Forcing a Transformation

[ShadowWolf]

Okay, there have been threads to debate what can pervent a transformation, and what can cure a werewolf altogether. So here's one from the opposite end of the spectrum. What do you think could force a werewolf to shift (full moon not withstanding)?

Personally, I see strong emotions having this effect. Anger, hatred, lust (either bloodlust or sexual), fear, maybe even love. The point is, if the emotion is really strong and pure, it could make the werewolf's body react in an involitary manner.

Any thoughts?

[WolfVanZandt]

There would be some advantage if another Werewolf shifting could trigger a shift.

[Figarou]

If anger causes the werewolf to shift, would it put him in a frenzy?

Lashing out at anything that moves?

[Terastas]

The easiest way to define it would be if a shift is triggered by increased adrenaline, which the full moon can generate. To force the shift, a werewolf would only need to put himself in that mental state.

As for the concept of the werewolf going into a frenzy, it seems like a logical assumption, especially for first-time shifters. People in general have a hard time dealing with emotions, and when they don't know how to deal with one or have been bottling one up for too long, they can sometimes behave irrationally. Anger is the most common emotion to cause illogical behavior because, in our society, we're generally expected not to gripe, so a lot of people just end up bottling up their anger until they explode at some random provocation. When that happens, they'll often say or do things they wouldn't otherwise.

Likewise, for a normal man - even one that was warned ahead of time that he was going to become a werewolf - there's absolutely nothing he can do to prepare himself for the emotional rollercoaster that is a lycanthropic shift. If there's any time humans behave more irrationally than when angry, its when they are confused and afraid.

I don't know if they'd start snarling and breaking stuff, but they'd definitely have one hell of a panic attack, and fear can lead to anger. Eventually, the question they keep asking in their mind over and over again might change from "What's happening to me?" to "Who did this to me?" That's when the werewolf would turn vicious.

[Silverfang]

Good question, I'd say hightened tension i.e: anger , fear or anything to raise one's adrealine beyond normal could induce a shift. full moon bit aside.

Never know, maybe a werewolf could be on a rollercoster and suddenly
"Uh oh Not again!" as they fly down a good bit

[netherwurm]

Personally, I see strong emotions having this effect. Anger, hatred, lust (either bloodlust or sexual), fear, maybe even love. The point is, if the emotion is really strong and pure, it could make the werewolf's body react in an involitary manner.

I agree. A werewolf would have to learn a little control over there emotions otherwise .

[Scott Gardener]

I've kind of taken the "Hulk" theory for granted--the strong emotions forcing a shift concept. Yeah, I've used it in my works at least a little.

A variant of course is arousal. That could make for some embarassing situations. If vampires can have their fangs pop out and their blood appetites consuming them when they seek the mortal comforts of love, then why can't we?

Oh, and my lead werewolf character in my novel and storyline shifts in his sleep. He usually wakes up in wolf form, and sometimes it bleeds through into his dreams. Kind of a variant of the naked dream--dreaming that you're stuck in wolf form or shifting in public.

[WolfVanZandt]

Heh, that makes sense.

Do Werewolves dream of plastic sheep?

[Scott Gardener]

Werewolves chase the sheep they try to count.

So, you were sleeping on a Serta matress, and you didn't... whoa, what's going on... Agh!!!

[WolfVanZandt]

Yeah. I really hate it when that happens. Talk about cotton mouth.....

[Xodiac]

I can't recall whether the director has decreed whether the moon actually can prompt a transformation. I do seem to recall he was trying to steer away from the magical aspect of lycanthropy. But if the moon CAN make someone transform, then simulated moonlight might also do so. Moonlight is just polarized light (the waveleghts are pretty much all in one plane, thanks to reflecting off the moon's surface) and so bathing a werewolf in light that is polarized might do the trick. Doubtless there are qualifiers (must be at least 80% polarized, wavelength no more than this and no less than that) but it could be done, in theory.

How this could be accomplished as an accident, without someone specifically setting out to replicate moonlight to trigger a transformation, is left as an excercise for the Pack.

[Terastas]

I can't recall whether the director has decreed whether the moon actually can prompt a transformation. I do seem to recall he was trying to steer away from the magical aspect of lycanthropy. But if the moon CAN make someone transform, then simulated moonlight might also do so. Moonlight is just polarized light (the waveleghts are pretty much all in one plane, thanks to reflecting off the moon's surface) and so bathing a werewolf in light that is polarized might do the trick. Doubtless there are qualifiers (must be at least 80% polarized, wavelength no more than this and no less than that) but it could be done, in theory.

How this could be accomplished as an accident, without someone specifically setting out to replicate moonlight to trigger a transformation, is left as an excercise for the Pack.

He was trying to steer away from the magical aspect, but a full moon has been proven to have some psychological side effects, which in this case are what influence a werewolf to shift during a full moon. From what I understand, only rookie werewolves would have uncontrolled shifts during the full moon.

[ChaosWolf]

A variant of course is arousal. That could make for some embarassing situations. If vampires can have their fangs pop out and their blood appetites consuming them when they seek the mortal comforts of love, then why can't we?

Well, if the person is cute enough, I've been known to pant and drool a little...

However, I will neither confirm nor deny the claims that I have a habit of sniffing my partner's butt or humping their leg.

[Lurch]

My thoughts on this are there could be many things that force a shift. I like the adrenaline idea, but mabye combined with an intense feeling or emotion like pain, fear, or severe anger. When you wake up in the morning an adrenaline rush will hit you, everytime you go up stairs, or excersise. I don't think that alone could cause a shift.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

My thoughts on this are there could be many things that force a shift. I like the adrenaline idea, but mabye combined with an intense feeling or emotion like pain, fear, or severe anger. When you wake up in the morning an adrenaline rush will hit you, everytime you go up stairs, or excersise. I don't think that alone could cause a shift.

Exactly, pain, fear, anger are very instintive and primal emotions and would force a reaction . Adrenaline would be more of a reaction to shifting to help fuel the transformation.

[Rodentia]

In the tv series she-wolf of london aka love and curses, she transformed whenever she became aroused.

I just finished reading a novel in which sound was used to trigger the transformation..

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

You weren't reading WEREWOLVESS were you ? They used a device that looked like a calculater to produce a frequency that allowed the change, though the head werewolf could change at will. I guess today it would be cell phones and that would work out better anyway.

I actually think a werewolf should be able to shift whenever they want to, but as to forcing a transformation see my answer up top.

[Kzinistzerg]

In my universe, Werewolves are compelled to change by a reaction with a virus in their blood with the light bouncing off the moon's surface. The sand on the moon has a particular property that changes the light. that and they can change at will.

[Rodentia]

that's the book, blade-of-the-moon..what did you think of it overall?

[Figarou]

You weren't reading WEREWOLVESS were you ? They used a device that looked like a calculater to produce a frequency that allowed the change, though the head werewolf could change at will. I guess today it would be cell phones and that would work out better anyway.

I actually think a werewolf should be able to shift whenever they want to, but as to forcing a transformation see my answer up top.

huh? using a cell phone to trigger a shift?

oh sure. Dial 1-800 werewolf

[WolfVanZandt]

Heh. Technological Wereolves. Sorta like Garth in Highway 13 comics. This college kid bought a special edition car that had a special security feature. It came with it's own Werewolf.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

that's the book, blade-of-the-moon..what did you think of it overall?

It was a little slow at first but it picked up quick and the the ending was great, who can resist an army of werewolves ?

The very end was cool where the the lead nazi werewolf battles the bristish special ops officer....I mean brigadeir, the only prob. was that the lead nazi was powerful because he had been one of the earliest werewolves but how did the brigadeir turn out to be the stronger when he was only just bitten ?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

You weren't reading WEREWOLVESS were you ? They used a device that looked like a calculater to produce a frequency that allowed the change, though the head werewolf could change at will. I guess today it would be cell phones and that would work out better anyway.

I actually think a werewolf should be able to shift whenever they want to, but as to forcing a transformation see my answer up top.

huh? using a cell phone to trigger a shift?

oh sure. Dial 1-800 werewolf

Apparently the full moon creates a certain frequency when it is present and the nazi's discovered the frequency and created an elite force with werewolves who can shapeshift on command. The frequency was preprogrammed into the personnal calculator-like things they carried so as to be incospicuous , but nowadays a cellphone would work out much better.

[Rodentia]

blade-of-the-moon,

My impression was that he drew the extra "power" from his sense of purpose (after all, he'd been dealing with what had happened originally for decades as an internal battle)..that, plus fear and anger at what he'd become, the way I see it, gave him the extra oomph..


or the author just wanted good to triumph over evil and wasn't too worried about the details..

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

blade-of-the-moon,

My impression was that he drew the extra "power" from his sense of purpose (after all, he'd been dealing with what had happened originally for decades as an internal battle)..that, plus fear and anger at what he'd become, the way I see it, gave him the extra oomph..


or the author just wanted good to triumph over evil and wasn't too worried about the details..

Probably would never know unless we had the chance to ask the author, it was still a great scene and worked well. I had hoped he would stay a werewolf but he had to find a cure....I'm sure some escaped though since these battles were taking place or going to take place all over the world and they couldn't get enough of that cure to all the countries....