Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy is both a disease and curse that can be found throughout Fayos, mostly on the continent of the same name.

Origin and History
Lycanthropy has been observed in the Human populations of Fayos since the time of the Mound Builders, possibly earlier. Reliefs in Mound Builder tombs show images of nobility or royalty hunting down and spearing man-beasts. The depictions were uncovered by Sikkudian archaeologists, who noted that the beast depictions were incredibly rare, only one such wall displayed them in over twenty tombs they entered. The beasts were noted as walking on two legs but having the appearance of a lion and wolf, but still possessing a man's hands and gate. Deeper inside the tomb was found a skeleton with deep markings along the bones, indicating multiple healed fractures over time, which was buried in a separate room from the other bodies. Comparing the bones with those of known lycans, highly supports it being the earliest known evidence of lycanthropy in Fayos, at around 6500 A.E.

Lycanthropy was first recorded by the Nordurens in their epic poem "Vilbrand" which follows the story of a warrior called Halstein as he escorts the prince Vilbrand from Skjolzir to a mystical northern kingdom called Kievaldur. In the story, Halstein stops at a village in the far northern tundras of Nordures, where he and the prince Vilbrand meet a man who is called Ulvur. Ulvur lets them stay in his home as no one else will open their doors. By nightfall however, he transforms into a wolf-man with mottled grey fur which Halstein must slaughter. The story describes Ulvur as such:

"Lo! With the cracking of thunder his bones did rend,

Like snapping branches; so that he became hungry,

As all under the blessed form become and turned his

Shaggy head towards beloved friend,

Snapping his jaws shut about them. (Tablet 10)

Noteworthy is the use of the word jikam which means "blessed gift" to describe the new form given to Ulvur, indicating some kind of reverence or godly status for lycans despite the fear they obviously command.

By the time of the Asinum-Bails lycanthropy was well known and documented. The first theory on the origin of the curse was given by the scholar Dakash Imana, who claimed that by studying several lost Ihjargan texts he was able to connect the lycanthropic curse to the lesser daemon Batos. The theory has largely been discredited by later communions and scholars who instead point to two possible origins:

The first theory, called the Kuddian theory, is that the curse is a result of the mixing of daemonic blood into the lineages of various people. The theory states that those whose ancestors directly consorted with daemons or who have consorted with daemons are those who are highly likely to be effected by lycanthropy.

The second theory, called the Norduren theory, is that lycanthropy is a curse/blessing directly from one of two gods, either Ashtorah or Dadir. For Ashtorah the argument is that, because he is god of beasts, he would gift the form of beasts to various followers to spread. The argument for Dadir is that because he is considered the patron of god of lycans that he must be the originator of the curse.

Both arguments hold weight and validity and should be equally considered as possible origins for the disease.

Currently, there are an unknown number of lycans in Fayos and Caldos, thought it seems that the beasts are not native to the latter. A cure is being worked on by the wizards of the Ihjargan and Elugwian courts in tandem as part of a trade agreement. Several lycans have turned themselves in to various authorities to avoid hurting others.

Symptoms
Lycanthropy is most commonly associated with the transformation of man to wolf, but can actually be to most any animal, depending on the origin of the curse. Lycans have been documented in every race but Palmirans, which seem to simply die when exposed or bitten by a lycanthrope of any kind.

The transformation itself has been well documented and those who have gone through it and remained sane have described it as being horrifically painful and sudden, unable to be controlled. One individual, a Highfjallian trapper who turned into a were-bear on random nights was quoted as saying: "It is like a great burning heat within thee, so much that thou rends thy garb apart and runs naked through the snow, til thy legs give out and break and stretch until thou are nothing more than a savage animal." Universally, the transformation starts with horrific burning heat, then hair and nail growth, followed by the rapid breaking and healing of the bones until the shape is that of something between animal and man.

The physical nature of the final form is highly unique. Those who have better control over their curse or have made pacts with divines for control, are able to become completely animal or only slightly beastly. With little control, some become halfway between each, stuck on the hind legs with strange thin hair and horribly malformed skulls. The most unlucky, usually from a tragic origin of the curse or a high concentration of certain daemonic essences, will transform into malformed and pathetic creatures resembling nothing in particular.

While transformed, the lycanthrope will have a need for blood. At first this may be the raw meet of wild beasts, as many state their first kill was a stag or elk. However, as time goes on, those without intense control will lust for human blood, or at the least, the blood of the humanoid races. This leads to the horrible slaughter lycans are associated with.

What triggers the transformation is not entirely known, as it can be highly individualized. For most, it is the full or new moon, while others seem to transform on random nights. Others still transform at seemingly random times, others when exposed to blood or violence, and even rarely, at will. When the lycan returns to its humanoid form, it goes through a sudden loss of consciousness, ending with them waking naked in their battered humanoid body.

List of Documented Were-Animals
A few cases of were-dragons or at the least, transformations into dragon like creatures have been reported but not sufficiently documented.
 * Wolf
 * Bear
 * Hyena
 * Lion
 * Wingless Griffin
 * Tiger
 * Dog
 * Stag
 * Horse
 * Bull
 * Rat

Famous Lycanthropes
Man-Eater of Uruk - Famous serial killer who murdered ten women in Uruk around 115 M.E. before disappearing from the city. Theorized to be a lycanthrope due to bizarre way of murdering victims.

Lady Valmar or Redhold - Wife of the Ihjargan Lord and scientist Marvule, she was subjected to a lycan's bite by her husband as part of his experiments with lycanthropy. She was kept in the dungeon one full moons, where she would transform into a tiger woman. Her writings are one of the main commentaries on the effects on the psyche that the disease has.

The Barland Beast - A large and particularly deadly lycan who transformed at will into a giant wolf. He terrorized the locals of Barland, demanding from the king and queen tribute for him to stop, eventually being captured alive by the Knight Leopold of the Thousand Falls. He was found to be a worshiper of Lord Dadir, who had given him full control over his transformations. He was executed with a silver coated sword at Akdur in 93 C.E.