The Snarkology Paranormal Blog Hop || Werewolves: Man or Monster?

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For as long as man has had conscious thought there has been a fascination with the supernatural. Vampires, fairies, witches, sprites and werewolves are just a few of the creatures that populate stories dating back to our oral tradition. What many people fail to realize is the fact that people were tried and executed around the world for lycanthropy, (being a werewolf) in much the same manner as witches and in some places vampires.

Since stories of the werewolf are so widespread and begin before written records were kept it is impossible to pinpoint the exact time or story that started it all. However, you can get a sense of where and why such stories may exist in the first place.

Wolf Connection

Throughout the world, there are stories of creatures able to transform into animal forms. If you look at the myths and legends, you will find areas a huge range of stories about humans changing into hyenas (Africa), tigers (China) and foxes (Japan).

Early civilizations were primitive and did not afford the protections we enjoy today, which means if wolves were present people lived in constant danger. In some areas, it has been said villagers commonly awoke to find the fields strewn with body parts of neighbors and friends. Grizzly scenes such as this were likely fodder for the imagination and resulted in a variety of werewolf story beginnings.

Man’s Base Nature

It has been hypothesized by some that the idea of the werewolf came about to explain the baser nature of humanity. In fact, in the 16^th century teenagers who wandered around breaking curfew and getting into trouble on the island of Guernsey (off the coast of France) were referred to as werewolves. The fact that some would disguise themselves as animals to travel to different communities likely fueled the stories of real werewolves, and it is probably no coincidence that we are talking about adolescence.

Think about the transformation that takes place during puberty. Young men and women experience both physical and psychological transformations, over which they have no control. Is the myth of the werewolf simply a way to understand the human struggle to come to terms with and overcome a more primitive nature? One other interesting tidbit is the lunar shifting. It is commonly held that a female truly begins her journey to womanhood with the onset of menstruation, a monthly occurrence. Is it significant that many times in folklore the werewolf transformation occurs on a full moon, which occurs monthly?

Side Note: The moon has a 29.75-day cycle, which means occasionally there are two full moons in one month. The second full moon in one calendar month is a Blue Moon.

Historical Cases

You would be hard pressed to find someone who has never heard of the witch trials, but very few are aware of similar trials conducted for werewolves during the same time period. (16^th century) It is estimated that between 1520 and 1630 AD some 30,000 people were accused or admitted to being a werewolf. A common practice during these trials was to cut the suspect and peel back the skin to determine if fur were concealed. It was believed that werewolves changed from wolf to human and vice versa by turning their skin inside out.

We may never know the names of every person executed for lycanthropy but there are a few cases that were prominent enough to make it into the written record:

• Werewolf of Dole- Guiles Garnier: In 1574, Garnier was burned at the stake for being a werewolf. He was a hermit living in the area where a number of children had been attacked and devoured. As many as 50 villagers testified at his trial to his various crimes as a wolf and after subsequent torture on the rack, he confessed to all and was sentenced to death.

• Werewolf of Bedberg- Peter Stubb: Germany in 1589 gave us the case of Peter Stubb (multiple spellings of the last name) a man accused of killing for over 25 years in the form of a wolf. There is precious little left save a sensational pamphlet that accuses him of lycanthropy and incest. Once put to the rack Peter admitted to a string of gruesome murders, including that of an infant he fathered with his daughter and that he had made a pact with the devil who gave him a belt allowing him to transform. Peter’s subsequent death sentence was as ghastly as the accusations against him. First he was lashed to a wheel, flesh torn from his body, arms and legs broken and finally beheading.

• Hans the Werewolf-Hans 1651: Around Estonia, there were numerous witch and werewolf trials, most of which included tortured confessions. Not so, with Hans the werewolf an 18 year old who readily confessed and claimed the condition was transferred to him via a bite from a man in black.

These are but a few stories of real life people who were summarily executed for the crime of lycanthropy or being a werewolf.

King Lycaon

Zeus turning Lycaon into a wolf, engraving by Hendrik Goltzius.

The most popular stories about werewolves are those derived from myths, legends and stories from around the globe. It is through these the common characteristics of the werewolf begins to grow and evolve.

Perhaps the first written story about werewolves is The Metamorphoses by Ovid. This ancient Roman myth was penned in 1 AD and tells the tale of King Lycaon who was transformed into a wolf as a punishment from the gods. According to the fable, Jupiter had heard the cry about the evils of mankind and had descended from heaven to determine the truth for himself. During his journeys, he comes to the realm of King Lycaon, where the people are quick to offer adoration. Apparently this did not sit well with the violent king so he devised a scheme to prove whether the visitor was indeed a god or merely human. Lycaon killed and cooked a hostage hoping to bring about the downfall of Jupiter. For his crimes against divinity, Lycaon was transformed into wolf form where he could continue his violent proclivities in a form where such behavior was acceptable.

This ancient myth may be one of the oldest recorded stories, but it is nowhere near the only one:

• Native American- Wisakachek was a spirit god who lived in the woods and shifted regularly to wolf form. He gave the gift of the wolf to two Fox Indian boys who had graciously shared a meal with him. 

• Underworld- One very popular modern story is found in the Underworld series of movies. In this depiction, vampires and werewolves share a common ancestor. Alexander Corvinus was the lone survivor of a deadly plague, but the virus imbedded in his genetic code. He passed the dormant virus on to his three sons, of which two were bitten one by a bat and the other by a wolf. Hence the creation of the two immortal lines.

• Faeries, Witches and Shifters- modern fiction has suggested that werewolves are the a type of fairy (Lost Girl TV series), witches or simply shifters. 

Werewolf Trivia:

The facts about werewolves will vary depending on the originating myth, but here are a few of the most popular beliefs:

• Transmitted via a bite from a werewolf.

• Can be a curse for bad deeds or reward for good.

• Silver may kill or merely impair a werewolf.

Wolfsbane AKA Aconitum

• Wolfsbane is an irritant to werewolves that may repel them. Long ago, toxins were extracted from the plant and used to kill wolves.

• Werewolves are born via a mating including at least one werewolf parent.

• Deals with the devil can garner a belt which allows shifting to wolf form.

• Supernaturally strong

• Uncontrollable rage when in wolf form

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Hunger Moon by Melissa Snark

A Victoria Storm novel

#2 Loki's Wolves series

Genre:  Paranormal/urban fantasy

Published April 25, 2013

ISBN-10: 1492107581

ISBN-13: 978-1492107583

Amazon ASBN B00CJ1D1BI

Blurb:

Victoria Storm faces seemingly insurmountable odds to keep her dwindling pack of werewolves alive and together. She fights hunters- including the brother and father of her deceased lover-and the pack takes another devastating loss. When they seek sanctuary in a small town near Lake Tahoe, high in the secluded Sierra Nevada Mountains, Victoria discovers they are infringing on the territory of a vastly more powerful Alpha wolf. To save her pack, she uses her feminine wiles to seduce the Alpha. Nothing comes easily for Victoria. Her plans are complicated by the Alpha's erratic son, a ghostly wife, and a vengeful witch. Not even her status as a Valkyrie or the favor of the Goddess Freya can change the course of destiny for Victoria or her packmates.

Excerpt :

Victoria felt him before she saw him. His power washed over her with the force of an incoming tide, as dark, mysterious and unstoppable as the ocean. Her wolf rose to answer his in instinctive response, defiant and determined. She challenged his power and altered the irresistible flow so it passed around rather than over her. Before she reached the office entrance, the male werewolf responded to her presence and surged to his feet. He rounded the desk, demonstrating extraordinary grace and strength, and she braced for a physical confrontation. He dwarfed her in both height and weight.

As soon as their gazes met, they locked in a dominance contest. His narrowed eyes pierced hers; the light-pigmented brown irises were the color of honey and eclipsed the whites and round black pupils. Wolf eyes.

Victoria did not approach with her head low or avert her gaze. Instead, she challenged him outright, radiating defiance, posture stiff and erect. While they faced off, she regretted the tactical error, but it was too late to rescind. Her stubborn pride permitted no retreat, and it went against her nature to submit.

"Let's take this outside where there are no humans to bear witness," he said in a deep, resonant voice she found appealing.

Aroused, her wolf took an immediate interest in him as a fine, fit male animal. For the first time, Victoria noticed his physical appearance, and her wolf found him more than acceptable. She estimated his age as being in his late thirties. He in no way suffered for the smattering of silver hairs that peppered his dark head. He was a perfect specimen of a man.

Distracted, Victoria broke eye contact, but not to submit. She ran her gaze over his body with blatant approval, lingering on his broad shoulders and chest, muscular arms and legs. He wore a tailored navy suit with a light shirt and dark blue tie. From the way his clothing fit, there was not an ounce of spare fat anywhere on him.

His features possessed splendid symmetry, though a silver scar on his right cheek marred his perfection. The shape of his brow, nose, and lower face hinted at a distant Roman heritage. High cheekbones alluded to his Nordic blood. He cleared his throat, and Victoria scented both his arousal and amusement.

"Did you come to challenge me, or do you have something else in mind?"

His devilish smile hinted at a sense of humor, and Victoria seized on the opening. A ballsy gamble carried inherent risk, but her initial inept blundering had left her with no other graceful out. Her eyes rose to meet his once again.

"I am Victoria, daughter of Adair and Katherine, High Priestess of Freya, Lady Valkyrie, shaman, and healer," she said, making her boast. "I am also the Alpha of my pack, and I am seeking a mate. I have come to assess whether you would make an acceptable suitor."

"You're kidding." He registered surprise and disbelief.

Victoria arched her brow. "I am not."

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Author BIO

Melissa Snark is a paranormal and romance author with a particular interest in werewolf and Norse mythology. Her Loki's Wolves series combines elements of both in a contemporary fantasy setting. She lives in Northern California with her husband, three children and glaring of cats.

Where to find Melissa on the Internet:

Website

The Snarkology

Email:  melissasnark at gmail dot com

Facebook

Twitter: @MelissaSnark

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a paperback of HUNGER MOON by Melissa Snark! 

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Things that go bump in the night! || Vampires || The Mythology of Blood Suckers

“No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and dear to his heart and eye the morning can be.”
― Bram Stoker, Dracula

History of Vampires

Vampires have captured the imagination for hundreds if not thousands of years. While most people today believe vampires, werewolves and other supernatural creatures to be nothing more than stories and myths, there was a time when corpses were staked and people were executed for being a vampire. If you have always wondered where the stories come from, you are not alone, and while it is difficult to pinpoint the very first belief in vampires, we can construct a bit of a timeline of sorts from the different creatures that culminated in the modern day vampire.

Upir- 1047 BC

What may be the first reference to vampire type creatures is the Upir, first found in recorded history around 1000 BC. Upir’s originated in ancient Russia and other Slavic countries. One notable difference between these and later vampires is the fact that they were not affected by sunlight.  These bloodthirsty creatures could walk about in the daytime and were thought to be people who had committed atrocious sins and rejected Jesus Christ.

Since they had rejected Christ, they were considered damned by the Orthodox church and could not be buried in the church graveyard. They were also believed to be servants of the devil who would imbue them with immortality.

Things that go bump in the night! || Ghost Stories || The Mythology of Restless Spirits

Do you believe in ghosts?

Since man first drew breath, there has been the inevitability of death, which means stories about what happens to the spirit after death have probably been around for just as long. A discussion on the history and different types of ghost is interesting to say the least. Whether you enjoy a typical campfire story about ghosts or really get into paranormal research, you should find the following interesting.

Early Stories of Ghosts

One of the earliest written records of ghost stories comes to us from Pliny the Younger, a noted Roman author from the first century. In his famous letters, he describes a specter of an old man with a long beard and rattling chains who haunted his house in Athens.  As the story goes, anyone who passed the night in the house would be tormented by the sounds and visions of the haunting. Even after awaking from slumber, they would be plagued by terrible visions that had come to them the night before. Apparently the spirit would inspire nightmares and hallucinations.

Finally, it was decided the home was uninhabitable and condemned though some held out hope that a tenant could be found who would not mind the apparitions. Enter Arthenodorus, young philosopher visiting Athens and seeking a place to stay, at first, he was taken aback by the cheap price but once he learned the back-story he was actually looking forward to the opportunity.

His first night in the house he determined that he would not pay attention to noises or visions and would throw himself into his work to block it all out. As the night wore on the noise came closer and closer until the old man and his chains were standing close enough to touch, beckoning with one finger. Arthenodorus motioned to the ghost to wait just a moment and then followed the spirit. He was led the courtyard where the spirit promptly disappeared, so he marked the spot for examination the next day. When the area was excavated bones wrapped in chains were discovered, removed and given a proper burial. The ghost was now at rest and haunted the residence no longer.

Ghost Categories

Engraving of the Hammersmith Ghost, Kirby's Wonderful and Scientific Museum (1804)

There are many different types or categories and even more subcategories of ghosts. As a rule, however, most hauntings or ghosts will fall into one of the major categories, which include:

Intelligent- Contrary to popular belief this is considered a rare type of haunting. Intelligent ghosts are spirits of people who have departed this world and for whatever reason their spirit remained behind. There has been a lot of speculation about whether these spirits are dangerous or evil, and though there is that possibility they are not inherently so. Whatever character or personality the person had in life will translate to the type of spirit they leave behind.

Residual- This could best be described as a psychic impression or like a video loop. You might see what look like specters or ghosts going about their business or even experiencing a traumatic event, however rather than interacting with the living or making unpredictable movements, they will simply repeat the same scene over and over again.

Poltergeist- A haunting of this nature is what most people think of when it comes to ghosts. Flying dishes, banging doors and levitating furniture mark the spot of a poltergeist haunting. It is important to note that many experts in the field are beginning to believe poltergeist activity is less about spirits or ghosts and more of a psychic phenomenon where a living person in the residence is moving objects around via telekinesis.  If this is truly the case, it might be time to think up a new name for the “hauntings” as poltergeist is German in origin and literally means noisy ghost.

Demon Haunting- Whether you can group demonic activity and ghosts in the same category may be debatable in some circles, but when you look at their characteristics it is not a big leap. Even defining a demon becomes a matter for discussion as you have many myths, legends, folklore and religious references to them. For lack of a better explanation, demons are spirits that can affect the living. In the modern world, they are generally considered completely evil in nature and only have one goal in mind, which is the physical and or spiritual destruction of humankind.

*NOTE: In early times, demons were not necessarily seen as evil, but could be either good or evil. The word itself is defined in Homer’s works as “a power that accompanies man and hands out destiny”.

Pop Culture

One of the most popular television shows about ghosts today is Supernatural, and though the idea of ghost, ghoul and supernatural creature hunting is a bit far-fetched, they have depicted some interesting ideas about ghosts. Here are a few of the more memorable ghosts:

• Lady in White- the spirit of a woman who has lost or been betrayed by her husband or fiancé. Legends about these ghosts appear around the world and she is often thought to be a harbinger of death.

• Vengeful Spirit- this is the spirit of a person who suffered some major wrongdoing during their lifetime and have returned from the afterlife to exact revenge. The idea of a vengeful spirit is not unique to the television show; in fact, they are popular in many different cultures.

• Specter- often hideous in appearance, these are ghosts that appear because their final resting place has been disturbed. Grave robbery, desecration and premature burial are good examples.

What's your favorite ghost story? Leave a comment!

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THE CHILD THIEF by Melissa Snark

A Victoria Storm novella

#1 Loki's Wolves series

Genre:  Paranormal/urban fantasy

Published:March 17, 2013

Amazon ASBN B00CJ1D1BI

ISBN 9781301101122

Blurb:

Valkyrie Victoria Storm has werewolf hunters hell bent on revenge trying to kill her. She can barely keep her own downtrodden pack alive, let alone respond to the pleas of a murdered mother.  Can she set aside her differences and work with her sworn enemy to save a little boy from a Christmas nightmare?

 

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