Lands of Tyranny
Day 1 of The Philosopher, Year 414
Lycanthropy
Lycanthropy is a disease, transmitted by blood contact, usually a bite, which forces the body to transform into a twisted, monstrous hybrid between a humanoid and an animal.
In that hybrid form the afflicted person is rumored to become exceptionally dangerous, but exceptionally aggressive at the same time, not being able to recognize between friend or foe and aiming only for nourishment and to distribute pain against anything that lives. Lycanthropy can affect only Humans and Dwarves, although it is rumored that some Orcs have also been affected.
In its earlier stages, the disease is said to be curable, especially due to its slow progression, although it is similarly difficult to diagnose as it symptoms are like a mild rabies, but often can be just very mild and generic like a fever, until it is too late. Once the first transformation happens, the person has only until the next full moon to attempt one last cure.
Behavior
Lycanthropes rarely kill unless for hunger, especially sentient beings: it is said that they are driven by pure hatred towards life itself. Someone hypothesizes that they are even demons of Dominum or Venatus, beings purely made of nothing but bloodlust and pain.
Lycanthropes are sometimes unaware of their status as they conserve only vague memories of what happens while they are transformed, everything there for them feeling like a dream. However, they sooner or later find out by the sad accounts of who lives in their neighbourhood, or by realizing that everyone around them slowly gets attacked by a beast during the nights of full moon.
The transformation triggers with the full moon, though some are said to be able to contrast it, they do it out of sheer willpower, and possibly some drugs, the presence of which often given alchemists, herbalists, and more notably inquisitors, some strong clues of who might be affected by such dangerous and twisted disease, which is of course seen only as a serious pestilence to be eradicated.
It is said that there are some ways to remain shielded from the Full Moon. Only very few living beings would know, but taking refuge in the Underdark, so many miles underground, would prevent any influence of the moon on the transformation, certainly though no inhabitant of the surface would ever be welcome in such environment.
Often who is affected by this disease tries to fight it also by keeping themselves isolated, both for the inferior risk to be caught, and sometimes for the desire not to hurt the people they care about or their loved ones, impulse that they are otherwise forced to each time contrast with unsure results.
Sometimes lycanthropes have been rumored moving with nomads, or even with Ogroids, or with a Faefolk group of similar kind that they would somehow manage to befriend and form a pack with. These submitting to their primal urges instead might even end up joining with Beastkin...
Often though lycanthropes would instead compete with other territorial and hunting beasts, such as Beastkin, some Faefolk, or even Vampires and other monstrous beings.
It is said that lycanthropes are vulnerable to and can be particularly hurt by Silver.
How to Play
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Hide from society. Being known as a Lycanthrope will result in the best case in exile, but in the most likely case in a quick death sentence.
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Alternatively, especially if more accepting of your condition, you can try to join in with ogroids, should they accept you, with beastkins, or with some faefolk, especially if related to your bestial form (Canine-Folk and Wolf-Folk in case of Werewolves or Feline-folk in case of Werefeline, represented In Game by Werehyena)
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Accept or fight against your disease, struggling with keeping normal relations and not hurting who stays near you.
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In your bestial form you will be physically aggressive but rarely kill unless provoked or forced to, preferring to leave your prey mangled and severely injured, and certainly in great pain.
Characteristics
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Lycanthropes gain exceptional strength when in their monstrous form.
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While transformed, they also gain other extraordinary abilities, such as a sense of smell on par with many canides, the ability to seeing in the dark, and to fall prey to a dangerous rage:
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Darkvision (in Were-form)
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Keen Smell (in Were-form)
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Tough Skin (in Were-form)
Clothes and even armors would break during the transformation, particularly heavy armors might end up injuring the lycanthrope too.
Weakness:
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They are aggressive against anyone when in beast form, even if they will first attack their enemies (if present) and, only after, their friends.
Other Weaknesses: Lycanthropes are asked to pick 2 out of a small list of weaknesses and must specify them at character creation. This list is private for metagaming reasons and will be shown to players during Character Creation.
Transformation Mechanics:
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A lycanthrope, during a Full Moon, announced periodically in the rumors channel on Discord, will need to make a successful Willpower roll of 15+, about once every 3 hours, or be forced in their were-form. The effects of the Full Moon will not influence a character staying in the Underdark.
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A lycanthrope can still attempt to transform willingly with a successful Willpower roll of 12+ at any time. In terms of fighting, heated situations or 'time', transforming or attempting to transform does count as an action / turn.
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If for any other reason a character might want to have to fight against an unwilling transformation, the suggested roll is 12+.
NOTE FOR CHARACTER CREATION: Lycanthropes are not available at character creation unless the player has been playing on the server already for at least one month.
Note: This race is for a restricted number of characters, before submitting a character, check for availability by opening a Character Creation Ticket.
Note: Lycanthropes are High Risk characters. They may be killed more easily given their nature by certain other characters and races (e.g. by the Inquisition). Opening a ticket before a possible death however is still mandatory.
Authors: Rashan, Genesis