I believe that a werewolf would NOT have to change under the light of the moon. I think they'd be a bit stronger than the average human while in the human form. You'd probably have to be born one, not get bitten. Um... they'd carry over some traits, like eye color from form to form. Heightened senses.

Well, in most of the original legends, people transform into werewolves normally through the wearing of the animals skin, like Native American skinwalkers. Or through the use of special potion that was either ingested or rubbed into the skin. Most people don't really adhere to the traditioinal methods however. Or as a curse/punishment, like in the case of the Greek legend of King Lycaeon. The Berserkers are on interesting interpretation of it as well.

You and I have a similar view of weres, though not the same. I'm currently writing a story (a trilogy, hopefully) about werewolves to help expand upon this view. Werewolves get a bad rap due to Hollywood and natural paranoia, to be honest. It's quite a drag.

Different how? If I may ask.

Okay, prepare for a long message. ^ ^;

Alright. My view of werewolves is that they are either born into it or they are bitten and can thus become weres. However, being bitten is a serious thing and in my story, it's a fated thing; werewolves don't go around all willy-nilly biting anybody. Those who are bitten are most likely destined to become a werewolf as a product of Fate choosing that path for them. They can either agree to it or deny it and agreeing to it accepts them into the werewolves' culture. Those who are Fated to become weres become aware of their fate through a complicated series of dreams where they are connected to the werewolf who is destined to bite them. These dreams begin upon the first meeting of that were however the chosen human is not aware of their dreams until later in their life. Often the were and non-were meet in their early teens and upon becoming an adult (eighteen) they are informed of what is going on and they begin to remember their dreams, usually prior to then. The link between the werewolf and human is usually referred to as their Connection or simply just their Link. (Capitalized; it's important. =D)

Werewolves themselves, however, are much more complicated. I've written up the basic parts of the lore and what they are and I'll inform you of bits and pieces. Like, in my world, werewolves are not allergic to silver. There are SOME weres who are, but by no means all of them. Also, wolf'sbane is not fatal to them. It works more like lavender on humans; it's a peaceful scent and since their sense of smell is so strong, it is highly effective. Also, they do not necessarily have to change under the full moon. Granted, it is indeed EASIER to change under the full moon than, say, the new moon, however weres in my story can initiate the change whenever they want. Hair and eye colour stay the same between the two forms so someone with black hair would become a British Columbian wolf in that form. Weres also have three different forms.

There's a lot more but I don't want to get too much more into it since I do plan on using this for my story. Which I was actually just writing when I decided to check my e-mail, lol.

Make any sense?

I'm sorry my head has been corrupted when it comes to were-wolves, they are evil love to hate characters, they don't change on the full moon, but can transform whenever they wish

Sorry, but werewolves are not evil. Humans are not inherently evil and wolves are no where NEAR inherently evil. If the two pieces do not have a certain quality then the result of combining the two cannot have that quality. That's like combining chocolate and vanilla and getting caramel. It doesn't work, sorry.

Aaah but you see in my head were-wolves are not human . . I know, it doesn't make sense, but from the little world I have created none of my characters are human and therefore they can be born evil.

Sorry I didn't mean to confuse you. However it is just the way they are percieved, I guess. They have reasons behind their actions, but in my head, they can't see the bigger picture

Well, by my perspective, the lycan traits are like any other trait in the human genome, just extremely more rare. And can be passed on through a bite. Hence the title of my series, By Bite, By Blood. But I understand for you, I suppose. I just get annoyed when people say werewolves are evil because I honestly don't think they all HAVE to be. It's stereotypical.

My opinion on werewolves: They are passionate, lively, and dedicated creatures. They are all about living life to the fullest for themselves and their families. They are pride, quick to anger, and a deeply spiritual. Often they can be found in the woods with their extended families and close friends dancing and howling at the moon.

On the other hand, they are pack-driven and territorial savages. There is always an alpha who can be challenged, always spoils of the hunt to fight over, always honor and duty to think about. Insults are punished with beatings. Dishonor punished by brutal executions. Exile and solitude are fates worse than death for these relationship-oriented creatures.

Humans are seen as invaders to the natural world. They bring evil, pollution, and order to the wild and free lands of nature. Thus, they are dishonorable and must be stopped. Werewolves kill the hunters, the eco-tourists, the plane crash victims, and the lost hikers who stumble into their world. They are not friendly to strangers who haven't proven themselves.

They are stronger than humans, faster and tougher, too. This is because werewolves were never human but rather born (not "infected" with a bite) as a powerful separate species. They are wounded by silver and eventually get old and die (though most die early in adulthood as brave warriors).

Being gregarious instead of solitary, full of life instead of void of it, honorable instead of treacherous, werewolves are the opposite of vampires.

This is my version of werewolves, or at least how I plan on portraying them in a story I'm writing.

Werewolves were originally Norse or Viking warriors who through a ritual, gained the ability to shapeshift into werewolves when in battle. They became known as Beserkers. However over time the Viking age ended but the Beserkers never died out. Through conquests the Vikings had expanded their sphere of influence and the Beserkers became scattered across the Earth. However, as the Viking Age of Conquest ended and the need for Beserkers became less and less, their numbers grew. The descendants of Beserkers and humans had inherited thier shapeshifting abilities. However over the ages the descendents of Beserkers have lost thier abilities to change into werewolves, and those that can, are among the oldest and strongest of the Beserkers. Some aspects of them, haven't changed. Even in this modern age, the descendents of Beserkers, referred to commonly as Lycanthropes or Lycans, typically operate in groups of mercenaries and hire themselves out has private soldiers. Others have adapted to the times in different ways and attempt to blend in to society. Lycans are scattered across the globe into clans, and there is no single clan that rules all the others.

Modern Lycans, while not able to shapeshift, are still powerful nonetheless. They possess superhuman strength, speed and endurance. They also possess wolf like sense of smell, hearing and can virtually see in the dark. They have faster reflexes than humans and can survive injuries that would normally either kill or maim a normal person and have a much stronger immune system than humans. While not immortal they are much longer lived than humans and can live up to several centuries. The elder Lycans, those who are 350-400 years old, still retain their ability to shapeshift. Lycans in their werewolf form are practically unstoppable but not invulnerable. They can be hurt and killed by conventional weapons including guns, knives, swords etc. They are harmed by silver but it is not the only way to kill them, it just severely wounds them. Lastly Lycans and Beserkers cannot infect others by biting them. The only way to become one of them is to be born one of them.

While they are no longer the completely warrior society they once were, all Lycans adhere to a moral code of somesort, which may vary from clan to clan and Lycan to Lycan. Even those that choose not to become fighters adhere to this code or some form of it. All in all, they are honorable people.

Well, I've never tried to post a reply to a forum, so I hope I did this right .!

My version of werewolves is a more traditional turn, in keeps with the moon. Werewolves don't transform by the power of the moon exactly, though. They change by extreme emotions and high stress levels, so they usually transform when they get really angry or depressed. The full moon actually enhances the power of their emotions though, so during those few days they get extremely moody and transform more often. In wolf form they look exactly the same as regular wolves, except they're slightly larger. They have super speed and they're really strong, but while in wolf form their emotions stay pretty much fixed at what they were when they transformed. Werewolves transform back into humans once they've got themselves under control, so it's sort of a protective feature to keep from transforming back in the middle of the hunt or in front of humans. However, this makes it very difficult to phase back. It's also very difficult for them to hide their nature in human form, as their instincts are more wolf like than human. They pick fights and attack small animals when their animal side provokes them, even when near crowds of people. These incidents have led them into several large massacres in the past, so there are few left nowadays.

These are all cool perspectives guys...

A werewolves goal, like all other supernatural creatures, is to blend in with society. They don't have to eat people, though some do. They do have their pack, or family. They can be rogue. The gene of werewolf can be passed from male to female and so on. They don't transform into this half-beast half-man creature, unless they have the control and want to do so. The full moon is convenient to change under because there is more light, but they don't have to. they don't go into heat any more than us as humans do. They have a high metabolism. They have a higher libido. Depending on the character of the person, they can either accept the 'other side' or reject it. Or be in the middle.

-KELLEY ARMSTRONG has an amazing grasp on ideas of the supernatural. My idea of a werewolf was molded a great deal by her writing.

That's what I think, I'd love to hear other opinions. =D

I agree for the most part, though I think they would have a bit more in touch with their feral and animalistic instincts. and they would have to be influenced a little by the moon to transform-that whole factor makes werewolves what they are.

Really, a brief summary can't describe a full character. Of course a werewolf is in tune with their 'wild side' so to speak. But some may not want to accept it while some may embrace it fully. It depends on the character, and on your idea of a werewolf as well. And personally, I've never liked the folklore about the full moon, that's just me; I believe it was merely more convenient for them to change by the light of the full moon because their night vision would be further aided. Which can explain why all recorded 'occurrences' with werewolves in the past had a tie in with the full moon.

=D

True, very true. My protagonist, though becoming a werewolf unwillingly, barely is in tune with that side of him. I've always thought that increased moonlight just seems to trigger some sort of stimuli that makes them transform from their very genes, as I like to give most of the supernatural creatures some extension into science, oddly.

Not odd at all. Incorporating science is actually common, it makes the argument more persuasive from a readers point of view. Perhaps even giving them the illusion that these circumstances could happen in real life. Just food for thought.

True, it allows the reader to immerse themselves even more in the story.

So, that's my opinion. I want to hear other peoples, but no one really takes much of an interest I'm afraid.

I'm not sure how original it is, but here is my perspective for the story I'm working on.

They can change anytime, but the full moon makes it harder to resist/easier to change/gives them more strength. So their strength varies depending on the cycles of the moon. Silver being the only way to kill them is simply a rumor that they don't care to get rid of. They can be killed by any fatal wound, most likely a head or vital organ shot. People can become a werewolf through a bite or through blood or saliva/blood contact.

That's relatively similar to my own theories, but mine go more in depth. The silver bullet thing always annoyed me because...wouldn't anybody die from a silver bullet to the heart/head? It's still a bullet. Some people CAN be allergic to silver, yes, though, and in my mythology, there are some werewolves that are allergic to silver as well.

I'm with halfbloodlycan, that goes a lot with my views on those lovely creatures.

The werewolf in my story the "Land of Nod" is sort of a cross between the hollywood version and the folklore version. He's vulnarable to silver and wolfsbane. Even in human form he posseses inhuman strength, speed, endurance, and wolf like senses. In his werewolf form he is driven by an urge to hunt though tries to keep from attacking people and pets. The form he takes when he transforms is usually that of a bipedal wolf, inspired by the beast of bray road. Though he sometimes takes other forms, he hasn't been able to master shapeshifting abilities. The ability to transform is connected to the moon but is bound to it.

Usually, I write vampire stories. A few years ago I started a werewolf story, got half way through and never finished it. I recently picked it up. I've spent a lot of time re-reading it today. Hanna was bitten in college. Now works as an FBI Agent in NYC. Usually she's a lone wolf but goes to the pack sanctuary in upstate NY for the 3 days surrounding the full moon. That doesn't mean she's limited to shifting during the full moon only. She can change any time but it's not a good idea in NYC at anytime of the year. She, like all of my werewolf characters, do not do the wolf man thing. They become full wolves. They remember what occurs during their time covered in fur. I just don't care much for the werewolves who don't remember what they do or are not conscious of what they do while furry. The wolf has got to be some sort of influence in their daily lives; the extra senses, the wolf communication that coincides with the smells they encounter. It's called In the Graveyard if anybody is interested.

I'm with Da Paladin, and slightly with Writer Amy with her last post. My werewolves remember what they're doing, but they're bipedal. I mean, authors do the four legged guys so that they can be more relatable to readers because they would think the wolf isn't entirely savage from a presumption, but realistically, if they suddenly transformed, they wouldn't be able to transform directly into a wolf. They would transform into something that brings both together yet defies both. Scientifically, the bipedal guys make more sense.

First werewolf story I ever read was "Fever Swamp" by R.L. Stine. It had a deep impact on me, and it does involve a werewolf perspective, though only for about two sentences and it doesn't clarify good or evil intentions, just a strong desire to hunt. Since then, I've never quite found another series like it, the ones I read about in later stories were either Casper-esque misunderstood changelings or nocturnal killing machines who have to be put down in a big moment of angst.

Or they were somebody's Rule 34, and I won't go into greater detail because of the PG-13 cap...anyone who's ever been to a major book chain "romance" section will figure out what I mean there.

About control and mentality, I decided to make it vary among groups in my story. (Sadly it's been deleted and I haven't had time to rewrite it).

My story's werewolves (this was after reading "The Sight" and getting ticked at the ending) disagreed over which form was their "true" form. The faction that styled themselves humans who turned into wolves lived in towns and cities while the other, believing they were wolves that turned into humans, lived in the forests in a Neolithic hunter-gatherer society. Consequently the wolf-to-human crowd had no qualms about hunting humans while their neighbors thought even hunting animals in wolf form was weird, having turned to gorcery stores long ago.

For me, werewolves are much like wolves when in human form. They can identify each other with scent and "talk" with body language, scent and facial expressions in human form. They have excellent hearing, sight and scent as well as super-strength and speed. They can also make wolfish noises occasionally, which include snarls and growls. While in wolf form, they are like bipedal wolves and its the light of the full moon that causes their genes to change. As wolves, they can remember flashes of what happens, but not everything. Silver bullets can kill them.

Their personality and whether they like being who they are is their own choice though. There is no way to sum up their emotions.

Their wolf instincts take over when they transform. They have the desire to hunt and kill, but are not evil in any way (unless they truly are the bad guy in the story.) They enjoy living in packs, as real wolves do. And when they are changed, they "create" other were's by biting them, or their saliva getting into someone else's blood. If both parents are werewolves, they shall be werewolves too, for the werewolf trait is in their genes. But if one is and one is not, then there is a chance they won't be.

In legend werewolves were always evil because they were people that chose to become wolves and attack people. Viking berserkers tended to become bears.

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