What should we call what?

Kelpten · Post by **Kelpten** » Thu May 24, 2007 7:22 pm

Ok, we have a ton of terms floating around this forum that everyone is using diferently. Let's agree on some set words to use on this forum for all the different werewolf stuff. Then we can have a list ready so we aren't at eachother's throats arguing about terms. I'll start the list and update it as desicions are made.

1. Gestalt Form: When a Werewolf is in a form that is neither fully Human nor fully Wolf, but something in between that has all of the abilities of BOTH creatures

3. Lupine Form: When a Werewolf is in the full wolf form

2. Therian: A person who has a spiritual connection with an animal

These are the only terms I felt were safe to define on my own. Let the debates begin!

Rhuen · Post by **Rhuen** » Thu May 24, 2007 7:54 pm

Gestalt form is just for this movie, and basically only feels right in that sense.

Also there is absoulty know way in this or any other Earth anyone is going to each a concensus on terms outside of a particular movie or other source. a cross genre, cross medium, termonology is extremly unlikely.

Aside from saying, "it has a werewolf quality to it" people will argue until the sun eats us all.

Vuldari · Post by **Vuldari** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:02 pm

Actually, the word "Gestalt" will never be spoken or used at all within Freeborn.

I don't remember whose idea it was, but the reason we started using that word for that meaning here was the very same reasoning behind this thread .

That word is part of our "ThePacksDen.com Dictionary" which is our universal language to use across all stories, franchises and genres when discussing them here within this forum.

This helps clear up confusion in conversations that arise when different people use different words to mean the same thing, or assume the same word means something else.

"White Wolf Games"tm calls a certain form CHRONOS. Lobo Leo calls the eqivilant form the THERIAN form in his web-comic "Alpha Luna".

Here, for clarities sake, we say that those are the names each respective creator gave to their werewolves GESTALT forms.

That is "Pack Speak" ... not "Freeborn Speak".

Personally, I think this thread is a great idea. From this descussion, perhaps we could create an idex of "ThePacksDen" terminology that we could post as a sticky at the head of this section.

It would help all of our future conversations immensely if we were all finally speaking the same language, at least within the pages of this website.

Everyone, of course, would still be free to call things whatever they wish within their own stories, but it would be nice to have a few concrete definitions to fall back on to clarify which concept you are using.

*Fake Example:*

" In my story, my werewolves stay in GESTALT form most of the time, which they call the 'Makan' form, and it is their natural state. They are not humans, but can imitate a humans appearance, and also change into a form that resembles a large wolf... "

If we are going to agree on more words for our PacksDen-Dictionary, I would advise against choosing a single definition for the word "Werewolf", as recent and past conversations have made it clear to me ...

Vuldari · Post by **Vuldari** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:19 pm

... that the term is used far too broadly for that, and we could never agree.

However, perhaps we could agree on some terms to idenify different common varieties of werewolf concepts.

A term for muzzle-less human faced werewolves, (like in the Lon Cheney film) ... a term for werewolves that don't start as Humans, but are actually an independent species of shapeshifters ... a term for werewolves who are forced to act evil against their will when they transform ... etc, etc...

Even if what you are talking about does not fit any of the terms exactly, it could be very helpful to be able to say something like, ...

"The character is sort of like a **** werewolf, only with more control and not so violent."

... or something of that nature. You could explain a complex concept in just a few words, and so long as all Pack members familiarise themselves with those terms, we will all understand what each other are talking about.

Does this sound like a good idea to anyone else?

Dreamer · Post by **Dreamer** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:31 pm

Vuldari wrote:A term for muzzle-less human faced werewolves, (like in the Lon Cheney film) ... a term for werewolves that don't start as Humans, but are actually an independent species of shapeshifters ... a term for werewolves who are forced to act evil against their will when they transform.

Well, the first ones I'd call wolfmen.

ALson the last one was what my "What should we call the Freeborn type werewolves" was supposed to be for. To find a term to destinguish the benign werewolf archetype from the "Ravening monster" werewolf archetype.

Shadow Wulf · Post by **Shadow Wulf** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:41 pm

I believe the term Lupine means that your in full wolf form. Correct me if Im wrong.

PariahPoet · Post by **PariahPoet** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:49 pm

Lupine is a legitimate term in real life to describe natural wolves, but yes, it is applied to weres in full wolf form here too.

WerewolfKeeper3 · Post by **WerewolfKeeper3** » Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm

I actually think this is a great idea.
This would probably help me get my ideas out without everyone wanting to bite my head off.
(Some cases, he believes, literally.) Gestalt for the (pardon his use of this term) half-wolf form, Lupine for the full wolf form? That seems easy enough. Although, i just had a thought...no, no better put that on a different thread.

Rhuen · Post by **Rhuen** » Sat May 26, 2007 10:29 am

The fuzzy faced ones I also call Wolfman or Wolfmen type werewolves. In fact I think its pretty common to call them that because of the movie by the same name that made them famous.

I had alwasy used.

Wolfman

Half-wolf

Full-wolf

"gorilla with a dog mask on"

Monster Wolf

aside from these aestetics.

origin wise.

Born
Cursed
Beast-shifter (for in control types who are modified humans)

Kzinistzerg · Post by **Kzinistzerg** » Sat May 26, 2007 10:54 am

I like the idea of a sticky thread with some definitions.

Wolf of the Wind · Post by **Wolf of the Wind** » Sat May 26, 2007 1:27 pm

Kzinistzerg wrote:I like the idea of a sticky thread with some definitions.

would clear up a lot of confusion. im still a little confused on the Gestalt form...

RedEye · Post by **RedEye** » Sat May 26, 2007 9:39 pm

Wolf of the Wind wrote:
Kzinistzerg wrote:I like the idea of a sticky thread with some definitions.
would clear up a lot of confusion. im still a little confused on the Gestalt form...

Gestalt form: Reference term for what you'll see in the Movie when it's actors in costume standing up on their hind feet. Note: Gestalt (the word) won't be used in the movie; it's just a reference term for here.
If you want to see what a Gestalt Werewolf looks like, just goto the Werewolf Art section of these very forums, and look at some of the pictures of Figarou. That's Gestalt-cutoffs are optional...as is the ducky, if you aren't Fig.