Weres
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Weres are humans or humanoids who are afflicted with a specific disease: Lycanthropy. They are adversely affected by the full moon and on nights when the moon is full they change shape, becoming one of 5 types of creature. The were may become a bear, boar, tiger, snake or wolf.
The actual type of beast the character becomes will depend on the type of beast from which they contracted their illness. The only way that a character can become a lycanthrope is if they are damaged by the bite of a lycanthrope in beast form. The victim will then during the next full moon (and all succeeding full moons) assume the shape of the beast that bit them (wolf, snake, etc.). If a character is killed by a lycanthrope, they do not become a lycanthrope; instead, they usually become dinner.
A lycanthrope in were form is always a beast. They have the characteristics of the strongest specimen of the species whose form they have assumed. A werewolf would have the highest possible characteristics for a dire wolf, for example. A were-snake assumes the form of a python, but with the bile (and venom) of the king cobra. Were-bears, were-boars and were-tigers will have the highest possible characteristics for their type of beast.
When in their beast form, weres are semi-intelligent. Their human side is suppressed and the character is played by the GM. Weres are primarily concerned with feeding and simple survival. They will spend the entire period when the moon is full either laid up in a lair or hunting. They will attack the character's friends as readily as any other prey. Once a were returns to their normal human shape, they will be enfeebled for [D + 4] hours, desiring only to sleep. Upon waking, they will usually remember what they did in beast form.
A character can only be cured of Lycanthropy by removing the major curse as if it had a Magical Aptitude of 20. When in beast form, a were can only be harmed or killed by magic or by silvered weapons. Pre-pubescent and post-menopausal individuals never suffer the effects of Lycanthropy (though they may contract the disease).
