|
|
|
AHWW COMBINED FAQS.
************************************THE “CORE” FAQ************************************
Archive-name: werewolves/core-faq
Posting-frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 02/03/97
Version: 97.1
URL: ftp://ftp.negia.net/users/katmandu
Maintainer: katmandu@negia.net
How To Use This FAQ Collection
The Frequently Asked Questions file has been broken up into three major
parts. The first is the Core FAQ, containing the most basic questions about
AHWW, and is intended to acquaint the reader with the newsgroup and its
purpose. It has been drastically shortened and simplified so that the reader
can get the gist of the group without having to read through the other two
parts. The second part is the Resource FAQ, containing the various bits of
information and minutia collected over the years by AHWW members. It
contains the various ways held to effect physical shifting, humor, Internet
resources, books, songs, movies and other media relating to shapeshifters,
and much more. It is interesting but rather lengthy. The third part is the
collection of MiniFAQs, the essays pertaining to various phenotypes of
shapeshifter and the legends specific to them. All three parts will be
available from a variety of locations, but only the first part will be
posted regularly on AHWW. The other two may be gotten by emailing
KATMANDU@NEGIA.NET; via anonymous ftp to ftp://ftp.negia.net/users/katmandu;
or on the web at http://www.negia.net/~katmandu/ahww.html. The resource FAQ
contains many other locations the files may be found. Additions,
suggestions, gripes and kudos should be sent to the keeper of the FAQ,
KATMANDU@NEGIA.NET.
Introduction - The Core FAQ
Welcome to alt.horror.werewolves! This newsgroup is probably a little
different than most groups you've come across in Usenet. If you're reading
it based on the name, then chances are you have an interest in werewolves
and horror-genre fiction. So do we... but there's more to it than that. We
do discuss werewolves in movies, literature, and art... but we also discuss
windigos, werebears, wereleopards, weretigers, ravens, werebats, wererats,
polymorphs... any shapeshifter at all. We talk about theriomorphs, both
physical and spiritual; about methods of changing, about personal
philosophies, and about fun. What were all those terms up there? Read on;
everything will be explained in time. But be aware that AHWW is more than is
seems at first glance!
A little etiquette before we continue: Whenever entering a new newsgroup,
it's a good idea to lurk for a while, and try to fathom from posts by folks
who have been there a while what sorts of things are okay to talk about and
what topics are forbidden. By reading this FAQ, you've taken a big step in
that direction: A FAQ is the group's official declaration of being; it tells
everyone who read it what the group is about. Most all usenet newsgroups
have a FAQ of some sort; asking for it before you post is considered good
manners. Also: Even if you don't agree with a group's purpose, flaming them
is enerally a very bad idea. Especially a group like AHWW. *toothy grin*
A little history
AHWW was originally grouped November 16, 1992, as a logical extension of the
alt.horror hierarchy. As such, it was intended for discussion of
horror-genre movies and books dealing with werewolves. It received very
little traffic; on the order of 2 or 3 posts a day, if that.
It began to attract folks with an intense interest in werewolves and
hapechangers in general. Gradually, the conversations shifted to discuss
what werewolves meant to these people personally, and how they entered into
their worldview. Some of the original posters resented the change and eft...
which is unfortunate, because we have had many detailed discussions about
werewolf flicks in the past three years. As the discussions grew more and
more philosophical, a concept known as spiritual therianthropy was formed
(more on this later). More and more folks joined in, and soon AHWW was
njoying almost a hundred posts a day. This led to some confusion...
specially during the "winter of our discontent" recently, when some nasty
words were exchanged and confusion reigned. This revised FAQ is one of the
positive things to come from that.
What does the future hold? AHWW, its participants, and its discussions will
always stay with me, personally. Who knows what will happen to the Internet,
and the alt. groups, as time goes by? But the friendships started here will
last, I suspect; even if the "information superhighway" decides it no longer
needs us.
What is a Lycanthrope? A Theriomorph?
Lycanthrope \'li-ken-throp\ n (NL lycanthropus, fr. GK lykanthropos
werewolf, fr. lykos wolf + anthropos man) 1:a person displaying lycanthropy
2:a werewolf
Lycanthropy \'li-kan(t)-thra-pe\ n 1: a delusion that one has become a wolf.
2: the assumption of the form and characteristics of a wolf held to be
possible by witchcraft or magic - lycanthropic adj.
Theriomorphic \'thir-e-o-'mor-fik\ adj (GK theriomorphos, fr. Therion beast
+ morphe form - more at treacle): having an animal form (~gods)
-- Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary
In this context, lycanthrope would appear to include only werewolves.
owever, it has come to refer to any shapeshifter, whether it be werebear,
wolf, bat, panther, raven, fox, what have you. A more accurate term, and one
that's being used more and more, is theriomorph; as it doesn't connote any
specific animal. Both lycanthrope and theriomorph are used interchangeably,
though.
Do you actually believe you're a werewolf?
You'll find that there is no one answer to any question on AHWW. The concept
of lycanthropy is held by some to be just an interesting myth, and to others
as a means of explaining their worldview; with many gradations of belief
in-between. I personally have never seen a man transform physically into an
animal, and cannot do it myself; but I'll never rule that possibility out.
When folks here call themselves werewolves, they generally mean that they
find the characteristics of lycanthropy intriguing and see examples of such
in themselves. What those characteristics are and the extent to which they
manifest themselves are, again, very personal and will no doubt vary from
individual to individual. We'll deal with this in more detail later on.
Patience!
Ysengrin has this to say:
To me, being a were is having a strong animal nature - mannerisms, mindset,
social habits, and so forth - usually of a particular animal, and usually
*in place of* a more traditional human nature. It's not voluntary, and it's
filtered through our human upbringing, but it's still there. Many weres
visualize themselves internally as their were animal, or some anthromorphic
form, and are uncomfortable with people who don't think of themselves as
animals. Some weres - myself included - are uncomfortable enough with even
our human *form* that we strive to change into our internal, were images of
ourselves.
Are you guys for real?
Oh, my, yes; we are very much for real.
Many of us like to role-play. We enjoy D&D, or Whitewolf's Werewolf: The
Apocalypse, or live role-playing games. But we do not role-play on AHWW...
we reserve that for groups where it's expected and condoned; like on a good
MUD or FurryMUCK. We may talk about arcade or RP games that deal with
shapeshifters, but we don't bog the group down with the minutia of rules and
such: that's best left to groups like alt.games.whitewolf and the like. And
while many of us are "furries", and enjoy good anthro artwork; alt.fan.furry
and related groups are best for that. (More on furries in a later section).
What we discuss here, fun and games aside (because we DO like to have fun as
much as the other were), is very serious and real to us. For some of us (not
all; again, it's a very personal thing) it's tantamount to discussing a
religion. It's not a role, it's real.
What are "Howls"?
Speaking of conventions... The first "Howl", the 1994 Harvest Howl, was
organized by Smash Greywolf in Ohio. A Howl is basically a gathering in the
flesh (or fur) of readers of AHWW to socialize, get to know one another,
howl at the moon, leap over raging bonfires, and to generally share the
camaraderie that exists amongst members of the cyberpack. Camped out in the
woods, as far from civilization as possible, watching the full moon dance
over shimmering heat waves from the bonfire, surrounded by folks of a like
mind... it's truly a recharge for batteries drained my mundane human
xistence. Howls are organized by whoever has the land and time to put one
on. ask on the group when and where the next one is; they're worth it, no
matter the distance traveled to attend.
Why not change the name of the group?
It's been suggested before that alt.horror.werewolves is no longer an
appropriate name, given the groups' change of focus. It is true that it is
no longer strictly about werewolf horror fiction. However: making a new alt.
group, like alt.therianthropy or the like, while easy to do, runs the risk
of losing readership. Not all university news servers carry alt. groups; and
those that do are usually loathe to add new ones without a considerable
amount of hassle. The likelihood that large numbers of folks would lose
their access is too great. Grouping a rec. or soc. group is difficult.. It
is possible that we now have the readership and activity to pull it off; but
the fear of some sites not carrying the new group is still a large one.
Also, there's some safety in the name. It's in such an obscure section of
the usenet world that folks who have no real interest in werewolves are
likely to skip it altogether; and that fact alone has undoubtedly saved us
from a lot of hit-and-run flamers. Something like alt.spiritual.werewolf is
likely to garner more attention from the wrong types of people than it's worth.
I thought werewolves were bloodthirsty killers.
Wolves in general have had a bad reputation. Seen as evil killers, used to
embody the worst traits of men, harassed and eradicated as dangerous
menaces. Is it at all surprising, then, that humans who can turn themselves
into wolves face the same bad press?
In a lot of cases, that's exactly what it is: Bad press. Hollywood,
especially, has done more to distort and vilify the werewolf than any
church. While a lot of original legends and myths hold the werewolf to be a
savage, animalistic killer; there are, in fact, many legends that portray
him as a kindly soul... although they generally view lycanthropy as a curse
rather than a blessing.
The impetus behind such labeling is probably fear: Fear of the unknown, the
unexplainable, the unthinkable. Were I to be faced with a snarling,
fur-covered manlike shape, I would be enthralled... but I doubt the general
public would. Shoot first, ask questions of the corpse later. When the
farmer loses his livestock to predation, better to blame the wolf; and by
extension, the were.
So what is it? Are shapeshifters vicious animals? I suppose that depends on
the personality of the shifter and how his mind functions while shifted.
Listen to Ron the Werebat, while I go refill my drink...
So, what are werewolves like, then?
--Ron the Werebat ^*^
This question has been the topic of many discussions here on A.H.W., and
although each of us probably has our own answer to this question that we are
most comfortable with, we are all able to accept other viewpoints on the
myth (although most of us don't like the "ravening beast" idea, I think...)
The major ideas given for the mentality of the werewolf (and werebat, and
other lycanthrope) while transformed are presented here. I believe all have
been supported or at least posted by members of A.H.W. in the past.
1. "Mind of a Wolf" - when the werewolf transforms (for whatever reason) he
loses his human mind and takes on the mentality of a normal wolf. This means
that while the werewolf would not go out of its way to commit heinous acts
of evil, it might for example attack a small child and eat it if it were
hungry enough. Similarly, the noise and confusion of the city might scare a
werewolf into a frightened frenzy, where it leaps about ripping out
throats... It is more likely that a werewolf in wolf form with this
mentality would flee to the woods, however, if any were available. The
territorial nature of the wolf might prove interesting here - should
transformation occur in the house or apartment of the werewolf's human form,
it might (if it retains any of its human memory) stick around and "guard"
its "territory." Should the transformation occur while walking through
unfamiliar territory, the werewolf might be extremely cautious, as it knows
that it may well be on someone else's (read: "another territorial wolf's") land.
Exactly how much of the human form's memory is carried over to the wolf
form's memory is debatable. Subsets of "Mind of a wolf" might include
"memory wiped" (the wolf form has no memory of the human form, no
recognition of familiar places/faces), "vague memory" (enough to give the
wolf a sense of security in the human form's house or apartment, a sense of
trust and connection with one's spouse and loved ones, etc.), and "complete
memory" (albeit interpreted through the mind of a wolf). The movie
_Ladyhawke_ portrayed a werewolf (and werehawk) with this mentality.
2. "Mind of a Beast" - Similar to the Stevenson tale "Dr. Jeckyll and Mr.
Hyde," the werewolf (while transformed) loses all inhibitions and goes on a
wild ID-spree, expressing as many repressed urges as possible before
reverting back to human form. This werewolf could be the "ravening beast"
who slaughters her cheating husband, her whining children, and her abusive
parents in one fell night, or perhaps the disgruntled lawyer who stalks
parks on the nights of the full moon to rape and mutilate attractive young
women. As with "Mind of a Wolf," the werewolf may or may not remember his
or her actions in wolf form after the change. This is the werewolf of
classic Hollywood horror.
All of us generally repress violent and sexual urges throughout the course
of our lives, although there might be plenty of other things held back by
our Egos (or Superegos? I keep forgetting...) regarding those two. Perhaps
the homosexual werewolf, repressing his true nature for years and years due
to the pressures from his family or church, finds the change enabling him to
break free and express his love interest in a coworker or close friend. Of
course, given the fact that all other barriers are down as well, this poor
fellow might find himself raping his love interest... Oh, well. This is not
the kind of werewolf mentality any of us on A.H.W. would WANT to have, I
think. These lycanthropes are typically violent and destructive, more so
than normal humans or animals. Name a Hollywood werewolf film (_An American
Werewolf in London_, _Silver Bullet_, etc.) and you can bet it will portray
werewolf mentality in this manner.
3. "Super-hero" - this is the lycanthrope who remains completely human in
mentality after the change occurs. It could just as easily be labeled
"Super-villain," since not all humans would use lycanthropic powers for
good... Still, it is probably the least horrific of lycanthrope mentalities
(at least for the individual lycanthrope). The White Wolf game _Werewolf -
the Apocalypse_ seems to portray werewolf mentality this way, although
werewolves are slightly affected by their wolf nature depending on what form
they are in and can still frenzy on occasion... a better example of a
lycanthrope with this mentality would probably be Kirk Langstrom as Man-bat,
after he perfected his formula and could retain his sanity while he changed
(before this, Man-bat had possessed a "Mind of the Bat" mentality). It is
not one of the more exciting mentalities to talk about, since we already
know it in human form - however, even a normal person's psyche may be
considerably altered on looking into the mirror and seeing the reflection of
a wolf, having to walk on all fours, and receiving a cornucopia of sensory
stimuli in the form of new scents and sounds.
These are the three main viewpoints, although I must stress that rarely do
we find a lycanthrope that expresses only one of these mindsets. Usually,
the lycanthrope is primarily one of the three types, with aspects of one or
both of the others apparent from time to time. A "Super-hero" werebat might
use his sonar to hunt live pigeons and eat them on the wing (Who? Me?
Nah... Well, maybe...). A "Mind of the Wolf (Bear)" werebear might be
outside eating berries when he catches his wife making love to another man
on a grassy knoll, and fly into a rage (Mind of the Beast), killing them
both. You get the picture.
Thank you, Ron! *fresh Coke fizz sounds* Well, if that old saw is mostly
just legend, what about the others? Like:
What's the moon got to do with it? (and other misconceptions)
Again, this is going to have MANY different interpretations. The moon didn't
always figure into the equation in a lot of myths, and silver is a fairly
recent adaptation... The moon has long been held to cause insanity or
otherwise affect human thinking. Many of us feel energized on nights of the
full moon, and spend long hours gazing at its face. In legend, the effects
of the moon range from nil to being the only time a were can change; and
often forcing that change. I prefer somewhere in the lower middle: It can
facilitate the change, but isn't necessary.
Silver is one of those metals that's held to have mystical properties, for
various reasons; not the least of which is its relative scarcity and value.
It's generally regarded to hold religious significance, being a "pure"
metal; and therefore be able to effect such "satanic" creatures as
werewolves. It's appearance in werewolf mythology, not surprisingly, seems
to be after the rise of the catholic church. Again, it's influence ranges
from zero to being the only thing that can injure or kill a were. If you
still want to try it, silver bullets can be made; but casting them is
reported to be difficult, and the were is not likely to appreciate the
attention.
So what about longevity and health? Some hold that werewolves are
invulnerable to mortal insults; that it would take some supernatural
influence to injure or kill one. Others say that a werewolf is no tougher
than a human to kill. I personally like the idea of increased healing
ability and slightly lengthened lifespan. Some also hold that werewolves
turn into undead (ie, vampires) upon their expiration: the group has decided
that this is a fairly rare idea; based on a slavic myth.
Finally, there's some thought that werewolves naturally hate vampires.
Again, this is probably mostly Hollywood myth. In real life, however; just
as we call ourselves werewolves, there are folks that call themselves
vampires... some weres find that the very idea of being a living dead
creature is an anathema; werewolves are the very embodiment of energetic
vitality. Having met many vampires, both on AHWW and groups like
alt.vampire, I can proudly say that some are my friends. There are some
vamps, yes, that would get on anybody's nerves; but there's no real reason
why a were HAS to dislike a vamp.
Virtually every culture has some sort of mythos regarding shapechanging.
Specific animal mythos are covered in the collected MiniFAQs. As I collect
different culture's views on therianthropy, I'll add them in.
I thought you guys were crazy.
Aaah, I see you've hit upon another bit of the werewolf mythos... relatively
recent, "scientific" mythos. Lycanthropy has long been held to be a sign of
insanity; a precursor to psychosis and/or schizophrenia. Indeed, there are
documented cases of individuals who claimed to be werewolves who were
extremely mentally ill. But was their lycanthropy due to their illness or
vice-versa?
With modern psychology and society holding such a view, it's not uncommon
for someone who feels they are a werewolf to be uncomfortable with those
thoughts, and to think themselves crazy. I don't think it has to be so,
however. I'm pretty sure I don't have the corner on sanity... I'm pretty
eccentric, if I do say so myself... but insane? No. Certainly not by the
legal definition of the word. Read on, you may find the information on
mental shifting enlightening; and don't short-change yourself. Judge for
yourself if the cyber-pack is insane...
What is the "cyberpack"?
I don't know where the term first came from. The cyberpack is basically
anyone who reads AHWW and finds a bond with the others there. It's an
extended friendship circle, a source of moral (and sometimes physical)
support. It's a bunch of people who like each other's company and find
common traits amongst themselves. It's the social and emotional side to AHWW.
There is no leader of the pack, no alpha, no hierarchy. There's no need for
it. There's also no entrance exam or secret handshake... if you find you get
along with the group on AHWW, and feel a kinship with them... well, then,
you're a member. Welcome, friend.
Mental Shifting.
The first thing to remember when reading this section is that the ideas
expressed here aren't necessarily held by every reader of AHWW. This subject
is a very personal one, and opinions on it will vary from individual to
individual. The second thing to remember is to keep an open mind...
What's "spiritual therianthropy"?
Physical Therianthropy has been defined as the ability to shift from human
to animal form and back again. Spiritual Therianthropy, then, is the ability
to mentally transform from the normal human mode of thinking and reacting to
an animal one. Each one of us identifies with an animal whose haracteristics
we feel reflect our own. For example, I feel strongly attracted to both the
wolf and the cougar... one is a pack animal, truly comfortable only in a
group setting, relying on its packmates for everything. The other is a
solitary hunter, only meeting others of its kind to mate. I feel that there
are aspects of both animals in my psyche.
Humans are animals. Most of humanity, however, has tried to deny this fact.
Humanity has sought to remove all aspects of animalistic traits from its
behavior; to the point that being called an animal is considered an insult.
It evokes images of uncivilized, impulsive, hedonistic behavior; acting
completely without thought or restraint. Humanity has attempted to remove
itself from nature as well as remove nature from itself; by subverting and
subduing the land, bending it to suit humanity's purposes, attempting to
conquer it rather than coexist with it. As a result, humanity has had to
deal with a number of ecological problems caused by it's attempts to kill
the very thing that sustains it.
All humans are animals, but very few these days can look into themselves and
find the animal remnants. We who believe in Spiritual Therianthropy feel
those animal remnants very strongly. We exist in the human world, but long
to seek connections with the animal one. It contacts us through totems,
through dreams, through our very souls. We cannot completely leave the human
world, nor completely enter the animal one. We are in-between, half animal
and half human in psyche... mental, or spiritual, shapechangers. We seek to
balance the two halves of our nature, so that someday we can teach the rest
of humanity how to balance its drive to conquer with the reality that it
needs nature to survive.
What are "totem animals"?
Totem animals are animals that best reflect the qualities and needs of a
person. How totems are used varies greatly... some shamanic traditions place
great importance on totems and have many different totem animals, colors,
directions... some barely mention them in passing.
Most commonly, it's believed that their are two kinds of totems... the
central totem, the one that defines who you are; and "outside" totems,
spirits that surround and guide you. The central totem is the animal you
most strongly identify with, that reflects who you are. As I mentioned
above, I strongly identify with the wolf and the cougar... reflecting the
two sides to my nature.
Outside totems are commonly called upon to guide a person. How they are
called and how they manifest themselves, again, depends a lot upon the
particular tradition you follow and what you believe.
What do dreams have to do with it?
Dreams, with a capitol D, are messages from your soul, or sub- conscious, or
whatever you wish to call it. Not everyone Dreams.... scientists say that
everyone has dreams; but not everyone remembers them upon waking. The Dreams
that we're talking about here are dreams that are exceptionally vivid and
memorable, that make a strong impression upon the dreamer, and seem to have
something to impart of importance.
A lot of my experiences with therianthropy are through my Dreams. I don't
have them every night; sometimes it's months between them... but the really
vivid, technicolor, interesting dreams I try to remember and write down and
decipher. Sometimes I shift into different animals in the dreams. Sometimes
I just know that they have something important to say. I cherish every one
of them as a message from my elusive animal spirit.
It sounds like I'm attaching a lot of importance to these Dreams... and I
am, really. But one can feel a strong pull to know their animal side without
having them. They are not a pre-requisite for being a were-creature. They
are, however, a valuable tool for discovering what that spirit has to tell you.
I usually rely on my Dreams to come on their own. There are ways to go
looking for them, however. One involves autohypnosis; Asikaa has volunteered
to tell us more about it:
Autohypnosis
--Asikaa
It is a learned skill, and fairly easy to learn at that. First you need to
learn how to relax physically. It's best to get hold of a compact disc (or
continuous tape cassette) and put the player on infinite repeat. Oh sorry,
I forgot to mention what should be on the CD! Not Iron Maiden or Aerosmith!
You can get relaxation soundtracks from health stores and similar places.
They contain "nice" sounds, such as birdsong, the gentle trickle of river
water over rocks, the wind through the trees...
Now all you have to do is put the CD player on infinite repeat like I said,
and lie down flat on your back, with your legs out straight, arms by your
sides. Let your hands curl slightly into their natural relaxed position,
and make sure you are absolutely comfortable.
Breathe in slowly and steadily, filling your lungs completely. Hold the
breath for two seconds then release it. Don't blow it out, just let the
weight of your chest gently descend, emptying your lungs. Try to breath
like this for the rest of this "session". It doesn't matter if you forget
the breathing later on, just do whatever feels comfortable.
Now you can start relaxing your body. Start at your face, and work down.
Breathe in, concentrate on the muscles of your face and neck, *feel* the
muscles, explore them with your mind. Let the breath out, and as the air
leaves your body, imagine all the tension being drawn from the muscles of
your face and neck and floating away.
Do this a couple of times for each part... your chest, your arms and
shoulders, your stomach, thighs, legs and feet. Once you've got down to
your feet, mentally check for any feelings of tension left behind, then go
back to that part of your body and relax it a little more. By now your body
should be fully relaxed... a nice warm feeling of well-being. This is the
first stage of autohypnosis, and will take a little practice to master.
Now we concentrate on the mind. Imagine yourself lying warm and comfortable
in your favorite place. Perhaps lying on warm sand, or on the edge of a
forest next to a lake. Clear your mind of all unnecessarythoughts, and
concentrate on that place. Let your mind enjoy the feeling of total
isolation, with no worries or stress. Float along with your calm thoughts,
and you should notice that you have no awareness of your physical self.
Honestly, you really cannot feel your body any more. You have become just
your consciousness, nothing more. Your body is so relaxed it may as well
not exist.
Now you should be able to start Dreaming. You mind is free of all physical
restraints, and your body has assumed the type of deep relaxation usually
found only in alphawave sleep. It is up to you what you do with this mental
freedom, but with practice the possibilities are endless.
Isn't this some kind of New-Age pseudo religion?
No. Not on it's own. The concept of Spiritual Therianthropy means a great
deal to me, personally; and might be seen as my religion.... it certainly
forms the core of my belief system. But we have no intention of starting a
church or cult here. Most of us have an intense dislike of any _organized_
religion, in any case.
But not all... there are Christian werewolves out there. This sounds like an
impossibility; but the basic tenets of Christianity aren't so far from many
other religions... and nowhere in the bible does it condemn werewolves!
Spiritual Therianthropy should work well with many different beliefs; even
atheism.
So there'll be no cups of spiked kool-aid at the Howls, and stop looking for
the BATF. *grin*
How do you mentally shift?
I can tell you how I "shift". It may not be this way for others. I welcome
any additional comments on this subject for addition here.
What I mean by "shifted" is the state of mind that I'm in when I feel
closest to my animal spirit. It's a feeling of heightened awareness, a sense
of prowess and well-being. It's what defensive-tactics instructors call
"Condition Orange"... that state of hyper-readiness and alertness that means
one is ready to handle whatever crisis might get thrown at him. It's the
state that I envision a healthy animal being in at any given moment... ready
to fight or flee, ready for anything a hostile world might conjure up. I
might add one additional thing that I'm ready for.. fight, flee, or party. :)
I achieve this state unconsciously whenever I'm in an area or situation that
might prove to be harmful to me. Most all humans have felt this at one point
in their lives or another... Whether they admit it or not, it's a wonderful
feeling. Adrenalin junkies spend their lifetimes looking for this feeling
and beyond. I noticed this feeling accidentally and connected it with my
fascination for animals and began looking for a way to bring it on
voluntarily. I found that if I concentrated on visualizing myself as an
animal, those thought patterns would return to me and I'd get the ol'
predator feeling again. Now I find myself slipping into it at odd moments...
when I'm driving, under particular full moons, while listening to evocative
music.
Most people can sense an outward change when I'm shifted inwardly. Perhaps
this is the first step, for me, to physical changing... we shall see.
Where can I go for more help?
If you still have questions after reading the three parts of the FAQ, or you
just want to talk. Check out the IRC suggestions in the Resource FAQ. IRC is
a good, real-time place to ask questions of others. Or, post them to the
newsgroup. we're patient, and will endeavor to answer whatever you ask. Or,
pick someone who's writings you've admired and email them. They should make
an effort to answer your question or direct you to someone who can.
Our History
--Windrunner
Forget about the Michael Jackson album. Forget about the university course.
But never forget us.
People, do you realize what is happening here? WE are making history. Every
single day that we exist,every single day that this GROUP exists. History is
occurring right before our eyes. And I don't think a lot of us see that.
This letter is being sent out not only to the newsgroup, but also to those
who once were its backbone; as Smash accurately calls them the gray muzzles.
Their muzzles are gray, not out of physical age, but simply the fact that
they have been a part of this group longer than the rest. And the grayer,
the wiser, has been my experience.
I am not one of them, but oh, how I wish I was. From the stories I have
heard, this virtual bonfire never burned as bright as when it was the
original few. But those days have passed, passed on long ago. As many have
pointed out, it was only this past winter that alt.horror.werewolves started
to truly be recognized for what and who was in it. But it happened in a sad
fashion, drawing attention from the wrong kinds of people. People who
thought that "Hey! Here's a chance to play with a bunch of werewolves,
frolicking in the snow, and get a bowl of virtual chili." Many were they who
came seeking fun. Many were they who left when the truth came to light. But
some, like myself, stayed. Why? I think it's because we came in with
ourselves (so to speak), and at first, it WAS all fun. Throwing snowballs,
and all that. But finally, when the fun was ended out of, well, annoyance,
we were still here. Because, while the fun was great, it wasn't the only
reason we decided to reveal ourselves. We longed for contact with those who
might understand, who might actually know what we were talking about when we
spoke of lycanthropy in our lives.
Life moved on. The ones who stayed gradually integrated into the pack, no
matter what their animal was, be it bear, raven, wolf, dog, cat, lion,
panther. And they have shown themselves to be truthful, and wise. While we
still have fun, it isn't as totally rampant as it was. Many interesting
subjects were brought before the fire, and all were discussed as much as
possible. I was here when Gevaudan admitted what he truly was, and watched
as he was not chased, but comforted by others saying "Don't go; stay". (To
those who do not know, it has nothing to do with games or flames; but it is
not my story to tell). I was here when the first flamewars erupted. I
remember efridine's first post, as well as PainEater, the recently-returned
"Lord" Kelkemen, and Savak.
We got over them, since they were no different from other flamers, bothering
us then leaving (except perhaps L.K.; but I won't go into that here). And
again, we returned to our conversations via the net. The other big event was
the Spring Howl. I had not attended the one in the fall, since I did not
know of this group then. But as Spring rolled around, the idea was formed to
throw another one. And after it was over, all those who had attended could
not stop howling in joy and revelry. It was a renewal for those in
attendance, and a source of envy for those who could not go. But not one
person who had attended had wanted to leave. The sense of closeness that was
created there, I can only speculate at. But had I the means, I would have
been there in a second. That feeling is mutual for many of us. But that has
come and gone, and will not happen again (ie the spring of 1995 will not
repeat itself).
Time passed, bringing us up to where the group is now. Many have left for
reasons beyond their control. Many have grown disillusioned with the way
this group is going. But a lot of us have decided to stay, no matter what
our inner feelings tell us. There are a lot of new faces that do not even
know of the old ones. How many of these new ones will stay, and how many
will leave, is impossible to tell. But we continue to grow, and the group
changes with each new face. What it was, and what it is, are very hard to
compare. One does not mirror the other. But, as has been said many times,
that's a fact of life on the Internet. Things will inevitably change since
it is impossible to prevent new people from finding us. And we wouldn't want
that, since there are still so many of us out there, looking for a ray of
hope in a dull sky.
I guess what I'm saying is, look at us. To anyone reading this right now,
I want you to stop for a second. Just stop, and look at yourself. Then look
at where you are reading this. Consider what you are, and why you are here.
If being here, or having been here (meaning ahww), feels/felt right, then
know that your life has been worthwhile. Everyone, WE, are creating a
portion of history. RIGHT NOW. Though I do not believe it has ever been
discussed, look at what has become of alt.horror.werewolves. *We* have
created a place unlike any other. Never before have so many come together in
one place, even if it is technically non-existent, sharing many ideas, but
with one thing in common. Whether we are werewolves, werebears, werecats,
whatever, or simply people who are in very close contact to our animals
spirits, LOOK at where we are from. This, this place spans the globe. There
are weres here from Germany, Norway, England, Ireland, Australia, The U.S.,
Canada. I am sorry if I missed anyone's home country, these were all I could
remember. But even if I did, look. We have no borders here. All are welcome,
provided they are honest with us. Not all of us here are were; some are
humans, some are vampires. But one thing we all share in common is
acceptance. The majority of people who have visited this fire (and stayed
for a while) have accepted that yes, we are indeed what we claim. We are
spiritual theriathropes, shifters in one method or another. Whether it is
through Spiritual Dreams, or a mental process, or physically changing shape.
I know of very few here who have ever gone around, finger waving, accusing
someone of being false. And that's incredible. To my knowledge, something
like this has never before happened: a meeting of beings such as us. I am
fairly certain that anyone reading this now, whether new or old, would never
have met so many like him/herself if alt.horror.werewolves did not exist. I
sure wouldn't have.
Many of us who have been around here for a bit, and even some who haven't,
have strong feelings towards this group, or more specifically, its members.
To turn to a sad note: what would happen if tomorrow, you woke up, and the
group no longer existed. Through infighting, or this Exon bill, or just
simply the removal of the group from existence, what would your first
feeling be? Personally, I think my depression would last a long while. But
not forever. Why? Although having this newsgroup is important to me, simply
knowing that the beings behind the text exist gives me hope. We have broken
a barrier that no one thought existed. We have formed friendships, and
deeper relationships that have no name.
We do not keep written records of what has happened here, in this
newsgroup, since it fully became what it is today. Our history is only the
one where each individual joins, stays, and starts to learn. Learn not only
what the current topic is, or what we are about, but also of those wiser
than you. There is no hierachy here. But there are people who have been here
long enough to see more than they let on. Smash, Vladwolf, Firewolf,
Katmandu, Dreamwolf, Asikka, Gevaudan, Wolfshadow, Windwolf, Medicine Wolf,
Hiker, Snowlock, Winterdreamer, Dean R., Rimblesah, Wolfbard; as well as
many, many more. These, to me, are important weres. They are some of those
who helped create what we now take for granted. Every day, I wake up, on log
in to read what's been posted. I expect it to be there, with names which I
recognize. But most of the names I have just listed are not here anymore. I
will admit, some have left due to the summer. But their presence, and it was
a PRESENCE, is sadly missed.
I do not post much. I do not have the voice to post most of my opinions. And
this may be my death, or my rebirth. I have felt what Smash feels. And, in
my mind, I must find a way to re-vitalize what was once a powerful group. It
still is. But the power has changed. And I am not used to it yet. Please, I
am not writing this as something personal. It is meant FOR ALL. All in this
group. I sing it into the air, hoping that at least someone here will
listen. Perhaps I am too melodramatic. Perhaps I will be chased off because
of this. But even if that happens, I WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT HAS HAPPENED
HERE. Simply because I cannot. It is too important.
I will end this now. But not on a sad note. I want each and everyone reading
this to realize one thing: YOU HAVE BECOME A PART OF HISTORY. It may be a
history that will never be known publically. You will hopefully never hear
about it in the media. But in my mind, and the minds of those who have ever
been a part of this group, it will be hard to forget. I will personally
never forget anyone I have ever met on this group. We have, in effect,
created the one thing no one ever thought of, or even dreamed about: this
newsgroup IS a haven, for ones of our kind. You do not need any more reason
than that. If you see the group for what it is, and are glad it is there,
then you should be happy. There are many ideologieshere. May no one EVER say
that theirs is the "one true way". History has taught us otherwise, that
there can never be only one way. And now, we are a part of history.
I Am Not What You Think (A Were's Song)
The Jaguar and the Wolf,
The Dolphin and the Centaur,
The Phoenix, the Crow and the House Cat;
They all mingle within me.
They are me and I am them;
The Wolf,
The Cat (Jaguar and Domestic),
The Dolphin, the Phoenix,
The Centaur adn the Crow.
These are all parts of me.
The me that I am,
The me you don't know.
Lurking close to the surface of Human, that must hide them from you
You say I am crazy,
I am not, not in that way.
If you went through what I do,
(better now than before),
You would be too.
"But," you say, "to think that I am not all Human?
That is surely crazy."
But you are wrong
I am crazy, yes, but by choice
More different then crazy,
I am not what you think.
I am stronger than you.
You call me crazy and I don't care
I know you are wrong Wrong to judge what you or science cannot comprehend.
But I am right.
I am not crazy.
I am not what you think.
"They should put me awy," you say
Ha! You fear what you do not know,
What you do not recognize or comprehend.
I am not what you think.
I can be worse than you
Or I can be better.
It is not your decision,
It is mine.
I am not what you think.
I am not Human,
I am Were.
Peace,
Katie "Wakko!" Bubenik
And, as an addendum, some info on avoiding flamewars on the group:
Originally, this was brought up on rec.games.frp.dnd, but it has as much
relevance here. Read and be enlightened!
There are (very broadly speaking) two ways in which a discussion can be
carried on. The two (or more, of course) people involved can seek the truth,
both having open minds and a willingness to try to see the situation from
the other person's POV, or one person can hold fast to his own position and
use any means at hand to attack anyone who disagrees with him, in particular
taking advantage of their willingness to be reasonable.
The person who initiates the first type of discussion (and there are many
going on in this group at any given time) is honestly looking for knowledge,
answers, and truth. The person who starts off the second form is just trying
to stir up trouble.
Signs of Type 2 threads -- i.e., flamewars:
1) It is started by a statement, generally provocative, rather than an
honest question. Example: "RP games are evil!!!" instead of "Are RP games
evil?" (that's what a troll is, btw)
2) The provoking person attacks other people, rather than defending his
ideas. (note: sometimes, but rarely, the "accelerant" in the flamewar is
someone who joined the thread later)
3) The only interest the provoking person has in other people's sources and
the foundations of their points of view is to examine them for a possible
point of attack. In a truth-seeking debate, all participants eagerly examine
any support for an opposing POV, because it might contain something they
don't know...and want to. In a flamewar, references are merely a target.
4) The provoking person makes snide comments to other participants,
belittles them, invents demeaning names or titles for them, criticizes them
for typos, and generally acts like a badly impacted lower intestine, with
the intent of making participation so unpleasant for the poor naive fool who
thought that they could have a civilized discussion that the latter pulls
out in disgust.
5) The person who is fueling a flamewar frequently invents a set of victory
conditions known only to himself, and calls upon them to declare "I've won!"
In a genuine discussion, the "victory" is a consensus of all involved, even
if only an agreement to disagree.
Eventually, of course, someone brings Nazis into it, and it's officially
declared dead. Meanwhile, a lot of bandwidth has been wasted...a lot of
people have been riled...and NOTHING has been accomplished.
************************************THE “MINI” FAQs************************************
How To Use This FAQ Collection
The Frequently Asked Questions file has been broken up into three major parts. The first is the Core FAQ,
containing the most basic questions about AHWW, and is intended to acquaint the reader with the
newsgroup and its purpose. It has been drastically shortened and simplified so that the reader can get the
gist of the group without having to read through the other two parts. The second part is the Resource
FAQ, containing the various bits of information and minutia collected over the years by AHWW
members. It contains the various ways held to effect physical shifting, humor, Internet resources, books,
songs, movies and other media relating to shapeshifters, and much more. It is interesting but rather
lengthy. The third part is the collection of MiniFAQs, the essays pertaining to various phenotypes of
shapeshifter and the legends specific to them. All three parts will be available from a variety of locations,
but only the first part will be posted regularly on AHWW. The other two may be gotten by emailing
KATMANDU@NEGIA.NET; via anonymous ftp to ftp://ftp.negia.net/users/katmandu; or on the web at
http://www.negia.net/~katmandu/ahww.html. The resource FAQ contains many other locations the files
may be found. Additions, suggestions, gripes and kudos should be sent to the keeper of the FAQ,
KATMANDU@NEGIA.NET.
Introduction to the MiniFAQs
The MiniFAQs are collections of lore and fact relating to various phenotypes of shapeshifter. They are
written by folks on AHWW who have a particular interest in said phenotypes. Currently, there are four
MiniFAQs; I'm working on one for wolves to add into the next version of this document; and have some
information on Kitsune saved up. If you have a particular interest in a type of shapeshifter, cobble together
a MiniFAQ and send it to for inclusion.
The Wendigo
-Windigo The Feral (NYAR!)
This is the Wendigo Mini-FAQ, compiled by our own net.wendigo. Eventually, I'd like to have mini-
FAQ's representing all of the werephenotypes... if you know a lot of folklore and fact about your own
were-animal, or just feel an urge to do some research and writing, put something together and mail it to
me.
Windigowak (that's the proper plural) are Shifters, like werewolves and the like...they tend to take the
(natural) form of either a wraithlike being, a 2-3 meter tall skeleton of ice, or an emaciated 2-3 meter tall,
hairy, slightly felid-looking-inthe-face critter with _very_ large fangs and claws. They can also go dim,
and can (and very often, do) take their original human forms, the sole thing giving them away in the latter
guise being the eyes (which tend to glow red). Windigowak have hearts of ice, visible in the ice- skeleton
form, and voices that can be alternately soft as a whisper or loud as a tornado. Oh...and they tend to dine
on anything they can catch, due to an eternal hunger...including the occasional meal of "long pig", if any
of you know what I'm getting at... :)
There are variants on this--at least one myth claims that windigowak also have animal-like feet, while
another states they have but one toe.
Other common names are Kokodjo and Atcen (pronounced AT-shen); the myth was all over, even if the
names were different (In fact, the really proper name is _witiko_: it means something to the effect of "He
who lives alone". I make no claims on knowing anishinabeg, so if I'm wrong, please correct me on the
translation). Even the French- Canadians adopted the myth. As to how one becomes a windigo, there are
several ways. One is to dream of the windigo spirit calling one's name (or even better yet, dreaming one
IS a windigo). Another is to be lost in the forest and be called by the windigo spirit. A third is to violate
tribal custom of the anishinabeg (Ojibway) by committing a transgression (such as eating human flesh)
and being cursed to go windigo by a mide' shaman. A fourth way is to undergo a ritual that will affect the
change.
As to killing windigowak (note: windigowak are our FRIENDS, even though they eat human
flesh...DON'T try ANY of this :), the most effective way (well, the _only_ effective way) is to burn it, the
theory being the fire will melt the heart of ice. There are also stories of windigowak being cured; one
involved pouring hot suet down the poor windigo's throat till he puked up the heart of ice, the other being
one where (upon the first symptoms of vomiting "normal" food and looking upon one's neighbors as
snacks) the mide' shaman attempted a cure using migis shells (ritual shells that had curative properties,
and were blessed by the gods themselves).
Now, to windigowak in myth and folklore: The best book of windigo myths I have seen is a book called
_Windigo Psychosis_ (a psychology text that explored "windigo psychosis", which is much like the
medical definition of lycanthropy). It lists all the major stories...quite a good book if you can find it. If
not, any book on Ojibwa mythology should have a few of the original windigo stories in it. (You could
also try Cree, Lakota, or any other northern tribe; it's pretty universal.)
As far as fiction goes, the most famous windigo story is Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo"; it is one
of the wraith stories, and is hands down the most imitated (Derleth's stories of Ithaqua in the Cthulhu
Mythos are perhaps the most famous Blackwood inspirations). The Blackwood story ended up in a
television show in the 1960s, and was in a comic in the 1940's. Also, recently a children's book was
released ("Call OF The Wendigo") that was based heavily on Blackwood. Ogden Nash did a poem about
the windigo (part of it goes "The wendigo/the wendigo/it's eyes are ice and indigo/it's blood is thick and
yellowish/it's voice is hoarse and bellowish..."), and there are several good stories in the "modern"
depiction of windigowak such as "Sins Of The Flesh", "The Unseen" (Joseph A. Citro. Warner Books
1990.), and "Where The Chill Waits" (sorry, can't remember the author's names)...there is supposedly a
song about windigowak that someone told me they learned in school, as well. Also, John Colombo put out
a collection of windigo stories back in 1980; however, I can't find it, and it may well be out of print.
There's crap as well in the fictional realm...the worst is Stephen King's "Pet Sematary", which so
bastardized the legend the creature bears little resemblance to a windigo (and I refuse to call it such). I
also have a personal beef with stories such as Slade's "Cutthroat" which make windigowak out as nothing
more than overgrown apes! Alas, most of the RPG's are, well, crap. Shadowrun makes windigowak out to
be vampiric orcs (eukkk!)...White Wolf does something unusual by making a Wendigo clan (tho' in a way
they had made windigowak a separate race), and Dark Conspiracy does the finest job of the RPGs that has
attempted to do a windigo IMO. For those who like the Blackwood windigowak, Call of Cthulu is quite
good as well. (They all need work, tho'... :)
And finally, windigowak in comics, and the "They Don't CALL it windigo, but if it slashes critters to bits
like one, and eats people for breakfast like one..." category: In comics, the only two "official" windigowak
I've seen were the ones in Eerie Comics #10 (circa 1940), which was a good Blackwood imitation (but
weren't they all then? :), and the one in the X-Men comics, which is utter and unmitigated crap. (And
doubly inexcusable IMO...the original creators were Canadian, and should have known better.)
As for the "walks like a duck, quacks like a duck" category...there are LOTS of contenders. There is a
creature in the comic _Poison Elves_ that is called a Doppelganger, that is much like a windigo in many
ways; there's Feral Jackson in _Strontium Dogs_, who looks _so_ much like the way I've always pictures
windigowak (minus the height and the body hair) that I swear Alan Grant, Garth Ennis, and/or artists
Harrison or Pugh _had_ to have heard of windigowak somewhere (and if I ever see 'em at a comics con,
you bet yer sweet Aunt Agnes I'm askin' them :); there's the "manitou" in the "Shapes" episode of _The
XFiles_ that for all intents and purposes was a windigo (and yes, windigowak ARE considered manitou,
or spirits); and I even see some similarity in the story of Grendel in Beowulf (there are reportedly windigo
stories as far west as Iceland, and "grendel" means "frost giant")...
More on Windigowak - by Spyder Everhunger
This is my attempt at further clarification and expansion upon the collected information of shifters known
somewhat generically among the cyberpack as windigowak or wendigos, which I will hereafter refer to by
their proper name of 'witiko' (I use this name because in a dictionary of Native American lore, all other
names for these creatures simply listed 'See witiko' for their definition.) 8)
I would like to note that I fully support each and every thing that my sibling Wendigo-the-Feral said in the
previous section; this is merely and addendum to what s/he has said already.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"I WAS trying to tell you about the fact that the animal kingdom is dying, and because it is dying it is
beginning to take heroic measures to save itself. That's why the spirit of the wolves beguiled your
husband. The animal kingdom is after the mind of man."
"IN the West, it used to be thought that there were seven types of personality. There are more than seven
types! A type for every beast in the animal kingdom. We are reflections of the whole of reality. Among us
there are shrew types, porcupine types, owl types, frog types, lion and zebra types, eagle types. On and on.
Often people change types when they get dogs. That's why old people and their old dogs look alike. A
bulldog owner becomes a bulldog type. You have to understand the universe as it really is. A hall of
mirrors, and we are the mirrors. I hate to sound like a broken record, but I would be able to do this better
if I had a beer in my hand."
- Joe Running Fox in 'The Wild' by Whitley Strieber
-=-=-
While of a northern Native American origin, the names witiko and windigowak have in these days to
signify a wider range of creature than strictly the original Native creatures they once did: the witiko of
today are instead of numerous racial and cultural origins from around the world. So the term 'witiko' has
come to refer to the conglomeration of all such creatures, much in the same way that Celtic has come to
refer to the amalgam of information and ritual associated with hundreds of Western European tribes, or
that Native American has come to refer to any member of the numerous tribes of the Americas.
In truth, the fundamental components of the windigowak occur in the lore and 'mythology' of nearly every
culture across the globe: Redcaps and similar malicious fae can be found in Ireland and Scotland, the
Grendel of the Scandinavian regions, the Wild Hunt in Britain and Wales, ogres and trolls of the Black
Forest and Germany, as well as a wide variety of dragons and dragon-like creatures throughout Europe.
In the East, there are the Rakshasa to be found in India, the Oni and Goblin Spiders of Japan and China,
and literally hundreds more of which I am as yet unfamiliar.
All my tribe share a few common threads: a monstrous appearance that is not simply abnormal, but the
kind of thing that haunts the nightmares of the normal human herd; all witiko also possess certain
animalistic traits of appearance, often incorporating multiple traits from several animals but being not
wholly of any one specie's appearance - an important fact which separates them from others of the shifting
breed; and all witiko from around the globe prey in one form or another upon humanity, be it innocents
and children, sinners and the unjust, or any of the vast flock of the human race. And most if not all share
a singular angst toward humanity which ranges from disgust to hatred to blind rage, at what humans do to
the world, themselves, or their children.
So while all windigowak are unique and often of vastly differing appearance from one another, all are
siblings under the skin or in the blood. We are all brothers and sisters, related peripherally to the other
skin-shifters and therianthropes.
But just where do the windigowak in all their multitude and forms fits into the scheme of things? Each
clan or tribe of therianthrope is linked with their species: the werewolves of the world are representative of
the lupine species, the werecats of the felines, the foxes of the vulpines, and there are even reptile and
avian species of therianthrope. But where do the atcen fit in? Who do we represent? What are we,
really?
As I and the others I have talked it over with see it, the windigowak in all our chimerical variety have no
one species to watch over, being both all and none; instead we concern ourselves with safeguarding the
welfare and future of all the Wild, the embodiment of nature itself in all its violent splendor. A witiko is a
spirit of the wood and wild, seducing men and women away from their campfires to run amok through the
trees and prey upon their brethren. We are more concerned about the limiting of Man's power and return
of the wilderness to the Wild than any one species of animal.
The Werebear
--Gary (Werebear)
Howdy.
Well, over the past few weeks, I have put together--in my spare time-- this MiniFAQ which gives
information on Werebears and Bear myths in general. I hope someone gets something from it. Special
thanks to Wolfshadow (Dave Aftandilian) for his help in the shamanic references and in editing.
What are some historical legends associated with werebears?
The Scandinavians
In Scandinavia, there was a firm belief in the ability of some people to change into or assume the
characteristics of bears. Our English word "berserk" comes from this legend. It was thought that if a
warrior was to don a bear- skin shirt (called a bear-sark) which had been treated with oils and herbs, that
the warrior would gain the strength, stamina, and power of the animal. These people would be driven into
a frenzy in battle and were said to be capable of biting through the enemy's shields or walking through fire
without injury. No matter how much of the legend is true, the thought of a group of rabid Vikings made
up as bears is sobering.
The Greeks
The pre-Classical Greeks also believed in the ability of men to become bears. One of the most
commonly told stories is that of Callisto, who bore a child of Zeus'-- Arcas. Hera, Zeus' wife, became
jealous and transformed Callisto into a bear as punishment. Arcas, out hunting, came upon his mother
and shot at her. Zeus, taking pity on the mother and son, changed them into Ursa Major and Ursa Minor,
the two great bear constellations. From this one myth comes a whole score of others. For instance, Arcas'
name comes from the Greek word for bear--Arctos. By extention, the "Arkades" of Arcadia are
supposedly decended from Arcas. Their name means bear- people.
The Callisto myth also blends very well into the werewolf myth of Lycaon. According to legend,
Callisto was Lycaon's daughter. Arcas was the individual who was supposed to have been served to Zeus
as a test of the god's divinity, but he managed to escape. Even one of the synonyms for bear used by the
Greeks, bee-wolf (for the bear's love of honey), managed to make it into legend. A legend, in fact, which
was the first great work of the English language.
The English
The story is titled "Beowulf". And almost every high school English class reads it. It is basically the
story of a Geatish hero who vanquishes several evils from the world. Beowulf supposedly had the strength
of thirty men in his left hand. He is a powerful swimmer and has tremendous endurance. All these traits
are commonly associated with the bear.
The Native Americans
These are not the only legends of bear shapeshifters. In fact, one of the earliest legends in human
experience concerns a bear-shapeshifter. This legend, that of the Bear Mother, is found in the traditions
of many peoples throughout the world, including several Native American tribes.
The cleanest version of it comes from the Haida people of British Columbia. According to this
version, some women from the tribe were out gathering huckleberries. All but one of them were singing
to appease the bears. She chattered on about her own concerns, and it angered the bears--they felt that she
was mocking them. So as the berry- pickers headed home, the chatterbox was the last to go, for she had
spilled her berries and had to gather them up again. As she worked, she was approached by two men
wearing bear- fur robes, who looked like brothers. One of them offered to help her if she would go with
him. She agreed. She followed them to a large house. Inside were several people, all of them dressed
in bearskins. One of them told her that she had been taken to a bear den and that she was now one of
them. She noticed that she too was wearing a bearskin robe. The chief of the bear-people took her as his
wife and she gave birth to twins which were half- human and half-bear.
One day, her brothers came looking for her. They found her, and murdered her husband. Before the
Bear Husband died, however, he taught her the songs that her brothers must use over his corpse to bring
good luck and speed his soul to the afterlife. The Bear Sons lived with the tribe as humans until their
mother died. Her death ended the twins' connection with humanity; once again they became bears and
returned to live with the Bear People.
For some peoples, this myth was extended into that of creation itself; some myths went so far as to say
that the entire human race was decended from the children of the Bear Sons. And many, many peoples
believed in deep spiritual connections with bears.
What are some spiritual beliefs about bears?
It really depends on whom one asks. Almost universally, the Bear is represented by the constellation
Ursa Major, the Great She-Bear. It is composed of fourteen stars, seven of which shine with extreme
brightness. Most of us in the west know the constellation better as the Big Dipper--the rump of the bear
appears to have a long "tail" extending from it, which looks exactly like the handle of a saucepan. This
"tail" no longer exists in modern bears, but the cave bears had them and to the early peoples there was
nothing at all strange about the shape of the sky-bear.
Many people used these stars as an indication of the seasons. As winter drew near, the Bear would
slowly dip lower in the sky, looking for a place to "bed down." These stars would slowly spiral around
Polaris, the north star, following the same path night after night. They acted as a clock that was so
accurate that many indigenous peoples still use them to tell the time.
Many of these same peoples looked at the bear as "brother," or "great grandfather." To them, the bear
was very human in its manners and ways. It could stand on its hind legs and walk like a man, it ate the
same food they did, walked the same trails, and cared for its cubs in a fiercely protective way. The
skeleton of a bear, if stretched out, looked very much like that of a man. The bear became a companion in
the path of life and a model for the living of it. This oneness of man and bear is clearly represented in the
Grizzly Bear Song of the Tlingit Indians:
"Whu! Bear!
Whu! Whu!
So you say
Whu Whu Whu!
You come.
You're a fine young man
You Grizzly Bear
You crawl out of your fur.
You come
I say Whu Whu Whu!
I throw grease in the fire.
For you
Grizzly Bear
We're one!"
In a spiritual sense, the Bear is seen as a totem of healing, or of strength and introspection. She is the
Spirit of the West. She represents rebirth and regeneration. In an imitation of death, the bear goes into
her den and is gone through the cold months of winter. Then, as spring comes, she returns, reborn.
Usually, she comes out with cubs, serving as a symbol of birth. The Shaman would often dress in the skin
of a bear, and call upon Her medicine to heal the sick or guide him to what herbs should be used to cure
an ailing tribesman.
Today, followers of modern Shamanism look to Bear for the same reasons. As Spirit of the West, She
is one of the Four Great Powers. She encourages Her followers to consider their actions, to think about
the decisions that they are about to make.
What about books about werebears?
Well, in the fictional realm, there are several authors who have written of characters who could change
into bears into their novels. Most notable is the late J.R.R. Tolkien. He created Beorn, who turned the tide
in the last battle of _The Hobbit_. There is also Dennis L. McKiernen. McKiernen wrote _The Eye of the
Hunter_, a story about a group of heroes on the trail of an ancient evil. One of the characters, Urus, is
called a "cursed one" because he can change but has no guarantee that he will be able to change back.
Finally, there is David Eddings. In his Belgariad series, there was a character, Barak, who was fated to
turn into a bear whenever the protagonist was in danger.
Even in comic books there are characters who can become bears, or at least, bear-like. In the Image
title "New Men," there is a character named Kodiak who can turn from a geeky teenager into a huge,
bearish humanoid. Marvel has two. The first is Ursa Major, a Soviet government agent who can change
into a large bear-man. The second is Ephraim Dees, whose power manifests itself as a spectral bear
superimposed over his aura. Neither one of them is well portrayed or even worth the time to look into.
They are mentioned here for the sake of completeness.
Fiction's good, but what about fact?
There are a number of good books on mythology. The non- fiction works make for much better
reading. The ones that I recommend, both on bears and werebears, are:
*Shepard, Paul and Barry Sanders. The Sacred Paw. New
York, NY: Arkana, 1985.
This book is, without question, the best book on the
subject. It explores, in great detail, the biology of
the bear, the spiritualism that many peoples associate
with the bear, and bears in literature. A fabulous
read with the most complete bibliography on the subject
there is. Also has some great stuff on spiritualism
and shamanism in general.
*Brown, Gary. The Great Bear Almanac. New York, NY: Lyons
& Burford, 1993.
*Elman, Robert. Bears: Rulers of the Wilderness.
Stamford, CT: Longmeadow, 1992.
*Savage, Candice. Grizzly Bears. Vancouver, British
Columbia: Sierra Club, 1990.
*Rockwell, David. Giving Voice To Bear. Toronto, Ontario:
Roberts Rinehart, 1991.
These four are all very good books on bears in general,
with a heavy emphasis on the symbolic. Savage's work
is a brilliantly executed photo essay that covers
mythology as well as truth. Brown's work is an
encyclopaediac reference to little known bear facts
including mythology. Elman's work is another photo
essay, but the pictures are wonderful. Not quite as
nice as Savage's work, but they cover a wider variety.
And Rockwell explores Native American beliefs about the
bear.
*Andrews, Ted. Animal-Speak. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn
Publications, 1994.
*Meadows, Kenneth. The Medicine Way: A Shamanic Path to
Self-Mastery. Dorset: Element Press, 1990.
These two books are good references for information on
shamanism. And not just for information about bear as
a totem, either. There is information on quite a
variety of totems and their meanings.
The Felines
--Walks-Between-Worlds
Howdy and welcome to the Feline FAQ. I've tried my best to include information on a variety of cats, both
great and small. If you've ever felt drawn to cats but thought Werewolves were more up your alley because
of their shapeshifting nature, fear not. There are Werecats, and you just might be one of them.
This FAQ is divided into two sections:
1.) Legends and myths surrounding normal cats and Werecats
2.) Are you a Werecat? (includes twenty ways to know you're a Werecat)
First, though, a list of resources that went into the making of this FAQ:
_Werewolves In Western Culture_ edited by Charlotte F. Otten
_Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers Of Creatures Great &
Small_
by Ted Andrews
_Meet The Werewolf_ by Georgess McHargue
Part 1: Myths and Legends
---------------------------------
As long as transformation stories have existed, so too have stories about humans changing into cats. In
1588, a horseman was passing by the Chateau de Joux in France and saw several cats in a tree. He
approached and discharged a carbine which he was carrying, and a ring with several keys attached to it
fell from the tree. The horseman took them to the village, and when he asked for dinner at the inn neither
the hostess nor the keys to the cellar could be found. The horseman showed the keys to the host, who
recognized them as his wife's. Meanwhile she came from the kitchen, wounded in the right hip. Her
husband grabbed her and she confessed that she had just come from the Sabbat, where she had lost her
keys after being shot in the hip from a carbine.
The Inquisitors also tell that in their time villagers saw three large cats near Strasbourg, which
afterward resumed the shape of women.
In India, Weretigers were believed to house the spirits of the dead who were being punished for evil
deeds. I personally don't believe the evil part, but who knows? ];-)
In Africa and South America, the power of shape-shifting is often seen as a gift from some spirit or God
and is for the purpose of getting revenge. Werejaguars, Wereleopards, etc., don't run around killing for the
hell of it, they only attack those who have harmed them in their human form.
The following's a Werejaguar story from the jungles of Brazil:
A Dutch trader named Van Hielen went on business to an out-of-the- way Native village. He was fond of
nature and decided to take a walk toward the forest early in the evening.
At the edge of the clearing, far from the village itself, Van Hielen found an isolated hut. He heard shouts
of anger and the sound of blows from inside. Suddenly a nine-year-old boy ran out the door. He was
followed by a woman who was beating him with a peice of wood. Van Hielen liked children and stepped
between the woman and the child. In the Native tongue, he asked the woman why the boy deserved such a
beating.
"Done?" cried the woman. "Why, he has done nothing. That's why I beat him, the lazy lout. Not a stroke
of work will he do. His sister is just as bad. Ah!" she broke off. "There's the wretched child now. She too
will get what she deserves."
With that the woman lunged for the thin girl of about ten who had come running from the forest at the
sound of her brother's cries. Van Hielen was so upset at the children's beatings that he offered the woman
money if she would let them alone. She took the money greedily and disappeared into the hut with a glare
at the children.
"Poor things!" The trader said, "How can a mother be so cruel to her own children?"
"Oh, but sir," exclaimed the little girl, "she is not our mother. She only makes us be her servants. You
are kind, but do not trouble yourself. My name is Yaranka. My brother and I are the true children of the
Forest Spirit, and she will help us to our revenge. We have suffered enough from that woman. We will get
help from our true mother tonight in the Secret Place." With this speech, the two children made for the
forest, leaving Van Hielen somewhat bewildered.
Keeping to the shadows, for the moon was bright, Van Hielen hid himself near the hut. He heard the
woman snoring, and not long after he saw two small shadows creep from the doorway and enter the forest.
Van Hielen followed them, thankful that his many years in the country had taught him how to move
silently through the jungle at night. Even so, he nearly lost sight of the two children many times. They
seemed to slip through the tangle of vines and bushes like elves.
After some time they came to a small clearing where a waterfall plunged into a pool in a shower of
silver. In the center of the pool grew a single large, white water lily. Yaranka and her brother knelt down
by the edge of the water and began to chant in an unfamiliar language. Then the children picked flowers
from the bank and tossed them into the water.
The motion of the tossed flowers made the trader dizzy. Everything seemed to be spinning, and the rush
of the waterfall was joined by the rush of a strange dark wind. Out of the earth a vast figure reared itself,
shapeless and towering. Then, in a mere flick of time, the figure vanished, the sickening motion in the
clearing stopped, and all was as it had been before. Except that where the two children had stood, there
now stood a pair of large jaguars. They were so close to Van Hielen that he could count the spots on the
sleek heads and even the whiskers of the snarling lips.
Van Hielen was a brave man, but he knew he had no chance against two such ferocious hunters at such
close range. He saw the two pairs of green eyes gleam as the beasts scented him. Suddenly one jaguar
checked its leap and shouldered the other one aside. The two furred bodies rushed past him on the narrow
trail, so near that he could feel their breath. Then they were gone. Shaken, Van Hielen pulled himself
together and made his way back toward the village. He arrived at the clearing just as dawn broke .
Everything appeared as usual - except for the woman's hut, which had paw prints leading into the
doorway. From within the hut came the most horrible sound he had ever heard. It was a soft *crunch*,
*crunch*, *crunch*, as that of a large animal (or animals?) gnawing on bones.
Certain that the woman would no longer beat the children, Van Hielen left without a backward glance.
Domestic and wild cats represent magic, mystery, and independence. In Scandinavian lore, the domestic
cat was associated with the Goddess of fertility, Freyja. In the Hindu tradition Shasthi, the Goddess of
childbirth, is depicted riding a upon a domestic cat. And the Egyptian Goddess Bast (or Bastet), patron of
cats, was most often presented in Werecat form. The Egyptians worshipped the cat perhaps more than
almost any other culture. The cat was thought to be sacred to the goddess Isis, thus when Isis and her
husband, the sun god Osiris, had a daughter the cat- goddess Bastet (Bast or Pasht) emerged. Originally
Bastet was lion-headed, like the goddesses Tefnut of Heliopolis and Sekhmet of Memphis with whom she
is often confused. Although it was in her later cat-headed form that Bastet became so immensely popular,
she never ceased to be worshipped as a lion-headed deity. Bastet personified the life-giving warmth of the
sun which encouraged the growth of vegetation. Because of this as well as being associated with Isis (as
Mother Nature) Bastet was often worshipped as a fertility goddess. Tefnut, the lion-headed goddess of the
Old Kingdom who was known as the "Ethiopian Cat" personified the cruel, searing heat of the equatorial
sun, perhaps because the cat is seen as cruel in many cultures. No one can doubt the cats ferocity, and the
Egyptians coveted that as well. Thus Sekhmet, "the Great Cat", which was twin sister to Bastet, "the
Little Cat" was very a ferocious and warlike goddess that emitted flames against the enemies of the gods,
for her aspect was the fierce destructive heat of the desert sun. When people wanted a fierce goddess to
protect them they called on Sekhmet; and when in need of gentler and more personal help, they turned to
Bastet. A text referring to the solar goddess runs: "Kindly is she as Bast, terrible is she as Sekhmet." The
Egyptian Trinity was known by the composite name of Sekhmet-Bast-Ra.
The lion was a symbol for the sun-God Mithra. The Egyptians believed the lion presided over the annual
floods of the Nile. Early Christians believed it to be the earthly opponent of the eagle. The midieval
alchemists associated th lion with the fixed element of sulphur, and a young lion was often the symbol of
the rising sun and all that is implied by it.
In the Scandinavian and Norse traditions, the lynx was sacred to the Goddess Freyja, and her chariot
was sometimes depicted as being drawn by a lynx. The Greeks believed the lynx could see through solid
objects. In fact, it was names for Lynceus, a mythological character who could also do this. In 1603 Italian
scholars formed the Academy of Lynxes, dedicated to the search for truth and the fight against
superstition. Galileo was a member, and its symbol was that of a lynx tearing Cerberus with its claws.The
implication was that knowledge would end darkness and suffering. The panther has been associated
with Jesus. In the *Abodazara* (early Jewish commentaries on the scriptures), it is listed as a surname for
the family of Joseph. It tells how a man was healed "in the name of Jesus ben Panther". The panther was
also associated with the Greek God of wine, Dionysus. One story tells how Dionysus was nursed by
panthers, and he is sometimes depicted riding a chariot drawn by them. To the Natives of North and
South America, the jaguar - especially in the form of a black panther - was endowed with great magic and
power. It was seen as a symbol for mastery over all dimensions.To the Tucano Indians of the Amazon, the
roar of the jaguar was the roar of thunder. The black panther was seen as To the Arawak, becoming the
man-jaguar was the ultimate shapeshifting ritual. The Olmecs created monuments to the jaguar, and the
Aztecs and Mayans spoke and taught about the power in becoming half-human, half- jaguar. Even in
Egyptian rituals, a panther tail was worn about the waist or knotted about the neck to help protect and
strengthen. It was used in a process called "passage through the skin" - their own version of shapeshifting
to engender themselves with the panther's power.
In Central Asia there arose a belief that the snow leopard does not eat the flesh of its victims, but sucks
their blood. This belief probably stemmed from the puncture marks left when the snow leopard suffocates
its prey. Another story is that of Milarepa, Tibet's poet-saint, who was stranded for six months in the
Great Cave of Conquering Demons. When his followers went to find him, they found he had been
transformed into a snow leopard.
In Korea, the tiger is the king of beasts. In the Hindu tradition, the tiger is sacred to Kali, the Goddess
of creation and dissolution, sexuality and death. In Greece it was connected to Dionysus, God of wine. In
China, the tiger is both a symbol of darkness and the new moon, as well as brightness and the full moon.
There are five mystic tigers in Chinese lore. The red tiger is a symbol of the south, summer, and fire. The
black tiger is a symbol of the north, winter, and water. The blue tiger is a symbol of the east, spring, and
vegetation. The white tiger is a symbol of the west, autumn, and all metals. The yellow tiger is supreme
among all five; it is the ruler of Earth and all energies upon it.
These represent just a few of the "breeds" currently involved in the Cyberpack. To those whose breeds
weren't included, I humbly apologize. I couldn't find any stories or lore regarding them!
Part 2: Are you a Werecat?
----------------------------------
Discovering one's feline nature is an individual and deeply personal thing. Often Werecats exhibit a
"loner" attitude, and feel uncomfortable in groups. Werecats tend to value freedom above all else, the
freedom to come and go as they choose, the freedom to be able to think and express ideas without anyone
peering over their shoulder. Some Werecats are social and Pack-oriented, just like a lion or a beloved
family cat.
In the days of the Inquisition, women with "supernumary nipples" (more than two nipples, marked my
faint dimples or freckles under the breasts) where accused of shapeshifting into large cats and feeding
their familiars from their supernumary nipples. Men who acted particularly feminine or women who were
assertive were termed "catty".
Some Werecats are vain in their appearance and "preen" themselves, taking great care in their hygeine
and style. Other Werecats are too wild to care for fashion and formalities.
Werecats exude a sexuality and sensuality about them, primarily derived from the sleek, graceful nature
of the cat itself. While not all Werecats should or do feel this way, many are rather amorous and
occasionally lecherous or teasing.
Cats are regarded for psychic and channeling capabilities, and this applies to Werecats as well.
Werecats usually are empathic, and see things that others may not. Sometimes Werecats can astral travel
more easily than others. A Werecats eyes are often important in seeing auras, or the kinetic impression of
moods. This makes it difficult to hide intentions from a Werecat, and often (sadly) leads to the other
person fearing and avoiding them.
The biggest misconception is that Werecats are too selfish and aloof to run with a Pack. This is silly, as
Werecats are part human and humans need companionship.
As a fun aside, here is a list depicting 20 ways to know you're a Werecat:
1.) You panic when your mom talks about spaying or neutering the house cat
2.) When you walk by a sandbox, you have the urge to relieve yourself
3.) When you hear a catfight in the neighborhood, you puff up twice as big
4.) At the zoo all of the big cats sit still and stare at you...
5.) You can't get from your car to the front door without the neighbor's dogs chasing you
6.) You feel more comfortable sleeping in tree limbs than in a bed
7.) You would rather lick yourself from head to toe than take a shower
8.) When Spring rolls around you can't stop peeing on furniture and caterwauling
9.) Mice suddenly seem like a tempting gourmet
10.) The "Meow Mix" theme song suddenly makes sense
11.) You shed everywhere
12.) During Spring the neighborhood cats won't leave you alone
13.) You get chased up trees a lot
14.) The dogs that chase you see you shiftshape and retreat, yipping, holding their tails between their legs
15.) You've been sharpening your claws on the furniture
16.) People in the neighborhood are disappearing and you wake every morning with the window open and
blood on your hands (just a joke!)
17.) You have an uncontrollable urge to sashay as you walk
18.) You lament at the lack of Werecat films and books
19.) Being "catty" takes on a whole new meaning
20.) Mouse - mmmm, tastes like chicken!
The Nahual
Lobocursor Lyceus (Gerardo Rubio) - AHWW packmember
* Comments, howls, fleas and more to:
[ webman@indiana.acatlan.unam.mx and webman@apolo.acatlan.unam.mx ]
NOTE: The english in this mini-FAQ has been corrected with the permission of the author, who is not a
native english speaker. Any errors are probably my own.
The Nahual: The mexican werecreature
Ocultist theories about the origin of human race said that men must have evolved across different animal,
vegetable and mineral forms before reach the actual state.
This is a primitive from to explain the werecreature origin.
Mexico is known for their shamans, wizards and "curanderos" (tribal doctors), sometimes called Nahuales
o Naguales. All cities and towns in Mexico have at least a Nahual.
The aztec voice for Nahual is "Nahualli" that means "lo que es mi vestidura o piel" (Something that is my
cloth or skin). And it refers to the abilty of the Nahual to morph himself into a werecreature (wolf, jaguar,
lynx, bull, eagle, coyote, ...) That voice also refers nigromancy, secret and mailce.
Before the rise of the great Perhispanic civilizations like aztec and mayan, The yakis, tarahumaras and
seris indians, who lived in the North of Mexico and South of US, around 900 A.C. had Nahuales. These
civilizations were sited in part of the US states of California, New Mexico and Texas, and the Mexican
states of Chihuahua, Baja California, Sonora and Sinaloa. They belived that if a man can know his
primitive spirit or Nahual, he can use it to cure the people and practice magic. Many primitive drawings
in old caves show people like werewolves.
In the aztec empire the Nahuales are protected for Tezcatllipoca: The aztec god of the war and sacrificie.
The legend said that a Nahual can put away his skin and transforma into a werecreature. Many aztec and
colonial hunters said that in the night they killed an animal and the next day it
turned into a man.
"The Nahual only can morph in the nigth and he attack our babies with hellish spells" - said the people
since the Colonial Time (1500-1800 A.C.). The Santa Inquisition (the catholic tribunal that punished
jews, witches, and the generally non-catholic) hunted Nahuales for many years. But people beleive in their
power and sometimes protect them, especially in the indian towns.
In modern days Carlos Castanneda, an Southamerican anthropologist that study the Nahuales, published
many books about they since 1960: Las ensennanzas de Don Juan (The teaching of Don Juan), Una
realidad aparente (An apparent reallity) and Viaje a Ixtlan (Voyage to Ixtlan). But nobody has confirmed
Don Juan's existance; many people say that he is only a fraud.
He only knows a part of the secret rituals and herbs to morph into a werecreature, and the forms of how to
know our inner Nahual. The books are very confused and have less info than the publicity shows. A
Nahual have many spirits that protect him like the Native American indians. Basically all rites are more
or less the same in all American civilizations.
Today many people especially in the rural parts of Mexico believe in Nahuales, the topic was gaining
interest from 1982, because the American geneticist Frank Greenberg of the Baylor College of Medicine
discovers a Mexican family with a disease that show them as werewolves: their bodies have covered with
hair like the classic werewolf film of Hollywood "The Wolfman" (1945).
That family was segregated from Mexican society, they were forced to hide in thier home in Loreto's town,
and can only obtain work in the circus.
The legend of nahuals have dark parts hidden on the past, on the mexican magic cosmology. Maybe the
truths about this topic will shown, but, until that moment all is possible.
************************************THE “RESOURCE” FAQ************************************
How To Use This FAQ Collection
The Frequently Asked Questions file has been broken up into three major parts. The first is the Core FAQ,
containing the most basic questions about AHWW, and is intended to acquaint the reader with the
newsgroup and its purpose. It has been drastically shortened and simplified so that the reader can get the
gist of the group without having to read through the other two parts. The second part is the Resource
FAQ, containing the various bits of information and minutia collected over the years by AHWW
members. It contains the various ways held to effect physical shifting, humor, Internet resources, books,
songs, movies and other media relating to shapeshifters, and much more. It is interesting but rather
lengthy. The third part is the collection of MiniFAQs, the essays pertaining to various phenotypes of
shapeshifter and the legends specific to them. All three parts will be available from a variety of locations,
but only the first part will be posted regularly on AHWW. The other two may be gotten by emailing
KATMANDU@NEGIA.NET; via anonymous ftp to ftp://ftp.negia.net/users/katmandu; or on the web at
http://www.negia.net/~katmandu/ahww.html. The resource FAQ contains many other locations the files
may be found. Additions, suggestions, gripes and kudos should be sent to the keeper of the FAQ,
KATMANDU@NEGIA.NET.
Introduction to The Resource FAQ
The resource FAQ is divided into four basic sections: Multimedia, with books, songs, games, and video
information; Fun, with various silly bits the group has come up with, as well as information on costuming;
Changing, with collected information on ways to physically shift and become "un-cursed"; and Odds &
Ends, with various names for shapeshifters, Internet resources, furries, and a blank werecard.
Multimedia
Games about shapeshifters
There have been but a sad few video games dealing with shapeshifters in past years. Following are some
excerpts from AHWW discussing those few out there:
: A few years ago, I heard of a video game out on the struggling Sega CD
: system entitled "Wolfchild." It was said to have a five-minute long
: introductory story, including a PS. Does anyone have this game? If so, was the
: PS worth watching?
I had said game on the Amiga. It was okay, one of the better platformers I've played, with a nice PSing
scene - lightning strikes kid, lightning lifts, wolf's head reappears. :)
If you've played Brutal Paws of Fury, there's a character called Kendo. A coyote actually, but still very
canine.
There was an old 8-bit Nintendo game simply entitled "Werewolf." (I think I mentioned this in a post
before... God, do I have to get a life or what?)
I recall a C64 game called werewolf in london or something. I remember trekking round the underground
trying not to get 'lectricuted in my hunt for crosses anyway ... :)
Also, there's a PC game called ... called ... begins with an E ... Ecstatica! That's the one! That's a pretty
freaky game actually, lots of atmos. Cool beasties, if not particularly pleasant. Check it out ;)
Hey... anyone remember a game called "Altered Beast?" It was an arcade game, but I think they also did a
home VG version.
I Also Have Wolfchild for Sega and On an Amiga format its from JVC and also used copies float around.
Another is Werewolf "The Last worrior" Have that in Nintendo format but would like a Sega version
myself.
Songs about shapeshifters
There are generally very few songs specifically about shapeshifters per se; but there are LOTS of songs
that either evoke a certain mood that some find conducive to shifting, or seem to deal with the subject in
some manner. Everybody's got their favorites... here's the list we've come up with so far, in no particular
order, and far from final (note that these are taken from many sources, and the original authors'
comments have been left in):
Warren Zevon - "Werewolves of London" (the classic. If this isn't on the *Wolf* soundtrack, somebody
screwed up)
Metallica - "Of Wolf and Man" (overplayed album, but great song)
Cure - "The Hanging Garden" (from *Pornography*, easily their best album; dark and really creepy)
CCR - "Bad Moon Rising" ('nuff said)
Belly - "Low Red Moon" (Tanya Donnelly. sigh...)
Joe Satriani - "Big Bad Moon" (vocals almost a growl. Cool.)
Golden Earring - "Clear Night Moonlight" (showing my age, I guess, but it is a cool song)
Sisters of Mercy - "This Corrosion" (on days like this/ in times like these/ I feel an animal deep inside /
heel to haunch on bended knees...)
Rush - "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" (distorted growling sounds & and an epic battle. What more could
you want?)
Grateful Dead - "Dire Wolf" (don't murder me)
Sam the Sham and the Pharoes - "Little Red Riding Hood"
There are several songs by Glenn Danzig that deal with werewolves/lycanthropy, such as "Am I Demon"
("Am I beast or am I human/Am I just like you?").
Also, Glenn Danzig's "Black Aria"... one particular song deals with shapeshifters; the whole album is
fantastic for setting a dark mood. Instrumental.
Venom - "Cry Wolf"
Sting - "Moon over Bourbon Street" from the Dream of the Blue Turtles album. Liner notes say that it's
inspired by Anne Rice's "Interview with a Vampire", but there's a wolf howl there right in the last few
seconds... and it sets a great mood.
Duran Duran - "Hungry Like the Wolf"
A-Ha - "Cry Wolf"
Ozzy Osborne - "Bark at the Moon"
Nine Inch Nails - "Closer"
Genesis - "White Mountain"
The Cult - "She Sells Sanctuary", Howling Mix--one of oodles of remixes of this well worked song, it is
almost eight minutes long. It begins with electronic howls and has two of those howls inserted into the
song at varying points. No other wolf connections directly, but still a neat song, and the howls are great.
The lyrics are hard to make out, and just as hard to understand even when you do read them printed out.
This song is not on any album, but is available in England on a single off She Sells Sanctuary, or on a CD
entitled "The Love Mixes." In the US, it is only available as an import, so be ready to special order and
shell out. Also, "Brother Wolf, Sister Moon" of the _Love_ album, this song is a must hear for any
lycanthrope out there.
Walter Egan - "Full Moon Fire" Mtv used to show it around '82 or so. Pretty typical crappy video, but has
the singer watching "The Wolf Man" in a movie theatre and turning into a Lon Chaney Jr. type o'
wolfman. Also, although the song has nothing to do with werewolves, Real Life's "Send me an angel"
featured a wolfman riding around in the woods on a horse (note: this is the original, not "Send Me an
Angel '88" or whatever it was).
The Tragically Hip - "I'm a Werewolf Baby" Also pretty obscure and only noteworthy due to the title.
David Bowie - "Cat People" by from the Cat People Soundtrack. I think this one should be pretty obvious.
Coil - "Snow-The Drift Mix" from the single of the same title. Very evocative industrial track simulating
a snowstorm and the first song I ever heard which really provoked much of a response.
Siouxsie and the Banshees - "The Lighthouse". In one portion of the song all you can hear is the growling
of the rest of the group in the background.
Seraphim Gothique
Swans - "Jane Mary cry one tear" and "Mother/father"(and others) Even though everyone knows Michael
Gira is an ancient vampire, he's written a few songs about werewolves. Also, Jarboe's howl on
"Mother/father" is rather nice. "Let it come down" also mentions shapeshifters in one verse.
Syd Barrett - "Rats" A bit of creative interpretation, not hard to do since the man was way off his rocker,
and this is all about werewolves. Btw "Wolfpack", like at least half of Syd's songs, is about vampires.
Cranes - "Leaves of summer" I can't understand a word of it, but it's the best song I've ever heard, and
therefore has to be about werewolves.
Sunshine Blind - "Is there" (and most everything else) There's no need to explain this to anyone who has
heard it, and if ya haven't, ya should.
Current93 - "KillyKillKilly (a fire sermon)" This is all about militant misanthropic weres. The rant in it
has caused me to shift before. Other C93 pieces may also be on lycanthropic themes ("To feed the moon",
perhaps?) but it's very hard to tell.
Curve - "Doppelganger" It doesn't make too much linear sense, but with all these shapeshifting - related
lines, it's more than a bit difficult to ignore.
Colourbox - "Tarantula" (also covered to good effect by This Mortal Coil.) Take the word 'tarantula' out
of the chorus (maybe it was planted there for deception...) and the song is applicable to all shapeshifters.
KMFDM - "Brute" I won't vouch for this one, but a friend of mine who's listened to it many more times
than me maintains it's about lycanthropy and the accelerated healing powers of weres.
Miguel Bose - "Como un lobo (Like a wolf)". Romantic (Yuk!) but good for you were girlfriend: A
Werewolf fall in love and describe him girlfriend like only a wolf know.
La Union - "Un hombre lobo en Paris ( A werewolf in Paris )" This song is based in the novel "The wolf-
man" and talks about a imaginary trip of Denise (a wolf that can convert in human) to Paris.
The Werewolves - "Hollywood Millionaire," (RCA 11283)--a late '70s/early '80s track off the group's
rather unsuccessful album "Ship of Fools."
The Wolf Man - "Strange" (Okeh 7269)--1950s blues.
The Five Man Electrical Band - "Werewolf" (Polydor 14221)-Spring 1974 rock song.
The Fourth Way - "Werewolf" --early 1970s "progressive" album, with all tracks being instrumental
performances.
The Frantics - "Werewolf" (Dolton 16)--Winter 1960 instrumental from the Pacific Northwest. Charted
nationally at #83.
The Wolfmen "Watusi Beat" (Bobbette 380)--1987 psychedelic rock in the '60s tradition.
Christian Death - "Hour of the Wolf" This is by the Rozz Williams version of C. Death, so the lyrics make
no sense, but the word "wolf" occurs quite often and there's lots of wolves howling and growling.
Pain Teens - "Bannoy" A highly disturbing story of an abused little boy who thinks he's a dog... a were
horror story that will scare even weres.
The Cramps - "Teenage Werewolf" occasionally seen under the name "(I Was a) Teenage Werewolf."
Rereleased on Elvira's Hallowe'en compilation. I've never heard it in its entirety-sorry.
Books about shapeshifters
Non-fiction first; then the fiction stuff. Like all the lists, this is far from complete; feel free to email me
and suggest new entries. Phaedrus's excellent list of transformation stories, available from ftp.halcyon.com
as /local/phaedrus/translist/translist.text; and a much nicer HTML version at
"http://www.halcyon.com/phaedrus/translist/translist.html"; is not included in this shortened FAQ due to
space limitations.
Non-Fiction
Shamanism. Mircea Eliade. A basic reference on shamanism all over the world. Also Michael Harner's
Way of the Shaman (I think that's the right title).
Seek out also The Celtic Shaman by John Matthews [Element books, ISBN 1-85230-245-3]; note that the
totemic animals used in this may be unfamiliar to those grounded in the North American tradition. [Celtic
shamanism tends towards salmons, eels, boars, dogs, badgers etc rather than bears and wolves and
ravens...]
Wolves and Werewolves. John Pollard (c) 1964 Robert Hale Ltd (UK) PB 1991
ISBN 0-7090-4388-0. Tales of Wolves and Werewolves in history going back as far as the 10th Century
up to 1990.
The Illustrated Werewolf. Stephen Jones. Titan books. Sells for $24.95. It's broken down by decades
starting with silent movies. There's also a section in the back covering television shows and episodes. It
doesn't just cover werewolves though. Any transformation of man (or woman) into any animal is listed. It
even covers foreign films.
Transformations by the editors of Time-Life Books. (I know, I know; just trying to be thorough.) Time-
Life Books, c1989
A Lycanthropy Reader : werewolves in Western culture. Edited by Charlotte F. Otten Syracuse University
Press, 1986
Were-wolf and vampire in Romania. Harry A. Senn. East European Monographs, 1982
The werewolf : in legend, fact, and art. Basil Copper. St. Martin's Press, 1977
Human-wolves among the Navajo. William Morgan. Human Relations Area Files Press, 1970
The Werewolf. Montague Summers. University Books, 1966
Man into Wolf: an anthropological interpretation of sadism, masochism, and lycanthropy. (Sounds
interesting, eh?) Robert Eisler. Philosophical Library, 1952
Zoological Mythology or The Legends of Animals. Angelo de Gubernatis (1978 reprint of an 1872 text).
New York: Arno Press LC Call #: GR825.G9.1978
El perro negro en el folklore. Rafael Jijena Sanchez. Ediciones Dolmen, 1952
Greek Wolf-lore. Richard Preston Eckels. Philidelphia, 1937
Vampires, werewolves, and demons : twentieth century reports in the psychiatric literature. Richard Noll.
Brunner/Mazel, 1991
The Werewolf of Ponkert. H. Warner Munn. Grandon Co, 1958
The Story of Werewolves. Thomas G. Aylesworth. McGraw-Hill, 1978
The Beast Within. Adam Douglas. (1992, London).
PY: 1989
LA: FRENCH; NON-ENGLISH
CP: FRANCE
AB: After a short historical review of the contemporary medical literature,
the authors analyze a new and original observation of lycanthropy. He is a 28
years old man, imprisoned for deadly violence, who has been showing, for many
years, the belief of being transformed into a werewolf during
depersonalization episodes when he presents a lycanthropic behaviour. Our
observation is closer to hysteria and mythomania on an antisocial personality,
although it seems difficult to place the mental pathology of this alcoholic
recidivist delinquent into a nosographical frame.
MESH: Adult-; English-Abstract; Psychosexual-Disorders-psychology MESH:
*Delusions-psychology; *Personality-Disorders-psychology
TG: Case-Report; Human; Male
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE; REVIEW; REVIEW-OF-REPORTED-CASES
AN: 90054739
UD: 9002
TI: The social biology of the werewolf trials [letter; comment] CM: Comment
on: J R Soc Med 1989 Jan;82(1):37-9
AU: Russell-WM; Russell-C
SO: J-R-Soc-Med. 1989 Jun; 82(6): 379-80
ISSN: 0141-0768
PY: 1989
LA: ENGLISH
CP: ENGLAND
MESH: Great-Britain; History-of-Medicine,-16th-Cent.; History-ofMedicine,17th-
Cent.
MESH: *Delusions-history; *Mythology-
TG: Human
PT: COMMENT; HISTORICAL-ARTICLE; LETTER
AN: 90040618
UD: 9002
TI: Werewolves down under--where are they now? [see comments] CM: Comment
in: Med J Aust 1990 Apr 16;152(8):448
AU: Yellowlees-PM
AD: Broken Hill Base Hospital and Health Services, NSW.
SO: Med-J-Aust. 1989 Dec 4-18; 151(11-12): 663-5
ISSN: 0025-729X
PY: 1989
LA: ENGLISH
CP: AUSTRALIA
MESH: Anthropology,-Cultural; Australia-; History-of-Medicine,Ancient; History-
of-Medicine,-Medieval; History-of-Medicine,-16thCent.; History-ofMedicine,-
17th-Cent.; History-of-Medicine,-19thCent.; History-of-Medicine,20th-Cent.;
Porphyria-psychology; Psychotic-Disorders-history
MESH: *Psychotic-Disorders-psychology
PT: HISTORICAL-ARTICLE; JOURNAL-ARTICLE
AN: 90081505
UD: 9003
TI: Werewolves, vampires and cannibals.
AU: Fahy-T; Wessely-S; David-A
SO: Med-Sci-Law. 1988 Apr; 28(2): 145-9
ISSN: 0025-8024
PY: 1988
LA: ENGLISH
CP: ENGLAND
MESH: *Cannibalism-; *Mental-Disorders;
*SuperstitionsTG: Human
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE; REVIEW; REVIEW,-TUTORIAL
AN: 88260757
UD: 8810
TI: Werewolves down under--where are they now? [letter; comment] CM:
Comment on: Med J Aust 1989 Dec 4-18;151(11-12):663-5
AU: Berkley-R
SO: Med-J-Aust. 1990 Apr 16; 152(8): 448
ISSN: 0025-729X
PY: 1990
LA: ENGLISH
CP: AUSTRALIA
MESH: Australia-epidemiology; Mythology-
MESH: *Art-; *Delusions-epidemiology
TG: Human
PT: COMMENT; LETTER
AN: 90231210
UD: 9008
TI: Another case of lycanthropy [letter]
AU: Jackson-PM
SO: Am-J-Psychiatry. 1978 Jan; 135(1): 134-5
ISSN: 0002-953X
PY: 1978
LA: ENGLISH
CP: UNITED-STATES
MESH: Guilt-; Middle-Age
MESH: *Aggression-; *Delusions-psychology; *Libido-;
*PsychoticDisorderspsychology
TG: Case-Report; Human; Male
PT: LETTER
AN: 78058473
UD: 7803
SB: AIM
TI: A case of lycanthropy.
AU: Rosenstock-HA; Vincent-KR
SO: Am-J-Psychiatry. 1977 Oct; 134(10): 1147-9
ISSN: 0002-953X
PY: 1977
LA: ENGLISH
CP: UNITED-STATES
MESH: Body-Image; Delusions-therapy; Middle-Age; Projection-
; Schizophrenia-therapy; Sex-Disorders-diagnosis
MESH: *Delusions-diagnosis; *Schizophrenia-diagnosis TG:
CaseReport; Female; Human; Male
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE
AN: 77264354
UD: 7712
SB: AIM
TI: Lycanthropy revisited.
AU: Surawicz-FG; Banta-R
SO: Can-Psychiatr-Assoc-J. 1975 Nov; 20(7): 537-42
ISSN: 0008-4824
PY: 1975
LA: ENGLISH
CP: CANADA
MESH: Adult-; Delusions-drug-therapy; Delusions-history; Depersonalization
Disorder-drug-therapy; Hallucinations-drug-therapy; Lysergic-Acid-Diethylamide;
Schizophrenia,-Paranoid-complications; Superstitions-; Thioridazine-therapeutic
use; Trifluoperazinetherapeutic-use
MESH: *Delusions-etiology; *Depersonalization-Disorder-etiology; *Organic-
MentalDisorders,-Psychotic-complications; *Psychoses,Substance-Induced-
complications TG: Human; Male
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE
AN: 76090124
UD: 7605
TI: Lycanthropy: a review [see comments]
CM: Comment in: J R Soc Med 1989 Jun;82(6):379-80
AU: Fahy-TA
AD: Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospital, London.
SO: J-R-Soc-Med. 1989 Jan; 82(1): 37-9
ISSN: 0141-0768
PY: 1989
LA: ENGLISH
CP: ENGLAND
MESH: Delusions-history; History-of-Medicine,-Ancient; History-ofMedicine,
Medieval; History-of-Medicine,-15th-Cent.; History-ofMedicine,-16th-Cent.;
History-of-Medicine,-18th-Cent.; History-ofMedicine,-19th-Cent.; History-
ofMedicine,-20th-Cent.; MythologyMESH: *Delusions-
TG: Human
PT: HISTORICAL-ARTICLE; JOURNAL-ARTICLE; REVIEW; REVIEW,-TUTORIAL AN:
89178392 UD: 8907
TI: Multiple serial lycanthropy. A case report.
AU: Dening-TR; West-A
AD: St Crispin Hospital, Northampton, UK.
SO: Psychopathology. 1989; 22(6): 344-7
ISSN: 0254-4962
PY: 1989
LA: ENGLISH
CP: SWITZERLAND
AB: A case is described who exhibited lycanthropy during an acute
psychotic illness. During a short period she experienced herself as four
different species of animal, an occurrence not previously reported. The
phenomenon of lycanthropy is most appropriately regarded as a delusion,
but the abnormal subjective experience is stressed, not just the falsely-
held belief.
MESH: Adult-; Affective-Disorders,-Psychotic-diagnosis; Animals-; Diagnosis,
Differential
MESH: *Affective-Disorders,-Psychotic-psychology; *Delusionspsychology;
*Hallucinations-psychology
TG: Animal; Case-Report; Female; Human
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE
AN: 90311541
UD: 9010
TI: A lycanthropic murderer [letter]
AU: Benezech-M; De-Witte-J; Etcheparre-JJ; Bourgeois-M SO: Am-J-Psychiatry.
1989 Jul; 146(7): 942
ISSN: 0002-953X
PY: 1989
LA: ENGLISH
CP: UNITED-STATES
MESH: Adult-; Antisocial-Personality-Disorder
MESH: *Delusions-; *Depersonalization-Disorder; *HomicideTG: Case-Report;
Human; Male
PT: LETTER
AN: 89300931
UD: 8910
SB: AIM
TI: Lycanthropy: alive and well in the twentieth century. AU: Keck-PE; Pope-
HG; Hudson-JI; McElroy-SL; Kulick-AR
AD: Epidemiology Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02178. SO: Psychol
Med. 1988 Feb; 18(1): 113-20
ISSN: 0033-2917
PY: 1988
LA: ENGLISH
CP: ENGLAND
AB: Lycanthropy, the belief that one has been transformed into an animal (or
behaviour suggestive of such a belief), has been described by physicians and
clerics since antiquity, but has received scant attention in the modern
literature. Some have even thought the syndrome extinct. However, in a review
of patients admitted to our centre since 1974, we identified twelve cases of
lycanthropy, ranging in duration from one day to 13 years. The syndrome was
generally associated with severe psychosis, but not with any specific
psychiatric diagnosis or neurological findings, or with any particular
outcome. As a rare but colourful presentation of psychosis, lycanthropy
appears to have survived into modern times. MESH: Adolescence-; Adult-;
Delusions-complications; Delusions-drugtherapy; Electroencephalography-;
Factitious-Disorderscomplications; Psychotic-Disorders-complications
MESH: *Delusions-psychology
TG: Case-Report; Female; Human; Male
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE
AN: 88204005
UD: 8808
TI: Lycanthropy lives on.
AU: Coll-PG; O'Sullivan-G; Browne-PJ
SO: Br-J-Psychiatry. 1985 Aug; 147: 201-2
ISSN: 0007-1250
PY: 1985
LA: ENGLISH
CP: ENGLAND
MESH: Aged-; Aggression-; Delusions-therapy; ElectroconvulsiveTherapy
MESH: *Delusions-diagnosis; *Depersonalization-Disorder-diagnosis TG: Case
Report; Female; Human
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE
AN: 86001205
UD: 8601
TI: [Animal metamorphosis (lycanthropy) still exists]
AU: Sirota-P; Schild-K; Ben-Zui-Levi-Y; Elitzur-A
SO: Harefuah. 1994 Jan 16; 126(2): 88-91
ISSN: 0017-7768
PY: 1994
LA: HEBREW; NON-ENGLISH
CP: ISRAEL
MESH: Animals,-Wild; Carnivora-
MESH: *Delusions-
TG: Animal; Human
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE; REVIEW; REVIEW,-TUTORIAL
AN: 94193070
UD: 9407
TI: A partial form of lycanthropy with hair delusion in a manicdepressive
patient.
AU: Verdoux-H; Bourgeois-M
AD: University of Bordeaux, France.
SO: Br-J-Psychiatry. 1993 Nov; 163: 684-6
ISSN: 0007-1250
PY: 1993
LA: ENGLISH
CP: ENGLAND
AB: A 45-year-old man was admitted with a hair growth delusion and
depressive symptoms. The delusion persisted for three years and disappeared
after a manic episode. This odd delusion has some similarities with
lycanthropy.
MESH: Antipsychotic-Agents,-Phenothiazine-administration-and-dosage;
Antipsychotic-Agents,-Phenothiazine-therapeutic-use; Delusions-drugtherapy;
Depressive-Disorder-drug-therapy; Hypochondriasis-drugtherapy; Lithium-
Carbonateadministration-and-dosage; LithiumCarbonate-therapeutic-use; Manic-
Disorder-drugtherapy; Middle-Age; Phenothiazines-administration-and-dosage;
Phenothiazinestherapeuticuse; Psychiatric-Status-Rating-Scales
MESH: *Delusions-complications; *Depressive-Disorder-complications;
*Hypochondriasis-complications; *Hypochondriasis-diagnosis; *ManicDisorder
complications
TG: Case-Report; Human; Male
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE
RN: 0; 0; 3546-03-0; 554-13-2
NM: Antipsychotic-Agents,-Phenothiazine; Phenothiazines; cyamemazine; Lithium
Carbonate
AN: 94129957
UD: 9405
TI: [Anorexia and lycanthropy ++: grandiosity and fall]
TO: Anorexie et lycanthropie: grandeur et decadence. AU: Vedie-C; Poinso-F;
Hemmi-F; Katz-G
AD: Hopital La Colombiere, Montpellier.
SO: Ann-Med-Psychol-Paris. 1993 Mar; 151(3): 285-9
ISSN: 0003-4487
PY: 1993
LA: FRENCH; NON-ENGLISH
CP: FRANCE
MESH: Anorexia-classification; Anorexia-diagnosis; History-ofMedicine,-19th
Cent.; History-of-Medicine,-20th-Cent.; Mythology-; Psychiatry-history;
Psychotherapy-
MESH: *Anorexia-history; *Delusions-history
TG: Female; Human; Male
PT: HISTORICAL-ARTICLE; JOURNAL-ARTICLE
AN: 94079209
UD: 9403
TI: Psychopharmacology of lycanthropy.
AU: Davis-WM; Wellwuff-HG; Garew-L; Kydd-OU
AD: Orphan Drug Research Institute, Jefferson, Miss.
SO: Can-Med-Assoc-J. 1992 Apr 1; 146(7): 1191-7
ISSN: 0008-4409
PY: 1992
LA: ENGLISH
CP: CANADA
AB: OBJECTIVE: To develop pharmacotherapies for the orphan disease
lycanthropy through the pursuit of the etiologic hypothesis of a genetically
determined hypersecretion of endogenous lycanthropogens. DESIGN: Quadruple-
blind, Rubik's Cube matrix analysis. SETTING: Community practice and
malpractice. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects selected
from inbred Ruficolla populations in Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina and
Minnesota. All who entered the study finished it. INTERVENTIONS: Chemical
screening of blood samples over a hypothesized secretory cycle of
lycanthropogen peaking on the day of maximum lunar illumination.
Administration of synthetic lycanthropogens for behavioural testing.
Experimental lycosomatization through the illumination method of Kirschbaum.
OUTCOME MEASURES: None were post hoc, but some are still in hock. MAIN
RESULTS: Two putative lycanthropogens were isolated from the blood samples.
Structural elucidation and synthesis permitted animal and clinical trials; in
each of these, behavioural dysfunction was observed. Antilycanthropogen
strategies included application of the principle of caged compounds and
generation of a therapeutic immunoglobulin. The effects of a newly developed
antihirsutic agent seemed promising. An interaction of the lycanthropogen-
secretion system and ethanol was noted, which may explain behavioural aspects
of alcoholism. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of lycomania in North America is
underestimated. Soon-to-be-available pharmacotherapies should promote its
early detection and treatment. Full control may depend upon advances in gene
therapy.
MESH: *Delusions-; *Wit-and-Humor
TG: Human
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE
AN: 92208802
UD: 9207
SB: AIM
TI: [The delusion of lycanthropic transformation] TO: El delirio de
transformacion licantropico.
AU: Rojo-Moreno-J; Rojo-Moreno-M; Valdemoro-Garcia-C; Rojo-Sierra-M AD:
Facultad de Medicina, Valencia.
SO: Actas-Luso-Esp-Neurol-Psiquiatr-Cienc-Afines. 1990 Sep-Oct; 18(5): 327-31
ISSN: 0300-5062
PY: 1990
LA: SPANISH; NON-ENGLISH
CP: SPAIN
AB: The authors describe one case of Lycanthropy and revise the literature
about this theme. They observe that Lycanthropy has received scant attention
in the
modern literature, but appears to have survived into modern times. In some
cases the patient (as a Delusion) has the belief that he has been transformed
into an animal. In other cases there appears only what seems to be behaviour
of an animal. About the first group, the authors make a phenomenological
analysis and present a clinical case of Lycanthropic delusion. MESH: Adult-;
AntidepressiveAgents-therapeutic-use; AntipsychoticAgents-therapeutic-use;
Delusions-drugtherapy; Delusions-psychology; Depression-etiology; English-
Abstract; Hirsutismpsychology; SelfConcept; Social-Isolation
MESH: *Delusions-
TG: Case-Report; Human; Male
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE; REVIEW; REVIEW-OF-REPORTED-CASES
RN: 0; 0
NM: Antidepressive-Agents; Antipsychotic-Agents
AN: 91150521
UD: 9106
TI: Lycanthropy and demonomania: some psychopathological issues. AU: Koehler-
K; Ebel-H; Vartzopoulos-D
AD: University Psychiatric Clinic, Bonn, West Germany.
SO: Psychol-Med. 1990 Aug; 20(3): 629-33
ISSN: 0033-2917
PY: 1990
LA: ENGLISH
CP: ENGLAND
AB: Modern reports on lycanthropy mainly concentrate on the content of
patients' beliefs in being transformed into an animal. By contrast, an
interest in the form of the symptomatology is usually
minimal. This paper draws on Karl Jaspers' phenomenological views and focuses
on some important albeit neglected psychopathological issues related to form
which are relevant to any comprehensive consideration of lycanthropic
phenomena. MESH: Awareness-; Reality-Testing; Self-Concept
MESH: *Delusions-psychology; *Depersonalization-Disorder-psychology; *Magic-;
*Manic-Disorder-psychology
TG: Human
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE; REVIEW; REVIEW,-TUTORIAL
AN: 91046496
UD: 9102
TI: Lycanthropy and self-identification.
AU: Kulick-AR; Pope-HG Jr; Keck-PE Jr
AD: Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts 02178.
SO: J-Nerv-Ment-Dis. 1990 Feb; 178(2): 134-7
ISSN: 0022-3018
PY: 1990
LA: ENGLISH
CP: UNITED-STATES
AB: Lycanthropy, an unusual psychiatric syndrome involving the delusion of
being an animal, usually occurs as a transient symptom of severe psychosis. A
review of the historical and modern medical literature, as well as of
contemporary anthropological reports, suggests multiple etiologies for
lycanthropy, including seizure disorders and use of psychotomimetic drugs. A
clinical illustration is presented in which the delusion of being an animal in
human form has persisted for over 15 years and has been refractory to
treatment. The authors speculate that disturbances of self-identity may
combine with neurological abnormalities to produce some cases of this
syndrome.
MESH: Adult-; Delusions-drug-therapy; Delusions-etiology; Delusionstherapy;
Psychotherapy-; Psychotic-Disorders-complications; Psychotropic-Drugs
therapeutic-use
MESH: *Cats-; *Delusions-; *Ego-
TG: Animal; Case-Report; Human; Male
PT: JOURNAL-ARTICLE; REVIEW; REVIEW-OF-REPORTED-CASES
AN: 90132623
UD: 9005
SB: AIM
The Beast Within - Animals in the middle ages . Joyce E. Salisbury. Routledge, 1994
ISBN:0-415-90769-1
Cost me about 12 pounds sterling [make that $20]. It's basically an analysis of the human perception of
animal forms since about the 10th century, from religious, sexual, social and economic standpoints. The
bit at the end 'humans as animals' and "what is a human", are IMHO really rather good; certainly changed
*my* way of looking at myself in the traditional sense as a human, to the way I feel now, which is much
more animal-centered.
Werewolf: a true story of demonic possession. Ed Warren. Apparently about a man who was "possessed"
by a wolf spirit, which is exorcised by a Catholic priest. On the back cover, they describe seeing him
change, yet with the included photos, there is not one picture of said change. Methinks they were just
trying to sell books with a little hype. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992
Curse of the Werewolf. Tim Kelly. Dramatic Pub. Co., 1990
The werewolf miracles. Oberon Press, 1976
Animal Spirits. Nicholas J. Saunders. Macmillan/Duncan Baird Publishers, 1995
ISBN: 0-333-63846-8
Price: 9.95 pounds sterling.
A strange book; at first it starts with a discussion of "the shared world" the way animals have been
perceived by humans, discusses soulflight, animals in heraldry, hunter and hunted, food, animal-related
beliefs, shamanism etc. Then the second part has specific sections on animals [bat, jaguar, wolf, dog,
shark, fish, bear etc]. The third part is a gazetteer of animal beliefs from around the world.
But this book's 2-page definition of Werewolves is in the section "Imaginary Beasts". Huh! So *I* am a
figment of somebody's imagination, am i?? Anyway, the picture to go with the Werewolf ('Cannibal, or
Werewolf' by Cranach the Elder) is worth it, just for all those severed limbs, heads etc! A useful
introduction.... and a good list of references at the back too!
Of Wolf and Man. Barry Lopez .
It is technically only about how people think of wolves and have reacted to wolves throughout history,
with only a few chapters on werewolves(which are fairly dry repititions of legends from the dark ages) but
the multi-faceted, mysterious view of the wolf it gives is FANTASTIC, especially the stuff about how
native americans see the wolf, and the way the wolf is presented as an intelligent being that we can never
really classify or understand, but that evokes deep feelings in the human soul.
Dance of the Dolphin. Candace Slater.
This book is a collection of recently-gathered and supposedly recently happening stories of weredolphins
along the amazon river. Apparently some people there still believe that they have witnessed weredolphin
transformations, recently, not in the 17th century or anything, and a lot of them. Unfortunately the author
goes deep into psychology trying to explain why so many people have these delusions, and treats the
subject as if all these were delusions. It is the only book I know of that has this many supposedly-true
recent were stories.
The White Goddess . Robert Graves. (Faber & Faber)
Subtitled A historical grammar of poetic myth. This is one of my favourite books. It's more a research into
pre-Christian religion than anything else. But a riveting read.
The Golden Bough. Sir James Frazer. (Wordsworth Reference) and MacMillan & Co.)
This book was published first in 1890. A lot of Robert Graves' source material comes from this book.
The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myth and Secrets. Barbara Walker ( Harper & Row)
This is a feminist approach of most myths legends, saints and sinners. There is an interesting couple of
pages under the heading Werewolves.
I found an interesting collection of folk tales in the Children Section of my local library. Published by the
Oxford University Press and retold by different authors, the come under the general heading of Myths and
Legends in Paperback. About sixteen titles. Myths and legends from Africa, Amenia. China. England,
France. Gemany, Hungary, India, Japan, Persia, Russia, Scandinavia, Scotland, Turkey, West-India etc.
Another Oxford Paperback, "The Tain" translated by Thomas Kinsella treats the story of Cuchulain, the
Ulster Hero. (For the American among you. Ulster is Northern Ireland) Cuchulain means the Hound of
Culain. Culain was a smith who had a dangerous dog which had to be kept down with three iron chains
held by three strong men each. The boy Setanta killed the dog in a fight. The smith was heart broken and
Setanta made up by becoming a watch dog until the next bag of pups was raised. That's how he got his
name Cuchulain. The story is pre-Christian and more for adults than for children.
The Mabinogian, translated by Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones. (Everyman's Library) Those are very old
stories and legends from Wales. A whole population is transformed into mice. It's a classic.
There are many Irish Fairy tales on the market. I haven't found werewolves in them but men and woman
who are animals by night and people by day or vise versa. Seals, dogs, cats etc. For some it was because of
a curse, some because they have special powers and the rest just as a matter of fact without any
explanation.
The Wolf-man and Sigmund Freud [#88 in the series "The International Psychoanalytical Library"]
Author: Muriel Gardiner (ed.) Pub: The Hogarth press and the Institute of Psychoanalysis, 1972
ISBN: 0-7012-0355-2
Silverwolf writes:
I recently found, under the Wiccan section of a book store near where I live, a book set, called The Moon
Box which contains Were chants and spells as well as other were information. I dont know that these
work, but I'm very happy with my choice to buy the set in any case. It's $29.95 for 4 hard cover books and
a box for them. The address of the company is:
Chronicle Books
275 Fifth Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Deerdancer, The Shape Shifter Archetype in Story and in Trance. Michele Jamal. She apparently has a
book called Shape Shifters, too. This one goes into depth in many archetypes -- bear shifters, wolf
shifters, buffalo, seal, deer, and even tree and deity shifters.
Shadowfox offers this list of kitsune related books:
Kiyoshi Nozaki - Kitsune: Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance and Humor
(This book is an *EXCELLENT* source for Kitsune information.)
Yei Theodora Ozaki - The Japanese Fairy Book - ISBN# 0804808856 - 1970
(Houghton Mifflin?)
Hadland Davis - Myths & Legends of Japan - ISBN# 0486270459 - Dover, 1992
Grace James - Green Willow & Other Japanese Fairy Tales - ISBN# 0517632101 -
Crown Pub/Avene Books, 1987
W. Aston - Nihongi - ISBN# 0804809844 - Tuttle Co., 1972
(Japanese history & myth)
? Philippi - Kojiki - Princeton Univ. Press, 1969 - Dewey# 915.2
(Japanese history & myth)
Carmen Blacker - The Catalpa Bow - ISBN# 0043980082 - Boston, Allen & Unwin,
1986 (Japanese Shamanism & animals)
Andrew Lang - The Violet Fairy - Dewey# 398.21 - McGraw-Hill, 1967
(Various tales including Japanese - not sure if fox related)
John Ferguson - Japanese Mythology - Dewey# 299.51 - pub by Marshall Jones
Co., 1928 and by Cooper Square Publishers (could also be under
author Masaharu Anseki)
Juliet Piggott - Japanese Mythology - ISBN# 0911745092 (pbk)and 0600021130 -
Harper & Row, 1969 - Dewey# 299
Kunio Yanagita (or Fanny Mayer) - Japanese Folk Tales - Dewey# 398.21 -
Toykeo, 1954
Kengi Hamada (or A. Ueda) - Tales of Moonlight and Rain - ISBN# 0048231169 -
Tokeyo, 1971 - Dewey# 895.6
* - Japanese Fairy Tales - Hillside Press, 1962
Lafcadio Hearn - Japanese Fairy Tales - ISBN# 0848602188 - Dewey# 398.2 -
Core Collection Books, 1979
Hayao Kawai - The Japanese Psyche - ISBN# 0882143360 - Dewey# 298.2 - Spring
Publications, 1988 (Japanese views on its culture and folklore-fox
related?)
Stephen Addiss - Japanese Ghosts & Demons - ISBN# 0807611263 and 0807611255-
University of Kansas, 1985 - Dewey# 704.9 (artwork)
Reiko Chiba - The Seven Lucky Gods of Japan - Tuttle Co., 1966 (assuming the
tie between white foxes as the messangers of the Rice god Inari
Richard G Smith - Ancient Tales & Folklore of Japan - ISBN# 1859580793 -
Senate, 1995
Teresa Williston - Japanese Fairy Tales - Rand McNally, 1911
Whither Werewolf? by Lilith Silverhair (Llewellyn's Magical Almanac, 1997)
Fiction
Naked came the Sasquatch. John Boston. Published by TSR but amazingly good for a first novel. VERY
humorous, although alas Mr Boston sometimes repeats characterization to the word, and there is a gap in
the storyline. Still worth the reading. And yes, despite the title, there are werewolves in it.
Steppenwolf. Herman Hesse. It's fiction, but man does he have the anguish of a dual soul thing down.
Vlad seconds this motion too...actually I mentioned the book to her, and then she asked me if it was in the
FAQ, and we agreed that if it wasn't, it oughta be.
Moon of Three Rings
Year of the Unicorn
The Jargoon Pard
-all by Andre Norton
In the first, a space trader gets transformed into the body of a wolflike creature called a barsk at the hands
of a woman of a Gypsylike people. The second features a were-snow leopard, a half-breed of a shape-
shifting people who falls in love with a witch, and the third is about a were-leopard who turns out to be
the witch's and snow leopard's son. Everything works out in the end -- Andre Norton is addicted to happy
endings.
Darker Than You Think. Jack Williamson. An old but classic science-fiction novel in which shapeshifters
are the last remnants of an ancient race that once ruled humans.
Chronicles of |
