I started writing this early in March 1999. I think I
already sent this out before, but it DEFINITELY bears repeating.
I've made a few minor alterations for clarity. Please
Read!
For some time now, I've felt that folks have too "cuddly"
a view of this disease. I will admit to some guilt with
this (with my pie-stealing werebear), but I also feel I've tried
to show the other side (with blind rages and alot of ferocious
growling). I think people see lycanthropy as just another
form of shapeshifting, no different from the druidic ability.
To them, it is a power, much like a switch, which can be turned
on and off. And, as for those infected with lycanthropy,
well, it must be "neat" to have this ability.
Well, lemme try to a) set the record straight and b) give some
rules for lycanthropes. These changes will alter the werelord
class, but also provide a single set of rules which deal with
all lycanthropes. There will be a basis to handle PC lycanthropes
at the same time as I (attempt to) show just how nasty this can
be.
First off, according to mythology, lycanthropy is a disease or
curse which causes those afflicted to transform into beastmen
under the light of the full moon. In this beast state, the
lycanthrope then rampages around the countryside causing terror
and destruction. People and animals die in a nightmare of
killings. The lycanthropic forms of each culture are always
those creatures which the people fear most -- hence a beast-man
is the most fearsome of all. The creature is as crafty as
a human, but possessed of bestial passions.
A common theme in werewolf stories is the newly-afflicted werepup
seeking out and killing everyone he knows and loves. Why?
Well, again per the mythology, the werecreature is a separate
identity; it shares the body of the afflicted human, but is only
released from the captivity of the human persona when the lycanthrope
assumes beast form. The werecreature has its own personality
and alignment. The werecreature has a rudimentary awareness
of what the human knows, but that's about it. In contrast,
while the mind of the human has given way to the beast, the human's
heart and passions remain. Unfortunately, the cause for
these passions is lost with the human's intellect; the beast doesn't
know if it likes or hates someone, only that it has strong feelings
toward that person. Thus we have alot of dead wives and
girlfriends right after the first change, especially with regard
to particularly nasty (evil) lycanthropes (werewolves don't bother
trying to figure out WHY they have particularly strong feeling
-- but, per their alignment, they do like hurting others and the
poor former-loved one has gotten their passions stirred up --
so "obviously" he/she should be hurt for some reason!).
Think of the comic version of the Incredible Hulk; he is aware
of the existence of Bruce Banner, but wants to get rid of him
so only the Hulk remains (or failing that, to make Banner's life
miserable). We're talking the classic Jekyll/Hyde relationship.
And alignment is really important. Evil lycanthropes LIKE
to kill and even neutral ones are savage carnivorous animals (do
not piss them off or they WILL eat you!). They should be
seen as particularly bright WILD animals (would you really wanna
to sleep next to a tiger, especially if it was as smart as you
are?). Only good lycanthropes should have a "cuddly"
side (at least under most conditions).
The one thing that distinguishes a werelord from an infected lycanthrope
is that the werelord CHOSE this disease and has learned to control
it by being infected in small amounts and with a great amount
of training. The werelord, in contrast to other werecreatures,
is a FUSION of man and beast, and therefore able to control his
disease mostly through force of will. Similarly, a werelord's
mind is also a fusion of the two, so there are few gaps in memory
or emotion between the two forms. At the same time, this
means all werelords MUST have the alignment of their wereform;
they accepted the disease, their two "selves" are "one"
so they can't fight any of the disease's effects (see below).
So what does all this mean for the game and game mechanics?
Well...
First, role-play should change.
While certain lycanthropes may be "more cuddly" due
to alignment (CG werebears) or personality (valid only for werelords),
most should remain horrible monsters, at least to the general
populous. The rumor of a werecreature in a party should
run the risk of a lynch mob. And I *WILL* enforce this more...!
Second, if a PC is infected
with lycanthropy and changes, the player may attempt to play the
character. The player must, however, play this character
according to the passions of the beast. A newly transformed
wereboar would just as likely kill its party as the hill giants
they're fighting, since it loves to just fight. A werewolf
would actually get off wasting those party members its human-self
cares for or hates (chaotic evil means likes causing destruction
ESPECIALLY if it hurts someone else!). Violation from this
means the werecreature immediately becomes an NPC.
Third, afflicted characters
can fight the disease. I've never liked the idea of spontaneously
changing alignment. I like the idea of a bitter, dark struggle
against the beast. The hapless human may retain his alignment,
working by day to end the existence of his night-time alter-ego.
By day, normal PC, by night, mindless monster (and possible NPC).
Fourth, there is a base chance,
depending on circumstances for the beast to rise, as shown below:
|
with modifiers of +25% for night time +25% if the moon is visible (always applies during the full moon but never applies during the day) with check made When emotionally upset ("Mr McGee, don't make me angry...") When wounded (first time takes damage) When severely wounded (first time reaches 1/2 or fewer hits) When the full moon rises |
The werebeast then behaves according to its alignment and situation. Once things are calm (and in most cases the blood-rage has been satiated by a few killings), the creature MIGHT change back, again rolling below.
|
with modifiers of +50% for moon set or no longer visible (non-full moon) +50% for sunrise or day time +50% if the werebeast goes to sleep or is rendered unconscious with check made When the sun rises When the creature loses consciousness When the creature's blood-rage is satiated (but no additional stimulus) |
||
Fifth, as the lycanthrope lives with his disease, he learns to control it. Infected characters need to start keeping a second tally for eeps. When the beast does things, it gains experience, using the same table as the appropriate werelord (I'm trying to discourage this as a good thing). When the beast earns enough experience to "level" it gains some measure of control over its state. Likewise, high wisdom (willpower) helps a little:
|
|
These bonuses can either be used to encourage a change, or
fight it off. For example, a 15 wisdom werewolf living with
the disease for some time (3rd lvl) would be able to better resist
the change. Normally, if a werewolf was wounded at night
during a risen greater (more than 1/2) moon, he would have a 75%
to change (25% for the moon, 25% for being night time and 25%
for being able to see the moon). But, this character could
bring this down to 49% or up to 100% through willpower, self-control
and experience (+/- 25% for level and +/- 1% for wisdom).
The same character would have a 0% to 1% chance (player's choice)
during the day during a lesser (less than 1/2) moon (lesser moon
is -25% with +/- 26%).
Sixth, each time an infected
lycanthrope levels as a beast, the human "host's" alignment
moves one place toward the beast. The human identity can
fight this, by rolling a saving throw versus wisdom with a negative
penalty equal to the beast's level (and this roll must be made
when initially achieving first level as a beast -- sometimes after
the first transformation and subsequent kill). If the roll
is made, the human's will fights off the beast's urges and the
human retains his alignment a little longer. If the roll
fails, the human's alignment shifts. If a 20 is rolled,
then the human personality not only fails, but must roll again
to avoid sliding TWO alignment steps AND also picks up some appropriate
form of insanity from the mental strain. Werelords, being
voluntary converts, never roll like this and ALWAYS have the alignment
of the beast in all forms.
Seventh, for every two levels
(round up) of the beast form, the beast can shift from human to
lycanthrope. Changing back is free. It doesn't make
a difference if either change is voluntary or not. Note
that this means lycanthropes now commonly revert to human shape
when knocked unconscious. Only changes while conscious restore
hit points (see below).
Eighth, the beast and the
human are separate entities, but bound to the same basic body.
The act of changing shape causes the body to reshape, often healing
wounds. For an infected lycanthrope, changes to either shape
heals 1d6*10% of his hit points (round down) from the change.
While wounds tend to heal between forms, the general state of
one entity is reflected in the other. Since, each being
has a different set of hit points and current state of health,
when shifting between forms, the new form should have the same
percentage of wounds as the previous form (rounded against the
lycanthrope).
Werelords, as a fusion of man and beast, have only a single
set of hit points. Prior to achieving mastery of forms at
higher level, only a werelord's human form is his "natural
form". Because of this, werelords only heal when resuming
human shape prior to level of mastery, because the strain of shifting
to another form prevents it.
Ninth, the abilities of the
beast are somewhat a function of the level of the beast.
At first level, the strain of changing shape causes all werecreatures
to scream in pain during the transformation. At second level,
a save vs wisdom will negate this. Also, beginning at second
level, any lycanthrope may elect to voluntarily change, with the
percentages and modifiers give above. Voluntary changes
may only be attempted once per encounter or until the situation
changes to meet one of the normal conditions for transformation.
At third level, the change becomes painless while at fourth level,
the beast gains the ability to growl human-sounding speech.
Tenth (and finally for now),
werelords are just a "special case" of lycanthropes.
Instead of having a unique set of abilities, they are merely one
example of how lycanthropy can manifest. To determine if
the beast rises, the werelord always rolls as if it is a lesser
moon (he has far less of the disease in his blood) and doesn't
need to check for involuntary changes into beast form unless TWO
conditions are met (he is hurt and angry, usually). In this
case, however, the werelord will be lost, at least initially to
his blood-rage when he assumes wereform.
Likewise, although all infected lycanthropes gain resistance
to non-silver weapons initially, the werelord, with his lesser
infection, must wait until 8th level to gain this ability.
Kalavor Talgris, the Left Hand, Papa Bear
and
Phillipe Redlocke, scourge of Alex, Paige and Sonora Fireoak
and
Freke 8-)
© 2000 buddhabear@geocities.com