Lycanthropy: the Origins of Werebeasts

While extreme exposure to POPs often causes Wanderer's Wasting, exposing the wounded body to a POP can cause lycanthropy. The individual has a 36% chance to develop lycanthropy instead of Wanderer's Wasting, which increases by 6% the more drastic the injury is. If the person is near death, they have a near 100% chance of developing lycanthropy over Wanderer's Wasting. As if the body is latching onto the POP to save itself from death.

The severity of the injury also determines the animal the individual is likely to develop a connection to. Those with mild injuries (sprained ankles or non-fatal lesions) tend to connect to prey animals, such as rabbits, deer and songbirds. Individuals with non-life threatening but still severe injuries (broken bones) develop a lycanthropic form of a predator, such as coyotes, snakes and owls. Life-threatening injuries (burns, internal bleeding or even a severed artery) connect to apex predators, such as wolves, bears and tigers. There are no known statistical outliers. If someone gives birth in a POP, it is treated as a life-threatening injury; this is speculated to be due to the vulnerable state of both the birth giver and the infant. It is almost certain both the birth giver and infant will develop lycanthropy if either is in critical condition.

It is believed that during the early ages of the world, when civilizations were first emerging from the Mother Trees, Lycanthropy was more prominent. There are many ancient folk tales about bipedal animals assisting or living with people, and even a few odd manuscripts that include illustrations of such. However, it is unknown if these were truly lycanthropes or simply druids taking the shapes of animals.

Lycanthropy cannot be artificially created, due to large amounts of Infrastructure Radiation being necessary for the process.

Common Misconceptions

Lycanthropy is not genetic and cannot be passed down between family members.

Lycanthropes are not contagious, and biting another person cannot "infect" them with lycanthropy.

Lycanthropes are not all wolves; wolves account for only 9% of all lycanthropes.

Druids and Lycanthropes are not the same; a druid can take on the shape of any animal, whereas a lycanthrope can only take on the shape of their specific animal.