Wolfwere

A wolfwere is the opposite of a werewolf: as a werewolf is a man that transforms into a wolf or a hybrid man-wolf form, a wolfwere is a wolf that transforms into a man or a hybrid form. The term "wolfwere" originates in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, but the general concept is not unique to that game.

In popular culture
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, a "Wolfwere" is a wolf who polymorphs into a quadrupedal human shape and a humanoid-wolf hybrid, often retaining the bipedal stance. It is a completely different creature from the lycanthropic werewolf. Wolfweres are a distinct species, whereas werewolves are created from the spread of the magical curse of lycanthropy. Wolfweres typically transform from their wolf form to their human or hybrid form on a day when a moon is not present. Wolfweres have appeared in numerous Dungeons & Dragons video games. In the Ravenloft campaign setting, a wolfwere is one of the setting's Darklords.

In Werewolf: The Apocalypse, the Lupus breed of Garou (werewolves) are similar creatures. They are born from the union of a werewolf and a wolf. They are born as ordinary wolves, and will eventually go through a change in which they gain human intelligence and the ability to shapeshift from wolf to human and various states in between. This concept was scrapped when Werewolf: The Apocalypse was ended and replaced with Werewolf: The Forsaken, a similar game with a new setting and new rules.

The character of Brother Lupin in the Discworld novel Reaper Man is also a wolf who transforms into a human, although the book refers to him as a "wereman".

In the Peter David novella "Howling Mad", the main character is a wolf, who after being bitten by a werewolf, is able to transform into a human.

In the book River, the main character is a wolf, who after being bitten by a human, becomes human herself.

Notes and references

 * Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume One (TSR, 1989).