The Common Werewolf

The Common Werewolf

Homo sapiens lycanthropus

First definitively described by Petronius c. 61 AD

Biology: Technically speaking the werewolf is not a unique species, but rather a subspecies of mainline humanity capable of readily producing reproductively healthy (non-sterile) young with other H. sapiens.  Due to the fact that werewolves are the subject of substantial structural and institutional discrimination most are highly suspicious of any attempt to scientifically and medically examine them for distinguishing morphological differences - unsurprising since mainline humans, in many contexts, are likely to use these differences as a basis for further exploitation.  Several things can be said for certain, however.  First, werewolves are profoundly affected by tidal perturbations and the cycle of the moon - while the moon is likely not the cause of these changes, but rather a synchronizing mechanism that synchronizes predictable cyclic hormonal changes, there is strong evidence that werewolves universally undergo an unavoidable transformation into their wolf-like state during the full moon stage (though only at night, for reasons that are as of yet unclear.

Also, werewolves are generally no more or less intelligent, strong, or violent than other humans,  but during their obligatory wolf state their hormonal perturbations cause them to to experience radical increases in strength and violent tendencies, apparently declining language intelligence but increasing spatial intelligence, and a much greater propensity for carnivorous appetites.

Werewolves show an acute allergy to silver in all its forms, including silver nitrates.  Under no circumstances should they be exposed internally to any form of silver.  If a werewolf has so been exposed or injured immediately contact your local emergency medical providers and/or poison control center.

The origin of lycanthropy are a subject of some debate.  Three major camps exist.  One, largely discounted by modern science, is that werewolfism is a curse that is contracted through making contracts with supernatural evil forces or inexplicable behaviors (e.g. drinking water from a wolf's paw print), or through the bite of an existing werewolf (see accounts of Wilfred Glendon's travels in Tibet, Larry Talbot's in Wales, and George Sands, David Kessler and Remus Lupin's respective experiences in England; also see the journalistic reports of Karen White from California). A second camp asserts that werewolfism is the product of viral infection causing the liberation of genetic material that remains largely recessive in most humans, possibly harking back to early mammals or proto-mammals - this would explain the need for an exchange of fluids, usually through a bite, that many scholars insist precedes lycanthropy in many instances - in this instance biting remains the key cause but supernatural pretenses are lost (see research in particular on the Corvinus virus and consider the earlier cases mentioned within that context).  Finally, some scholars believe werewolfism is merely a genetic condition that is passed through normal reproductive means from parent(s) to children (see particularly the case of the Howard family of Beacontown, California).

Geography: Werewolves are globally distributed, possibly as a result of the European diaspora that began in the early modern period.  There is great debate over where werewolves first emerged, however - lycanthropy was reported in the Mediterranean basin as early the Greek dark ages (around the 13th Century BCE).

Polity-Economy-Society:  Werewolves are humans and, by and large, spend most of their time interacting with other humans in entirely normal ways according to the societies in which they live, respectively.  That said there have been instances where werewolves have isolated themselves from mainline humans, particularly during periods of extreme persecution or conflict with other humans or human-derived subspecies (e.g. vampires).  Generally these isolate groups are referred to by social scientists as "covens."