Lycanthropes are a type of preternatural creature in the LKH's Anita Blake (AB) universe. They are humans with the ability to change their shape to that of a particular animal.

Although technically, lycanthropy refers to a specific type of shape-shifter: the werewolf, in the Anita Blake books, it is used to refer to all versions of were based shape-shifters. A better, more appropriate generic term would be: therianthrope.

General Information About All Lycanthropes

• Though they have the ability to shift to their animal form whenever they wish, the moon's call makes/forces the Infected variety of lycanthropes to shift . It seems from a comment in NiC that the inherited form is not forced to shift when the moon is full. (NiC)
• If the lycanthrope is new or young, or it is too close to the full moon, the scent of fresh blood can cause them to shift to their animal form. (tKD)
• After shifting, they are hungry and must eat. (tLuC)
• Humans are infected by coming into blood contact with other lycanthropes in animal form, by getting a bad vaccine or are born with it (inherited form). They might also be cursed with it. (GP, CotD, tLuC, NiC)
• Silver burns them, and injuries made with silver heal very slowly. Silver bullets can kill them. (GP, BO)
• Injuries made by other more dominant weres also heal slowly. (CS)
• They cannot get infections, though blood loss can be an issue. (CotD, BO) All wounds will eventually heal. (BM, ) They will stop balding after being turned (BN)
• They have great healing abilities, amazing speed and strength as well as heightened senses.
• If they lose a limb, it will grow back with the next animal shift as long as the wound remains fresh. (BM)
• Alphas are the leaders of the respective groups. They are typically stronger and often have abilities and powers that the others do not.
• The head of their group, if they are strong enough, can shield the weaker members from a vampire's call, as well as their animal counterparts. (GP, BO)
• Some lycanthropes are better at hiding what they are than others. Typically this is the stronger members. (tKD)
• When a low-powered were shifts form from human to beast to human again in a short space of time (under 2 hours) they crash, taking many hours (12) to re-charge as it takes a lot of energy to shift back early. While they are recovering, they cannot be woken up. (CotD)
• Weres usually stay in their beast form for 8-10 hours before they collapse back into their human selves.
• Although it is technically illegal to discriminate against someone with lycanthropy in the job force, many 'outed' weres find themselves out a job due to cutbacks, restructuring, etc, soon after their status is made public.
• There are some states (6) in which it is still legal to hunt weres as varmints as long as it can be proven that they are weres, it is not considered murder. Bounties can be collected for them. (??)
• It is illegal to deliberately infect someone with lycanthropy.

Known Forms of Lycanthropy in the Anita Blake World

Select a name from the list to get more information on that type of lycanthropy

Wererat

Werewolf
Wereleopard
WereSwans
Werehyena
Werelion
Weretiger
Were jaguar
Werebear
WereCobra
Weresnake
Werefox
Weredog
Panwere

Nicknames:
Furface
Lunarly Challenged

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