One point where I find that others have not yet grasped or caught on to about my perspective on Werewolves and their role in popular fiction, is that I feel that a "Lycanthrope" is a very specific variety of metamorph...one which conforms to a certain range of criteria which I have covered extensively in other conversations, BUT I have always maintained in the back of my mind that there is not only room, but an essential NEED for a completely different category of animal based metamorphs...and that off-shoot/sub-genre is one that I know I would, (and in many ways already am) a great FAN of.
Many, for many years now, have been trying to Hijack the Genre of "Werewolves" and re-mold it into this alternate interpretation...but in the process, many of those same people have been trying to KILL the old werewolf and replace it with their own.
*Ahem*...I just happen to LIKE the old classical, (and Vintage Hollywood too), Werewolves as they are/were, thankyouverymuch.
Why is there not room for BOTH? Why must you destroy one to make room for the other?
At the moment, the name I have chosen to identify this OTHER kind of Shapeshifter is "Transmorphic Therians".
(Though, it is likely that someone could come up with a better name for them)
[Edit: That word sounded stupid, so I've replaced it with "Shapeshifter".]
Although I had not given a name to them before, as proof of how open and generally FOND of this concept I am, this whole idea is an integral part of the universe of my In-Progress comic 'Pack MENTAL(ity)', in which there are Werewolves...but then there are also other shapeshifters too which can be nearly ANY animal one could imagine.
...including...
[Edit: I shrunk down the following example because it is stupid, and I'm not seriously suggesting that we use it any more, but the text is still there if you really want to read it, either by copy and pasting it, or by hitting the "Quote" button and reading it from there.
Werewolves are werewolves, but I can still see a full range of distinct varieties within the creatures mythology, from the Demonic, to the Cursed, to the Malevolent/Benevolent guardian, to the Humanoid 'WolfMan', to the Tailless Feral beast, to the Gestalt of popular modern fiction and many others. There are plenty of ways to see them, and I can even see multiple versions of them existing within the same universe.I wrote:"Lycanthrope" vs 'Shapeshifting Therian Wolf'
Common Traits
* Transforms Between Human and Wolf/Wolflike Bodies. Can take form of feral Wolf or Anthro/Gestalt and in some cases, BOTH.
* Can feel the influence of Wolf Instincts even in Human Form.
* Is able to learn how to trigger transformations AT-WILL, with sufficient practice/training.
Variant Traits
* Werewolf Transformations are always significantly painful, and VERY difficult to control, and can be easily triggered against the Lycanthropes will by certain stimuli, such as anger, fear, danger, or the phase of the moon.
* Although initially EXTREMELY difficult to learn how to Control, once a Shapeshifting Wolf Therian learns how to initiate their transformation, they have COMPLETE control, and it is very rare for them to ever, excluding special cases, lose control and shift or act involuntarily after control is learned. The transformation, however, may be random when it first awakens, until control is achieved. It is also quite rare for Therian Shifts to ever be significantly painful, and are commonly described as quite exhilarating and and even desirable.
* Shapeshifting Wolf Therians, if dedicated enough to learn even GREATER focus, are able to shift to varying stages in between their primary forms, as they wish, and can even shift individual body parts, such as a hand or an ear or a claw, without changing the rest of their bodies, though this is considered extraordinary.
* Given enough focus, self-control and super-human Willpower, a Lycanthrope is ALSO capable of partial shifts, but the practice is rarely attempted, and not recommended, as calling upon the beast within, for whatever reason almost always leads to it being called out entirely, and the risk is not worth the effort for most.
* Lycanthropes have unclear, but well known adverse/beneficial reactions to excessive contact with Wolfs-bane/(Monkshood), Silver, and other stimuli, such as Moonlight and Lunar rock/dust.
* Shapeshifting Wolf Therians experience no significant, unusual reaction to these stimuli, including any physical reaction to things of Lunar origin, though it has cultural and psychological significance to some.
* A Werewolf is famous for behaving in a wild, beastly manner when transformed. Though the EVIL "Bloodthirstiness" of a Lycanthrope has been greatly exaggerated in the telling of legends over the years, it is no myth that a transformed werewolf is a VERY Dangerous and unpredictable creature, whose primal instincts frequently overpower the more civil will and judgment of the Human host.
* The power and influence of the Primal Wolf spirit within a Morphic Wolf Therian upon their personality and behavior, varies greatly from individual to individual. Some are completely civil and show no behavioral signs of their inner beast at all, (at least to the untrained eye), while others have been known to embrace, or be overcome by the Wolf within to such a degree that they go completely Feral, and live entirely as a Wolf...and every degree in-between.
* Most forms of "Lycanthropy" are a Transferable condition, and are passed on from Human to Human, (or even Wolf to Human), via a deep bite or scratch, direct contact through vital bodily fluids, (such as blood), or paternal heritage. Other forms of Lycanthropy are contracted through Magic.
* Theriantropy, in almost all forms, is a born state. With the exception of possibly Spirit-Guide 'Possession', (though this is debatable), a Therian, metamorphic or purely spiritual, is born as such, and that state can not be transfered to another in any way. However, it is not unlikely that contact with other Shapeshifting Therians could possibly awaken the sleeping Shapeshifting abilities within a dormant, non-shapeshifting Therian.
...I could go On and On...
Likewise, the possibilities with other varieties of shapeshifters is simply MIND BOGGLING! When using the concept of Theriantropy as the basis and origin of a completely separate class of shapeshifters, it opens the possibility of literally ANY animal form manifesting itself. The Son of a Tiger Therian and a Hawk Therian could be a Turtle, or Wolf, or Emu Therian...or not even a Therian at all. ...while another with no contact with, or heritage of any kind with Werewolves, or other metamorphic beings or any kind could awaken out of the blue as a Shapeshifting Therian Jaguarundi.
I think this concept would be much more appealing to explore for many of us, without the need to EXTERMINATE the traditional Werewolf from popular media, and fan-fiction. I think this is what many have been getting at to begin with, but simply calling by the name "WEREWOLF", instead of giving it it's own.
...and why even stop at just "Werewolves" and "Therians"? There are PLENTY of legends around the world about many different kinds of shapeshifters which have no relation to werewolves or the concept of therantropy at all.
In my WIP comic 'Pack MENTAL(ity)', while much of the cast is made up of both traditional werewolves AND Shapeshifting Therians (or whatever I'm going to call them), my own character was neither bitten by a 'Were...' of any kind, nor is a Fox-Therian, but obtained his unusual transformation ability through a strange mixture of unlikely circumstances, including an unintended side-effect of unknowingly coming in contact with Kitsune magic.
Any thoughts or comments?... (on anything?)
That is up to you as the writer.
)
(mmmm now you got me started 