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Ok so I was watching some Buzz lightyear of Starcommand a while ago while planing for a pathfinder game. I remember these forms are up and I was just wondering if there are any plans for some cool classic monsters turned into more space themed monster.
like the nos-4-a2 energy vampire that had control over any tech he corrupted. or the "Wirewolf", a human that when hit by some form of radiation turns into a fully robotic werewolf. Probably can be extended into other lycanthropic forms as well
There's one problem with a space werewolf.
Full Moon's a terrible time for an EVA. :)
Perhaps the trigger is something a bit more rare then? maybe a commit or some kind of space radiation.
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Perhaps the trigger is something a bit more rare then? maybe a commit or some kind of space radiation.
Or exposure to a moon rock carried aboard your spelljammer? Worked for Marvel Comics!
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Or, I dunno, you get mad enough and hulk out, but werewolf instead of hulk? would make for some cool roleplaying experiences, trying to keep calm in a firefight, and not wanting to be a beast and all that dramatic crap.
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You can run classic werewolves in space easily enough, just divorce them from a visual trigger, or in other words they transform on a fixed time schedule. Said schedule would just so happen to be based on the lunar cycle of their home planet (Why? Because magic. It still exists in Starfinder after all.) If you encounter a ship crewed with them, they could have charts or timers displayed on their screens which could give PCs a clue that something may be going down rather than having them arbitrarily transform.
An alternate spin on the trope could be location-based; like afflicted people transform only while they are inside a nebula or if they're hit by radiation from a pulsar.
If intelligent werewolf let him change when he wants if cursed monstrous werewolf let him do it whenever least convenient for party *evil snicker*
Have them transform under solar radiation reflected off lunar regolith. Though that would have terrible consequences on inhabited moons.
You can run classic werewolves in space easily enough, just divorce them from a visual trigger, or in other words they transform on a fixed time schedule. Said schedule would just so happen to be based on the lunar cycle of their home planet (Why? Because magic. It still exists in Starfinder after all.) If you encounter a ship crewed with them, they could have charts or timers displayed on their screens which could give PCs a clue that something may be going down rather than having them arbitrarily transform.
I think I've even seen something like that in some old sci-fi movie/show/something, maybe Creepshow or Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
They were in deep space and kept getting delayed getting to their destination. The lycanthrope knew they were one or thought some monster was chasing or following him. It could also have been a Jeckle & Hyde with no control over when the change occurs, it just had to occur after a set amount of time, but could be delayed through willpower or drugs.
Tying them to the lunar cycle of a particular moon, preferably one that orbits an inhabited planet sounds best. With a cycle from 2-6 weeks and where the change occurs one night, a full 10-12 hours, per week of the cycle.
I like the idea of a raider/pirate ship full of werewolves sending over boarding parties, it could even be some crazy plan to fight the Kzin.
Have them transform under solar radiation reflected off lunar regolith.
If you think about it, that's how the classic werewolf works. The Moon doesn't shine with it's own light after all.
Have them transform under solar radiation reflected off lunar regolith.If you think about it, that's how the classic werewolf works. The Moon doesn't shine with it's own light after all.
Precisely. At a certain level of reflected illumination the change would be triggered.
Precisely. At a certain level of reflected illumination the change would be triggered.Have them transform under solar radiation reflected off lunar regolith.If you think about it, that's how the classic werewolf works. The Moon doesn't shine with it's own light after all.
Are these Saiyan type Shifters?
Bah! We need Werexenomorphs! Can you imagine ship's first mate transforming to alien queen occasionally? :D
Werewolves that are set off by mystic QR codes.
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Given the problem of astronomical triggers in an environment rife with astronomical triggers, maybe borrow a line from vampirism and say that lycanthropy is an invasive, alien mode of reproduction? That way, you retain the "dread at loss of control, self, and identity" than is the hallmark of the transformative curse.
For example, you have an alien species which infects a host, but only gets expressed when the host is in a good position to infect another - maybe the trigger is low population density (alone with someone), or proximity to some other kind of trigger which is conducive to infection (a certain environment - moonlight can become a special case!)
Perhaps the werewolf's initial draw of blood "samples" the victim, which then guides whether the monster leaves infected survivors, or simply kills its victims.
Ideas!
DH
Or the trigger could be hormonal. Smelling the right feromones could trigger reproductive frenzy of whatever causes the disease, which is transmitted by saliva. Rabies on steroids.
Okay, I've been thinking about this for a bit. Why rehash the old, tried and true but tired clichés again?
Anyone remember the Vargr from Traveller? Basically uplifted canines, these guys made for awesome player characters for various reasons.
Now imagine: For some reason lost to time, a single world has been inhabited by werewolves for thousands of years. They are the only sapient species there (presumably, they ate all the others or something).
Then evolution happens. When all of you are shape-shifting apex predators, this is nothing special any more. If you don't have to maintain a human guise to play 'wolf in human clothing', nothing stops you from going hybrid all the time. And, putting aside the idea that a true lycan would be too complacent to ever develop the drive for inventions that propelled humanity to the top of the food pyramid (these guys are already there, remember), let us assume technology happens.
But technology without thumbs sucks, so you have little incentive to assume full canid form either. Eventually, they no longer bother with shape-shifting at all, forget about it even. Heck, they may even lose the ability entirely over time.
But!
The 'Curse of Lycanthrophy' is not gone, only dormant. So once the first contacts are made, at first nobody suspects a thing. Sure, these guys have teeth, are fond of snarling and snapping and gashing them as a threat display, but usually a particle projector (projecting particles calibre 9 mm) is preferred to actually biting some strange alien (you never know what you could pick up from one of those! Yuck!).
However... eventually the inevitable happens and hilarity ensues. Think of a first contact type scenario with the PCs part of the crew ...
I play WtA so I'm used to changing at will. Society wise Werewolves would planetary raiders. That's me acknowledging CE alignment. If I go with how I normally play werewolves, they would be similar to the Klingons.
if light off the moon affects them, I could imagine deep space colonies of cursed repentant lycanthropes, who live so far from the sun that they never fear changing against there will. Like the ousters of Hyperion, but also werewolves.
Still requires being PlanetSide. Doubt being out in space would have the same effects.
Maybe there's a special mineral buried on the moon that alters the spectrum of sunlight. If the space werewolf is exposed to too much at once (say during a full moon) the lycanthropy triggers. The tainted light might be imperceptible to anyone else without technology...
The space werewolf probably also goes full tilt if they approach too close to a 'tainted' moon or planet--even in crescent phase, the were is exposed to enough 'bad moonlight' to trigger.
Lycanthropes could get along in 'encounter suits' with filtered glass, maybe. Such as if they absolutely had to venture onto the surface of the moon from underground, and all nearby lunar terrain is bathed in sunlight and reflecting the tainted light onto the werewolf.
Werespacewhales are the worst.
Maybe there's a special mineral buried on the moon that alters the spectrum of sunlight. If the space werewolf is exposed to too much at once (say during a full moon) the lycanthropy triggers. The tainted light might be imperceptible to anyone else without technology...
The space werewolf probably also goes full tilt if they approach too close to a 'tainted' moon or planet--even in crescent phase, the were is exposed to enough 'bad moonlight' to trigger.
Lycanthropes could get along in 'encounter suits' with filtered glass, maybe. Such as if they absolutely had to venture onto the surface of the moon from underground, and all nearby lunar terrain is bathed in sunlight and reflecting the tainted light onto the werewolf.
Having that mineral can also make drugs that can chemically induce change. Said mineral can be highly addictive so spotting a person jonsing for a hit of "bad moon" or "blood moon" can lead into interesting story arcs in itself.
Tainted moons and planets I'd run like I would Daemon worlds. Encounters every five minutes with op foes. To me it sounds like cursed lands, best way to survive is avoid or batten down the hatches.
Filtered glass, sounds like a way a starship or space colonies defense when orbiting a planet to cut back on chance exposure.
I'm more partial to Weremoo or were-raven but hey, why limit it to 'just wolves'?
Any lycanthrope could be susceptible, why not?
The moon mineral would be a real nuisance if you had to explore somewhere where it was in abundance. You couldn't use a daylight-producing spell or magic item because it might trigger someone's lycanthropy or attract lycanthropes because of the tainted light you'd be reflecting off the ground all around your light source. Even underground or indoors this could happen.
Any lycanthrope could be susceptible, why not?
The moon mineral would be a real nuisance if you had to explore somewhere where it was in abundance. You couldn't use a daylight-producing spell or magic item because it might trigger someone's lycanthropy or attract lycanthropes because of the tainted light you'd be reflecting off the ground all around your light source. Even underground or indoors this could happen.
That's why I prefer changing at will.
All this discussion reminds me of a hypothetical campaign idea I floated at one point, but never got around to.
In such a scenario, there'd be 'Balance' for the first time in a long time, between the Weaver, the Wyld, and the Wyrm. The conflict would arise not from that, but from 'those who are from old Earth' and 'those who are new Earth' as they attempt to reconcile with a world where there is no Veil or Delirium...