Author Topic: Werewolves and silver  (Read 9353 times)

Tails1879_

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Werewolves and silver
« on: July 29, 2012, 04:40:17 AM »
So Neutral_Zone and I started discussing the effects of silver on werewolves in general. We know that in D&D, silver weaponry bypasses the damage reduction on werewolves in combat, but another question came to be: What are the effects of silver when it is merely touched by a werewolf, such as silverware and jewelry?

Digging around online commonly mentions an allergic reaction, ranging from weakening and burning to possibly outright killing the werewolf just by touch. D&D doesn't seen to clarify the actual effects, except that it, again, bypasses DR. It's apparently regarded that in combat, a weapon that doesn't bypass the DR is simply a hastily healed wound, meaning silver has a strange property to prevent this healing factor when used. It doesn't clarify the non-combat effects of this exposure, just that there is some sort of allergy to it.

What do you think this allergy is? Does it burn? Poison? Cause a rash? Nothing? It must have some sort of effect if it can disrupt their damage reduction. I would like to hear some opinions on it.
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fealhach2008

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2012, 07:51:40 AM »
If there was a werewolf in my pnp campaign that insisted on wearing something silver, I'd probably suspend its DR until the item was removed; much like evil/good characters losing a level while wielding certain good/evil items.

I'm a harsh DM.

Neutral_Zone

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2012, 11:29:54 PM »
We were thinking more RPwise rather than mechanic-wise. The game is pretty clear on the latter.

tsunami282

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2012, 02:52:20 AM »
I've always figured that silver reacts with the lycanthropy virus to kill it. And of course silver has long been known to disrupt magical energy. Some combination of the two would explain why it works so well against werewolves.

Also, silver reacts with components in the sweat of a werewolf to form an acid, which is why werewolves are burned by the touch of silver.
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Kattze

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2012, 10:11:21 AM »
I actually cant wear silver irl, so if you want a rp reaction to the material:

Skin goes red around the area of say, a ring, and your sweat turns green and almost a tarnished black mixed in as it begins to break down the ring's coating (because of the acid in your sweat). A rash will spread out and inflame the area.

If you want to go further as a werewolf id say the material might start biting into the flesh and create an open sore if not removed. Ever had a blister on your heel and been forced to wear shoes all day? Yeah that sucker is going to hurt.  Ij regards ti how fast this happens i think that is up to the roleplayer. A werewolf in human form may endure receiving a gift from someone unaware of their condition and wear it but would likely depart within the hour to remove it id say.
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Neutral_Zone

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2012, 12:24:09 PM »
That's actually a reaction to the nickel used in silver alloys, Kattze. It's commonly known as silver allergy because that's when it usually crops up. The black discoloration is the silver, though, but is purely aesthetic. As for the green, that could either be the nickel or copper. You shouldn't have any problem with pure silver, though that's too soft for most purposes (Sterling silver is not pure silver).

It could, however, still be a fair explanation. As to what the canon status of contact with silver on werewolves is, is still unknown, however.

I know that for my campaign setting, for werewolves I treat silver much like I would a heavy metal. So more or less, all the symptoms are similar to what one would experience from an excess of arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and other toxic metals. Brief skin contact is generally harmless, but extended contact can cause rashes, skin discoloration, and in extreme cases, necrosis. More or less, since the silver is a poison, instead of the werewolves having damage reduction, my werewolves have regeneration that is halted only by damage from silver weapons, much in the way fire or acid is required to kill trolls.

So a lycanthrope would be uncomfortable and perhaps hesitant about using a set of silverware, but a single meal wouldn't cause too much harm. Wearing silver, however, is definitely out of the question.

Kattze

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2012, 12:41:41 PM »
I know what it is. I just said i cant wear it.. And felt it was relevant to the question at hand >.> Way to get technical and make me feel self-conscious about my immune system!
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Sakes

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2012, 01:00:01 PM »
TIL Kattze is a werewolf.
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Neutral_Zone

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2012, 12:43:14 AM »
Aww, sorry Kattze! I didn't mean to make you feel bad.
If it's any consolation, you're not actually a werewolf! You can still wear pure silver stuff.
On a similar note, my optometrist says my sweat is like battery acid. I have to get plastic wraps on all my spectacle frames. >_>
All our immune systems have some weird quirk to them. (Allergies ftw?!!?)

FYI Sakes, Kattze is a fairy-godmother.

I also have a sort of thing where silver is magical, thus the reason vampires don't show up in mirrors, etc etc. This could also contribute to the werewolf's weakness to the metal. Really, it's up to you, Tails, on whether you want to give Sharon a crippling allergy to silver or not.

TheMadPoet

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Re: Werewolves and silver
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2012, 05:05:00 AM »
Also Lycanthropy is curse in d20 systems. Remove Disease or Heal will only remove the curse if it is within 3 days of the lycan attack. After that it needs remove curse or break enchantment.

I guess if you want to get REALLY technical lycanthropy is a magical curse... and thus you can treat silver however you want.  This is also evident in the fact the Curse of Lycanthopy is a Supernatural ability, rather than an extraordinary like a Dire Rat's Filth Fever. In all technicality you can keep yourself safe from lycanthropy with an anti-magic field. I personally treat silver as burning afflicted Lycans (like sunburn), and only mildly being uncomfortable by natural lycans. I can see a DM treating the curse as being so reactive to silver that it causes damage on mere contact. After all it isn't a disease... it's merely contracted in the same way.

Then there is this famous little biddy if you stick with Core Rules...

"Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character’s alignment to that of the appropriate lycanthrope."

Which of course for werewolves means... Chaotic Evil **evil laugh**

Though if my lore is what I think it is the worship of Selune can save a lycanthrope from forcing an alignment change. Though of course now Selune is your patron deity... and she's not nearly as fun as Shar or Malar.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2012, 05:11:52 AM by TheMadPoet »

 

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