Lycanthrope (from Greek lykos, “wolf ”; anthropos, “man”)

Lycanthropy, mental disorder in which the patient believes that he is a wolf or some other nonhuman animal. Undoubtedly stimulated by the once widespread superstition that lycanthropy is a supernatural condition in which men actually assume the physical form of werewolves or other animals, the delusion has been most likely to occur among people who believe in reincarnation and the transmigration of souls. Usually, a person is deemed to take the form of the most dangerous beast of prey of the region: the wolf or bear in Europe and northern Asia, the hyena or leopard in Africa, and the tiger in India, China, Japan, and elsewhere in Asia; but other animals are mentioned too. Both the superstition and the psychiatric disorder are linked with belief in animal guardian spirits, vampires, totemism, witches, and werewolves. The folklore, fairy tales, and legends of many nations and peoples show evidence of lycanthropic belief.

Stories of men turning into beasts go back to antiquity. In parts of ancient Greece, werewolf myths, presumably stemming from prehistoric times, became linked with the Olympian religion. In Arcadia, a region plagued by wolves, there was a cult of the Wolf-Zeus. Mount Lycaeus was the scene of a yearly gathering at which the priests were said to prepare a sacrificial feast that included meat mixed with human parts. According to legend, whoever tasted it became a wolf and could not turn back into a man unless he abstained from human flesh for nine years.

Lycanthropes(In D&D 5E(Homebrew from D&D Wiki))

One of the most ancient and feared of all curses, lycanthropy can transform the most civilized humanoid into a ravening beast. In its natural humanoid form, a creature cursed by lycanthropy appears as its normal self. Over time, however, many lycanthropes acquire features suggestive of their animal form. IN that animal form, a lycanthrope resembles a powerful version of a normal animal. On close inspection, its eyes show a faint spark of unnatural intelligence and might glow red in the dark. Evil lycanthropes hide among normal folk, emerging in animal form at night to spread terror and bloodshed, especially under a full moon. Good lycanthropes are reclusive and uncomfortable around other civilized creatures, often living alone in wilderness areas far from villages and towns.

Curse of Lycanthropy

A humanoid creature can be afflicted with the curse of lycanthropy after being bitten by a lycanthrope, or if one or both of its parents are lycanthropes. A remove curse spell can rid an afflicted lycanthrope of the curse, but a natural born lycanthrope can be freed of the curse only with a wish. A lycanthrope can either resist its curse or embrace it. By resisting the curse, a lycanthrope retains its normal alignment and personality while in humanoid form. It lives its life as it always has, burying deep the bestial urges raging inside it. However, when the full moon rises, the curse becomes too strong to resist, transforming the individual into its beast form - or into a horrible hybrid form that combines animal and humanoid traits. When the moon wanes, the beast within can be controlled once again. Especially if the cursed creature is unaware of its condition, it might not remember the events of its transformation, though those memories often haunt a lycanthrope as bloody dreams. A natural born lycanthrope can instinctively control the curse. Despite this inherent mastery, they too feel the pull of the beast within when the moon is fullest.

Some individuals see little point in fighting the curse and accept what they are. With time and experience, they learn to master their shapechanging ability and can assume beast form or hybrid form at will. Most lycanthrope that embrace their bestial natures succumb to bloodlust, becoming evil, opportunistic creatures that prey on the weak.

Applying Lycanthropy

When a creature becomes cursed by lycanthropy, their subrace is replaced by one of the subraces listed below as decided by the type of lycanthrope that bit the victim, or if it had no subrace then they gain the traits of the corresponding lycanthrope. Creatures that are born as lycanthropes have racial traits of one parent's base race, and sub-racial traits of an associated lycanthrope.

Lycanthropy Sub-Species 

There are five different strains of the Lycanthropy curse which a character can contract, each with their own varying traits as seen below. Only one strain can infect a character at a time. Whilst infected with one strain of Lycanthropy, the character is considered immune to receiving other forms of the curse, automatically succeeding on their Constitution Saving Throw when cursed.

Were-bear	Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution Score increases by 1. Shapechanger: You can use an action to polymorph into a Large Bear-Humanoid hybrid or into a Large Bear, or back into your true form. Your statistics, other than size and AC are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You revert back to your true form if you die. Bear-Humanoid Hybrid Form & Bear Form: Your size is Medium. You have natural armor equal to 11 + Constitution Modifier. You gain a climb speed of 30ft. You gain the Bite attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d8+Strength piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 10 + Constitution Modifier, Constitution Saving Throw or be cursed with werebear lycanthropy. You gain the Claw attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 2d4+Strength slashing damage.
Were-boar	Ability Score Increase: Your Strength Score increases by 1. Shapechanger: You can use an action to polymorph into a medium Boar-Humanoid hybrid or into a medium Boar, or back into your true form. Your statistics, other than size and AC are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You revert back to your true form if you die. Boar-Humanoid Hybrid Form & Boar Form: Your size is Medium. You have natural armor equal to 11 + Strength Modifier. You gain the Tusks attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d6+Strength piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 10 + Constitution Modifier, Constitution Saving Throw or be cursed with wereboar lycanthropy. You gain the Maul attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d8+Strength slashing damage. If you move at least 15 feet straight towards a target and then hit it with your Tusks on the same turn, the target takes an extra 2d6 slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 10 + Strength Modifier, Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Were-rat	Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity Score increases by 1. Shapechanger: You can use an action to polymorph into a medium Rat-Humanoid hybrid or into a small Rat, or back into your true form. Your statistics, other than size and AC are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You revert back to your true form if you die. Rat-Humanoid Hybrid Form: Your size is Small. You have natural armor equal to 11 + Dexterity Modifier. You gain the Bite attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d6+Dexterity piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 10 + Constitution Modifier, Constitution Saving Throw or be cursed with wererat lycanthropy. Rat Hybrid Form: Your size is tiny. You have natural armor equal to 11 + Dexterity Modifier. You gain the Bite attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d4+Dexterity piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 10 + Constitution Modifier, Constitution Saving Throw or be cursed with wererat lycanthropy. Keen Smell: While in your Rat-Humanoid Hybrid form, or your Rat form, gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Were-tiger	Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity Score increases by 1. Shapechanger: You can use an action to polymorph into a Medium Tiger-Humanoid hybrid or into a Medium Tiger, or back into your true form. Your statistics, other than size and AC are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You revert back to your true form if you die. Tiger-Humanoid Hybrid Form & Tiger Form: Your size is Medium. You have natural armor equal to 12 + Dexterity Modifier. You gain the Bite attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d8+Dexterity piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 10 + Constitution Modifier, Constitution Saving Throw or be cursed with weretiger lycanthropy. You gain the Claw attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d6+Dexterity slashing damage. If you move at least 15 feet straight towards a target and then hit it with a Claws attack on the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 10 + Dexterity Modifier, Strength Saving Throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, you can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Were-wolf	Ability Score Increase: Your Strength Score increases by 1. Shapechanger: You can use an action to polymorph into a Medium Wolf-Humanoid hybrid or into a Medium Wolf, or back into your true form. Your statistics, other than size and AC are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You revert back to your true form if you die. Wolf-Humanoid Hybrid Form: Your size is Medium. You have natural armor equal to 11 + Dexterity Modifier. You gain the Bite attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d8+Strength piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 10 + Constitution Modifier, Constitution Saving Throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy. You gain the Claw attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 2d4+Strength slashing damage. Wolf Form: Your size is Medium. You have natural armor equal to 11 + Dexterity Modifier. Your walking speed is 40ft. You gain the Bite attack and are considered proficient: Melee Weapon Attack, one target, 1d6+Strength piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 10 + Constitution Modifier, Constitution Saving Throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy. Keen Hearing and Smell: While in your Wolf-Humanoid Hybrid form, or your Wolf form, gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Encyclopaedia Britannica: Lycanthrope

D&D Wiki: Lycanthrope_(5e_Race)

Related Organizations

• House of Blood
• House of Indulgance
• The Sisters of the Crimson Tide