Near any dank moor in Europe, or remote village at the edge of civilization, newcomers will be warned by the local townsfolk not to travel the wilds during the full moon for things that walk the line between person and beast prowl the night seeking warm flesh to feast upon. Those who scoff at these “quaint rural superstitions” should beware: These warnings are no mere tales for tourists. In the places where the domain of civilization ends and the domain of animal begins, there are creatures that are half-man, half-beast. They are known as lycanthropes, or werecreatures.

Lycanthropes – beings that can transform from human to a state in between human and a particular type of animal such as wolf, bear, or tiger – originate from number of different sources. In ancient times, when magic was more common, there were cults that engaged in “unions” with anima.ls, considered magically powerful. The unions resulted in offspring that could take the form of either a person or the creature involved in the mating. Tribes of these werecreatures still exist in very remote regions, though in modern times, they’re few in number and increasingly more apt to attempt to blend into human or animal society. This form of lycanthrope can control its transformation better than less “natural” versions of werecreatures. They typically don’t frighten domesticated animals easily, but they suffer difficulty socializing with normal humans. As these werecreatures are born part animal, they’re prone to feral behavior when in human form, making them detectable in crowded urban areas. However in small towns and farms, they can hide themselves quite well.

The most common of werecreatures are the cursed lycanthropes. These are normal humans that have been transformed into were-creatures by spells, cursed objects, alchemical potions, or the transference of the condition by another were-creature. This type of werecreature typically does not suffer from the tendency to exhibit the feral behavior of those born as werecreatures, having been human all of their lives. Unfortunately, when they are in their alternate form, they often lack the fundamental understanding of their animal side to control their actions and will kill indiscriminately, even butchering loved ones.

Additionally, unlike the naturally born lycanthrope, the cursed werecreature can infect others with their curse. When a normal human is bitten by such a werecreature and does not die, they may find themselves subject to the transformation. To determine if a character is made a lycanthrope by bite of a cursed werecreature, the victim must make a Physique or stamina check against the lycanthrope’s infection score. If they fail, they will become lycanthropes themselves and, on the next full moon, be forced to transform into a creature between a person and animal.

It’s untrue that lycanthropes only appear during the full moon. Any bred werecreature can assume their alternate form at will; however, during the full moon, they must make a willpower test to resist a forced transformation, the target is 20 plus 5 per month that they have not experienced at least one change to their were-form. For the cursed werecreature, the change at the first full moon after having received the curse is inescapable. The change during the full moon typically lasts until an hour before dawn.

It’s also a myth that a silver or magical weapon is required to kill a werecreature. As any other beast of flesh and blood they are susceptible to normal weapons, especially the more brutal ones of the modern age such as automatic weapons. However, weapons of silver and magic have an advantage that makes them a must for any lycanthrope hunter: They neutralize the ability of the were-creature to heal rapidly. Wounds caused by magic or silver must heal at the normal rate, dramatically increasing the possibility of bleeding to death, leaving a blood trail, or being identified in human form later.

While in the form between human and animal, the lycanthrope generally has the senses of the animal form as well as enhanced strength, superior speed, accelerated healing, natural weapons, and hands capable of using tools like a person. In addition, the half-form is smarter than its animal cousin. A were-creature can use doors, windows, and simple tools, and do high-level problem solving. For instance, if the beast was attempting to get at someone behind fortifications, he may knock over a tree to use as a makeshift ladder, or if being pursued, he may dig pits or block roads to hamper pursuit.

Most lycanthropes are based on mammals, typically wolves, bears, and tigers. However, those who have fallen under a magical curse could potentially be a werecreature of any origin such as wereravens or werecrocs. (See the Shapeshifting Special Ability for details on how to emulate werecreatures. Game Masters may allow the Knowledge attribute to be reduced to 2D, if the starting value is higher than that, if they think that works well in their campaigns.)

Typical Werewolf (Were Form)

Reflexes 4D: brawling 6D, dodge 5D, sneak 4D+2, jumping 5D
Coordination 2D
Physique 4D: climbing 5D, infection 6D,
lifting 4D+2, running 6D, stamina 5D+2
Knowledge 2D: scholar: traps 3D
Perception 4D: search 6D, tracking 5D
Presence 1D: hide 4D+1, intimidation 5D, willpower 6D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 22
Wound levels: 3

Disadvantages: Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), transfers all Disadvantages and Special Abilities to victim bitten by werecreature and successfully infected by them, does not transfer to human or wolf form (cursed were-creature only); Infamy (R2}; Quirk (R2), feral tendencies

Advantages: none

Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R3), +3D to natural healing rate, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werewolf form, and Ability Loss (R1), ineffective against damage inflicted by silver or magic weapons; Enhanced Sense: Smell (R1), +3 to related corals, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werewolf form; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R1), +1D damage, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werewolf form; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Fangs (R2), +2D damage, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werewolf form, and Flaw (R1), +2 difficulty to use; Shapeshifting: Wolf, human (R2) with Additional Effect (R1), can alter size to that of a wolf, and Restricted (R4), see description for transformation limitations

Typical Werebear (Were Form)

Reflexes 3D: brawling 5D, climbing 6D, dodge 4D+2, sneak 4D
Coordination 2D
Physique 5D+1: lifting 6D, stamina 6D+2
Knowledge 2D
Perception 3D: hide 4D, search 4D, tracking 4D
Presence 2D+1: intimidation 6D, willpower 6D+1
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 12
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 25
Wound levels: 3

Disadvantages: Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), transfers all Disadvantages and Special Abilities to victim bitten by werecreature and successfully infected by him, does not transfer to human or wolf form (cursed were-creature only); Infamy (R2); Quirk (R2), feral tendencies

Advantages: Size: Large (R1), scale value 2

Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R3), +3D to natural healing rate, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werebear form, and Ability Loss (R1), ineffective against damage inflicted by silver or magic weapons; Enhanced Sense: Smell (R1), +3 to related totals, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werebear form; Hypermovement (R1), increased Move rate, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werebear form; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R1), +1D damage, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werebear form; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon; Fangs (R2), +2D damage, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in werebear form, and Flaw (R1), +2 difficulty to use; Shapeshifting: Bear, human (R2) with Additional Effect (R1), can alter size to that of a wolf, and Restricted (R4), see description for transformation limitations

Typical Wereraven (Were Form)

Reflexes 3D+ 1: brawling 4D+2, dodge 5D+2, flying SD
Coordination 1D+2
Physique3D : lifting3D+2, running3D+2, stamina 4D
Knowledge 2D: navigation 3D+ 1
Perception 4D: hide 4D+1, search 5D, tracking 4D+2
Presence 2D: intimidation 4D+2, willpower 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 19
Wound levels: 3

Disadvantages: Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), transfers all Disadvantages and Special Abilities to victim bitten by werecreature and successfully infected by him, does not transfer to human or raven form (cursed were-creature only); Infamy (R2); Quirk (R2), feral tendencies
Advantages: none

Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R3), +3D to natural healing race, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in wereraven form, and Abiliry Loss (R1), ineffective against damage inflicted by silver or magic weapons; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R1), +1D damage, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in wereraven form; Glider Wings (R2) with Ability Loss (R1 ), may be only used in wereraven form, and Flaw (R1), +2 difficulty to use; Shapeshifting: Raven, human (R2) with Additional Effect (R1), can alter size to that of a raven; and Restricted (R4), see description for transformation limitations

Typical Werecreature Package

Total creation point cost: 2
Total defined limit cost: 2 skill dice
Disadvantages: Infamy (R2); Quirk (R2), feral tendencies
Advantages: none

Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R3, cost 3), +3D to natural healing rate, with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in were-creature form, and Ability Loss (R1), ineffective against damage inflicted by silver or magic weapons; Shapeshifting: Animal, human (R2) with Additional Effect (R1), can alter size to that of a wolf, and Restricted (R4, cost 3), see description for transformation limitations

Note: Cursed were-creatures also have the Disadvantage Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), transfers all Disadvantages and Special Abilities to victim bitten by were-creature and successfully infected by him, does not transfer to human or animal form. This reduces the package cost to -1 creation point or -1 skill die – in other words, the character gets one more point or skill die.