Werelupes - Neopia's Fear and Awe

The Two Main Stories on Werelupes:

In this chapter, I will describe how there are two main theories on the evolution and characteristics of werelupes. There are more, but these are the ones which are most gossiped about all over the streets of Neopia.

The Scientific Explanation and Evolution of Werelupes:

This is the most scientifically and historically proven idea on how werelupes evolved. However, something deep down inside you wants to believe in the much more eerie tale…

A long time ago, when most of Neopia looked much like that of Meridell, Neopians went into a sort of phase of make-believe. Neopians were terrified of things such as witches, wizards…and werelupes. Back then, there was no cure to diseases, so many poor Neopets had to suffer. One of these diseases (an extinct disease which your neopet can no longer catch) was one that made your neopet produce an extra amount of fur. Some poor Neopets were doomed of this disease because it was passed down through the family. Anyway, many Neopians, unknowingly, took the poor Neopets for monsters, otherwise known as werelupes.

Nobody in the whole of Neopia can explain how werelupes evolved other than the story above. However, few Neopians believe it. They have a small urge deep down inside of them to believe what cannot be explained…

The Basic Folktale on Werelupes:

This is the story in which most Neopians believe. Yes, the more eerie and frightening version that keeps most Neopets, young and old, from falling asleep peacefully at night. This small section will be very brief because I will discuss certain parts in depth later on in this article.

A werelupe is created when a Neopet is bitten (or in some rare cases scratched) by another werelupe. Once a full moon has lit the haunted sky, the Neopet who was injured by the werelupe begins to transform and morph hideously into a Werelupe. They then give a long, eerie howl to let other werelupes know of their presence. After that procedure is done, they bound off into the woodland at a fast lope, searching for others to make part of the ever-growing Werelupe clan.

That story is what is keeping most Neopians (including me) terrified of werelupes. Even though that is scary enough, there are many more fearful aspects to the Werelupe. Read on, reader, read on…

Describing a Werelupe:

In this chapter, you will find out how to correctly identify a Werelupe, not only by its appearance, but also by its personality. This knowledge is here to let you know a werelupe when you see one, if you ever see one.

Appearance:

Below you will find a basic diagram of a regular werelupe. Below that you will find out what each body parts’ importance is to the werelupe.

    Ears:

The ears of a werelupe are specially designed so that the werelupe can hear his/her comrades from over a mile away. The ears are not very good at picking up sounds close to the werelupe, such as a rustle in the bushes, but can pick up sounds from far away beautifully, such as the hair-raising howl of another werelupe.

Nose:

A werelupe’s nose is quite small and is not of much use to a werelupe, which is kind of strange seeing that a regular Lupe’s nose is extremely important.

Eyes:

The eyes of a werelupe glow a luminescent green. This might seem unusual at first, but actually the glow in a werelupe’s eyes makes it incredibly easy for the werelupe to see in the dark. This is extremely important because werelupes only come out at nighttime.

Mouth:

The mouth of a werelupe supplies many sharp teeth, which specialize in ripping and tearing. You may also notice the two large fangs hanging from the upper mouth, which are very good at tearing larger objects. This is useful because a werelupe’s main diet is meat. If meat becomes scarce, a werelupe may turn to insects such as Spyders and Slorgs, but usually the werelupe can hunt down something nice and meaty.

Fur:

A werelupe’s fur is not sleek like a Lupe’s, but rather coarse to the touch and mangy. The cause of this is the werelupe’s almost constant moving, and since the Haunted Woods is littered with shrubs, the werelupe’s fur often gets snagged. Also, a werelupe’s fur is NOT waterproof, so you probably will not see any werelupes in water on your nighttime travels.

Claws:

The claws of a werelupe work much like the teeth do, as they specialize in tearing things apart. Even though the claws can rip, they are a bit bulky, making it hard for a werelupe to run (see Feet).

Clothing:

The clothing is not important to the werelupe, however it symbolizes the body. A werelupe’s clothes (if any) are usually just pants. The cause of this is during a werelupe’s transformation, the chest widens, popping the shirt off. If the transformation does not remove the shirt, the scraggly brush will soon. Even a werelupe’s pants don’t stay on for long considering, again, all the brush they must travel through.

Tail:

The tail of a werelupe is not of much use to the werelupe at all.

Feet:

The feet of a werelupe hold gigantic claws, making it very difficult for the werelupe to run. Instead of running like regular lupes do, a werelupe tends to lope, which is sort of like an awkward gallop on all fours.

Personality:

A werelupe’s personality is quite different from that of a regular Lupe. Not only does the transformation that is made under a full moon change the neopet’s body, it also changes their mind.

A werelupe’s main habitat is the Haunted Woods. Some have been known to travel north into Neopia Central, causing panic, chaos and havoc. Even though accidents do happen with werelupes traveling into unwanted places, a werelupe would much rather not get into them. Surprisingly, a werelupe is actually very shy when it runs into something, but very deadly and angry when something runs into it. Another adjective that a Neopian might describe a werelupe as is awesome. Even though they really are awesome and powerful creatures, their strength and ability to give someone an avatar makes them well sought after. As mentioned above, a werelupe will become dangerous when something runs into it, and it will do what it has to to get rid of the intruder (This is beginning to wander off into a different section, which you will read next).

Werelupes in Captivity:

This is a very brief section and is actually not needed in the article at all, but I want to tell you for the sake of werelupes everywhere.

Werelupes are very much sought after for their awesome strength and their ability to give lucky users an avatar. Because of this, roughly about 50-100 werelupes are captured and kept as pets every month. This is most unfortunate for the werelupe because once a werelupe is captured, it can never again return to its original form. This puts the werelupe into a sort of depression, in which the werelupe refuses to eat or sleep. At night, the werelupe will howl at the moon. The once powerful creature turns very weak over the days that it has been captured, almost like it doesn’t want to live anymore. And it doesn’t. If the werelupe is not released, within a mere two weeks, the creature will die out of pure depression.

That is why it is very cruel to keep werelupes in captivity. Many werelupe owners also become heartbroken at the loss of their “pet”, but it is really their own fault. Werelupes should be free, and remember, werelupes do change back to their original form when dawn breaks.

Werelupe History

Little is known about the history of the werelupe, but I will try to summarize important facts as best I can.

This may not be true, but it is a sensible legend that the very first werelupe was the Werelupe King. Not much is known about this strange being from the past except that it was he who started the age of werelupes. Obviously, he bit one werelupe and then the never-ending chain started of werelupes biting and making new werelupes.

I apologize for lack of information, but like I said before, not much is known.

Werelupe Attacks Survival Guide:

This is probably the most important section in this entire article. In this part, you will find out how to prevent werelupe attacks and what to do if you encounter one.

How to prevent a werelupe attack:

Here are some safety tips well worth the reading.

• When hiking in the Haunted Woods, always walk with parties of three people or more.

• Try to avoid hiking in the Haunted Woods on the night of a full moon.

• Never even pretend to howl like a werelupe, as a werelupe will respond to the call and come looking for you.

• When walking in the Haunted Woods, keep up conversation or sing a song. A werelupe will be less likely to go near someone who is making a ruckus.

• Carry some sort of object (such as a Light Faerie Mushroom) that is bioluminescent (gives off some sort of light). Werelupes are terrified of light.

What to do if you run into a werelupe:

By following the tips above, this should probably not happen, but just in case, read this part carefully.

• Don’t make eye contact. The werelupe may take that as a challenge.

• Don’t make any sudden movements. The werelupe may seize an opportunity to strike.

• Bring out your bioluminescent object. It is most likely the werelupe will shrink back.

• Curl yourself up into a small ball on the ground. Chances are the werelupe will think you are dead and lope away.

• Whatever you do, DO NOT RUN! The werelupe can and will run faster than you. If the werelupe does lunge at you, try climbing a tree because werelupes can’t. However, make sure it is a sturdy one; the werelupe may start to attack the tree.

What to do if you have been attacked by a werelupe:

If you have been bitten, you are completely hopeless. However, if you have been scratched, bandage the wound with some cloth torn from your shirt. Then, rush as hurriedly as possible to the nearest hospital. The doctor there may find an antidote for your wound. However, antidotes for werelupe wounds are very rare, so the doctor may not have any. If that is the case, the only thing for you to do is wait. The only thing that will decide whether you are a werelupe or not is a full moon.

So do you? Do you think about werelupes in a whole different way? Of course you do. I hope this article has expanded your knowledge of this fascinating and awesome creature. This powerful creature. This frightening creature. This absolutely wonderful creature. The werelupe. And before you leave, I want to say one more thing: Do not deny fear of the werelupe; only a fool is not afraid.

Author’s Note: This is my first Neopian Times article, so I hope you enjoyed my first attempts as a writer. This was a very hard article to write, as I personally had to conquer my own fear of werewolves (werelupes should I say) in order to write this. I never worked on it at night because I would always be too scared. I love Neomails, so please send me one, even if it’s not about my article!