Post by Rhianna Llewelyn on Apr 20, 2006 1:39:25 GMT -5
Lycanthropes, or werewolves, are a most unusual group of creatures in that they doesn't technically exist except for a brief period of time around the full moon. At any other time, a werewolf is a completely normal human. In human form, werewolves have no distinguishing characteristics and can pass for normal people, even their energy signatures don't change. However, once a month they transform into a creature that looks basically like a wolf, but with certain differences (pupils of eyes, snout shape and tufted tail). They are very dangerous at these times, having the mindset of a rabid wolf, unable to control their impulse to cause destruction. They react entirely on instinct and the impulse to feed, which makes them destructive. A werewolf in isolation will turn this destructive tendency on itself, causing damage to the werewolf. However, if the werewolf takes the Wolfsbane potion before their transformation, they will maintain the mindset of a human and be harmless. It is even believed that with prolonged use of the Wolfsbane potion, the individual will not transform until moonlight actually strikes them. However, there is no cure for lycanthropy.
A full moon lasts three days; more seasoned werewolves have enough control to limit their change to the day the full moon is most pronounced. Newer werewolves may change every day of the full moon. The week preceding and following the change, individuals may be abnormally moody and hostile, but this largely depends on temperament. Individuals who are normally extremely calm are not going to be flying off the handle. It is the tainting of one's blood with a werewolf's DNA that causes one to become a werewolf. The skin must be broken or werewolf DNA must get into the bloodstream some other way for the transference to take place. A bite or scratch from a werewolf will turn anyone into a werewolf, but only if the werewolf is in wolf form when they inflict the damage.
Werewolves have heightened senses and strength, the closer they come to the full moon, but they are typically less healthy than normal individuals, because of the strain of their transformation. Werewolves have a weakness to silver and aconite, both of which are harmful, and even potentially deadly, to them.
A full moon lasts three days; more seasoned werewolves have enough control to limit their change to the day the full moon is most pronounced. Newer werewolves may change every day of the full moon. The week preceding and following the change, individuals may be abnormally moody and hostile, but this largely depends on temperament. Individuals who are normally extremely calm are not going to be flying off the handle. It is the tainting of one's blood with a werewolf's DNA that causes one to become a werewolf. The skin must be broken or werewolf DNA must get into the bloodstream some other way for the transference to take place. A bite or scratch from a werewolf will turn anyone into a werewolf, but only if the werewolf is in wolf form when they inflict the damage.
Werewolves have heightened senses and strength, the closer they come to the full moon, but they are typically less healthy than normal individuals, because of the strain of their transformation. Werewolves have a weakness to silver and aconite, both of which are harmful, and even potentially deadly, to them.