Weres

Weres are a sub-species of man and beast that is easy but dangerous to create. Any determined mage may learn the technique, though its practice is uniformly forbidden. The process involves grafting a beast to a human's soul. Usually this makes victum beastial, quite insane, and infectious. Anyone that is bitten suffers the same fate (insanity, beastial behavior) and further distributes the curse which in turn can lead to a lycanthropic epidemic.

Were offspring, however, is not usually infectious. These children appear normal and learn to control their integrated human/beast nature from birth. Like all weres, they are universally are feared and distrusted. Families with this disease are rare and protective of their secret.