the animal form of a lycanthrope. Inexperienced lycanthropes can only transform under the full moon while those with experience are able to resist the moon’s power. Experienced lycanthropes can transform at any time they wish.
Lycanthropy is a disease that can be transmitted by biting. A bitten victim must find a cure before the end of the first full moon. Lycanthropy is defeated by a potion brewed from the wolfsbane* flower. Lycanthropy is also transmitted to the children of lycanthropes.
Culture
Lycanthropes match the culture of their humanoid race. They have to hide, for most Cimmerians would kill a lycanthrope as soon as it’s discovered. Lycanthropes are able to find each other based on scent. Smaller lycanthrope groups can form within cities and towns due to this detection method. These groups provide a shared space for lycanthropes to bond and discuss their natural gifts. No matter where they are lycanthropes have a healthy respect for the wild. After all, they’re a part of it. Lycanthropes also tend to favor a might make right mentality, which often benefits them personally as they are physically superior to their non-lycanthrope fellows.
Different animal varieties of lycanthropes have different personality types. Werewolves are protective of their family and friends. Weretigers are loners. Werebears are protectors of justice. Wereboars are indulgent slobs. Wereeagles are honest to a fault. Wererats are sneaky and crafty. The personality tendencies often match what one might expect an animal’s personality to be, but not always.
History
Demonic rituals in the Orc Lands created the first lycanthrope. The orc Wild Choir tribe summoned a demon that possessed one of their members. The demon allowed its host to transform into a wolf to defend the tribe from enemies. In exchange, the demon forced all the women of the tribe to marry it. Through these unions, the lycanthropes were born. This event led to the Wild Choir changing its name to the Nightsoul tribe. Other lycanthropes were also born from the death of Baelund’s Wolf.
The first lycanthropes were all sorts of animals. Their power passed to their children and to anyone they bit. The children of the Nightsouls stayed mostly within the Orc Lands, but a few of their bitten victims left the region, spreading lycanthropy across the world.
Despite the ubiquity of lycanthropy, the disease is a hidden one. If their affliction is discovered, they are quickly eliminated or ostracized. Thus, lycanthropes must live their lives in the shadows, never being truly honest with the people around them. Due to this, lycanthropes have played no known major part in Cimmeria’s history. There are no lycanthrope historical figures, at least none that we are aware of. But perhaps there is some famous king, queen, or hero that bore the disease as their private curse.
Subraces
There are numerous types of lycanthropes when they are defined by their animal form. Despite that, it is more helpful to separate lycanthropes by how they acquired their condition. Natural lycanthropes were born that way due to their lineage. Infected lycanthropes became that way due to a bite from another lycanthrope. Additionally, there is a subrace called shifters. Shifters are the children of a lycanthrope, but due to dilution of the transformation gene, they cannot transform.
Natural Lycanthropes: Natural lycanthropes are born that way due to having one or more lycanthrope parents. They do not possess complete control over their transformations at birth, but quickly develop over time. Just as a baby learns to walk, a lycanthrope child learns to choose when they transform into their animal or hybrid forms. Caretakers for natural lycanthrope babies must be careful. The bite of a lycanthrope transmits the disease, and babies bite frequently.
Natural lycanthrope children do not necessarily match the animal type of their parents. While having the same animal form for family members is common, many lycanthrope babies have a different transformation than their parents. They are raised to always hide their true nature. A visible lycanthrope is often a dead lycanthrope in Cimmerian society. Natural lycanthrope children are still able to revel in their strength, speed, and agility as the animal powers are slightly transferred into their humanoid bodies. Thus, lycanthrope children often stand out from the crowd.
Infected Lycanthropes: Infected lycanthropes acquire their condition through the bite of another lycanthrope. An infected lycanthrope will always share the animal form of the lycanthrope that bit them. Sometimes, a victim is unaware of their condition after the bite. A werewolf in animal form can appear to be just a wolf. If someone is bitten but escapes, they may assume it was just a normal animal. The infected person continues going about their daily life until the next full moon triggers a transformation and they attack anyone in their vicinity.
Infected lycanthropes are often desperate to cure their condition. While powerful magic can cure the disease, that is usually inaccessible to the average person. Most infected people seek a wolfsbane* potion. The freshly picked flower is brewed to provide a cure for someone afflicted with lycanthropy, provided that the potion is consumed before the end of the first full moon after someone was bitten. Thus, a bite victim must act rapidly to find wolfsbane and an apothecary capable of mixing the potion, and that’s if the flower is even in bloom.
Infected lycanthropes that do not find a cure have less control over their transformations than natural lycanthropes. An infected can take years to learn how to transform at will. Often even longer to maintain control of themselves while in animal form. With effort, they can eventually master their disease and comport themselves as natural lycanthropes do. Unfortunately, most infected lycanthropes are discovered and slain by adventurers before they reach that point.
Shifters: Shifters are the children of lycanthropes that don’t fully inherit the transformation gene. They appear as their humanoid race, but with more wild and hairy features. Shifters cannot transform, but they do possess a strong adrenaline rush. In dangerous situations, they take on some of the characteristics of animals. Thicker skin, faster reflexes, and stronger muscles, sometimes even natural weapons such as sharp fangs or claws. Despite these traits, shifters still possess only one humanoid form. The bite of a shifter does not pass lycanthropy. Children of shifters can be shifters themselves or solely their humanoid race if the transformation gene is fully lost.
Location
Lycanthropes live everywhere in Cimmeria. Those who can control their transformations blend in with others of their humanoid race. Lycanthropes with less control must move to the edges of civilization where their wild selves can run free. Thus, most lycanthropes who are “out of the closet” live by themselves in the unsettled wilderness.
If there’s anywhere a lycanthrope can live openly, it would be the Nightsouls tribe in the Orc Lands. As the origination of lycanthropes, the tribe is welcoming of lycanthropes of all kinds. Unfortunately, this positive disposition is not advertised, lest the Nightsoul tribe attract unwanted attention. New lycanthropes do not learn of the Nightsouls. Instead, the Nightsouls learn of lycanthropes that need help and then bring those people to the tribe.
Relations with Other Races
Other races are hostile to lycanthropes. Even those that can control their transformations are seen as alien and dangerous. Lycanthropes disguise their true nature to fit in amongst others. If their transformations are involuntary, they must chain themselves up on full moons or go into the wild where their animal self can wreak havoc without harming their neighbors. Discovery spells the end for a lycanthrope’s life in a community. A revealed lycanthrope will face exile or death, if they even get a choice.
Common Deities
The primary deity of all lycanthropes is Artemis. It’s no surprise that their connection to the moon draws lycanthropes to the moon goddess. Artemis also rules over wild animals like the animal forms of lycanthropes. However, Artemis is not the only god worshipped by lycanthropes. As they exist within other racial cultures, lycanthropes often favor the deities preferred by others of their humanoid race.
Place in Adventuring
Lycanthropes have the potential to be powerful foes or allies for adventuring parties. Newly infected lycanthropes are a problem for more advanced adventurers. Without the ability to control themselves, they are violent predators under the full moon. New lycanthropes easily kill within their communities and smaller villages often call on adventurers for a solution. Mature lycanthropes have no more propensity for evil or destruction than anyone else. Their animal strength and senses can be an asset to adventurers if their trust can be earned or make the lycanthrope a terrible enemy.
Lycanthrope adventurers choose classes based off their animal form. Wererats make good rogues due to their sneaky nature and small size when transformed. Weretigers, werewolves, and werebears favor classes that take advantage of their strength in melee combat such as fighters or barbarians. Werebirds often become sorcerers. Druids and rangers are common for all lycanthropes due to their inmate connection to the wild.
This page mentions using a wolfsbane potion to cure lycanthropy. The wolfsbane flower is a real thing, but its actually incredibly poisonous. Drinking a “potion” made from the flower could kill someone. Don’t do that. Touching a wolfsbane plant with your bare hands can also make you sick. If you do find wolfsbane flowers, handle them with gloves.
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