Painting by Keith Parkinson.
I have always had a fascination with werewolves; and since I was young I'd always watch classics like The Wolfman and the cheesy horror movies like Silver Bullet. Lycanthropes, or werecreatures are humans that have gained the ability to shape shift into a beast from the result of the disease known as lycanthropy.
These creatures appear are a normal human but later have subtle physical and behavioral traits in association with the animal. The full moon may increase these creatures ravenous side but it is merely their animalistic feast within them that drive them mad and are soon over taken with fur and piercing fangs. Once a human's state changes to the beast, it looses it's human tongue and a strong craving for for fresh meat overtakes them.
In order to kill a lycanthrope, these creatures can be harmed by using a silver weapons, magic or the plant known as wolfsbane. Contact with this plant will stop the beast and send it the other way; but if you are infect you will become a lyncanthrope within a few days or to a couple of weeks; it depends on the victims health varying the first stages. Magic can be used before the disease has fully taken over the body, but the cure can often times be long sought out and expensive according to person's time they have left.
This engraving depicting a werewolf attack. "The Werewolf Delusion" by Ian Woodward.
The lycanthropes disease is feared in most cases, but the Druids, who worship nature, embrace this curse. Druids live to maintain a balance amongst nature within themselves and live for the devotion to communicate with plants and animals. Some even look towards lycanthropy and infect themselves purposefully.
Lycanthrope Reliquary created by Leila Marvel. ©All Rights Reserved 2007.
Being drawn to these dark creatures I like to intertwine my inspirations into my assemblages, whether be film, folklore or even music. Two of my all time favorite songs "Killer Wolf" by Danzig and Motorhead's "In the Year of the Wolf". My Lycanthrope Reliquary is one piece that holds some inspiration of the tales and films about werewolves. It is made from an antique glass dome that holds relics of dried animals fur, a fabric plant that resembles wolfsbane, a crucifix and a painted silver bullet. It also reads the famous quote from the Wolfman film "Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers at night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright." I recently just listed this relic in my etsy shop Red Heart 13, it was one of the pieces that was featured in my art show back in October and November. You can also find my Dracula Reliquary in my shop as well, it has the same matching glass frame. These pieces are perfect for anyone who loves these creatures of the night or who are into old classic horror films like me.
REFERENCES: Lycanthropes. Creatures of Chaos: A Selection of Creatures from Fantasy Realms. www.nascr.net/~jcburd/index.html
Werewolf. Wikipedia
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