WereHyenas
Werehyenas are humans who have the ability to transform into large hyenas as well as transform into a hybrid form between the two, an ability that is hereditary in nature. Many kingdoms and societies view them with mistrust and fear, with many labeling them as unable to control themselves or being cursed and bringing bad luck to all they are around. Despite this can be found in some numbers in most large communities as many of their clans have a reputation for skill at important tasks such as blacksmithing, a trade that is seen as dangerous and unclean by many human societies.
Origins
There is a great debate on the origins of the Werehyenas, the records of various societies and religions all contradict one another and frequently they contradict other records from even within the same society. Each clan of werehyenas has their own origin story of how they came to be, if any of them are actually true or not is just one of those mysteries of the world. While each clan differs in the specifics most broadly fall into one of the following explanations: Their Ancestors were a special group of actual hyenas typically either a unique magic species or the hyena minions of some ancient magical being. These hyenas would use magic to take human form usually to trick people and steal from them. Overtime they began to like their human forms and interbred with certain tribes of humans, overtime creating the modern Werehyena clans. They trace their origin to a particular Hyena, typically a spirit or minor deity. The various clan founders are from this view said to have been the children of this figure typically with some members of ancient royalty or religious figures. They actually are in fact cursed. Some hold the believe that their ancestors either broke some great taboo against their totem or offended some powerful entity and became cursed to be werehyenas. Those with this view tend to stress the importance of self-discipline, and over coming the more animal like urges except when they are needed to protect oneself or their family. That they come from the moon. It is a common believe among the cultures of the savanna regions in particular that the moon is the site of a massive forge and the source of metal working. As hyenas are often associated with metal working, some clans believe that they were actually natives of the moon who traveled to Oorikannegun during the eras when the world and the moon were connected by a great chain. Since that chain has been severed they believe they scattered across the land to become who they are now.Clans
Werehyena clans are second to only non magic humans in their number, and can be found all over the region in numbers that range from a few families to several thousand in one place. Clan run villages and tribes hold practically endless diversity among one another with as many different cultural traits and customs as their are words in any language. There are at present no large kingdoms, or major city states dominated by them however. The clans that live near or in those areas are often pushed into certain occupations, typically things related to magic or certain looked down upon trades such as smithing. Despite the mistrust and fear they get from others, they are often still wanted by the various kingdoms and city-states who often set up areas for them to keep them more isolated from the others but still have access to them if needed
