Re: Lycanthropy Question

From: David Cake <dave_at_Ph_moACgc3w0952c7CXoa7-pDbh4d75Mo0koLChZ04ycfQ5M6ckoIHk35izf2Q3L3kAyqL8>
Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2011 00:34:54 +0800

On 04/08/2011, at 4:18 AM, giannieanna wrote:

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>> Peter is absolutely right. If you want to have shapeshifters, that description applies to lots and lots of things other than Hsunchen. The Orlanthi have shapeshifting traditions, as do many other cultures.

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> Thanks a lot. But I was really thinking in terms of bestial, evil shapeshifters -- much like people infected by a magical malady, not like people who can shape-shift at will into their totem or stuff like that. Also the idea is to have an isolated monster, not a capacity that is widely shared amongst a given population.

The Cursed Telmori, who must change involuntarily with the Full Moon (and who can be assumed to be more chaotic in nature than normal Telmori, and possibly even retaining the curse after leaving the Telmori culture) are the closest well known group, but they still are more or less Hsunchen, and also do not transmit the curse to others.

        But you can always play up the chaos connection for both bestial evil, and chaotic uniqueness.

        Involuntary possession by a spirit is another possibility. And while a spirit capable of transforming the physical body of the possessed is quite unusual, it is certainly not unknown. It could either be an intrinsic property of a powerful animal spirit, or a Hsunchen spirit could retain its transformation spells.

        Cheers

		David