The Basics
Nomenclature: All shifters, regardless of species, are referred to in general scientific parlance as lycanthropes and in conversational use, shifters. The slang term 'lyc' is a slang term considered more or less derogatory. Shifters, and more thoughtful humans, refer to themselves as Bears, Wolves, Cougars or Cats, always capitalized in print. Some species have special terms they use only among themselves. When referring to the nonshifter variety of their animal, most shifters will use the term bestial wolf, bestial bear, etc.
The first few shifts for an infected lycanthrope will be painful and perhaps terrifying, but even so, after a few months, the process becomes as natural as going from a walk to a run, or moving from sleep to awareness. At first for the infected, there's a period of lassitude and exhaustion afterwards, but that state quickly passes as the body adjusts to the virus' unique demands.
Of lycanthropes and umbilici: An interesting quirk of lycanthopy is whether or not a shifter has a belly-button. Purebred lycanthropes never do. Those who have a human on some branch of their family tree may or may not, depending on the luck of the genetic draw. Hybrids, those first-generation offspring of a nonInfected human and a lycan always have a navel, though their offspring may or may not. Shifters who were humans infected with the virus keep their original umbilicus, whether innie or outie.
The first few shifts for an infected lycanthrope will be painful and perhaps terrifying, but even so, after a few months, the process becomes as natural as going from a walk to a run, or moving from sleep to awareness. At first for the infected, there's a period of lassitude and exhaustion afterwards, but that state quickly passes as the body adjusts to the virus' unique demands.
Of lycanthropes and umbilici: An interesting quirk of lycanthopy is whether or not a shifter has a belly-button. Purebred lycanthropes never do. Those who have a human on some branch of their family tree may or may not, depending on the luck of the genetic draw. Hybrids, those first-generation offspring of a nonInfected human and a lycan always have a navel, though their offspring may or may not. Shifters who were humans infected with the virus keep their original umbilicus, whether innie or outie.