werewolf power system/ability's
This is mostly for normal werewolves, but will also be a base for the system and how it grants some additional benefits that other werewolves don't have, which will be shown within the story.)
Werewolf cub
Claws, teeth, heightened senses, uncontrolled Polemos form.
If they survive the first transformation, the werewolf becomes an adolescent werewolf.
Werewolf adolescent
Healing factor - mild, uncontrolled Polemos form, and access to other forms.
To become an adult werewolf, they need to kill x amount of creatures or achieve a milestone they set for themselves, do a ritual, and pass said ritual to become an adult werewolf.
Werewolf adult
Healing factor - decent, controlled Polemos form, spirit path or rune path.
The path is selected through the ritual to become an adult werewolf.
They can control how much the moon sickness affects others around them, instead of it being random.
This allows them to lessen the burden on other werewolves or even allies, as well as being able to detect how much it is affecting them.
Max rune path rank 5. If they go down the spirit path, it becomes max spirit path rank 5.
Can use Moon Essence as a move enhancer, or learn the basics /start of a Moon Essence combat style.
The max rank is how much they can master/ understand within the set path they chose.
This can be increased with enough study, or epiphany/enlightenment moments, but it is extremely hard and time-consuming to do.
To ascend further, the information is kept secret. Only werewolf nobility know how to get to the next rank.
Attempting to ascend to the next rank without knowing how is risky.
If done improperly, it can cause miasma corruption or loss of all werewolf abilities as you sever your connection to the will of the moon.
Ascended wolf
Healing factor -primary path - max rank spirit or rune path 8, secondary path - max rank spirit or rune path 1.
The ascended wolf can access the other path they didn't select when first becoming an adult, allowing for more versatility. Using both abilities/paths simultaneously will cause a greater drain of moon essence and higher fatigue gain.
They also have a harder time progressing or adapting to the other path.
can develop their own moon essence moves, use the moon essence more effectively and learn a moon essence style fully, not just one move from the style.
Gain an extremely low level of divinity if they didn't have any beforehand, if they had some, it allows them a better understanding, mastery, and a bigger pool of it without any requirements needed.
Divinity can be used instead of moon essence, can increase the power of moon essence and recharge moon essence.
Divinity can be used in many ways, but this is how a lot of werewolves use it for combat.
Even then, divinity is hard to use and control, so it's rarely used by werewolves, as they have no real understanding or teaching of divinity.
They only use it intuitively, making it crude and costly.
There is a small amount of moonlight on their fur and claws that gives a glowing effect permanently.
This effect also allows them to press their will onto weaker werewolves. When in full effect, it can utterly stop a werewolf from being able to transform, but if only partly in effect, then it can cause the affected werewolf to be slower, as if pressure is on top of them. (This can be resisted by how experienced you are, your mental state before and during it and the 'will stat'.
White/black Lycan
The only thing known about these types of werewolves is that they are equal in status to a low-level deity for werewolves (but not raw power, they might have been able to if they were allowed to live long enough) and that they were hunted by other deities so they could go up in rank/authority.
Moon sickness
Moon sickness is known to be linked to the will of the world and will of the moon, as werewolves are connected to the moon the most. This was a gift from the will of the moon to help werewolves blend into the world without being hunted endlessly, and to protect the minds of the weak.
The will of the world took this as an insult to its creations and made it a partial curse affecting the werewolves as well. It did this by changing what it does with exposure.
If a creature is exposed to moon sickness for a small amount, it will protect, but if it gets too high in exposure, it will cause a corruption effect—this being excessive violence, loss of the mind, and mental confusion.
Moon sickness is exposed from the polemos form (a type of spirit can also do this), but the spread and interest can be affected by the cycle of the moon, and what will is in control of the area the wolf is currently in.On top of the current effects, if werewolves get too high an exposure, then they will start to go mad, attacking anything and everything, even fellow pack members.
An additional effect for werewolves is the loss of control in any form, making it so they cannot reliably transform for self-defense, or when they do transform, they cannot tell friend from foe.
If the moon sickness is at this level, causing the werewolf to lose control, there is almost no going back, as it is causing miasma corruption to take effect.
This amplifies the werewolf's power, abilities, and durability greatly, along with the expulsion of a black liquid from their mouth.
This liquid also becomes their blood. If this hits anything, it will cause decay or corruption of the entity, causing them to act out their darkest emotions and thoughts against anything living.
There are only two ways to stop this if this stage happens: kill the werewolf or hope there is an ascended werewolf who was close enough, who has enough control and understanding of divinity to be able to cure early stages of miasma corruption, this can only occur within minutes of the first spurt of black liquid or it will be too late, they'll have to be killed.
additional information
Some ancient sites have a greater or lesser effect depending on what will control the area.
If the site is controlled by the will of the world, werewolves can be exposed more easily, have a harder time controlling their emotions and forms, along with gaining an increase of exposure to moon sickness, and a harder time collecting moon essence.
The opposite can happen if it's controlled by the will of the moon, along with an easier time removing moon sickness, and a greater ability to absorb moon essence.
That's why a lot of werewolf hunters pick sites chosen by the world for bases, and wolves pick places chosen by the moon for theirs.
If a werewolf is within an area controlled by the will of the moon, they will have a significantly greater chance of gaining an epiphany/enlightenment.
With this increased chance, they are more exposed to moon sickness.
If the moon is in a half-crest state is nowhere near as big of a boost, but allows for longer exposure to moon sickness before getting affected by it.
On a new moon, there is no boost, sometimes even a slight decrease, but werewolves are almost immune to moon sickness.
Moon essence Moon essence can affect how a move functions, its power, speed or range.
If power is increased, speed decreases. If speed increases, power decreases. If the range increases, the power and speed decrease.
At early stages, it does this by taking away from one and adding to another, but with greater mastery, its effect is lessened.
This is a risk, however, as moon essence ties to how long you can stay in a form or how fast you can understand your path.
Moon essence can also be used to learn certain techniques or fuel to use said techniques, like the basic step skill.
If you run out of moon essence, you can lose control temporarily, be unable to use forms and temporarily lose access to techniques or abilities that require moon essences. You also lose access to the healing factor.
When a full moon is out, moon essence is absorbed faster up to a point, then it decreases, making sure the werewolf doesn't overabsorb.
This can cause internal injuries that can only be healed over time or cause the bones to become unstable, but if used in the daytime, it is consumed at an enhanced rate.The higher the stage, the more they can store.
Werewolf forms
Polemos form (locked until conditions are met, cannot gain control until adulthood)
This state is the pinnacle of hatred and violence for a werewolf, only for ripping and tearing until nothing is standing; peace is not an option in this state.
While in this state, moon sickness can be spread. Anyone who is not mentally strong enough will pass out, forget about ever seeing them or become delusional and or delirious.
This was called delirium by werewolf hunters in the past, known as moon sickness by werewolves.
This form takes immense energy to maintain.
When out of this form, you suffer from fatigue, exhaustion, and potentially weakness if in this form for a long time before transforming back.
Aenoxyon form
This form is similar to a dire wolf. It's faster than other forms, allowing for increased speed for traversal only, but not as good at fighting as the polemos form, as it's a dog/wolf, not a hybrid, so it has limited movement similar to any other canine.
Has slight resistance to silver and wolf bane and further heightened senses.
This form can also transform into a second, more stealthy form, commonly referred to as the wolf or Lykos, which resembles a normal wolf or even a large dog.
This allows them to sneak into places or eavesdrop within human settlements, or sometimes even in the sight of people(at a distance).
This second form is incredibly weak compared to the other forms.
Can communicate easily with werewolves or wolves, but cannot speak normal languages.
Meros form
This form is almost completely human.
It allows the use of one aspect of the wolf at a time. With enough mastery, more aspects can be used at once.
This form is heavily weak to silver and wolfbane, but can be used at any point after the first transformation has succeeded if the user has enough moon essence.
This form is commonly used as a more accessible combat form without the excessive drain or fatigue. (Imagine Teen Wolf when fully mastered.)
Causes the slightest amount of moon slickness effect, can't really cause harm, but will draw attention to the user instead of hiding them.
Runes
Runes are specific tattoo-like markings that allow for certain boosts to stats or effects for the physical side of combat.
Rune of the survivor
Boosts healing and defence. If progressing enough in this rune, the werewolf will become similar to an immortal in healing abilities. When this occurs, it loses most offensive prowess, causing its attack to be extremely weak, needs others for combat abilities.
Rune of the warrior
This path has stronger claws and fangs. This path is extremely useful in almost all combat scenarios, but lacks the defence or stamina of the rune of the survivor, so it runs out of steam fast. It has high burst power(the physically strongest path)
Rune of the speedster
This rune is for speed, mostly used by werewolves who travel far distances or like countering or outspeeding opponents.
As long as they're moving, they gain a momentum buff, allowing for stronger attacks, better movement, and slight spatial awareness, lessening the effect of tunnel vision.
If they stop moving or they're countered, they lose this buff and have to attempt to regain it again.
This rune grants the unique skill Grip the world.
A less refined form of moon step, allowing for immense movement speed and quick attacks, but lacks the warrior's attack power and defence when confronted.
Rune of the pack leader
This rune is more for elder werewolves who cannot fight like they used to, giving the younger generation the glory of bloody combat.
This can also be used by werewolves who are selected to be leaders/alphas at an early stage if they choose to.
This rune provides a massive boost to pack members while also giving the holder a more commanding presence, allowing for orders to be followed more easily. They gain a boost in physical power based on the size of the pack.
Spirit paths
A werewolf who goes down this path will always be physically weaker than the rune paths, but in exchange, will gain mastery of spirits, allowing for magic-like abilities or even surpassing magic, depending on their mastery.
They also gain a greater connection to the earth, allowing them to gain resistance against psychic and magic attacks or effects.
Low rank spirits
Spirits of the moon, low tier
Allows the manipulation of air or moon essence to some extent. allowing for power boosts and movement.
Spirits of Earth low -tier
Allows the manipulation of the Earth to some extent. This is more for defence. Has a higher affinity for psychic and moon sickness manipulation.
Spirits of the flow, low-tier
Allows the manipulation of water to some extent. This is more for countering.
Spirits of destruction low-tier
Allows the manipulation of fire to some extent. This is more for offence.
Medium-ranked spirits
Spirits of the moon mid-tier
Allows the user of this spirit to use the air element more effectively. It also allows a higher manipulation of moon essence for enhancements (this materialises as moonlight from the enhanced area or spell).
If used by an ascended werewolf, the moonlight is brighter, enhanced moves to a greater degree, and sometimes,
Spirits of Earth mid-tier
Allowing for the manipulation of earth and metal, along with psychic abilities and a greater mastery and understanding of moon sickness, allowing the user to lessen the effect from other werewolf or themself.
Spirits of destruction mid-tier
This is the advanced spirit of destruction, which allows the use of all basic elements in an offensive way, along with some advanced elements like lightning.
Spirits of flow mid-tier
Allows you to see the flow of magic for a small amount of time, allowing the user to determine what is about to be cast at them, see curses, and allow them to either stop the spell or curse from activating if their control of moon essence is high enough.
High-ranked spirits
Unknown
high-affinity spirits
This can only occur when you are a max path rank with the spirit path. This is not guaranteed, as you and the spirit need to agree and be similar in personality to actually occur, which is very rare.Spirit of the moonIf they have a very high affinity for this spirit, they might gain beif access to the gap between space for fast movement ability and storage. Apparently, can speak to the will of the moon on occasion, becoming a type of prophet.
Spirit of Earth
If they have high enough affinity, they can tap into the will of the world. If they can get the will to agree, they can gain a deal with the will of the world, which, if done right, can provide a boost to a small number of werewolves they both agree on, if the deal can be done.
Spirit of destruction
If the affinity is high with the spirit, they can tap into higher realms of that element. In magic, it's called materialisation, allowing you to materialise the element around yourself like a dome, making the environment into your home turf.
Spirit of flow
If the affinity is high enough with the spirit, it allows the user to gain faint insight into the future, allowing them to counter or predict others more easily.