Werewolves aren’t practitioners of magic, though they can be. They are more often than not the unwilling victims of a curse or even a hereditary spell. A werewolf is a specific victim of a combination of magic. These magics are Lunarmagic and Weremagic. The curse itself is particularly malevolent as it dose not simply remain with a single victim, but can be spread by bite or even passed on during conception.
It is unknown how old the spell actually is, as the first records of a werewolf can be traced back to the bronze age in human history but is speculated to be older still. There may have possibly even been multiple versions of the spell cast as there are various types of Were that can be encountered. An area of note is in the Southern United States in and around the state of Louisiana, where a more recent version of the spell cast has created Weregators.
A victim of a werewolf attack, should they survive, is often subject to a near identical curse as the one whom attacked them. Some werewolves are forced to turn into complete wolves during the single night of the full moon. Others however whom transform into a hybrid version of a man and wolf typically must do so for the three nights of the fullest moon.
This curse is slowly evolving however, it may be hard to discern any difference between a werewolf forebearer and his victims and offspring, but with each passing of the curse, it changes. Werewolves have been noted to have become more tame, whereas before, earlier records show that they were universally violent and dangerous. More recent afflicted weres have been seen acting calmly, even intelligently while in their second form. Some have been noted to be able to repress the transformation during a full moon, and others have been noted to be able to change at will regardless of how full the moon is.
There have been noted families of werewolves, often springing from a single forebearer. Werewolf families or “Packs” form very strong and very close bonds with their members, and resemble a large, loving family clans. Packs are surprisingly far less dangerous to encounter than a lone werewolf, as packs will focus on community and cooperation. Packs will often be lead by a single patriarch or matriarch, though a dominate couple is not out of the question if they are both werewolves. The patriarch and/or matriarch will normally be the actual father and/or mother of their entire packs.
It should also be noted that many lone werewolves are neither rouges or outcasts but are simply strays, and they are alone because of circumstances and not by decision or banishment, some are even out to find a pack to adopt them. Packs tend to pick up strays often, so it’s not likely that a person will encounter a stray werewolf themselves.
Other lone werewolves, whether they be rouges or outcasts, often have a violent and dangerous personalities to begin with, and do not work well in groups. It is from these few wolves that we have our stereotypical depiction of werewolves. As they will roam freely and many do not even take precaution as a full moon nears.
There have been many werewolf “cures” said to exist, but most if not all of them end with the werewolf’s death. Common wards against werewolves have been noted as: Silver, Moonstone, Wolfsbane and Mercury. The former two don’t actually do anything as told to me by my local werewolf expert, and the latter two are effective because they are a poison regardless if you’re a human or a werewolf.
It is difficult to study werewolves as packs tend to shy away from normal people and mages, and lone werewolves are entirely too dangerous to attempt. Then there is the fact that there are so many kinds and that the curse is slowly changing as it is passed on, resulting in many different breeds of werewolf.
