Beastmen

Names: North American Werewolf

Habitat: North America

Size: 5 - 7 feet tall

Diet: omnivorous; able to switch between human and wolf diets/feeding methods

Society: family units - large communities

Lifespan: around 75 years

Long ago, there was a band of people that lived in the mountains peacefully; they were not skilled in the art of war, had no knowledge of weaponry, and were kind to every man and beast they encountered. They lived only by two rules: 1) Help any living being in need; 2) Stay out of the forest after dark, for that was when and where evil roamed. Rather than kill monsters that hid in the copse, the people left them gifts of food and gave them ample space; an understanding formed, monster and man remained amicable. One night, the mountain-dwellers were visited by a second group of people who were ragged and weary. They gave their beds to the strangers and fed them well, choosing to sleep under the stars and tell stories around the fire instead. When all quieted and the moon peaked in the sky, the visitors skulked from warm cots; selfish desires in their heart, they soiled the ground with blood and sent stragglers fleeing aimlessly, sorrowfully into the night. Remnants of the mountain-folk found each other in the forest, led near by their cries. The woods were devoid of light, aside from scattered moonbeams that broke through branch and leaf; huddled together, they waited for adversaries or monsters to end their lives. Yet, it was not man or beast that found them first, but fae. A bright, white light danced its way nearer from the distance, causing the people to shiver in fear; as the light drew closer, their nerves calmed against their will. A slender figure as tall as a tree glistened in the illumination, revealing a face with animal and human characteristics: lengthy, pointed ears, and a long face with sharp eyes framed by gray and light brown fur; its hands and feet were like those of a wolf, though tipped in short, clean claws, and its hair hung long around it like a garment. Its countenance was both beautiful and frightening, especially as it spoke in low, rumbling tones that mimicked roaring rapids; they could not understand. One by one, the elf touched them on their head with a single claw, the growl continuing, becoming melodic. It then slowly, gracefully walked away, deeper into the forest as the humans writhed in great pain. Their faces contorted, ears stretching and resembling a dog’s, while fur sprouted over their bodies, which grew unusually muscular; their hands and feet morphed into flat, three-toed paws, teeth fell from their mouths, replaced by fangs, and a long, bushy tail grew long behind them; the humans had become black-furred Beastmen, fixated on revenge, fury. - West Virginian folklore Life of a Beastman For the most part, Beastmen look like any other human; they grow to be anywhere between 5 - 7 ft tall and may display any eye or skin color humans are capable of, though their hair is always black. Oftentimes, their hair is kept long, and, due to their wild nature, their appearances are unkempt, sometimes dirty. Two noticeable distinctions of Beastmen are their hands, feet, and scent. First, Beastmen have a foul, canine odor that cannot be fully masked or removed by washing or using scented or hygienic products. Second, the halflings are missing one digit on each hand and foot. Not as obvious markers, mundane humans feel uneasy around Beastmen (while they are in human or beast form), as well as animals; humans also tend to find their mannerisms and interests strange. Due to these oddities, Beastmen have few human friends, or associate only with those of their kind; a small subgroup feels superior to humans because of their power and lineage, whereas others desire to fit in more with humans, resenting their kind. A Beastman’s transformative powers rely on the phases of the moon—the closer the moon is to being full, the more complete and powerful their transformation is. Partial, quarter, or half transformations do not lend the individual as much strength or speed, but at these times instinct, anger, and bloodlust are more controllable, as are their thought processes. Beastmen can transform at will at any time, except during new or full moons; during new moons, they are not able to transform at all, whereas during full moons, they fully transform against their will. When a full moon nears, Beastmen often seclude themselves in remote wildernesses far from human activity or chain themselves up to prevent unnecessary carnage. Fully at the mercy of their wolfish wiles, the creatures hunt game like a wild animal—feasting upon their fresh carcasses; they also seek out their enemies (sometimes nuisances or hated individuals/groups) to destroy or run through forests and mountains, looking for evil beasts to overpower and consume. When fully transformed, the creatures run and walk on all fours, have supernatural speed and strength, lose all of their humanity, and subconsciously know where other Beastmen are. Though the full moon can cause disaster and death, most Beastmen are taught to use their powers for justice — harming those who cause great harm, bringing to light evil acts, and eradicating destructive monsters, like Corpse Walkers and Cumberland Dragons; though they see their actions as benevolent, there are others that view their creed as needlessly violent or a reckless extermination of rare/endangered creatures. Yet, many agree with their harsh punishments and killings, but would also like to see the death of all werewolves. Partially transformed Beastmen can walk or run on their hind legs or all four; however, outside of full transformations, their legs are longer than their arms, making it generally easier to move on two legs. While part-beast, the halflings can communicate with one another through low growls or deep, resounding human speech. They also can smell, hear, and navigate terrain with inhuman capability. In situations where stealth is valuable, Beastmen leave notes on trees; some of these messages are written in human languages scratched onto bark, but there is also a hieroglyphic language unique to Beastmen — which is made up of scratch marks arranged in different patterns and symbols. The halflings may leave their scent as a note, marking locations or notifying a group of their movements. At night, they travel low to the ground, careful not to catch light in their eyes; Beastmen are sensitive to brightness when it is dark, but their eyes also glint red, giving away their position. Transformations can take between 30 min. to two or more hours, depending on the extent of the transformation, moon phase, and age of the Beastman. Additionally, halflings may accidentally or partially change if they are experiencing intense emotions. Families of Beastmen play together in all but full forms; this helps offspring become used to both types of mobility and their bodies. As they grow older, they are taught to catch weak prey as a game. After their ninth birthday, they can fully transform, which can be disastrous for orphans, adopted children, or the unprepared. Beastmen function best in communities full of their own kind, though many have happy, beneficial relationships with humans—some even bearing children together. Children of Beastmen and human lineage are only able to fully transform 12.5% of the time, and are never as powerful or quick as full-blooded Beastmen; however, they sidestep several negative attributes, like strong body odor. Committed human and Beastman relationships are looked down upon by most older Beastmen—individuals who wish to see strong, full-blooded beasts born to carry on the race. Even temporary unions with humans are not always accepted, most at least met with hostility. In particularly small or traditional groups, the human involved may be murdered by the family or community, and a suitable partner arranged for the halfling. Those that are in committed relationships with humans do not tell their in-laws of their true nature or their children’s, as it is easy to hide; human partners are also often required to keep secrecy, under threat of death. On extremely rare occasions, any Beastman coupling may produce an offspring that displays no beastly characteristics; children such as these may not be fully accepted in Beastman communities or activities, but may also never truly feel at home within human ones. It is not recommended to seek out Beastmen, as some kill to keep their (or their family/community’s) secret. For those who disregard safety, marks should be looked for on trees deep within the forest, canine tracks that are the size of an overly large wolf, and coarse, black hair stuck on vegetation or in clumps on the ground. If a Beastman is encountered, speak to it as you would any human being and look for signs of aggression: pointed ears mean they are alert, but folded back denotes aggressiveness, as does a snarling, growling, squinted eyes, and raised hair on the back. When in the presence of an aggressive halfling, it is best to prostrate oneself in an act of submission in front of the beast. Unlike other werewolf kinds, lycanthropy cannot be passed to other humans aside from reproduction.