On Werewolf Physiology - Updated 6/4/08

On Werewolf Physiology

Introduction

The werewolf's body is infected by a unique virus, initially called Theron's Disease, that alters their physiology in several significant ways from their original human form. Officially named the Genetic Metamorphic Virus (GMV), it is this virus that compels the were to change from human to wolf, as well as being the source of powerful werewolf strengths and equally debilitating weaknesses.

GMV itself, while primitive, shows signs of what some might term intelligent behavior. The virus relies on its host to survive; thus it will alter the were's body to maximize defense and react in a learned manner to various provocations to said host. Likewise, the host, once infected, cannot survive without the virus; GMV assumes control of the host's bodily functions, making itself indispensable to the body.

What follows is a summary of the werewolf's physiology; we will elaborate on everything from infection to transformation as well as discussing basic characteristics of the werewolf.

Gifting

Turning a human into a werewolf (commonly referred to as 'gifting') is a two step process; first, a human must be infected with GMV, and then the virus must be activated. There are a variety of ways in which this can occur; please see this page on werewolf gifting for examples and more information on the cultural aspect of gifting.

Transmitting GMV - Initial Infection
GMV passes on by way of an exchange of bodily fluids, and is highly communicable. It can survive without a host for up to an hour; thus the exchange would need to occur fairly directly, but there are a multitude of possibilities for how infection could happen. Once infected, Theron's Disease will always lie dormant in the human's system until gifting or, if there is never a gifting, death - there is no 'cure' or 'statute of limitations' on the virus.

Be aware, though, that carrying the virus means little in the scheme of things. It is undetectable by any currently known test. It does virtually nothing to effect a human's physiology. It simply sits dormant, waiting to be activated. However, as a carrier a human -can- transmit GMV to other humans.

Activating GMV
From the moment a human is infected, Theron's Disease can be activated. Activation of GMV takes place due to a chemical signal which occurs when a carrier is bitten by a werewolf, which delivers saliva into the bloodstream. The bite initiates a chain reaction by which chemicals in the werewolf's saliva combine with human blood, together working to send a chemical trigger to the virus, awakening it fully. This unique chemical combination is -only- existent when a werewolf's (in human or wolf form) saliva mixes with human blood -inside- the human body.

There are a few theories as to why it takes a bite specifically to activate GMV, though some believe it is possible to activate the virus by other means that have not yet been discovered.

The combination of chemicals in werewolf saliva is almost immediately altered by exposure, effecting it enough that mixing blood and saliva outside of the blood stream in the hope of replicating the chemical signal in a laboratory setting is impossible (though some would argue that it is simply very difficult and no one has discovered a way to manage it.). Thus while initial infection may be possible in a laboratory setting (literally injecting a human with GMV, or by way of a blood transfusion), the activation is, at this point, not.

Additionally, the human body releases its own chemicals when bitten that some believe are absolutely necessary to the turning process.

Although at the time of activation Theron's Disease has been present in the body for some amount of time, it is this final step that determines the virus's 'instructions' and decides the future of the werewolf in many ways. Mainly, it is the bite that determines heritage - one can pick up GMV anywhere, but who you are bitten by indicates which pack you belong to, which memories you will inherit, and which set of abilities and flaws you will experience. The bite is also significant because of the scar it leaves behind - different for each werewolf, this scar is a unique marker of the werewolf's identity.

After Gifting
After a human is gifted, they experience some symptoms as Theron's Disease gradually receives the message to activate. Most are similar to a severe hang over - in addition to the bite wound. After about two days, though, the werewolf's enhanced senses, strength, and speed, as well as their abilities and flaws, begin to surface.

Their first change is not until the triggered change at the full moon, so there is, one can hope, some adjustment time. GMV does not release the needed instructions to change forms until the moon compels it to do so, but once said information is brought to light the werewolf can change at other times. During the two day adjustment period after gifting the virus is not yet established enough to facilitate a change - thus a human gifted on the full moon will not change until the next cycle.

General Characteristics of Werewolves

Once GMV is activated, its functions are multifold. It permanently alters the host DNA, leading to abilities and flaws as well as the unique characteristics of a werewolf in human form, including increased strength and heightened senses. It integrates itself into every system to prevent the host from killing it, and defends itself against invaders and harm to the host, resulting in remarkable regenerative abilities. Another function of the virus is a method of storing and transmitting information. When the virus reconfigures the host's DNA, it implants data into each cell. This data comes together and manifests as memories in various forms.

Aging
The werewolf's body is a changing and evolving organism, and though they age slowly they do age; GMV does not strive to keep the body in a constant stasis. From the time they are turned, they age at half the speed of a human; thus one can calculate the apparent age of a werewolf by taking their actual age, subtracting the age at which they were turned, dividing that figure by two, then subtracting that from their true age:

Actual Age - [(Actual Age - Age when turned)/2) = Apparent Age

Form to Form Appearance
Members of both packs must maintain constancy between their human and wolf appearances. A brown-haired human will always be a brown-haired human, and a black wolf will turn into a black wolf every time. There is no direct relationship between human coloring and wolf coloring. A blonde-haired human does not have to turn into a blonde wolf. A black-skinned human does not have to turn into a black wolf.

Eye color for either pack may be any normal human color, in both forms.

The genetic material that governs the werewolf form is stored in the virus itself. This would explain why, in wolf form, fur does not look blonde on a blonde human and why it does look like the pack that caused the change. Surface changes to the wolf form would continue until it wears off, such as dye or shaving etc... It is not affecting the genetic pattern at all nor does it harm the virus in any sufficient way to be considered a threat that needs to be healed.

The human genetic make up is still retained. Surface changes will continue to stay with this form as well so long as they do not threaten the virus that is now being carried. Therefore minor piercings, tattoos and dye jobs aren't going to cause a rapid 'healing' effect by the virus.

However GMV is still symbiotic by nature and it cannot make material that is not there. An eye that is missing will stay missing even on the wolf because there is no genetic material to reshape. Thus drastic alterations to appearance, such as missing limbs or deep scarring, would be apparent in both wolf and human form.

Implanted Memories
GMV has the capacity to hold 'memories' that can pass from one werewolf to another, going back multiple generations. These memories are generally thought to be physical, chemical, in nature, buried below the level of conscious thought. They may invoke emotions in given situations, and in some cases déjÃ* vu. Werewolves may find that learning skills their ancestors knew comes more naturally to them. There are also certain social and cultural mores that are ingrained into a werewolf from these inherited memories.

Werewolf Strengths
Regeneration
It takes more than minimal damage for GMV to aggressively repair the body. The amount of trauma needed to cause an immediate healing effect would be anything that reaches into the muscle layer. For this reason werewolves are better able to mingle with human kind. A small cut will bleed. A tattoo will stay in place and a piercing would swell as a normal human's would. Any significant damage (reaching into the muscle layer), however, would be healed very rapidly.

Superior Senses
Werewolf senses have more in common with wolves than with humans, and these 'heightened' (by human standards) senses exist in both human and wolf form. Their sense of smell is highly developed, allowing them to detect prey, enemies, or fellow pack members. Their hearing is acute and they can hear at a much higher frequency than humans. Their eyesight is keen and sharp, and as predators they are particularly adept at detecting any sign of movement.

Heightened Strength and Speed
Additionally, werewolves in both human and wolf form have superhuman strength and speed (approximately on par with vampires, or three times that of a human with similar build, though this is pack dependant as well.)

Disease Resistant
The immune system of a werewolf is far stronger than that of the average human although they are not impervious to the effects of viruses, fungi, or bacteria. However, the GMV will recognize any threat to the wolf's body and mobilize to attack and destroy it.

Outwardly, a werewolf may show slight signs of illness followed by a low or high grade fever as the GMV does its thing but for a werewolf to actually die of illness is unheard of. In most cases, the werewolf may experience an illness without ever realizing he or she has been exposed to any kind of infectious agent or noticing any symptoms at all.

In this way, werewolves throughout the centuries have avoided death due to smallpox, rabies, plague, and any number of dangerous threats.


Vulnerabilities
The Change
It may seem odd to consider the ability to change into a fearsome wolf as a vulnerability, but it should be understood that the change is not a foolproof system for protection. First of all, the change is primarily a nighttime system. GMV is more responsive at night and a practiced werewolf can reliably change while it is dark. Only in extreme circumstances can a werewolf change during the daytime, and it is not a conscious choice; the virus decides whether or not a change is in its best interests, not the host.

Furthermore, on the nights of the full moon a werewolf is forced to change; thus in some respects werewolves are slaves to a disease with its own agenda.

Silver
Werewolves respond to silver as a human might respond to a severe allergy - though on an even greater scale. Surface contact with silver causes burning pain and blistering immediately. Even the most severe wounds, when inflicted with a silver weapon, will not regenerate at all, resulting in injuries and scarring similar to what a human would receive. In werewolf form, silver will force a change back to human form in addition to causing severe pain.

The Partial Change
In times of great emotion, particularly aggression, werewolves have learned over time to respond proportionately, understanding that a full change to wolf form is not always needed. Experienced werewolves who have mastered the art of changing at their own will may have also learned to accomplish a partial change. This is limited to a change in the eyes (approaching the wolf eyes), enlarging of the teeth, and a subtle stretched appearance to the skin, but even with these slight changes in appearance the werewolf suddenly looks much more dangerous.

Characteristics of the Werewolf in Human Form

First of all, a distinction needs to be made between a human infected with GMV and a werewolf in human form. An infected human with an inactive virus is in no way different from any other human. The only symptom they might display is a low grade fever shortly after infection while Theron's Disease integrates itself.

A werewolf in human form, however, is a different being altogether. While they may look just like a human in every way, save perhaps slightly larger and sharper canines than one would usually see, they have a unique set of physical characteristics resulting from their individual abilities and flaws as well as their inherent strength, speed, regeneration and senses.

Contact with Silver
For werewolves in human form, the reaction from topical contact with silver is similar to a severe allergy; it would begin with a painful burning sensation, progress to swelling and hives, continue on to seizures, shock, and eventually total shut down and death. Internal contact (by way of stabbing, bullets, or injection, for example) would result in a shutdown of regenerative abilities in the area of the injury in addition to the aforementioned 'allergic reaction'.

Behavior
Although werewolves in human form do not typically share physical attributes with their wolf form (and any commonalities are a complete coincidence), occasionally you observe canine behaviors in a werewolf in human form. See The Werewolf in Wolf Form, Behaviors, for examples of wolf mannerisms.

Furthermore, werewolves in human form tend to be more 'pack' or socially oriented. This is not an absolute, but a trend, and of course there are individual exceptions, but they seem to have more of a need to be social. After turning they have a biological drive to find their new family; though of course not all biological drives are followed, being without one's own kind is liable to make werewolves restless.

Further distinctions between humans and werewolves in human form come through in an individual werewolf's abilities and flaws.

Characteristics of the Werewolf in Wolf Form

A werewolf in changed form takes on not the half-man half-beast appearance of the media, but the fully canine form of the wild wolf. The movies could technically be considered correct but for the fact that their wolves seem to be stuck halfway through the change, a trait that any true were would hastily assure you is quite uncomfortable. However, the idea is perpetuated by weres themselves in order to continue to remain undiscovered by the general populace.

The changed were, as mentioned above, looks like a regular wolf. However, its physical appearance, as well as strength, speed, abilities, and flaws, will be distinct depending upon which pack the individual belongs to. Please see this thread on the packs of Nachton for more information on the physical characteristics unique to the different packs.

Contact with Silver
A werewolf in wolf form who comes into contact with silver will experience a painful, over-rapid transformation back to human form, along with any other damage said contact might have caused (as would be the case with silver weapons, for example). Should they be forced to change back to human form during the full moon, they would immediately turn back to wolf form when the silver was removed. It should be noted that prolonged contact with silver while in human form causes an excruciating physical reaction.

Behavior
Werewolves in wolf form share some common behaviors with their canine brethren; in fact, one might even discover a werewolf in human form exhibiting some of these traits! Some examples are as follows:

Wolf-like behavioral traits:

Aggression: Ears forward, teeth bared, growling, snarling, tail lowered and standing straight out.
Dominance: Similar to aggression, may include straddling subordinate, gently biting top of nose or muzzle of subordinate.
Submission: Low posture, tail between legs, licking own muzzle as well as chin/muzzle of superior, rolling over, showing whites of eyes, throat flash.
Annoyance: Ears pressed back against head, drawn back lips.
Happiness: Tail wagging, ears forward, panting

Further distinctions between regular wolves and werewolves in wolf form come through in an individual werewolf's abilities and flaws as well as their creator and pack association.

Werewolf Scents:

When in wolf form - your scent is like that of any other wolf. It is unique and distinctive, but it is still the musky odor of a wolf. There is nothing to indicate whether your scent is that of a man changed into a wolf, or a true feral wolf.

When in human form - your scent is that of any other human. There may be a trace of a musky odor but to another were it would most likely seem as if you owned a dog or perhaps a wolf hybrid. When in human form, your wolf odor is not strong enough to alert other weres to your identity.

Pack scents - there is no way to separate the Kadzait from the Vyusher by scent alone. In order to recognize a scent, you must have met the person in wolf form before, or have smelled their scent and known it was they who left it. It is a calling card and it is very particular from wolf to wolf, but without knowing more, it is just a scent.

The Transformation - Full Metamorphic Cellular Conversion

The werewolf transformation is a complex process by which the virus changes its host's form from human to wolf, or vice versa. When GMV is alerted by way of a change in chemistry, it first takes an 'image' of every cell in the host's body, storing it for the return transformation. On a cellular level, it then deconstructs the host's genetic code, then reconfigures the DNA using a stored image of the werewolf's changed form.

There are a few possible ways the werewolf can transform, from the involuntary (and most compelling) change at the full moon to a completely willful change. It should be noted, however, that the vast majority of all transformations will occur at night, when the virus is at its most active. However, there is the slim possibility that under life threatening circumstances GMV will initiate the change during daylight. This is, however, exceptionally rare and the danger would have to be extreme.

Full Moon Chemical Change
At the full moon GMV is at the peak of its reproductive cycle; thus it forces a change from human to wolf primarily for the purpose of infecting more people, though naturally the host may have other ideas. Regardless of the host's wishes, though, they are forced to change at the full moon and experience what some call 'the madness' - essentially, the basic and overwhelmingly feral urges to hunt down prey.

While the need to change at the full moon is a powerful force, there are a few temporary overrides. One is pregnancy - because the fetus is a separate organism, even if it is infected with GMV, the virus is not activated and therefore the fetus does not change. Thus from the second trimester on, the mother's virus has a safeguard against transformation so that the fetus will not come to harm.

Another override to the change is contact with silver, which will force a werewolf to transform back to human form. While under the full moon change, however, the werewolf will immediately and painfully turn back to wolf form when no longer in contact with silver.

A lunar eclipse will confuse the virus into believing it is not the full moon, thus providing a respite from the madness. While it will not force a change back to human form, the werewolf is no longer compelled to remain in wolf form either.

And finally, even at the full moon death or near death will cause a change back to human form as Theron's Disease retreats in defeat.

Other Methods of Changing
There are other ways to induce the change from human to wolf; the taste of blood triggers an involuntary change as well as large amounts of adrenaline, but the change is more variable when forced and can be prevented/halted/interrupted/reverted by way of skin contact with silver and very drastic physical exhaustion or injury (ie, near death).

The taste of blood is an indication that either the host is injured or the werewolf needs to feed; thus GMV has learned over time to respond to said taste by turning over to the wolf form. Similarly, large amounts of adrenaline trigger the 'fight or flight' instinct, and the virus will induce the change as a self defense measure whether the host wills it or not, should matters escalate without an at will change taking place.

Just as there are ways to compel the virus to change from human to wolf, there are also ways to change from wolf to human. Contact with silver causes GMV to revert to human form and attempt retreat. Likewise, when in severe pain the virus will attempt to shut down to the most basic of functions, and keeping the werewolf form becomes too difficult.

The Experience of Transforming
The length of time needed to complete a transformation varies from instance to instance. Forced changes from contact with silver or an overwhelming amount of adrenaline tend to be rapid and often agonizing, but experienced werewolves can exert a small amount of control over the change, slowing it down to make for a smoother, slower transition that causes less pain. Thus the process takes from under a minute to over ten, and the quicker it is, the more painful.

When the transformation occurs, bones and muscles morph and reform, skin shrinks and stretches, hair pushes through skin or pulls back. The entire change happens all at once and is felt in every part of the body as DNA is reconstructed. Old cells are rapidly shed and the body goes into overdrive to produce new, altered cells where needed. The process is painful and at times exhausting, though werewolves tend to recover quickly.