Without further ado,
Common Werewolf Myths and how they correlate with The Tempering by Adrianne James
There are a few basics about most supernatural creatures that we all know or wish to believe. Some authors have shunned these details to the side in favor of their own mythology. I am one such author. Let’s take a look at the basic werewolf mythology and The Tempering mythology side by side, point by point.
Werewolves can be killed with a silver bullet
Reasons behind the myth: Silver is identified with the moon and therefore is ideal to slay a creature transformed under the light of the full moon. The bullet can penetrate fast and from a distance. Anything closer and the person doing the killing wouldn’t have a chance.
The Tempering: Silver has no effect on Werewolves. Bullets have little effect unless shot into the head. Even then, it only stops the wolf long enough for the body to push the bullet out and heal itself. Werewolves can only be killed by vampire bites or decapitation.
Werewolves only appear during a full moon
Reasons behind the myth: Long-running superstitions about the full moon's effects on animals and people.
The Tempering: If a Werewolf is a born wolf, they can change at any time after they reach maturity but must change with the moon. A bitten wolf can only change at the full moon until they have control of their wolf selves. For most bitten wolves, this can take many years.
Werewolves revert back to their human selves at sunrise
Reasons behind the myth: If the moon forced the change, the absence of the moon would revert it.
The Tempering: Bitten wolves change back at sunrise. Born wolves have the choice of when to change back.
A human must be bit to be a Werewolf
Reasons behind myth: Because Werewolves are seen as half human half wolf, the common thought is all Werewolves started as a human.
The Tempering: Werewolves can be bitten or born. If a Werewolf comes from a line of werewolves, there is no need to be bitten. If the Werewolf’s mother and father both carry the Were gene, the child will be a Werewolf. If the mother is a Werewolf, but the father is not, the child has a 50% chance of being born a Werewolf. Otherwise, a human can be bitten and turned if they do not die before the process completes.
A Werewolf is half human half wolf, resulting in a monster like creature.
Reasons behind myth: Fear. Humans are fearful of what they do not understand, therefore making Werewolves into monsters.
The Tempering: Werewolves take on the appearance of very large wolves. They are beautiful, strong, and have piercing yellow-green eyes. Born Werewolves eyes are only this color when they are in wolf form. Bitten Werewolves lose their human eye color and always have this hue, whether in human form or wolf form.
Vampires and Werewolves are mortal enemies.
Reasons behind myth: Every living things needs another living thing to be able to kill it.
The Tempering: This one fits. The Tempering Werewolves can only be killed by a vampire bite or decapitation. A Werewolf bite can kill a vampire. For this reason they avoid each other at all costs.
Check out Adrianne on her website: http://adriannejames.com/ and be sure to read The Tempering, the first novel in the Mackenzie Duncan series. The Tempering - Goodreads
Before I go, I wanted to share a picture of me "bitten" courtesy of Adrianne James.
I may not be the most photogenic, but I am definitely digging the eyes. They almost make up for the whole wolfing out thing, right?
Have a great day, although you might want to stay inside tonight...