Becoming a Lycan

The Werewolf: a brief description

Webster's 20th Century Dictionary defines a Werewolf thusly: "(In folklore), a person changed into a wolf, or one capable of assuming the form of a wolf at will." This is a fairly good definition considering the current scientific dogma. But for our purposes, I need to give a clearer, more accurate definition. So for this book we will define a Werewolf as: A person who has regressed, by force of will and desire, to a feral or wolflike state, both physically and mentally.

Let me expand in detail:

"A person who has regressed, by force of will and desire, to a feral or wolflike state.”: By this I mean a person who has temporarily cast off the societal chains that repress the id (In psychoanalysis the "id" is the part of the psyche responsible for basic animal instincts.). I say regression, because the “higher” or “civilized” mind takes a secondary position in the consciousness. Will is a great factor in the transformation, it takes a profound force of will to transform. Yet this is a worthwhile task for the magician, as the animal state is desirable on occasion, because of its liberating and stress purging effects. The word feral refers to a wild or untamed state. Indeed you are quite wild while in this state, which is why certain precautions must be taken (Which will be explained in a later chapter.) The wolf is the archetype of all that is wild and untamed. Yet it remains a noble and beautiful creature. Of course if you identify more with another animal, you can choose that one instead.

"Both physically and mentally.”: The transformation first takes place as a subjective shift in the consciousness of the person, but then proceeds to manifest itself in more physiological ways. This is not to say that you will grow fur and fangs, but rather that your body will act in a manner that is different from its natural state. Now that I have explained what a werewolf is, let's explore why we would wish to achieve this state. [top of page]

Why the Werewolf?

As you all know, the Werewolf is a fascinating and prevalent "myth". Stories of the Werewolf can be found around the world. This powerful creature seems to be rivaled in popularity only by the Vampire. There are several reasons for this prevalence, but I feel that the basic scientific/sociological reasons are the most fascinating. Inside man's brain there are certain tissue masses that control his primal desires; hunger, sex, etc. These parts appear to have been added onto in the process of evolution. That is to say that at one point these were "front seat" functions, that dominated our entire being. As man evolved and grew more complex, these functions began to take a "backseat" position. Of course we continue to need food, sex, etc., but in our highly technological society these are viewed as being of secondary importance to say, running a computer (Except for eating, which is viewed as necessary to maintain health and energy, so that you can run the computer!). Now we are in a worldwide state where our primal instincts are being repressed (by major religions) and ignored (by technology). But the instinct is still there, never dying, just hidden. I am not saying that you should drop on all fours, abandon higher reasoning and run wildly into the forest, I'm just saying that we must appreciate the entire being, including the animal within. This appreciation can be accomplished through lycanthropic metamorphosis. It's easy to see why achieving the animal state from time to time can be both liberating and fun. Just as long as we don't let it dominate our being. It is only one small part of the entire psyche, and to neglect the other parts would just put us back into the situation we're trying to avoid. [top of page]

The Power of Lycanthropy

So now that we know what Lycanthropy is and why it is a desirable state, let us explore what we can expect from the experience of metamorphosis. Here is a list of some of the powers that you may experience while in a state of lycanthropy. The experience will be different for everyone, but here are some of the more common experiences.