I'm not a big user of Reddit, but every now and then I'll see a topic that gets me thinking, especially since the release of 5th edition. A user was asking how to justify the weakness of lycanthropes against silver. I posted some awfully non-canon answer which - the more I thought about it - turned out to be somewhat plausible in the werewolf arc of my group's Eberron campaign. Maybe it could have a place in some other fantasy world out there?
If you've gotten this far, more or less forget about most of what you know about werewolves, because this could otherwise cause brain damage. Also bear in mind that I'm talking about werewolves even when I say "lycanthrope" and not other werebeasts. Diluting the mythos detracts from the original badass that is the werewolf.
Anyway, I came up with 2 distinct possibilities: lycanthropy as a curse and werewolves as a race. These both stem from the actual notion (in some traditions) that silver and the human soul were associated with the moon. In both cases, I assume that only humans can become werewolves, due to their shorter lifespans compared to the other humanoid races. Either the magic was created to lengthen the human lifespan or the first werewolf was an isolated result of evolution. Or something to do with magic or gods. You get the idea.
Lycanthropy as a Curse
First of all, lycanthropy is a powerful, magical curse. It's possible that it was made by a scientific-type wizard seeking to improve the general regenerative capabilities of humanoid races using moon gems. It also could've been your standard evil crackpot, carrying out their vengeance against their greatest foe/the world. Or you could come up with something 90 times better in a few minutes. It's not of great importance unless you're running a lycanthrope campaign in which the PCs are trying to eliminate the curse like its polio.
Now here's the important part: human souls leak.
The connection between human bodies and their resident souls is weak. Why do you think evil wizards and regular warlocks go for human souls rather than the soul of an owlbear or a tiger? Extracting a human soul from a body is like taking candy from a baby, as the saying goes.
You can't plug up the leak, but you can keep refilling the soul in a body. The full moon or silver (which is concentrated moonlight) are required to replenish souls. More on what happens to the soul run-off at some point in the future.
The lycanthropy curse activates in response to the full moon. The hair covering the body prevents the absorption of moonlight, meaning that their humanity continues to leak out without replenishment, which is why all werewolves eventually turn to the path of evil. The residual power of the waning moon allows the human form to replenish a small portion of its soul, but it is ultimately the lycanthrophy magic that sustains the individual's life.
Receiving a wound from a silvered weapon is almost always fatal, though not often immediate. Once silver enters the bloodstream, the lycanthropy magic begins to disintegrate, causing the body to perish. This is a fairly rapid process due to the higher metabolic rate of werewolves, but blood thickeners and herbs used to slow blood flow can draw out the disintegration.
Werewolves as a Race
The moon doesn't activate the lycanthropy in humans, but rather it is the object of fear for all werewolves. The transformation is merely a subconscious defense mechanism.
As werewolves are a race in this scenario, it is necessary to consider the history (albeit completely fabricated) behind their relationship with the moon. Apart from being a vivid reminder of their entrance into werewolf-hood, it is known amongst the early generations of werewolves that the moon steals and absorbs their souls, eventually turning each one down the path of evil. The first werewolf battled with a deity of the moon. Compared to other deities, this one was weak as the moon - her source of strength - waned in power having no energy to draw upon. The deity then thought to use the moon to gradually absorb the soul of the werewolf and subsequently all werewolves. This empowered the moon, making the deity stronger as well. Many modern werewolves are unaware of this and assume the moon simply activates their lycanthropy, but the subconscious fear is genetic.
Wolves and werewolves alike howl at the moon in lamentation of their lost opportunity to start a new civilisation. Again, many werewolves nowadays don't know of their history, but the howl also serves as a challenge to the moon deity, whose priests and paladins alike seek to cull werewolf numbers. As a matter of fact, very few followers know of their patron's true relationship with lycanthropes.
Silver is (or is like) concentrated moonlight. It was a gift from the empowered deity who knew that it would be disastrous to let werewolves populate the world unchecked. A wound received from a silver weapon ruptures the soul membrane, causing it to leak out, eventually killing the werewolf. Whilst even one wound can be fatal, a werewolf can likely live on with a tear in the soul membrane, however this effectively destabilises the soul. An unstable soul is constantly leaking, even without the presence of the moon. The escaped essence will constantly seek a new vessel and may assert some influence over another creature (save vs domination).
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| Soul Eater moon: how the moon may look post-1000 souls |
Reversing Lycanthropy
When a human is bitten by a werewolf, they may contract lycanthropy (CON/WIS save vs disease/magic respectively). If they are unable to reverse the process before the next full moon (about a fortnight), the condition becomes permanent. Ingesting the weight of the individual's full soul in blessed silver will allow one to remain human, should they survive the ordeal.
I'll note that I prefer the idea of lycanthropes as a race because I personally think the history is more appealing. Also, the curse idea lacks a meaningful connection with the moon. The result of the battle between the deity of the moon and the first werewolf means that not only did the werewolf have to expand the race for the purpose of survival, but also - and of equal importance - that the deity is dependent on the survival of the werewolf race, having no other means of drawing power for the moon.
Now imagine if a party of adventurers somehow exterminated all werewolves. Things would get interesting.
Maybe I'll come up with a story behind Lunia's bracelet someday.
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