Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy is a curse that turns the sentient mortals of Talamh into ravenous beasts. Often the beasts are called "were-creatures", such as werewolves which are the most common variety.

Transmission & Vectors

Lycanthropy is spread by a humanoid of some sort being bitten by a lycanthrope. They contract it into their blood. It is also possible to curse other people with this terrible affliction by use of spells or divine intervention. However, the bite is the most common factor of spread of this curse. It is most commonly seen in mammals, but the chance of non-mammalians contracting it is not an impossibility.
Rarely, it can also be passed down genetically. If a parent that has lycanthropy has a child, the child will also be born with lycanthropy, and it will be a permanent part of their genetic code. That is, unless reality-altering magic is used to remove it.

Symptoms

Werewolf by Kirill Khrol

Lycanthropy is often hidden at first, with it's victims not knowing they have it until they are subjugated to a full moon. When their first moon comes, the victim of lycanthropy is forcefully turned into a terrifying were-beast that they have little mental control over. Their bodies first start to grow the excess fur, and then their bones shift painfully under their muscles and skin, and the muscles and skin follow it. When the transformation is complete, they tend to have bipedal traits still, but their body has been twisted to resemble the were-beast they contracted the curse from. For example, the victim of a werewolf attack will be transformed into a werewolf as well.

Treatment

Treatment for Lycanthropy has different stages. During the first week or so, magic spells on the middle-range of expertise can seem to remove the curse. But after the first week has settled in, the victim is unfortunately stuck as a werewolf, and unless the spell appears to be reality-altering, the victim of lycanthropy becomes stuck that way until the day they die.
The lycanthrope is thus challenged to resist the urges, but even on a fullmoon this becomes impossible. At this stage, the victim either accepts their curse and learns to survive with it (or even embrace the urges), or they seek death. For the latter option, the way to kill a werewolf becomes using magical or silver weapons to use against them. When the werewolf dies, the curse passes away from them, extinguished forever.
Rarely, magical items can also be given to subdue the curse so it can be controllable, such a necklace. However, if the necklace is removed from the wearer, the lycanthropy becomes a problem once again. It is possible, with the use of such magic items and enough patience, that one can forever tame the beast and embrace it's power to be put under their control. Such situations are rare, but it is believed if this happens the user unlocks the original intentions as it being a blessing, and ascends into a powerful mortal being. However, there is no strong documented cases of this, and remains theoretical or placed in the realm of rumors.

History

It is tradition that the curse of Lycanthropy was called an "Elven Curse". It is believed that long ago, the goddess Morganine blessed certain wood elves with blood and instincts matched to a wolf. However, these elves who took this blessing grew greedy and blood thirsty, and thus tried to manipulate their blood. It turned them into ravenous beasts, turning more animalistic and blood thirsty.
Dwarves began to find these werewolves slipping into the Gothlands and trying to kill them, but after a few attacks, they learned it infected their kind too. It became even more problematic when the first humans came into the Gothlands for, because of their larger numbers, they were affected greatly by the curse. It turned into a profession to hunt these creatures by rangers, paladins, and clerics.

Cultural Reception

All around Talamh, lycanthropy is dreaded and feared, for it is often an uncontrollable menace within communities, and spreads incredibly easily. If someone is a known lycanthrope, they are often executed or hunted down by rangers or mercenaries. This leads many lycanthropes to live in the edge of society, away from the fear of men, dwarves, and elves. Those that live within the community often have little time to thrive in communities.

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Rare