Werewolves

Werewolves are individuals afflicted with an incredibly rare, gene-altering disease known as lycanthropy which causes changes to the base physiology of humanoid creatures. It is transmitted by a virus, which inserts its own genetic code into cells of the body. Viral infection via lycanthrovirus induces an intense period of sickness and pain, after which the body is genetically altered.

So far, no cases of infection have been discovered in non-humanoids.

Relation to the magical gene alteration of the Izlix Tribe has been proposed, but no research has been approved by the tribe itself. This connection could imply that the werewolf's abilities are the result of magical bioengineering.

Werewolves are generally said to appear "ragged" and/or "wolfish". Possible qualities that inspire this opinion are sharpened ears, darker and thicker hair follicles, and gum recession (which shows more of the tooth). Along with the ability to change shape, lycanthropic individuals have reported heightened sensitivity to smell and sound. Some grow a tapetum lucid at the back of the eye which increases reflectivity and enhances night vision.

Another byproduct of their form changing are the large stretch marks on their skin, sometimes even accompanied by scars where the skin tore from stretching and changing too quickly.

Affliction
Lycanthropy is transmitted through bodily fluids, especially saliva and blood. Contact with infected saliva or other fluids do not always result in gene alteration (1 in 10,000 chance). Contact with infected blood has a much higher alteration probability (1 in 1,000).

Infection is rare not only because gene alteration is rare but because infected individuals are usually in control of themselves and do not purposely seek to infect others. Religious cults or secular factions that involve lycanthropy in their mythos sometimes have rituals based around the inheritance of the disease. This can involve drinking the blood of a werewolf, a method with a high rate of transformative success. These cults sometimes refer to the taking of a wolf shape as a blessing from the god of the hunt. Those with forms that seem to be superior in size or shape to most others especially are seen as blessed.

Once infection has taken hold, the cells of the infected are completely altered, even the sex cells produced by the body. The gene invoking the change has a 1 in 2 chance of being transmitted to an offspring when a werewolf and non-werewolf reproduce. Chance of transmission is one hundred percent in werewolf-werewolf couples.

Form Changing
Affected individuals find that they can, in effect, shift their shapes at will. Though they can only take a shape similar to that of the dire wolves of Oudnavi, there are a myriad of partial transformations that they can take. Transformation is said to be incredibly painful for the first few times, but the pain tends to lessen as the individual becomes more used to it. Transformation is also slow and requires focus for a full transformation.

Partial transformations can be triggered by extreme fear and pain, unless they have undergone specific conditioning. It is theorized that this is related to the fight or flight response: the transformation may be psychologically integrated into either or both and triggered subconsciously by the nervous system. Intense anger can also trigger a partial or full transformation, perhaps related to the desire to seem like a bigger threat.

Form Types
Although the transformation happens in gradients, two forms are recognized as typical goals for shifting towards. These are a "half" transformation and a "full" one. In their half transformed state, the individual is bipedal and has developed claws. Muscle strength appears to be enhanced, or rather, the brain's limitations on muscle usage are loosened. From this state it is easier to change into the full form, which resembles a dire wolf of the same fur color as their humanoid hair. This form is quadrupedal, very quick and has remarkable jaw strength.

There are "quarter" forms in between null, half, and full: each a little closer to the full wolf than the last. Characteristics of a partial transformation between null and half can include a tail, claws, longer canine teeth and sharper senses. Angered or scared werewolves often fluctuate between null form and the first quarter form.