Lycanthropes

Were-Animals

""We are animals...... Smell the blood, and tell me you don't want it."

(Lunatic Cafe, Laurell Hamilton)

Lycanthropes are preternatural creatures with the ability to change their shape.  It is suspected that there can be a lycanthrope for every type of animal, but the Shadow Guard have only encountered the following types:
Types:
Panwere
Werebear
Werecobra
Werefox
Werehyena
Werejaguar
Wereleopard
Werelion
Wererat
Weresnake
Wereswan
Weretiger
Werewolf

(There are more, only the SG has not encountered them yet.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Relatives to the FaE!
 

Lycanthropy is a disease that came from experiments on Behraku faerie. It was a type of genetic manipulation where people used  viruses to change the DNA of a Behraku.

Some Behraku got wind of the horrible experiments being conducted on those of their kind. They found them and freed some of their people. But they did not know or understand the horrible viruses inside their brethren.

This virus made it so their fae ability to change into an animal could also infect a human and give them the same ability  through bodily fluids. This virus can react badly in humans, turning them feral and mad. Like a virus, now, it is perfectly logical that it mutates or reacts with the nervous system.. undermining the higher brain functions.
 

This virus shifts the person from human to animal when it's animal instincts are irritated (i.e. smell blood, feel threatened) similar to the Behraku, who do the same.

With the moon having a major pagan pull, and a pull on all animals, it irritates the mutated virus... causing the lycanthropes to change when the moon has a particularly strong pull...  which again relates to their Fae roots.
Were-Animals Amoung us:
.Lycanthropes have the ability to shift into their respective creature whenever they wish. However, if they shift to animal form and then human form too soon after, it drains their energy and they fall into a coma-like sleep for at least 12 hours. Normally, shapeshifters stay in animal form 8-10 hours and collapse back into human form.

* If the lycanthrope is young, the scent of blood can cause them to shift into their animal form. The full moon shifts them into animal form. Feeling that they are threatened can shift them into animal form.

* Their healing powers are extraordinary. All wounds eventually close. Limbs that were ripped off are remade the next time they shift into animal form.

* An old wives tale about lycanthropes is true. Namely, after shifting, they must feed.

* Alpha lycanthropes are the leaders of the respective packs, pards, etc. They are much stronger than the other lycanthropes, and often possess other powers that normal lycanthropes do not.

* The way to tell if a human is a lycanthrope is to cut off a limb and then look on the inside of the skin. If there is fur, then they are a lycanthrope. They will grow the limb back upon their next shift. However, it's not a good idea to cut the limb if he/she is merely a human.

* The cat-based lycanthropy is less contagious than the rat and wolf forms, though no one knows why.

* Lycanthropes cannot get infections. If they are seriously injured, the most danger they are in is shock from blood loss.

Individual Were-Lore

* WereSnake are half human and half snake. A bite from a WereSnake is deadly. Once bitten, the wound swells and becomes purple. Internal bleeding follows, where blood flows out of every orifice, until the victim dies. In human form, they possess a single pearl between their eyes.

* Wereleopards are half human half leopard. The usually form packs called Pard. The leader of their pard is known as the Nimraj. The leader has a 'queen' or Nimraja which also has power within the pard.  The pard is made up of Dominates and Submissives.  The Nimraj is leader until he dies or is challenged and killed by another Alpha.

* Wereswans are half human half swan. The males are wereswans and the females are weremanes.

* Werewolves are half human half wolf. The usually form packs, the leader of their pack being the Alpha alpha male or King of the pack. The King has a 'queen' which also has power within the pack.  Not every wolf can rise to be an Alpha.  It takes a lot of influence to reach Alpha-hood.  The King is leader until he dies or is challenged and killed by another Alpha.

*Panwere is apparently a lycanthrope with multiple animals infecting them. This can only be achieved when the victim has not yet shifted, and has been infected by multiple animals. Only one has been known to exist and has been executed by the Shadow Guard.

-Some original ideas maintained by author Laurell K. Hamilton