Wererats

 

A complex and fascinating species, blending cunning intelligence with physical adaptability. Their unique ability to navigate the physical world through stealth and speed, combined with their rat-like instincts, makes them formidable opponents and resourceful survivors. Their contagion and shifting abilities create a species that is both dangerous and highly resilient, capable of thriving in a wide range of environments. Whether in human, rat, or hybrid form, wererats are always on alert, ready to survive and adapt to whatever challenges come their way.

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Wererats are a unique and highly adaptable form of lycanthrope. Their transformation into giant rats and their distinct social structure sets them apart from other shifters. The Rodere is led by the Rom, their Rat King, and is known for their cunning, survival skills, and strong connection to the rat spirit.

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Social Structure:

• The Rom (Rat King) is the leader of the Rodere, holding authority over the clan. The Rom can command loyalty and enforce law, acting as the guiding figure for the clan's actions.

• Clan of Survivors: The Rodere are a tight-knit group of independent survivors, and although they can be found working together, they are often seen as individuals with a fierce need to maintain their autonomy. Their loyalty to the Rom is strong but pragmatic.

 

Physical Transformation:

• Rat Form: In full rat form, wererats become the size of a large German Shepherd, with five-inch incisors. Their fur color often corresponds with their human hair, giving them a more personalized appearance. They are agile and fast, able to navigate tight spaces and tunnels with ease.

• Hybrid Form: Some wererats of greater strength or experience can access a hybrid man-rat form, blending human and animal traits. This form allows them to communicate more easily (they can talk) and retain some physical traits of humans while benefiting from the speed and strength of their rat form. They are capable of walking on two legs and can use tools or weapons, though they still retain their rat-like instincts.

• Human Form: As humans, wererats tend to have a wiry, lean build with sharp, feral features. They often appear scruffy and street-smart, with pale skin or weathered complexions, reflecting their rough lifestyles. Their incisors can be slightly more prominent than normal, and their overall appearance might be marked by an unkempt or wild nature. Wererats favor loose clothing, like oversized t-shirts or cut-off jeans, that are practical for their frequent shifts.

 

Contagion and Lycanthropy:

• Lycanthropy Virus: The wererat virus is one of the easiest types of lycanthropy to catch, second only to the wolf variant. The virus is transmitted through bites, scratches, or exposure to infected blood, making wererats a highly contagious group. Their quick ability to spread their condition adds an element of danger to their presence.

 

Vulnerabilities:

• Silver: Like other lycanthropes, silver is particularly harmful to wererats. Exposure to silver can cause severe injuries or even death, making it one of the most effective weapons against them.

• Vulnerable to Poison: Unlike other lycans, wererats have a heightened susceptibility to toxins and poisons, which can affect them more severely than other lycanthropes due to their more delicate physiology. Poisoned wounds can be difficult to heal and may require special antidotes.

• Fear of Fire: Wererats have a deep instinctual fear of fire, and it can cause them to panic or become incapacitated. The sight or smell of fire can trigger a flight response, and flames are particularly dangerous, causing severe burns or death.

• Weak to Sonic Attacks: Due to their sensitive hearing, wererats are highly vulnerable to sonic or ultrasonic attacks. High-pitched sounds or loud noises can disorient, incapacitate, or even cause pain, making them easier to subdue in certain situations.

• Reliant on Darkness: Wererats are nocturnal and more comfortable in the dark. They suffer from diminished senses and agility in bright light or direct sunlight, which can limit their effectiveness and make them more vulnerable during the day.

 

Behavior:

• Subterranean and Urban Lifestyles: Wererats are natural survivors who thrive in both urban and underground environments. They are often found in abandoned buildings, tunnels, or underground systems, where they can scavenge and avoid detection. Their bodies are designed for agility and speed in tight spaces, allowing them to move swiftly through dark and cramped areas. In Vero they should be found mostly at the Red Light District, possibly as bums.

• Tunneling and Stealth: Wererats have a remarkable ability to navigate tunnels and confined spaces, often sliding along the ground with a unique scrambling grace. This ability makes them highly effective at sabotage, stealth missions, and escaping from enemies.

 

Communication:

• Rat-Man Communication: Wererats retain their intellect in both rat and hybrid forms, making them capable of complex thought and speech. They can communicate with each other and others through squeaks, gestures, and body language in their rat form. In hybrid form, they can speak, making them more versatile than many other animal shifters who lose the ability to communicate in their animal state.

 

Transformation Pain:

• Excruciating Shifts: Like many lycanthropes, the transformation between human and rat forms is incredibly painful. The process is described with sounds like cries, moans, popping bones, and a peculiar sliding sound, making it clear that the shift is not easy or without significant discomfort. Wererats are known to endure the pain in silence or with minimal expression, focusing instead on the survival aspect of the shift.

 

Other Traits:

• Cunning and Resourceful: Wererats are known for their street smarts, always adapting to their surroundings and using their intellect to outmaneuver others. They are opportunistic and willing to do whatever is necessary to survive, often scavenging, stealing, or negotiating for their needs.

• Command over Regular Rats: Wererats can command regular rats in their animal form using a combination of sound, gestures, and body language. This ability is vital for their role as spies, messengers, and infiltrators, as they can mobilize entire swarms of rats to accomplish tasks or overwhelm enemies.

• Strength: Wererats are stronger and faster than humans, with enhanced agility and endurance. In comparison to vampires, they possess similar physical strength, but vampires have advantages in speed, durability, and supernatural abilities. However, wererats are significantly weaker than werewolves, who far surpass them in strength, toughness, and combat ability, particularly in their wolf or hybrid forms. Overall, wererats are formidable but not as powerful as werewolves or vampires in terms of raw strength.

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LYCAN LEVELS AND INHERENT POWERS

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Omega

Animal Awareness (Weak): Can sense unshielded lycans and other supernatural beings (e.g., vampires, humans, humans with powers, etc.).

Healing: Can heal wounds by shifting to beast form, but it doesn't fully heal wounds caused by silver, other lycans, or vampires.

Internal Beast: A metaphysical presence within the lycan that can be provoked to shift by stress, fear, orgasm, or sight of blood. The inner beast can be projected as an aura to greet other lycans.

Senses (10x compared to humans): Enhanced hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch.

Stamina (5x compared to humans): Increased endurance, strength, speed, and reflexes.

Unrestrained Transformation: Once shifted, they remain in beast form for 8-12 hours. Afterward, they pass out and shift back to human form. Shifting too quickly (animal to human) drains energy, causing a coma-like sleep for a minimum of 12 hours.

Vital Signs Changes: Heart rhythm, muscle tension, perspiration scent, and emotional indicators change with lycanthropy.

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Moderate

Animal Awareness (Moderate): Can sense unshielded and shielded lycans, as well as other supernatural beings.

Healing: Can heal wounds by shifting completely, with faster healing. Blood loss weakens the lycan. Wounds caused by silver, fire, and vampires heal at the same rate as humans.

Internal Beast: The beast can still be provoked by stress, fear, orgasm, or sight of blood and can project its aura to other lycans.

Moderate Transformation: Once shifted, they remain in beast form for 8-12 hours. They have more control over their transformation and may resist shifting, though they cannot resist the full moon.

Senses (20x compared to humans): Enhanced hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch.

Soothing the Beast (Moderate): Can use their metaphysical beast to soothe weaker lycans.

Stamina (10x compared to humans): Enhanced endurance, strength, speed, and reflexes.

Vital Signs Changes: Heart rhythm, muscle tension, perspiration scent, and emotional indicators change with lycanthropy.

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Alpha

Soothing the Beast (Strong): Can calm and soothe weaker lycans with their metaphysical beast.

Animal Awareness (Strong): Can sense both shielded and unshielded lycans and other supernatural beings.

Healing: Can heal by shifting partially or fully, with faster healing. Blood loss still weakens them, and wounds caused by silver, fire, or vampires heal at the same rate as humans.

Internal Beast: The beast can be provoked by stress, fear, orgasm, or sight of blood, and it can project as an aura to greet other lycans.

Mastery of the Alpha: Can shift at will for as long as desired and return to human form at will. Complete control over the inner beast, and can resist shifting if they choose (but cannot resist the full moon).

Senses (50x compared to humans): Enhanced hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch.

Stamina (20x compared to humans): Enhanced endurance, strength, speed, and reflexes.

Vital Signs Changes: Heart rhythm, muscle tension, perspiration scent, and emotional indicators change with lycanthropy.

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Powers Exclusive to Alpha Leaders

Beast Call: Summon other lycans of the same type.

War Cry: Send a pulse of energy to group members, signaling an alert or warning of danger.

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Extra Powers

When playing Alpha or Alpha Leader, choose 3 powers from the list below:

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ALPHA-ONLY POWERS

Call Flesh: Heal another lycan by sending your beast and power into the wounded.

Facial Manipulation: Realign the bones of your face to assume a different appearance.

Force Shift: Force lesser lycans (including lower-ranked alphas) to shift by pulling their beast from them. This can be used as punishment (causing a painful, explosive shift) or to help heal by forcing a shift.

Partial Shift: Shift only specific parts of the body into beast form, while the rest remains human.

Share Power: Share your powers with others for a limited period by offering your blood.

Shield: Protect others from psychic and aura attacks.

Call Rats: Call not only wererats, but actual rats, to do your biding.

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ALPHA LEADER-EXCLUSIVE POWERS

Wrath of the Rodere: Command wererats to one specific duties, such as to find someone, swarm an area or devour a target.

Shield the Call: Protect the group from the call of a Master vampire. If the Master vampire is too strong, the leader should answer the call to protect the group or send someone in their place. This shield cannot hold indefinitely.

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