Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

This is the place for discussion and voting on various aspects of werewolf life, social ideas, physical appearance, etc. Also a place to vote on how a werewolf should look.
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Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Ceekur »

I figure this fits here since it is about an aspect of their social life - how they, in detail, would initiate new members into the pack. Since this is a detailed post, though on a specific social aspect of the werewolf, I'm hoping it won't be considered a story instead. I guess I'll just post it here and hope I got it right. I do understand that many here have varying thoughts on how werewolves would live and how they act, but for the purpose of this post (this post, not topic), let's consider this pack as a group who live more or less in control of their were-side, and if found out by an individual who wants to become one (very rare occasion), will accept him and recruit him in a traditionally meaningful ceremony.

After doing a "background check" on this person who wants to become a werewolf, making sure he's not a werewolf hunter or something, they agree on letting him in the pack. An experienced member of the pack (not necessarily the eldest) is chosen to be the one who gives him the bite. A date is set and a location for the event is chosen. The day arrives and the pack gathers around in a large circle. For the purpose of this post, the location can be anywhere: The pack den, forest under the night sky, indoors, outdoors. The chosen wolf approaches the circle and a nod is seen from one of the elders outside the circle; the initiate is escorted in. The pack waits in silence. The chosen wolf asks a final time, is he sure he wants to become a werewolf, a creature of extraordinary abilities, a creature one with nature, a creature with a secret that must be kept at all costs, a member... of the pack. At his certain, though shaky word of affirmation, the ceremony begins.

The surrounding wolves howl in low tones and the dance begins. The wolf does most of the motions, having been taught it again and again as a pup, and although the human has to work to keep up with the choreography, he doesn't do half bad (probably since the wolves can "connect" to a person and therefore can teach vital information to another creature better than any book or person could in twice the time). The dance between the two of them continue and the song becomes more fast pace, like everyone's hearts at this point.

As the song reaches a climatic point, the two do the final motions and come together for the final time. They embrace, the human's chin coming to rest on the wolf's shoulder and the wolf sinking his teeth into the shoulder of the initiate - The passing of the curse/gift begins. With his teeth still biting into the person, they place their hands lightly on the back of the head of the other and grasp each other's remaining free hand. This position is held for several minutes, the wolf now being not only the initiate's path into the life of a werewolf, but his supporter and comforter as well.

After what seems like an eternity for the two, the last of the initiate's energy is finally depleted by the ordeal and his last moment as a pure human fades with his consciousness. The wolf stands there after for a few tense seconds before slowly putting him down and releasing the tight grip on his shoulder. As the ceremony comes to a close, he stays kneeling over the resting initiate and says a few final words. As everyone stands to depart, a wolf from the circle comes over and picks up the initiate's body and carries him to an ordinary bedroom to rest until he awakes, and afterward, to prepare him for his first transformation...

But that is another topic for another time...


Instead of just low-key howling, they could also use instruments made out of carved wood, though that would make them seem more Native American-like and like they are also wearing decorative beads and feathers, which they wouldn't in this scene. If it isn't outside right on the grass, there could also be lit candles placed around. This is going along with that minor nicks will probably not transfer the lycanthropy. The long bite ensures that the initiate will have an adequate amount of the [gene?] and possibly be more in control of it during the transformations. It also slightly dulls the pain and, during this ceremony, minimizes the bleeding.

Comments, questions, your own input on what that meaningful bite will involve between the soon-to-be member and the wolf that will give the bite?

Note that some parts of this may have sounded a bit "wonky" but that's because I'm typing this at 3 in the morning. I'll go over it again in the morning though.
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Post by JoshuaMadoc »

If you're asking me, i'd seriously fall asleep during the dance part... I just never chew on time with ceremonies in general. The whole Native American part is also questionable -- what about the other versions, like the ones in Asia?

Personally, i'd imagine the ceremony to be held somewhere that wouldn't be that obvious. Just the circle of werewolves and humans, and a few good minutes of the candidate receiving lycanthropy. After that it's another few hours of a post-party-like get-together while the candidate gets nursed, and a few thrilling moments when the candidate changes earlier than expected. What happens next is left to fate. That's about it from me.
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Post by MattSullivan »

i don't know how you guys see it, but a similar ceremony is going to be a part of Camp Lycanthrope 2.
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Post by Terastas »

Going back on the ever-present argument of the need for anonymity, I don't think the pack would have a ceremony of sorts, or at least not any kind that could draw attention. I think they would try to do something to make the new pack member feel welcome, but not anything that has "werewolf" blatantly written on it. If they did have a ceremony, I think the theme would be more "welcome to the family" than "now you're a werewolf."

On top of background checks, I think they'd keep him around as a "human" member of the pack so they could determine a few things about his personality, namely whether he's emotionally stable enough to be trusted as a werewolf (if he seems easily excited, obsessive-compulsive or has a really bad temper, infecting him would be a bad idea). Once he'd been living with the pack long enough for the pack to have a good idea of what kind of person he is, and long enough for him to have seen people shifting enough times for him to know damn well what he's getting himself into, they'd ask him if he's ready, and if he consents, arrange a date for him to be infected.

I think they'd try to schedule the infection on the Saturday after the full moon. Saturday because it's the easiest day to set aside for the typical 9-5 worker, and as soon after the full moon as possible because it will give the new recruit a lot of time to recover from the infection and prepare himself for the first shifting. Ideally, I think they would want at least three werewolves there, one to perform the infection, and two others in human form to distract and/or avert away any wanders, nosy neighbors, whoever might have otherwise witnessed the infection at the current location.

The infection they could probably handle anywhere, but for the newcomer's first shift, they would make plans to significantly isolate themselves, taking into account that the newcomer may handle his first shift any number of ways. Any members of the pack that could attend would be asked to, seeing as they would want to have people in human form watching for any wanders just in case, as well as two or three people in werewolf form to hold the newcomer down in the unlikely event that he does lose it.

Out of respect to any pack members that were infected involuntarily, they'd celebrate the first shift instead of the bite. Nothing fancy, just something to make the newcomer feel welcome. The first thing that comes to mind would be to give him a safehouse key and/or a rubber duck; it would make them feel welcome in the pack, but the value of such a gift would be entirely sentimental, so it could be given to them discretely.
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Post by Silverclaw »

if he seems easily excited, obsessive-compulsive or has a really bad temper, infecting him would be a bad idea
Heh, I just got an image of a gestalt WW washing his hands over and over again/ walking up and down the stairs/keep touching a doorknob handle :P :wink:
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Post by Ceekur »

kitetsu wrote:If you're asking me, i'd seriously fall asleep during the dance part... I just never chew on time with ceremonies in general. The whole Native American part is also questionable -- what about the other versions, like the ones in Asia?
Well having the ceremony too drawn-out would increase the risk of drawing attention (if outside anyway) and so would turn out to be a bad idea. But it is to symbolize the passing of a bond more or less forever staying with the individual, so the occasion would be celebrated and shown as highly meaningful. I left out the instruments in the actual ceremony description and only mentioned it at the bottom in passing so the ceremony wouldn't have that Native American theme stand out more than it may already. Werewolves are supposed to be creatures close to nature, but to base the style on the Native American culture would be a bit too much. Besides, as you said, what about weres from or in other parts of the world?

I do like the idea of a post-ceremony gathering complete with anxious talk of when he'll first transform, though I imagine the initiate will still be pretty darn tired after that ceremony. :lol:
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Post by RedEye »

How would it go?

CHOMP! I'll call you in the morning...
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Post by Aki »

Depends on the pack, I figure.

Most would probably check out the recruit first - background checks, generally getting to know the guy better beforehand, showing off what it's like to be a werewolf because this isn't a thing you can back out of once it's done. As for the actual ceremony, I'd imagine it to be low-key, perhaps secretive, even.

Think like, Mob initiation. You join the "family" you're in, and you're in for good. You take care of the pack, and the pack takes care of you. Betray the pack and you can expect your funeral to be very close-casket, if you know what I mean. If, after hearing this you decide against joining, then you're back to where you were before. Friendly with them, but not a member.

For a more reckless werewolf or pack, it might be as simple as CHOMP! and leaving them to figure it out.
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Post by RedEye »

Hmmm... Despite the humor above; I suspect that the amount of Ceremony would be dependant on the domestication of the Werewolf Pack.
If they were a settled group somewhere, with either remoteness or friends to protect them, I suspect that there would be a development of some sort of Ceremony-like a Masonic Initiation; after all, a person is 'dying' as a Smoothskin and being 'reborn' as a Werewolf.
If the were more a Pack of Wanderers, moving to protect their "secret" I doubt that there would be much Ceremony; simply because it would be a time of great danger for the Pack- they'd all be together, in one place, and likely in their Fur: Hardly a thing for the security of the People or the Secret.

At least, that's my view of the thing; in a serious manner.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by wolfboy410 »

ok i gotta say not a fan of thw whole ceromony thing why cant they just get permishion from the a;pha then bight them why does it have to be all complicated :?
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Terastas »

wolfboy410 wrote:ok i gotta say not a fan of thw whole ceromony thing why cant they just get permishion from the a;pha then bight them why does it have to be all complicated :?
To make the newcomer feel special, like a welcome member of the family as opposed to just an extra nuisance that nobody gives half a crap about. It's a balancing act; on one hand, they couldn't have this big lavish ceremony because that would draw attention to them, but if they reduced the initiation to just *chomp* "You're a werewolf now," it would be insensitive to the newcomer werewolf, distance him from the rest of the pack, arouse feelings of doubt and distrust in the pack's leadership, etc.

That's why they should do something for the newcomer. It doesn't have to be a ceremony in the literal sense; it just has to be something to make him feel welcome among the werewolves that bit him.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Berserker »

wolfboy410 wrote: why cant they just get permishion from the a;pha then bight them why does it have to be all complicated :?
Because culture is awesome.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Wselfwulf »

I think in one interpretation, the targets wouldn't be that premeditated. Whoever survives the savage attack is strong enough, and by virtue of survival earns their place.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Aki »

wolfboy410 wrote:ok i gotta say not a fan of thw whole ceromony thing why cant they just get permishion from the a;pha then bight them why does it have to be all complicated :?
Because humans are creatures of ceremony.

We make these grand rituals for things that should be simple - like announcing two people are together (marrigage), dumping a corpse in a hole (funeral), getting a year older (birthday), etc.
Wselfwulf wrote:I think in one interpretation, the targets wouldn't be that premeditated. Whoever survives the savage attack is strong enough, and by virtue of survival earns their place.
Seems a bit random and risky to me. You don't know who you're getting and you're also liable to really piss them off because you kicked the s*** out of them. And if they don't live, you just killed someone and moral implications aside, that's bad because the police and people in general tend to take big notice when people turn up dead - especially when they're mauled to death instead of shot or stabbed.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Celestialwolf »

Ceremony? Depends on the situation. If someone finds out about the pack, for security purposes they'd get bitten on the spot. If there's more time, maybe some sort of get together where everyone meets up in some scenic, secluded place to get to know "the new guy." To me werewolves are humans that generally lead normal lives (besides the obvious), and only sometimes get together in packs (due to the fact that there really aren't too many werewolves to begin with) and because they're so spread out geographically. Now if there are several in the neighborhood, that's different, but...

Myself, I wouldn't really care for any ceremony-just bite me and let it begin! shhowl
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by garouda »

Wolves and humans have so much in common.

Most especially how social and about family they are.

Meld human and wolf and do you think these disappear ?

Even without formal rituals, we are inclined to small social rituals, celebrations and memorials.

I think it is a natural thing to celebrate the adoption of someone into the pack/family. This person is going to be with the pack for a long time. It is far more than just a marriage of one person to another, it is the marriage of one person to many, and also a re-affirmation of the many to each other.

I think it is a marvelous idea.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Terastas »

garouda wrote:Even without formal rituals, we are inclined to small social rituals, celebrations and memorials.
*nods* Even things that we don't celebrate, we still acknowledge and do things to mark the occasion of. I don't have huge birthday parties to which I invite all of my friends and some of my enemies now that I've grown up, but I still get a cupcake with a candle on it whether I want one or not. :grinp: That's how it is for most people; the festivities go out the window and the day becomes a special occasion to treat them to dinner out and/or a movie.

I figure a pack initiation wouldn't be celebrated, just acknowledged as a special occasion: enough thought to make the newcomer feel welcome, but not some bizarre ceremony that might make him feel like a total fish out of water and be intimidated.

Same thing with the first shift anniversary. I think they'd keep track of and acknowledge the days when they first shifted (going back on what I said about the day of the bite maybe not being a pleasant experience) because it would be the one thing only the other werewolves in the pack could share in (birthdays and other holidays I think they'd reserve for any human friends and family of the werewolf), and they'd mark the occasion just by treating the werewolf in question to something nice.

Garouda pretty much summed it up: The pack is a family. And it's always nice to be reminded you've got the love and support of your family, even if it is only once a year.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Fenris »

No one has yet said that it depends on how much the new werewolf knows. Being put into a circle of wolf-people would scare the s*** out of me! But if they knew all about it I think the ceramony would be needed. If they knew nothing and it was done quickly out of nessersary then I dont think there would be a ceromony. Just my thoughts.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by garouda »

Actually if it was done out of an emergency necessity when nothing formal could be done, then I would not be at all surprised if something more familial or formal in a loose sense would be done later to make the event of the new membership in the pack recognized as special.

Maybe a small welcoming celebration or party......
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Bloodyredbaron »

Terastas wrote: To make the newcomer feel special, like a welcome member of the family as opposed to just an extra nuisance that nobody gives half a crap about. It's a balancing act; on one hand, they couldn't have this big lavish ceremony because that would draw attention to them, but if they reduced the initiation to just *chomp* "You're a werewolf now," it would be insensitive to the newcomer werewolf, distance him from the rest of the pack, arouse feelings of doubt and distrust in the pack's leadership, etc.

That's why they should do something for the newcomer. It doesn't have to be a ceremony in the literal sense; it just has to be something to make him feel welcome among the werewolves that bit him.
You assume that the werewolves actually want to cuddle a new pack member. In reality there might be even more pressure on a new werewolf, to prove he has what it takes to be a part of the pack, why should they care about him feeling welcome? Especially if they have something like a werewolf hunter or some other supernatural howdy doody in the area that might be a threat, there would be no time for gift baskets and hugs all around.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Vagrant »

Hmm... ceremony and initiation, I find that an interesting question, and the Werewolves of the Universe inside my noggin would make this all the more difficult to provide feedback to, but I'd like to offer a brain dump of my thoughts on that subject in particular (as for how to ensure a person would be a reliable Were, I may give that a go at another time).

I'd imagine that ceremony surrounding the changed were would be based upon the culture of the Human, and that they may just try to wrap their belief system around the indoctrination of new weres. For example, one could imagine there would be sects for Wiccan weres, Native American weres, Oriental weres, and so on. Then there could be those who don't really celebrate it beyond a get together and a few handshakes.

I'd imagine that if I were to write a story, after bringing someone into the pack, the pack would soon enough gather at a remote locale, in Wolf form, and have a bit of a group howl. Beyond that? A few drinks at a social gathering, and talking about what being a Were means to the initiate. The usual reaction to ceremony beyond that for most pacts/sects would be "Well, we could do that if you want...", but it probably wouldn't be something they'd do too often by themselves.

One thing to factor in, I suppose, is the era in which such a Were could exist. This is the era of the Internet, and the shrine of the individual, there's often a lot more belief in friends and groups than anything else. So as others have said, even the best of ceremonies might just be to make the individual feel special, without drawing too much attention to the pack.

If, however, this were a different era, one of a few hundred, a thousand, or more years ago, the initiation to a pack could be very different indeed, and could integrate all manner of draconic rituals and ceremonies. It seems the further back into the past we go, the more important that is, and the further on into the future we travel, the more laconic that need becomes.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Scott Gardener »

I think initiation ceremonies are in perfect keeping with the mindset of something half human and half wolf, since both species are in and of themselves very social and quite intent on social heirarchy. The first thing that either species does when meeting new members is determine the nature of a new relationship, determining in essence who is dominant and who is submissive. Note that submission is not necessarily a weaker posture--most cultures endorse respecting elders, and most organized societies are rather adamant about, say, following directions of police officers directing traffic from the scene of an accident.

In an initiation ceremony, one need not necessarily get defaulted into the lowest omega rank, either, though initiating a new pack alpha from the human stock would be very rare and exceptional.

All of this assumes that werewolves have an organized society that intentionally or unintentionally mimics wolf pack heirarchy in a manner that is more obvious than humans do on their own.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by garouda »

Well, Scott, consider the similarities that do exist between Wolf Society and Human. Both are pack animals, I would submit.
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Re: Initiation Ceremony - The bite: How would it go? (detailed)

Post by Terastas »

Scott Gardener wrote:In an initiation ceremony, one need not necessarily get defaulted into the lowest omega rank, either, though initiating a new pack alpha from the human stock would be very rare and exceptional.
Well, no, a newcomer wouldn't become the omega by mandate of the Pack, but I think it would be the norm. Going back on what you said about the dominant personalities in human culture being the ones with knowledge and authority, the newcomers would be the omegas in the sense that they know next to nothing about how to live as a werewolf and will most definitely need some guidance and supervision from his or her packmates. By that definition, every werewolf begins as an omega.

The only exception would be for human familiars that later became werewolves, and even then that's only because they learned about werewolves before infection, so technically they'd already been through the omega/learning stage. If someone did somehow know anything about werewolves before being initiated into the pack (that couldn't have been learned just by watching movies), that would arouse some suspicion because. . . Well think about it: How else could he have learned anything about werewolves if not from another werewolf? If someone did come into the pack with foreknowledge that couldn't be explained, he'd become the omega in the sense that the pack would be wary of trusting him instead.

So being the omega isn't necessarily a bad thing in human terms. Nobody can ever know everything about everything; everyone will wind up in a temporarily submissive position sooner or later.
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