Lycanthrope

DM’s Guide to lycanthropy

The full moon rose and shone forth with all its light, and yet still Elhand did not turn. The assembled crowd murmured uncomfortably, confused. We struck him down all the same, for the spirit of blood and justice surged through us. Elhand cackled as the blood poured from his wounds and with his dying breath shout out, ‘I die, guiltless, while my accusers hide from the full moon.’ It was true that neither Brelove nor Leoril stood among the crowd. There shall be more blood yet before this town cleanses itself of the werewolves

Introduction

The curse, or blessing depending on interpretation, of Lycanthropy has been observed throughout history and across every mortal plane. If it came from anywhere, its origins are lost in time. Some consider it a natural part of the mortal condition that some are affected. Other heretical histories of the gods claim that all lycanthropes are a creation of Melora, and react to both moonlight and silver due to a feud between Melora and Sehanine Moonbow, but the nature of the feud as well as Melora’s purpose in creating lycanthropes are not well explained in these accounts.

Regardless of where the curse came from, it can affect any humanoid being. They could be anyone, anywhere. Those afflicted may or may not be aware of their condition; those aware may or may not be able to control their bestial impulses. Those impulses are animalistic and evil, compelling the victim to hunt and kill. Good people with some control over their transformation carry with them the risk of losing control and committing atrocities, so prefer to remain isolated from normal society. Those who embrace the evil of their curse have significantly fewer scruples in this regard.

Physiological Observations

Lycanthropy is most famously passed on as a curse by being bitten by a lycanthrope, but some are born. Any child born to a parent who has the curse inherits it themselves. While a remove curse spell can heal a lycanthrope who inherited their curse by bite, a natural lycanthrope can only be cured by a wish.

Lycanthropes can take on any of three forms, depending on the situation. Most remain in their humanoid form until the light of the full moon transforms them. Some can control this transformation to occur at will. As humanoids, they appear normal in every way. The longer an individual lives with the curse, however, the more they begin to take on aspects of their transformation even in their humanoid form. Werebears will grow large, muscular, and hairy in their humanoid forms, Wererats will appear small and nervous with wiry hair, and the Werewolf become sleekly muscular with sharp teeth.

The second form is that of the animal they are cursed as, be it tiger, bear, wolf, rat, or other. In their animal form they are clearly not natural, growing to significantly larger sizes than any common or even dire beast. Moreover, their eyes will glow red with a malicious intelligence. This is the least common form most lycanthropes take on, taking on the form to gather packs of common beasts or for utility and ease of movement not afforded their larger, more conspicuous forms.

The third form is a hybrid between the two, combining man and animal into a terrifying monstrosity larger and more powerful than either. As a hybrid, they generally remain standing on two feet, can wield weapons in addition to gaining natural weapons such as teeth and claws, and are capable of speech. The curse may be transmitted to a victim from biting or clawing attacks in either of the latter two forms.

Social Observations

Lycanthropes who are aware of their condition tend to gather in groups similar to how their animal name sake might gather. Werewolves and Wereboars tend to gather into packs in the wilderness, while Wererats will do the same in urban environments. Werebears and Weretigers tend to live solitary lives far from civilization, rarely ever living in any grouping larger than a small family if that.

Those unaware of their condition continue to attempt to live normal lives, and generally manage to do so. When the full moon rises, however, they transform and become a threat to their communities. The transformed lycanthrope will attempt to find a safe and secret place to retransform prior to the rising of the sun. After these nocturnal episodes, the victim will often have vague recollections of the atrocities they committed at night, and assume they were nightmares.

Behaviorial Observations

Regardless of their animal namesake, lycanthropes are intelligent creatures with all the cunning of both their human and animal halves. In their uncontrolled transformed forms, all lycanthropes are consumed by bloodlust and the desire to hunt. Even the oldest and most experienced lycanthropes have difficulty controlling these urges, which is why so many either exile themselves from society or embrace and harness the evil within themselves.

This is not to say that they pursue their prey blindly and without concern for their own wellbeing. Lycanthropes use their animal cunning and humanoid intelligence to stalk, separate, and kill their prey with the methodical precision of experienced hunters. They are strong and powerful, more so than a normal beast, but wait for situations where they can employ their might discretely and effectively. The first time a person transforms after receiving the curse is often the wildest, and tales of bloody rampages almost always involve the newly cursed, but these are exceptional and rare cases. Pack animals like Werewolves, Wererats, and Wereboars will use group tactics to chase down and isolate single targets before closing in for the kill. Individual hunters such as Werebears will attempt to injure and wear down their prey through exhaustion before landing the killing blow, and Weretigers are particularly fond of ambush.

Inter-Species Observations

Lycanthropes are generally reviled by normal society, and rightly so for their tendency towards bloodlust and violence. They must either leave their communities or maintain their secret.

Each type of lycanthrope is also quite familiar with the mundane versions of their animal. Werewolves will often lead packs of wolves and dire wolves, and the same goes for Wereboars and Wererats. This sort of arrangement makes the animals doubly dangerous, as their leader has a human intelligence to guide their tactics. As pack animals, they are more likely to want to spread their curse and thus enlarge their pack. However, they are likely to target those humanoids which appear weaker, killing the strong outright, since they will not want their leadership over the pack challenged.

The more solitary versions, such as Werebear and Weretiger, are far less likely to establish a rapport with other animals, and are much more careful about passing on their curse. Weretigers are especially solitary and reluctant to initiate new Weretigers. Werebears are generally good beings, and pass on their lycanthropy to other protégées who similarly want to act as wardens for the forest, but there are exceptions.

Anything which is not part of their pack is considered prey for the lycanthrope. They are aware of their own capabilities and will not hunt a superior foe, so like their animal namesakes prefer to hunt the easier targets. However, while other animals are valid prey, during the bloodlust of a full moon, they prefer to hunt humanoids.

DM's Toolkit

• Lycanthropy can be cured by a remove curse spell, a third level spell available to Clerics, Warlocks, and Wizards at 5th level, Bards at 6th (Lore) or 10th (Valor) through Magical Secrets, and Paladins at 9th level. So long as the party does not have access to this spell, fighting with lycanthropes of any sort carries the risk of catching the curse. The roleplaying possibilities are abundant for these situations.

• Because of this threat, lycanthropes are most dangerous and best utilized at the early levels. The pack animals such as Werewolves remain threatening well afterwards due to the power of numbers, and can add additional threat to wilderness encounters above Dire animals. But pay attention to your party, mid-level adventurers who missed their chance to gain access to remove curse are still vulnerable.

• It is cliché, but the hunt for a Werewolf terrorizing the village who does not know their own crimes is a classic standby to turn a sleepy town into a one-shot adventure. Even at later levels where the actual killing of the Werewolf once found might be easy, the intrigue and mystery of lycanthropes living secretly within society is a powerful plothook.

• Wererats are often found in cities where they run often run criminal organizations or gangs, inducting new members into the group by infecting them. They could be a rival of the local thieves’ guild or perhaps a secret (or not) circle within the thieves’ guild itself. Their reach can and should extend well beyond their challenge rating.

• Wererats do not have to be the only society of lycanthropes. A well-known example is the Circle of the Companions in Skyrim, where people try to harness the power of being a Werewolf in their capacity as mercenaries. The social characteristics of Werebears would mix well with a Ranger or Druid organization, or possibly even the Harpers if you want to put a new spin on them.

• The Were- template can be applied to most any sort of animal to create a new breed of lycanthropes. These could be dangerous threats, such as Werespiders or Weresharks, or light-hearted foes like Werecats or Werehumans. That very friendly and eager peasant the bard took back to his room last night could turn out to be the innkeeper’s mastiff, who is afflicted with Werehumanism. Better roll a Constitution saving throw to see if the Bard has picked up a form of lycanthropy.