Werecat

Origins

Unlike the werewolf caste, the werecats were able to mostly avoid the wars that ravaged the wastelands of Darraknoir when the Baron’s people started to march across the land. Their more solitary nature allowed them to hide away from the dangers that the wars brought; seldom did they roam in more than small prides and, as such, they were harder to pin down than the packs of werewolves that soon became beasts of war to the vampire army.

The few werecats that the vampiric army managed to capture became creatures of terror that stalked their prey and struck from the shadows, sending fear through the bodies of those that saw them. They were indeed a fearsome thing to behold and became the things of legend.

Those that remained free from the war efforts lived elusive lives in hiding, forever on the move from one place to the next to stay ahead of those that might pursue them. They honed their hunting skills, passing on their knowledge from generation to generation by word of mouth alone. They had few possessions, preferring instead to stay light and fleet of foot.

Those that ventured through the Rift found themselves in a new world with a new moon that still affected them as the one back on Darraknoir. However in this world, they found more control over their feline forms, able to transform into simple house cats instead of the massive beasts they were accustomed to. This allowed them to better blend into the Badlands when venturing into cities, using this to learn more about the world they found themselves in. 

Traits

These werecats are larger and more powerful than their ancestors, with luminous eyes and the ability to transform at will. Their dual heritage grants them insights into both natural and magical worlds.

Due to their natural powers of regeneration, a werecat’s lifespan is more than the average human. A natural-born may live to see 300 years

Werecats are also curious creatures. They prefer to study what they are interested in, whether that is prey or something that peeks their fancy. In both their feline and human forms, they can sometimes become distracted by their focuses. Even a simple bird can catch them turning their attention away from an important conversation, but when their mind is put to a task it is nearly impossible to convince a werecat to turn away. 

Weaknesses

Though powerful, they remain bound to the moon's phases and vulnerable to specific magical substances. They also face challenges maintaining their balance in a world that often pits their instincts against their wisdom.

Culture

The werecat as a people were nomadic in nature. They roamed the lands, always on the move from one place to the next, never staying in one place for any meaningful length of time. Some clans preferred the grasslands and wastelands, preferring to feel the grass beneath their bellies as they ran, hunting large game such as the bison-like creatures that populated the larger plains. Others preferred the seclusion of the forests, stalking their prey silently. A few even roamed the swamplands and marshes, living on smaller game such as amphibians and other marshland creatures.

While most werecats travel in small family prides, some werecats prefer solitude and to travel the world alone. Claiming small patches of land as their own hunting grounds as they travel. While most werecats prefer nature, there are those that ventured into academics. Like their feline nature, they are a naturally curious caste that is well suited for learning. Seeking information to better educate themselves about the world around them. Finding their way into libraries and halls of education, taking what they like and returning back into the wild with the information they have gathered. 

As with other were-creatures, they were able to pass on their nature to others not born of their kin. This was not as common an occurrence as the people of the wolf packs, as they did not roam in larger groups nor did they wish to set down roots anywhere.

Those not born within the caste were chosen with the greatest of care, the risk of bringing others into the fold by far outweighed most advantages that they would gain by adding to their numbers.

When given to another, the ‘curse’ is much the same as with other therianthropic species.

More Information

Aconite Poisoning (Wolfsbane)

In humans, aconitine poisoning manifests with a range of symptoms including neurological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular issues, potentially leading to paralysis and death. In Ailuranthrope the poisoning can be far more acute; the symptoms presenting both faster and more severe.

Symptoms can include the following; tingling or numbness in the face and limbs, muscle weakness which can progress to paralysis, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, low blood pressure, slow heart rate, irregular heartbeats, chest pain and palpitations, sweating, difficulty breathing and headaches.

The initial symptoms (nausea, vomiting, tingling/numbness) may appear within a very short time after ingestion or being exposed to aconite, and the more severe symptoms (paralysis, chest pains, low blood pressure) will generally occur between a half hour to an hour after initial exposure if not treated within good time.

If not treated swiftly and efficiently aconite poisoning can very well result in death.

The Ailuranthropy Curse

Natural-born werecats are born from parents that are both natural-born themselves; the magic running deeply through their veins allows them to take the form of both cougar and human with ease as though they were breathing. Those bitten by a werecat take on the ‘curse’ from the toxin within their saliva that travels through the host body.

Those that have been bitten will inevitably undergo a change and will eventually turn into felines themselves; experiencing their first shift around two weeks after the first infection. The scar from the original bite is the one wound on a werecat that will never truly heal; a sure mark of those that have been bitten.

STAGE ONE: 0-3 DAYS

After being bitten the area will become inflamed and irritable. It will appear infected and will hurt when touched. During this phase the curse is easy to treat as it has not yet started to spread to the rest of the body.

STAGE TWO: 4-7 DAYS

After three or four days the infection starts to spread around the body. The host will start to feel fatigued and irritable and they will start to run a fever. They will start to become hungry and their appetite will increase; this is likely due to their body starting to run at a hotter temperature which exerts energy at a faster rate and thus needs more nutrition to sustain.

STAGE THREE: 8-13 DAYS

The fever will gradually get worse and the patient will start to suffer from hallucinations and fits of confusion. During this time the patient will start gaining an unnatural strength as their body goes through these changes, adrenaline causing them to sometimes lash out at those around them.

STAGE FOUR: 14+ DAYS

At this point the curse has spread around the entire body and the patient’s body temperature has risen to a point where no normal person would be able to still survive. Their perception of the world is starting to undergo a change with their senses being heightened; smells are all stronger, their sight (although blurred from heat exhaustion) will be much, much better, and every little sound might make their head hurt. During these last few days of change it is imperative that the infection is cured before the changes fully take hold.

Once the changes have fully taken hold, the person can undergo their first shift into cat form. 

Magical Proclivity

Because of their connection to the Moon and the night, werecats have an affinity for lunar and shadow based magic, as well as a deep connection to nature. For those that can use magic, it is not uncommon to find their practices focused in druidic origin. Werecats also have an innate curiosity, though more studious than active, some Werecat magic users are known to study for great lengths in areas that interest them in solitude.