Lunarfiends

A lunarfiend is a mortal affected by its periodic transformations, typically influenced by the phases of the moon. These transformations result in a creature that, while retaining a humanoid structure, becomes much larger and more robust. Their entire body becomes covered with a thicker layer of hair, and their eyes emit a menacing glow. The primary and most dangerous trait of a lunarfiend is the intense and uncontrollable rage they experience during their transformed state. This aggression drives them to attack and bite any mortal in their vicinity, making them a significant threat during specific lunar phases.

## Appearance

Most of the time lunarfiends look and act like regular mortals.

In their transformed state however, lunarfiends exhibit a blend of human and bestial characteristics, resulting in a terrifying and formidable appearance. Their stature becomes significantly larger, often towering over the average human, with enhanced muscular definition. This sudden increase in size and mass often leads to their clothing tearing apart, leaving them with tattered remnants of what they were wearing prior to the transformation.

A thick layer of coarse hair envelops their entire body, varying in shades from dark browns to jet black. This hair not only gives them a wild look but also provides a certain degree of protection from the elements. The facial features of a lunarfiend become exaggerated during their transformation: their jaws extend forward, showcasing a set of enlarged, sharp teeth capable of tearing through flesh with ease.

Perhaps the most striking feature is their eyes. During the transformation, a lunarfiend's eyes take on an eerie glow, often described as a fiery or luminescent shade, which can be seen from a distance and is a telltale sign of their presence. These glowing eyes, set against the backdrop of their hulking, hairy figure, create a visage that has been the stuff of nightmares for many who've encountered them.

## Powers and abilities

### Enhanced strength

One of the most immediately noticeable abilities of a lunarfiend is their immense physical strength. They possess the power to break barriers, lift heavy objects with ease, and overpower virtually any opponent they face. This strength is a combination of their increased muscle mass and the magical essence that fuels their transformation.

### Superior agility

Despite their bulky appearance, lunarfiends are surprisingly agile. They can move swiftly, jump great heights, and navigate challenging terrains with a predatory grace.

### Enhanced senses

All of their senses are heightened during their transformation. They can hear heartbeats from a distance, smell the faintest scents, and their night vision is impeccable, allowing them to hunt in complete darkness.

### Durability

Lunarfiends have a heightened tolerance to pain and can sustain injuries that would be fatal to a regular human. This makes them formidable in combat, as they can continue fighting even when severely wounded.

### Regenerative healing

While not immediate, lunarfiends possess a faster healing rate compared to humans. Minor wounds may heal in a matter of hours, and more severe injuries can recover in days. This is the only lunarfiend ability that persists even in mortal form.

### Rage induced stamina

Fueled by an uncontrollable rage during their transformation, lunarfiends can pursue their prey or engage in combat relentlessly, without showing signs of fatigue for extended periods.

### Transformation control

While the transformation is primarily triggered by full moon, some older or more experienced lunarfiends may exhibit a limited ability to control or delay their transformation, although this is very rare.

### Spread the curse

A distinctive and feared ability of the lunarfiend is their infectious bite. Mortals bitten by a lunarfiend, if they survive the encounter, will become lunarfiends themselves, perpetuating the cycle of transformation and rage.

## Weaknesses and vulnerabilities

### Uncontrollable rage

One of the most significant weaknesses of a lunarfiend is their inability to control their anger during transformation. This rage can often lead them into dangerous situations without regard for their own safety. It also means they might harm those they care about in their human form.

### Predictable transformation

Lunarfiends' transformation, in most cases, is tied to full moon, making their transformation times predictable. This allows those who are aware of their nature to prepare or avoid them during these times.

### Limited cognitive abilities

While transformed, lunarfiends do not retain the entirety of their human intellect. Their thoughts are primarily driven by primal instincts, making them susceptible to traps or strategies that play on these instincts.

### Normal vulnerabilities

Lunarfiends can be injured, poisoned, or killed as any mortal can be. And while they can endure more harm than any mortal, they are not invincible and can be overcome with sufficient force or strategy.

## Origins

### First lunarfiend

Tale of lunarfiends started when Sylas Ironclad of Wraithmoor seeking power to exact his revenge, discovered an ancient rite, known today as the Ritual of Malicious Desires. On a moonless night, Sylas invoked this dark ceremony, pleading for the might to reshape his destiny and to punish his adversaries. However the Devil-King twisted his request. Rather than the power he expected, Sylas was transformed into a creature governed by the lunar cycles, consumed by uncontrollable rage during its transformation, and cursed to spread this affliction.

### Spread of the curse

Even though Sylas was killed by angry mob the very next day after his first and only transformation, he managed to bit several peasants without killing them. Those unfortunate mortals met a cruel fate upon the next full moon, undergoing the same agonizing metamorphosis that Sylas did.

As the months progressed, the numbers of lunarfiends grew exponentially. Villages that had once been places of merriment and camaraderie now cowered in fear as night fell. Those who were once friends or family were now potential threats, as the curse could lay dormant until the full moon beckoned it forth.

Tragically, many tried to bind or isolate their afflicted loved ones, hoping to contain the spread. However, the strength and ferocity of a transformed lunarfiend made such attempts futile. Many of these early containment efforts led to even more casualties, further facilitating the spread of the curse.

Travelers, merchants, and messengers unknowingly carried the curse to distant towns and hamlets. As a result, within just a few years, the lunarfiend curse wasn't just a problem for Wraithmoor or its neighboring settlements but became a widespread blight across much of Tormentia.