And before the final blank overtook his

dying eyes, he saw that She gave place to

It; he saw more, that Life gave place to

Death - causelessly, incomprehensibly.

-Clemence Housman, The Were-Wolf

The dread disease of lycanthropy may be the most feared malady in the Land of Mists. It unleashes those parts of us that we strive so persistently to suppress; the dark, the primitive, the feral, the enraged. Worst of all, its presence lies submerged, hidden to that no one might suspect the ferocity of the animal within. Even the lycanthrope himself might be ignorant of the beast he becomes when the moon is full.

Natural Lycanthropes

Also known as true lycanthropes, they're born with the innate ability to assume the form of an animal and a hybrid beast. The nature of this power is a mystery, but it appears to be an inherited condition. One is either born a natural lycanthrope or one is not; a natural lycanthrope can't be "cured" of the condition, nor can one "contract" natural lycanthropy. Natural lycanthropes can inflict their condition on others, but this is always the afflicted variety, not true lycanthropy.

As lycanthropy is an inherent facet of their existence, natural lycanthropes are able to completely control their transformations. They may transform whenever they wish, and only unusual circumstances can force them to change if they don't want to.

All natural lycanthropes are able to assume two forms in addition to their natural one. The lycanthrope always has the same appearance in its animal form. The animal form is usually larger than the average member of its species, but not abnormally so. Some, however, become dire animals in their animal form. The natural lycanthrope in animal form is in complete control of its faculties and can understand human speech, though can't speak itself.

Natural lycanthropes are also able to assume a hybrid form, a hideous cross between their human and animal forms. This is bipedal and humanoid in shape. It retains the ability to hold and manipulate objects and can speak. Its head closely resembles the animal forms, and the body is usually covered in fur (or scales, or feathers, or whatever's appropriate). The hybrid form is always powerfully built and usually possesses sharp claws that can inflict serious wounds. As with the animal form, a natural lycanthrope retains full control over its actions in hybrid form.

Afflicted Lycanthropes

These are people who've had the lycanthropic condition thrust upon them. Those injured by a lycanthrope but survive may contract the disease, or one might be cursed to become a lycanthrope. Afflicted lycanthropy is like a disease that can be passed to others, or with difficulty, cured. It's not a "common" disease, however, and a paladin's disease immunity confers no guaranteed resistance against it. Likewise, attempts to use Wisdom (Medicine) skills on afflicted lycanthropy symptoms almost always fail; while it might be in the healer's power to ease the pain a were-beast feels, they won't be abating the shape-changing.

Unlike natural lycanthropes, afflicted members have no control over their changes. They can't initiate a change of their own will. Instead, their change is triggered by an event outside their control. The most common trigger is the full moon, but other triggers exist. Afflicted lycanthropes assume only a single alternate form and ones of the same bloodline tend to have the same alternate shape. Usually, this will be the shape which the inflicting were-beast wore when it infected them. Once determined in the moment of infection, this doesn't change.

Afflicted lycanthropes become animalistic and prone to rage in their other form. They attack innocents without remorse, often targeting loved ones. They usually have no memory of actions taken while changed.