Werewolves

## **Once Bitten:** *the transformation of a werewolf*

* The transformation from a human into a werewolf is painful and, at times, deadly. After a human has been bitten by a transformed wolf, the infection spreads through them. For the first week they are plagued with pain as their body reconstructs themselves from the inside out. When the next full moon hits, the person will begin their first full transformation.
* The first night transformed is painful, and with a lack of mentorship, can lead to the werewolf destroying itself in it’s infancy. However, many werewolves survive this stage and as time goes on, their transformations become less painful; the pain never fades, however, and even ancient werewolves still deal with immense pain when transformed.
* While most werewolves begin from a bite, some unlucky children are born a wolf; this occurs when both parents of the child are cursed with lycanthropy. This is rare, but possible, as the child’s own illness takes years to fully take effect. A born werewolf does not begin their transformations until the age of 10.

## **Myths and Truths:** *the abilities and strengths of werewolves*

* Unlike vampires, werewolves are not inherently immortal; most werewolves have drastically shorter lifespans due to the volatile nature of their disease. However, some werewolves who are lucky (or cursed) may stumble upon ancient spells and totems which imbue the wolves with enhanced abilities, including: immortality and control over their transformation.
* Though werewolves and vampires are opposites and quite deadly to each other, there is not instinct that drives werewolves to specifically attack a vampire. While their scent is not pleasant (as the werewolf can smell the scent of death and blood on them), werewolves are not obligated to uphold a feud.
* Wixen are capable of creating potions and spells that can tame a werewolves transformation; however, the ingredients and the skill needed to create said potions is immense, and not many can acquire the necessary items easily.

## **A Glimpse of Hope**: *the potential cures to lycanthropy*

* There is only one cure for lycanthropy that works without significant backlash or risk: if a person freshly bitten by a wolf is injected with wolfsbane before their body has finished preparing itself (after the first week), then the infection will be destroyed. However, this cure works only once. If the cure is attempted on a second-bitten human, it will ultimately kill the infected.
* Demons have the ability to lift a werewolves curse, however, that results in the loss of the person’s soul, and the individual will be reborn after their death as a demon themselves. Even cured by a demon, a former-wolf will still find their body craving rare meat, and suffering severe pains during the full moon - but they will never transform again.

## **The End:***the weaknesses of a werewolf*

* Werewolves are not invulnerable, and face serious risk from a few substances: the bite of a vampire, wolfsbane, and silver are the most prominent weaknesses.
* Wolfsbane is a poison that will burn a werewolves flesh upon contact, and will destroy a wolf upon ingestion. No transformed wolf has ever survived contact with wolfsbane.
* The bite of a vampire will infect a wolf with the vampiric disease, and the lycanthropy virus cannot overcome the vampire virus without resulting in the death of the werewolf. No cursed human has ever survived a vampires bite.
* Silver acts similarly to wolfsbane, burning a wolves skin (transformed or not). However, contact alone will not kill: the silver must come in contact with the wolves vital organs. Ingesting silver will not kill, but it can lead to severe and permanent handicaps.