How could you tell someone is a werewolf?

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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How could you tell someone is a werewolf?

Post by Rosiewolf »

This is a question that has always popped into my head. How do you think that you could tell someone is a werewolf, if you got to know them?
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Post by wolf4life »

lol...ask to spend a night when its a full moon


maybe they couldnt resists howling???


i dunno
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Post by Rhuen »

depends on type (which has become the generic response in this forum for just about every topic).

Just look at the folklore and the movies, no two seem to agree in either case on what signs to look for exactly (which in reality resulted in alot of poor hermits, beggers, strangers to town, and such dieing horrible deaths at the hands of the local mob and courts looking for scape goats).

We have everything from pentagrams on the hand to not being able to fully retract the tail so needing to keep it tucked away (if we include all human/beast shapeshifters from around the world).
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Post by Scott Gardener »

I figure werewolves could recognize each other by smell. (The lycanthropic equivalent to "gaydar.")

There's the old classics--eyebrows that meet, finger length discrepancies, or hairy palms. The pentagram on the palm is a more contemporary pop culture one, though it was previously used in ancient Greece by the Pythagoreans as a way of identifying each other. Makes one wonder whether, pentagram on the palm myth aside, werewolves might still jokingly refer to each other as "Pythagoreans" or "mathematicians." "I see you're a fellow... mathematician. Any plans for next week, when... A equals pi R squared?" OK, probably not, except among Geek werewolves. But, I thought it was funny.

Among normal people, werewolves would probably be identifiable by fairly subtle cues--bits of fur around the house floor but no dog, a refrigerator full of fresh game meat but no hunting gear, or an uncanny ability to heal wounds. I mentioned each of those at one point in my novel manuscript.
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Post by KittyRose »

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.
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Post by Terastas »

Scott Gardener wrote:I figure werewolves could recognize each other by smell. (The lycanthropic equivalent to "gaydar.")
That would depend on whether or not werewolves have the same senses in all of their forms. And the whole Greek thing wouldn't be very practical because, for one, you'd have a hard time explaining why a bunch of white guys with menial jobs are seemingly fluent in Greek, and also, that would only work if nobody else in the country was Greek.

This is a really loaded question, as a lot of threads on this board have dealt with it indirectly in one way or another. The only thing I could tell you is that, based on the (apparent) Pack consensus, there wouldn't be just one tell-all sign. Different people react in different ways, so different werewolves might have different telltale habits.
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Post by Morkulv »

Just as with reallife werewolfkin; by energy, ethereal, etc.
Scott Gardener wrote: I'd be afraid to shift if I were to lose control. If I just looked fuggly, I'd simply be annoyed every full moon.
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Post by Kelpten »

KittyRose wrote: a habit of sniffing around, avoiding dogs (what is it with dogs and werewolves anyway?),
Well, between dogs and wolves, conflict arises usually between the difference in how they attain power. Dogs are given power by their owners and assume the same power with everyone else. Wolves earn their power with everyone they meet.

So a dog comes in acting like it owns the place and the wolf says "No way! You haven't earned anything!" and that's where conflict arises.

As for why dogs bark especially at werewolves, maybe they just see a rival canine? I don't know; to me it seems dogs bark at everything.
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Post by KittyRose »

Kelpten wrote:
KittyRose wrote: a habit of sniffing around, avoiding dogs (what is it with dogs and werewolves anyway?),
Well, between dogs and wolves, conflict arises usually between the difference in how they attain power. Dogs are given power by their owners and assume the same power with everyone else. Wolves earn their power with everyone they meet.

So a dog comes in acting like it owns the place and the wolf says "No way! You haven't earned anything!" and that's where conflict arises.

As for why dogs bark especially at werewolves, maybe they just see a rival canine? I don't know; to me it seems dogs bark at everything.
There does seem to be a dominance trait with both canines; the whol alpha male thing.
And yes, dogs do bark at everything (or at least some of them). My dogs bark at anything that walks by our house, human or animal.
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Post by RedEye »

There are two ways this question could be seen:
1: How could a non-Werewolf find out if someone is a Werewolf- to the exclusion of any other explanation, or;
2: How could a Werewolf find another Werewolf without getting Fuzzy and Toothy in the process (sniffing is not allowed).

In both cases, I believe you'd have to use an exclusionary system;
wherein you exclude any other possibility from being the answer.
Moonlight and Full Moons aren't necessaryily the tool, since I get the feeling that the reason Were's gather under the Full Moon is due more to the illumunation angle than any "Lunar Radiation" or the pull of Lunar Gravity.
To a Werewolf's eyes, the light of a Full Moon gives as much radiance as an overcast day would (using Wolf sight as a model); in short, you can see just fine! There's a hidden plus here; in that 95% of all Full Moons rise early in the evening and set by one a.m. ( there is that job tomorrow...). :lol:

I suspect there would be some "leftover" behaviours; such as always seeking position, being as dominating as possible with people the Were' isn't on close terms with; being protective of those within the Were's personal circle-especially children: Basic Wolf behaviours expressed in a human body.

Add in the question of "Cursed/uncontrolled", "Cursed/in control", "Inherited; controlled or uncontrolled", or the "Bite; controlled or uncontrolled (Viroid as the Wolf-ing mechanism)": and you get a huge set of contradictory possibilities to look for.

Of course, just asking is prohibited... :P :lol:

Ultimately, I suppose that the best way would be to gain the trust and respect of the suspected Werewolf, while demonstrating your ability and willingness to protect them and their family. Then, they'd likely tell you.

But, that's no fun.... :P

When it comes to Were' seeking Were's (Classified's anyone?), I suspect there would be a certain amount of handsign and code phrases, as well as the graffiti angle; using specific imagry to tell the world and strangers: "There be Werewolves here!", and no: scent marking is gross and illegal. Besides; most bus/train stations already smell that way, and Airports are too clean (illegality again).

A lot of this would depend on the overall Werewolf population in a given area, and the circulation of strangers to the local packs-if there are local packs.

If, GIVEN: There are enough Werewolves to make a viable sub-culture, AND there are travellers between various local packs; THEN I'd suspect a sophisticated hand-and-word identification system, like the Masons have.
Remember, for all their Fuzz and all their Teeth; their numbers are very small and they are actually at risk all of the time.
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Post by Terastas »

KittyRose wrote:And yes, dogs do bark at everything (or at least some of them). My dogs bark at anything that walks by our house, human or animal.
*nods* A lot of dogs, especially the smaller ones, can be like that. My mother's dog barks at anything out of the ordinary: people on the crosswalk, leaves blowing in the wind, holiday decorations in the hallway -- I swear the damn thing is autistic. A barking dog is a werewolf cliche, but is in no way indicative of one being a werewolf.
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Post by JoshuaMadoc »

Terastas wrote:
KittyRose wrote:And yes, dogs do bark at everything (or at least some of them). My dogs bark at anything that walks by our house, human or animal.
*nods* A lot of dogs, especially the smaller ones, can be like that. My mother's dog barks at anything out of the ordinary: people on the crosswalk, leaves blowing in the wind, holiday decorations in the hallway -- I swear the damn thing is autistic. A barking dog is a werewolf cliche, but is in no way indicative of one being a werewolf.
Would it be more obvious if most dogs a werewolf comes across becomes friendly?
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Post by Kavik »

I'd think most dogs would actually see a werewolf as a powerful alpha male, and respond with fearful submission or extreme violence to establish dominance.
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Post by Absolute Wolf »

Agree! Yet I doubt that dogs would try to establish dominance with a werewolf.There is no questioning which one of them would dominated (The werewolf , after my opinion). :D The dog would probably run off rather then attack, yet if in a pack,well...thats different.Still I don't think that they would be able to take down a werewolf. :D
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Post by Kavik »

Some dogs are very stubborn, and do not know how to back down. I'm not suggesting they'd win, but it would get embarrassing for the werewolf in human form to be outed that way.
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Post by Absolute Wolf »

Some dogs are very stubborn :lol: . Yet I hardly think that a pack of dogs would be able to outdo a werewolf, even in human form .If night time, then I guess there would be no problem,but high noon.
Of course they are vulnerable in human form, yet they are still stronger and faster then normal humans. (As far as I know.Correct me if I'm wrong.)
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Post by BlackWolfDS »

Honestly...I'd think a pack of dogs would only win if they fought of of protecting something. Just becuase a dog barks viciously at a werewolf doesn't mean it wants to just kill it. I think it has to do with territorial issues than anything..
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Post by Terastas »

I think we can rule out dogs as being any way indicative. I have seen them react that way to normal people too.

I think the most common indicators would be either results of the changes in instincts and sensory organs of a human and a wolf, or personality traits that could be attributed to the fabled need for anonymity and "us against the world" mentality.

As we've mentioned in other threads, humans tend to experience the world first with their eyes, then their ears, then their nose, whereas canines tend to experience the world in reverse: nose, ears and eyes. If you frequently go from having good eyesight and a poor sense of smell to poor eyesight and a good sense of smell, your brain might have trouble making the transition. A werewolf in human form might be prone to squinting or sniffling, especially the day after a night in wolf form.

Regarding mentality, some werewolves would see the rest of the human race as being potential threats, enemies, etc., and appear condescending, defensive and/or reclusive, which may be contrary to some of their facts of life. A werewolf, for example, might come across as a total asshole at work but have pictures of his wife, three kids and a polar bear he's sponsoring on his desk.

Neither would necessarily be a clear indication that someone is a werewolf, but they would indicate that something is up. Eventually they may take a look at some of their closest kin and notice that they have some unusual quirks of their own.
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Finding out

Post by RedEye »

I can think of one possible way that might work: in a way, it's silly.

Start talking Werewolves with the person in question. The most likely response from a Wulf would be a quick change of direction in the discussion, as you're treading on dangerously close-to-home territory.
The Wulf would possibly even become belligerent over the subject; the last thing a Wulf would do is say "Yeah, I'm a Werewolf".

Then, the person in question would watch you like a hawk; but not repeat the content of your discussion to anyone. The subject might well be brought up again, as the two of you talk-the idea being to get you way from the specific area of Lycanthropy-again, your suspect would become quite verbally hostile; trying to "Alpha" you away from the subject.

That's when you start watching them-very carefully. Very covertly.

There is a risk, though, that the person is just an @$$hole with a strong dislike of Lycanthropy as a subject of discussion. Why, though...?
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Re: Finding out

Post by Terastas »

RedEye wrote:I can think of one possible way that might work: in a way, it's silly.

Start talking Werewolves with the person in question. The most likely response from a Wulf would be a quick change of direction in the discussion, as you're treading on dangerously close-to-home territory.
The Wulf would possibly even become belligerent over the subject; the last thing a Wulf would do is say "Yeah, I'm a Werewolf"
I think a werewolf might say "I'm a werewolf," but in a joking way that they wouldn't expect everyone to believe, kind of like how one time in the Superman cartoon (from the 90s), when Lois asked Clark how he always beat her to the stories on Superman, he said that he was Superman and that after he was done saving the world he rushed back to his desk and typed out the story at lightning speed, which, of course, she didn't believe.

While werewolves may discuss werewolves in fiction in different ways, I think they'd all have something in common: they'd be curious as to why some random person wanted to talk to them of all people about something as random as werewolves.

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. Again, not really enough to indicate someone is a werewolf by itself, but combined with some other symptoms, it might.
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Re: Finding out

Post by Dreamer »

RedEye wrote:There is a risk, though, that the person is just an @$$hole with a strong dislike of Lycanthropy as a subject of discussion. Why, though...?
You mean like SavageBelmont at the Screw Attack forums? :P

Well, maybe it could be sensed if someone is a werewolf by smelling leftover wolf pheremones from the last time the person was changed.
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Post by Rhuen »

I would say a clever one wouldn't go either way in a discussion, instead treating it only as folklore and movies and going by only what is in them rather than trying to react with ego and tell the truth or be a complete dick about the subject.
when people think something is fake, discussing it as such means nothing in regards to revealing the truth.

Especially given something I mentioned in another thread, the double negative, when someone claims to be a werewolf the automatic response is to call them a liar and tell them off. Especially as a real one never would. but in this same sense a real one could talk about it and use what if statments (what if it was real) and it wouldn't matter. hell in this day and age they could probably youtube a real transformation and it still wouldn't be believed.
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Post by IndianaJones »

Werewolves in human form act like normal humans. But, you can tell that they are werewolves, if they are mad like fangs, eye color change, and pointy ears.

But, it relays on their personality. They just hide there natures in their human form.
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Re: Finding out

Post by Terastas »

Dreamer wrote:
RedEye wrote:There is a risk, though, that the person is just an @$$hole with a strong dislike of Lycanthropy as a subject of discussion. Why, though...?
You mean like SavageBelmont at the Screw Attack forums? :P
Or an anal self-proclaimed therian. "THOSE ARE NOT REAL WEREWOLVES!!!"

Regarding the double-negative though, that could backfire. Granted, no smart people would ever believe you, but there are people out there dumb enough to believe stranger things, and it's typically the really stupid people that are most likely to do stupid things like, I dunno, try to spy on and/or hunt a werewolf. Look what happened to Burkittsville, MD after The Blair Witch Project.

The best approach would probably be to feign stupidity on the subject. Not to claim not to know what werewolves are I mean, but more like to just parrot back the old cliches. I think it would raise a little bit of suspicion if they said "All werewolf movie suck" like we frequently do (if they all suck, it wouldn't make sense to keep watching them unless they have some attachment to werewolves), so they'd be best just sticking to what they learned from The Howling, or if it's a younger werewolf, Cursed.
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Post by Kavik »

In the movie BLOOD & CHOCOLATE the main character refuses to discuss werewolves with an unknowing human, but in the book it was based on she was quite willing to do so. It's one of those things that depends on the individual.

And if a human is giving off wolf pheremones the day after, I doubt anyone other than another werewolf or canine would notice.
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