Lycans in HRT

[:: Pandie ::]

Newer lycans who do not yet have the ability to transform usually tranform for the first time when the moon is full. Werewolves are especially likely to go on the prowl and attack during this Full Moon, which is why they are so often required to be isolated in the Tower during this night.

As the basic legend goes, the lycan, being linked to the lunar cycle, is painfully and fearfully aware of the full moon phase. He or she can sense it with every fiber of his or her being. And as the fateful phase draws irrevocably closer, he or she fights an increasingly hard battle against the primitive animal instincts of the Animal within him or her.

Until on the night of the full moon, totally exhausted and beaten, the lycan can no longer resist or deny the Wolf. The inevitable has come. The Animal will out; the metamorphosis a painful delirium. As the Animal and its voracious appetites surface and take over, the moral consciousness of the human is lost. The Lycan has a dim, or no memory at all, of the terrible, gruesome deeds done in his or her animal form. But he or she eventually hears of them, however, as panic, fear and speculation run rampant in his or her community as the deeds are discovered.

As the curse of the Lycan repeats each full moon, with no release in sight, the tortured soul becomes more introspective. Falling deeper into hopeless, helpless despair, guilt, fear and self-loathing eat at him or her from the inside-out until there is almost nothing left of the once kind, friendly, moral soul. The only salvation and end to the cursed, lonely half-life led by this tragic individual is a silver bullet or instrument.

[:: Pandie ::]

Attributes:
Lifespan – a lycan lives about three or four times longer than an average human, with some living as long as 250 years. Their prolonged lifespan is primarily attributed to cellular regeneration, which occurs during each human-to-animal transformation. As new cells are constantly recreated for the entire body, the aging process is significantly delayed.
Strength – Stronger alpha animals can lift as much as 2 tons – the equivalent of a small car. Upon shifting forms, most lycans tend to grow in size, as bone structure and muscle tissues expand and reform.
Agility – From a standing position, a lycanthrope can jump as high as 15 feet. Sprinting at top speed, some werewolves can run as fast as 40mph. In comparison, the fastest recorded human running speed is 26.3mph.
Endurance/Healing – lycan possess an extremely high threshold of pain and rapidly recover from most wounds. While a broken bone can take months to heal for a normal human, it is only days for a werewolf to completely mend. A lycan’s distinct muscle composition is not only vastly stronger than human muscle tissue, it also utilizes oxygen and breaks down lactic acid more efficiently. This, combined with larger lung capacity, gives an enormous boost to a werewolf’s stamina and endurance, and practically nullifies muscle soreness after vigorous activity.
Immune System – Bacteria, disease, viruses, infection, and even most lethal poisons and toxins are easily neutralized by a lycan’s immune system.
Vision – Associated with their nocturnal hunting nature, lycans have extremely acute long distance sight, and can see in near complete darkness. Much like canines, a lycanthrope in animal form cannot view the full color spectrum – only shades of black, white and brown.
Hearing – Like a natural wolf or dog, a lycans ear shape allows it to zero-in on remote sounds. Lycans can pick up distant conversations and hear pitches beyond a normal human’s audible spectrum. (This includes dog whistles, mechanical noises, and feedback from electronic devices.)
Smell – The olfactory sense is the most important attribute a lycans possesses. It is estimated that lycans can smell up to 10,000 times better than a human, and are able to consciously pick out dozens of different scents at once.
Taste – Often overlooked, a lycan possesses all 5 primary taste receptors of humans: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and ‘umame’ (the sense for rich, fatty, ‘satisfying’ foods). Lycanthropes also carry the canine receptor for ‘freshness’ – enabling them to distinguish polluted water and poisoned or spoiling foods that may otherwise appear fine.
Claws – Used as both tools and weapons, a lycan’s claws can dig through concrete and tear through sheet metal. Claws can be used to reach inside small spaces, carve wood, climb trees and cliffs, and scale vertical walls.
Fur – The most distinguishing trait of a werewolf is its fur. A werewolf’s fur serves as protection and insulation against harsh environments, as well as camouflage when in their sub-species region (Ex. White fur of arctic wolf sub-species acts as camouflage in snow and tundra climates). Colors and patterns can be as unique as human fingerprints. (Though only other werewolves tend to notice the more subtle differences in detail.)


Weaknesses:
The most distinguishing weakness of a werewolf is silver, and all lycanthropes are psychologically bound to the phases of the moon. Ironically, many of a werewolf’s other weaknesses are derived from its unique physical attributes.



Silver - Werewolves have a severe allergy to silver. Superficial skin contact will result in redness and irritation, and a burning sensation that intensifies with increased pressure or prolonged exposure. Silver-inflicted wounds require healing times matching those of a normal human's, and often leave a scar. Silver wounds cause painful, physical burning in addition to pain associated with the particular type of wound. If the silver remains lodged inside the body, cellular proteins will begin to breakdown, causing progressive, localized damage similar to a chemical burn.
Full Moon - Though not understood why, werewolves have a psychological link to the phases of the moon.
Periods during the half-moon phase are when werewolves will maintain the greatest self-control, and most balanced, human-like behavior.
During a full moon, individuals usually exhibit signs of impatience, anxiety, restlessness, and/or aggression. Younger and recently-turned werewolves typically cannot maintain the mental and physical control necessary to prevent outbursts of extreme behavior and chaotic thought patterns. This quickly leads to a feral state, in which the conscious mind goes haywire, shutting down (much like a seizure) and an uncontrolled transformation to wolf form occurs. At this point, mental control is replaced by a primal subconscious, driven solely on primitive instincts (fight-or-flight) and basic needs (food).
During a new moon, individuals may carry on with more indifference, demonstrate more sedate behavior, or behave more carefree than normal.
High-Frequency Noise - The effect of high-pitched noises can range from irritating, to deafening, to dangerously incapacitating – depending upon their intensity. High frequency noises at extreme amplitudes can rupture ear drums and cause severe damage - leading to temporary losss of hearing and vertigo.
Immune System - Werewolves are impervious to healing herbs and other painkiller items – requiring massive doses for even a mild, short-term effect before the drug is broken down. Short of magic healing spells, when in extreme pain, a werewolf is nearly always on his/her own.
High Metabolism - Though not a direct weakness, werewolves require large intakes of food to function at peak levels. Protein is the primary necessity, required for the near-constant cellular regeneration that takes place during transformations and healing. Though werewolves can survive without food longer than humans, the diminishing effects on muscle mass and energy can be just as drastic.
Scent - Werewolves maintain their unique scent even when in human form. Though meaningless to other humans, this does makes it more difficult for werewolves to blend in as 'human' when among other demons with keen olfactory senses.