The Werewolf

The werewolf is, when human, an inhabitant of Keld, John the Bastard. He is the eldest son of Katherine the whore, and was born out of wedlock, with no-one to claim paternity. His father was the wild faerie who still lives in these parts, and his mother is supported by the fay's good offices. His first change happens soon after the magi arrive, leading to suspicion against them.

John

Str +3, Stm +4, Int -2, Per +1, Dex +2, Qik +2, Prs -3, Com -4.

Alertness 4, Animal Ken (wolves) 2, Athletics 2, Dodge 2, Survival 1, Track 3, Brawl 3

Ever since he was born, John has been ostracised from the village. The priest refused to baptise him, and Katherine didn't press the point, so that he is still unshriven. This, and his lack of personal charm, has led the other youths to mock and beat him. As he grew older, he became better able to defend himself, and the physical attacks became fewer. The verbal attacks continued, and he was often stung to a physical response, the only kind he could make effectively. The bailiff, who in earlier years had pulled the other boys off him, now had to restrain John.

He has been called half-demon, cursed witchbrood, and changeling, among more mundane epithets, and he had begun to think that there was something magical about him even before he changed. The respect, cold but noticeable by the contrast, with which Old William treated him only confirmed him in this opinion. Since his mother owns no land, and no-one will employ him, he had been thinking about leaving and going to Richmond, or maybe even York, where no-one would know his past. When the magi arrive, he instead considers joining them.

Before he can do anything, however, the changes begin. On the night of the new moon, he becomes a wolf and wreaks his vengeance. John remembers these episodes only as exhilarating but disturbing dreams, but since the result is a dead man, he becomes rather frightened of them, and begins hanging around the magi, in the hope that they will help him.

The Wolf

Magic Might 20

Bite 1st +7 Atk +10 Dam +15

Claws 1st +10 Atk +11 Dam +6

Only one of these attack modes can be used in a round.

Fat +8 Def +8 Soak +25, +5 against silver weapons.

Body levels: OK/OK, -1/-1, -3/-3, -5, Incap.

The wolf remembers John's hatreds only, and hunts down and destroys those who taunted him. It kills one person per month, and at first gets those who are out of the village on various duties. It will be around winter when it first kills someone in their own hut, and the villagers become really worried.

Helping John

At the moment, he cannot control his actions while a wolf, nor can he control the change. He changes on the night of the new moon, and also when he is in serious danger of death. The appearance of additional wound levels will then make him more dangerous in the fight. If the magi decide to help him, it will take a season's work in the laboratory to find a way to let him control his two forms. John will then have to train a new skill, Werewolf, which allows him to change. There is no stat, and the Ease Factor for becoming a wolf is 12, while for changing back to human it is 15. Since one attempt per round is possible, this is not normally a problem, but if he wants to change urgently, it may be. He still has little control over the wolf's actions, and can only exercise restraint by shifting. Shifting destroys any clothes he may be wearing, and he will be incapacitated if he tries to shift in armour.