Howling At The Moon: Lycanthropes Of The Frontier
You hear him howling around your kitchen door...
Lycanthropes are a common sight on The Frontier, with werewolves being among the most feared monsters. Stories of men turning into beasts to satisfy their bloodlust is a story shared around fires and to frighten children into staying inside at night. However, not all werewolves are created equal and there are several species to be aware of when travelling the land.
Here’s an overview of the most prevalent lycanthropes of The Frontier.
Wulver
Wulvers are sentient wolf humanoids who evolved from wolves and live in small communities in the wilderness. Most wulvers are peaceful and will actively help humans, though they are often mistaken for traditional werewolves and treated with fear and suspicion.
Within wulver society, this persecution from humanity is a complex subject and some bands have taken to fighting back, fueling more hostilities.
Canurif
Canurifs are a species of lycanthrope that fall in line with the traditional idea of a werewolf. They are men who have the ability to shapeshift into large wolves and are bound to the Cartwright witch clan.
Canurifs act as personal attack dogs for the Cartwrights and have done so for generations. Men who’ve chosen to be canurifs are often power-hungry and have violent tendencies. They are enslaved to Cartwright magic and in wolf form they are little more than mindless animals and puppets.
As a result, they are more resilient than other lycanthropes and don’t have the traditional weaknesses of werewolves e.g. silver bullets. They are more likely to be harmed with iron and rune-marked weapons that counteract Cartwright magic.
Rigest
Rigests are women who have been cursed with the ability to shift into wolves from a young age. There are several theories for how a rigest is created. Some stories tell of the women suffering great abuse in childhood, while other tales focus on rituals performed centuries ago and families being cursed by the gods.
While in wolf form, rigests retain their intelligence. Some are violent, while others prefer to live a quiet life.
Gaulour
A Gaulour is a type of swamp-dwelling lycanthrope recognised by poisonous spines and long claws for paralysing its prey. They are active during the night and will relentlessly hunt prey once they have tasted blood.
An old superstition for keeping a gaulour out of a home is to place thirteen coins on the doorstep. The theory is that a gaulour will be preoccupied with counting the coins until dawn and then be forced to retreat to its lair with the sunrise.
Vileg
A type of blood-sucking lycanthrope, vileg are humans who’ve been possessed by an evil spirit and turned into nightmarish creatures. They have a fondness for children’s blood and often trick new mothers into giving up their babies.
Think these monsters sound scary? You haven’t even heard of the demons you need to watch out for…