Werewolf

'Artist: Kay F.'

**Human Form:**Hight: 5'8-6'3 Feet (Males) 5'6-510 Feet(Females)
(Scalers: Male: 1.013-1.022 Female: 1.000- 1.018)

**Human**Weight: 121- 200Lbs (Males) 114-174Lbs (Females)

Werewolves are humans who can transform themselves into monstrous beasts driven by the power of an ancient curse or blessing, depending on how it is perceived. In its natural form, a werewolf often appears as a normal human, though those who have been afflicted by the curse for a longtime or since birth tend to at time acquire features reminiscent of their, such as glowing eyes or claw-like nails. The forms and shapes they take can vary from a giant dire wolf to a monstrous humanoid, sporting best-like hide and fur, sharp fangs and long claws, with eyes that often glow red or yellow.

Names around the known world

* C**atagory:Hyborian Kingdoms****:** Werewolf
* Nord**heim****:**Ulveskinn
* Cimm**eria****:** Wolf-Skins
* A**rgos****, Corynthia:** Lycanthrope
* A**quilonia****, Nemerdia, Zingara:** Wulf-Ocultar
* H**yberorea****, Border Kingdom, Zamora:** Asmeni
* **Stygia:** Madoub
* Picti**sh Wilderness****:** Mahikan-Pimo
* **Turan, Hyrkania and Himelian Mountains:** Faman 'Wolfman'

## Region

Afflicted Werewolves: Afflicted Werewolves or cursed can be encountered in every part of the world if there are sorcerers capable of cursing a human there. However, the cursed to shift into a wolf rather than being able to shift into the other forms.

Trueborn Werewolves: Trueborn werewolves are born with the werewolf gift/curse and are able to shift into a wolf or humanoid wolf form. They are typical only for some regions of the Hyborian world.

Large Werewolf populace, where Trueborn werewolves are numerous:

* Vanaheim
* Hyperborea
* Border Kingdom
* Nemedia
* Zingara
* Zamorian Marches
* Hyrkania
* Brythunia
* Corinthia
* Pictish Wilderness
* Aquilonia
* Himelian Mountains
* Ghulistan
* Afghulistan

Average to small werewolf populace, where Trueborn werewolves are rare:

* Asgard
* Argo
* Cimmeria
* Turan
* Koth
* Ophir
* Khorajah
* Khauran

Werewolves are very rare or not present at all:

* Shem
* Stygia
* Category:Black Kingdoms
* Xuthal
* Vendya
* Khitai
* Kambujah
* Yamatai

## Origin

It is said that Werewolves were once normal human who were infected by the first werewolf or another of his victims. However, no one knows exactly when and where the first werewolf was created, but it likely happened in the pre-Cataclysm era, about more then 20'000-year BC or even earlier. The original Forefather of most werewolves is possibly Jhebbal Sag, a Pre-Cataclysm god of darkness and primordial fear, once worshiped by all living things. The Children of Jhebbal Sag, born as result of him mating with women in different bestial forms, led to the appearance of many Werebests and hybrids that shared trait of both human and best.

In the Hyborian Age the ideas about how Werewolves are created include many wild fantasies in different cultures. However, all end up being far from the truth. In reality there are two types of Werewolves:

Afflicted: The most common type of werewolves, a human cursed by a god, demon or powerful sorcerer. Afflicted werewolves cannot control their transformations and have to assume their bestial form each night, remaining trapped in it from dusk til dawn. They usually see it as a Vaile curse and become werewolves either because of their enemies or by being tricked while chasing the possibility to become trueborn. Their condition is caused by sorcery and can be dispelled with successful counter rituals. These werewolves can also only assume Direwolf Form and not the Hybrid form.

Trueborn: Only werewolves known as natural or Trueborn ones can change their form at will and can not only change into a dire wolf but also a Hybrid form. They are not forced into a bestial shape each night. They are born as werewolf, receiving the gift of the werewolf from their parents. Usually both parents in that case were born as werewolves as well. Sometime the curse is dormant and can manifest in a child born from perfectly normal and mundane parents. A Trueborn werewolf remains such for their whole life and their condition cannot be dispelled using magic or rituals.

Feral: Both Trueborn and Afflicted Werewolves, if they become bloodthirsty killers rather than hunters, risk succumbing to bloodlust and lose most humanity still left in them.

## Appearance

Werewolves are biologically immortal transgenic, as opposed to other supernaturally immortal beings. Werewolves are carnivore, meaning that they feed on meat. They have even been shown to be somewhat cannibalism, as they will feed off of humans and Vampyrs, despite the close relations they bear to both species.

Werewolves are warm-blooded and have high body temperatures. In their wolf forms they are colorblind; they also do not have whiskers shown on other types of wolves or dogs.

They are highly allergic to silver and their eyes are sensitive to glares of light that come off of silver surfaces.

Like to other Immortals, Werewolves become stronger and more powerful with age, physical and socially. Though other factors can affect their strength such as feeding. Well-fed Werewolves will recover faster than a werewolf who has not fed for some time.

In human form they attend to have enhanced senses like smell, hearing and eyesight and some will even keep obvious wolf-like feature. They attend to have a slight growl to their voices when upset or angered. Male werewolves also often grow thicker facial hair and tend to have thick body hair.

There are two bestial shapes that Werewolves can assume when Trueborn:

* **Direwolf Form:** Werewolf in pure wolf form is often larger than common beasts and retains human eyes and ability to speak. This form is used to travel u-noticed though the wilderness. However, Afflicted werewolves can only shape-shift into this form.
* **Hybrid Form:** A form of anthropomorphic best that a Trueborn werewolf usually assumes for hunt or battle. This monstrous shape has only vague resemblance to a wolf, combining bestial and human traits. It has glowing eyes, large fangs, no tail, walk like humans do, but fights with deadly claws.

Aggressive or self-assertive Werewolves are characterized by their slow and deliberate movements, high body posture, while submissive ones carry their bodies low, flatten their fur and lower their ears and tail (In Direwolf Form).

Werewolves in general possess high survivability and with time heal from even the gravest wounds that would likely cost the life of a regular human, they cannot regrow limbs or remove scars. All injuries inflicted on werewolves in bestial form manifest on its human form and vice versa.

## Transformation

Unlike magical shapeshifting of druids, the transformation that werewolves go through each time is always difficult and painful. Werewolf usually steps out from cloths and if they are too slow to do so those might rip apart. Their jaws grow, bones forcibly elongate and change their shape, sometimes moving so drastically that they rupture the skin, thick hair starts growing on their body with unnatural speed. Sometimes it literally looks like werewolf is ripping their human form apart like a cocoon, leaving behind a puddle of pulverized flesh.

Werewolves do not easily swap between different forms if circumstances force a werewolf to change from one bestial form to another without returning to human appearance between, it costs the werewolf a great amount of effort and internal damage to their body. Each transformation requires a rest before the next transformation can happen.

Afflicted Werewolves are forced into their bestial Direwolf form each night at dusk till down. They can only shift back into human form once morning comes. Unwilling Afflicted may try to resist their nightly shifting, entering a torturous conflict with their curse that at best leaves them damaged and exhausted, but they might be human for the night. Feral's are forever locked into their Direwolf or Hybrid form and may change between without much harm to them.

Werebeasts that are restrained such as being tied up, shackled, or locked in a small cage, cannot shift. Trying or being forced to do so is a painful progress, their body trying to bend and twist in ways it cannot. This always leaves them in the form they were captured in, damaged and exhausted. Shifting while restrained might result in them breaking free.

Sorcerers, witches and anyone who acts as a master of any Werewolf captured or bound by a curse can choose to keep their servant in wolf form by locking an enchanted collar on their neck, removable only through ritual.

## Behavior

* Sound and Scent: In both human and bestial form werewolves communicate, using not only words, but beast-like vocalization, body posture, scent, touch, and taste. Howls are used to assemble packs, to pass on an alarm, to locate each other during a storm, while crossing unfamiliar territory and to communicate across great distances. Just like dogs and wolves, werewolves might even use urination as one of the important forms of scent communication.
* Family First: As with wolves, werewolves can form packs, but can also remain lone wolves. Single werewolves are extremely protective of friends or family and will stand against any threats made towards them. Werewolves are notoriously monogamous, mated pairs often remain together for like. Though should one of the pair die, another mate is usually found quickly. During pregnancy, female werewolves try to remain indoors or in a protected den, unless they need to assist their mate or pack.
* Predator Hunger: Even in human form werewolves' tent to consume more food, drink more booze and crave carnal pleasure more than average people. They are not very picky and exquisite in their tastes, but quite insatiable.
* Wolf Shepherds: Werewolves often possess the ability to speak with wolves and are known to lead and command and whole packs of wild wolves, both human and bestial form, sending their pets to ravage the herds and villages of their enemies.
* Bestial Nature: In bestial form werewolves never use human armor and weapons.

## Reputation

Werewolves are not particularly subtle in hiding their existence from human. For most human cultures the reaction to werewolves is for the most part negative, a mixture of fear and revulsion. Nevertheless, in some regions werewolves are consider almost scared beings, though they are feared no less. Often werewolves try to hunt only animals and keep themselves from tasting human flesh, but only few have enough willpower to withstand the temptation. When werewolves start choosing humans as their preferred prey, it usually means they are on the way to becoming a Feral.

**Hyborian Kingdoms and Zingara**

Werewolves are condemned by the cult of Mitra. Among the allegorical symbol of the cult of Mitra the dog is seen as an emblem of the werewolf. It is considered the symbol of those who pretend to be with Mitra but are not, those who pretend to be a friend of man but who will turn and feast upon them. Those who learn the sixth Mystery of Mitra learn that the dog may represent people who pretend to accept Mitra but who, in truth, do not. Some Mitran saints are believed to turn sinners into werewolves for several years to make them repent. Fornication with werewolf in bestial for is not even considered bestiality, but a form of demonic communion.

While the Zingaran Inquisition denies the existence of vampires and even persecutes those who talk about it, it offers large sums of money for werewolves and relentlessly hunts those down. A usual public execution of a werewolf in Zingara is being skinned alive, which symbolically represents the sin they committed, skin changing. One method of identifying a werewolf in its human form is to cut the flesh of the accused, under the pretense that fur would be seen within the wound.

In Aquilonia there are tales about knights cursed and turned into werewolves by their unfaithful wives. A common belief in Brythunia is that a woman who fornicates with beasts can be visited by a wolf skin-toting spirit. The spirit orders her to wear the wolf skin,which causes him to acquire frightful cravings for human flesh soon after. With her better nature overcome, the she-wolf starts devouring children, starting with her own if she has any. She wanders only at night, with doors and locks springing open at her approach. When morning arrives, she reverts to human form and removes her wolf skin. The transformation is generally said to be unwilling, but some claim that the woman can transform at will.

Various (equally useless) methods are suggested across the Hyborian kingdoms for permanently removing the werewolf form:
— medicinally (usually via the use of wolfsbane) — surgically (usually resulting in subject’s death) — by exorcism performed by Mitran priest.

Argosseans and Corinthians believe in the power of exhaustion in curing people of the Werewolf Curse. The victim would be subjected to long periods of physical activity in the hope of being purged of the curse.

**Nordheim**

In Nordheim the Ulveskinn are Trueborn werewolves, berseker warriors inhuman form and even more terrible monsters in bestial forms. Respected for their qualities on the field of battle, they are nevertheless feared and shunned by other people and usually live alone or in small packs far from settlements, in some cave, only being summoned for large raids. Ulveskinn are chosen champions of Angerboda, Goddess of all wolves and werewolves (see Gods Vanaheim).

Among the Vanir the Ferals are the ones living in the Ironwood at the feet of the Blue Mountains and the Eiglophian mountains, in the rugged and dark pine forest believed to be the domain of Goddess Angerboda. Over the centuries living in this harsh environment the Ferals became in league with Angerboda,thus many are her chosen children – The Ulveskinn.

Asgard has almost no werewolves, for those are associated with [[Angerboda or Ferals. However, there are several small clans of Aesir Trueborn werewolves on the border with Hyperborea that call themselves Wulfer. They were tricked and transformed by Angerboda centuries ago,but refused to warship her and instead chose the Hyperborean bear god Karhun ((see Ursun in Gods Asgard)) as their deity. They bear especially strong hatred against the Feral's.

**Hyperborea and Border Kingdom**

Sorcerers called Asmeni practice the rite of shapeshifting within Hyperborea for centuries. The most known of the Asmeni in Hyperborea was the sorcerer-prince Vseslave of Haloga who even reached the farm lands of Hykania, Iranistan and Turan in his bestial journeys, leaving a trail of slaughtered villages on his way. Local Asmeni's are not considered cursed in Hyperborea, but instead revered as successful in their sorcery. Most Asmeni are trueborn and their Deity is Veles ((see Gods Border Kingdom)).

In Border Kingdom, if a child is born with hair, a birthmark or a caul on their head, they are supposed to possess shapeshifting abilities and be a true born werewolf. Such abilities,as believed, can be also obtained in the infant age, after the suffering of abuse by the parents or by a curse. When the boy or girl leaves the house and goes hunting by new moon night, they can change to a person or wolf whenever they want. Werewolves can also be created by evil witches who themselves possess poison-coated claws and have the ability to paralyze cattle and children with their gaze. A Borderer superstition recalls a werewolf can be recognized by bristles under the tongue.

The curse can be obtained when in adulthood the person passed three times through an arch made of a birch with the help of wild rose's spine covered in black goat's blood, though such werewolf risks becoming an eternal slave to The Black Goat. The Black Goat is notoriously worshiped by the Ophrichniki, the dreaded enforcers of Fabian, self-proclaimed duke of Ravash. The like to decorate the harnesses of their black horses with rotting werewolf heads, dragging along a few of those werewolves they keep alive as guard dogs and pit fighters.

Cimmeria
Cimmerians call werewolves Wolf-Skins. For them the image of a werewolf is associated both with blood-craving raiders from Nordheim, Pictish Wilderness and Border Kingdom and with sorcerer-warriors from Hyperborea. Wolf-Skins are cursed with dark magic in the eyes of Cimmerians but can be a worthy adversary in battle. Wolf-Skins are associated also with ferocity, frenzied behavior, unpredictable and savage animal behavior and martial prowess.

There is on clan of Trueborn Werewolves in Cimmeria though. The Mac Duach originates from a legendary warrior-werewolf named Laignech Faelad. He was said to be the ancestor of the whole tribe of werewolves, who are called 'the descendants of the wolf' and are believed to have the power to change themselves into wolves and go forth to devour people. While the Mac Duach are proud of their ancestor, other Cimmerians claim that he was punished by Crom for daring to ask the Grim God for additional strength and cured to be a werewolf. They are commonly described as wolves, hunting both animals and humans and wear wolf-skins in everyday life as part of their outfit. The Mac Duach clan is considered to be a clan of outcasts. They have no gods and worship only their ancestor.

**Pictish Wildreness**

Picts believe that werewolves are the result of the Wolf totems wrath and called werewolves 'Mahikan-Pimo' which translates to roughly 'Wolf-man'. To avoid the wolf totems wrath, they avoid calling werewolves directly by their name during hunts. They believe that saying 'Mahikan-Pimo' during a hunt can curse you and either summon giant wolves which kill careless hunters or turn you into an afflicted werewolf. A man can also be turned into an afflicted werewolf by a witch.

Trueborn werewolves are present among the members of the wolf tribe,which has a wolf as their totem animal. To the Wolf tribe, the ferocious wolf exemplifies outwitting enemies, loyality,spirit and theability to invisibly pass by dangers. Wolf Picts attacks in packs, often driving their victims overlong distances while making sporadic attacks designed to exhaust their chosen foe and specialize in tracking.

The Wolf tribe is an alliance of many smaller tribes, a confederacy that wasfounded by a Pictsh shaman named Dekanawidah. Only few clans among those include Trueborn werewolves. Wolf Picts hates the Aquilonians almost as much as they hate the Cimmerians, but usually refrain from attacking the border in force, worried such an action would bring about a massive retaliation they would be unable to handle. The werewolves from Wolf Clans, however, will not hesitate to kill small parties of Hyborians that might wander into their neck of the woods. The warriors are among the best of all the Wilderness: brave, silent, stoic and deadly in their wars against neighboring Picts, Cimmerians or Hyborians. They also weave wolf teeth into their hair and ornamentation.

**Stygia, Shemand Black Kingdoms**

In Stygia the wolf-like Madoub are mentioned in scripters as King Sekhemhet's scouts, clearing the way for the army to proceed forward. Likewise, they are said to accompany the Pharaoh on hunts. In Stygian art, a Madoub is depicted as a wolf or as a man with the head of a wolf, usually with grey or white fur. Contrary to Mitran image of werewolf, in Setite tradition werewolves are more of a positive figure, albeit dangerous, a tool of god's and king's justice. Goddess Hathor in her aspect of war and destruction, the horrible Sukhmet, the Fire of Set's eye, is a patron of werewolves beside Vampyres and witches. She is Set’s horrifying avenger, the holy warrior of the ancient Serpent, a nefarious weapon used to destroy those Set deems unworthy of living (see Gods Stygia).

There is no evidence of any werewolves in Stygia and Shem; same goes for Black Kingdoms, despite the local worship of Jhebbal Sag. This is mostly due to the hot climate of those regions, which makes existence both in desert, savannah or tropical jungle barely tolerable for the werewolves. Shem and partially Black Kingdoms, especially Punt, are also regions claimed by Werehyenas.

**Zamora**

Zamorians believe that werewolves have a habit of devouring recently buried corpse and feasting on the field of battles. Werewolves are numerous in Zamorian marches, most of them however are not Trueborn, but afflicted ones, victims of dark curses and sorcery flourishing Zamora, fleeing there to find refuge. It would not be uncommon for a Zamorian to keep a werewolf as an exotic pet or use it as a pit fighter.

Turan, Hyrkania and Himelian Mountains
In Turan, Hyrkania and Himelian Mountians werewolves are considered a symbol of strength, cursed with eternal bloodlust, but worthy of any warrior. Hyrkanians believes that shamans after catching a wolf spirit in other planes of existence can merge with it and become Trueborn werewolves who are voluntarily able to transform into the so-called Faman, which translates to 'Wolf-man'. Only someone truly cunning and strong of will can bound a wild wolf spirit to their body.

Vendhya, Kamduja, Khitai and Yamatai
Vendhyans associate werewolves only with raiders from Himelian Mountains. The believe that wild shapeshifter Shamans from Ghuilstan can use their magic black hair to summon a pack of black wolves or to create new werewolves.

Khitan Chronicles mention the Faman from the Asenai Clan as barbarians mixed with dogs, through such disdain might hide certain fear. The beliefs are fox spirits, Huli jing in Khitai and Kiysune in Yamatai, are not related to werewolves.

Werewolves are apparently not present in the vast eastern territories, know there mostly by vague tales brought with trade caravans. There are several reasons why werewolves possibly do not claim those lands as their home.

Within Khitan Medicine all parts of supernatural creatures are highly valued. Despite the absence of actual werewolves,those beasts are mentioned in several manuscripts providing rare ingredients to increase male potency, give fertility to women and help with hair growth. Which points at the possibility of those few werewolves that tried to live in Khitai and surrounding land ending up being chopped, fried and grind into precious powders.

## Religion

Even if Jhebbal Sag was indeed the force that created first wolf, in the Hyborian Age his open worship is reduced to the lands of Black Kingdoms and Pictish Wilderness, though the primeval seeds planted by the ancient god still exist across all Hyborian world. Jhebbal Sag is worshiped by Wolf Picts together with their totem animal and their ancestors. His rituals involve bloody sacrifices and successful hunt is one of the best ways to praise him.

In Vanaheim the patron deity of all Trueborn werewolves is Angerboda, The Wolf Queen, She of Ironwood, Hag of the Ironwood (see Gods Vanaheim. According to Vanir beliefs, Angerboda is the source from which all wolves and werewolves are sprung.

Angerboda is a cunning shapeshifter that often choose to appear as either a white wolf or a beautiful woman with various animistic characteristics. Her goal is enmity between all of the gods, hence all gods not related to the Lords of Ragnarok is considered an enemy.

There are no ordained priest or priesthood dedicated to Angerboda in a general sense. However, her chosen champions, the Ulveskinn, are dedicated warriors who wear the pelt of a wolf when they enter battle. They are ferocious berserkers in human form and are even more terrible monsters in bestial form as they are able to shapeshift into a great Direwolf or werewolf at will.

There are no particular rituals connected to Angerboda, except for the Ulveskinn to show ferociousness in battle to her glory. This often involves the Ulveskinn to hurl themselves into battle with bloodcraze in their eyes as they invoke her name with their characteristic blood-curdling howls. Both in mid-battle and during the aftermath of a skirmish they are commonly found drinking the blood and eating the steaming hearts of their fallen enemies, as offerings to Angerboda.

Her most notable offspring is known as the Wolfbrood of Angerboda, which are all gargantuan wolves that are destined to play a crucial role during Ragnarok. The beasts that comprise the Wolfbrood of Angerboda are usually venerated by Ulveskinn berserkers alongside her as patrons or role models. The mightiest among the beasts is named Mánagarm(“the Moon-Hound”), followed by Fenrir(“the fen-dweller”) and Veles (“the hairy”).

Hyperborean sorcerer werewolves and the werewolves of Border Kingdom prefer to worship Veles — shapeshifter associated with the forest and the underworld that often choose to appear as a wolf or in some cases as a serpent (see gods-border-kingdom). Veles is a double nature that sometimes assists his worshipers and sometimes behaves in a malicious manner towards them, he cannot be entirely trusted.

The annual rite of Veles befell on the first day of spring- that is a bloody and peculiar one - is like many other rituals carried out at a sacred grove. First, an animal is ritually painted and then slaughtered and skinned. The skin is then stitched to the back of a slave or some other expendable individual who then wears the skin while being chased through the woods by hunters. After getting a head start the hunters then chase down and kill the expendable, bringing back both his head and the animal skin as an offering to Veles. The offerings are then buried along with beverages and food. Should the victim being chased somehow escape it is considered to be an extremely bad omen and a larger blood sacrifice needs to be carried out as compensation.

Use in-game: for Jhebbal Sag – vanilla Jhebbal Sag religion; for Angerboda and her Wolfbrrod, Veles — vanilla Ymir religion as placeholder.

## Powers & Abilities

Werewolves display inhuman physical strength, speed, reflexes, endurance, and agility. These traits seem to apply to Werewolves even when in human form. Even in their human forms, Werewolves also demonstrate other feats of superhuman strength, speed, and agility, such as jumping extremely high and overpowering both humans and other immortals in physical combat.

They possess enhanced senses of smell, hearing, and sight that are superior even to those of wolves, not just humans, and are also able to sense other immortals in close proximity to themselves. It should be noted that when in their Werewolf forms, they are stronger than when in human form, able to break through solid concrete walls, and seem to be stronger than most young Vampyres. Werewolves can also use their claws and strength to scale sheer surfaces. Other abilities include the ability to turn humans into Werewolves through their bite, or possibly through blood transfusion. Some subjects of this do not survive, as the infection or damage caused can worsen due to the turning process.

Their most unique ability is their ability to turn at will, though they usually turn at night. The moon could only affect and forcibly transform a werewolf that had not yet learned to control their transformations, but for full moon which will fully shift them into wolf forms. Their transformations are quick and painless when they are in control but when the werewolf has not learned such control, the transformation is slow and painful, taking several minutes to finish instead of a few seconds like other werewolves. Werewolves also have access to powerful jaws and razor-sharp fangs and claws, making them deadly close-quarters combatants.