Werewolf

Weaknesses: | Bouncing weapons

## Appearance

A canine being that stand upright, with angry eyes.

## Background

The werewolf is one of the more mysterious species in the world and much has been theorized about them. For the longest time and in many parts of the world, most still believe that those beastmen are still monsters instead of actually being fellow sapients. Their origins, even from individual to individual, tend to vary and be wrapped in yet more mysteries. The true origin of the species is lost to time but myths and legends may offer hints as to their original nature ; apparently, the werewolves were the product of an ancient curse, causing sapients from other species to be warped into a humanoid wolf and their minds overwhelmed by a thirst for combat.

The curse is a plausible explanation but the thirst of combat part was dispelled. Contact has shown that werewolves live in packs and essentially live mostly like actual wolves and even take pride in this fact. Even more than the green goblins, werewolves reject civilization and embrace a more attuned to nature lifestyle... with all that it entails, indulging in their predatory instincts and hunting other beings, considering other sapients little more than potential prey. This behaviour may be the source of the misconception about them being monsters. Of course, they are not animals and differences between individuals are present, with some werewolves being capable of compassion, mercy, bravery, lust for combat, cowardice, love, and hatred like anyone else.

Though the werewolves' largely pack-themed lifestyle does not allow them to spread and truly take over lands like normal sapients can, they have shown an incredible resilience both physically and spiritually. Part of why the curse part of their origins myth has so much traction in the wizards' communities is because of their almost unreal resistance to curses ; werewolves are almost never struck by Death's curses and can survive total immersion in demonic energy in levels that would kill most sapients, even protected ones. If they are truly the product of a curse, then their resistance would make sense, the curse overriding Death's.

Although usually feared for their brutal, animalistic, often sadistic behaviour, some werewolves have sometimes stepped up to join the communities of the world. Those individuals tend to become either some of the best adventurers the world knows or nightmarish murderers worse than any "real" monster.

## Tactical analysis

Werewolves being generally hostile to the concept of civilization and embracing their predatory instincts, adventurers should know that any werewolf that approach them from the open in the field will not be looking to make friends. Although not allied with Death and his allies, werewolves are oddly ignored by other monsters over other sapients, hunting them down only once the werewolves are the only ones left in the field. Werewolves are aware of this and abuse this to seek out and hunt their prey ; they care not for Death, only for the hunt.

Adventurers who witness those foes should use extreme caution ; werewolves are imbued with incredible physical strength and despite wearing no armor, can survive strikes that would kill most humanoid sapients. They are also capable of doing fast, powerful dashes. Their claws are sharper than most common weapons and will prove lethal even through armor. However, the real problem is that werewolves are proper, living, sapient enemies. They will actively avoid an adventurer's weapons, remaining outside of range and patrolling the outter limits of a given area to line up an attack just out of sight and then, they will strike, charging with incredible speed and ferocity while being wrapped in magical flames.

As such, werewolves should always be challenged and faced when encountered. To leave them alone is to show them a sign of weakness or cowardice, one that they will be quick to emphasize upon ; remember that they care only for the hunt and see honor or mercy as non-sense. Adventurers should thus never let them out of their sight and seek to attack them first, staying on the move as to not be easy prey. Should other foes be in the way, one should always keep in mind the werewolves' position as to not be surprised.

Some advanced adventurers have noted that if they do have one real weakness, it is that werewolves, once they have begun a charge, are devoted and can't change direction until they hit a surface. Due to this, they will tend to charge diagonally, in odd angles, as to make themselves harder targets. It was however noted that trying to attack them from the front will not scare them off ; they will gladly charge forward if forced to.

As a general rule, werewolves are very dangerous and skilled opponents and should be taken seriously. Whole packs of werewolves are an extreme danger and should be dealt with using upmost caution.