Did You Know? Krynn and Lycanthropes

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Did you know that in the Dragonlance setting there are no lycanthropes?

True. They were left out of all stories and adventures in early editions and later in the 3.5 Dragonlance DM screen supplement it was officially stated that they didn't exist. I've searched, but have failed to find a justification for this.

In my own head, I wrestled with the concept of lycanthropes, especially with regard to being affected by the moon.

Except on Krynn there isn't "the moon", there are "the moons". My first thought was that lycanthropes would be associated with the moon that matches their alignment. Since most lycanthropes are evil, that would mean association with Nuitari. Not a problem so far... except that Nuitari has a full moon that lasts 2 days, every 8 days. If you go with the idea that a full moon forces a transformation, then a lycanthrope transforms almost twice a week. I can image it would be very hard to hide something like that in any civilized setting for any amount of time. The end result is that lycanthropes would have been exposed early and rendered extinct before growing in large enough numbers.

So then I decided I really wanted lycanthropes, especially wererats, so I came up with a few other ideas. One was a new race, ratlings, that were basically wererats but a true race and not a cursed one.

Then I came up with my latest rationalization. Instead of a lycanthrope's transformation being triggered by the moon matching its alignment, all lycanthropes are affected by Solinari, the white moon mostly aligned with good. Since lycanthropy is seen as a curse, these cursed creatures are more affected by the pure light of good than the moon matching their alignment.

Why Solinari? First, because it is aligned with purity, which would be the antithesis of these cursed creatures. Second, Solinari has a 39 day period. Extrapolating the Earth's moon with its 28 day period and 3 days as a full moon, the 39 day Solinari period should have 5 days as a full moon. Five days every month and a half? A lot easier to conceal your transformations than twice a week.

So that's my head cannon.

If you want to hear more discussion about creatures not native to Krynn (including drow and orcs as well as lycanthropes), check out Dragonlance Canticle Episode #110

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