#legends;

The variations of transformation that Moontouched are inflicted with depend on one thing: consent. If done willingly, the most common way(or seems the most natural, depending on who one asks) seems to be to get on all fours, and shake themselves like a dog would to shed water. On the other hand, if the transformation is forced, it is thus significantly more unpleasant. Bones creak and stretch in order to accommodate the sudden changes, much like those typical of Hollywood. 

Phrases of note;

— moontouched: a term used amongst werewolves to describe werewolves.

— feral: similar to its regular context, but used by moontouched who prefer human society in reference to those who have rejected it. 

— waggers: as in the wagging tail of a dog; a term used by moontouched who have reject human society to refer to those who stay.

Werewolf culture has long been divided on the appropriate course of action for their kind: Is it safer to blend in with human society, or to reject their human parts and focus solely on the wolf, or even still, is it yet wiser to toe the line between both? Many(underground and not publicly available) books have been published debating the necessity of having the freedom to choose one or the other, or both. “Surely,” one text reads, “is it not preferable to cling to the simple life of a Wolf, where one’s concerns encompass only the day to day?” This sentiment is echoed by a significant portion of the population wherein once they reach adulthood, they abandon the trappings of human society altogether and form packs of their own, or join those preexisting. In cases where such Moontouched return, they are often unable to assimilate properly into human society once more, having retained more wolf mannerisms than human. 

While there is such a divide, both groups agree that secrecy is the of the utmost importance; were main stream society to become aware, Moontouched individuals would come under pressure to either leave, use their abilities for the benefit of the masses, or be abhorred as vile things that should not exist and thus be exterminated. In either cases, these are things the majority of Moontouched want to remain as they are; fears of events that will never be. 

Physiology:

“Also known as aconite, monkshood, wolf's bane, leopard's bane, mousebane, women's bane, devil's helmet, Queen of all Poisons, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly native to the mountainous parts of the northern hemisphere, growing in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows. Most species are extremely poisonous, and must be dealt with carefully. The name comes from the Greek ἀκόνιτον, which may derive from the Greek akon for dart or javelin, the tips of which were poisoned with the substance, or from akonae, because of the rocky ground on which the plant was thought to grow. The name may reflect that toxins extracted from the plant were historically used to kill wolves, hence the name wolf's bane. In Metamorphoses, Ovid tells how the herb comes from the slavering mouth of Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the gates of Hell. As the veterinary historian John Blaisdell has noted, symptoms of aconite poisoning in humans bear some passing similarity to those of rabies: frothy saliva, impaired vision, vertigo, and finally a coma. Thus, it is possible that some ancient Greeks would have believed that this poison, mythically born of Cerberus's lips, was literally the same as that to be found inside the mouth of a rabid dog.”

“The wild plant (especially the roots and root tubers) is extremely toxic. Severe aconite poisoning can occur after accidental ingestion of the wild plant or consumption of an herbal decoction made from aconite roots. In traditional Chinese medicine, aconite roots are used only after processing to reduce the toxic alkaloid content. Soaking and boiling during processing or decoction preparation will hydrolyze aconite alkaloids into less toxic and non-toxic derivatives. However, the use of a larger than recommended dose and inadequate processing increases the risk of poisoning.“  (source)

How Poisonous, How Harmful?

“The principal alkaloids are aconite and aconitine. Of these aconitine is thought to be the key toxin. Ingestion of even a small amount results in severe gastrointestinal upset but it is the effect on the heart, where it causes slowing of the heart rate, which is often the cause of death.

The poison may be administered by absorption through broken skin or open wounds and there are reports of florists being unwell after working with the flowers but there are no documented cases.

Its distinctive taste makes it unpleasant to eat so accidental poisoning is extremely rare but not unknown. The taste is described as initially very bitter followed by a burning sensation and, then, a numbing of the mouth.” (source)

Toxicology

Marked symptoms may appear almost immediately, usually not later than one hour, and "with large doses death is almost instantaneous." Death usually occurs within two to six hours in fatal poisoning (20 to 40 mL of tincturemay prove fatal). The initial signs are gastrointestinal including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This is followed by a sensation of burning, tingling, and numbness in the mouth and face, and of burning in the abdomen.  In severe poisonings pronounced motor weakness occurs and cutaneous sensations of tingling and numbness spread to the limbs. Cardiovascular features include hypotension, sinus bradycardia, and ventricular arrhythmias. Other features may include sweating, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, headache, and confusion. The main causes of death are ventricular arrhythmias and asystole, paralysis of the heart or of the respiratory center. The only post-mortem signs are those of asphyxia.

There is a legend that says if a person is conceived on the night of a full moon, they will become a werewolf; while this is true, it’s not as large of a window as one might think. The full moon only lasts a few minutes, that is, a full moon being when the Moon is at 100% illumination. Thus the amount of werewolves in modern society is significantly small. It can also be a hereditary condition, but this is exceptionally rare, and almost unheard of. 

Packs do not exist within human society; humans afflicted with lycanthropy are essentially left to fend for themselves, which often leads to an unfortunate end. 

Support groups have been created, but they are difficult to find in rural and urban areas alike, due to the use of obscure and varying code words. 

Lycanthropes can either change at will, or are forced into their wolf form on the night of the full moon; this depends entirely on how often they’ve changed willingly. 

For example, if one changes about once every two weeks, the forced change will not occur. Anything less will result in a forced change.   

Changing back can sometimes be a problem; if the individual is agitated(anxious, upset, etc.), transforming back into a human is more difficult. In reverse, extreme states of emotion are capable of triggering a transformation, so it is advised that the individual remain in control of their emotions. 

typically, most are not in control of themselves while transformed, and most who are aware of their condition take necessary precautions to ensure they do not harm others. This is also subject to someone’s moral code. 

Additionally, aconitum (aka wolfsbane) can be consumed to force a wolf back into a human, but this is fatal.