Werewolf

A Werewolf (also known as a lycanthrope, wolfman, wolf woman, shape-shifter, or Child of the Moon) is a human being that has the ability to transform into a large wolf at midnight (usually involuntarily and during a full moon) or on command. This is caused by the effects of lycanthropy: the disease that turns a person into a werewolf. Over the centuries, these creatures have been described in various ways, though the most common physical description of these beings is that of a humanoid creature with lupine features: hair all over the body, pointed ears, piercing eyes, a canine muzzle, and clawed digits on both hands and feet. Werewolves are also described as being capable of moving about either on two legs or on all fours with ease.

"Even a man who is pure in heart And says his prayers every night May become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms And the autumn moon is bright."

― Maleva (The Wolf Man)

History of Lycanthropy[]

Lycanthropy is a supernatural/mythological disease (and or curse), with historical sources recorded as early as 1150-1228. In Folklore, a werewolf is a human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf-like creature, either purposefully or against their will; Traditionally, the transformation takes place on a full moon. According to some accounts, the victim becomes vicious and uncontrollable. The infection is often transmitted from bodily fluids, such as saliva, from a werewolf. According to some, a bite from a transformed/ transforming werewolf will turn its victims into werewolves and they will be left with a lifelong scar. Lycanthropy can also be induced as a result of a curse or victims may be born as a werewolf if a parent was already infected.

In most literature, once the disease infects its victim, they will experience their first transformation during the next full moon. Once a werewolf fully transforms, he or she will no longer remember who he or she was. Once a werewolf turns back to human form, they will have no memory of what they did the previous nights.

According to one legend, vampires have almost driven lycanthropes into extinction because the venom of a werewolf could kill a vampire within hours. During the 13th century, vampires who formed powerful covens saw werewolves as a threat to their existence and began hunting them down all across Africa and Eurasia. Only werewolves in the Indian subcontinent and south-east Asia survived.

Mythology[]

The exact origins of the werewolf tale are currently unknown. Some scholars believe the werewolf made its debut in The Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest known Western fable of a wolfman, when Gilgamesh abandoned a potential lover due to her previous history of transforming her mate into a wolf. The werewolf was also seen in Greek mythology with the Legend of Lycaon. In this myth, a man and his son were transformed into that of a wolf after angering Zeus. In traditional mythology, there were many variants of the werewolf folktales. Originally in mythology, the werewolf was commonly associated with witches. The two common ways to achieve the form of a werewolf was through a curse from a witch or an infection. Similar to trials of witchcraft, in the medieval era, there were trials of werewolves that emerged in what is now present-day Switzerland. This began in the 15th century and peaked in the 17th, spreading all through the European continent, before dying out in the 18th century. Many infamous werewolves came about during the 16th century. Some of the more popular ones came about in France, often known for their crude and cruel behaviour of cannibalism and murder of children. This was integrated into the phenomenon commonly known as the "Witch Hunt". During the very early stages of the lycanthropy fables, werewolves were also associated and accused of wolf riding and charming in some variants. In some countries, these accusations and persecutions of wolf charmers lasted long after 1650, the final recorded cases in the 18th century. After the end of the "Witch Hunt" and various other supernatural trials, the werewolf became a common interest in the gothic horror of the 20th century and eventually, a common love interest in the 21st with the release of novels and movies akin to that of Twilight. Also, in Slavic Mythology, people with birthmarks were thought to be werewolves.

Silver: The concept of werewolves being susceptible to silver was only introduced in the 20th century, with a few exceptions. The question of whether or not silver is harmful to a werewolf is highly debated. It is commonly thought that silver may burn the skin of a werewolf, act like mercury to a human and cause poisoning, or be lethal in one way or another when coming into contact with a lycan.

Werewolves in modern fiction[]

The process of transmogrification is portrayed in many films and works of literature to be painful. The resulting wolf is typically cunning but merciless, and prone to killing and eating people without compunction, regardless of the moral character of the person when human. The form a werewolf takes is not always an ordinary wolf, but is often anthropomorphic or may be otherwise larger and more powerful than an ordinary wolf. Many modern werewolves are also supposedly immune to damage caused by ordinary weapons, being vulnerable only to silver objects (usually a bullet or blade). This negative reaction to silver is sometimes so strong that the mere touch of the metal on a werewolf's skin will cause burns. Current-day werewolf fiction almost exclusively involves lycanthropy being either a hereditary condition or transmitted like a disease by the bite of another werewolf. More recently, the portrayal of werewolves has taken an even more sympathetic turn in some circles. With the rise of environmentalism and other back-to-nature ideals, the werewolf has come to be seen by some authors as a representation of humanity allied more closely with nature.

Jack Williamson's Darker Than You Think (1948) presents an excellent example of the disembodied or psychic projection of a werewolf.

Terry Pratchett brings the sympathetic and monstrous werewolf traditions together in his Discworld series, notably The Fifth Elephant and Thud!. Both novels provide some focus on Constable/Sergeant Angua and her family.

J. K. Rowling has added her voice to the tradition as well with Remus Lupin and Fenrir Greyback in the Harry Potter series (books 2-6 and Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them).

Kelley Armstrong started her Women of the Otherworld series with a female werewolf. She combined the elements of both the "disease" and hereditary conditions. In the Otherworld series, one could become a werewolf by bite. The werewolf "gene", though, is only passed along to the male offspring. Books narrated by the werewolf Elena (so far) are Bitten, Stolen, and Broken. No longer available for download, but soon available in book-form, are the novellas that are also werewolf narrated: Savage, Ascension, Beginnings, and a couple of short stories in the Otherworld Tales 2005.

In Len Wiseman's films Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, the werewolves are portrayed as the archenemies of the vampire clan, as well as the former slaves of the vampires. People could become werewolves by bite, though only a few would survive it. The second film also reveals that the nowadays werewolves were evolved from their primaeval form, which portrayed them as wild beasts and merciless killers. The films speculate the first werewolf and vampire were brothers, who were separated, when Victor, one of the vampire lords, captured the werewolf and gave the order to lock him up in a dungeon.

USA TV series Teen Wolf portrays a high school student who becomes a werewolf and uses his powers to accomplish a lot of good things, apart from some silly mischief.
In Cassandra Clare's multiple book series full of the world of ShadowHunters there are many werewolves. In The Mortal Instruments Luke and his gang are werewolves. But I don't know about any other series in the ShadowHunters world because I haven't read them yet. The books are good btw :)

Lycanthropy Infection/Transformation[]

Most werewolves were originally human before becoming infected with the werewolf curse. This happened when they were scratched or bitten by a transformed or transforming werewolf. Upon being infected, the person will be left with a lifelong scar.

After a person is infected with the werewolf's curse, some will transform at the next full moon. On every full moon, the werewolf will excruciatingly transform from their human form to wolf form, then revert to human form by the next morning. The transformation is apparently triggered by the gravitational pull of the full moon, in an identical manner to sea tides rising. Other werewolves have control over when they transform and it can be excruciating if it’s the first time and a full transformation; though usually it’s just easier to transform on a full moon and you are stronger. Usually, the first transformation is just around the hands and feet and you won’t see fur right away.

After reverting to human form the morning after the night of the full moon, a werewolf might retain some memory of their time in wolf form, and they may be able to remember some of the emotions that they felt. In addition, some can control their transformation. They can choose to shift on the full moon or not and they would have full transformation control. Some werewolves can shift at will, but this requires a lot of training and emotional control. After the first transformation, the body of the werewolf would be enhanced (increase in muscle mass and hair sprout, the full development of physiological character, etc).

Born with the Werewolf's Curse[]

If a child is born with a werewolf parent, he or she will be infected with the werewolf's curse and thus become a werewolf. This can happen when the disease can be transferred or passed onto a child born with a werewolf parent.

Mythical/Cursed Objects[]

In early mythology, some werewolf transformations were due to mythical or cursed objects that granted the user some form of dramatic wolf shifting powers. Some common objects were things like wolf pelts, sashes, cloaks, and various other forms of clothes often made of wolf pelt.

Other Means[]

Some people reported becoming a werewolf through means such as deals with demonic figures and drinking rainwater from a wolf's paw prints. In some mythology, it was thought that the seventh son was doomed to become a werewolf.

Characteristics[]

Diet[]

Werewolves are carnivorous creatures. They require flesh to survive, raw, or cooked. A werewolf must eat meat. If they don't consume fresh food, they will grow weak, go out of control, and eat humans or anything in their way. In their animal form, they prefer raw meat or overcooked meat. They can also eat people and children including teens

Lifestyle[]

Werewolves do not stay in one place they are always on the move; the longest is at most 15 years. Otherwise, they may run the risk of being caught. This is because they are noticed by not ageing, and this may cause suspicion among people. After extinction in the 13th century, most werewolves lived in packs controlled by an Alpha. The Alpha is basically the head of a family or pack. Travelling in groups is much safer than living alone because of the threat of vampires. They like to live in countries with less media attention so that they can stay there for a long time.

After extinction, the number of werewolves is extremely low. But werewolves repaid the vampires by destroying half of the vampire population in an era of exploration. To date, there are very few werewolves, but werewolves and vampires regained their numbers and entered the temporal periphery.

X1080 — Claws and pawpads on a werewolf's hand

Powers and Abilities[]

Werewolves have many superhuman physical processes. They are often referred to as werewolves (Old English: werewolf, "man-wolf"), wolfman/woman and occasionally lycanthropes. and in some cultures, werewolves are seen as protectors who guard livestock and the citizens of their homes/villages.

Full Moon: Werewolves are at their physical peak during a full moon (or 50+% of the moon, sometimes). Werewolves usually shift at night. However, not all werewolves shape-shift unwillingly; some shift at will and can even decide to not shift at all. Certain werewolves have the desire to shift when the full moon has risen (in modern-day fiction, some shift when threatened, in danger or emotional).
Shape-Shifting: Werewolves can shape-shift into a bipedal wolf from or partially shift.
Superhuman Strength: Werewolves possess strength beyond that of both humans and wolves. They are stronger than vampires during a full moon.

Superhuman Speed: Werewolves possess speed beyond that of humans and wolves, but are as fast as a vampire. Their common speed in human form is a 30 mph range. They can reach 45 mph in a partial shift. In bipedal werewolf form, it is believed that they can reach speeds of more than 90 mph. In their actual wolf form, their speed exceeds 100 mph.
Lycanthrope Enhancement: Werewolves can show off their yellow eyes, fangs, and claws by partially shifting. This can also affect the human form, making the body more muscular.

Regenerative Healing Factor: Werewolves heal very fast from wounds and are able to regrow severed body parts. They are immune to all kind of illness and ailments. In some cases, wolfsbane and silver slow down the healing process and burn the outer skin, creating rashes. If wolfsbane is injected into a werewolf's system, it may have some consequences. Werewolves cannot be killed by a bullet to the heart, lungs, or brain.
Superhuman Durability: Werewolves can withstand superhuman strikes and attacks without any lasting effect or injury. They seem to be unaffected by gunshots, knife wounds, torso impalement, etc. They recover from such attacks almost instantly. The density of their body is strong enough to dent steel and rip a subway car door from its steel hinges without any ailment to the werewolf.
Superhuman Stamina: Werewolves have enhanced stamina which allows them to perform physical activities for a very long period of time without getting worn out or exhausted.

Superhuman Senses: Werewolves possess heightened senses of sight, smell, and hearing, inherent in all wolves.

Night Vision: Werewolves can see in total darkness, which allows them to see everything in colour and clarity. When they use night vision their eyes glow.
Fangs and Claws: Werewolves have razor-sharp claws and teeth that can slice or bite through human and vampire flesh, wood, and metal. They can use their bite to infect other people with the curse and turn them into werewolves. In some literature, they can also infect people via scratch.

Superhuman Agility and stamina: Werewolves possess highlighted flexibility, agility and stamina beyond that of both humans and wolves. They can engage in physical activities for prolonged periods of time without exhaustion.
Superhuman Reflexes: Werewolves have greatly enhanced reflexes than normal humans which allows them to dodge most attacks.
Wall-Crawling: Some werewolves have the ability to, use their sharp claws to climb or scale sheer surfaces.
Immortality: Certain werewolves possess immortality, preventing them from dying of age and from natural causes.
Lie Detection: Werewolves can sense if anyone is lying or untruthful to them. This ability only works on humans and vampires.
Immunity to Vampire Venom: Werewolves are immune to vampires venom. To both, it's paralyzing and contains pain-producing properties.
Animal Respect: Animals don't attack a werewolf. Wolves and other canine creatures even bow down before werewolves.
Empathy: Being that werewolves' senses are so strong, they developed the ability to sense other's emotions through touch. With time this power grows stronger. This is used to sense a person's true intentions and if they are lying or not. At first, this ability can be very annoying and hard to control, as they can sense everyone's emotions without meaning to.
Pain Transference - Werewolves can absorb and alleviate pain from other people/creatures and can "heal" in some cases.

Weaknesses[]

Arrows: When werewolves are shot with arrows they cannot heal until the arrow is removed and it is extremely painful.
Wolf Aconite (Wolfsbane): Wolf Aconite acts as a poison. It weakens werewolves and their healing factors slow down. In some cases, long term exposure equals death.
Neck: A serious neck injury leads to the death of a werewolf.
Dismemberment: This can be a more efficient way to kill werewolves.
Hemicorporectomy: Cutting a werewolf in half kills them instantly.
Burning: One of the various traditional ways to kill a werewolf was with fire.
Silver: Werewolves are burned by the touch of silver. If silver pierces a werewolf's skin while in wolf form, it will grow weak and revert back to its human form.
Decapitation: Werewolves can be killed by decapitation.

Remedies[]

Various methods have existed for removing the werewolf form. In antiquity, the Ancient Greeks and Romans believed in the power of exhaustion in curing people of lycanthropy. The victim would be subjected to long periods of physical activity in the hope of being purged of the malady. This practice stemmed from the fact that many alleged werewolves would be left feeling weak and debilitated after committing depredations.

In medieval Europe, traditionally, there were three methods one can use to cure a victim of werewolfism: medicine (usually via the use of wolfsbane), surgery, or exorcism. However, many of the cures advocated by medieval medical practitioners proved fatal to the patients. A Sicilian belief of Arabic origin holds that a werewolf can be cured of its ailment by striking it three times on the forehead or scalp with a knife. Another belief from the same culture involves the piercing of the werewolf's hands with nails. Sometimes, less extreme methods were used. In the German lowland of Schleswig-Holstein, a werewolf could be cured if one were to simply address it three times by its Christian name, while one Danish belief holds that simply scolding a werewolf will cure it. Conversion to Christianity is also a common method of removing werewolfism in the medieval period. A devotion to St. Hubert has also been cited as both cure for and protection from lycanthropes. Rolling in dew is also said to cure the Werewolf.[1]