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This has been bugging me while i was gone. Does a , when it sees the moon, senses it like AWIF, or when the moon rises if they see it or not?

In my version? A werewolf that only changes when the moon is full will change everytime the moon is full, regardless of visual confirmation. A werewolf that has the ability to affect a change by choice, and is not reliant on the phase of the moon will be able to resist transforming during a full moon unless the moon is seen, and then it is essentially psychosomatic. Only the most powerful can fully deny the Moon, and even they suffer some degree of mental stress to do so.

Hmmm... Did you check if this topic has come up before?

That depends on the Wulf.
The "Plausible" Werewolf shifts by choice, and isn't affected by the moon per se other than the light of a full moon is like a moderately overcast day for non-Wulfen, due to enhanced night sight.
The "Cursed" or "Magic" Werewolf is forced to shift when in the light of the full moon. If he/she stays inside, they can control the shift by will.

And this Moon-Shifting thing is a Hollywood bit started by the "Wolf-Man" movie starring Lon Chaney Jr. It was made in the thirties. There are no historical references for Lunar-forced Shifting on record prior to that date.

actually theres a really old book that predates the WolfMan, its called Wagner the Wehr-wolf. in it, the title character becomes a wolf when the moon is full. it was written in 1847 by G. W. M. Reynolds. so it wasnt hollywood.

heres a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf_f ... th_century

thats beside the point, anyway i think a were should turn regardless of if they see the moon or not. it was ridiculous in van helsing how they turned back just because the moon when behind some flimsy clouds.

In my stories, they transform because lunar radiation raises there adrenaline levles (they're alergic to adrenaline) and then when they get older they learn to control the moon's effect on them, and actually store lunar radiation.

lycan94 wrote:In my stories, they transform because lunar radiation raises there adrenaline levles (they're alergic to adrenaline) and then when they get older they learn to control the moon's effect on them, and actually store lunar radiation.

i dont want to be rude, but i thought id point out that theres no such thing as lunar radiation. the moon is just a big dusty rock, it gives off no energey of its own.

While the unexpected reversion due to the moon's being occulted by clouds is rather lame; you have to admit that in Van Helsing it did make for a rather dramatic moment.
Were that to happen in real life, it could be...embarassing; to say the least.
As in:
Rrrrraaawwrrrrrrr!
Eeek!
Moon is covered by clouds.
Oops! (Covers naughty bits)
Hey, aren't you Melvin, from over in IT? You know, the Geek?
Moon is uncovered again.
Rrrrawrr: For that, you Die, human! Noboody calls me a Geek and lives!

Wolf-man-24 wrote:

lycan94 wrote:In my stories, they transform because lunar radiation raises there adrenaline levles (they're alergic to adrenaline) and then when they get older they learn to control the moon's effect on them, and actually store lunar radiation.

i dont want to be rude, but i thought id point out that theres no such thing as lunar radiation. the moon is just a big dusty rock, it gives off no energey of its own.

I know. But that doesn't mean other people do.

oh....lol i like the way you think.

Why thank you, my good (wolf)man.

Well, the lunar effect is just pseudoscience for the most part, but there is definitely something about a full moon that gets our attention and draws us to it. It's probably that psychological stimuli we get by looking at a full moon that triggers it, but that "full moon = shifting" notion has been pretty well hammered down that I think the same psychological effect would occur just by the werewolf being consciously aware that there is a full moon out.

As I already said, however, the lunar effect is just pseudoscience; whatever affect it has on us is minimal and not enough to be accurately proven, so it should be something a werewolf can force or quell. The only thing is that they can't know how to force/fight it until they've done it. The first shift would be automatic since they wouldn't know what they're doing to cause it, but then after that the lunar cycle would not affect them (outside of Hollywood Syndrome) and they should be able to shift at will.

I can't really say how it should or should-not happen (a lesson which took me Four Years to learn ), but I can say how I've imagined it works in a pending story/comic I'm working on.

In my story ("Oscar County" ... formerly "Pack Mental(ity)"), there are actually two distinct kinds of Werewolf, but I'll focus on just one.

Once a person becomes this kind of Werewolf, their body begins to produce and build up a special kind of chemical/protein/hormone/enzyme/etc. which is used to actually fuel the transformation. As it so happens, the average werewolf builds up just the right amount of this substance in their body in roughly exactly the same period of time as the cycle of the Full Moon.

Once their blood and cells are saturated with this substance, they are primed to transform as soon as an appropriate trigger sets the process off. It just so happens that the Full Moon acts as such an instinctive trigger in their mind when they see it, or even are merely abnormally aware of it's presence, visible or not (such as if they are fearfully, or anxiously anticipating its appearance).

Now theoretically, with this kind of werewolf, if they were separated from any visual confirmation of a Full Moon long enough, (such as being locked indoors for months, or at/near one of the poles where it may not be visible for long periods of time ... assuming it works that way), eventually their transformation cycle would de-synchronize with the cycle of the moon, but still occur in roughly one-month intervals, coinciding with the build up of the substance in their body. ... and maybe some individuals would build it up faster or slower than others ...

To get a little more detailed and specific, this kind of werewolf can not transform if they don't have enough of this stuff stored in their body yet, and if they try to transform early (such as only two weeks after their last transformation, with only 55% of the needed substance) it will be extremely painful and slow, as their body will effectively have to attack itself to draw out the needed materials, and it would not go smoothly at all, like an engine running without oil (much like their very first TF).

Inversely, the longer they put off Transforming, the harder it becomes to resist. If a Werewolf were to avoid letting the sight of the Full Moon trigger a TF, and resisted as long as they could, within a week after the Full Moon (Or roughly One Month + One Week or so, depending on the individual and how fast their bodies produce the substance), they would be so on edge, like they were hopped up on a gallon of strong coffee, and adrenaline, that even stubbing their toe on the bedpost would be enough to set them off and make them Wolf-Out.

Additionally ... if a Werewolf really, really needed to make sure that they DON'T transform during an upcoming Full Moon, they could force it a few days early, and therefore be too drained to do it again when the Full Moon Rises. On the other hand, if they knew they wanted to transform on a certain day other than one of a Full Moon (an activity that is a BAD idea, even if they have exceptional self - control ... but simply theoretically speaking ...) they could make a conscious effort to delay or set off their TF early/late the Month before so they will be ready again a week early or a week later. It would take several months preparation to off-set it further than that, unless they are willing to endure excruciating pain. (Though it is at least somewhat painful, no matter what).

... that's how it works in my story anyway ... (though I'm considering modifying it a bit so they can change all three nights of a Full Moon)


The other kind of Werewolf is of purely mystical origin, and therefore is strictly bound to the cycle of the moon as an irresistible command, no matter what, visible or not ... "resistance is futile". (Unless they are bitten by the other kind of werewolf, which overrides the 'Fake' lycanthropy ... but that's getting off topic)

That's my take on it anyway.

In my version werewolves can change at will, regardless of the current lunar phase. However, their energy becomes tied to the moon. On full moons, they're bursting with energy, shifting comes easily and effortlessly, and they feel on top of the world. On new moons they feel like they haven't slept in days and shifting leaves them exhausted. Half moons they feel normal.

Its impossible to scientifically expose the transformation the Werewolf. Because you show no evidence!!

Bigfoot, anyone?

In fantasy lore you can however.