Werewolves My Way

The thing about werewolves is that everyone has an idea about how they should be. You've got the historical background, and then the more well-known kinds in movies and books. And even they don't agree.

 

Some well-known werewolf films/books/TV shows are: Teen Wolf (1985), Teen Wolf (TV), I Was a Teenage Werewolf,  Red Riding Hood, Blood and Chocolate (film), Blood and Chocolate (Book) (trust me, they're different), Underworld, New Moon, City of Bones, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There are more, of course, as this is but a sampling. That said, these are the rules to my werewolves.

 

There are 3 forms of werewolf-ism:

 

Gore-wolf—a wolf taken by a witch and transformed into a man to be used as an assassin. Considered the first generation in werewolves. Usually the wolf returns and attacks the witch that transformed it into a man so it can continue its life as a human being. They usually marry humans and have children that form the true werewolf. Gore-wolves can transform into a wolf at will, though they spend most of their time as humans. They must return to wolf form at the three nights of the full moon. Most of them are very wolfish in behavior, despite their outside appearance. Their hair is usually more fur-like. Their bite is near deadly, but not contagious. Werewolf-ism is not passed from a gore-wolf’s bite if one survives.

 

Werewolf—a child of a gore-wolf and a human, or a child from a werewolf and a human, or a child of a werewolf and a werewolf. They must become a wolf and make a kill on the three nights of the full moon. On other days they can transform to a wolf at will and have more human control of their appetites. Hair texture is more human-like but the color is usually still a wolfish color. Their bite is contagious, passing along quasi-lycanthropic toxemia, the third kind of werewolf-ism.

 

Werewolf-itis—quasi-lycanthropic toxemia, a.k.a. Partial lycanthrope. These werewolves are closest to the motion picture helmet-head kinds of werewolves most people are familiar with. They only have a partial transformation at the full moon. They cannot transform at will. This form of werewolf-ism can be cured. All they have to do is eat one whole bulb of garlic and not vomit it up. Their bite is contagious, passing along the same disease they carry.

 

 

Effects of Garlic, Silver and Honey

On Gore-wolves - they can be transformed back into real wolves with a silver knife rubbed in garlic oil and honey, though one must stab the wolf to do it; considered a risky venture. The bullet does not need to be silver to kill them, though a silver bullet will transform the man form back onto a wolf on its death. Garlic itself has no effect on a gore-wolf.

 

On True werewolves - They are incredibly allergic to garlic, silver and also honey, but it does not kill them any worse than any other allergy, and can probably be treated with a hypodermic needle. A silver bullet would be more toxic to them than a regular bullet, but regular bullets are just as effective if aimed properly.

 

On Werewolf-itis victims - 1 garlic bulb can cure a werewolf-itis victim, but a little garlic causes severe allergies, though not as bad as for a true werewolf. Silver also causes allergic reaction, but a silver bullet it is not more effective than regular bullets to them. Honey will make them break out in a rash.

 

Effects of the Full Moon

 

Gore-wolves and true werewolves must hunt on the three days to sate their wolfish desires.

 

Werewolf-itis sufferers get hairy, sore, itchy, cranky, and basically irritable around the three nights of the full moon, but they do not have the lust for the hunt. If they bite people, it is due to their own original cantankerous personality that probably got them bit in the first place.

 

 

Ok, all that being said, in the end a werewolf is like anybody. Given the above situations, each person has a choice -- embrace the nasty side of werewolfism, or make something good out of it. I'm of the philosophy that just because you are inclined to do something does not actually mean that you should. For example, I have an ancestor famous for his bad temper. He would have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had learned to control it. Likewise, there are people inclined toward alcoholism genetically. Others towards obesity, genetically. In many ways, they have to be more vigilant rather than give in to their inclinations, for the good of themselves and others. I see werewolfism like this.  

 

So the real question is, is he/she a good werewolf, or a bad one?