Lycanthropy - Werewolves
Lycanthropes are some of the most deadly foes of night. Their most common form, and a fairly deadly one, is a Werewolf. Half man, half beast, and with the tendency to hunt anything they find. An apex predator for the natural world of humans and beasts. Savagery is the key to their hierarchies and loyalty, which makes those that prosper in their tyranic forms more likely to be werewolves. Many werewolves take great effort to avoid this transformation in the proximity of civilization, fearing that they may hurt people or worse, those they care about. Others embrace it, letting the beast free to satiate their bloodlust. And some obtain mastery of their affliction. Those who have come to terms and understood their curse are often able to control it better, suppressing their pronounced primal instincts, denying transformation under a full moon, even calling upon their or curse to transform into a beast at will, whether bipedal or quadrapedal.
Werewolves will generally look like a completely normal, if a little hairier, human when in human form. Completely indistinguishable from that of a regular human. This hair is thicker, and counts suggest that the back of their hands are much more veiny than a regular human's. Hair grows in abundancy, often carrying down the neck. Standard shaving does not stop air from growing back well enough. If a werewolf in their human form wishes to not be suspect of being a werewolf, magical devices capable of incinerating body hair can be used to aid them. In wolf form, they resemble a regular wolf or dire wolf. In both cases it is nearly impossible to tell them apart from their regular counterparts, except any physical oddities that'd carry over, like a suspicious scar on a face or leg. In hybrid form, however, they become bigger, scarier, more hairy, gain sharp claws and teeth. Their muscles grow larger to compensate for a larger body. A monstrous cross between human and wolf. Eyes seem to be either rabid and pale grey, or malicious and crimson red. This depends on the climate of the region that the Werewolf comes from. The heat causes more manic and cunning thoughts to enter the mind of a Lycanthrope, especially a werewolf.
Werewolves often find themselves living among or removed from civilized society. They are, after all, just as human as anyone else despite their affliction. Those that branch away to form their own society of werewolves often live in nomadic tribes and exhibit xenophobic tendencies towards outsiders. Liked for good reason. Some organisations are known for their excessive use of werewolves due to their activities being done in the dead of night. Others choose to only use them in the day. Both considered evil, the organisations of night manipulate their feral instincts into doing malicious acts, whereas the forces of daytime enslave these lycanthropes into bound beds at night to stop them from wreaking havoc.
Age. Werewolves live a little longer than humans. A healthy adult can expect to live to 110 years old or older, but rarely past 150.
Alignment. Despite popular belief, werewolves are capable of being of any alignment. Werewolves can love freedom more than order and vise versa. Most werewolves, because of the label of being evil, may be more likely to turn to evil, however.
Size. Your size is medium
Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
Darkvision. A werewolf's eyes are naturally inclined to see in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Disrupted Healing. You have vulnerability to attacks from silvered weapons and ammunition. Once damaged by a silvered piece of ammunition, you cannot use a Hit Dice on your next Short Rest.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Heightened Sense of Smell. You have an exquisitely sensitive sense of smell. You can identify people by their scent, and can detect the presence of gaseous poisons.
Shapechanger. You can evoke your curse as an action and transform into your hybrid or wolf form. You may do this a number of times equal to your proficiency score, requiring a short or long rest to replenish uses. Under a full moon, you will automatically transform. To deny the curse from transforming you though, make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15), becoming your hybrid or wolf form on a failed save for the rest of the night. Make it with disadvantage if engaged in combat. It is at the DM's discretion if and when you should repeat this saving throw.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.
Thick hide. While in hybrid form, your natural becomes AC 13 + your dex mod (regular armor for humanoids fall off during transformation)
Natural Weapons. While in hybrid form, you can use your claws (1d6 slashing) and teeth (1d8 piercing) as natural weapons.
Howl. While in hybrid form, you gain the ability to howl as a reaction to making an initiative check. Any friendly creature that can hear your howl make their initiative check with advantage and any hostile creature that can hear you must succeed a wisdom saving throw (DC 13) or become frightened of you until the end of your first turn. You may only use this ability once per transformation and any creature who has failed or succeeded the check cannot be frightened again for 24 hours.
Regeneration. While in hybrid form, you gain temporary hit points upon transforming equal to five times your proficiency bonus. These temporary hit points replenish at a rate equal to your proficiency bonus per round at the start of your turn if you have lost any. You cannot regenerate these temporary hit points at the start of your next turn if you have taken damage from a silvered weapon. This ability cannot occur when attacked by a silvered weapon or silvered piece of ammunition before a long rest is taken.
Werewolves will generally look like a completely normal, if a little hairier, human when in human form. Completely indistinguishable from that of a regular human. This hair is thicker, and counts suggest that the back of their hands are much more veiny than a regular human's. Hair grows in abundancy, often carrying down the neck. Standard shaving does not stop air from growing back well enough. If a werewolf in their human form wishes to not be suspect of being a werewolf, magical devices capable of incinerating body hair can be used to aid them. In wolf form, they resemble a regular wolf or dire wolf. In both cases it is nearly impossible to tell them apart from their regular counterparts, except any physical oddities that'd carry over, like a suspicious scar on a face or leg. In hybrid form, however, they become bigger, scarier, more hairy, gain sharp claws and teeth. Their muscles grow larger to compensate for a larger body. A monstrous cross between human and wolf. Eyes seem to be either rabid and pale grey, or malicious and crimson red. This depends on the climate of the region that the Werewolf comes from. The heat causes more manic and cunning thoughts to enter the mind of a Lycanthrope, especially a werewolf.
Werewolves often find themselves living among or removed from civilized society. They are, after all, just as human as anyone else despite their affliction. Those that branch away to form their own society of werewolves often live in nomadic tribes and exhibit xenophobic tendencies towards outsiders. Liked for good reason. Some organisations are known for their excessive use of werewolves due to their activities being done in the dead of night. Others choose to only use them in the day. Both considered evil, the organisations of night manipulate their feral instincts into doing malicious acts, whereas the forces of daytime enslave these lycanthropes into bound beds at night to stop them from wreaking havoc.
Werewolf Traits
Ability Score Increase. Your strength score increases by 2 and one other of your ability scores increase by 1.Age. Werewolves live a little longer than humans. A healthy adult can expect to live to 110 years old or older, but rarely past 150.
Alignment. Despite popular belief, werewolves are capable of being of any alignment. Werewolves can love freedom more than order and vise versa. Most werewolves, because of the label of being evil, may be more likely to turn to evil, however.
Size. Your size is medium
Speed. Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
Darkvision. A werewolf's eyes are naturally inclined to see in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Disrupted Healing. You have vulnerability to attacks from silvered weapons and ammunition. Once damaged by a silvered piece of ammunition, you cannot use a Hit Dice on your next Short Rest.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Heightened Sense of Smell. You have an exquisitely sensitive sense of smell. You can identify people by their scent, and can detect the presence of gaseous poisons.
Shapechanger. You can evoke your curse as an action and transform into your hybrid or wolf form. You may do this a number of times equal to your proficiency score, requiring a short or long rest to replenish uses. Under a full moon, you will automatically transform. To deny the curse from transforming you though, make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15), becoming your hybrid or wolf form on a failed save for the rest of the night. Make it with disadvantage if engaged in combat. It is at the DM's discretion if and when you should repeat this saving throw.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.
Hybrid Form
Lycanthropic Toughness. While in hybrid form, you gain resistance to nonmagical melee damage (bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing). Should you receive damage from a silvered weapon, the triggering damage will not be halved and your Lycanthropic Toughness resistances will not work until the end of the your next turn. Improved powerful build. While in hybrid form, you have advantage on all strength checks and saves.Thick hide. While in hybrid form, your natural becomes AC 13 + your dex mod (regular armor for humanoids fall off during transformation)
Natural Weapons. While in hybrid form, you can use your claws (1d6 slashing) and teeth (1d8 piercing) as natural weapons.
Howl. While in hybrid form, you gain the ability to howl as a reaction to making an initiative check. Any friendly creature that can hear your howl make their initiative check with advantage and any hostile creature that can hear you must succeed a wisdom saving throw (DC 13) or become frightened of you until the end of your first turn. You may only use this ability once per transformation and any creature who has failed or succeeded the check cannot be frightened again for 24 hours.
Regeneration. While in hybrid form, you gain temporary hit points upon transforming equal to five times your proficiency bonus. These temporary hit points replenish at a rate equal to your proficiency bonus per round at the start of your turn if you have lost any. You cannot regenerate these temporary hit points at the start of your next turn if you have taken damage from a silvered weapon. This ability cannot occur when attacked by a silvered weapon or silvered piece of ammunition before a long rest is taken.
Werewolf Names
Werewolves who have contracted the curse either from surviving an attack by another werewolf, or by engaging in dark rituals, follow the same naming conventions as their race. Natural born werewolves on the other hand tend to be given rather Nordic names, based upon those that'd worship the aesir.Male: Aghi, Agnarr, Ásmundr, Bjartr, Dagr, Egill, Finnr, Gauti, Hákon, Ingi, Kari, Karl, Mundi, Ólaug, Rúni, Sigmundr, Sindri, Suni, Vígi.
Female: Alfhildr, Áleifr, Ásdis, Áshildr, Ásta, Eivor, Frida, Grímhildr, Gunnihildr, Gytha, Helga, Hildigunnr, Jórunner, Katla, Magnhildr, Ragna, Valdis.
Theoretical Origins
It is unclear exactly how the curse was born. Some say it was a gift from the moon to powerful warrior. Some claim that the curse is the creation of a wicked demon who wanted only to see the world painted red. Whatever the case, lycanthropy has been around since time immemorial. No one is exactly sure how the curse came to be. Some groups have dedicated their research to understanding the origins of the curse, but nothing ever produces solid answers. Whatever the origins, it is clear that a curse of lycanthropy will end if the afflicted is treated with "Remove Curse". Natural born lycanthropes may only be cured with the "wish" spell, however.On places like Laniwick, there is a looming thought of 'The First Werewolf', who would've been a parun to the onslaught of these monstrosities. An abundancy of werewolves exist on Laniwick, more than on any other planet or plane within Abholos.
Scientific Name
Homo Cynocephalus
Origin/Ancestry
Laniwickish
Geographic Distribution
Wolf Form
Chase. While in wolf form, you gain a +10 bonus to your movement speed.Natural Armor. While in wolf form, your natural AC becomes 11 + your dex mod.
Tracker. While in wolf form, you have advantage on checks made to smell and see. In addition, you gain advantage on checks made to track people and or things.
Pack tactics. While in wolf form, any of your allies are within 5ft of an enemy you are within 5ft of, both of you gain advantage on attack rolls.
Natural Weapons. While in wolf form, your claws (1d6 slashing) and teeth (1d8 piercing) become natural weapons. As a bonus action whenever you make an attack action, you may attempt to knock prone an enemy.
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