View source for The Werewolf - Pacados

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The werewolf takes many forms and shapes; there are the birth-wolf, the Garou, the half-wolf, Lycanthropes, devils, demons, and virus. The latter is what will be covered in this book, written humbly by Faros el-Trefoil Pacados.

====What is a werewolf?====

'wir-"wulf, 'wer-, 'w&r-; n. A person transformed into a wolf or capable of assuming the form of a wolf. A rather dry and muddy 'official' meaning. As stated before, there are many types of werewolves, many ways to become one, and focusing on them all would be a grand waste of time. So instead of focusing on Canis wer lupus, I will instead focus on the virus Sanies Lupinus.

====Sanies Lupinus====

Those afflicted with Sanies Lupinus are perhaps unique amoung the werewolves as being the only branch of lycanthropy unable to change at will. The disease is transfered almost uniquely through the bloodstream by a bite, the spittum containing the only infectious micro-organisms in the werewolf's body. Once bitten, the victim will experience terrible fever, hallucination, hot and cold flashes, and finally a deathly pallor. As the next full moon approaches, he will finally gain some semblance of his former self; in fact, appearing more rigorous and healthy than he was any time in his life, though it is noted that the fever remains.

Many things will be experienced at this stage, one confusing and terrifying to both the victim and those around him; the werewolf himself will become more heightened, more aware of his surroundings; his sense of smell becomes more pronounced, his eyesight and nightvision improved. The eve of the full moon he may become violent, destructive, or even emotional, perhaps despair and hopelessness, if he recognizes the symptoms or was aware that it was a werewolf that bit him. Attempted suicide is common at this time, though it often proves unsuccesful. Though the healing rate is not yet accelerated at this point, it is still rather difficult to kill the werewolf-to-be without silver.

====The Transformation====

It is always the night of the full moon a Sanies Lupinus victim will transform; he can do so no other time, and the change, as mentioned before, is involuntary. Self-injury is expected as the victim's spasms inculde trying to tear himself apart, perhaps a reaction to the described feeling that goes along with the transformation. Bones and muscles seem to actually snap, instead of simply morphing magically as had been previously assumed. The werewolf is covered in dark peachfuzz, save for the head, hump, tail, and groin area; somewhat facinatingly, the hair remains the same color as the man's previous form. The snout is not unlike a wolf's, though teeth are more pronounced, the eyes amber, and the overall shape of the skull remaining human-like. The ears change little, save for elongingment; it almost looks [[elf|elvish]] in appearance. The claws have been observed to not be very dextrious, and therefore are accurately more portraid as "paws" instead of hands, unlike the Wolfman and Garou versions of Lycanthropy (SEE footnotes, pg. 234). For a more accurate picture, it is advised that reader directs themselves to page 394 of this book, for full-color pictures of dissection performed on the observed subject.

====Identification====

After a werewolf's first transformation, there are a few ways to pinpoint the nature of his condition. Unlike other branches of lycanthropy, a werewolf infected with the Sanies Lupinus disease is almost ridiculously easy to pick out. He may retain some features of his true form; the tail and claws being the most common. Other subjects have been observed to retain the head, general body structure, ears, eyes, and, perhaps most disturbingly, the mind. Those unfortunates are, thankfully, quickly sought out and mercifully put down, before they become a further menace to society.

====Cures and Epilouge====

There are no known cures for Sanies Lupinus, though many witch-draughts exist, with ingredients including Wolfsbane, marshmallow, tobacco, and goat's blood. Some work, to a degree, but it is an expensive and repetitive process for the average working class man. 'Cures' include whipping and leeching to drain the werewolf of all diseased blood, garlic, charms, crosses, various potions (as I have mentioned), silver chains, and the removal of the werewolf's genitals.

The kindest cure I could recomend is a swift and relitavely painless death, whether through beheading, burning, or a thrust of a silver-coated sword. Some kindly Faiths have set up Safe Houses for these afflicted individuals, keeping them safetly locked away from the general population. There is no doubt, however, that this easy to control disease still continues to spread.

I thank you for your kind patience in reading this humble book. For more information about Sanies Lupinus and werewolves in general, please flip to page 513 of this book, which contains an extensive list for your perusing enjoyment. And don't forget to take a flip through my other books and various subjects, including [[vampire|Vampires]] and Lagoon Monsters. Happy hunting!