Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

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.

Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Yes
3
8%
No
13
35%
2 - Doesn’t really care either way
1
3%
3 - They’re pretty cool I guess, but they aren’t an obsession
2
5%
4 - I like werewolves a lot but wouldn’t want to become one
9
24%
Report the incident to your pack’s leaders and let them decide what to do
9
24%
 
Total votes: 37

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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Vagrant »

On this topic, I voted other. I think that it really comes down to the individual and their tastes.

Let's say that a Werewolf became accustomed to staying in gestalt form frequently, and the World they were in allowed for that. Eventually they might desire some form of apparel, either to distinguish themselves or because they find it comforting, and they might pick something out to wear in their gestalt form.

If they wore a collar a lot as a Human, either because it looked good, it felt good, or it was a symbolic statement, then they may choose to wear one again as a Werewolf. There are groups which consider a collar to be a common thing, and one that has no negative stigma attached to it at all, and thus it's just a piece of clothing.

My Werewolves, being of the open-minded sort, would really not object to this at all--everyone has their own forms of fashion after all, and they wouldn't begrudge someone for wearing a collar. For me and mine, it would just be a fashion statement. A few would do it here and there, and that would be that, no different to a hat!
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by lycan94 »

Leonca~ wrote:I think it would depend on your size once you changed. This reminds me of a cool story I read once in a book of Transylvanian folktales. A man had a dog that wore a spike collar and it got killed by a werewolf. The man decided to wear it for some reason (weird, I know!), and then he got bitten. When he changed for the first time the collar started to choke him so he had to take it off just in time to keep from being strangled.

And yes I have used a collar as a plot device for a weredog character once. :lol:
Hey, I read that to. Kinda what put this in my mind, oddly enough. Lol :)
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by RedEye »

Let me see here; don't some folks already wear leather collars?
Like some of the Goth types? And some of those really strange people with bits of metal sticking out of just about every bodily surface?

Look, if Smoothskin Humans are doing it, why wouldn't a Werewolf who's into the same scene do the same?

I pointed out before that a collar is a multi-use item, especially if you don't have pockets in your new fur coat. You could keep the keys to your car there, and maybe even a small pouch full of whatever. The collar is less likely to be lost, or to come off; compared to a wrist pouch or a backpack, simply because your head's in the way.

So, once again, I'll say yes.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Vagrant »

I noticed your post, RedEye, and I actually thought it was a particularly genius idea. Especially if there were just one or two small items a were needed to carry around with them, and that was it.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Wingman »

Well, currently my main werewolf character has got a collar put on him, though it's of the sort that is designed to keep him from leaving a set area. Well, that and to keep him from going Hulk, since it's designed to strangle him if he tries.

It didn't stop him.

As a bit of context, he was carousing around with his pack, some random gangbangers they sorta kidnapped, a mage, and a vampire nurse to stop a mage that was drifting rather close to going boom and taking a couple hundred miles of North America with him. They sort of succeeded, and managed to contain most of the damage to a city block. When the smoke cleared, the vampire nurse was stumbling around looking for the other half of her torso, my werewolf was nowhere to be seen, and I think the exact phrase used was:
"The warehouse had distorted wildly, like someone had given Dr. Seuss a hit of LSD and a construction team with an unlimited budget."

In short, he got abducted because the mage's daughter took a fancy to him. You know, that typical start of a romance novel thing. She didn't survive the experience, not in the way she wanted. Her plan was to use him to become a werewolf herself, it didn't quite work out as planned.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by lycan94 »

[quote="RedEye"]Let me see here; don't some folks already wear leather collars?
quote]
Haha, i get it wear
:)
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Silverclaw »

If collars can be worn as a fashion statement by humans, then werewolves definitely can as well.
http://collarfactory.com/welcome

If they wanted to shift wearing one, if would be best to have the collar looped around their neck the size of their wolf/gestalt neck size will be. Kindof like what the character Hige does in Wolf's Rain. (Though their human forms are just illusions; no real transformations involved).

An effective way to keep a werewolf from shifting to gestalt/wolf form would to have a tight, strong collar around their human necks. They would strangle to death if they tried to change. I guess it would be used only on dangerous werewolves, prisoners, or werewolf hunters.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by White_Wolf »

Just a Username wrote:Only in lupine form and only to shorten time at the pound if caught by the dog catcher. Even then, a werewolf would be reluctant at wearing a collar, it would degrade them to the status of a dog.

I agree. To put a collar on a shape-shifter or hwlwnk werewolf would be to the same extent as putting a human in a straight jacket. Me, I'd prefer to run free and not bow to the chains of confinement that society wishes to put upon any individual who is different and nonconforming.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by RedEye »

Silverclaw wrote:If collars can be worn as a fashion statement by humans, then werewolves definitely can as well.
http://collarfactory.com/welcome

I guess it would be used only on dangerous werewolves, prisoners, or werewolf hunters.
Not for Werewolf Hunters: They would be adequately served by a simple rope noose... and a trap door under said noose.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Vuldari »

A Collar (the kind being suggested here) is something generally used to identify an animal as OWNED, or to keep an animal restrained.

Generally speaking, I see it as a derogatory thing, and not a "Canine Identity" thing ... unless the person has some sort of bondage fetish, or has some need to think of themself as a Were-Pet, I simply can't see a Werewolf/'Person with Lycanthropy' with any sense of self-respect wearing a Collar.

IMHO


... so, NO.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Silveera-Ice »

I agree Vuldari.
I voted no, because it seems very slavish and deffinitly not for a werewolf, it would make them seem more animalistic, where i strongly believe they are not!
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Aki »

It'd depend on the person. Werewolves are, after all, people who turn into wolves/wolf like things. It's all dependant on how that person views the whole predictament. While some may share certain member's feelings on how it might be derogatory, or restrictive to wear one, others might feel the urge to wear one because they think it looks cool, or to send some sort of message. Or maybe because they might look beyond the symbology of such apparel and see a utility in a strap of leather they could hang stuff on to keep it on-hand while out in the fur. Wolves don't exactly have pockets and it'd be nice to not have to carry the key to the pack safehouse in your jaws. Metal tastes funny, after all. :D
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by JoshuaMadoc »

Vuldari wrote:A Collar (the kind being suggested here) is something generally used to identify an animal as OWNED, or to keep an animal restrained.

Generally speaking, I see it as a derogatory thing, and not a "Canine Identity" thing ... unless the person has some sort of bondage fetish, or has some need to think of themself as a Were-Pet, I simply can't see a Werewolf/'Person with Lycanthropy' with any sense of self-respect wearing a Collar.

IMHO


... so, NO.

The thought of "fashion accessory" and Alexander McQueen never crossed your mind? For SHAME. And who knows how many would see it as a present from their beloveds, or even a substitute to wedding/engagement rings, unless you're only thinking about grimy, filthy collars.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Vuldari »

kitetsu wrote:
Vuldari wrote:A Collar (the kind being suggested here) is something generally used to identify an animal as OWNED, or to keep an animal restrained.

Generally speaking, I see it as a derogatory thing, and not a "Canine Identity" thing ... unless the person has some sort of bondage fetish, or has some need to think of themself as a Were-Pet, I simply can't see a Werewolf/'Person with Lycanthropy' with any sense of self-respect wearing a Collar.

IMHO


... so, NO.

The thought of "fashion accessory" and Alexander McQueen never crossed your mind? For SHAME. And who knows how many would see it as a present from their beloveds, or even a substitute to wedding/engagement rings, unless you're only thinking about grimy, filthy collars.

This would be what I meant by (the kind being suggested here).

Obviously, the white collars priests wear around their necks would be entirely different, as well as things like a silk collar as part of a dress, or nercherchief or other things like that.

However, any collar that is designed to resemble, or is being worn as a substitute/reference to the collars pet dogs and caged animals wear is inherently derogatory, and suggests either a fetish of some kind of the wearer, very poor fashion sense, or a distinct lack of contextual understanding of what they are actually wearing. (... seeing it obliviously as a normal part of a canines appearance ... as if it is NATURAL for an animal to bound by the neck by a noose of leather.)

Anything that is more of a "Necklace" than a "Collar" also would not apply. Military "Dog-Tags" are generally worn on a chain like a necklace, or loose in a pocket, and not on a tight band around the persons neck like a pets collar, for example. Inversely, wearing custom "Dog Tags" in the shape of colorful bones or paws, (intentionally resembling those worn by pets) would make it inherently derogatory again, and/or suggestive of some sort of fetish mentality (or just plain oblivious ignorance). IMHO


The word "Collar" is applicable to many things, such as the collar of a shirt. The kind of collar I CAN'T see most self-respecting werewolves wearing would be ones suggestive of the kind worn by pets or caged animals.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Vuldari »

I would like to add that my answers so far have been under the mindset/question, "Would a Werewolf Willfully choose to wear a Collar themself?".

To that, my answer is ... unless they are kinky or weird, most likely not.



However ... if one wanted to subdue a Werewolf ... break their spirit ... I can't think of anything more powerful as a symbol than make them wear a leather collar around their neck attached to a leash/rope (with or without tags). This would project the image and mindset that they are now LESS than human (rather than "MORE than human"), unworthy of human treatment and respect ... and subservient to whomever is holding the other end of the rope.


Something I can't see anyone ever WANTING to suggest of themselves (again, unless it is a fetish of some kind).
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Vagrant »

Normally I'd just let these sit, because I know how Vuldari can be, but this just rubbed me the wrong way...

Saying that you don't agree with collars because of the context is all well and good, that's fine, and I can respect that.

But don't you think that calling people out on 'very poor fashion sense' is in the least bit insulting? If something is an insult, then it isn't an opinion, it's just having a go at something. It's a fashion I like, and there might be others here too, so I just don't think that was very nice of you at all.

You could've made your argument without even having gone there, Vuldari, and there's no covering up for it. Citing 'poor fashion sense' has nothing to do with Werewolves, that's all to do with a person's lifestyle choice. And when it comes to tastes in fashion, there's no good or bad--only different.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Vuldari »

Opinions will be opinions ... but some things just look stupid.

I have seen people wearing dog collars before, of various kinds, but usually black with silver spikes or nubs.

... I have never, ever, ever seen it look anything but incredibly stupid on anyone ... even those with the whole "Goth, spiky, punk" thing going on.

That is my opinion.

If you wore something every day that 3 of every 5 of your friends thought made you look ridiculous in a very unappealing way, would you really want them to withhold their truthful opinion from you, rather than just be honest and say "are you really going to wear THAT again?" at least once?

Personally ... I'd rather my friends be honest with me, than have them snickering or whispering behind my back ... or thinking I'm color blind or stupid and secretly thinking less of me over something bizarre like wearing colored socks that clash with my pants and shoes, or an ugly necklace.

Does that mean I would have to agree with them? No. I have people comment about the wrinkled, frayed and faded clothes I wear regularly. I listen to what they have to say, understand their perspective, and respectfully ignore the suggestion that I NEED to wear something else, and continue to wear my favorite, most comfortable and well fitting clothes in casual settings anyway, until they become too worn to be functional any more. (And, when the situation makes the combination convenient to me, I have been known to wear socks with sandals ... OMG, I know ... Does it look stupid? Does it suggest poor fashion sense? Yes. Do I care? Not usually.)

I think animal collars on humans look incredibly stupid, and are not aesthetically appealing in the least. I see no reason why I should not be able to say so. From my perspective ... that "Fashion" option suggests to me that the person has a poor sense of what looks good and what doesn't, because it looks very NOT-GOOD to me.

Does anyone need to take off their stupid looking dog collars because I don't like the way they look on them? No. Whatever reason they choose to wear it is their own choice and their own business. ... but they still look absolutely, unappealingly, unflatteringly ridiculous to me.
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Re: Werewolves and collars. should it happen?

Post by Aki »

Vuldari wrote:I would like to add that my answers so far have been under the mindset/question, "Would a Werewolf Willfully choose to wear a Collar themself?".

To that, my answer is ... unless they are kinky or weird, most likely not.



However ... if one wanted to subdue a Werewolf ... break their spirit ... I can't think of anything more powerful as a symbol than make them wear a leather collar around their neck attached to a leash/rope (with or without tags). This would project the image and mindset that they are now LESS than human (rather than "MORE than human"), unworthy of human treatment and respect ... and subservient to whomever is holding the other end of the rope.


Something I can't see anyone ever WANTING to suggest of themselves (again, unless it is a fetish of some kind).
It could also be used inversely, similar to choosing to wear a broken pair of handcuffs in "You can't hold me!" sense. Or to show that that symbol has no hold over them or something equally deep or such.
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