Human-form telltale signs?

[Arania]

I don't THINK that this topic has been brought up yet, but forgive me if so. So far I think that together we have pretty well nailed what we all visualize a werewolf to look like in thier gestalt or full wolf form, but what about human?

Would they be undistinguishable from a normal human? Or would some of the more folkloric (or hollywood) characteristics come into play?

Eg: Eyebrows that meet? hairy palms? Hard, clawlike nails? Extended canines?

Me, personally, I never liked the hairy palm thing - as wolves have pads and don't have hair there. Also not so fond of the "mark of the beast" idea - as I'm pretty sure that originated with the Wolfman. But there are a lot of folklore stories that indicate that some characteristics develop in human form once someone becomes a werewolf (though said characteristics are, of course, potentially had by NON werewolves as well ^_~)

[Akugarou]

I think that's the great thing about werewolves in human form, that they look like everyone else (at least in most movies, & comics).

How else are they going to scare the sh** out of their human (non-were) victims, when they shift? The transformation should be a frightening suprise.

Human: You're a werewolf.

WW (preshift): No i'm not.

Human: You look like a werewolf.

WW (post shift): OK. You got me.

Human: Uh, huh.

[Arania]

Well, I wouldn't imagine that the signs would be anything as blatant, as say - a tail or anything (^~) - but things that some people might have anyway (such as eyebrows that meet) but would develop once someone became a werewolf regardless of whether they had the characteristics to begin with or not.

[Akugarou]

I think irises with reflective bits of gold or silver would be cool.

Maybe tapetum behind the retina, so they could be all glow-y.

Ooooo.

[Terastas]

What you need to remember about werewolves is that mankind has been terrified of them for centuries. The only werewolves that could have survived the countless wars, plagues and persecutions throughout European/American history would have been those that could blend in among us.

So it wouldn't be too farfetched to think that werewolves might have had some telltale markings in their human form, but the modern lycanthropy virus/bactirium/syndrome/whatever would have to be one that didn't exhibit such indicators.

[Rooster Urlakane]

Yeah, I agree for the most part but it would add to the movie just a little if the charater had a few changes in human form before he had a 'first shift'

[Scott Gardener]

I like the idea of subtle stuff that you don't notice at first. The eyebrows that meet can easily be dismissed, because a lot of people who aren't werewolves have it. (Consider the Spanish artist Frieda.) Generally wolf-like features that can be dismissed as human, but gradually become more lupine in certain situations, have been a favorite image of mine. Watch The Company of Wolves and you'll see why. Near the climax of the movie, we see the "travelling man" with noble attire, but his eyebrows meet. As they close up on his face, we notice that his nose and mouth tend to jut forward somewhat, creating a lupine look and feel. Later, as he's waiting for Rosalyn, we see his eyebrows expand and his eyes turn yellow, creating a more feral look.

If it's subtle, one who is unfamiliar with werewolves won't know what they're seeing until the person actually shifts. But, someone who is familiar with werewolves may suspect or even discover that the person is one.

"Something has happened to me." (Eyebrows are now joined.)
"So, you ran late getting waxed at the parlor."
"No, this is something that goes much deeper, into my very soul." (eyes turn a stark yellow.)
"Wha, you've joined the Dark Side?"
"I'm changing..." (teeth turn sharp.)
"You're a... a... vampire!"
"Werewolf, you idiot! Werewolf!" (shape-shifts.)
"There. Right over there. Hey? Where'd you go? Oof! Gah! ..."

[Jamie]

I like the idea of subtle signs of being a werewolf that could easily be misinterpreted or that are also present in many humans. Anything too blantant would ruin a great many possible storylines, yet it is neat to see something that is not normal in the human form of a werewolf.
The legends themselves suggest a number of possibilities. Some signs, such as hairy palms or eyebrows that meet, were said to be often gotten rid of by werewolves. Shaving, plucking and waxing could make these signs very hard to notice.
In certain parts of Africa and Asia, shapeshifters can be discerned by their animal smell. Once again, you could nearly get rid of this with frequent bathing and perfume, or you could explain it away with excuses if those two methods failed you occasionally (i.e. "On my way over here, a big dog jumped on me").
Weretiger legends say that all weretigers have tails in human form, originally at least, but that they are smart enough to hide this characteristic by cutting off the tail. Thereafter, they are tailless in tiger form and have a telltale scar in human form. In actuality, a lot of things get interpreted as tail-scars by those looking for weretigers, including birthmarks and other things that do not resemble scars.
Personally, I think the characteristic I would most like to see in werewolf movies is subtle eye color changes. Not all-the-way yellow until ready to shift, but perhaps varying from brown to coppery-brown several times throughout the course of a normal day. Perhaps whenever the werewolf gets really excited or angry, the irises become slightly different in color, slightly larger, or both.
Characteristics like this would add something to the experience for moviegoers, but would not neccessarily be noticed, or would be set down to imagination, by ordinary people who do not expect werewolves (i.e. the characters in the movie). Even for someone who was expecting werewolves, it would not necessarily be noticed (the werewolf could turn away when angry), and if it was noticed, would raise suspicion but not absolutely confirm the suspect as a werewolf.

[outwarddoodles]

I think that a werewolf would need to blend in to survive, thus too dramactic differences ould prove a problem, yet there are many different people and faces out there.

The traditional lores and hollywood lengends are quite fun to mess ith, and could be included. Yet the hair that always is pointed out may be shaved or plucked. I'd imagine some more hair could be included in the package yet is sorta unneccesary.


Subtle differences posibly would be okay, and posibly a wolfy t-shirt would be fun. (Or maybe werewolves can signal each other ith ducky t-shirts.) More details might come towards a full moon or before a shift.

Yet being werewolfs are considered lengendary and most people dont beleive them the people (in the movie atleast) would not point out these differences much, unless for fun. The people watching the movie might have some fun doing so.

human (joking) :'Look at your unibrow, you must be a werewolf!'
Werewolf: 'Heh, funny you should say that, yet its not like I could be a real werewolf...'

[Figarou]

I
The traditional lores and hollywood lengends are quite fun to mess ith, and could be included. Yet the hair that always is pointed out may be shaved or plucked. I'd imagine some more hair could be included in the package yet is sorta unneccesary.

True, the hairs could be plucked. But what if the werewolf in human form didn't retract the tail? Thats a BIG sign he/she is a werewolf.

The tail could be easily hidden by wearing long baggy pants. Thing is, the werewolf needs to remember not to wag the tail in human form!!

[outwarddoodles]

I doubt the person ould go out in public, unless its really neccesary, without a retracted tail, but if the tail isn't retracted what else isn't done shifting back? Plus hiding a wolf tail in even really baggy pants wouldn't be like hiding a short floofy llama tail it ould prove a problem.

[Figarou]

I doubt the person ould go out in public, unless its really neccesary, without a retracted tail, but if the tail isn't retracted what else isn't done shifting back? Plus hiding a wolf tail in even really baggy pants wouldn't be like hiding a short floofy llama tail it ould prove a problem.

Heh, for a were-llama, its not the tail he/she should worry about when in human form. Its the long neck and sptting!!


Naw!! *spits*

[outwarddoodles]

Nur!

werellama: *spits*
human: Eww, you spat at me! What was that for?

A human with a long neck, isn't there a tribe of people who purposibly make their necks long with rings? Yes, I've seen them only 3 million times on TV. I wonder if they are werellamas...

[Apokryltaros]

Nur!

werellama: *spits*
human: Eww, you spat at me! What was that for?

A human with a long neck, isn't there a tribe of people who purposibly make their necks long with rings? Yes, I've seen them only 3 million times on TV. I wonder if they are werellamas...

I strongly doubt it.
Those are the women of various tribes in Burma, Asia, and tribes in Ethiopia. Llamas, on the other hand, are indigenous to South America, on the other side of the world.

[Searif]

werewolves in human form are like no one else... for the simple fact that everyone is diffrent

[Apokryltaros]

werewolves in human form are like no one else... for the simple fact that everyone is diffrent

Very true.
But, we're trying to figure out how different.

[Arania]

*nods* I agree with the apparent consensus that the characteristics wouldn't be so totally inhuman as to be features that would ONLY appear on werewolves, but be features that normal people might possess as well.
IN the instance of joining eyebrows, perhaps slightly longer canines and/or rapidly growing fingernails that tend to point?

Regardless, especially with the eyebrows - a favorite concept of mine is that they CAN be plucked, but grow back rapidly - say, by the next morning, or following a shift.

[Aki]

Frankly, when you're a beast that has to blend in to survive, or avoid ending up being disected by scientisists, you tend to blend in with everyone else. That said, i think Werewolves would look like normal people.

Normal occuranaces of unibrows, and whatever, same hair length grow-rate, etc.

[ChaosWolf]

In an online RPG I'm in, my character (a lycanthropic mutant a la Wolfsbane from X-Men, not a true werewolf, but the effect is the same) has a few lingering signs of his 'better half' while in human form...

slight yellowish tint to the eyes
slightly-longer-than-normal canine teeth (visible when smiling)
fingernails naturally growing to a 'point'

Those are good 'gender-neutral' subtle hints...

as for male-only, you could add things like darker-than-normal bodyhair, or something similar.

Not sure what a good subtle-signal for a Female being a werewolf might be, though... Hmm...

[Kzinistzerg]

hairy! or the standard faster hair growth (my god, i h=just shaved yesterday, ot;s liek i have fur! werewolf: tell me about it.)

you could also use unusual strength, because nowadays women tend to be rather weak....

[Figarou]

hairy! or the standard faster hair growth (my god, i h=just shaved yesterday, ot;s liek i have fur! werewolf: tell me about it.)

ack!!

Why did you have to mention shaving!! My hair on my face grows quickly!! Once I get out of bed and shave, I have smooth skin, but before I go to bed the same day, my face feels like sandpaper. When I wake up the next day, I need to shave again!!! I hate it!! Its driving me mad I tell you!!!

[outwarddoodles]

Same with my legs!

[Figarou]

Same with my legs!

NAIR..........I mean NUR!!! *spit*

[Apokryltaros]

Same with my legs!

NAIR..........I mean NUR!!! *spit*

I bet it would just be positively awful to not only have shoulder-length leg hair, but leg hair with split ends, too.

[Kzinistzerg]