Silver

=== Apotropaic: Silver ===
Silver in itself is the antithesis of the moon’s gift, absorbing her rays and the magic she creates by absorbing it.  When it comes into contact with a Lycanthrope is has a large volatile reaction.  Contact with skin will cause a burning sensation that will generate large heat as it absorbs lunar energy from the therianthrope.  Long periods of intimate contact will drain the wolf of their energy, though it would take months of mere physical contact to drain them completely and preventing change.  It will also deal tissue damage that is immolated by the intense energy being channeled through the point of contact.
Silver has a secondary effect of causing silver poisoning, which is caused by silver entering the bloodstream.  When a silvered blade, weapon or other object pierces a Lycanthrope’s flesh, the intense heat causes the very surface of the silvered object to liquify and enter the bloodstream.  Even small doses can have adverse effects, it not taking much for it to cause intense damage, draining the Lycanthrope’s lunar energy faster, and slowing or halting regeneration, especially in the tissue damaged directly by the silvered item.  Silver will also cause silver poisoning through ingestion, or direct application of silver nitrate.
Silver poisoning happens in stages, a single wound might only cause minor silver poisoning.  Minor will slow regeneration for the particular wound that came in direct contact with a silvered item, and may cause physical pain, and slight distraction.  Larger quantities of silver will cause moderate silver poisoning, which will slow regeneration to a crawl, causing all wounds to delay significantly in regeneration.  This causes intense pain, most Lycanthropes feel like they are on fire from the inside out, feel intense nausea, likely emptying the contents of their stomach fairly regularly.  Most get a splitting headache, and dizziness or blurry vision.  Major silver poisoning will halt all regeneration, drain a wolf completely of lunar energy, causing bleeding and hemorrhaging of the lungs and eyes, intense pain and unconsciousness if the Lycanthrope changes before their energy is completely drained.  The final stage of poisoning is fatal, causing death for the Lycanthrope.
Every werebeast will react differently to the poison, and the amount of toxicity varies a bit, but generally speaking, a single silver bullet or a full penetration of a silvered weapon, or a quarter ounce of ingested, aerosol, or injected silver nitrate will cause minor silver poisoning.  Two silver bullets or two full penetrations, or a half ounce will cause moderate silver poisoning.  Major silver poisoning is caused by four silver bullets, four full penetrations, or a full ounce of silver nitrate.  Each new dose after may be fatal, requiring the character to roll to avoid dying.
Silver stays in the blood until the next full moon, the intense power of the Full Moon’s rays will push the silver out of their skin in a painful process, though it will take the entire night for it to fully cure a heavily poisoned Lycanthrope.  Some Lycanthropes process the silver out of their blood over time, with the ‘Silvered Tongue’ showing the character has come into contact with silver and their body learned how to deal with it.  It usually comes out in sweat through their skin or tongue, and will cause a minor burning sensation as it evaporates.  For the rest, they must suffer under the effects of silver poisoning and hope not to encounter more before the light of the next moon.
Some Lycanthropes are put in situations where they may need to prevent themselves from changing on the next full moon.  They intentionally poison themselves with silver, suffering the horrible side effects of major silver poisoning in order to force themselves into not changing, and rather using the entire lunar period to strip their body of the silver.  This has allowed for some lycanthropes to avoid changing for multiple months on end, but it’s extremely taxing, and for many can prove fatal, as the dosing difference between preventing a change, and fatal is a delicate one.
Category:Apotropaic
Category:Silver
Category:Lore