Lycans

[<Admin> Turtle]

The Making

Lycans spread through biting, like their foes the vampires, but unlike vampires the bitten ones are still very much alive. No blood is taken or exchanged. A lycan can only turn a human if they are in wolf form. It is speculated this is because the 'virus' that turns a human into a lycan is only activated when in wolf form. A human bitten will transform at the next full moon. If bitten during a full moon, they will shift within a matter of minutes. The shift into the two legged wolf form is very painful the first time and the new lycan will often be sore for a few days afterwards. Every time a lycan shifts the change is less painful – after about a dozen shifts it will cease to bother them. The bite can be administered anywhere, it only has to pierce the skin to let the lycan genetics flow into the human’s body. The genetics are transferred through saliva and activated by human blood.

Occasionally a lycan child will be born, for unlike vampires, lycans are still alive and able to reproduce. This is a rare event, for a lycan pair is hard to find. A lycan must choose his or her mate carefully, for they are immortal and will be with them their whole lives. Lycans are most fertile around full moons. When a female lycan becomes impregnated, she will go through a pregnancy lasting three months. Everything is the same as a human pregnancy only accelerated three times faster. Also, the common ‘morning sickness’ associated with early pregnancy happens during the night due to the more nocturnal nature of a lycan. A pregnant lycan can still shift into wolf form during almost their entire pregnancy. During the last two weeks, however, she will be stuck in human form. If a full moon occurs during the last days of the pregnancy, the female’s body will force her into labor so she can shift.

A baby lycan will look just like a normal human baby and grow at the same rate. They will possess the healing factor as well as increased strength and senses, but they cannot shift. A born lycan will gain the ability to shift around puberty. They will have a more natural control, though their first full moon shifts will still be very violent ones. Their coat color will be inherited from their father.

The Look

Human form

Most of the time a lycan looks just like a normal human. When turned, the human will look no different as a lycan. Sometimes they will bear a scar from their turning, though it really depends on when they were turned. A lycan turned during a full moon is less likely to have a scar. The presence of a scar also depends on the lycan doing the turning; a purposeful biting is more careful and does less damage than a crazed lycan ripping at a human. Since they are immortal, a lycan will not age much. The older a lycan is when bitten, the less they will change in terms of age. A teenager bitten will age slowly until they appear about mid twenties, then they will not age hardly at all. If a human in their thirties or older is bitten, they will stay frozen at that age. Shifting into a wolf form is a full commitment - a lycan cannot choose to only grow a tail or claws. Once a lycan begins shifting, they must finish the shift.

Biped (two legged) form

Lycans are creatures that are a mix of humans and wolves. Usually they look just like normal humans, but during a full moon their bodies grow into massive wolf beasts. This form, until controlled, is very vicious and will bite or kill any human nearby. The two legged wolf/human mixed form will have the same general leg and arm proportions as a human, though they are usually at least a foot taller than the lycan in human form. This form has a tail and is covered in a thick layer of fur. The feet become more paw like and the hands become thicker; both fingers and toes are tipped with blunt claws. The head becomes like a wolf’s head, complete with two pointed ears, a pointed muzzle with sharp teeth, and a wolf like nose. The eyes of all lycan forms will be the same color as the human’s. This form is typically biped, though a lycan can run on all four legs for short periods of time.

Wolf form

After the two legged form has been controlled, at least five full moons later, the lycan can shift into a normal wolf form. This form is slightly larger than a normal wolf, though not grossly so, and stays on all fours. The fur color will be the same on all the forms, as will the eye color. This form is preferred for traveling and patrolling – the biped form is more suited for fighting. There is no distinguishing factor to tell a lycan in this form apart from a normal wolf save from the slight size difference. Usually the size of the human form will determine the size of the wolf form – a small human means a smaller wolf.

The Life

A lycan’s life can appear normal until a full moon. Upon being turned, a human will experience many changes. Lycans have increased aggression in their new life and are prone to enjoy fighting, especially during their early years. They are constantly hungry due to a metabolism that runs almost three times as fast as a human’s. Lycans rarely get fat and gain muscle very easily. Vegetarian lycans are unheard of thanks to a strong urge to eat meat and anything high in protein. Some lycans enjoy hunting and eating raw meat, though most prefer to eat food just as they did when human. They have increased senses, especially hearing and smell, and can see better in the dark than a human. Lycans also have increased reflexes and are typically fairly flexible and fast, making them ideal fighters. They are twice as strong as their old human selves and also possess high endurance. Lycans must sleep every few days at least, though most try to keep a regular schedule. A lycan can keep their old lifestyle, though they must flee from humans when a full moon is looming.

During full moons, every lycan must shift. Avoiding the rays of the moon will result in seizure like symptoms until they are exposed to the moon. Once a werewolf is exposed to the moon, they cannot shift back to human forms until dawn. Though they cannot shift to human, a lycan can shift between the different wolf forms during a full moon. During a full moon a lycan will have increased aggression as well as increased senses and healing ability. They are more inclined to fight and attack. This urge can be controlled, though never completely eliminated.

Lycans are strongest at full moon in wolf shape, but their human forms are strong as well. The ability of regeneration is one of the most noticeable traits of a lycan. They can heal many times faster than a normal human. A cut would take less than a minute to heal, a deep wound a few hours, and a broken bone a few days. A well fed and rested lycan will heal faster than a hungry and tired one. A lycan cannot heal from the dead – if their head is cut off or they bleed too much they will die. Lycans rarely get ill, especially from infections.

Lycans are very susceptible to silver, and it will burn skin and fur if touched. The older the lycan, the less silver affects it, though pure silver can take down even the oldest masters. If a bullet or other silver object is left inside the flesh of a lycan, it will burn and slowly poison them for days until they die of infection. Newly turned lycans cannot even be around silver, for it will make them slightly nauseous and very uneasy. Crosses and other religious items do not affect lycans. Killing a lycan with normal weapons is a challenge, but not impossible. Projectiles such as arrows or bullets can be deadly, but a lycan will have to be shot many times before dying unless shot in the head. Weapons such as swords are fairly effective in killing lycans, especially if the user can cut off the head of a lycan.

Perhaps used as a trait to advance and protect the race, lycans also possess mindspeak. Mindspeak can confer pictures and images as well as words. A lycan will know if another lycan is attempting to speak to them and can block the communication if they so choose. When attempting to mindspeak to another lycan, only the desired thought will be conferred. This is not an ability to read minds.

Lycans share many traits with wolves. One of the biggest of these instincts is the urge to be in a pack. Wolves are pack animals and, though they can function by themselves, will always prefer to be in a pack even if it is small. An Alpha will emerge as a natural leader, though they can be challenged by other Alphas or current pack members. Typically a Beta is established, though it is not necessary. If a lycan couple is the head of a pack, they will typically share the Alpha position. The decision to be in a pack is typically a life one. A lycan deserting a pack will rarely be welcomed back to their old pack. Other packs will be wary of accepting any lycan previously a part of another pack. Traitors to a pack will be thrown out, sometimes killed, and no other packs will take them.

A large part of a lycan life is dealing with vampires. The blood drinking race is a natural enemy to lycans. The presence of a vampire will make a lycan become more aggressive and protective even if they are not aware that the person is a vampire. The scent and taste of a vampire is very offensive to a lycan and they will generally avoid it. Vampire and lycan peace treaties are rare, though not unheard of, and usually not on the level of being friendly. A lycan who is friends with a vampire will find it hard to join a pack, because most lycans are not accepting of the vampire race.

The Levels

From the beginning of their lycan lives, all lycans have the ability to heal at a rapid rate. They are also very strong and have increased senses, especially hearing and smell. However, the older a lycan is the more abilities it develops. These abilities are based on the control the lycan possesses. Usually lycans are rated in ‘levels’ based on what abilities they display. The amount of time it takes to go through the levels is based on the control of the lycan itself, but a new level can be gained for every 10 quality posts in-character (this may or may not be modified as the board progresses).
Specific level abilities and stats will be added soon!

(Thanks to ItheLynx at RPG-D for Lycan information).

[<Admin> Turtle]

(We'll be adding more lycan packs in the near future. If you want to create your own pm me or any of the Admins.)
Lycan Packs

The Pack: The pack was formed nearly three thousand years ago by the Original Lycan Mikael. It was the original werewolf pack and no name suited it more than The Pack. In a way its name shows dominance and power over the lesser packs, but it was not always mighty. Like everything else in the world it had a humble beginning.

Three thousand years ago Mikael was cursed by Satan himself; turning him into the original Lycan. During the years following the transformation he founded the pack. At first it was obviously small and made up of Mikael and his two brothers. Slowly yet surely it began to grow in size over the years. At one point the population of The Pack came to a halt; the fear of werewolves brought upon hunters who would seek the glory that came from slaying lycans. They were the ones whom kept the werewolf population in check.

That was of course till the day Alena became the very first female werewolf through a satanic ritual. Previously females had immunity against the gene changing lycan disease, but as the first female lycan Alena was able to change those of her own gender (In present times any gender lycan can change both female and males). Through being able to change female lycans and bearing children the Lycan Population began to quickly grow in size.

The Pack stayed under Mikael's control the next couple thousand of years. The hunters who had once hunted lycans in the past had obviously passed away; now only a few of their ancestors survive. This allowed The Pack to grow as much as it willed; but of course they set their own limit. Too many lycans would mean the over hunting of prey and it would attract too much attention to their race.

It was in the Sixth Century. At the time the pack was the only real lycan pack. The war between The Pack and Vampires began over a misunderstanding. This is the origin of the hatred between the two races.

At first the war was only a few scrimmages here and there between the two races. But during the year 725 A.D Mikael was slain by Raven Lestat, The Vampire king at the time being. This is when Alena gained control; full of distraught and anger she turned the once small confrontations between the two races into an all out war.

To this day The Pack exists. It is still the most powerful and the primary Lycan pack. While most lycans hate vampires; the members of the pack down right despise the blood suckers. They still carry out the war against the Vampire kind.

Current leader: Alena Wulf