When werewolves bite humans, the bite can either kill or change them. In rare cases, some are immune to the bite, and experience neither. All werewolves transform between a human form and a werewolf form. The werewolf is a humanoid creature with fur, teeth, claws, and a violent streak. Without a mantra or anchor to help them control and prevent the shift, werewolves are dangerous, anthropophagic monsters. A mantra is typically a meaningful phrase; an anchor, an emotional memory. The full moon increases the power that the wolf has over the human. It makes it more difficult not to transform.

Werewolves form packs. The position of alpha is passed down upon death. An alpha may inherit, a beta may kill the alpha, or an omega may prove themselves under rare conditions and rise to power. Alpha claws can take memories or implant them with a scratch.. Alphas can call and control their betas. They are stronger and faster than betas. Omegas, left alone, are typically killed by hunters for killing and/or eating humans. If an omega is very lucky and clever, they can remain in hiding until a pack scents them.

Werewolves are part of a larger category of supernatural creatures typically referred to as shapeshifters. Shapeshifters are any creatures who shift between a human form and a different, humanoid form with non-human qualities, and can result from the bite of a werewolf bite. This includes werewolves, werejaguars, löwenmenschen, and kanimas.

Shapeshifters

Other supernatural creatures include werecoyotes, hellhounds, wendigos, banshees, and berserkers.

Kanimas, while similar in mechanism to other shapeshifters, only occur if someone turns and has hate in their heart and feels unloved, they may become a kanima. Kanima attach to the first person they see and kill that person’s enemies. They paralyze or kill with their venom, and are stronger and faster than humans. Werewolves can metabolize the venom more quickly with force of will.

Druids are humans who use natural materials to do magic. They can be independent, but more commonly gather in circles, or serve as emissaries between werewolf packs and human society. The tradition of emissaries has faded such that now they mostly serve between packs.

The alpha pack is a phenomenon where alphas killed their betas to receive power boosts, something which most werewolves do not know is possible.

All kitsune have a magical aura which is their fox spirit. Kitsune have an aversion to dogs and wolves. Coyotes and foxes are more palatable. This applies to the shapeshifters related to those canines. Each type of kitsune has its own foxfire, granting them unusual abilities. The kitsune struggles to understand wordplay and other tricks, although it has a love of mischief and chaos itself.

-A newly turned beta, a rogue alpha, a string of murders, an unsolved arson case, and a family of werewolf hunters- it's a surprise only seven people die.

-Several newly turned betas, a rogue omega, a rogue alpha, a string of murders, a weird reptile monster, and a family of werewolf hunters who are giving up on their traditional code- it's not a surprise that way more people die.

-A pack of alphas, a string of murders (/human sacrifices), and an omega learning to be an alpha- plus an alpha learning to be an omega- many, many people die.