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| − | A '''therianthrope''' is a [[human]] or a member of another humanoid race who, due to his or her genetics or a curse, can shapeshift into an animal, or into a half-human/half-animal. This is especially important to note as this is the defining difference between therianthropes and other shapeshifting creatures, like [[aguara]]. |
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| + | {{Infobox Race |
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| + | |Image = <gallery> |
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| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | Gwent cardart skellige morkvarg.png|Werewolf |
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| + | </gallery> |
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| + | |Classification = [[Cursed One]] |
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| + | |Sub_races = [[Werebear]]<br>[[Werecat]]<br>[[Wererat]]<br>[[Werewolf]] |
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| + | |Civilizations = Live among other civilized creatures or alone |
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| + | |Languages = Able to communicate with their mother tongue while in a hybrid form, but not always |
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| + | |Distinctions = Vulnerable to [[silver]] |
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| + | }} |
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| + | A '''therianthrope'''<ref name="sos">{{SoS}}</ref> is a [[human]] or a member of another humanoid race who, due to a [[curse]], [[magic]]al ritual or another circumstance, is affected by a '''therianthropy''': a magical "disease" which changes the "contaminated" into an animal or human-animal hybrid during the full moon. During these three nights in a month, the therianthrope is not able to control themself and may be lethally dangerous for those nearby. Despite the folk tales, being bitten by a therianthrope very rarely results in acquiring the illness.<ref name="wgw">{{WGW}}</ref> |
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| + | |||
| + | An important difference between therianthropes and other [[Cursed One]]s is that the therianthropy is hereditary. Those who have inherited it from one of their parents however are fully able to control their abilities and might change between one or three forms whenever they want, not only during the full moon.<ref name="sos" /><ref name="ros">{{Comics|Comic=ros}}</ref> One should also not compare them to other shapeshifting creatures such as [[aguara]]s – those are [[antherion]]s, that is animals able to take a humanoid form rather than otherwise.<ref name="sos" /> |
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| + | |||
| + | == Behaviour == |
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| + | Therianthropes may live either among other humans, blending into society,<ref name="tw1">{{Tw1}}</ref> or in the wild to avoid harming others.<ref name="ros" /> They do not like [[vampire]]s<ref name="wgw" /> (mutually)<ref name="ttots">{{TTotS}}</ref> and tend to hold internal grudges towards therianthropes of different types. They are often in friendly relationships with the animals they can transform into<ref name="wgw" /> and may sometimes hunt with them.<ref name="ros" /> |
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| + | |||
| + | == Treatment == |
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| + | The only known method to treat therianthropy is to lift a curse. It is said to require a great pain and or personal loss<ref name="twrpg">{{TWRPG}}</ref> but other remedies such as [[wolfsbane]] or "finding a true love" are sometimes said to work.<ref name="tw1" /> However, all those treatments work only in case of those who aquired the therianthropy, and the inherited one cannot be lifted as it is not a result of a curse.<ref name="sos" /><ref name="ros" /> |
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| + | |||
| + | When the bestial nature of a therianthrope starts to dominate over the sentient half, sadly the only choice left is usually to hire a [[witcher]] in order to end the killstreak. When facing a therianthrope, one should equip a [[silver]] weapon: their hardiness make them resilient to steel but a cursed nature of their illness make them very vulnerable to silver. |
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| + | == History == |
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| − | If the ability is a result of a curse, therianthrope can shapeshift only during a full moon.<ref name="cdpr">CD Projekt's ''[[CD Projekt's The Witcher franchise|The Witcher]]'' franchise</ref> Silver is lethal to these individuals. |
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| + | [[File:Racja stanu werecat.jpg|thumb|A [[werecat]] terrorizing [[Creigiau]] forests accompanied by his pumas.]] |
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| + | Therianthropy diseases appeared in the [[world]] after the [[Conjunction of the Spheres]], affecting [[nonhuman]] and early [[human]] populations alike.<ref name="wgw" /> Entire regions such as the [[Toina valley]], also called the Dogbane, were said to be plagued by werewolves before the [[Nordling]] colonization.<ref name="sod>{{SoD}}</ref> |
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| + | On [[Skellige]], a group of [[Svalblod]] worshippers invented a "controlable" way to become [[werebear]]s. During a complicated ritual involving [[psilocybe]] mushrooms and what seemed to be allowing wild [[bear]]s to eat the cultists alive, the fierce warriors known as the Berserker used to rise. The bloodlust of Svalblod worshippers and their leader, jarl [[Knut the Callous]], ultimately led the Islanders to banish the cult and destroy the sacred sites of the werebear god.<ref name="tw3>{{Tw3}}</ref><ref name="gwent>{{Gwent standalone}}</ref> |
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| − | Following types of therianthropes are known: |
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| − | * [[werecat]]s |
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| − | * [[wererat]]s |
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| − | * [[werebear]]s, also known as berserkers on [[Skellige]]<ref name="cdpr" /> |
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| − | * [[werewolf|werewolves]], also known as lycanthropes |
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| − | == |
+ | == Notable therianthropes == |
* [[Otto Dussart]] (werewolf) |
* [[Otto Dussart]] (werewolf) |
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| − | * [[Vincent Meis]] |
+ | * [[Vincent Meis]] (werewolf) |
| − | * [[Anton de Creigiau the Bearded|Anton the Bearded]] |
+ | * [[Anton de Creigiau the Bearded|Anton the Bearded]] (werecat) |
| − | * [[Anton de Creigiau the Younger|Anton the Younger]] |
+ | * [[Anton de Creigiau the Younger|Anton the Younger]] (werecat) |
| − | * [[Morkvarg]] |
+ | * [[Morkvarg]] (werewolf) |
| − | * [[Berem]] |
+ | * [[Berem]] (werewolf) |
| − | * [[Little Red (bandit)|Little Red]] |
+ | * [[Little Red (bandit)|Little Red]] (werewolf) |
| − | * [[Niellen]] |
+ | * [[Niellen]] (werewolf) |
== Notes == |
== Notes == |
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| − | * Despite their name, [[werebbubb]]s are not therianthropes. ''Were-'' part stands for ''[[Wikipedia:Were|were]]'', an archaic term for male human. In original Polish edition, they are called ''bobołaks'', and again the ''-łak'' has the elder meaning, coming from the Proto-Slavic ''lakъ'', meaning ''skin''. ''Bobołak'' is just one of numerous variants of similarly called creatures in several folklores, including Slovakian ''bubulak'', Polish ''bobok'', ''bebok'', ''babok'' and ''babuk'', Greek ''baboulas'', Mediterranean ''babau'', English ''bogeyman'' or ''bugbear'', German ''Butzemann'', Egyptian ''al-Bu'bu''and many others. Therefore ''bobołak'' can mean ''bogey-skinned'' or ''bogey-man''. |
+ | * Despite their name, '''[[werebbubb]]s are not therianthropes'''. ''Were-'' part stands for ''[[Wikipedia:Were|were]]'', an archaic term for male human. In original Polish edition, they are called ''bobołaks'', and again the ''-łak'' has the elder meaning, coming from the Proto-Slavic ''lakъ'', meaning ''skin''. ''Bobołak'' is just one of numerous variants of similarly called creatures in several folklores, including Slovakian ''bubulak'', Polish ''bobok'', ''bebok'', ''babok'' and ''babuk'', Greek ''baboulas'', Mediterranean ''babau'', English ''bogeyman'' or ''bugbear'', German ''Butzemann'', Egyptian ''al-Bu'bu'' and many others. Therefore ''bobołak'' can mean ''bogey-skinned'' or ''bogey-man''. |
== Gallery == |
== Gallery == |
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<gallery> |
<gallery> |
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| + | Wererat.png|Unused [[wererat]] model for ''[[The Witcher (game)|The Witcher]]'' video game |
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| − | Werecat Gwent card art.jpeg|Werecat |
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| + | File:RoS concept werecat lynxes.png|A [[werecat]] surrounded by lynxes – concept art for {{Comics|Comic=ros}} |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | File:RoS concept werecat smilodon.png|A [[Wikipedia:Smilodon|smilodon]]-based [[werecat]] – concept art for {{Comics|Comic=ros}} |
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| ⚫ | |||
</gallery> |
</gallery> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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| − | <references /> |
+ | <references /> |
| + | [[de:Lykanthropie]] |
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[[pl:Teriantrop]] |
[[pl:Teriantrop]] |
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[[pt-br:Licantropos]] |
[[pt-br:Licantropos]] |
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| + | [[cs:Teriantrop]] |
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[[Category:Creatures]] |
[[Category:Creatures]] |
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Revision as of 16:39, 31 August 2019
A therianthrope[1] is a human or a member of another humanoid race who, due to a curse, magical ritual or another circumstance, is affected by a therianthropy: a magical "disease" which changes the "contaminated" into an animal or human-animal hybrid during the full moon. During these three nights in a month, the therianthrope is not able to control themself and may be lethally dangerous for those nearby. Despite the folk tales, being bitten by a therianthrope very rarely results in acquiring the illness.[2]
An important difference between therianthropes and other Cursed Ones is that the therianthropy is hereditary. Those who have inherited it from one of their parents however are fully able to control their abilities and might change between one or three forms whenever they want, not only during the full moon.[1][3] One should also not compare them to other shapeshifting creatures such as aguaras – those are antherions, that is animals able to take a humanoid form rather than otherwise.[1]
Behaviour
Therianthropes may live either among other humans, blending into society,[4] or in the wild to avoid harming others.[3] They do not like vampires[2] (mutually)[5] and tend to hold internal grudges towards therianthropes of different types. They are often in friendly relationships with the animals they can transform into[2] and may sometimes hunt with them.[3]
Treatment
The only known method to treat therianthropy is to lift a curse. It is said to require a great pain and or personal loss[6] but other remedies such as wolfsbane or "finding a true love" are sometimes said to work.[4] However, all those treatments work only in case of those who aquired the therianthropy, and the inherited one cannot be lifted as it is not a result of a curse.[1][3]
When the bestial nature of a therianthrope starts to dominate over the sentient half, sadly the only choice left is usually to hire a witcher in order to end the killstreak. When facing a therianthrope, one should equip a silver weapon: their hardiness make them resilient to steel but a cursed nature of their illness make them very vulnerable to silver.
History
A werecat terrorizing Creigiau forests accompanied by his pumas.
Therianthropy diseases appeared in the world after the Conjunction of the Spheres, affecting nonhuman and early human populations alike.[2] Entire regions such as the Toina valley, also called the Dogbane, were said to be plagued by werewolves before the Nordling colonization.[7]
On Skellige, a group of Svalblod worshippers invented a "controlable" way to become werebears. During a complicated ritual involving psilocybe mushrooms and what seemed to be allowing wild bears to eat the cultists alive, the fierce warriors known as the Berserker used to rise. The bloodlust of Svalblod worshippers and their leader, jarl Knut the Callous, ultimately led the Islanders to banish the cult and destroy the sacred sites of the werebear god.[8][9]
Notable therianthropes
- Otto Dussart (werewolf)
- Vincent Meis (werewolf)
- Anton the Bearded (werecat)
- Anton the Younger (werecat)
- Morkvarg (werewolf)
- Berem (werewolf)
- Little Red (werewolf)
- Niellen (werewolf)
Notes
- Despite their name, werebbubbs are not therianthropes. Were- part stands for were, an archaic term for male human. In original Polish edition, they are called bobołaks, and again the -łak has the elder meaning, coming from the Proto-Slavic lakъ, meaning skin. Bobołak is just one of numerous variants of similarly called creatures in several folklores, including Slovakian bubulak, Polish bobok, bebok, babok and babuk, Greek baboulas, Mediterranean babau, English bogeyman or bugbear, German Butzemann, Egyptian al-Bu'bu and many others. Therefore bobołak can mean bogey-skinned or bogey-man.
Gallery
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Season of Storms
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Wiedźmin: Gra Wyobraźni
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Reasons of State
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Witcher
- ↑ The Tower of the Swallow
- ↑ The Witcher Role-Playing Game
- ↑ Sword of Destiny
- ↑ The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- ↑ Template:Gwent standalone