Lore:Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy is the disease that causes a person to turn into a were-creature. There are several different strains of the disease, most are localized to certain areas of Tamriel, but the most common strain, which turns men and mer into werewolves is reputed to exist in all areas of Tamriel. The disease itself is not very picky about its subject and most races are equally susceptible to catching the disease, except for the Altmer, Argonians, Bosmer, and Redguards, who are all naturally disease resistant, though not immune. The disease itself was created by Hircine, a Daedric Prince, who still serves as the 'guardian' of the afflicted people. This divine connection is most obvious in stories saying that Lycanthropy is strong enough to overcome the powerful Corprus Disease.

[edit] Types Of Werecreatures

Name	Area	Notes
Werebear	Skyrim, northern Cyrodiil, northern High Rock, northern Morrowind,^[1] Solstheim	Supposedly warded off by canis root.
Wereboar	Hammerfell and High Rock
Werecrocodile	Black Marsh and southern Morrowind	Known to lurk in isolated swamps.
Weredaedroth		Only one was ever created by Hircine, for a battle with Sheogorath.
Werelion	Elsweyr, Black Marsh, and Cyrodiil
Wereshark	Unknown, probably seas	No primary source sightings are reputable; possibly created by folklore or myth.
Werevulture	Valenwood
Werewolf	All areas of Tamriel	This particular strain varies in aggressiveness, ranging from monthly conversions to nightly conversions. Werewolves are the most common form of Lycanthrope among men and mer.

[edit] Curing the Disease

The only well known cure for Lycanthropy is to ingest a substance that will cure any disease shortly after being infected and before the first transformation. Other than this, many places are rumored to have a cure for the disease. The Glenmoril Witches' Coven in the Glenpoint foothills of High Rock are rumored to have a cure. Some of these witches have traveled around Tamriel a bit, and at least one group has taken up residence on Solstheim. There seems to be two different ways to obtain a cure for the disease from the Glenmoril Witches. The first requires a ritual, including the slaughter of an innocent person. Oddly, the witches seem to have created a scroll which is also capable of curing Lycanthropy without the loss of life, but they don't choose to use it. There is another way to cure yourself of lycanthropy which involves defeating the wild beast within. Performing a ritual using the head of a Glenmoril witch as an offering will cause the wild beast controlling you to come out of your body, as a spirit, and physically battle you until death. If you win, you are free of lycanthropy, if you fail however, you are damned to spend your afterlife roaming Hircine's hunting ground as a werewolf. There are reports where lycanthropy was cured by being turned into a vampire lord, but you then need to find a way to cure vampirism, unless you want to stay in that form.

[edit] Hircine's Ring

While Hircine's Ring doesn't truly cure Lycanthropy, it does give those afflicted with the disease more control over their powers. In some incarnations, it has the ability to prevent a monthly Werewolf transformation, and allows the Werewolf to transform into a wolf as often as they'd like. It has also been used to transform people who aren't infected with Lycanthropy into wolves. In Skyrim, it was once cursed by Hircine so that those who are afflicted by Lycanthropy would randomly transform until the curse was lifted.

Other blessed rings are known to exist that can enhance beast forms. Once used in the Bloodmoon Prophecies, they are still possessed by the Frostmoon Pack of Solstheim.

[edit] The Hunting Grounds

Those with Lycanthropy who die in Nirn will go to Hircine's Hunting Ground to hunt with him for all eternity. This is the main reason why Kodlak Whitemane, a Harbinger of the Companions in the Fourth Era, wanted to be cured. The Hunting ground is sometimes an ideal place for Werewolves and they go there on their own accord but some are pulled there when their spirit tries to go to Sovngarde. The Realm is made up mostly of dense woodland and vast grasslands and plains, as well as blood-red tributaries. Mortals entering these realms are typically hunted down by the inhabitants. During the day, werebears hunt the inhabitants and at night, Hircine announces himself with a pack of werewolves.

Legend tells that Hircine rewarded peeled skin known as the Savior's Hide to the only mortal to have ever escaped his realm. This tailored cuirass has transferred from different owners ever since.