Monster Specification

Lycanthropes

Typical Monster Level ("ML"): AL +1

Lycanthropy is a virus Organism, which causes People ("Hosts") to turn into Monsters, having the form (a "Were" form) of certain animals (the "Counterparts").  In the case of Wererats, the Counterpart is a Giant Rat, but normal rats also carry the virus.  The Counterparts may carry the virus, but do not turn into Weres.  The virus is contracted from taking damage from an infected Counterpart or Were, and failing a st @ BTS 50 + 5AL or ML% (Co) (a st has to be made each time damage is taken).  The Were is a Monster of ML = the AL (or ML for Giant Rats, with normal rats which are Carriers infecting with a virus of ML equivalent to a Giant Rat) of the Counterpart from which the virus was contracted +1, or the ML of the Were from which the virus was contracted.

The virus has Disease Level = its ML (for purposes of Cure Disease).

Typical Number Encountered: d6, may be part of a group of the Counterparts

Usual Alignment(s): any, depending on Alignment of Host

Description: Weres may be of any of the following:

• Werebears: Counterparts = Bears (see Animal Specification)
• Wereboars: Counterparts = Boars  (see Animal Specification)
• Weremonkeys: Counterparts = Monkeys (especially large Apes, such as Gorillas which become Weregorillas)
• Wererats: Counterparts = Giant Rats  (see Monster Specification)
• Weretigers: Counterparts = Tigers  (see Animal Specification)
• Werewolves: Counterparts = Wolves  (see Animal Specification)

Habitat: Dungeons, Green and Wilderness Areas where the Counterpart lives, Urban Areas (esp. Wererats)

Language: as per the Host.  Werewolves can communicate with wolves in both Host and Were form.

Chars: Were form as per Counterpart

Movement: Were form as per Counterpart

Abilities: Host as a normal adventurer / Were as per Counterpart (of AL = ML of Were, do not subtract 1: e.g. a Werewolf infected by an AL8 Wolf is a ML9 Were, which fights as per an AL9 Wolf)

Other Abilities / Powers / Notes:

1. Were (not Host) has Invulnerability 1: invulnerable to non-magical attacks, vulnerable to silver & magical attacks, other beings with Invulnerability 1 are vulnerable to it: For further details see the Notes to the Elementalist Invulnerability Spell.
2. The Host can turn into the Were at will.  The change either way takes 6 sec.  Clothes and possessions do not change.  The Were can turn back into the Host by rolling <= ML on d12.  If the Moon is in the sky add 1 to the d12.
3. If it is the night of a Full Moon, the Host turns into the Were for the whole night.
4. If first infected with the virus, the Host cannot assume Were form until the next night of a Full Moon.
5. The Were has a separate personality, equivalent to the Counterpart.  It may therefore turn on the Host's party.
6. Cults of the Counterparts have often voluntarily infected themselves with the virus, e.g. the Wolf Cult of Kyr.  Several Thievish Brotherhoods are infected with the Wererat virus and associated with the Rat Cult.

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