The Term "Lycan".

[Gevaudan]

I don't know if we have to. I'm kinda lichen it.

[Ansuru]

It's from the Greek "lykos" for wolf, and "anthropos" for man. Wolfman. Werewolf. howlyhowlybiteybiteyguywithfur.

[Berserker]

It's from the Greek "lykos" for wolf, and "anthropos" for man. Wolfman. Werewolf. howlyhowlybiteybiteyguywithfur.

You didn't bother to actually read this thread, did you?

[Kelpten]

So let me get this straight, if some one eats this Lichen stuff, they develop a real physical form of Lycanthropey? That's what I understand from what every one has said. Does any one know where I can get some?

Ok, this is a consolidation of what's been said here plus my own take.

Ergot (fungus) poisoning can cause hallucinations, which if you get lucky may make you THINK you're a wolf. It could also just send you into hysteria or make you run off a cliff. Ergot is NOT the same as Lichen. The reason Lichen kept coming up was because it forms a nice pun with Lycan. One theory is that Ergot poisoning was the cause of many lycanthropy cases during the French Inquisition, though there is no substancial proof beyond a plausable theory. Modern day Clinical Lycanthropy is a mental disorder that does not involve ANY physical transformations. It is not connected with Ergot. People believe (beyond their own imaginations) that they have turned into animals without any hallucinagens. It is a psychological disorder akin to schizophrenia. Hope that clears some things up.

[RedEye]

Note to wolfward;
Lichen is a wierd little critter, half plant and half animal, that lives in and under rocks. Eating it will not turn you into a Lycanthrope, but it will make others point and snicker. It will also probably wreck your teeth, given the envionment it favors.

Ergot, in particular Rye Ergot; is a fungus that is a parasite of the rye plant, most often infecting the seed heads of the plant and thus making its way into the food chain undetected. One of its waste products is Lysergic Acid, the original LSD; which can be poisonous and can cause hallucinations in its victims when consumed as rye bread. It is thought to have been one of the causes of the Salem Witch Trials, several Witch hunts in Europe, and perhaps the Book of Revelations in the New Testament.

Another Ergot is used as medicine when compounded as Ergotamine Tartarate, and is used to treat migraine headaches.

Under NO circumstances should you consume either of these items. They are NOT good for you (unless you take the Tartarate medicine, which is only available by preseciption).

There. Done, I hope.

[Sebiale]

The fact we have to warn people not to ingest strange/unknown herbs reinforces my worry for the survival of the human race...

ROFL, yay, the New Tetsament was written by people high on Rye wheat, pfffffft.
I'm never gonna get tired of seeing that scenario in my head, it should totally make its way into a comedy movie.

[RedEye]

In re: Revelations...

While this isn't the forum for it; I will point out that it was written by a man the Romans exiled to a little tiny island in the medeterranean sea. I shouldn't imagine that the food he was provided was of the highest calibre and rye was a common grain used in "poor folk bread" because of the distinctive taste it gave to the loaves into which it was baked.
And Baked is the important part, because baking is what turns the ergot into an hallucigen rather than a simple poison.

So, did St. John the Divine see the end of the world or was it just a real bummer of a bad Trip? We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

[JoshuaMadoc]

I'm never gonna get tired of seeing that scenario in my head, it should totally make its way into a comedy movie.

I think this is more truth than some people think. I remember hearing something about the Declaration of Independence materializing while the ones signing it were drunk off their bumarses.

Then there's Hitler's absolute loathing of the jews coming from syphilis being given to him by a jewish prostitute, but I'm sure no one wants to know about something that dubious in authenticity.

[RedEye]

I'm never gonna get tired of seeing that scenario in my head, it should totally make its way into a comedy movie.

I think this is more truth than some people think. I remember hearing something about the Declaration of Independence materializing while the ones signing it were drunk off their bumarses.

Then there's Hitler's absolute loathing of the jews coming from syphilis being given to him by a jewish prostitute, but I'm sure no one wants to know about something that dubious in authenticity.

As in "We did WHAT?"