Lycanthropy has always captured the imagination of human minds since the dawn of time. This is no different for The Elder Scrolls franchise. Werewolves are a rather common phenomenon in most fantasy settings and The Elder Scrolls video games have done a great job of putting their own spin on the classic creatures.

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But with adaptations come changes, not all of which are obvious. With that in mind, here is everything any fan should know about werewolves in Tamriel.

10 Children Of Hircine

Elder Scrolls Daedric Prince Hircine with Stag Head Standing in Twilight Sky over Mountains and Forests Hands Outstretched

Werewolves were created by the Daedric Prince known as Hircine. His domain includes the realm of manbeasts and the act of hunting, both for sustenance and the thrill of it. He is actually one of the more openly worshipped Daedric Princes due to hunting being important commerce in the quotidian as well as the plethora of werewolves and other such creatures that seek his guidance/favor.

It is not necessarily known why Hircine created manbeasts, but given what he values, it was probably in aims to create the ultimate predator.

9 The Disease: Sanies Lupinus

Elder Scrolls Online Leaping Werewolf Attacking Woman Warrior Nightime

The disease of Lycanthropy itself is known as Sanies Lupinus in The Elder Scrolls universe. It can be transmitted through a bite or through the willing donation of a werewolf's blood to another party to ingest, as seen in Skyrim.

The effects of the disease do vary from game to game, but the main consistency is that it grants the player the ability to transform into a werewolf as well as granting increased strength and stamina. Some known drawbacks are not being able to gain a proper night's rest ever again and, in previous games, players were affected by bloodlust that would slowly harm them while in beast form unless they killed something.

8 Found All Over Tamriel

Elder Scrolls Concept Art Werewolf On All Fours In Long Corridor Khajiit Chasing With Torch

Werewolves and the condition of lycanthropy are not exclusive to any certain groups of people on the continent of Tamriel. Werewolves have appeared as members of every race from Argonians to Wood Elves, meaning they can be found all over Tamriel.

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This makes their presence similar to vampires in the idea that they can hide in plain sight, striking anyone they please if given the proper opportunity. A truly frightening prospect to say the least.

7 Weakness To Silver

Elder Scrolls Skyrim Dwarven Armored Warrior Wielding Silver Sword Daytime Forest

Like the werewolves of real-world myths and legends, werewolves in the world of Elder Scrolls seem to have a weakness in the precious metal, silver. But unlike real-life lore, where there exists a plethora of reasons as to why silver, in particular, is harmful to werewolves, the lore in Skyrim is relatively silent about the matter.

As far as anyone can tell, silver just has a magical, or otherwise, property about it that makes it deadly to werewolves. The name of a werewolf hunter group known as The Silver Hand, only further confirms this.

The silver sword featured above is a mod called "Witchers Silver Sword" by modder, kimono.

6 The Glenmoril Witches

Elder Scrolls Skyrim Hagraven in Camp Misty Day Bonfire Mointains

In Tamriel, there exists a coven of witches that was first formed in Glenumbra in High Rock. Now, they have various chapters that persist across the continent. Supposedly, this coven worships Hircine as a kind of patron to their work, and as such, the Glenmoril Witches are always sought out in matters of curing vampirism or lycanthropy.

Because of their extensive lore on the subject, they are actually the only known source for any cure for lycanthropy. The cures have varied from game to game, so there is yet to be one canon remedy.

5 A Cursed Slumber

Elder Scrolls Skyrim Riverwood Concept Art Nighttime Child Running Werewolf On Roof of Inn

Another negative consequence of possessing the power of one of Hircine's children is the loss of peaceful sleep for the foreseeable future. Werewolves suffer from a condition called "restless sleep" and it is described as werewolf blood boiling from the need to constantly hunt prey.

Sleep can still be achieved, but dreams lead to thrashing and kicking during slumber. Within the game, the negative consequence of this comes in the form of no bonus experience gained from restful sleep. Not an awful detraction, but noticeable all the same.

4 The Eternal Hunt

Elder Scrolls Statue of Hircine Wielding Two Spears Flanked by Two Wolves Daytime

Not all consequences are perceived as negative, and perhaps the one that sparks the most debate among werewolves is what happens to their souls after they die. Werewolves souls belong to Hircine and their afterlife consists of participating in back-to-back hunts that never end, serving as fellow hunters to their lord, Hircine.

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Some zealous lycanthropes revel in the glory and the killing that comes with their blessing, so they gladly accept this fate. Others, however, like Nords who wish to reach Sovngard one day, fear the idea of such a fate their curse gives them and usually choose to try to cure their condition before their lives end.

3 Relationship With Vampires

Elder Scrolls Skyrim Side By Side Photo of a Werewolf and a Dark Elf Vampire

Because of the hidden and possible omnipresent threat that both werewolves and vampires create for the denizens of Tamriel, it is no wonder that they are just as vilified as their blood-sucking compatriots. However, this does not intrinsically imply that the two are allies in their exile from society. Vampires are proud people and usually turn their noses up at the prospect of just being near a creature like a werewolf.

Some werewolves share this attitude, of course, but not as a whole. In this way, the two are natural rivals and will not hesitate to attack one another in the wild, especially since one can no longer infect the other with their respective diseases.

2 Not All Are Unfriendly

Elder Scrolls Skyrim Companions Hall Jorvaskrr Interior Skjol In Hide Armor

But within all groups, it is important to remember to see the individuals who each have desires, goals, and feelings of their own. The same is true for werewolves. Some people just live with the curse/blessing as a part of themselves, choosing seclusion and aiding others with their abilities if they can.

Perhaps the most notable and organized example of friendly werewolves is the Companions of Whiterun in Skyrim. They are an ancient order of warriors that help the innocents of Skyrim who cannot defend themselves. At some point in their history, the leadership of their order contracted lycanthropy, and now the highest-ranking members of the group, known as the Circle, are composed of werewolves who still help people, but now with the gifts given to them by Hircine.

1 There Are Eight Different Shifters

Elder Scrolls All Shifters Werewolf Wereboar Werevulture Werecrocodile Werebat Wereshark Werelion Werebear

Lastly, werewolves are not the only shifters to exist in Tamriel. Hircine is the Father of Manbeasts, not just werewolves, after all. As of this writing, there are a total of eight known shifters that are children of Hircine and only three have ever appeared physically in an Elder Scrolls game.

They are (from left to right in the above image): Werewolves, Wereboars, Werevultures, Werecrocodiles (pictured above as a Daedroth), Werebats, Weresharks, Werelions, and Werebears.

The only three to appear in the games are werewolves, werebears, and werebats. All others pictured above were created through the aid of mods. Creators included are SpikeDragonLord, jboyd4, RustyShackleford69, and Dogtown1.

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