Werewolf

Basic Information

Anatomy

Werewolves have the same anatomy as normal humans in their base forms. However, when they shift to their wolf forms, they undergo significant changes. The head elongates and becomes very canine-like, with the face gaining a muzzle and snout and the ears becoming pointed. The canines elongate with the rest of the teeth, getting sharper in the front for ripping and tearing. Their jaw muscles also get stronger with the added leverage of the muzzle length, giving them a very powerful bite capable of cracking bones.
The chest widens slightly to allow for bigger lung capacity. The shoulders themselves arc outward a bit with the blades repositioning themselves to allow for the werewolf to walk or run on all fours if they so choose. A tail also sprouts from the base of the spine which serves as a way to balance a werewolf when they are choosing to stand on two legs as well as a way to promote signaling without saying anything. The fingers and toes stretch out some, allowing for better grip to uneven surfaces, while the nails become hard and long turning into claws. The feet elongate and become canine-like, with the big toe actually moving back and becoming a dew claw on the foot. Both the palms of the hands and the balls of the feet develop small, paw-like pads that provide protection for running on all fours. Fur sprouts all over the body, the coloring generally being close to what their normal hair color is, but it's not unusual for fur patterns or off-coloring to appear.
While the process may look incredibly painful to an outside observer, it doesn't harm the werewolf at all and can take as little as a few seconds to complete. Some werewolves can even undergo partial transformations, turning specific body parts wolf-like while the rest of their body remains human and vice versa.

Biological Traits

Werewolves are generally taller and bulkier in their wolf forms than in their human forms. Werewolves are much faster, stronger, and more durable than baseline humans. They can walk on all fours or two legs, and still retain the fine motor skills able to grip and use tools. Their increased stamina allows them to run for long distances as well, and when on all fours they can sprint for short distances up to speeds of 35 to 40 MPH and leap to heights of 6 to 8 feet.
One constant factor in the lives of werewolves is the phases of the moon. Werewolves are generally at their strongest--and most feral--around the time of the full moon. For werewolves that have trouble transforming, it's the one time of the month they can change without fail. For werewolves that have a good handle on their transformations, it's the one time of month they start changing uncontrollably. Please note, however, that "feral" does not translate to "violent." Full moon activities vary between werewolves, from hunting and eating to running around and playing. Some werewolves can even sleep through full moons!
Werewolves also possess regenerative abilities, though not to the same extent as vampires do. While they can recover from bullet wounds and broken bones easily, they can't regrow lost limbs and are still susceptible to diseases and infections. In addition, werewolves tends to have intense-allergy like reactions to substances like silver and wolfsbane; contact can lead to dermatitis, and ingestion can lead to anaphylaxis.

Genetics and Reproduction

Werewolves can reproduce with humans or other werewolves. The status of any offspring produced can vary depending on the parentage.

Growth Rate & Stages

Werewolves tend to mature somewhat faster than normal humans. Their lifespans are also slightly longer than most humans, with many able to live a hundred years easily.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Werewolves can eat anything normal humans can, though they have a preference for meat. They generally need a much higher caloric intake to manage their metabolism. It's not unheard of for werewolves to stock up on lots of food for the next full moon, when they tend to be at their hungriest.

Biological Cycle

Like many wolf species, the thickness of a wolf's fur varies depending on the time of year. Their coats grow thinner during the warm summer months and thicker during the cold winter months.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Werewolves are found worldwide

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Werewolves have heightened senses of sight, smell, and hearing. They can see just as clearly in darkness as they can in normal light levels, and they retain their ability to see in color, as opposed to normal wolves. They're hearing range is much higher than a humans and, as a consequence, are much more susceptible to higher-frequency noises.

Civilization and Culture

Common Taboos

While werewolves have always hunted for food, many werewolves in the modern day and age have taken to hunting by more socially acceptable means (rifles or bows and arrows) as opposed to just running down prey and ripping them apart. It's considered extremely poor form to hunt and kill livestock--partly because it's bad for farmers, partly because it draws unnecessary attention.

History

No one is sure when or how the first werewolf was created, but its safe to say that werewolves have likely existed for about as long as humanity has existed. For most of history, werewolves lived in either tightly knit packs or large extended families. With the gradual improvement of transportation and communication technology, werewolves were able to reach out to others across the globe and strengthen their bonds.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The existence of werewolves is more or less an open secret, and how well werewolves and werewolf packs get along with humans varies from place to place.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Human

Scientific Name

Homo sapiens lycans (tentative)

Lifespan

Approximately 100 years

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The fur color of a werewolf's wolf form generally matches up with the hair color of their human form.