Werewolves

Werewolves, also known as Wolf Men, are powerful shapeshifters. They are beings of immense strength and vitality, defined by their connection to their creator.

Origins

The first werewolves were created by Ynue Bo-Rak, god of the hunt, as a reward to his most skilled and loyal champions. Bo-Rak bestowed upon them the power of the wolf, granting them enhanced strength, endurance, and the ability to assume the form of a great, supernatural wolf at will.

These original warriors became known as Champions, the purest and most powerful form of werewolf.

Types of Werewolves

Over time, different types of werewolves have emerged, either as descendants of the champions or as unfortunate victims of infection or magical affliction.

Champions

The original werewolves, created directly by Bo-Rak. They possess full control over their transformations and are unmatched in strength, speed, and endurance. Champions can shift at will and suffer no known side effects. They are exceedingly rare and nearly impossible to destroy. Their willpower remains intact in wolf form, making them strategic and deadly predators.
Bo-Rak still grants this power to his most gifted followers.

Blood Wolves

A genetically inherited strain passed down from the Champions. Blood wolves carry the dominant wolf gene, and while they are not as strong as the originals, they are still formidable. Full-blooded descendants can transform freely, without restriction, and retain control while in wolf form.

Interestingly, their blood carries the transformative spark — if a mortal ingests enough of it, they may become a werewolf. However, the process is painful, traumatic, and often fatal. The transformation is akin to a violent illness: fever, hallucinations, tissue mutations, and an overwhelming sense of hunger. If the immune system fights off the infection, the transformation fails. If the blood is potent enough, the mortal becomes a turned werewolf.

Turned Werewolves

Mortals who survive the blood-induced transformation become standard werewolves. While still powerful, they are noticeably weaker than their pureblood counterparts. Turned werewolves are limited to one transformation per day and suffer great mental strain from each shift. Overuse can lead to instability, blackouts, or complete loss of self in wolf form.

They are the most common type encountered and often struggle to integrate their new identity with their former human life.

Howler

These types are unique to Armir, they are rabi beasts that grow more savage and more powerfull with every consecutive kill, until there is nothing of them left, and they become unable to leave their wolf form.
They are created when someone kills a howler, inheriting their power.
It is possible to break the cycle of the howler with magic, but Bo-Rak will just make a new one as soon as he finds someone suitable.
They are only found among Nalsai and Baskth.

The Cursed

The most tragic form of werewolf. These individuals are not born or turned, but afflicted through dark magic or ritualistic punishment. A cursed werewolf transforms involuntarily, driven entirely by environmental triggers — most notably, darkness. Daylight or moonlight holds the curse at bay, but in deep night or in the absence of celestial light, the transformation is triggered.

Cursed werewolves have no control over their wolf form. They act on instinct alone, often attacking friend and foe alike, and remember their actions only as vague, haunting dreams. Many cursed souls become reclusive or mad, fearing what they may do when the sun sets.

Nature of the Wolf

Immunity & Longevity: All non-cursed werewolves possess potent immune systems and greatly extended lifespans. Disease rarely affects them, and aging slows dramatically once they embrace the wolf form.
Spiritual Afterlife: Upon death, werewolves are drawn into Bo-Rak’s realm, an eternal hunting ground where they live on as both predator and prey in a wild, cyclical afterlife. This is viewed as an honorable end — a return to the primal origin.

Purification

Turned and Cursed werewolves are considered corrupted souls and can, in theory, be cleansed or cured — though the means are often quite painful, and leave one scarred. Killian's Cross provides this service for willing participants though.
Champions and Blood Wolves, however, are classified as dark souls. They are bound to Bo-Rak’s will and cannot be unmade through mortal intervention.