Check out our recent addition to the bestiary of The Last Molfar project. This time we present you Vovkoblud (Ukrainian 'vovk' 'вовк' = 'wolf' + 'blud' 'блудити' = wander). Here is some lore:
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With piercing gaze and bone-chilling howls, these massive predators possess an uncanny intelligence, outshining their kin. Vovkobluds can lead packs of wolves, wreaking havoc on livestock and whole villages.
One cannot be born as vovkoblud but can willingly transform into one. It is said that a person needs to slay a wolf with bare hands, craft a belt from its hide, inscribe it with runes and say a spell. The dark ritual requires intense concentration from the craftsman. Wearing such a belt on the full moon transforms them into large beast, while dawn restores their human form. However, any mistake or negligence during crafting, and the person will be trapped forever in the wolf form, gradually losing touch with their past self.
Spending a lot of time in wolf form sharpens the person’s instincts and senses, making them a formidable opponent even when in human form. Molfars employ elixirs and spells to mask the scent and hide from acute vision. They try to lure out vovkobluds far from the pack before starting a battle. Alternatively, molfar can try to persuade the vovkoblud’s human form to put a locking charm on the belt and burn it at midnight in the forest. The person must voluntarily agree to perform this ritual and resist the desire to wear the belt again. Although first, molfar must determine who among the villagers is a shapeshifter.
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Previous posts about The Last Molfar project bestiary:
Lisovyk
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/6Nb51V
Likho, Chort and stork spirit
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/9NVr6v