Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy is a biological condition which leads to the victim taking on a wolf-like form.

Transmission & Vectors

Lycanthropy is spread through contact by blood. The disease drives the victim to bite other non-infected entities, spreading the condition like an epidemic.
If either of your parents were a lycanthrope, which is very rare, because sex is not a lycanthropic host's priority, you will also retain the disease.

Causes

The condition's mental effects will show up almost immediately after the victim is infected, while the physical symptoms are activated by the full moon.

Symptoms

Mental

The disease leads to heightened intrusive thoughts, especially those of violence. These thoughts have been known to be overwhelming, leading to the victim killing many people close to them.

Physical

The senses of the victim are extremely heightened. Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch all increase. Teeth and nails grow into fangs and claws like biological weapons. Fur grows all over the body. The end result looks very much like a mixture between a wolf and a human.

Treatment

Recognising the mental symptoms early can help prevent the physical symptoms from manifesting. If the victim is hidden from the full moon, it will never undergo the lycanthropic transformation.
Once the physical symptoms manifest, however, the best way to prevent any tragedies is to immediately kill the host. Due to the effects of the disease, they'll be much more resistant to physical damage, but can still be weakened through recognised weaknesses, such as silver and wolfsbane.

Hosts & Carriers

Humans are the only species that seem affected by lycanthropy.

Prevention

The best way to avoid lycanthropy in its entirety is to kill all infected hosts in the vicinity

History

The first lycanthrope known to history was Hellenic king Lycaon of Arcadia. He was cursed by Zeus Panhellenios when the former attempted to serve his own son, Nyctimus of Arcadia to the latter. Zeus, deeming the king a savage, bestowed upon him the first case of lycanthropy, as well as on his 49 remaining sons. After this curse, the population of Arcadia were either killed or infected.

Cultural Reception

Lycanthropic hosts are widely feared, and rightly so. The disease corrupts their mind and their body and makes them an unsatiable killing machine.

Type

Parasitic

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Rare

Affected Species

• Human