Van Richten's Monster Hunter's.pdf - Askadesign.com

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around the head and shoulders,
especially at the back of the neck.
Hands and feet usually sport elongated
nails-not quite claws, but definitely
reminiscent of them, and capable of
inflicting gruesome wounds.
The tertiary form always has
characteristics symbolic of the
phenotypical animal. Thus, if the
natural animal type is powerful, then
the man-beast form based on it will
also be powerful, as in the case of
werebears for example. If the animal
type is exceptionally agile, then the
man-beast form will reflect this, too,
and thus wererats are slender, fast-
moving things. It is interesting to point
out that this characteristic is based
more on symbolism than anything
else. If the animal type is symbolic of
some attribute, whether it actually
possesses it, then the man-beast form
will incorporate that attribute into its
appearance.
True lycanthropes in man-beast
aspect retain the ability to use
language. Their voices are usually
harsh and growling, however. The
creatures also retain their full dexterity
in man-beast form, and thus can
manipulate their environment easily.
PEtfblOgiC LyWPthFopy
This is the dreaded disease described
in hundreds of folktales, the cursed
affliction that turns an innocent victim
into a ravening beast. No race or sex is
immune; it is a plight to which every
man, woman, and child is susceptible.
Unlike true werebeasts, infected
lycanthropes are not born with their
affliction. Their condition more closely
resembles a disease, in that it can be
contracted and passed on. If the victim
is very fortunate, it can even be cured,
though not as any ordinary disease
might be (see Chapter Four: The
Pathologic Scourge for a more in-
depth discussion of cures). This form
of lycanthropy can be acquired
through contact with the saliva, blood,
w LEBEASPE
The charlce of a character
contracting lycanthropy in the
Domains of Dread is 2% per t lit
point of darnage suffered fron la
werebeast's attack. (On other
planes, the chance is only 1% per
hit point.) The damage must be
inflicted by the "natural weap, ons" of
the werebeast: teeth, claws, o r (in
human or demihuman aspect 1
unarmed attacks. If the weret least
uses a weapon, damage inflic ted by
that weapon is not taken into
account when determining wk iether
the victim i,s infected or not.
To minimize bookkeeping, DMs
may decide to include damag e
inflicted by weapons in the to tal, on
the rationale that such wound S
decrease the victim's systemi C
resistance to infection. Note t hat
infection is possible, under th is rule,
only if the lycanthrope's natui ;a1
weapons have inflicted at lea: it one
point of damage.
Furiher, other types of "clo se
contact" may pass the infectit 3n on.
If a werebe,ast's blood or othe r fluids
were to enter a living human', s eyes,
mouth, or open wound, there' sa
small chan'ce (2% to 8%, for
example) tlhat the lycanthropi C
infection will be passed on. A kiss,
for instance, is unlikely to pa! js on
the infection, but more intima te
contact could do just that.
-
or other secretion of either a tri Je
werebeast or another infected 1 verebeast
(and perhaps even that c If a
maledictive one).
Compilers' note: It seems ths it, once
again, Dr. Van RichtenS theorii 'shave
proved to be the truth. My sisti 'rand I
have found evidence that supp orts the
Doctor's position that maledicti ue
werebeasts can indeed infect h apless
innocents.
GWF