Therianthropes

"You have spurned me and my land for the last time, Magistrate. I curse you; by all the powers old and new, I curse you. You and your descendants will crawl as rats and skulk the sewers you shit in. Let every woman scream and every babe cry as they look upon your face. Every moon will now show this vile, greedy man will now be what he truly is -- a rat." - Anonymous Witch of the Wilds

As long as the Risen have possessed the ability to use Magick freely, those with particularly wicked intentions have also been able to weave curses. Therianthropy is one of the more ancient and powerful curses across Nora as only the most practiced of witches could conjure it. The curse of Therianthropy changes an individual and all of their offspring for all time or until the curse is lifted. A curse can only be lifted by the one who placed it or someone even more powerful, which makes it all the more unlikely to be removed. Witches do not easily forgive, and those who have been cursed are typically in too poor of a mindset after to seek said forgiveness.
Therianthropes, more commonly known as Werebeasts, are those who suffer from the curse of Therianthropy. Every night when the moon rises, they transform into the particular werebeast they have been cursed to be. This transformation causes them to turn into a larger bipedal version of their source animal and lose a fair bit of wits and empathy in the process. They spend that night stalking the surrounding area in which they live in search of Human prey. At sunrise they revert, regaining some of their wits and emotional capacity as normal Risen once again. When they do, however, some side effects remain. Werebeasts grow repulsed by cooked human food and most vegetables until the point at which they can only stomach raw and bloody meat. They typically adapt their living quarters as well, surrounding themselves with materials as a beast would build large nests in their homes.
Though they can be cursed to be nearly any beast, the most commonly found are the Wererats of La Patria, the Werewolves of The Freelands, and the Weretigers of Mahangangahere.

Wererats

The Wererats of La Patria are one of the smaller Therianthropes, often staying very close to the same height as their Risen form. What they lose in wits they make up for in agility as their pronounced arms and legs give them an advantage in moving quickly in small spaces. They show some level of human intelligence still throughout their transformation, able to use simple weapons in their bestial forms. Wererats are most often found in sewers or alleyways where it is dark and wet just like their rodent kin. Wererats often carry multiple diseases and though they show the signs of being healthy carriers, they can easily spread said diseases through victims that survive their attacks.

Werewolves

Werewolves are most commonly found throughout the mountains and forests of the Freelands and are often the most savage of their kind. They often grow a foot or two taller in their bestial forms and while bipedal like other Therianthropes, they spend most of their time running and hunting on all fours. Werewolves gain strength, speed, and agility in their form while losing most of their wits. While transformed, they show the least amount of human intelligence, often relying solely on animal instincts. They are seldom found alone as they traditionally form large groups with their cursed families and hunt in packs together. These Therianthropes also show the largest side effects while in their Risen forms, often rejecting civilized society entirely and living out in the wilds next to populated settlements.

Weretigers

The jungles of Mahangangahere are the primary location where Weretigers can be found. They are the largest of the Therianthropes as they grow well over their Risen size, both in height and in muscle mass. While not as agile as their animal counterparts, they make up for it in might and endurance through their large and powerful bodies. Weretigers are among the most intelligent of the Therianthropes and hide well when not in their bestial forms. They are the most difficult to detect amongst a population and are often great schemers and ambushers, ensuring that they can survive and hunt for as long as possible.

Full Moon Myth and Truth

When a full moon occurs every other fortnight, Therianthropes enter a period of enhanced savagery. They grow stronger on the night of their transformation at the cost of what little Human intelligence they have left. Hunger overtakes them as they grow extremely aggressive towards Risen and often kill more than they can eat. These brutal attacks are far more visible and leave behind evidence that they typically hide every other night, which has caused many Risen to believe that Therianthropes only transform during a full moon.

Werebeasts and Wardens

Therianthropes are often confused with Magickal Beasts due to their beastlike qualities. Thus, when they are finally discovered, most settlements contract their local chapter of Wardens to assist in hunting them down. Wardens specialize in dealing with Magickal Beasts and can often deal with individual Therianthropes, but are often unprepared for intelligent hunting packs of their kind. Weretigers in particular have done terrible damage to chapters in Mahangangahere in the past, creating a longstanding vendetta between the two.