Lycanthropy

An excerpt from "On Were Creatures: By Axton Wolfsbane"
Summary of relevant observations:
Firstly, one must define the term "Lycanthrope." While first used to describe the original werewolves, it has since been modified to refer to all creatures affected by the curse, no matter what the origin creature is.
Fenrir: A giant wolf of roughly 8 feet in height, created by Old Knocker. A great beast far more intelligent than any normal wolf (and I daresay many humanoids). While in appearance no more than a wolf that ate more than he should have, his bite is the original source of the were curse. His children however find themselves to only be oversized intelligent wolves. I was once told by a bartender who I can only assume was reputable that one of his children forsook his father's ways and travels the world on his own. He is the leader of one of the three great packs of were-creatures
The Curse: The were curse can be obtained in one of two ways. First, one may be bit by a were creature, after which, on the next full moon they will involuntarily become a were version of whatever creature bit them (so if one must hunt a werewolf, it would do well to avoid getting bit if a full moon is near). These victims are called Cursed. If cursed, one must seek a cleric or healer to remove it before the next full moon. If an animal or monster is bit by a were creature, they become a were version of their own species. So for example, a werewolf biting a deer will create a deer that becomes monstrous (Unfortunatley for the deer, the curse does not increase intelligence so it will remain a painfully dumb animal). The other way to contract the curse is to drink the blood of a were creature and become what is called a gifted. This causes an immediate transformation and cannot be reversed under any currently known circumstances. If a cursed is bitten by a gifted, they will become gifted. Werewolves are also immune to all disease and when you first turn all diseases already contracted will be cured.
Behavior: All were-creatures develop a taste for meat. They have bipedal capabilities and can reproduce through conventional means. They all spread the curse through biting or allowing their blood to be drank. Among creatures, the were curse is an equalizer. They surprisingly are all united by a pack mentality and tend to stay together with other were creatures. Even predator and prey will work in tandem with no issues. This most likely has to do with their meat tasting of ash to all including other were creatures, and so they have no primal reason to wish violence on each other. They tend to gravitate to packs but have occasionally been known to operate alone, especially those that shun their own monstrous nature. They all feel a deep desire to continually eat when in their monstrous form, with ravenous hunger racking their bodies any time they transform. This need causes them to give into their animal impulses and often end up killing livestock (or more high profile targets if they are desperate). For these reasons, it is illegal for a werewolf to enter most cities, and are shunned from most of society. Roughly half of all were creatures are among the three great packs, while the other half are scattered around the world in smaller packs, alone, or in hiding.
Cursed Werecreatures: A cursed is physically identifiable by appearance (basically they'll look super disgusting). A transformed monster or animal will resemble a much larger and stronger creature stuffed into the skin of its non were form. A transformed human will take the worst appearance traits of the humanoid and the creature, and somehow look even worse together. They tend to be monstrous with patchwork fur and bare skin in random patterns, joints not fully turned from human to animal form, and a face even their own mother couldn't love. They transform involuntarily when under extreme stress, and find the transformation easier to happen when the light of a full moon is visable. The transformation is a painful experience as they feel their entire physiology reform. They then find themselves with more violent tendencies than before, but not entirely without their humanity. They lose a taste for all food other than meat (and strongly prefer their meat raw) in both their humanoid and monstrous form. A cursed can be cured by drinking the blood of the creature that bit them.
Gifted Werecreatures: A gifted physically appears as a more complete animal in their transformed form. Up close one will notice that they retain a vague humanoid shape, but from a distance if they are on all fours, they will simply look like a large version of their were animal. Upon drinking the were-blood they will start their first, painful transformation. During which they have very little control over their violent tendencies. After this, they may voluntarily transform at any time while experiencing only a mild discomfort that I can only assume is considered socially weak to express as I have never known one to complain. They also tend to retain all of their mental faculties in their transformed state. Under a full moon they gain more strength in their transformed state than they already have. The downside is that you permanently have red eyes and animistic features in your humanoid form, for example one might have more pronounced eye and canine teeth. I even heard of one unlucky (or from some points of view, lucky) individual bit by a were-leemur that grew a tail! A gifted will most likely find themselves shunned from civilized society for the dangers they represent and difficulty hiding their features. With their more civilized tendencies, they can tolerate non meat food though still prefer the flesh of other creatures.

The Horde: The largest pack is led by Fenrir. They live the best out of all the packs and so they represent 25% of all were-creatures. They give into their desires and while they do hunt animals and creatures when convenient, they see no difference in hunting humanoids for food, sport, and protection. They represent the were creatures shunned from society and use the anger of their members to keep the pack strong and willing to fight humans.
The Hunters: Atrac the Son of Fenrir is the leader of the pack dedicated to protection of were kind. They do not actively seek out humans to hunt and kill but see nothing wrong with the action, especially if they threaten the lives or prosperity of other were creatures. They are the most active group in the war against the vampires in the blasted wasteland. The dangerous nature of living in the pack with little to show for reward keeps them only representing roughly 5% of the were population, but among their animalistic natures fame through valor and battle has its worth.
The Dwellers: Helena the first victim of Fenrir was so disgusted with her change that she went off alone to avoid falling into her new evil impulses. She instead chose to embrace the base animal that was now part of her and hunts animals exclusively for sustenance while attempting to avoid civilization for fear not only for herself but also that she wouldn't be able to wrestle away her more feral impulses. Her way of life gained favor with the cursed humanoids that hated their monstrous nature and she gained a following. Despite being the least prosperous of the three great packs, the Dwellers represent 20% of the population as most were creatures that wish to not embrace the terrible aspects of their nature seek them out.

Transmission & Vectors

Two different forms of Lycanthropy can be contracted via different ways. The first form of contraction is for a uninfected person to be bitten by a were creature, or to ingest the blood of a Cursed were creature to become a Cursed Lycanthrope. A person cannot be infected by the same Lycanthrope more than once. The second form of contraction is through drinking the blood of a Gifted Were creature, or a Cursed being bitten by a gifted. This causes immediate transition to a Gifted form.

Causes

Lycanthropy was designed by one of the original Loredasan Gods as a theoretical "ideal" form that would help their people survive in the face of oncoming danger. Fenrir the great wolf was created and chosen to find and bestow this gift upon all he saw as strong enough to receive it. However the condition was too much for many to handle and the disease quickly spread and mutated.

Symptoms

Taste for raw meat, distaste for all non-meat based nutrition, heightened senses, increased temper, weakness to silver, terrible ashen taste to lycanthrope flesh. Upon transformation, a cursed looks like a patchwork combination of their species and the species that bit them (A non-sentient creature bitten by a Lycanthrope will only transform into a more monstrous version of itself while the gifted form tends to appear as a more full transformation.

Treatment

When first contracted, it is a regular disease that can be cured through powerful healing methods (though becoming a Gifted Lycanthrope skips the earlier stage). Both of Cursed and Gifted forms, once fully realized can only be cured by the victim drinking the blood of the creature that infected them (or the creature that infected that one, and so on up the ancestral chain of lycanthropy infection).

Prognosis

The cursed transmission, if left uncured until the next full moon will turn the victim into a Cursed Lycanthrope

Sequela

Upon the first full moon, a victim of Cursed Lycanthropy fully transitions into a Cursed form. A person becoming a Gifted Lycanthrope skips to their gifted form right away.

Hosts & Carriers

Fenrir the first werewolf, Felwinter the blood hunter, Timur the wanderer, Gregoro (formerly)

Prevention

The only method of prevention is to protect one's self from bites from possible Lycanthropes and to avoid drinking Lycanthrope blood.

Epidemiology

There are two types of Lycanthropes, the most common of which are the Cursed variant. Cursed Lycanthropes are a result of allowing a bite or ingested cursed Lycanthrope blood to stay uncured in the body until the next full moon. The subject then begins a painful and grotesque transformation into a partial form of the Were-Creature that bit them. When in this form, they have a pack mentality but are overall wild and violent. They transform back at sunrise, but from then on will transform during times of high stress (with nearly guaranteed transformations during full moons). Even during the non-transformed state a cursed will be irritable and have a taste for fresh meat.
The second form is the Gifted, these are ones who have almost certainly chosen the life of a Lycanthrope. The only ways to become gifted is to drink the blood of a gifted, or for an already cursed Lycanthrope to be bitten by a gifted (something that would almost never happen accidentally as they all have a distaste for each other's flesh). Upon taking on the gift they will transform right away, being feral and hard to control. After that first wild period they become able to control themselves in their transformed form, and are able to switch between forms with relative ease. They may still transform during times of high stress and tend to be more irritable, though they can often pass themselves off as normal.

Type

Viral

Origin

Divine