The Mechanics of Lycanthropy
Lycanthropsy is the condition that turns people in to Were-wolves. In The World of Lunatics wolves are just one species. Were-Foxs, Were-Cats, Were-Rhinoceros and many others all happen in this place.
The Causes of LycanthropyLycanthropy can affect anyone, but some are more prone to it than others. This is hereditary. At Birth a Lycanthrope to be is no different from any normal mortal.
Throughout the universe drift massive clouds of trigger particles which the Earth occasionally drifts through. These particles are two small to detect buy mundane means in them selves but some people are sensitive to them. The Particles can also be detected by their interaction with other forms of matter. When close to other matter they give off radio waves at a very narrow frequency in the short-wave band. Hence a cloud can be heard coming a few days off.
The Effects of LycanthropyThe first forced change will happen on the night of first contact. From this point on the subject will be able to transform at will. He will also be forced to change during full moons. Hiding from the full moon has no effect as it appears to be the aligned positions of the sun earth and moon that causes forced transformation.When in forced transformation lycanthropes will find they have the ability to choose between two different forms. A completely animal form and a half human form. This is not instinctively known by lycanthropes at first transformation however although it is easy to teach them how to do this or even fall in to this knowledge after a few transformations. It should be stressed that transformation forced or otherwise has no effect on the mind except that caused by suddenly discovering that one is not entirely human any more. It is unfortunately not uncommon however for this trauma to be very major and have serious and even tragic results. This is not however a symptom of Lycanthropy as such but the way human minds work when faced with the results of Lycanthropy. The Species a Lycanthrope becomes can vary from Lycanthrope to Lycanthrope, however species dose seem to be hereditary. Some Lycanthropes also seem to have special powers. This tends to also be hereditary but in the case of some powers will be common to an entire species regardless of linage. These powers are not instinctively known at transformation. Normally they are either stumbled across at a later point in time or those likely to have them are taught to use them.
PowersHere are details of the different powers lycanthropes have thus far been seen to have.
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| Dream Walking: |
This power allows those who have it to enter the dreams of others. They can exert some control over the dream but this is not always guaranteed. A dream can be controlled either by the conscious mind of the walker or the dreamer or as some times happens in dreams by the subconscious mind of the walker or the dreamer. hence a dream walkers nightmares can follow him to the dreams of others. Another risk for a dream walker is that a manifestation of the walkers true self may be found lurking in the perimeters of the dream and hence reveal much about the dream walker that he would rather the dreamer did not know. Conversely the dreamers own "real self" may also be lurking. Species who commonly have this power include:
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| Shift Sense: |
This power allows those who have it to sense when another lycanthrope within a certain range is either about to suffer a forced transformation or has just willingly changed. The Shift Sensor can tell which direction the changer is in and how far away although accuracy only comes with practice. The range in which the Shift Sensor can sense in varies from a few yards to tens of miles. There was once a sensor who could feel every transformation for a thousand miles with total clarity but he went very mad very fast. Some Lycanthropes very practiced in this power can even tell what species the changer has become but this is a rare tallent. Species who commonly have this power include are yet to become clear.
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| Tracker: |
The Power of the tracker comes at different levels. At the basic level a tracker can sense the presence of a lycanthrope. Those slightly more advanced can tell who in a room is a lycanthrope and perhaps even what species. At the most advanced level a Tracker can actually pick up the "Sent" of a lycanthrope and follow it's trail in some cases up to an hour after the owner has passed. This however has nothing to do with actual orrifactory senses in the normal sense. Humans can't smell lycanthropes (With the exception of wet were-wolves the smell of which is easily reconcilable to those in the know). Species who commonly have this power include:
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| Disruptor: |
This is the ability to disrupt the powers of other Lycanthropes. Normaly this will just stop a power from working but it can have other forseen and unforseen effects. Species who commonly have this power include:
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