W is for Were garous

Were garous - diverge from the cliché

Warhammer and the Old World setting uses werewolves and other wolf based shapeshifters a lot. As already mentioned this is related to the overrepresented wolf in the Empire. So let’s focus on more various and rare were animals, beast garous and shapeshifters.

The moot have a very old legend about an halfling farmer. He cared so much about his giant rabbits that during an orc raid he gave his life to protect them. Or that’s what neighbours say as his body was never found. The field was filled with the eviscerated bodies of two orc bands. Since that day, when the area is attacked by orcs or bandits, an hooded halfling always warns the invaders to leave or die. All laugh at him before being killed by a giant were rabbit of doom laughing back.

The imperial regions bordering Kislev have tales of bear based shapeshifters. They are sometimes good or evil beings. Either as Ursun blessed or cursed. They are omens from the father of bears and a reminder of the powerful nature of these sacred beasts.

The swamps and marshes surrounding Marienburg are areas filled with legends of men that can shift into one eyed crocodile. Once they are seen as man, then as the mist rise they become furious warriors killing whole village.

Tilea and Estalia have legend of fox shifter, most of the time beautiful women with an urge to steal from the rich. Or at least that’s the explanation given by several victims after realizing the larceny. To their defense, beautiful women were seen in the area or even invited in the house.

Using existing background from Warhammer or other RPG allows plenty of alternatives to werewolf. Here are more ideas to use:

  • Were goose or were duck can strike fear with ease.
  • Were platypus are war machine of mass destruction.
  • Were beetle of radiant blue or armored were bat as defender of the peasants.
  • Were shark related to the cult of Stromfels.
  • Were elks or were beaver related to the cult of Taal.
  • Were wolverine as avatar of frenziness.
  • Extend with your own ideas
-JMT

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