Monochrome_Cryptid
New Member
While the concept of werewolves has changed a lot since its advent, I haven't seen the concepts that I've come up with explored.
In the universe I'm developing, lycanthropy is a medical condition called Cyclic Transformation Syndrome, where an individual's body cyclically produces a hormone called "lycanthrotropin." The individual's body is in a constant state of flux in accordance to their cycle, with the "peak" being full transformation, and the "trough" the point that they look completely human. In between these two extremes, they will always have some degree of animal features, like ears or eyes. This cycle often -but not always- follows the phases of the moon. Both the peak and trough are short-lived, lasting about 6 hours at the most.
Like most other medical conditions, Cyclic Transformation does not affect all who have it the same way. Lycathnthrotropin has an R and L form, which largely determines what kind of animal the person turns into. R-lycanthrotropin results in a more "traditional" were-animal: At their peak, the person turns into an apex predator like a wolf or big cat, become extremely strong, and lose most of their human capacities, resulting in impulsiveness and aggression. Without treatment, they become a danger to themselves and others; many untreated cases have ended up in the death or maiming of several people, including the werewolf themself. Werewolves who have hurt people often develop mental disorders such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety. In serious cases, they may gain a fear of leaving their home, become nervous around other people, and turn to substance abuse. When the syndrome affects the person's quality of life like this, it is considered a disorder. Some act as advocates, but most aren't due to stigma.
Conversely, L-lycanthrotropin werewolves are much less serious. In fact, they are not "wolves" at all. L-lycathrotropin results in a person turning into a prey-type animal, such as a horse, deer, or goat. While they too experience a "peak," it is no where nearly as severe as it is in R-lycanthrotropin individuals, lacking the classic hyper aggressiveness and immense strength. While there are records of L-lycathrotropin werewolf injury, it is typically only one person or animal, not several at a time as they do not actively hunt. These cases very rarely end in permanent damage or death. The biggest dangers that come with being a L-lycanthrotropin werewolf is getting lost or hurt while foraging for plants, or fleeing to an unfamiliar place while spooked. On one occasion, a grazing individual ended up shot, mistaken for vermin while trespassing on a vegetable farm. Typically, a L-lycanthrotropin werewolves Cyclic Transformation is considered a syndrome, not a full disorder because their quality of life is not so deeply impacted. Many L-lycanthrotropin werewolves act as advocates for their R counterparts, promoting awareness and fair treatment.
In the universe I'm developing, lycanthropy is a medical condition called Cyclic Transformation Syndrome, where an individual's body cyclically produces a hormone called "lycanthrotropin." The individual's body is in a constant state of flux in accordance to their cycle, with the "peak" being full transformation, and the "trough" the point that they look completely human. In between these two extremes, they will always have some degree of animal features, like ears or eyes. This cycle often -but not always- follows the phases of the moon. Both the peak and trough are short-lived, lasting about 6 hours at the most.
Like most other medical conditions, Cyclic Transformation does not affect all who have it the same way. Lycathnthrotropin has an R and L form, which largely determines what kind of animal the person turns into. R-lycanthrotropin results in a more "traditional" were-animal: At their peak, the person turns into an apex predator like a wolf or big cat, become extremely strong, and lose most of their human capacities, resulting in impulsiveness and aggression. Without treatment, they become a danger to themselves and others; many untreated cases have ended up in the death or maiming of several people, including the werewolf themself. Werewolves who have hurt people often develop mental disorders such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety. In serious cases, they may gain a fear of leaving their home, become nervous around other people, and turn to substance abuse. When the syndrome affects the person's quality of life like this, it is considered a disorder. Some act as advocates, but most aren't due to stigma.
Conversely, L-lycanthrotropin werewolves are much less serious. In fact, they are not "wolves" at all. L-lycathrotropin results in a person turning into a prey-type animal, such as a horse, deer, or goat. While they too experience a "peak," it is no where nearly as severe as it is in R-lycanthrotropin individuals, lacking the classic hyper aggressiveness and immense strength. While there are records of L-lycathrotropin werewolf injury, it is typically only one person or animal, not several at a time as they do not actively hunt. These cases very rarely end in permanent damage or death. The biggest dangers that come with being a L-lycanthrotropin werewolf is getting lost or hurt while foraging for plants, or fleeing to an unfamiliar place while spooked. On one occasion, a grazing individual ended up shot, mistaken for vermin while trespassing on a vegetable farm. Typically, a L-lycanthrotropin werewolves Cyclic Transformation is considered a syndrome, not a full disorder because their quality of life is not so deeply impacted. Many L-lycanthrotropin werewolves act as advocates for their R counterparts, promoting awareness and fair treatment.
