The common description of lycanthropy.

Lycanthropes are humans who can transform themselves to resemble normal animals or monsters. The term "lycanthrope" is actually not entirely politically correct since the word lycos (wolf) and anthropos (man) basically means Wolf man which as we all know, their are multiple species of lycanthrope then JUST werewolves. A more correct term would b "therianthrope" with therios(animal) and anthropos which would mean animal man. However, since werewolves are the most common therianthropes, the term lycanthrope has gained much more popularity and more common usage.

To further confuse the issue, these care creatures like the wolfwere and jackalwere, animals which can assume human form. These creatures( "antherions" for lack of better term) pass on their condition genetically(offspring) not by biting and infecting other creatures. Other differeneces between the two classes of creature include their vulnerabilities: antherions can be struck by cold iron for a good K.O. where Lycanthropes weakness is silver a pure substance. Antherions hate lycanthropes and always attack their counterparts (wolfweres attack werewolves, etc.) Likewise, most lycanthropes feel strong dislike towards antherions and attack on sight as well.

In addition, there are many subspecies of lycanthropes beyond the differences in animal type. For instance, there are three(sometimes four) distinct subspecies of werewolf, their different "forms" if you will.

The condition of being a lycanthrope, often referred to as a cuse, is called "lycanthropy." A distinction must be made between true lycanthropes(those born as they are) and those who have been infected with lycanthropy. Only true lycanthropes can infect others with lycanthropy. Infected lycanthropes are those whose lycanthropy results from being wounded by a true lycanthrope.

There are also creatures known by some as "induced lycanthropes" whose shape changes are effected by magical items, these creatures cannot infect others with lycanthropy, though the magical items can b transferred to new owners(IE Sparkles uses her magical hair comb to turn into a wolf, but if it's stolen by Rainbow then Rainbow is now able to transform into a wolf.) Some of the items are cursed so that once they are worn, they cannot be removed without the application of dark magic.

Finally there are "cursed lycanthropes" created by a vertain spell, curse of lycanthropy. True lycanthropes and induced lycanthropes seldom hate their "curse." The induced and true lycanthropes see themselves as being like any other creature with the same right to survival. Those bitten and infected or those affected by the curse of lycanthropy spell, are generally pretty unhappy with their fate. These unfortunates seek cures and occasionally try to hunt down the lycanthrope who infected them(or the wizard who cursed them)


This is all directly taken from the Dungeons and Dragons book of monsters, don't believe in this stuff? Send us a different take on lycanthropy and we'll post it onto a list of various ways lycanthropy is transmitted and what YOU think about it.