Lycanthropy

Disease: Henson’s Disease (Lycanthropy)
Type: Retrovirus, 1 type known, moderately mutagenic
Description: Hexagonal virus, unsheathed, <>

Symptoms: People affected with Henson’s disease exhibit increased physical attributes, including but not limited to: higher muscle to body mass ratio; realignment of muscle mass to the upper arm, abdomen, and upper leg; prolonged and protruded canines, from 4-7 mm; increased average speed; increased lung capacity; increased aggression; increased tolerance of high oxygen levels in the blood and muscle tissue; increased production of hair over the body and face. People affected exhibit sensitivity to the lunar cycle, including but not limited to: increased need to be part of a pack, mob mentality, increased aggression, high need to hunt by scent on foot, need to ingest raw meat.

First Documented Case: Historical accounts of attacks by people bearing typical symptoms of the disease around 300 b.c.

Cure / Vaccine: No known cure or vaccine

There are five strains of the virus currently recognized: Siberian, East Siberian, Russian, Ukranian, and Asian. See later posting on Lycanthropy Strains for further information.

Related Documentation: OFAR genes and traits

Three genes within the human genome cause exhibition of Henson-like symptoms, but bearers have no trace of the disease. The X-41 gene is an OPERON, turning on the OFAR gene, of which there are both dominant and recessive traits. The X-41 gene is also linked with high resistance to acquiring Henson’s Disease, as persons having the X-41 gene alone still have a high resistance to Henson’s disease.

Bearers of the OFAR dominant gene, or Fr gene, exhibit increased physical attributes, including: higher muscle to body mass ratio; realignment of muscle mass to the upper arm, abdomen, and upper leg; slightly prolonged canines, less than 3 mm; increased average speed; increased lung capacity; and increased tolerance of high oxygen levels in the blood and muscle tissue.

Bearers of the OFAR recessive gene, or fr gene, exhibit increased sensory stimulation, including: increased ability to see in the dark caused by changes in the percentages of rods and cones in the eye; increased sense of smell, more like that of a canine; and increased hearing, including a stronger ability to hear sub- and super-sonic tones. Bearers of the OFAR gene without the X-41 gene show no Henson-like symptoms or high-resistance to acquiring Henson’s Disease.

Meet the Character -- Lowell

Name: Lowell Theron

Age: 30 Sex: Male

Family: Twin sister, Lyka; Father, Willis (location unknown)

Strain: East Siberian

Infection Level: Stage 1 infection (Less than 1 month, hasn't moonlit)
Race: Caucasian Height: 5'9" Weight: 169 lbs.

Eyes: Dark green; rounded eyes, not too close set

Face: Slightly hairy eyebrows, close set but separate; pug nose, lips turned slightly downward, but can give a wide grin; fairly average facial structure

Hair: Light brown; short cut, but wavy when allowed to grow long enough; does not touch the ears

Body: Medium tanned skin; clean shaven usually; not too muscular, rather like a tennis player's physique; has a mole at the base of his neck on the right side

Lowell is a major secondary character, at least at this point.

Lowell is a French version of Lovel, meaning wolf cub. Very fitting, if you keep in mind that he is infected with Hensen's disease within the first chapter of the book. He is basically the visualization of the changes that take place when someone is infected with lycanthropy, and he is new, hence he is a cub. His last name, Theron, as we already know, means hunter. What is he hunting? Or is it just a hand-off name from his sister, the heroine of the book? One must wait and see to find out... muhahaha.

Lowell is in love at the beginning of the book with Suzanne, a childhood friend from who's engagement party the twins had just left. He works as a lawyer 'up North,' and is pretty opposite from Lyka in many respects. He doesn't work with nature, so doesn't admire it, isn't curious about it, and doesn't want to have much to do with it. His protective nature for his sister is what gets him hurt in the first chapter, but it is still up in the air whether it was actually his fault or his fate. We will have to wait and see.