[Formendacil]

While recently delving through some obscure First Age manuscripts, I came across the mention of a "were-Warg". What with all the popularity of the Werewolf games of late, I decided to do more research on this subject, and present my findings here.

"Werewolves" are, in fact, a phenomenon which is related to the great Wargs of yore. The modern perception of them as rabid biters is a flaw of their true purpose.

There are, in fact, not werewolves in real life. No, this popular image is a distortion and a mixing of WereWargs and werelyenas.

The werelyenas more greatly resemble werewolves of the two. Werelyenas are people who have been bitten by another werelyena (usually rabid), thus making them a werelyena. To be a werelyena is the greatest misfortune that may befall a man (or Elf!) without killing him, for once a month he is forced to transform into the most hideous of nature's beasts.

A WereWarg, on the other hand, is a very different phenomenom. A WereWarg is a Man, Elf, Hobbit, or Dwarf who has been selected by the Wargs for a very rare honour. A WereWarg is a Man (etc) who has been given the power by the Wargs to become one of them at times.

There are several great figures of history that appear to have been WereWargs. Among these are Finrod Felagund- who as a result of his Warg-given translation abilities was able to befriend Men. Another famous WereWarg was Elendil son of Amandil. It was clearly the fact that he was a WereWarg that saved him from Sauron whilst in Numenor, and helped him to defeat Sauron and overthrow him. Alas that Isildur was not a WereWarg as well...

The third known WereWarg lived in the late Third Age, and was, in fact, Samwise Gamgee- who resisted the temptation of the Ring of his own will, and stoutly survived all the dangers of the road, while supporting the Ringbearer.

Sadly, there are also some known cases of werelyenas. Eol the Dark Elf was bitten as a child, and his evil disposition and ill effect on his son were clearly derived from this. Also a known werelyena was Khamul the Easterling- who accepted his Ring of Power in hopes of escaping his curse. The Ring was unsuccessful of course, and all that happened was that at times Sauron had a Black Lyena instead of a Black Rider.

Other cases are referred to in the text, but not given by name. Possibly, while I am in Europe, I shall have the opportunity to research some of their texts and learn more- possibly about WereWargs, or maybe another facet of Warglore.

~Warg Scholar -

Formendacil~