Therianthropes

by Kæthren Bathúri

From my observation Therianthropey acts more like a chronic disease that spreads through bodily fluids. The origins of the disease are murky at best, but the common agreement is that it was a curse levied by a powerful spellweaver who sought to create a chimerical body guard.

Though widely varied, all Therianthropes share some major common traits, with each distinct camp displaying a unique feature. When creating an afflicted character, think about what animal best embodies their personality. A sly trickster may end up as a were-fox, while a charismatic leader may become a werewolf or were-lion as the affliction brings the major traits of the character to the forefront.

Therianthropes have access to a "War Form", which is the big monstrous form that we associate with their kind. However once they gain more control of their affliction, they can shift into a "Wild Form" which resembles a regular animal. This is generally an upgrade but comes at the cost of usable hands.

Therianthropes share similar weaknesses, such as allergy to a pure metal and a genus of flowers. Most importantly, they are tied to the moon phases, and tend to shift unwillingly during a full moon. Remembering these weaknesses are important for surviving a rampaging Therianthrope.

A majority of Therianthropes often find themselves socially isolated after they change. However I have had the fortune of meeting a few groups that refer to themselves as "Camps". Each Camp has a Gift that they teach their members, and a strict guideline for how they must conduct themselves; lest they loose their gift until they atone.

Upon gaining the affliction, a Therianthrope gains the following:
- All Common Traits
- One Additional Trait
- All Known Weaknesses

Common Traits

  • War Form: Able to Shift into a "War Form", while in war form you have access to the Natural Weapon Trait as well as your additional Trait. This war form is the stereotypical "monster" form.

  • Animal Awareness: When making Awareness rolls, each success counts as two.

  • Natural Weapon: While shifted, gain Natural Weapons appropriate to your form (Claws, Fangs, etc.) which grant a +1 to Might rolls in Combat.

  • Wild Form: After reaching Level 5, Therianthropes gain access to an animal form. While in this form, they retain their Traits and Talents, additionally they have access to all Traits they would gain in "War Form". This Animal form resembles the animal that is expressed by the war form (ex. a werewolf gets a wolf form and a were tiger gets a tiger form). This Form draws less attention from people, as most folks wont question why a wild animal mauled someone attacking it. However in this form, the Therianthrope does not have the manual dexterity necessary to interact with most objects.

Additional Trait Options

  • Supernatural Strength: While in Beast Form, each successful Might roll counts as two.
  • Venom: Natural Weapons inflict the Poisoned Tribulation
  • Flight: While shifted, you gain the ability to fly (exclusive to Avian/Winged Therianthropes), and can move Far in a single action.
  • Supernatural Speed: While shifted, move Near without taking an action
  • Wild Cunning: Your connection to your animal nature grants you +1 die to all Survival rolls while in wilderness settings.

Known Weaknesses

  • Metallurgic Bane: Each Therianthrope is weak to a “pure metal,” and must select one to be the source of their bane. (Gold, Silver, or Platinum). Weapons which are plated in or made from them deal twice the damage per success.
  • Aconite Allergy: Therianthropes have a minor allergic to the Aconitum Genus of plants. While they can handle Aconite if ingested or introduced into the blood stream (for example, via a Aconite oil coated blade or arrow) it forces them into their humanoid form, essentially treating the Therianthrope as an unaffiliated character. A single dose lasts for an hour (out of combat), or 1d6 Rounds (in combat).
  • Moon Crazed: You experience heightened aggression during the full moons each moontide, and if exposed directly to them, must make an Endurance roll at sunset. Failure means you are forced into your Therianthrope form in an Intense Rage, losing control and attacking the closest living creature. This shift lasts until sunrise, unless the Therianthrope is dosed with Aconite or removed from direct moonlight. After this shift, you gain the Tired Tribulation for a number of hours equal to 2d6 minus half your Endurance.

Camps

The Avenging Moons

A camp of justiciars who seeks to right the wrongs of the world, they tend to seek out young newly changed Therianthropes and train them in their bestial natures before sending them back out into the world. When this training is complete they offer membership to the most promising. The Moons have some kinship with the Disciples of Temrūs due to their strong sense of justice, however some Moons see them as fools who need a god to keep them on the right track.

  • Gift: Sense Injustice - The Moons have an uncanny sense for wrongs that must be righted, if an unjust act is performed within 5 km of the the Therianthrope, they become instinctively aware of the general direction and distance of the perpetrator (granting 2 bonus die to all rolls made to track them).

  • Guideline: Fairness - The Moons must always strive to treat others fairly, if the peasant steals a loaf of bread to feed his family, it is not he who is guilty, but the lord who grows fat while his serfs starve. If they fail to act fairly they must atone by righting their wrong.

The Swords of Vōldāll

Embodying the phrase "make war, not peace," these Therianthropes are, without a doubt, the best warriors among the Camps. They see combat and conflict as the most beautiful form of art.

  • Gift: Invoke Duel - The Sword invokes the name of Vōldāll and rolls Might vs a target, if they succeed, the two become locked in a "Duel". While they are dueling they can only be targeted by each other.

  • Guideline: Honorable Combatant - The Sword must make every effort to fight honorably, this means to avoid sneak attacks, poison (unless they themselves are venomous) and to accept honorable surrender. If they fail to do any of these they must atone by winning a fight honorably against a foe equal or greater then they are.

The House of Spirits

The House is an odd bunch at first glance, as they claim to be servants of Ōphīa while making studies into necromancy and hemoturgey. However they claim to do it so that they may better understand their profane foes. They are some of the finest practitioners of Sjōvneva among the Therianthropes.

  • Gift: Spiritual Weapons - While shifted they may use their Power Trait to attack both the undead and profane magic users with their Natural Weapons. If they posses the Venom Trait, they may apply it to undead who are typically immune.

  • Guideline: Divine Vow - The Therianthrope must seek to understand their foe, but must never use their profane arts. If a member of the house practices any form of forbidden magic they are excommunicated from the House. They cannot atone for this sin.

Exphīra's Brood

The Brood are wardens of nature, and interestingly count some vampires of House Belua in their ranks, seeing them as cousins of the Therianthropes. They work to preserve wild places and halt the encroachment of civilization into nature.

  • Gift: Many Forms - They may take one additional Trait, which manifests as a having a second bestial form, enhancements to their original form, or as a chimerical fusion of the two.

  • Guideline: Warden of the Natural - The Brood are not allowed to harm plant life, must always eat what they kill, and cannot intentionally use tools, armor or weapons made from plants. To atone they must fast for four nights and days, hunt a beast that is representative of their second bestial form, and consume it in entirety.

Sea Dogs

The Sea Dogs are a pirate crew of Therianthropes who plunder and have a jolly good time of it. They sail under their Pirate Queen, who they call The Den Mother. The Fleet last I saw was 20 ships strong. Beyond that they seem to be fairly standard pirates.

  • Gift: Sea Legs - The Sea Dogs are able to swim with ease, fight and breath under water, suffering no penalties to their rolls. While moving in water they can swim Far in a single action.

  • Guideline: Loyalty - They must never knowingly act against their Camp. To atone they must take a ship for the Den Mother's pirate fleet.