Rev February 2014
Isle of Dee

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Lycanthrope:
” One of man who can transform themself into a animal. “

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* Introduction *

Gaia sought to create a guardian, one that was fierce and powerful but yet delicate of mind and nature to protect her gardens. From the thought came the birth of Garou, a race that could harness the spirit of the wolf for his power, speed, cunning and leadership; Yet have loyalty for family and love for his home.

What Gaia had not expected however, is that from Garou came the creation of Werewolves. Through a discovered ritual, the Garou kin had found a way to create such creatures that were almost exactly like them, yet less powerful and could only harness a few of the pureblood’s talents. These creatures would be considered Gaia’s bastards in the eyes of the goddess but are mostly accepted with open arms from their kin.

Here in Dee, the wolfkin are proud and slightly isolated. They view themselves highly as a ancient race and most take protecting the Mother’s forests very seriously. They are the claws and fangs of the forest and definitely are force to be reckoned with.

Watch your back when traveling…. ~

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* The Variety *

Types of Lycanthropes in Dee

– Garou:

The most common Lycanthropes in Dee are the Garou.

These are Gaia blessed children who are the guardians of the forest.
Garou are proud, full blooded or ‘purebred’, ancient canine beings in human shape. They are typically born to parents who are two purebred Garou and have the ability to shift into Bipedal wolves as well as Quadriped wolves after they come of age, this being normally around 13.

*It is very rare for a child to harness his wolf before puberty but it isn’t impossible.

They are territorial, protective, mainly tribal, with a strong strive for dominance, impatient and easy to anger.

Most Garou understand themselves as chosen guardians of Gaia.
Though they appear human when not in their wolven form, they are considered to be intelligent but feral beings. They live and hunt in the forest, are fierce fighters, naturally aggressively defending their territory that they strive to expand, and most distrustful towards other races and despising all that is considered against nature, like demonic and undead creatures.

Garou originally live in packs, following an alpha wolf. Though it is not uncommon for some Garou not to be born of pack and in other scenerios do not live with or accept their native lifestyle. Garou can live within other societies though their race is sometimes looked down upon and are considered monstrosities. It all depends on the situation.

HABITAT:
The forest with their pack as well as the den, though some may find other caves away from the den for a home away from the pack.

LANGUAGE:
In their humanoid form, they can speak whatever languages they have learned, but once they have turned into their were or full wolf forms, speech becomes difficult as their body has literally changed, including the voice box. That is not to say that they can no longer communicate with each other. Were’s have long ago established a language that they can understand, though to all other races it sounds like guttural growls and barks.

FORMS:
Garou can have three forms.
Humanoid, Crinos (were form), or Lupus (wolf) .

Racial Strengths: In and out of wolf forms

– Higher than average physical strength in Crinos form, Though most Garou are physically stronger than a average human even out of Crinos.

– Regeneration, Garou in any form but human regenerate their wounds quicker than humans recover. In quad form they heal roughly twice as fast as humans and in crinos form they heal all but the most greivious of wounds in a relatively short time. Some older wolves will actually stay in wolf form to help prolong their lives.

– Preternaturally cunning in both Crinos and Lupus forms

– Fast runners, excellent jumpers in both Crinos and Lupus forms (No enhancers allowed; sl jumping is already of supernatural proportions)

– Enhanced senses, [Hearing, Smell, and sight] and tracking skills.

– Natural weapons in the form of claws and teeth, multiplied by the muscles of the beast and the higher aggression create a perfect killing machine as needed.

– Resistance to Mind/Emotional Control, The inner rage garou possess tends to flare up when outside influences touch their mind. This is not a fool proof thing however and can be worked around by careful methods. Trying to blatantly control a garou’s mind or emotions will result in their rage exploding forth as a result. Which can lead to a frenzy.

– Sensitive to spirits/undead, Garou are naturally intuned with spirits and can sense when there is a imbalance in the air or a spirit is present.

Racial Weaknesses: In and out of wolf forms

– Silver allergy. Wounds caused by silver or even if introduced to a Garou’s body system, [Ex: Through digestion, inhaled… a coin shoved in a open wound.] Will result in poison. Most cases of silver poisoning results in death of the Garou. This will also drain them of their strength, endurance and agility.

– Wariness of fire in Crinos/lupus form
– Preference for cover of darkness when in crinos/lupus form as the moon fills their souls and their hunting instincts are at a peak. Daylight usually leads them to their den.

– Hot temper, easy to offend/easy to provoke their rage in all forms.

– Claustrophobic, open spaces are not their forte and beware those who enter their domain after dark uninvited and with intent to harm even in the slightest measure.

– Weakness to the full moon, Most young and even middle aged Garou cannot control themselves during the full moon and the strong the moon is, Blood moon/Blue moon, the worst it is. During these nights, the pack usually has a high blood lust and are highly aggressive. They will hunt anything that moves. Older wolves that have a deep connection with their spirit can usually control themselves but will seem irritated and more out of it, as well as more prone to subcumming to their inner rage.

– Wolf’sbane, like silver is a poison used agains’t Garou though it is not as strong. The smell of it will make any Garou sneeze and turn the other way. Being the presence of Wolf’sbane can cause running nose and eye watering… Skin contact can result in irritation and rash. Digestion or exposure to open wounds can result in fatigue, fever and even death in worst cases.

* Some humans will hang bundles of Wolf’sbane outside their homes to ward away Garou on the night of the full moons.

Garou Fun Facts:

Garou have a hotter than normal body temperature even in their human form.
They are predators and scavengers, and have powerful jumping legs.
Their spit is disinfectant and has great healing powers for their own kind and some of them have- due to being attuned to the goddess high mental and telepathic strength that allows them a high skill as spiritual healers.

Garou are fairly long lived, Gaia has blessed them with longevity and if not killed in battle, which is rare, they can live to be over a century old.

Garou live by the claim that embracing violence grants victory by default. Death is ever a part of life as in going to the Mother is in itself a reward.
They are bad as diplomats due to their impatience and wont hold back when the time for talking ends and the time for fighting begins. When they do choose to fight, the Garou are powerful warriors, strengthened by their commitment to the Mother.

The tribe shares a vision of Gaia as a loving, bountiful Mother. The Garou rightly predict an everlasting wedge between humans and Garou. Though most Garou still wish to negotiate with humans and enlighten them before it is too late, even the most optimistic Garou wonder if the time for peace is past.

While they consider their wereform – a powerful two legged wolf, embodying rage and primal instinct with their eyes showing a spark of unnatural high intelligence- to be the natural form, they are more likely mostly seen in their human or wolven form. They shift to Wereform or quadroped by full moon, in extreme anger, when the tribe is in any specified need (e.g hunting) and per demand.

– Werewolves:

The more rare, yet more well known in mythology are the Werewolves.

Werewolves or nicknamed ‘Lycans’, are ‘made’ or have traveled to Dee on occasion, but like their cousin’s the Garou, are surely quite aware of people’s uneasy and jumpy behavior around them, making life in certain situations a bit more difficult if living outside of a welcoming pack.

Given that werewolves were human in their beginnings and had been changed either through a bite from another lycan on the Blood moon, or choose to take part in a ritual consisting of eating human entrails, are often considered to be far more savage and dangerous. Or in better words… Unpredictable.

Many of this curse have looked to joining the pack as most become social outcasts in their former lives, as well as the instinctual drive to be with their kin. Within the group they find others who understand them, a higher chance of survival, and protection. Once joined, they are taught the ways of the Garou and should follow the reigning lead, or Alpha. Any, Garou or Lycan who choose to not follow the Alpha will be challenged and possibly removed from the pack. Rarely does a disbute ever end in death, as it is not the way of the wolf and most know or will accept defeat if it is deserved.

HABITAT:
Depending where their original human lived, but over time may be
drawn to the forests.

GODDESS:
Varied

FORMS:
Lycans can have two forms.
Humanoid, or Crinos (were form).

Racial Strengths: In and out of wolf forms

– Higher than average physical strength in Crinos form, Though most Lycans are physically stronger than a average human even out of Crinos.

– Fast runners, excellent jumpers in both Were and Wolf forms (No enhancers allowed; sl jumping is already of supernatural proportions)

– Excellent sense of smell, and tracking skills- Enhanced senses, [Hearing, Smell, and sight] and tracking skills.

– Natural weapons in the form of claws and teeth, multiplied by the muscles of the beast and the higher aggression create a perfect killing machine as needed.

Racial Weaknesses: In and out of wolf forms.

– Silver allergy. Wounds caused by silver or even if introduced to a Were’s body system, [Ex: Through digestion, inhaled… a coin shoved in a open wound.] Will result in poison. Most cases of silver poisoning results in death of the Werewolf. This will also drain them of their strength, endurance and agility.

– Wariness of fire in Crinos/lupus form

– Preference for cover of darkness when in Were form as the moon fills their souls and their hunting instincts are at a peak. Typically they are in their natural Human form in daylight.

– No mental defense against mind-control in either were form.

– Claustrophobic, open spaces are their forte and beware those who enter their domain after dark uninvited and with intent to harm even in the slightest measure

– Memory loss – Since lycanthropy is not natural to the human and in most cases a disease, the human will often not remember having shifted into a lycan nor what they did in that form at first. Over time this may change with flashes of confusing memories then full control and memories. This will happen quicker with teaching from the garou pack.

– Lower Intelligence – In lycan form there is mainly instincts and rage, leaving the once human intellect behind. They are primal and savage, specially in the newly changed. Over time, and with teachings the Lycan can learn to control this and become more aware intellectually when shifted.

– Weakness to the full moon, Most young and even middle aged Lycans cannot control themselves during the full moon and the strong the moon is, Blood moon/Blue moon, the worst it is. During these nights, the pack usually has a high blood lust and are highly aggressive. They will hunt anything that moves. Older wolves that have a deep connection with their spirit can usually control themselves but will seem irritated and more out of it, as well as more prone to subcumming to their inner rage.

– Wolf’sbane, like silver is a poison used agains’t Lycans though it is not as strong. The smell of it will make any Werewolves sneeze and turn the other way. Being the presence of Wolf’sbane can cause running nose and eye watering… Skin contact can result in irritation and rash. Digestion or exposure to open wounds can result in fatigue, fever and even death in worst cases.