Werecreatures - About the Werecreatures

The following is a list of some common curiosities in regards to the Werecreatures.
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Hybrid Forms
Werecreatures and shifters are alike in many ways, but hybrid forms are not one of them. While shifters can easily shift between human and animal forms, werecreatures have a hybrid form that is stuck somewhere between human and animal. This form is what is most common to see amongst werecreatures, though they are able to fully shift into their animal forms as well. Hybrid forms take aspects of a human and an animal and combine them. These forms walk upright, on two legs, but are covered with hair and grotesquely misshapen. Their faces are generally stuck somewhere between human jaw structure and canine or feline snouts. Some lycans sprout tails, others do not. These forms are extremely ugly and terrifying, and prevent the lycan from being able to speak in any human language.
Physically, their human form does not change much after the first transformation, meaning werecreatures come in all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. If a human was skinny with no muscle tone, or overweight before they changed, they will continue to be so afterward, and these traits will reflect in their other forms, too. After their beast is fully awakened, yellow flecks form in their irises causing their eyes to glow golden when a light is shined in them, like their animal counterparts' do in the wild. The bite mark that cursed them will never fade fully. It will remain a scar that cannot be removed.
Their animal forms are very similar to shifters', in that they resemble much larger versions of the animals that their genetics take after. 
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Breeds
Werecreatures can only be canines or felines. Due to the corrupt magic that was used in creating the originals of the werecreature species, the only breeds that were able to survive the process were those of canine or feline nature. The following breeds or subspecies are allowed for werecreatures, though keep in mind that hybrid forms exist for every werecreature:
Canines
- Wolves *
- Coyotes
- Jackals
Felines
- Tigers *
- Jaguars
- Lions
- Cougars
* Some extinct breeds of these canines and felines are permitted, but require admin approval, just to make sure they fit with the lore of Haven.
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The Curse
Most werecreatures were once human before they were infected through the bite of a lycan. Most bitten do not survive the first night after the infection, and even less survive their first transformation on the full moon. Depending on if they were bitten by a canine or feline will decide which they take after. Werecreatures are able to be produced through procreation, as well. To understand how, visit our section on Pregnancy and Birth. If a werecreature were to come about from procreation, it is up to the player at what age the child experiences their first shifting under the power of a full moon.
For a lycan that has been bitten and infected with the virus, or "Curse", and who is strong enough to make it through the biological changes, they will shift for the first time on their first full moon. The transformation, however, will begin soon after the bite - within hours. The infected will become feverish, lethargic, and may even begin to feel as if they are having visual or auditory hallucinations. The biological changes in the infected will begin to give them abilities that werecreatures have, such as enhanced senses, and they may start to witness physical changes to their appearance as well, such as fangs growing, ears pointing, claws growing, or even an increased amount of hair. They will not fully transform, however, until the full moon, if the biological changes do not cause them to go into cardiac arrest before then.
Another notable change in a newly awakened werecreature is actually their mental state. Those who have been bitten, or have had their powers awakened at a certain age, basically have their minds invaded by a feral animal. Unlike shifters, werecreatures are not one and the same with the beast within, though they can learn to live in relative harmony with it. This inner spirit, referred to by many as "the beast", is like another voice in the back of a lycan's head that represents their bestial form. The cursed are able to mentally talk to the beast within, and understand when it talks back. Normally the cursed will hold control over their shared body until the full moon, though there are times when the beast may take over. Those are usually only if they are in mortal danger or the human side mentally cracks and becomes insane thus unable to function.
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Full Moons and Lunar Cycles
On the night of the full moon, the lycan's inner "beast" will be at its strongest. The cursed may notice heightened senses, more strength in their bodies, and heightened needs or desires are harder to control. Always, however, werecreatures lose control of their inner beasts when the moon reaches its apex. Some may remember what happens, as if in a dream, with no control of their bodies, while others just black out seconds before the transformation is completed until their animal has been satisfied and the night has passed. To satisfy the beast, they must consume the flesh of a still living or freshly killed human or animal. If they do not consume the flesh, they will remain in their animal form and slowly go insane until they do feed. They are able to infect others as soon as their first transformation hits.
Lycans' power and control follow the cycle of the moon, so when there is a new moon, they feel almost no effects of their lycanthropy, while full moons make them their strongest and most likely to lose control. Super moons and harvest moons have strange effects on lycans that vary from family line to family line, and are up to the player, but all full moons will cause the aforementioned to happen to a lycan.
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Magic and its Effects
There is nothing natural about the magic that was used to create the first werecreatures, and all those that have followed. From the moment the venom enters the victim, it starts to corrupt any magic in an enchanted or cursed human while it infuses every cell of an unjoined with corrupted magic. The corrupted magic is not able to be drained from them without killing the owner. It is not able to be shared or augmented in any way. Those that had magical abilities before will notice those abilities may misfire or not work at all, while all - even the prior unjoined humans - will notice new abilities start to form.
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The Pack
Some lycans will instinctively seek out the stronger of their kind, also known as alphas. An alpha can be a male or female of any age, though some may be reluctant to take on the mantle. Alphas tend to be protective of anyone in their pack or pride. Alphas are determined similarly to how they are in the wild - the strongest male or female steps up to lead and if any challenge them, they fight until one comes out on top. Any lycan who feels the pull toward a pack will then join with that alpha. Not all lycans need packs - there are plenty that go solo.
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Digestion
Werecreatures are still able to consume human foods and drinks, though their diets tend to lean more toward being carnivorous. Raw meats are not uncommon foods for them, even in human form, though their stomachs adjust so there are no adverse effects. In fact, they are able to consume many things that would normally make a human sick, such as rotting meat, though there are a number of herbs and foods they cannot consume.
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Sex
Sex and reproduction can be performed in either human or animal form. For more information, visit the Sex & Gender articles in this Wiki.
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Age
The age cap for playable werecreatures is 1000 years old, with admin permission needed for anyone over 800. Non-playable werecreatures can be much older, in general. Since werecreatures are not immortal, and will die of old age unlike some of the other species, age does not necessarily equal strength. Much like the lifespan of a human or an animal, there is an age of peak physicality, that is somewhere between 100 years old and 700 years old, depending on your character's particular lineage and genetics. The older the werecreature is during this time period, the stronger and more experienced they are, but once they hit 700, their bodies begin to decline in strength. A lycan is not considered mature until the age of 18, which is when their bodies slow the aging process to nearly a halt. Werecreatures who are well into their centuries will look older than younger lycans, but the aging process is much slower.
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Symbol
The symbol for the werecreatures is a full moon, since that is the most significant event that takes place for them. Some lycan packs may have their own variations of the moon as sort of "gang" symbols, but in general, the full moon is what represents lycans.
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Other Names
Werecreatures also have many nicknames in myth and legend. These include: werewolves, werecats, lycans, lycanthropes, lupines, beasts, brutes, fen, wifs, alphas, betas, omegas, the cursed, etc.