How could you tell someone is a werewolf?

[Fyriewolf]

to me the only way I can tell if someone is a lycan is if they have scars that are currently healing. And if my fur is standing up my spine and neck.

[Rosiewolf]

RedEye, I have a question (this is off topic in a way), you said that werewolves "like smoothskins for social contacts" why would that be? Or is that your own personal opinion? Wouldn't some werewolves considered themselves above humans (superior) and not want to come in touch with them (not socializing with them)?

[RedEye]

Lupans (Werewolves) are social, first of all. Smoothskins outnumber them by a ridiculous percentage just about anywhere. So, who are you going to spend time with?
Another Werewolf? There are only so many topics you can discuss. Your Pack/Group will start getting elite and visible!

Smoothskins, on the other hand, offer both lessons in how to Pass, and a refreshing and usually pleasant sort of company. There are Werewolves who see themselves as superior, yes: that's why there are so many Smoothskins, because the Lupans are busy being superior. Smoothskins have for the most part the same feelings about life, and love, and the big dipper as one's Packmates, but they are a lot more fun to be with because there exists such a varied set of interpretations of those things. Werewolves are social, and Smooths are the social majority.
Then, too, by staying in contact with Smoothskins, you can polish your own blending skills. They provide a layer of denyability that can support and sustain you as you hide in plain sight.

Then, things can get personal. There will always be the odd Smoothskin that you can cultivate, spend time with, discuss things and eventually trust with your secret-and maybe your Pack's secret as well. Then you have a demonstrably human set of eyes and ears looking out for your people, providing safe havens, and widening your Pack's circle of security. Not every Smoothskin wants to get fuzzy; most are just happy to know that they have gained the trust of a lengend or three. It makes them special, and widens their viewpoint on certain things. It goes both ways, too. They know they have real protectors that are under the radar, so to speak; and a place of safety to run to if things get nasty. They become a sort of Kindred to your people, friends that are both protectors and protected. And so the Pack grows. In an extreme event, your people might be able to save a life by Crossing an otherwise doomed Smoothskin over to the fuzzy side of life, and in return; you become family and pack, all in one.
Thus the Children of the Wolf grow, and add more packmembers; even if they are Smooth. They are still Pack. They are still People.

[Rosiewolf]

I see your point now, thank you.
Back on topic. Fryiewolf, everyone has scars that heal, but, what I am asking, are you going by the "saying" that Werewolves wounds heal quickly? Because if you are, I can tell what you mean, but if you aren't, then I don't really see how you could tell that they are a werewolf.

[ghostfang]

if there personality changed.

[RedEye]

Ahhh...but suppose that it DIDN'T?

[Rosiewolf]

Even if their personality changed, it doesn't mean that they are a werewolf. Humans have frequent personality change; for example, depression. Now I'm not sure that a werewolf would become depressed from a change or being bitten, but its just an example. Though I suppose you could become depressed from being turned into a werewolf (but that just depends on the person).

[RedEye]

You all realize we're chasing our tails here, don't you?

(How Catty!)

Shut up. Now as I was saying, the more we search the less we find. Werewolves hide successfully because of this little thing. (were they to exist)

Let's try something a little different but still on-topic: What would you expect to see in a Werewolf who was successfuly hiding? What are the common things about them? Instead of excluding, let's try including.

[ghostfang]

i don't know, if they are truly hidden there would no way of finding out.
even a bigger question would you want to find out.

[Zire]

well it depends on the person
some are good to lie some arent
i think that you can notice about that just if you know well that person and its recently turned in to a werewolf.
because a new werewolf have new hig sences so, you could notice that the person (now werewolf) is scenting the air more frecuently for example

[AngryGothChick]

I'd like answers.A friend of mine has told me before,that I'm most likely,or I am a half-breed.Which,I think I knew before he told me.

So any real information on this would be extremely helpful.

[Kavik]

I'd like answers.A friend of mine has told me before,that I'm most likely,or I am a half-breed.Which,I think I knew before he told me.

So any real information on this would be extremely helpful.

You may not find what you're looking for here. There are plenty of therians and otherkin on this forum, but we try to keep discussions speculative, more theory than fact. This particular thread is about full shapeshifting werewolves, so it probably doesn't apply to what you need anyway. You may wanna try www.werewolf.com I haven't been on the forums there in a while, but they were pretty good for discussing the real world therian experience, IIRC.

I hope you find the answers you need.

[lunarwolf]

Ummm just an idea came to mind, if they want to hide real good they would go to werewolf fans or people that study mythology and see there idea's to how to find them by listening and such.

(Idea.... You can ask them to go hunting for deer or such; see how good they hunt or how. Or be like a stalker but keep a huge distance away and do it well AND you must be the best at hiding your tracks, but you going to dedicate yourself to it and have no life but for spying)

[Kavik]

I don't think a human should ever try to stalk a suspected werewolf. Unless you already have the acute senses of a werewolf, there's no way to know how obvious you really are to the superior hunting skills that lycanthropy bestows. If you're gonna track a werewolf, you better be using GPS satellights and surveillance cameras, cause you don't wanna get caught down-wind.

[Midnight]

.

[Werewolf Warrior]

I think the way you can tell that someone is a werewolf, is by the way they act.

[Noir-Okami]

I guess they'd have some tendancy to go digitigrade. Or panting if they're hot (wolves and dogs can't sweat, besides their paws).

Sweaty hands and feet.
Weaker sight (noticing movement but not noticing as much detail).

[RongYao]

I think that werewolf would sweat only in his human form, because the body must have some balance .
If you see someone only at night, he don't eat nothing at the day, but he starving at night and have fast metabolism .
He doesn't see very good, but hear everything around (for example pocket clock from 10 meters) and everything in the city that he smells is bad, then he is probably lycanthrope and in the myths this people may change to werewolves .
If he have taste of metal in his mouth .
If he sleep all the time , but at the night is very active .
If he hates cats or just don't like to be close to them for a long time .
He may don't like dogs or the dogs bark him without a reason .
If he is the guy that you never suspect like a werewolf, then he is a werewolf and you may not tell him that you know it .

[Rosiewolf]

I think the way you can tell that someone is a werewolf, is by the way they act.

That might be a bit hard though, since everyone has their own little quirks.

[Malignant-Librarian]

Well, my character Sylvie is probably not the best example, because she is so obviously not quite human.

Lengthened nails, a tendency to sniff newly encountered people or objects instead of just observing them, a hidden rage behind otherwise human eyes. I think the look in the eyes would be most indicative of a lycanthrope -- the primal hint of something being there that normal humans, intelligent sheep that we are, just don't quite have.

[Moonraiser]

Here are a couple of ways:

There is a slightly golden tint to their eyes, and the may show more of a liking for meat than you do......

M

[Wingman]

I wrote up a page for the wiki, here, that should contain most of the listed ways and methods. Though it is based off of a human perspective, since it's rare that I see a werewolf that does not have a way of identifying another werewolf in any form.

[Cain]

Wouldn't ones behavior give away some hints or clues that he is a werewolf?
Behaviors such as not being available to do anything, such as going out, during a full moon night, a habit of sniffing around, avoiding dogs (what is it with dogs and werewolves anyway?), growling at people who get them angry, etc.; things like that. I think that would give away some hints of lycanthopic nature.

See, i get what your saying, and i'm not saying i AM a werewolf, or a lycanthrope, but many humans, including myself have "lycanthropic" traits and are publicly shown. I have growled many times at people, and no doubt growled at many dogs, and the growling between the dogs and werewolves, is most likely the dominance. Werewolves are a smarter breed, (if proven real (i hope so!!! )) therefore many would place them as alphas, but dogs don't feel the same so there are constant fits between people with lycan traits and dogs. As Mr. Spock would say; Its logical. (yes, i am a trekkie, can't help it)

[Ember]

Something else that might be worth considering is the fact that werewolves are (presumably) most active at night, so a werewolf in human form might have bags under his eyes or some other indication of sleep deprivation.

Perhaps werewolves would be more likely to work the night shift? I can see werewolves going for night jobs, night classes, etc. If they don't go out during the day much, they're also less likely to meet lots of people who might become suspicious of them.

Signs I could imagine would be: The person avoiding getting too in-depth with strangers; knowing a wide range of people all over town that they don't work with, aren't related to, don't share clubs with, and basically seem like they should be totally unconnected with; being extremely protective (and maybe possessive) of people they are close too; being very close emotionally and/or geographically to extended family (I go with the hereditary DNA model); and having lots of very old family traditions (not sure why, it just seems right). Of course these things could all apply to someone who wasn't a werewolf, but they are traits that are shared by the werewolves that populate my imagination.

But what about a female werewolf giving birth to their offspring? They would have to do that at home, but then there wouldn't be any government records of that child, so it would be hard for them to go into society and get a job, or education.

Getting a job might be difficult, depending on the job, but one doesn't have to go to school to get an education. In fact, I could imagine most werewolves being homeschooled, especially if weres could shift before puberty and even more so if the shift could be caused by stress or adrenaline. Picture a child getting bullied on the playground; he gets scared, or angry, and because he's young and unpracticed, he involuntarily (or voluntarily, if he got mad enough) shifts.....and the secret's out.

[RedEye]

Since the subject has been brought up, and this thread is somewhat appropriate...

What's this thing with "Hidden rage" I see brought up here and in several novels I've read? Why would they be in a constant condition of rage, anger, upset, or even seriously pixxed-off if they were Werewolves?

Some of the PETA-types would qualify for suspicion, using that as a measure... Hmmm: I think I just got a story idea
Nevermind.
Where did the idea of "Rage" (hidden or otherwise) come from?