From the Unabridged Encyclopedia of Magical Diseases, 3rd
Edition
Lycanthropy
General Description: Lycanthropy (more accurately known as Therianthropy)
is a wide ranging disease which causes periotic dramatic changes
in the physical make-up of those affected. In addition, Lycanthropy
can also result in permanent alteration of the psychological profile
of those afflicted as well. Lycanthropy should be distinguished
from other types of shape changing which are brought about through
magical means. Lycanthropy is the only form of shape changing
which involves an actual disease.
Common Symptoms: Those afflicted with Lycanthropy undergo regular
transformations in to one or more of a wide range of possible
secondary forms. These forms usually mimic those of certain types
of predatory animals. The transformations usually occur as a result
of some Trigger Event outside the afflicted's control, but can
occur due to the willful desire of those infected. The exact number
and rate of transformations is variable, but seldom occur more
than once a day. Once the change is triggered, the
infected change into their lycanthropic form and stay that way
for a period of up to eight hours. At the end of that time, they
revert back to their normal humanoid form.
Secondary physical symptoms can include a number of subtle changes
to the infected's physical form, such as a greater amount of hair
growth on their body, lengthened middle fingers and toes, pronounced
canine teeth, and general robustness. However, these symptoms
usually only manifest in final
stage lycanthropy.
Primary psychological changes can include: A heightened desire
for a particular type of food,usually meat; aberrant social behavior
ranging from harmless eccentricity to homicidal mania; increased
sexual desire; general rebelliousness and a distrust of authority;
animal-like mannerisms such as growling, and; even extreme psychosis.
These psychological symptoms most commonly appear in end stage
lycanthropy, but can appear at any stage.
The Course of the Disease: The disease is commonly believed to
involve three stages of infection, each more complete than the
previous one.
Stage One: Once someone becomes infected, they enter the first
stage of the disease. This stage lasts until the first transformation.
During this stage, there are few if any symptoms. In some cases
it has been observed that those infected suffer from some mild
flu-like symptoms, but this may just be
coincidence. Infected individuals may begin to exhibit some psychological
symptoms, but this varies from case to case.
Stage Two: First transformation usually occurs within a month
of the initial infection, but can occur as soon as the first few
hours. At this point, all transformations occur as the result
of some Trigger Event. The trigger for a particular individual
can vary widely, but usually involved some phase of the moon.
Whatever the Trigger Event, those infected cannot control their
changes. It occurs whether they wish it to or not. The change
takes anywhere from 10 seconds to two minutes. The subject will
usually remain in his lycanthropic form for a period between four
and eight hours, but shorter time periods are possible. The psychological
make-up of the lycanthropic form of the infected can vary a great
deal from that of the person's normal personality. Just how much
depends on the individual and the type of
lycanthropy he is inflicted with. At a minimum, subjects in their
second form exhibit a high degree of animal like behavior and
are difficult to reason with in any fashion. More extreme changes
can result in a
lycanthropic personality which is thoroughly monstrous and homicidal.
The afflicted will revert to his original personality as he returns
to his true form.
During the course of Stage Two, the infected's body adapts to
the disease within itself. Transformations become less painful
and the subject slowly gains the conscious ability to initiate
transformations. However, they are still at the mercy of any transformation
brought about by their Trigger
Event. As consequence of the body's acceptance of the disease,
the subject begins to show more and more permanent physical and
psychological changes. These changes can often be quire subtle
and can be missed by the subject's close family members and friends.
However, to an acute observer, the changes
soon become readily apparent. Put simply, the psychological profiles
of the subject in his normal and lycanthropic forms come closer
and closer together, eventually merging.
Stage Three: At this stage the subject has gained the ability
to change form at will, although he is still susceptible to his
unique Trigger Event. All of the physical and psychological changes
which will take place have done so by this time. At this point
Lycanthropy can no longer be thought of as a disease, but more
as a symbiotic partner of the subject.
Disease Transmission: Lycanthropy is usually transmitted through
the bite of an infected individual. However, it can also be passed
along through exposure to infected blood, sexual contact, and
some types of magics. There are even rare cases where the disease
becomes pneumonic and can be
contracted merely by close proximity to someone infected. However,
in all forms save its pneumonic, Lycanthropy is not very contagious.
The chance of infection from a single bite is no greater than
5% and likely less. Some races are also more susceptible to the
disease. Humans and elves are the most in danger of infection,
Fey races less so, and a dwarf with lycanthropy is almost unheard
of.
The Course and Cause of the Transformations: The believed agent
of the disease is an unique type of bacteria which possesses the
ability to store and use magical energy. It is the store of magical
energy which makes transformation possible. No ordinary disease
could produce such rapid and dramatic effects.
When first introduced to the subject, the bacteria propagates
throughout the entire body, but most notably in the muscles and
bone structures. Each begins to restructure the individual cells
of the infected's body, preparing it for its first transformation.
Only once this process is complete can the
subject transform for the first time. The process takes from a
few hours to a few days, depending on the individual. The bacteria
will still remain active in the body for as long as the subject
is a lycanthrope, as it
is still required for the transformations to take place.
The actual transformation is instigated by the body's production
of certain key hormones. While the hormone required is the same
from subject to subject, it is produced through subconscious reactions
to
certain important stimuli within the individual. The required
stimuli varies from case to case, which is why different Lycanthropies
have different Trigger Events.
Once the transformation begins, the bacteria utilize an encoded
biologic blueprint within themselves to guide the changes along.
This encoding tends to remain the same over time, which is why
new lycanthropies will usually changed into the same type of form
as that of the individual who originally
infected them. The amount of change, while seemingly total, is
actually minor. While bone structures may shrink or enlarge, their
general configuration remains the same. The same is true for the
muscles and
internal organs. It is possible that, in a more natural, non-magical
form, the bacteria would bring about the same sorts of changes
over the natural course of time. It is its reserve of magic energy
which speeds up
the transformations to occur in a matter of minutes and not months.
A common phenomenon associated with Lycanthropic transformations
is the sudden increase in mass of the individual when he changes
from his humanoid form to his animal form. Where does this extra
mass come from? During the process of transformation, the bacteria
produce a substance which is
generally known as Sheen. This substance is created from the body's
natural fat content (and even possibly from the infected's stomach
contents! This explains both why infected individuals are usually
ravenous after changing and have low body fat.) and is used by
the bacteria as a form of pseudo-muscle tissue. The resulting
Sheen has a mass many times that of the material which created
it. This tissue is added to the individual's natural muscle mass,
giving the secondary form greatly enhanced strength and
endurance. However, Sheen starts to break down after eight hours
of use. This is why it becomes increasingly difficult for a lycanthrope
to maintain his secondary form past this time limit. When the
subject reverts back to his primary form, the Sheen is extruded
from his body in the form of an oily gel. After reverting to his
original form, a lycanthrope is covered in this substance (hence
the name). Sheen does try quickly in direct contact with the air,
becoming a fine powder after only a few minutes of exposure.
Transformations, especially in early second stage Lycanthropy,
are quite painful. However, as the body adapts to the regular
changes, the transformations become less and less so, eventually
even becoming
pleasurable.
Varieties of the Disease: There are a number of different varieties
of lycanthropy, each exhibiting unique symptoms and effects.
The most obvious difference is that different types produce different
secondary forms. The most common types of secondary forms include:
Wolf, Tiger, Panther, Bear, Snake, Hawk, Seal, or Fox. However,
there are many, much rarer forms as well. There are cases where
an individual can change into multiple forms, or even a different
form each transformation.
Beyond that simple distinction, the types of Lycanthropy can be
split into two groups: Benign and malignant. Benign lycanthropy
results in a secondary form (and ultimately the entire individual)
whose psychological outlook is still healthy and relatively normal,
despite possible non-destructive
changes to their personality. Malignant lycanthropy results in
a individual with is thoroughly evil and hateful no matter their
form. The reason for this wide different between types is not
fully understood, but it may be because of the source of the magic
fueling the changes. For example, if the power is channelled through
a evil deity, that could result in malignant lycanthropy.
Curing the Disease: Caught early, Lycanthropy is surprisingly
easy to cure. First Stage lycanthropy can be cure through the
administration of proper herbal treatments or a simple Cure Magical
Diseases spell. As the disease progresses a cure becomes more
and more problematical. Final Stage
Lycanthropy is all but impossible to cure. At the very least,
the cure will be long and time consuming, requiring the expertise
of many individuals. The cure can also be made much more difficult
if the infected individual does not wish to be healed.
Detecting the Presence of Lycanthropies: The physical and psychological
similarities between most lycanthropies have already been mentioned.
However, some lycanthropies will not display even one of these
symptoms (or the symptoms will be masked and nearly impossible
to detect). Worse, entirely normal individuals may display lycanthropic
type symptoms as well, making the detection of real lycanthropies
tricky at best. Because of the ability of the bacteria to store
magical energy, lycanthropies
can sometimes be detected with a simple Detect Magic spell, but
this method is highly unreliable. There are other, much rarer
spells which do a better job at detection. Without the aid of
magic, however, the best method for detecting who may be a lycanthrope
is acute observation.
The Consequences and Long Term Effects of Therianthropy
Therianthropy (less accurately, but more commonly known as Lycanthropy)
is the ability of a humanoid to change into one or more animal
forms. The infectious form of Therianthropy is usually acquired
from contact with an individual already infected. These forms
tend to be stronger, more agile, and generally more powerful that
aperson's normal form -- not to mention simply more enjoyable
to be in. Likewise, the physical and psychological make-up of
the person infected usually improves over what they
were before. They become more healthy, live longer, and even become
more handsome. They also tend to develop a more easy going, expressive
manner which allows them to better deal with the world. Given
all these factors, one is surprised that there are not a great
many more theriomorphs than it would seem.
In truth, there are a number of powerful reasons as to why theriomorphs
are not merely disliked, but even hated throughout much of the
civilized world. As personally rewarding as therianthropy may
be to an individual, becoming infected will at the very least
fundamentally change someone's life, and it can quite easily result
in their death. This is due in large part to the general opinion
of theriomorphs, which are usually quite bad.
The first and most basic reason for this is that therianthropy
-- and most especially the act of transformation itself -- is
considered unnatural and unsettling to most people. The body of
a theriomorph is twisted and changed into one of many possible
shapes at regular intervals, something which not an usual part
of a humanoid's life-cycle. It is often a frightening thing to
watch when a loved one or friend becomes an animal before your
eyes. It is this fear which causes many to strike out at theriomorphs,
be it physically
or just a cold shoulder. It is not uncommon for a newly infected
theriomorph to find himself suddenly ostracized from the village
or town which had nurtured him since he was born. The shock of
suddenly being an outcast has even lead to suicide in some cases.
Another important basis of this fear is that theriomorphs usually
change into some type of predator, such as a wolf or even spider,
animals which are already widely feared and hated.
Then there are the malignant theriomorphs. There are two forms
of the disease: Benign (the most common), and Malignant. While
the benign form may bring about strong psychological effects within
someone infected, they are neither evil or self-threatening. Not
so with Malignant Therianthropy, which, once it has run its course,
will produce a personality within the individual which is thoroughly
black and diabolical. Such individuals must be hunted down and
killed for the safety of all, but most hunters, when
they find a theriomorph, are not going to spend the time to figure
out if the individual is benign or evil. They'll just kill and
ask questions later. All too many benign and harmless theriomorphs
have been killed by accident this way.
But there are other reasons why normal people distrust theriomorphs,
even the benign ones. The common perception of theriomorphs is
that they are dirty-minded, immoral hedonists. There is some basis
for this, as most Infectious theriomorphs do loose many of their
old inhibitions and are more apt to let their passions govern
them. In more conservative cultures, such a lack of restraint
is frowned upon and can even result in the loss of rank and honor.
Another, more practical factor is that infectious therianthropy
can be transmitted sexually, so a promiscuous were-creature could
very quickly infect a large number of other people. In is not
unknown for some cultures to order a guard to accompany a theriomorph
at all times just
to make sure they have no dealings except with those of their
own kind.
"Own kind" is an important distinction. By most definitions,
theriomorphs are considered to be their own species. After all,
they change both physically and psychologically from what they
wee before.
Furthermore, during the course of the disease most theriomorphs
come to believe that they are no longer a member of the race into
which they were born. Xenophobia, which many cultures and theriomorphs
possess to some degree, serves to only widen the gulf between
a were-creature and his native culture.
However, because of the exhilaration all theriomorphs feel toward
their condition, they are apt to be eager to spread their disease
to loved one and friends -- or even just strangers they take a
liking to. They
simply wish others to experience the joy they do (a very human
response one must point out). Trouble comes, as it must, when
such well-meaning theriomorphs attempt to infect those which do
not desire to be
infected. People, when faced with losing their very humanity,
can do some tragic things, even kill their own brethren. And,
as infecting someone against their will (and sometimes even when
it is not against their will)
is illegal in nearly all places, this can call in the local authorities.
There is one famous case of a hundred years ago where a group
of benign werewolves attempted to infect their entire school.
The resulting
government purge left all of the theriomorphs and many or the
un-infected students dead.
The Psychology of Becoming Infected
Given all of the above, why then would any sane individual wish
to actually become infected? There are a multitude of possible
reasons (many given one the first page), but researchers have
come up with three primary reasons:
1. The Desire to Improve Oneself: Many of us suffer from low self-esteem
and, to a sufferer, the sight of a confident, physically fit theriomorph
can make the condition look quite appealling. Such people believe
that being infected would be a quick cure to their personal shortcomings.
Of course, they don't realize the profound physical and psychological
effects being a theriomorph produce. Of all three reasons, this
is the likely the worse. Too often those infected will be totally
unprepared for the changes they'll
undergo and, as a result, become potential dangers to themselves
and others. Also, such people are easy prey to malignant were-creatures
in search of new underlings.
2. The Desire for Freedom: Many people, usually the young,
long for freedom from the constraints of their lives. The idea
of roaming free, able to do as you wish, is quite seductive. Such
individuals long for the emotion and physical highs they believe
therianthropy will give them. Again, people
interested in becoming a theriomorph for these reasons can be
easily lead astray by malignant theriomorphs.
3. Because it is the Right Thing: The last and least common
primary reason for why people become theriomorphs is that they
just believe it to be right for them. The basis of this belief
can be psychological, historical, or even mystical, but it is
always heart-felt. Such people have thought long and hard over
the question before choosing to become a theriomorph. Thus, they
are the least susceptible to those with evil intentions.
As you may have noticed, the young tend to be the most likely
to willingly become theriomorphs. Older individuals, even those
with sympathies toward therianthropy, are usually too settled
with their life to so fundamentally change it. One trait which
is demonstrated in case after case is the person's eventual acceptance
of his new condition after being infected and changing multiple
times. Unless he is cured, the new theriomorph will
come to accept his new state as natural. In fact, he may come
to think of his old existence before infection as being unnatural.
This is especially true for malignant therianthropy. Most people
fight the psychological
effects it has, but in the end their new diabolical personality
overwhelms them. It may not be surprising to learn that it is
a wide-spread belief among theriomorphs that each of them were
destined to be infected.
Fate decreed that they would be changed. No force in the world
could have prevented it and delaying the inevitable would have
only brought anguish and pain to those beings whose spirits were
born a theriomorph.
One interesting trait which many theriomorphs display is that
they tend to be quite intelligent, even intellectual. Many are
scholars, artists, and the like. The reasons for this are many.
Such people are
usually better able to get truthful, accurate information on therianthropy
and therefore can make an informed decision. They are not limited
by the fearful ignorance of most people. They are also more likely
to have access to a source of infection. Some cynics, however,
maintain that education over serves to disconnect a person from
his moral roots, making them less able to resist the temptations
of weredom.
There may be a kernel in that statement. It is a well documented
fact among researchers that therianthropy, when witnessed by non-changers,
has an almost mystical ability to seduce others into becoming
infected themselves. One famous case of this was the Advanced
Biology class of 2305 at Tal Soreth University. As a class project,
ten students and their teacher decided to make a in depth study
of theriomorphs in their area. They sought out various types of
benign were-creatures who, after some coaxing, agreed to take
part in the study. All went well until a group of young students
witnesses the
change of one of the theriomorphs. The impact was so devastating
they right then and there convinced the werewolf to donated a
large sample of his blood. They then injected themselves with
the substance. All five changed into werewolves the very next
full moon. Similar experiences occurred to the rest of the class,
even to the teacher. Needless to say, it is now common practice
to forbid the close study of theriomorphs except under the strictest
supervision. It must be noted, however, that the work which arose
from the student's efforts, A Biological and Psychological Look
at Therianthropy, is considered one of the great
works of the field.
Theriomorph Culture
Because they are such a distrusted (sometimes persecuted) minority,
theriomorphs naturally come together to form groups, families,
and sometimes extended organizations. These groupings are almost
universally called packs, although the designation is somewhat
misleading. The idea is thought to have
originated in Ailynon (where therianthropy is fairly well accepted),
so it is not surprising that it mimics the functions of a elvish
Deniri is many ways. Members usually only choose mates and friends
from their pack.
This way an innocent or non-infected friend will not be pulled
into the sometimes turbulent world of theriomorph passions and
desires. It also helps to avoid unintentioned infections.
As to the actual dynamics of group interaction between theriomorphs,
that depends very much on what type of were-creatures are members.
Usually, theriomorphs associate with others of like type. Therefore,
the group's behavior will often mimic what is commonplace for
the groups of animals of the same type. For example, a group of
werewolves would form a true pack with a hierarchy of power and
position. A group of weretigers, however, would likely be a loose
association of friends. Theriomorphs are
still mostly humanoid in manner and temperament and are therefore
social beings. It is rare that any group of were-creatures would
divorce themselves from the rest of civilization, although this
is known to occur.
Due to the fact that infectious therianthropy has the side-effect
of making harder for someone to control their own passions and
desires (especially when they have just come out of beast form),
theriomorphs tend to be very understanding of their fellows. Actions
which might have severe, even tragic
effects in normal cultures (such as someone striking or even attacking
another in the heat of an argument) are quickly forgotten. In
fact, many theriomorphs revel in this fact and allow themselves
to freely do
whatever strikes their fancy at the time.
Because of the religious ties between infectious therianthropy
and the churches of Cara and Sira, both support theriomorphs of
their particular persuasion as best they can. Temples of Cara
are safe havens for benign theriomorphs, for example. Many of
her disciples are theriomorphs themselves. It is not surprising
then that the vast majority of theriomorphs worship either Cara
or Sira (depending on whether they are benign or malignant were-creatures).
Many theriomorphs revere Cara as the Great Wolf, the ultimate
expression of what it means to be a were-creature. Being an active
deity, she has sometimes been known to appear before her shape-changing
followers to lead them in great Beast Reveries, days long
theriomorph festivals. Similar events are said to occur among
Sira's disciples as well. Theriomorphs are, therefore, one of
the most religious groups to be found.
Theriomorph Festivals and Ceremonies
While theriomorphs as a race do have their own unique festivals
and holidays, most still follow the practices of the culture in
which they were raised. This also includes any festivals to any
gods besides Cara
and Sira which the theriomorph reveres. Of course, it goes without
saying that the vast majority of were-creatures are devoted practitioners
of holidays and festivals to either Cara or Sira.
Theriomorphs do have two special events which they hold dear to
their hearts: Beast Reveries and Oath Takings.
Beast Reveries are wild get-togethers where theriomorphs let go
whatever inhibitions the rest of civilization may have imposed
upon them and enjoy the power and freedom that comes with their
condition.
True bacchanals, they are usually held far away from settled areas
to avoid any possible complications with non-theriomorphs. They
are also typically held in secret for the same reasons. Besides
being enjoyable,
Beast Reveries also serve an important function as they are the
best why to induct the newly infected into theriomorph society.
For obvious reasons, non-theriomorphs -- even those sympathetic
to the cause -- are rarely invited to such festivals.
Oath Takings occur when a particular pack (or even association
of multiple packs) decide to infect a worthy person and induct
them into the ranks of that pack. To be allowed to be infected,
the prospective
theriomorph must have demonstrated that he is ready for the changes
he'll be going through and that he is already a trusted friend
of those within the pack. Once accomplished, the person is infected
in anyone of
many ways -- perhaps even magically -- depending on what the pack
deems appropriate. Because the time between infection and first
change can vary widely, the pack will gather together at regular
intervals
until the new theriomorph transforms for the first time. Thereafter,
he is considered a full member of the pack.
Long Term Effects of Infectious Therianthropy
Like all diseases, therianthropy has multiple stages, not all
of which end when an individual gains complete control over his
transformations. Researchers and theriomorphs themselves have
noticed a number of further effects which often -- but by no means
always -- manifest themselves over time in an
person.
1. The Infected Becomes More Beast Like: Many theriomorphs already
have personalities which have adopted beast-like traits. One of
the most common is a craving for certain types of food. However,
even in those which at first do not show any of these symptoms,
there is a tendency for a
theriomorph to gain beast-like personality traits over time. Just
how far these changes might go is variable, but there does seem
to be a point at which they cease to become any worse.
2. The Infected Gain the Ability to Manifest Partial Forms: A
new theriomorph can change into only two forms, his natural form
and his animal form. However, experienced theriomorphs have sometimes
demonstrated the ability to do partial shifts. They can become
half-animals, like a humanoid wolf-man. Or they can become or
slightly animal-like, becoming furry and gaining only a subtle
hint of animal features.
A animal form is more powerful, but it cannot talk, cast spells,
etc. while a normal form is more prone to damage and injury. These
half forms allow a theriomorph to pick and choose between which
animal and humanoid traits he would like.
3. The Infected's Personality Becomes Less Restrained: Personal
restraint is something all theriomorphs have a problem with, but
this problem seems to get worse over time. This is not to say
that they become dangerous, just that they are more prone to let
their passions run away with them. In addition, formally repressed
portions of the individuals personality may begin the manifest
themselves.
4. The Infected May Gain the Ability to Change Into Additional
Forms: The bacteria which serves as the physiological basis for
infectious therianthropy has been seen to slowly mutate over time.
This was, no doubt, how the wide range of different theriomorph
forms came into existence. While this shift can usually only be
seen in the course of multiple generations of were-creatures,
it sometimes occurs in a individual. Such people's theriomorphic
form may change into that of another animal or they may gain
multiple forms. How this comes about is unclear, but there does
seem to be a number of factors. In one documented case, a Vordain
who had been a werecat was accidentally bitten numerous times
by one of the large spiders of the Noreshan frontier. He recovered
from the poison, but was startled to discover that next full moon
that he changed not into a tiger, but rather a giant spider. He
did go on to accept his new form, however. Magic can likewise
be used to give someone multiple forms (magic-using theriomorphs
are fairly common). Each form does have its own unique trigger-event,
however.
Theriomorphic Oddities
Because of its mutagenic nature, there are many various strains
of the therianthropic bacteria, some of which are not commonly
known.
In some parts of Ailynon, there is a group of strains called Elven
Morphic-B. They act in all but one respect like normal therianthropic
bacteria. However, non-elves which are infected with this strain
acquire
elven features over the course of months and years. In the end
they become indistinguishable from native elves. Their life span
even increases to the elven norm.
Another strain, referred to as Sira's Temptation, produces all
of the effects of regular benign therianthropy. However, striking
suddenly after a few months of infection, the strain becomes malignant.
There have been a few famous cases where innocent people, who
desired to be benign theriomorphs, instead became overnight terrible
monsters. Because this change does not occur usually until the
theriomorph has learned to control his transformations, it is
almost impossible for the condition to be
reversed. This strain is, thankfully, quite rare.
