Crash Course

Tales of Lycanthropy had been around since the beginning of Human civilization. Legends of men who turned into vicious creatures haunted the dreams of children and grown men alike. While all legends may contain a grain of truth, few have scientific studies and evidence supporting it. While being around for centuries the first medical documentation came from a Welsh doctor in the 17-century named Lon Chaney, who recounted in his report of a nobleman's son he treated, who became deranged at night, exhibiting animal-like behavior. Upon the doctor's arrival at the nobleman's estate, he found servants barricading the heavy door of the cellar with whatever they could find. Deep growling and howls came from the room causing the doctor to ask if a dog was trapped in there. The pale nobleman replied that the creature in the cellar was his son. From then on Dr. Chaney closely studied the boy's condition documenting all that he observed. It was from his work that modern Lycanthrope theory is based on.

Scientific rules for Lycanthropy were developed over the years as more and more studies had developed. First: Lycanthropy is a condition, not a disease. You cannot catch Lycanthropy from other people, it is inherited. There is no cure. Second: The child of a Lycan may or may not inherit the condition from their parent. In family studies, generations can pass without one case of lycanthropy occurring. Third: Both Male and Females can have Lycanthropy, however, it is more common in males. Fourth: all Lycans will develop signs of their condition by their 16th year of life. There has been no recorded case of Lycanthropy developing past 16 years of age, although it may happen before it. Fifth: All lycanthropes seek a mate. Mates can be other Lycanthropy or humans. Feral behavior in the male is usually observed during the mate hunt. Mating is for life. The sixth and final law is that the Lycans form changes depending on the lunar cycle, although the form a Lycan can take varies from Lycan to Lycan.

While Lycanthropy was not exactly common it happened enough that society adapted to them. Police had procedures with the capture and detention of a Lycan. Doctors were trained in both human and wolf anatomy and local hospitals had special rooms. Since lycanthropy appears first in school age, the curriculum had to be adapted so they two could be horrified by the sex ed. class.

While society had mostly accepted that Lycans lived among them, there were still groups of people that hated them. In the past Lycans had been hunted down and killed, along with humans that had been falsely accused. While those days were gone, they were not far away enough to make any Lycan comfortable. Needless to say, if you had the condition you didn't advertise it to others.