A. ORIGIN: Genetic.

 

      The legend of the werewolf also known as lycan or skin-walker has Native American origins. According to the folklore archives, Cherokee tribes from North Carolina tell of their first ancestors being transformed from men into wolves and its said to be a  genetic condition, and a person can only be a werewolf if they are born to at least one werewolf parent; they cannot be turned by bite or scratch as is commonly believed. Some are born with the gene, some skip it. The transformation begins in adolescence and it can be a confusing and traumatic experience for those with little knowledge of their own heritage. 

 

Racial Traits: Family devoted, temperamental, natural hunting skills.

 

B. APPEARANCE:

     Their appearance is the same as that of a normal human but once transformed, their wolf form is determined by the moon they were born in. They cannot switch from one form to the other so choose wisely.

 

1. Full Moon born (bipedal): They are said to have human features when they are in animal form. Some have been claimed to walk standing on their hind legs. Other cases have stated they walk in the same manner as a person crawling on all fours, rather than a typical four-legged animal.

2. New Moon born (quadrupedal): They look close to what a normal wolf would but usually bigger in size.

 

• Shifting: Both kinds are susceptible to the gravitational pull of the moon and will transform every new and full moon. ((see MM Calendar in world)). They can also shift willingly with enough practice.

• Aging:  They age much slower than a human, they can live for a very long time but are not immortal.

 

Cartoon Furry avatars are not allowed.

 

C. FOOD

        Like normal humans, werewolves can eat human food if they wish. However, because they turn into ferocious beasts when transformed, they are carnivores. When in wolf form, they can feed on human or vampire body parts and organs, but they are not required to ingest them in order to prolong their existence, like vampires, must do with blood. There are no known consequences from abstaining from human or vampire flesh while in werewolf form. Some prefer to hunt other animals for food to prevent exposure.

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D. ABILITIES:

 

THE FOLLOWING APPLY HUMAN FORM

 

1. Heightened Smell:   Ability is stronger in wolf form. They can detect specific persons, objects, substances or even places, locate their origin and track targets with nothing but their nose. Some may even be able to detect species, sicknesses, or tumors by which hormones/smells a target excretes. They can tell when another race is around by the smell such as vampires. (witches smell human)

Limitations

- It does not work when someone masks their scent.

- It does not work on odorless materials.

- Ability is nullified if the user's nostrils are clogged.

- Hard to find someone if the user doesn't know their scent firsthand often requiring an object touched by the other person.

- Other scents from an area that has a large number of people can make it harder to find a specific scent.

 

2. Enhanced Hearing:   Ability is stronger in wolf form.  They have ears enhanced to hear with amazing clarity, distance, and even frequencies outside the normal range. Their ears can pick up every single sound, can decipher layer upon layer of differing sounds/conversations, locate the source of noise or pick up a sound from a mile away in a busy city.

Limitations

- Noise can limit the distance of the werewolves' hearing range or ability to detect minor sounds.

- Too many conversations around the werewolf may make it difficult to find the right one to listen to

 

3. Night Vision They have excellent night vision, the ability to see in low light conditions or even total darkness.

Limitations

- May be sensitive to sudden flashes of bright light.

- It might take some time for the eyes to re-adapt to regular light.

- May cause eyes to glow/reflect light.

 

4. Peak Human Strength: Stronger than the average human even though their capabilities are not classified as 'enhanced' until after transformation. They would be able to lift objects on their own that would normally require more than one person.

Limitations

- The limit of strength is considered to be around 500 lbs over-head, and 800 lbs bench press.

 

THE FOLLOWING APPLY IN WEREWOLF FORM ONLY

 

 5. Enhanced Strength: They are exceptionally stronger in wolf form and they can crush, lift, throw, or catch items of great weight. They have the power to exert great strength from their muscles. This enables them to break thin chains, bench-press greater than half a ton. Users can strike down doors with a single punch or kick. and is also strong enough to wrestle, even overpower wild-animals such as Large Bears.

Limitations

- Limit of strength is considered to be 800 lbs over-head, and 1500 lbs bench press.

- Balance, gravity, and mass still affect the user.

- Strength does not equal durability. If a werewolf were to attempt to lift something extremely heavy over their head, their bones and joints could snap.

- May damage the environment/other people without meaning or noticing.

 

 6. Accelerated healing: Werewolves also possess a healing factor that is on par with a Vampires healing factor. They have the ability to heal much faster than the average human. This allows them to regenerate tissue and fully recover from injuries such as cuts and bruises in a matter of minutes and more severe injuries such as gunshots or broken bones only take a few hours. This also gives the werewolf immunity to human diseases and infections.

Limitations

- Injuries do not heal instantaneously.

- Critical wounds such as lost limbs cannot be regenerated.

- Cells that are fatally damaged, such as by burning, cannot be regenerated, resulting in permanent scarring.

- Healing is only accelerated while transformed. If a werewolf is too weak to shift it heals at normal human speeds.

 

 7. Enhanced Agility: While transformed, they can go from one motion to another effortlessly, allowing them to maneuver around objects, block detriments and jump great heights.

Limitations

- They can still experience exhaustion.

- It does not necessarily mean they can't get injured in falls from great heights or crashes into walls.

 

E. WEAKNESSES

 

1. Pure Silver: A bullet to the heart made of pure silver could be deadly to a werewolf as it can make its heart stop. Contact with the skin can burn and debilitate with enough exposure.

 

2. Mercury (quicksilver):  Can be deadly if mixed into a Werewolf's bloodstream. Almost the same effect as a rattlesnake would have, causing the blood to clot and body to shut down slowly. It's toxic to humans if not handled correctly.

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3. Wolfsbane: Also known as aconite or monkshood, is a potent herb and a werewolf's most well-known weakness. If a werewolf makes physical contact with wolfsbane in any form, it will burn and weaken them enough to stop the transformation.    

It's leaves and flowers when handled or consumed in large doses, are very toxic to humans.

 

4. Lunar effect: Even though they can shift at will with the help of magic,  the gravitational pull of a full moon can cause the werewolf to transform unwillingly.

 

5.Bloodlust: Fueled by anger, werewolves can enter a violent, animalistic state of bloodlust. They are unable to control their desire to kill and seem largely beyond rational thought.

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6. Sensitivity: With enhancement comes sensitivity. May be vulnerable to various canine weaknesses such as high pitch or loud noises or foul smells.

 

7. Electricity: A steady application of low amperage electricity can keep werewolves weak and may prevent transformation

 

8.  Mountain Ash (Rowan): When used properly, Mountain Ash can form an impenetrable barrier to keep supernatural creatures in or out of an area.

 

9. Magic: Werewolves are susceptible to the powers of witchcraft.

 

F. HIERARCHY

 

1. Omega: An Omega is the “lone wolf”; existing without a pack and an Alpha. They have all the werewolf abilities mentioned above but are considered weaker than other types because they are not part of a pack. Werewolves can become Omegas by choice or be forced out of a pack by the Alpha or by circumstance.

2. Beta: Betas are members of a pack and, because of this association, they are considered stronger than Omegas. They do not seem to have any special abilities beyond those mentioned above.

3. Alpha: An Alpha is the leader of a pack of werewolves. It is the strongest, most powerful and so far the most lethal variety of Werewolf.

 

G. COMMUNICATING:

While transformed the werewolf is able to communicate telepathically with members of their own pack. Share thoughts and memories with them. They cannot do this with other packs or lone wolves. Their physiology doesn't allow them to talk the way a human does. They communicate just like an animal would, with body language, howls, growls, and whines.

 

H. SETTLEMENTS

Werewolves exist throughout the United States, though they are not always easy to find. Most werewolves gather in packs, where some of them remain on the road, only gathering at the full moon so they turn freely in remote mountains, reservations or parks. Nevertheless, some werewolf communities will gather in one place and settle there to create long-term homes in towns and cities where they may make up a significant fraction of an area's supernatural population, such as the packs that have settled in the Soap County region of North Carolina.

 

I. SECRECY

Supernaturals are not forced to keep their identities a secret in public but they expose themselves at their own risk. Their existence remains a myth by most of humanity and is subject to prejudice as it is not the social norm.

 

J. MATING:

Aggressiveness and animalistic urges may be intensified and harder to control when sexually aroused.

They are able to only crossbreed with humans.

 

K. VIEW OF OTHER RACES:

       Supernaturals generally coexist with humans due to their shared origins and appearances. Their existence remains a myth by most of humanity which makes it easier for them to commingle with their human cohorts without detection. Most avoid exposure to the public because of the past prejudices that have led to the hunt of their species. Attitudes towards other supernaturals vary from individual to individual. It is really your character's personal history that can determine what kind of relationship it wants to have with other races

 

Revised Dec 2019