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View Full Version : Lycanthropy in a world with two moons



MonkeySage
2016-08-09, 04:48 PM
Estion, my setting, has two moons. A large one with a 28 day cycle, and a smaller one with an 80 day cycle. Each moon has a spiritual aspect to it, the large one is good, and the smaller one evil. In particular, when the large moon is full and the small one is dark, good magical creatures enjoy the larger moon's blessing, while evil creatures get a special blessing when the small moon is full and the large one is dark. Variations occur when ever else the large moon happens to be full or the small moon happens to be full.

Anyway, with all this in mind, I'm wondering how lycanthropy might work with regards to both lunar cycles.

Because lycanthropes are not necessarily bound to any particular alignment in this setting, but they still have tendencies towards either good or evil. In fact, the goddess of werewolves is Chaotic Neutral.

MintyNinja
2016-08-09, 05:02 PM
Could you add an Aspect to the Larger Moon? Say something about revelations, truth, or clarity? Then you've got a reason for my real idea:

Lycanthropic changes are only tied to the Larger Moon, because it reveals their inner monster. The Smaller Moon could relate to specific cults or dark gods or something else entirely. You don't need to have this be common knowledge, as it's probably not easy to study, but having the gears mapped out for the background would make your job easier.

MonkeySage
2016-08-09, 05:58 PM
I like that idea. The spirit of the smaller moon has several cults, and is revered by evil conjurers. There are even rituals that can only take place when her moon is full.

bulbaquil
2016-08-09, 06:25 PM
An alternative idea, coming from someone whose own campaign setting has four moons:

Lycanthropy isn't necessarily tied to the full moon - either moon - but could rather be tied to an astrological phenomenon affecting both moons - say, their opposition (the good moon is on the opposite side of the planet as the evil moon) or conjunction (the moons overlap each other). Doing that could sometimes result in lycanthropes active during the day, since it is only a full moon that exactly corresponds with the nighttime hours.

(I personally took the boring way out and just chose a specific moon to tie it to.)

Grim Portent
2016-08-09, 07:16 PM
What I'm doing with Lycanthropes in a three mooned setting is tying them to one moons regular lunar cycle and also to a few special events that occur when the moons align in various orientations.

The three moons, Wind, Eye and Worm are the magically disembodied eyes of the Three Eyed King, who was/is the settings deity (and more or less evil), and who cast down the pre-human civilizations before being forced to discorporeate himself to preserve his own existence rather than be destroyed by powerful mages and monsters.

Lycanthropes are one of many phenomena tied to the Wind moon, along with unnatural weather of various kinds, fey incursions and similar relatively minor mystical happenings. The moon waxes roughly every 30 days and is active for three nights in a row, during which time werebeasts transform during the night and act as an aggressive animal, but not actively malicious or entirely non-sapient.

Every few decades the Wind moon aligns with one of the other moons for a period of several weeks, during which time the phenomena of both moons happen night and day until the alignment ends. During this time lycanthropes are forced into their bestial form and matching nature the same way they would be when the Wind moon is full on it's own other than being transformed by day as well.

Every few centuries all three moons align for a period of months or years, unleashing cataclysmic horrors into the world, as new lycanthropes spontaneously form, demons burst from the underworld, fey run rampant, magical powers bloom uncontrolled among the populace and general mayhem is unleashed. For this period all werebeasts are both transformed and actively malevolent, driven to kill, dominate and despoil, but also being empowered and granted greater strength and intellect in their monstrous state.



Basically my idea is that you should tie them directly to one of the two moons, preferably the one that waxes more frequently, but also tie them to various events such as lunar alignments, eclipses and any other event involving the relevant moon in any capacity.

TheYell
2016-08-09, 07:32 PM
somebody needs to check my math

if its 28 days for one cycle and 80 days for the seond they synchronize every 560 days - 20 cycles for the first moon and 7 cycles for the second moon

That's assuming one day for the full moon and dark moon.

I would give a good buff that occurs every 28 days on a full moon. And an evil buff that occurs every 80 days on a full evil moon. And then twice every 560 days you have small full large dark and small dark and large full, and I would have something really dramatic happen those days. Again thats assuming my math is right.

LibraryOgre
2016-08-10, 01:14 PM
Another setting (Kalamar) has 3 moons, and simply ties lycanthropy to one of them. However, your moons have a moral aspect, while lycanthropy does not (i.e. you don't become CE just because you're a werewolf).

Because of that, I'd say "Why tie lycanthropy to the moon at all?" Or, you could have lycanthropy not necessarily cause evil, but have it have a germ of evil in there, which grows strong whenever the good moon is waning while the evil moon is waxing... perhaps a modifier to whatever sort of control roll they have, depending on relative moon phases.

sktarq
2016-08-10, 07:55 PM
Options:

Good Moon Full-forced transformation and in control (or even enlightened in some way) while Evil Moon Full is a forced transformation and the classically murderous rage

As above but reversed - because it pushes back against the nature of the moon - the goddess of lycanthropy is just stubborn and contrary like that.

Different Strains of lycanthropy tied to each moon

Natural Lycanthropes tied to Good Moon while afflicted lycanthropes are tied to the Evil Moon

When born or infected the humanoid makes a will save-success they get to choose the moon fail and the evil one wins

Each lycanthrope is different depending on which moon was closer to full when they were infected.

Naturally tied to the Evil Moon but can be switched to the other moon via ritual or feat etc

Reaper34
2016-08-10, 07:56 PM
had a setting with 7 moons once. it was just flavor until one character wanted to be a werewolf. like yours no particular alignment shift except at first (learning curve for control during change. first few shifts alignment changed to nutral and animal instinct took over.) anyway due to me being bad at math (and too lazy to work out a lunar calender), i rolled precentile dice to see if the cumalative effects of any given night would cause a change, i also made an intelligence (later knowledge lunar cycle) check to see if he thought he would change and let him know if he "thought" he would change or he "thought" he would not change on that given night. made things interesting. i rolled the check for him so he was unsure if the roll was high or low to prevent metagaming.

JeenLeen
2016-08-11, 08:03 AM
I could see having the lycanthropes be impacted by both moons, and when transformed by the moon, they are good if the larger moon is full and evil if the smaller moon is full.
Not sure 100% how that would work out, and probably best if they can do a controlled, temporary shift when neither moon is full. Maybe the wax/wane patterns impact their personality but in ways they can avoid (like in 5e how half-orcs feel the call of Grummish (sp?) to evil), but it only really comes into swing during a full moon.

To be nicer to PC lycans, allow a Will save to not be influenced by the moon.

I admit it feels silly to think of people going into a near-bestial/mindless good 'rampage' under the light of the larger full moon.

Beleriphon
2016-08-11, 09:11 AM
Another setting (Kalamar) has 3 moons, and simply ties lycanthropy to one of them. However, your moons have a moral aspect, while lycanthropy does not (i.e. you don't become CE just because you're a werewolf).

"That's no moon..."

If you want crazy, Eberron has 12 moons (used to have 13). The general rule with Eberron is the werecreatures only turn when the moon they were originally created under is full. Of course its super fun when all 12 moons are full.

Temperjoke
2016-08-11, 09:10 PM
Depending on how technical you want to get, there are several points that you could define, based on status and a variable buff to their physical stats:

Large Full, Small Dark: good aligned lycanthropes get additional physical buff, evil lycanthropes unable to change

Large Waning, Small Waxing: good-aligned lycanthropes get 50% of the additional buff, evil can transform again

Equal Large/Small: both sides are normal strength

Large Dark, Small Full: good unable to transform, evil gets full buff

Large Waxing, Small Waning: good able to transform again, evil gets 50% of the additional buff

Large Eclipsed: all good lycanthropes become evil for the duration, evil gets 2x the additional buff

Small Eclipsed: all evil lycanthropes become good for the duration, good gets 2x the physical buff

But again, it depends on how technical you want to get with your moons' status and assuming they have an equal cycle.

Angelmaker
2016-08-13, 07:19 AM
Large Eclipsed: all good lycanthropes become evil for the duration, evil gets 2x the additional buff

Small Eclipsed: all evil lycanthropes become good for the duration, good gets 2x the physical buff

But again, it depends on how technical you want to get with your moons' status and assuming they have an equal cycle.

I seriously think changing alignments, especially of a player character is problematic, to say at least. Also, in terms of d&d absolute morality, here's a thing: an evil lycanthrophe becomming good: why wouldn't he kill himself under the influence of this alignment change? Overwelmt by guilt or just acknowledging that his curse will kill more people if staying alive and thus being selfish. Same with good aligned. At least they could reason that they chain themselfes to a wall for the duration of becoming evil.

In any case i think it's a bad idea.

Âmesang
2016-08-13, 07:27 AM
Oerth from WORLD OF GREYHAWK® has two moons; did any of the various publications go into detail regarding Luna, Celene, and their connections to lycanthropy?

Temperjoke
2016-08-13, 09:24 AM
I seriously think changing alignments, especially of a player character is problematic, to say at least. Also, in terms of d&d absolute morality, here's a thing: an evil lycanthrophe becomming good: why wouldn't he kill himself under the influence of this alignment change? Overwelmt by guilt or just acknowledging that his curse will kill more people if staying alive and thus being selfish. Same with good aligned. At least they could reason that they chain themselfes to a wall for the duration of becoming evil.

In any case i think it's a bad idea.

I was thinking more in terms of the classic evil twin scenario, or more for comedic effect. Like suddenly, the evil werewolves all begin performing community service, apologizing all the time, acting all nice and friendly, while the good ones suddenly start acting more selfish, picking fights with random people. I mean, jeez, not everything is life and death. If used correctly, it wouldn't be anything more than a one-shot campaign interlude. I mean, how often does a total lunar eclipse like that happen?