Environment any land
Organization solitary
Treasure none

Beings of pure malevolence and destruction, vilkacis arise from the souls of the most desperate and brutal werewolves as spirits burning with the need for bloodshed and vengeance. Specters of savagery escaped from remains tainted by lycanthropy, vilkacis desire to wear mortal flesh and again revel in the vicious ecstasy of hunting and killing. Some see these beings as malign manifestations of the lycanthropic curse—the spirits of the infamous affliction itself—while others know them as the deathly continuance of lives consumed by lycanthropy. In either case, these ravenous spirit-beasts seek only to garb themselves in the skins of deadly hunters and revel in bloodshed once more. Vilkacis typically look like more savage versions of the werewolves they were in life, appearing in their hybrid forms with exaggerated fangs and claws.

Ecology

Although a vilkacis exists only in a spectral form, its canopic stone permanently binds the spirit to the Material Plane. So long as the stone exists, the creature remains stuck between life and death, its spirit strangling on its own rage.

When a vilkacis seizes possession of a victim, the host takes on an altered appearance ref lective of the beast within its body. The victim undergoes severe physical dysmorphia. Musculature enlarges, posture becomes stooped, and hands curl into gashing claws. The face takes on a bestial appearance. The victim’s jaws extend and grow into jagged, wolfish fangs, while the brow thickens and the pupils widen to black pools that radiate a mad, feral stare. In this state, the vilkacis-possessed creature froths with the curse of lycanthropy and can pass the curse on as though it were a werewolf. Although such a possessed creature might pass on the infamous disease, its own transformation typically lasts only a matter of hours. A vilkacis is ever searching for stronger and more vicious hunters to use as tools in slaking its eternal bloodlust; if it finds a particularly promising host, it might visit and possess the favored body again and again for its rampages.

Habitat & Society

Vilkacis most commonly appear in areas where human settlements border or stand within wildernesses. While they are commonly associated with werewolves, the folklore of many nomadic and nature-worshiping societies contains stories of creatures whose descriptions bear strong resemblance to vilkacis. Most haunt the territories where they were created, staying within range of their canopic stones, and hunting within the lands they prowled in life. However, those with the ability to summon vilkacis usually attempt to direct them toward specific prey. This often proves a dangerous or even fatal proposition, however, and few reports exist of anyone successfully mastering a vilkacis.

Creating a Vilkacis

While many vilkacis spontaneously arise under the light of the full moon from the remains of the most savage werewolves, some foul spellcasters seek out the corpses of such bestial murderers, attempting to enslave their spirits and harness their capacity for brutality to fulfill the spellcasters’ dark whims. To do this, a spellcaster must prepare a canopic stone, a talisman that typically takes the form of a ceramic totem or amulet bound in silver. Upon creating this object, the bearer can summon a vilkacis once per day. The stone grants no control over the vilkacis, but the creature will not attack or attempt to possess the stone’s bearer. Upon being summoned, the vilkacis turns its attention to the nearest creature other than the summoner, attempting to possess the creature’s body and go on a murderous rampage. Using a canopic stone to summon a vilkacis is considered an evil act. Although many vilkacis are purposefully created and employed by evil spellcasters, some manifest spontaneously. These beings wander and rampage as they please, but still are bound to a talisman similar to a canopic stone. This spontaneously created artifact can be utilized by those who discover it and discern its importance in the same way as can a canopic stone created specifically to summon and control a vilkacis, and typically takes the form of the dead werewolf ’s skull, the silver weapon that killed the werewolf, or a talisman it bore in life.