Post by Xander on Apr 24, 2009 16:32:36 GMT -5
While mating is heavily influenced by the animal instinct of the Weres, there are some characteristics that can only be attributed to their human and Apollite natures. One of the traits the Were-Hunters inherited from their sorcerous forefather was... well… sorcery. And, like any other hereditary attribute, some Weres are simply better at it than others.
Most Katagaria have trouble maintaining their human form until nightfall. In turn, it is easier for Arcadians to turn animal at night. Part of this is due to the mostly nocturnal nature of the beasts they descended from, and part of it has to do with the cosmic forces of the moon—the leftover curse from their Apollite ancestry. On any given day, it is easiest for a Katagari or Arcadian to remain in their birth form, but the moon—and the forces that surround it—can amplify a Were's powers, for better or worse.
Sometimes during the full moon (a force powerful enough to wreak havoc on any untrained Were's powers), an Arcadian can't help but turn animal... thus giving birth to the popular were-wolf legends of today.
Then there are Aristi, a rare breed of Arcadian who can wield magic almost effortlessly. In the Arcadian realm, the Aristi are considered gods. (See Vane Kattalakis.) And why not, right? If they've got the powers, other Weres just call 'em like they see 'em. Not that I think any Aristos would last three rounds in a cage match with one of the twelve Olympians... and neither do the Aristi, who are too smart to provoke such a duel.
At the other end of the spectrum, those without innate magical abilities can still perform basic Were acts, but they cannot do things as complicated as, for instance, shapeshifting with their clothes on.
There are more forces at work between the moon and the earth besides the tides, and it is these and other natural forces which govern both the scope and limitations of Were-powers—natural forces, such as storms, and the electricity born within them. (It is said that Benjamín Franklin's "key on a late string" experiment originally had something to do with the discovery of Were-Hunters in his midst... but that has yet to be proven, thank the gods.)
Because of their reliance on natural gravitational, magnetic, and electrical forces, you may notice that a faint electric crackle heralds a Were's change in form. It is a natural side effect, as they are relying on natural electrical impulses to make this change. That reliance on these forces of nature is what makes Weres so susceptible to electricity-based weapons and torture devices such as metriazo collars, fazers, Tasers, and cattle prods.
In the case of a metriazo collar, tiny ionic pulses are sent from the collar into the body of a Were-Hunter. This prevents the trapped Were-Hunter from using his or her magic powers. (It can only be removed by magic or a whole lot of strength, making it an effective neutralizer for a Were-Hunter.) The collar will also stop a shapeshifter from changing shape.
A fazer is a customized Arcadian Sentinel weapon developed specifically to target Katagaria Slayers. It sends a jolt of electricity through the victim, making their magic go berserk and rendering them unable to hold on to either animal or human form. If the jolt is strong enough, there is the possibility that the Were-victim might "fall out" of his body altogether.
Tasers and other stun-type weapons are slightly less powerful than fazers. These are weapons that use electrodes to relay a brief, high-voltage charge to incapacitate victims without killing them. That charge, of course, is what will incapacitate your not-so-average Were-Hunter. These devices are a lot easier for humans lo get their hands on, especially with regards to self-defense, and so are more common.
Along with the ability to harness the powers of nature, the Weres can also time travel. With the exception of the Aristi, most Weres only wield enough power to time-jump by the light of the full moon. They use the Rytis—invisible energy waves that run through everything in the natural world—to move through space and time.
Certain social rules exist regarding time-jumping—for instance, no Were-Hunter is allowed to remove a human from their time period without the human's permission. (Demons and gods are exempt from this rule. Come to think of it, demons and gods are exempt from most rules.) It is also worth noting that magnetic and electrical changes of the aurora borealis make it impossible for Were-Hunters to travel too far north, so Alaska and some parts of Scandinavia and the Ukraine are basically Were-Hunter-free zones.
The Weres share the psychic abilities of their Apollite cousins in varying degrees, but only the Katagaria can willingly give up their powers to another Were or bestow them upon a human. It's not a much-talked-of practice and it is rarely ever done, since most Katagaria Were-Hunters are understandably reluctant to completely surrender their magic to another unless it is a case of extreme circumstances.
Never, ever let a Daimon kill a Were-Hunter if it is at all within your power to stop it. When a Daimon claims a Were-Hunter soul, the Daimon absorbs their powers until that very strong, very virile soul dwindles inside them. You do not want any Dai¬mon to have that sort of leverage. He'll take that upper hand, and he'll smash you flat with it... right before he kills you.
Most Katagaria have trouble maintaining their human form until nightfall. In turn, it is easier for Arcadians to turn animal at night. Part of this is due to the mostly nocturnal nature of the beasts they descended from, and part of it has to do with the cosmic forces of the moon—the leftover curse from their Apollite ancestry. On any given day, it is easiest for a Katagari or Arcadian to remain in their birth form, but the moon—and the forces that surround it—can amplify a Were's powers, for better or worse.
Sometimes during the full moon (a force powerful enough to wreak havoc on any untrained Were's powers), an Arcadian can't help but turn animal... thus giving birth to the popular were-wolf legends of today.
Then there are Aristi, a rare breed of Arcadian who can wield magic almost effortlessly. In the Arcadian realm, the Aristi are considered gods. (See Vane Kattalakis.) And why not, right? If they've got the powers, other Weres just call 'em like they see 'em. Not that I think any Aristos would last three rounds in a cage match with one of the twelve Olympians... and neither do the Aristi, who are too smart to provoke such a duel.
At the other end of the spectrum, those without innate magical abilities can still perform basic Were acts, but they cannot do things as complicated as, for instance, shapeshifting with their clothes on.
There are more forces at work between the moon and the earth besides the tides, and it is these and other natural forces which govern both the scope and limitations of Were-powers—natural forces, such as storms, and the electricity born within them. (It is said that Benjamín Franklin's "key on a late string" experiment originally had something to do with the discovery of Were-Hunters in his midst... but that has yet to be proven, thank the gods.)
Because of their reliance on natural gravitational, magnetic, and electrical forces, you may notice that a faint electric crackle heralds a Were's change in form. It is a natural side effect, as they are relying on natural electrical impulses to make this change. That reliance on these forces of nature is what makes Weres so susceptible to electricity-based weapons and torture devices such as metriazo collars, fazers, Tasers, and cattle prods.
In the case of a metriazo collar, tiny ionic pulses are sent from the collar into the body of a Were-Hunter. This prevents the trapped Were-Hunter from using his or her magic powers. (It can only be removed by magic or a whole lot of strength, making it an effective neutralizer for a Were-Hunter.) The collar will also stop a shapeshifter from changing shape.
A fazer is a customized Arcadian Sentinel weapon developed specifically to target Katagaria Slayers. It sends a jolt of electricity through the victim, making their magic go berserk and rendering them unable to hold on to either animal or human form. If the jolt is strong enough, there is the possibility that the Were-victim might "fall out" of his body altogether.
Tasers and other stun-type weapons are slightly less powerful than fazers. These are weapons that use electrodes to relay a brief, high-voltage charge to incapacitate victims without killing them. That charge, of course, is what will incapacitate your not-so-average Were-Hunter. These devices are a lot easier for humans lo get their hands on, especially with regards to self-defense, and so are more common.
Along with the ability to harness the powers of nature, the Weres can also time travel. With the exception of the Aristi, most Weres only wield enough power to time-jump by the light of the full moon. They use the Rytis—invisible energy waves that run through everything in the natural world—to move through space and time.
Certain social rules exist regarding time-jumping—for instance, no Were-Hunter is allowed to remove a human from their time period without the human's permission. (Demons and gods are exempt from this rule. Come to think of it, demons and gods are exempt from most rules.) It is also worth noting that magnetic and electrical changes of the aurora borealis make it impossible for Were-Hunters to travel too far north, so Alaska and some parts of Scandinavia and the Ukraine are basically Were-Hunter-free zones.
The Weres share the psychic abilities of their Apollite cousins in varying degrees, but only the Katagaria can willingly give up their powers to another Were or bestow them upon a human. It's not a much-talked-of practice and it is rarely ever done, since most Katagaria Were-Hunters are understandably reluctant to completely surrender their magic to another unless it is a case of extreme circumstances.
Never, ever let a Daimon kill a Were-Hunter if it is at all within your power to stop it. When a Daimon claims a Were-Hunter soul, the Daimon absorbs their powers until that very strong, very virile soul dwindles inside them. You do not want any Dai¬mon to have that sort of leverage. He'll take that upper hand, and he'll smash you flat with it... right before he kills you.