Lycanthropy

WIP

Lycanthropy is a genetic trait that can be spread through infection, curse, or be inherited. Many believe that Lycanthropy can only be a bad thing, and one infected with the 'curse' of Lycanthropy is without control of their own actions, when, in reality, Lycanthropy has its benefits, and if one infected with Lycanthropy fights hard enough, they can eventually maintain full control of their mind and spirit in their lycanthrope form.

Normally, genetic mutations and evolutions aren't able to be passed from creature to creature, but Lycanthropy was created by a wild magic surge, and as such began as a sort of magical infection that alters ones very DNA, once the infection passes through enough creatures, it will no longer be magical but will function the same, and will no longer be able to be removed with magic such as "dispel magic", not that that ever worked smoothly to begin with. These Lycanthropes may only transform under moonlight, due to the original setting of the wild magic surge that caused this to exist, though the transformation is usually a subconscious thing, caused by an invasive thought or heightened emotion, once they harness control of their mind during the transformation, they will be able to resist transforming by mistake. The strength they posses when transformed depends on what phase the moon is in. Individuals with this variation of Lycanthropy will remember pieces of their time transformed if they have not yet fully harnessed the mutation, upon gaining full control, they will be fully aware, and in control of their actions.

The myth that defeating the original lycanthrope will remove the 'curse' was never true, but there are still people that believe it is.

Inherited Lycanthropy is what happens when a person affected by Traditional Lycanthropy has a child, the child has a chance to inherit the lycanthropy trait, the chance is greater- nearly guaranteed, even- if both parents have Traditional Lycanthropy. A person that has inherited this trait may transform whenever they choose, and has full control over their actions, they may only partially transform during the daytime, unless they are completely obscured from sunlight, such as inside a building with no windows or a cave, if they partially transform in the shade of trees and enter the sunlight, they will be forced revert mostly if not completely, depending on how strong the sun is (in a grassland vs in a desert, for instance) partial transformation, for a mental image lets say under shade it's about 30-50% but in the sunlight it could be as low as 5-15%. Inherited Lycanthropes are slightly smaller and more humanoid when transformed, their strength also depends on the phase of the moon.

Cursed Lycanthropy differs from infected in that it cannot be passed from one to another, the spellcaster must curse more people or creatures in order to have more, and generally has control over these creatures actions, cursed individuals transform when exposed to a full moon, if cast repeatedly on any individual, the duration will increase, possibly becoming permanent until dispelled, but no matter the duration, the person will always wake in their home with a headache and no memory of the night before. This version of Lycanthropy does not change based on the moon, their strength depends on who they are, physically, and doubles, making them nearly as strong as most inherited Lycanthropes, their form is similar in shape but smaller than traditional Lycanthropes. Upon defeating the person that cast the curse, the spell will end and the affected individuals will no longer be cursed with lycanthropy, and it is entirely possible that they may not even find out they were cursed in the first place, if not told or otherwise informed.