Caledon's Lycanthropes

Outcasts?

Lycanthropy?

Zuo Si's mind immediately recalled Epke's description of the various factions in Caledon during their meal a few days prior.

He had briefly mentioned lycanthropes.

As the name implied, they were a special group capable of transforming between human and beast forms.

However, unlike the natural shapeshifting of Druids, they were often afflicted by curses or infected by a supernatural curse known as "lycanthropy."

And this terrible curse was highly contagious.

Once bitten by a lycanthrope, no matter how minor the wound, the curse would enter the body through the wound and permanently transform them into one of their own kind within a short period.

Most importantly, this transformation was almost irreversible.

Once a lycanthrope, always a lycanthrope, and it could even be passed down to descendants.

It was precisely because of this astonishing contagiousness that as long as a lycanthrope continuously bit ordinary people, they could quickly form a large and uncontrollable lycanthrope tribe, posing a great threat to surrounding villages and towns.

On the Faerun Continent, the vast majority of cities were extremely hostile towards lycanthropes, prohibiting them from approaching densely populated areas.

Some extreme rulers even issued decrees stating that once a lycanthrope was discovered, they could be captured and burned to death without mercy, no trial needed.

Caledon was considered a city with relatively high tolerance for lycanthropes, with no large-scale hunting of them.

But similarly, lycanthropes received no legal protection whatsoever.

They weren't even qualified to be slaves, merely struggling to survive as a marginalized, special group.

Their social status was likely even lower than the "untouchables" at the bottom of the caste system in a certain South Asian country.

Among them, the ratfolk were one of the most numerous and relatively well-organized lycanthrope groups.

These giant rats, who were about the same height as normal humans when transformed, accounted for eighty percent of the total lycanthrope population, with rumors of over a thousand dwelling in the sewers.

As for other lycanthropes, such as werewolves and catfolk, their numbers were only around one hundred to a few dozen, or even fewer.

Zuo Si was undoubtedly quite interested in the lycanthropy curse, so after briefly considering the potential risks, he immediately spoke and instructed, "Bring them over."

"Huh? What? Are you sure!"

The waiter, holding a stick, was instantly stunned.

In his entire life, this was the first time he had ever seen someone willing to let these dangerous "outcasts" approach them.

Even the soldier couldn't help but advise, "Master, they are very dangerous."

But Zuo Si shook his head dismissively, "It's alright. They are just children who haven't received any professional training, I don't think they can pose any threat to me. Quite the opposite, I think they are quite interesting research subjects."

"Alright, I hope you are right."

The soldier decisively chose to obey the will of the summoner and beckoned to the startled children, "Come over here! Master wants to see you."

Perhaps it was their extreme hunger that made the children lose their vigilance, or perhaps they were already accustomed to being ordered around.

In any case, not a single one chose to flee or resist. They obediently followed the soldier into the inn, forming a circle around the table, staring at the leftover dishes emitting an enticing aroma.

A younger child couldn't resist reaching for the food several times, but was stopped by the gaze of the oldest girl.

It was clear they were together, possibly even from the same lycanthrope tribe and clan.

To confirm this, Zuo Si moved his used cutlery aside and said directly, "Don't be shy, eat. All the food on the table is yours. After you finish, I have some questions for you to answer."

"Thank you!"

The eldest girl lowered her head and bowed with awkward movements, then picked up a plate and distributed the fish and oysters to her younger companions behind her, one by one.

The bread was also carefully torn into similarly sized pieces, and the meat soup was passed back after each person took a spoonful, ensuring everyone got a taste.

Although every child looked extremely hungry and ate ravenously, The entire process of sharing and eating was orderly, with no chaos or snatching.

Undoubtedly, this basically confirmed that these young lycanthropes, referred to as "outcasts," were definitely from the same clan.

Only through the strong bonds established by blood relations would all members remain united and help each other when starving and freezing.

Although there were many leftovers on the table, they were clearly far from enough to fill the stomachs of eight hungry children.

In a very short time, they had devoured everything edible, including the soup at the bottom of the plates, leaving them so clean they barely needed washing.

The leading girl licked her lips, still wanting more, and raised her head, her large black eyes fixed on Zuo Si as if awaiting his questions.

She knew very well that for lycanthropes like herself, there was no such thing as a free lunch in the world.

Even the Paladins, who claimed to uphold kindness and order, rarely showed even a shred of sympathy towards lycanthropes.

Therefore, whether it was food, a safe place to stay, or clean drinking water, payment was required to obtain it.

"What is your name?"

Zuo Si asked a relatively insignificant question first.

He could see that these children were generally hostile towards the outside world.

Especially the older ones, their eyes revealed a ferocity unsuited to their age.

At this point, it was best to first find a way to lower the other party's guard.

Otherwise, it would be difficult to get any useful information.

"Fangas, my name is Fangas."

The girl spoke a name that didn't surprise Zuo Si at all.

Of course, if it could even be considered a "name."

Because the word meant "fang" in the Common Tongue.

However, considering that lycanthropes were a group living on the fringes of society.

Residing in sunless sewers.

They had no opportunity to receive an education.

Every single one of them was illiterate.

It wasn't strange for them to give children names like "Fangas," which sounded more like nicknames.

In fact, many formidable thieves in Caledon would change their names to homophones of certain words.

For example, "Fade" (disappear) or "Celest" (silent), to showcase their mastery in their professional fields.

Although he hadn't been on the Faerun Continent for long, Zuo Si had already encountered many strange and peculiar names and was accustomed to them. He simply nodded slightly, "Alright, Fangas.

Tell me, what kind of lycanthropes are you and your kin?

Why would you risk being driven away or even killed to come to the surface to find food?"

The girl lowered her head, seemingly considering how to answer these questions.

After about two to three minutes, her frail body suddenly began to swell.

Her skin, pale and sickly from a lack of sunlight, quickly sprouted a large amount of black fur. Her mouth protruded forward frantically, revealing a row of sharp teeth like those of a canine.

Her hands and feet completely transformed into claws, and a furry tail even grew from her backside.

A werewolf!

Zuo Si recognized which type of lycanthrope the girl before him belonged to with just a glance.

No wonder all the children had been so orderly during the meal distribution earlier, with the younger ones obeying the older ones.

Werewolves, like wolves, possessed a strong sense of pack mentality and an internal hierarchical system.