Rival Creatures

[Rhuen]

Now we have all seen the vampire thing, however this is more like Freddy vs Jason or Alien vs Predator type stuff, pitting two popular monsters against each other.

But looking at it from an ecological stand point (assuming that if werewolves exist that other monsters might as well), rival species, and even predators given where they live (especially if they are in a fantasy world type setting "think Lodoss War or Saiyuki, slayers, Naruto" type worlds where magic and monsters exist in a world like our own (as in technology exists but things are different because of all the other things out there.

Okay Now what other creatures would be real rivals to a werewolf? as in compete for resources, space, dens, ect....
In this setting I really don't see vampires as a real rival, an undead creature that comes out only at night near urban areas and cemetaries for a resting place and ready access to a food source that wouldn't be up in arms over a few people disappearing like country men and small villages would be.

I am thinking they would avoid dragons (as would anything small and meaty).
But what about Goblins, trolls, Orcs, and such other wild humonoids?
then we have things like sentient wolves, wolfweres, other types of werewolves. and even natural wolves would be a competition for resources.

[Zombie]

Im thinking something along the lines of a werebear. They would need den space, relative acess to food, water etc. Wolves and bears compete with each other in nature, so I wouldnt expect anything different in were-life.

-Z

[RedEye]

How about Were-Felinoids: Pumans. American Indian, mostly; also conflict with Wolves for food and range.

Let's say that most Werewolves are European imports and Pumans are the American version of them, only with no press-agent.

Same size, same basic needs, same basic space requirements...and Pumas do den up when winter comes, or when a female is "expecting".

Only thing is: while Wolves are social, Pumas are solitary (except in breeding season).

[Terastas]

Vampires vs. werewolves has been fairly well overdone as a concept, but the thing is that it's always been approached as a sort of blood feud where the two are natural enemies that fight just because that's what they're supposed to do.

In one of the concepts I'm working on, werewolves and vampires do come in conflict with each other, but it's due to conflicts of interest as opposed to just some cheap plot device. It's something we've mentioned a lot on this forum: guilt by association: if one supernatural being attacks or otherwise brings exposure to the human majority, it will create a backlash that will affect all supernatural beings.

In this case, vampires can't maintain full anonymity because they require blood to survive, an as such, the local vampires risk exposure to the local werekin on a daily basis.

I'm having a hard time picturing different werekin being competitors though because, though they may be different forms, they are still both werekin and both half-human. I think there would be some uneasiness between different types of werekin, but their common necessities would keep them together.

[Rhuen]

other were-creatures are the first idea when it comes to rivals, especially if they follow people around when spreading over the world.

When we think of wolves we usually think of Timber Wolves, however most werewolves being a european strain would more likely resemble and behave like European wolves, smaller packs, sometimes loners or pairs.

Were-felines and such which are native to the americas would be more solitary creatures and thus only conflict in regards to resources, or interestinly enough a were-feline may feel that werewolves may cause a better chance if it being found out. After all a single creature is less likely to attract attention than a whole pack of them.

[Terastas]

Felines are solitary, yes, but that also means none of their instincts pertain to rank or social hierarchy. If a canine and a feline mingled, the canine would consider the feline subjugate, and the feline wouldn't give a s***.

[Rhuen]

I can see werewolves and vampires having issues with each other if they are both occupying the same city, and then really only if the werewolves are the types that either go out of control when they change and/or eat people.

However what about in the deep woods if the werewolves decide to live there? Other than other werekin like were-felines and were-bears which may have resource and territory issues with each other like natural animals, they all being moderatly simular may allow them to get along to a point, like different clans or tribes of people occupying different spots of land in the woods. Like this side of the mountain belongs to the werebears and that side the werewolves and they don't hunt on each other's land.

But we also have the none-hospitable and much more secretive creatures like Goblins and Trolls who also hide in deep caves in the forests and mountains that might not appreciate these half human creatures building houses and hunting in their territory.

A movie or an episode of an Outer-limits type show about something like that would be interesting.