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2 moons and lycanthropes

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
earanhart
May 30, 2008 11:18:37 Greetings all. I am creating a home-brew world, and decided to drop in a second moon, then thought "What does that do to a Werewolf?" Also, worked in a bit of what makes a natural lycanthrope, since I have never seen anything explain that at all. Figured I would bounce this off y'all to see if the idea was workable or not.
First moon is on a 29 day cycle, second moon on a 17 day cycle. I decided either full moon counts for purposes of lycanthropes transforming. As for naturals, I was thinking that any child born during a double full moon had a 1/10 chance of being a natural, and the first animal he/she came into contact with during a full moon would determine the type he changed into.
This creates a menagerie of natural lycanthrope form ranging from horse to fish to wolves, but since most lycanthropes will behave much as their animal when in those forms, I don't need to worry too much about afflicted were-cows or were-rabbits, and the naturals, being more in control of themselves, will generally try to avoid people or hide their nature, making combat with them less of an issue.

What do y'all think?
#2
elondir
May 30, 2008 13:24:09 Lycanthropes change whenever there isa full moon in the sky. That's why they were hunted nearly to extinction in Eberron, which has 12 moons.

Your idea sounds cool as long as it plays out well.
#3
Ramien
May 30, 2008 13:32:27 Well, that would mean roughly 5 to 7 were-nights for every period of the large moon. (figuring 3 nights of the full moon on the slower period, which is equal to our moon and 2 nights of the full moon for the faster moon, so 5 nights if the moons overlap, or 7 if no overlap).

Natural lycanthropes maintain their full personality throughout their changes, by the way and are not normally forced to transform by the phases of the moon. (Assuming 3/3.5 rules). Afflicted werewolves are the ones who have to worry about the big shiny meteor shield in the sky.
#4
highpriestmikhal
May 30, 2008 13:33:13 Another idea is the Ravenloft "trigger," which could be a sensation (pain, pleasure, burning, etc.), emotion (hate, lust, fear), sound, sight, smell, you name it--it's not always the full moon. Unlike other settings (and likely into 4e as well) lycanthropy can be spread by anyone infected, and the original natural werebeast in the line is called the "progenitor." Often the trigger is tied to said progenitor in some way--a lustful werewolf (like Nostalia Romaine) might have lust as her bloodline's trigger, or a particularly cowardly wererat could have fear as its bloodline's trigger.
#5
earanhart
May 30, 2008 14:13:14 Thanks guys. I am more looking at the creation of the progenitor. Not that i anticipate it mattering much, but since the thought occurred, I figured I would chase it till it had nothing else to give me.

What gets me is that I have never seen any explanation for what makes a natural lycanthrope, and why are afflicteds affected by moons if naturals are not, so I am trying to tie it all together. The natural may or may not give a damn about the full moon, but it is tied to it by nature of its' birthdate and when it acquired its' animal form, which helps to explain why an afflicted is so affected by the moon.

What I like so much about this is that it allows me to drop lycanthropes anywhere, anytime. Halfling swamp, drow cavern, or human city: all equally likely to produce a natural lycanthrope, just the type that changes. It also finally gives the naturals a REASON to be natural lycanthropes. Everyone knows why tieflings are tieflings, and why genasi are genasi, but why are natural lycanthropes furry?

Ehh, keep the thoughts coming, please.
#6
glak2
May 30, 2008 18:44:56 I guess 3e didn't provide the fluff. Naturals are naturals because their parents were.
#7
wyrdwalker
May 30, 2008 19:44:00 I've never liked the predictability of connecting lycanthropy always with the full phase of the moon. I prefer the variant myth that you are affected by whatever phase the moon is in when you become infected, regardless of what the phase is. Multiple moons would complicate this, so I would suggest keeping at full (or new if you want to change things around) but that gives you a choice of having the lycanthrope only affected by the moon that is in phase when they are infected, or both/all moons
#8
jrscott
May 30, 2008 23:45:40 I'd pick a phase of one moon and attach it to each lycanthrope race.

If you want to make it complex you could assign each tribe of each race a different phase.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 earanhart May 30, 2008 11:18:37	Greetings all. I am creating a home-brew world, and decided to drop in a second moon, then thought "What does that do to a Werewolf?" Also, worked in a bit of what makes a natural lycanthrope, since I have never seen anything explain that at all. Figured I would bounce this off y'all to see if the idea was workable or not. First moon is on a 29 day cycle, second moon on a 17 day cycle. I decided either full moon counts for purposes of lycanthropes transforming. As for naturals, I was thinking that any child born during a double full moon had a 1/10 chance of being a natural, and the first animal he/she came into contact with during a full moon would determine the type he changed into. This creates a menagerie of natural lycanthrope form ranging from horse to fish to wolves, but since most lycanthropes will behave much as their animal when in those forms, I don't need to worry too much about afflicted were-cows or were-rabbits, and the naturals, being more in control of themselves, will generally try to avoid people or hide their nature, making combat with them less of an issue. What do y'all think?
#2 elondir May 30, 2008 13:24:09	Lycanthropes change whenever there isa full moon in the sky. That's why they were hunted nearly to extinction in Eberron, which has 12 moons. Your idea sounds cool as long as it plays out well.
#3 Ramien May 30, 2008 13:32:27	Well, that would mean roughly 5 to 7 were-nights for every period of the large moon. (figuring 3 nights of the full moon on the slower period, which is equal to our moon and 2 nights of the full moon for the faster moon, so 5 nights if the moons overlap, or 7 if no overlap). Natural lycanthropes maintain their full personality throughout their changes, by the way and are not normally forced to transform by the phases of the moon. (Assuming 3/3.5 rules). Afflicted werewolves are the ones who have to worry about the big shiny meteor shield in the sky.
#4 highpriestmikhal May 30, 2008 13:33:13	Another idea is the Ravenloft "trigger," which could be a sensation (pain, pleasure, burning, etc.), emotion (hate, lust, fear), sound, sight, smell, you name it--it's not always the full moon. Unlike other settings (and likely into 4e as well) lycanthropy can be spread by anyone infected, and the original natural werebeast in the line is called the "progenitor." Often the trigger is tied to said progenitor in some way--a lustful werewolf (like Nostalia Romaine) might have lust as her bloodline's trigger, or a particularly cowardly wererat could have fear as its bloodline's trigger.
#5 earanhart May 30, 2008 14:13:14	Thanks guys. I am more looking at the creation of the progenitor. Not that i anticipate it mattering much, but since the thought occurred, I figured I would chase it till it had nothing else to give me. What gets me is that I have never seen any explanation for what makes a natural lycanthrope, and why are afflicteds affected by moons if naturals are not, so I am trying to tie it all together. The natural may or may not give a damn about the full moon, but it is tied to it by nature of its' birthdate and when it acquired its' animal form, which helps to explain why an afflicted is so affected by the moon. What I like so much about this is that it allows me to drop lycanthropes anywhere, anytime. Halfling swamp, drow cavern, or human city: all equally likely to produce a natural lycanthrope, just the type that changes. It also finally gives the naturals a REASON to be natural lycanthropes. Everyone knows why tieflings are tieflings, and why genasi are genasi, but why are natural lycanthropes furry? Ehh, keep the thoughts coming, please.
#6 glak2 May 30, 2008 18:44:56	I guess 3e didn't provide the fluff. Naturals are naturals because their parents were.
#7 wyrdwalker May 30, 2008 19:44:00	I've never liked the predictability of connecting lycanthropy always with the full phase of the moon. I prefer the variant myth that you are affected by whatever phase the moon is in when you become infected, regardless of what the phase is. Multiple moons would complicate this, so I would suggest keeping at full (or new if you want to change things around) but that gives you a choice of having the lycanthrope only affected by the moon that is in phase when they are infected, or both/all moons
#8 jrscott May 30, 2008 23:45:40	I'd pick a phase of one moon and attach it to each lycanthrope race. If you want to make it complex you could assign each tribe of each race a different phase.