Variations of the curse

[Jamie]

This is for people who want to see a particular kind of curse (or none at all).

[Vuldari]

The "Curse" is part of what sperates a "Werewolf" from a "Shapeshifter" that can become a wolf, IMHO.

...but the whole "They must kill mindlessly" angle is usually just way too shallow and stale.


**...MUST transform...increased aggresive, predetory, and other instinctive impulses...painful transformations...


I prefer a version of the "Curse" where it is a constant struggle just to EXIST as a werewolf, even if they LIKE it. It's a trade-off for being stronger and capable of more things than an ordinary human. It has to HURT...physically, emotionally and psycologically.


At least...that is my general preference.


...I do not Hate all the totally "Evil" werewolves or super happy, "secret race of wolf-shifters". Those are fun too, when done well.


I voted "Other kind of curse...".

[hydrocarbon]

To tell you the truth I'm more inclined to think of an option that's a mix of #1, #2, and #3, but I picked #2 (because in my 'theory', that idea is the most dominant of the 3).

So, some of them afflicted with it just can't handle what they've become and as a result they become unhinged (and therefore turn into the "argh-kill!" kind due to their mentally unbalanced state), whilst the others can cope, some even learning to master it over time and be in complete control and know who they are. Others may still walk the fine line and be just coming to terms with it.

But that's just my take on it, heh.

[Vilkacis]

I prefer it to be not so much an issue of a 'curse' as a tradeoff. There ought to be good aspects along with the bad. This makes things more appealing to me than if it were all bad -- horror-type stories don't usually hold my interest, and I don't like it when all choices disappear.

In this way, at least, it's up to the individual to decide whether or not it's a curse.

Of the options given, I thought the second had the most potential for a good story.

-- Vilkacis

[Aki]

I'd go with "The kind where the "curse" is only in the minds of people other than werewolves, and is mostly made of prejudice." or something like that.

Though, a curse like the 'Rage' of the Werewolves in WW:TA is alright in my book to a degree. It has the element of the savage-monster without going so far as to become totally undesirable. It worked well.

[Scott Gardener]

I seem to have voted with the majority. (Or, the majority voted with me!)

I like the idea that werewolves are not particularly cursed at all, but people expect them to be. It's an easy extrapolation of the difference between our view of werewolves and the general view of them.

Still, I also picture the expectation of a curse to create one for at least a few people. For example, in my world setting, werewolves aren't affected by the full moon. But, at least a few people subconsciously believe they are, and cannot help themselves from shifting on full moon nights, even knowing they shouldn't have to.

[Lupin]

I find it much more realistic/interesting when the only real curse is what the person makes of it, since this is how most things in life operate. To me, in a story, the journey is way more important that the destination.

[Vuldari]

I used to agree that I preferred that werewolves were not really "cursed"...


...but the more I see all this "Werewolves are as sweet and nice and happy as they want to be", the more my opinon changes.


Now it's like ..."WTF?!...what was I thinking? This is SO LAME...!"


Being bitten by a werewolf has allways been something to be afraid of...and the idea that this is just ignorant fear, and being a Werewolf is actually the greatest thing in the world and none of the scary things are true at all...

...

Even if werewolves don't look fluffy and cuddly at all, but really tough and frigntening in appearance...this whole idea seems to be taming down the legend so much that it is not even cool anymore.


I've changed my mind. This sucks. Werewolves need not be defaultly EVIL...but they should at least be SCARY (to people worried about becoming one, or fretting over the stresses of allredy being one, just as much as facing one down in a dark alley). ...otherwise they really are just humans that turn into ugly, or not-so-ugly "Furries".


IMHO

...I'm just sharing my feelings on the matter...Disagree and ignore me all you want...I just had to say it.

[Jamie]

I used to agree that I preferred that werewolves were not really "cursed"...


...but the more I see all this "Werewolves are as sweet and nice and happy as they want to be", the more my opinon changes.


Now it's like ..."WTF?!...what was I thinking? This is SO LAME...!"


Being bitten by a werewolf has allways been something to be afraid of...and the idea that this is just ignorant fear, and being a Werewolf is actually the greatest thing in the world and none of the scary things are true at all...

...

Even if werewolves don't look fluffy and cuddly at all, but really tough and frigntening in appearance...this whole idea seems to be taming down the legend so much that it is not even cool anymore.


I've changed my mind. This sucks. Werewolves need not be defaultly EVIL...but they should at least be SCARY (to people worried about becoming one, or fretting over the stresses of allredy being one, just as much as facing one down in a dark alley). ...otherwise they really are just humans that turn into ugly, or not-so-ugly "Furries".


IMHO

...I'm just sharing my feelings on the matter...Disagree and ignore me all you want...I just had to say it.

Yeah. The idea of nice werewolves can be taken too far. I don't want to see shiny, fluffy werewolves skipping through the flowers, talking about rainbows and ponies.

[Terastas]

Definitely the curse of prejudice and exile. If lycanthropy was meant to be a curse, the greatest curse they could possibly suffer would be isolation.

[Ink]

I don't like the ideology of it being a 'curse'. If it was a real case of being it would be a curse in a way, though.

And I like my werewolves pretty vicious. I mean, when you're a hunter pouncing on the neighborhood jerks and getting rid of all those problems society has would be like a freakin' sporting event.

But I think the cursed thing has to be a HUMAN aspect of it. Because we humans don't like to get killed and all that.

For werewolves, I think it's about being werewolves. And they gotta eat, and they gotta play, and whatnot... And once someone gets used to that, it's not so much of a curse as a way of living.

S'all about perception.

[white]

Definitely the curse of prejudice and exile. If lycanthropy was meant to be a curse, the greatest curse they could possibly suffer would be isolation.

Agreed. Not to mention the possible psychological trauma related to that and other aspects.

[Vuldari]

I don't mean to downplay the emotional, psycological factor of being a "Freak of Nature", but taking away everything else is just going way too far, IMHO.


Someone mentioned a "SLIDER" analogy in another thread once that I think applies well to my current train of thought.

Extreme#1: On one side of the scale (Far Right), you have werewolves that, when they transform, their minds and bodies are completely taken over by an Evil, bloothirsty alter-mind that goes on an uncontrollable rampage against thier will, And the Transformations are completely involuntary.

Extreme#2: On the other side of the Scale (Far Left), you have Werewolves that are 100% self controlled and Human-Minded. They change back and forth between thier Human and Wolf/Gestalt bodies at will, Gaining super-strength and senses in their transformed state, while their mind never skips a beat. To them, being in human form and being in Gestalt form is only different becasue they are fuzzy, bigger, and capable of a bunch of new tricks (hear/smell more...run faster...) in one, but not the other. Otherwise, if they were lounging in a chair, having a lesurely conversation in Gestalt form, they might not even notice which form they are in. ...they still feel, and think, "Human"...



Now...in my opinion, I wanted to see the slider pulled back away from the Right, just enough towards the middle to where the person, if they are a good, strong willed individual, could learn to resist the urges and instincts that come along with being a werewolf (with considerable effort), and sometimes be able to intentionally trigger a shift in a "Desperate" situation, or resist changing at a bad time if they focused REALLY hard.

...just barely...

...But Most people would sucumb to the "Madness" of being a monster against your will (Even if it is a "Majectic" monster), and either kill themselves in shame and terror of themself, exile themselves from reality and become crazy, troulbled Nomads (vainly searching for peace, being "sighted" all over the world, and perhaps occasionally biting someone who stumbles upon them in a panic and dissaprearing, leaving that someone to discover that werewolves are real...the Hard way), or just give in and act upon all of thier instincts without thought or regret, becoming exactly the kind of monster werewolves are known for.

(Mostly the "Nomad" one, or a Crazy old hermit in the woods variation)


"NOBLE" werewolves would be extremely rare (but WOULD exist), because unless you have an iron will to remain true to yourself, and the emotional strength and stability to back it up...the "Wolf" would change you...for the worse.

It would be Possible...but difficult. Overall, making Anyone a werewolf, even if they are normally good people, would be an unbelievably risky endevor...as there would be no way of knowing if they could really handle it.




On the other hand...(perhaps I am misreading some people opinions completely), I think I see some others pushing the slider pretty far to the left...so thier werewolves rest just barely above, or ON the line between what could or could not be called a "FURRY". ...like they are putting a few Scary things back in just to make the rest of us happy...though they would really like to push the slider almost all the way to the left, so thier werewolves were regular humans that can turn into hairy, clawed superheroes (or "villains", depending on their personality) at will, whose only concern is maintining their "Secret Identity".



I, for one, think that the possibility of becoming a Werewolf should be a "Terrifying" concern, even if you knew everything about them, and which myths are, and are not true. ...in fact...I think that knowing the "Truth" about Werewolves should make them even Scarier.


(That would make the Rare few "Sane" and "Good Willed" werewolves in the world look as special and "Super Cool" as they deserve to be seen...rather than just some random looser with Extrordinary, supernatural special abilities...and a social delema.)

[Leighlia]

I don't really like the idea of a 'curse' either, but what else could it be when someone suddenly has such an upheaval in their lives that they have to begin living in duality...werewolf and human.

The pain of changing, the general chaos of the becoming accustomed to the changes that they are undergoing, the fight to not let themselves be driven insane by it all and then find out that there is a whole other quasi-community of others out there either interfering or trying to help or ignoring completely.

I voted for number 2 just because I liked it better than the rest. Although, in my own wishy-washy-ness, I prefer a combinatin of 2, 3 and 4 to some degree.

[Leighlia]

I don't really like the idea of a 'curse' either, but what else could it be when someone suddenly has such an upheaval in their lives that they have to begin living in duality...werewolf and human.

The pain of changing, the general chaos of the becoming accustomed to the changes that they are undergoing, the fight to not let themselves be driven insane by it all and then find out that there is a whole other quasi-community of others out there either interfering or trying to help or ignoring completely.

I voted for number 2 just because I liked it better than the rest. Although, in my own wishy-washy-ness, I prefer a combinatin of 2, 3 and 4 to some degree.

[Set]

The wolves surrounded Johnny. Their growls and snarls were just barely audible amidst the sound of the howling wind. They stared at him hungrily, as if he were nothing more than a tasty snack. He shook, terrified, as the alpha male took a step towards him. His gray fur bristled slightly as he leaned in close. "Welcome to the pack." he said, a wicked grin forming on his face.

That answer your question?

[GhostSong]

Danger is part of the romanticizing of werewolves. That stark division between man and beast that is such a part of what makes us human. So an animal with human mantality is just a furry human but if the mind changes, the entire being switches into something predatory. Especially something as maligned as wolves throughout the melliennia is, atleast for me, part of the ultimate intrigue.

So, as you can no doubt guess I'm for the Curse with the messy aspects. My favorite werewolves of all times are in Kelly Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. Right from the get go in the prolgoue Armstrong establishes how werewolves behave. One part that sort of sums it all up for me was when Elena has to change and run she *wants* to hunt and is in control just enough to stalk a cop as he walks his beat. Loves to see the guy get paranoid, glancing over his shoulder and all that. But the whole time her human voice is praying that this Guard doesn't run, because then she doesn't know if she can stop herself from giving chase.

[CrewWolf]

I prefer the sort of curse in which the werewolf has to deal with the fear of the change. The fear of becoming a beast, the fear of becoming something you're not, whether their fears are valid or just in their mind. Individual psychological issues if you will. It doesn't necessarily have to be, "omg im goin to EATS PEOPLES!!!11" sort of thing they're subject to although I'm not ruling that out.

It's just that I've always seen becoming a werewolf as often a scary and overwhelming process. That's where I believe most of the destructive madness portrayed in horror comes from. At the heart of it, werewolves are not naturally the monsters some make them out to be, but becoming and living as a werewolf can be a monstrous business. Stories in which a person embraces their werewolf nature and perhaps later invited into a welcoming pack with open arms and then lives happily ever after in harmony with nature I think are unconvincing and unrealistic and too romantic (ie corny) for my taste.

I'm a bit wary of plots in which the only curse is the social stigma attatched to it by prejudice. There's a truth that rings true in it and it shows a side to werewolves rarely portrayed by mainstream media. But I'm not too crazy about reading or watching a werewolf apologist story either. The whole "Awww we're just misunderstood victims of mankind's inability to deal with what's different" bit sounds like angsty teen fantasy.

[Kzinistzerg]

Welll...

I hit 'other', becuase Werewolves, in my unvierse, have a different waty of looking at it.

for one thing, everyone's a were-soemthing.
for annother, there is a splinter group that isn't were-something. tehse people were normal but are now kindof- out-of-it. xeopohobia and all that.

so ,the'curse' of being a were?

for mine, the curse was-

a) if you don;t know what's goign on, it's scary as hell
b) you get too used to it, so if you can't change all of a sudden you whack out
c) envy of toehr forms. who wouldn't want to be able to fly? but you can't have evrything.

also the culture was, obviously, accepting and being were was a normal part.

now, if we're talking werewolves, as in, here-and-now, i favor mostly like vuldari said, with the change that with enough willpower and expirience, you can go mostly control, rather than lesser control. (of course, you have to want to)

[hydrocarbon]

I'm a bit wary of plots in which the only curse is the social stigma attatched to it by prejudice. There's a truth that rings true in it and it shows a side to werewolves rarely portrayed by mainstream media. But I'm not too crazy about reading or watching a werewolf apologist story either. The whole "Awww we're just misunderstood victims of mankind's inability to deal with what's different" bit sounds like angsty teen fantasy.

Haha, you hit the nail on the head there with what I was trying to explain my answer about above. Lots of writers and artists on the 'net I find seem to stick with the 'prejudiced' idea (fair 'nuff, but sometimes it seems a bit overdone unless you know how use it cleverly).

[Vuldari]

I'm a bit wary of plots in which the only curse is the social stigma attatched to it by prejudice. There's a truth that rings true in it and it shows a side to werewolves rarely portrayed by mainstream media. But I'm not too crazy about reading or watching a werewolf apologist story either. The whole "Awww we're just misunderstood victims of mankind's inability to deal with what's different" bit sounds like angsty teen fantasy.

Haha, you hit the nail on the head there with what I was trying to explain my answer about above. Lots of writers and artists on the 'net I find seem to stick with the 'prejudiced' idea (fair 'nuff, but sometimes it seems a bit overdone unless you know how use it cleverly).

Indeed...very well put CrewWolf. I think this is more or less something I have been trying, or meaning to say, but haven't. I couldn't have said it better myself.

[garouda]

And so, you've been bitten, and the curse has found fertile ground within your flesh.

Imagine the challenges of the intellect.

One must physically become something that one never was before.

There are new instincts. But what are instincts ? They are inclinations, sometimes strong, sometimes subtle. But they are only instincts. The faint echo across the ages, that is carried in the genes and a guide, but only a guide to help you become what you are now.

Why do I say become ?

Because sure, you now have the shape, and some bag of instincts. But instincts are not knowledge. Just and only hardwired inclinations.

So, once again, there you are in the form of a wolf or gestalt, confused, stressed and despite all the books and movies that say differently, absolutely naive.

You are like every newborn werewolf, The Werewolf Without a Clue. And I don't mean this in a humorous sense. No, not at all.

Sure you have the physical attributes of a werewolf. But you don't know how to BE a werewolf. Yeah you can change, but there is so much you need to know and learn if you are to survive.

That's right, your life has turned on a dime, and suddenly you have more issues than you know what to do with.

You need help.

Badly.

And you need it NOW.

Mentors, Teachers, Protectors ..... Who is that ? Naturally, a pack, any pack. Those who have made the journey before you and dealt themselves with so many of the problems which you now suddenly share.

No matter how large in physical stature you may be, any member of any pack will instantly spot you for an overgrown cub. And at least for the beginning, you are going to be expected to defer to all the members of said pack. Until you have learned the Way of the Werewolf, to be a mentor and teacher yourself.

By now you know, I absolutely detest insta-knowledge. Someone who can , on their first change, stalk and kill like an experienced hunter. That is just too pat, and too easy.

As has been stated before by Lupin, and I shall rephrase it: 'It is not entirely about the destination, it is much more about the journey'.

[Fenrir]

*preforms ritual to rise long dead thread*

Ok why wouldn't werewolves have their own name for the transformation if they have their own rituals then they would want their own names for stuff. So what kind of names would their be?

[Scott Gardener]

Here's some possibilities, for the first shift after getting bitten:

indoctrination
introduction
becoming
first shift (a bit unoriginal--maybe if werewolf society wasn't that organized)
firsting
rebirth
awakening (a personal favorite)
moonrising
quickening (Highlander fans, maybe)
awareness (a bit of a pun)
joining the club
boarding the ship
committal papers
saying "I do"
hello world
awroohing
first flip of the switch
giving notice
closing on the house

AND...

hatching the duckling

[garouda]

Some more names

changing paradigms
putting on the dog
doggin it
getting out of your shell
receiving the 2 by 4 to the head
hair of the dog
breath of life
gettin' culture shocked
crackin' de joints
breaking through
social readjustment
barkin' up a new tree
scratchin' the past
taking the deep dive

AND

why a duck ?

why not a hoarse .....