Why are there no were-wolves?, insights from the designers? Options

[Snow_Fox]

I was wondering, after 20 years of SR , a world with wizards, elves, orks, trolls dragons, vampires nad lawyers-why were there never any rules developed for werewolves?

I know there were the loup garou but I mean really, in a game system that includes the various strains of HMHVV and shape shifters why nothing about a communicable magical disease. I know you can have house rules, we do, but do any of the people on the inside of the design team looking out know why this never happened?

[Caine Hazen]

Because lame, overused cliche stuff didn't fly.

In seriousness, I think the designers decided that shapeshifters filled the role, and they didn't want to be White Wolf. I think all the damn strains of HMHVV are enough for the world.

[NPCMook]

Technically I guess you could consider Strand II of the HMHVV on Humans to create Were-wolves.

[hyzmarca]

Traditionally, werewolves are just normal humans (though sometimes magically gifted ones) who voluntarily transform themselves using totemic magic. The shapechange spell and possession traditions both cover that fairly well, expecially when combined and used in conjunction with a wolf-pelt focus.

[Wounded Ronin]

Let's just watch Ginger Snaps.

EDIT: http://www.ginger-snaps.com/ki/pic_ki_portrait1b.jpg

[Ancient History]

There was serious contemplation of having a magical compound based on the traditional "werewolf ointment" from European folklore, but I never got around to actually putting it in a book.

[Platinum Dragon]

Aren't wolf-flavoured shapechangers essentially werewolves anyway?

[Ancient History]

Snowdonia Fox might be missing out on the wolf-man part of the modern werewolf concept.

[Neraph]

Between the Shapechange spell, Wolf Form spell, Wolf Shifters, and Loup-Garou, I think you're pretty much set.

[Cadmus]

Becouse most appartment complexes in shadowrun have a strict no dog clause, As well its just not a good way to live, remember, When you eat your nabor your eating every person that person has eaten,

[Synner667]

I was wondering, after 20 years of SR , a world with wizards, elves, orks, trolls dragons, vampires nad lawyers-why were there never any rules developed for werewolves?

Because there are several types of "werewolf" and shadowrun went with the wolves-are-the-natural-form version.

The same as SR does wizards, orks, trolls, dragons, vampires differently to most of the "standard" fantasy versions...
...But then most Urban Fantasy games [and fiction] does.

[masterofm]

Personally I'm glad there are no werewolves as it pushes it father away from White Wolf and Underworld. The farther away Shadowrun is from those two... things the better.

[Chrysalis]

So should I be looking at playing a game where the Technocracy has won and now it is up to the intrepid Werewolves from not being wiped out from existence with the help of a few rogue mages and vampires.

I see Shadowrun world being so loose that you could marry in the whole WoD mythos without a hickup.

[TheOOB]

Between Loup-Garou, shapeshifters, and changelings, there is no shortage of ways to become a wolfman(or wolfwoman).

Just curious though, how expensive would it be to gain shift as a meta genetic power, being able to shift between a normal human and your changeling form, either at will(for a higher cost) or due to a trigger(for a lower cost).

[Ancient History]

So should I be looking at playing a game where the Technocracy has won and now it is up to the intrepid Werewolves from not being wiped out from existence with the help of a few rogue mages and vampires.

I see Shadowrun world being so loose that you could marry in the whole WoD mythos without a hickup.

Wow. Just...no. No.

[Dr Funfrock]

Remember the basic logic behind Shadowrun - the myth comes from the reality. All these things exist in modern mythology because in some form they existed in reality. If vampires don't actually fulfil every single possible variation of vampire myth, it's because some parts of the story changed in the telling. As people have pointed out there are plenty of weird magical things in the setting that would account for the origins of the various werewolf myths. If you can't become one by being bitten... well then clearly someone start embellishing the myth along the way, probably getting confused with the various HMHVV variants.

[Fuchs]

So should I be looking at playing a game where the Technocracy has won and now it is up to the intrepid Werewolves from not being wiped out from existence with the help of a few rogue mages and vampires.

I see Shadowrun world being so loose that you could marry in the whole WoD mythos without a hickup.

Yes. One can fit in a lot of stuff into Shadowrun without many if any changes.

[SincereAgape]

Not sure if you guys remember the old Shadowrun novels, but the character Wolfgang Kies (aka Wolf) from the books "Into the Shadows" and "Wolf and Raven." is actually a were-wolf.

Wolf was a character created by Michael A. Stackpole during SR I and the beginning of SR II. After reading the books, my friends and I at the time could not figure out what type of character Wolf is. We had a fun time in high school reading those Shadowrun novels and trying to recreate the characters from them (IE Argent, Talon, Ryan Mercury, etc.) In the end we thought the Wolf was a physical adapt.

Fast forward to 2003 or 2004.

I was at a small gaming convention called Ubercon which takes place in New Jersey. The guest of honor was none other then Michael A. Stackpole. During his Q&A session I asked him about Wolf and Raven, specifically what type of character wolf was. In addition to telling me the origins of Kid Stealth and Dr. Raven he mentioned that during the creation process he called the develops of Shadowrun and asked them if they were planning to have were-wolves incorporated into the game. The develops replied with a "Yeah sure, what the heck. Let's throw them in." kinda of answer. Thus, the character we all know as Wolfgang Kies is a were-wolf. So to reinforce a previous posters comments, there were original plans to bring in were wolves into the universe. On a sidenote there are bad ass were tigers as told by Nyx Smith in his Striper Assassins novel.

[Ancient History]

Wolf was re-thought as a totemic adept. The whole hairy thing is him assuming the shamanic mask.

[PBTHHHHT]

All the various types of werewolves also remind me of the Jim Butcher novels, the Harry Dresden files. I think it was book 2 that had all the fun wolves.

[kanislatrans]

I believe(now this isn't cannon I know) that the reason there are no Were-Wolves is that WereWolf blood is used in the Immortal Elves evil secret longevity rituals. However it takes LOTS of Blood to make it through the down time and since Immortal Elves are behind every bad thing to happen at anytime in history, they obviously caused the extinction of this proud species of creatures.

Now,before someone goes asking for proof, I will simply point out that A) there are no were-wolves and B) immortal elves lived a long time. Following the logic of A+B=C where C is that Immortal Elves are responsible.

You can't argue with hard cold facts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

*note* This post was created in the spirit of satire. It is not intended as cannon to the shadowrun universe and is not supported by CGL, Dumpshock, or anyone else (except Pres George Bush, who has tasked the NSA, FBI, And CIA with the executive order to "Track down those evildoing Immoral Elephants that are threatening our great nation." (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[GreyBrother]

Wow. Just...no. No.

I did.
It worked. And i made a Vampire Fanboy cry.

[Wounded Ronin]

And i made a Vampire Fanboy cry.

PICS OR THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS

[nezumi]

If memory serves, the European belief about werewolves involved it being caused by a number of activities, including things like sleeping naked by a stream, eating wolfsbane, masturbating, praying to the devil, etc. which would suggest it shouldn't be a disease but more of a hairy palms thing.

However, it's so easy to make a werewolf disease, I'm not sure why Snow Fox doesn't do it herself. Or perhaps her goal is to have a canon explanation as to why she bites her players.

[toturi]

PICS OR THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS

Yes, please. Vampire fanbois crying make my day.