Werebeasts

One of the most common and widely varied species in Wisteria. Werebeasts are seemingly everywhere - and are known to be the most widespread creatures due to their broad categorization, and the fact that they can breed with almost anything. Many werebeasts are humanoid in shape, and their origins are unknown, but many believe that Werebeasts used to only have one known animal counterpart, until they bred with others and eventually crossbred into the thousands of variations Wisteria sees today.

They are so different from one another - in biology, behaviour, and more that it is difficult to categorize them as a stereotype.

""If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.""

- - John F. Kennedy

Overview
Werebeasts are creatures that people encounter daily - sometimes without even knowing. It is rumoured that thousands of Impure humans likely fall under Werebeasts - but are just not aware as the biology is not present enough. Humans and Werebeasts have an extremely close connection to one another, and often work together in many occasions, and those with more human traits are much more well received by them.

Regardless - Werebeasts have thousands of variations, though note that Werebeasts only apply to mammals. Creatures like Nagas and Merfolk do have similarities between one another, and are rumoured to be close relatives - but note that they are entirely different species and cannot breed with each other unless a human form is involved.

One of the most tolerant species in Wisteria - Werebeasts are often extremely accepting of other cultures, people, religion and all. They are often the kindest and most willing to aid others - and all follow the same principle of all Werebeasts being a giant family, and time to time - extends that thought to humans as well - and as such, are very protective of who they refer to as 'family' - though the term is used fairly loosely with them.

Many of these werebeasts have an animalistic form. The most common and widely popular Werebeast are the Werewolves and the Nekos - two vastly different types of animalistic forms. The Werewolf is a hulking tank with layers of fur and muscles, with sharp teeth. They are so animal-like that there's very little semblance into their humanity aside from small notes like their speech, brain, posture and reproduction. For Nekos, they appear extremely human-like, except for a pair of ears and a tail.

Some Werebeasts may have forms, others may be able to shift between a humanoid form, and a Werebeast form, or a pure animal form (example - a Werefox may be able to shift into a normal fox instead of a Werebeast form). Many of these creatures are proud of their Werebeast forms, and will often stay in that shift for most of their lives.

Personality Traits
Due to their wide variety, it is very difficult to summarize them up as a singular species. However, it is noted that the species as its entirely does share very similar principles, with some differences. They've been split up into 3 categories - Carnivores, Herbivores and the Omnivores.

Carnivores
Some of the proudest werebeasts you can find - Carnivores are also one of the most prevalent and desired in combat. They usually own refined hunting instincts and can react fast and are renowned for their protective and loyal personality traits. They can go from very friendly, to cold - depending on the species of carnivore itself, but many of them stay on a middle ground of cautiousness. Carnivores are usually leaders and have issues with authority, and often times can become stubborn if the person they're following doesn't own the Werebeasts respect and admiration first.

Carnivores are very picky with their food, and are very possessive of their things. Touching, or stealing something from a Carnivore will guarantee a very angry hunter on your back for years - and if its something more minor to them - will earn their distrust and anger for months. They're usually easily agitated, and have a tendency to take things seriously - especially if a threat is involved.

They're not usually cruel creatures by any right. Carnivores love deeply, and care for their family well. They consider Humans and all Werebeasts alike to be their direct family. They are easy to talk to and build relationships with - and those who have created close bonds with them will often have them as a friend for life.

Carnivore Werebeasts are very proud, and often love displaying their strengths in friendly competition and spars. Injuries are a common, and often boast to each other about the scars they have gained through their achievements and combats, and strive to have the best weapons available to the point of neglecting their magic capacity.

Herbivores
Slightly meeker than the Carnivores, Herbivores are the most common werebeasts to be found. They are usually energetic and very friendly with others, and similarly to Carnivores - sees many other species as their family, though they're much more open with it. They're the most tolerant and forgiving of the species, and are very social animals. They're a little more wary and cautious of others, and take some time to develop a proper relationship with, but are affectionate and high in empathy.

Herbivores are usually much more timid, and prefer a quieter life than the Carnivores do - though some do get tempted by the glory of a good fight. Herbivores are usually intellect based - enjoys studying, learning and trying new things, and are often prized for their robust magic capacity. They own extremely potent abilities - usually because its what they focus and specialize in. It is much more difficult for a Herbivore to develop muscles or brawn than the Carnivores do, and as such - will usually focus on becoming mages.

They are very curious of magics, and can get easily fascinated with new things, and scientific experimentation and discoveries. Many of these creatures use their empathy to become helpers in society, and are very valuable healers or scientists. They are the most generous and giving of their kind - and are sometimes stereotyped as naive.

Due to some social expectations, and experience with abuse and manipulation of their kind though - many of these Herbivores have begun turning far more cautious and colder than how they're believed to behave in order to protect themselves.

Omnivores
The in-between - they are creatures who are very much a mix of all these basic traits. They're often much more relaxed, and can branch off into both sides, but most of them do not often pursue combat. They can be protective and are usually fairly kid and tolerant - and lack all the stubbornness Carnivores possess. The Omnivores are slightly more individual focused than others are though - and sometimes can seem disconnected from the world around them.

Omnivores often live on their own, and do not often put in effort to communicate with others, but are still friendly. They're content with themselves, and often are most confident and aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. They can be followers, or leaders - but they're much mood motivated, and only really do things when they feel like it.

They're just as prideful, and prioritize themselves more than others. They know themselves best - know what goals they have, their strengths, weaknesses and use them wisely to aid them through life. Many of them have a specific idea or style, and stick to it for a lifetime.

Biology
The term Werebeast sparks a very specific image for many people - but can apply to so many more individuals than its visibly deductible. Werebeast applies to a specific line of creatures who appear humanoid, but have best-like traits. This is fairly biological, and can range from a full Beast form - to hormones and genetic traits that can be difficult to notice and identify. Many werebeasts may have full forms - and others may appear entirely human, but have slightly similar biology, hormone production, or some other biological property of a different animal, and these Werebeasts can spend entire lives believing they're human. However, these Werebeasts will usually suffer health issues relating to the werebeast properties due to how incompatible their mostly human form is.

Others may have the capacity to shift between an animal or a Werebeats form, and a human body. These Werebeasts have much more flexible bones in order to handle the distortions and doing it too often is noted to create very brittle and weakened bones. Those who do not have the capacity to shift and are in Werebeast form usually have much thicker and heavier bone density in order to support their large frames.

Between male and female Werebeasts, in their animal forms - they own very little difference between them. A male and Female werebeast will look very similar, with small differences like the size of the body and the height - alongside slightly more difficulty in developing muscles. Females have higher empathy as well, and werebeasts overall have better senses than others.

Unfortunately, despite their strength and value - Werebeats suffer a heavy influx of health issues. Many werebeasts are born with health issues, and can worsen and gain even more as they grow - many of which are gained genetically.

Of course - Werebeast biology is very different between individuals, but this is the general difference between them all.

Abilities
As noted prior - Werebeasts do have an affinity for magic, and has the potential to be very potent. Though many of them do not indulge the magic side of their bodies. They are much more physical and seemingly enjoy combat and training in physical means such as fighting, learning weapons and such than they are in practicing magic. If anything - for many, magic seems to bore them.

Nevertheless, Werebeasts do have the capacity to learn it. They utilize the concept of Chi and Pure Energy in order to shape and form them into types of magic. These are weaker compared to a Manipulator, and many of them will often specialize into specific magics in order to increase its effectiveness. Many Werebeasts become healers in order to aid their community since many will often have underlying health issues. Their understanding of Chi is in the Energy of their body. While many Werebeasts claim not to use magic - they unintentionally do. Through fighting, they often times channel energy through their movements and force, amplifying the force of their punches or hits. They will often meditate in order to 'calm themselves' and tap into the energy that runs within their bodies, and through long years of training - can often activate it on a whim.

Those who have trained their magic to use spells, and healings will have a harder time incorporating Chi the same way the Warriors have because of its subtlety and necessity of movement and calm. Many Warriors will use Chi best when they're calm and focused. Chi allows not only for them to be able to deliver harder hits, but also allows more focus and awareness - lets them react faster and more clearly to threats and think quicker. They can tolerate more hits - but the moment their concentration is broken - they will need to meditate and calm themselves again before they can utilize Chi once more.

Due to the fact that many Werebeasts do not care, or do not know about their unintentional usage and training in Chi though - many of them will often not know about it, and will often times become frustrated and suffer during fights when their concentration is broken - sometimes even becoming insecure when their performance suddenly drops.

It goes without saying that Chi only really works if the Werebeasts mind and body are healthy and rested.

Dating
Werebeasts usually will start dating as young as 16. They have a strong sense of community and often can very easily develop relationships with one another. Many of them will mate for life though - so some can be fairly picky with who they date. Nevertheless - once they have officially begun dating - they will often stay together for the rest of their lives.

They view Love and relationships as a normal thing - something that their culture celebrates and appreciates - though it's not often something thats purely sought after. Many Herbivores will often seek it more often - but Carnivores and Frey oriented Were beasts will keep it as a second priority - more wanting to taste blood and experience combat and fights - to protect and defend and prove themselves through grand display of brawn and technique.

Courting for Werebeasts do not take a long time. It often happens fairly quickly, and they will often marry each other after just a few months of officially dating. Their ideal partners usually depend on their types - Carnivores might find other strong, combat oriented Werebeasts attractive, and so on. Their preferences are extremely varied on their own, so there's no strict trait that they all search for.

When the want to mate for life - they often do not have an official wedding - or a ceremony. Their celebrations are fairly private - involving activities that the individuals enjoy - from a hunt together, to more mundane actions like travels and such. A way they identify if they are "married" is through intercourse. The moment two Werebeasts have mated - is when they will be mated together for a lifetime. Some other cultures may have different ideals, or may follow human customs a bit more - but this is generally how they mark each other as taken.

The only way some Werebeasts can be identified as "Married" is by whether or not they already have children (outside of being told, anyway).

Children
Depending on whether or not they're trapped in humanoid shapes, or animal-like forms, Werebeasts will have from 1 offspring up to 6. If born human, will very closely follow how human children are developed. However, pups of more Animal-like Werebeasts will often be born blind and fairly weak. This varies heavily depending on the direct species of the Werebeast (eg - bunny, horse, etc) though. Werebeasts will often follow in Human customs in terms of raising children - but will usually avoid schooling and education unless their child expresses interest in magic. Many young will often visit libraries and learn how to read and write from their parents though - at least the minimum. After that. once they reach a proper age - they will begin traveling and following their parents out for work and learning how to socialize with others - learning how to barter, fight, talk and negotiate with others.

As such, many Werebeasts often grow up to be very social adults and talented at charisma.

Their children will often stay close until they're teenage - oftentimes venturing out to start taking up jobs and do work around their Kingdom - from small things like chore or labor work like helping move things around - and some may even take up small Frey jobs and quests from local civilians in order to gather up experience. Many of them will have already been training in combat or magic since they were eight, and will often times depart on their first full mission with their parents.

Despite their adulthood age being 19 - many Werebeasts will be considered a full fledged Adult once they begin living on their own and working. Even if they're thirty years old - if they still depend on their parents or live with them, they will be regarded as a Pup or a cub - a baby, in essence.

Some Werebeasts - notably Herbivores and Omnivores may not have much priority in combat or fighting, but follows some of the same concepts - such as the adulthood custom and bringing their children around without schooling. Some families will allow their children into schools to learn though - but many of the Herbivores and Omnivores will tend to teach their children how to do their jobs - like a Baker would teach their children how to bake, and an Engineer will teach their child how to build and fix machines in hopes they will follow alongside their occupations.

Many of those who do not go into combat oriented teachings, will often teach their children magic - primarily Healing. If not, then they will often allow their child to fully indulge in education and are more lax with what their children chooses to become.

Werebeast children will also often own a strong sense of language - and will typically only know 2 languages fluently, but will also have hundreds of broken fragments of other languages - just barely enough to have basic conversations. Children will often grow up to develop them more and more and pick up more types of languages and such as they grow older though - that is, if they end up as Freys or travelers.

Culture
Werebeasts are very friendly with others - especially those who resemble and look like them. They are extremely community oriented and can form relationships easily. Humans are very similar to them, and sometimes are differentiable and their genes are often mingled with each other. As such, they both share very similar customs and traditions.

Werebeasts often refer to each other as "Family" - using terms like Brothers and Sisters, or Little Siblings and such to each other. This tradition also extends to Humans as well, and being noted as a 'Brother' or 'Sister' to a Werebeast is often noted to mean they enjoy your presence or simply like you. They rarely call another by their name unless circumstance needs it (ex - multiple creatures in an area, etc).

The only family-like term they usually do not extend to others is for Children. Pup, Child, little one - those are all reserved for younger direct family such as their own children, or their nephews or nieces and baby cousins. If a person is very, very close to a Werebeast, and is notably younger than them, or are in youth stages of their species - a Werebeast may refer to them as a Pup.