Werewolf

Werewolves are humanoid creatures resembling wolves. They possess higher intelligence than other animals, but their bestial nature will typically overcome them.

Background

"And Dane he stood his ground, The fanged beast approached. He saw the rage within its eyes, The wolf that once was there. The sword he raised, Merciful death be praised, To the maker went his prayer."

—From the popular telling of Dane and the Werewolf, a legend of Ferelden circa 4:50 Black.^[2]

Fereldan lore is full of instances where these creatures have plagued the countryside: wolves possessed by rage demons and transformed into humanoid monsters with incredible speed and strength, able to spread a curse to those they bit that would drive them mad with unthinking fury. When in this enraged state, a human host can likewise become possessed and be transformed into a feral, wolf-like beast. Tales differ on these werewolves of human origin, some claiming that their transformation into a bestial form happens uncontrollably. Some claim the transformation is irreversible. As is often the case with demonic tales, both versions were most likely true at some point.
The ability of normal dogs to detect a werewolf even when it is in a human guise is what first led Fereldans to adopt dogs as indispensable companions in every farmhold. The alliance between humans and regular wolves is the subject of the popular Fereldan folk tale "Dane and the Werewolf."
The actual hero Dane led a crusade to eliminate the werewolf threat during the early Black Age, and while werewolves have never assumed the same prominence since, there have still been reports of individual packs lurking in remote forests. In recent years, some have even been reported to have developed an uncanny willpower and intelligence... though why this is so is still unknown.
—Codex entry: Werewolf

Werewolves can also form from humans possessed by hunger demons. These creatures can also spread their curse to other people through their bite, though killing the original werewolf is said to end the curse, thereby curing their victims.^[3]

Involvement

Dragon Age: Origins

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.

The werewolves attacking the Dalish elves of the Brecilian Forest were created by Zathrian, their keeper, who used the curse to punish a group of humans that had killed his son and raped his daughter—leading to her death when she found out she was pregnant and committed suicide. He bound the spirit of the forest to a wolf that would later be known as Witherfang. Witherfang attacked the humans that had wronged Zathrian and infected them with the werewolf curse, which was passed through bite. While Zathrian gained immortality from the curse as his blood was used to create Witherfang and the curse, the humans were transformed into wicked creatures—bestial, deadly, impulsive and unable to revert back to human form—even in death. Even though the people who had attacked Zathrian's family died long ago, the curse remained. Over time, many who had nothing to do with the atrocities committed against Zathrian's children were infected by the werewolf curse. Witherfang evolved over time and came to sympathize with these innocent werewolves. She would calm their savage nature and the werewolves came to revere her.

During the Fifth Blight, Witherfang and the werewolf leader, Swiftrunner, led a group of werewolves that had partially regained their minds in an ambush against the Dalish elves, slaying many and cursing more. This was revenge against Zathrian, but was also meant to force him to end the curse—by infecting elves of his Dalish clan as well as humans. If someone is bitten, they know within a matter of days if the curse has taken hold. The signs to look for are sweating and vomiting, followed by a high fever. Some do not survive the curse and die of the illness alone.

This was not the only outbreak of werewolves in the history of Ferelden. Whether the other outbreaks were begun by a deliberate curse, similar to the case of Zathrian, is unclear.

Upon meeting the Lady of the Forest—the alternate form of Witherfang—in the Lair of the Werewolves, it is possible to persuade her and the werewolves that convincing Zathrian to end the curse is futile and to attack the Dalish elves as punishment. The Warden will be transported to the Dalish Camp where Witherfang and the werewolves will help you massacre everyone in the camp, including Zathrian. After the battle finishes, Swiftrunner realizes that killing Zathrian will mean that the werewolves will never be free of their curse. Nevertheless, due to the Warden's aid in helping them get their revenge, Swiftrunner promises werewolf troops to help fight against the Blight; afterwards a werewolf emissary will appear in the Party Camp. Choosing to attack the Dalish will make the Warden be unable to recruit the Dalish elves, as they will be annihilated in the werewolf attack. The Warden will have the werewolves in their army instead.

Alternatively, the Warden can either help Zathrian kill Witherfang and take its heart to him, kill both Zathrian and the werewolves during a parley after Zathrian reveals that his First, Lanaya, knows how to use the Heart of the Forest to cure the werewolf curse, or help the werewolves convince Zathrian to end the werewolf curse. All instances where the werewolf curse is ended requires the Lady of the Forest to end her long-lived life. Either way will cure the Dalish afflicted by the curse and free the elves to join the Warden's army.

If the werewolves are cured, then they become human again. It is said that after the Fifth Blight, they remained together and took the surname Wolf in memory of what they once were. They eventually became the most successful animal trainers in Thedas, and each year would gather to light a candle in memory of the Lady who had loved them so well.^[4]

Dragon Age II

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age II.

If a game is imported where the Warden sided with the Werewolves in Nature of the Beast, Hawke will come across Clara in the Dalish camp in Sundermount, a human woman whose cousin is a werewolf. She tells Hawke that the werewolves of Ferelden are losing themselves to their bestial nature, and that she is trying to find ingredients for a potion to cure them. Having received no aid from Marethari's Clan, she turns to Hawke, claiming it is the least they can do in payment for the Werewolves' part in The Battle of Denerim.

Alternately, if the Warden chose to cure the Werewolves then Hawke will come across a human being harassed by a party of Dalish on the Wounded Coast who are seeking vengeance against the man for crimes committed whilst he was a Werewolf.

Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights.

The plot follows BioWare's own canon, meaning it may not follow some of the player's choices in the games.

Hunger

Wardens Evka Ivo and Antoine stumble on the supposedly cursed village of Eichweill in the Anderfels, which has been suffering from a spate of disappearances. Their investigation uncovers the truth: Renke, a noble's son who was ran out of town for poisoning a Chantry brother, starved in the woods and attracted a hunger demon. He turned into a werewolf and has been infecting villagers. As killing the source of the curse is said to end it, Evka and Antoine track down the werewolf and kill it. However, it is revealed that they haven't actually destroyed the demon, and that it is only lying in wait for its next victim.

Known werewolves

Antoine^[3]

Bulfa

Cassian

Danyla

Gatekeeper

Renke^[3]

Swiftrunner

Willem Bauer^[3]

Quests

Nature of the Beast

Locations

Brecilian Forest

Appearance and tactics

Werewolves either lack the opposable thumbs to wield weapons or refuse to do so, instead engaging opponents with nothing but claw and fang. A werewolf is taller than humans and elves, and their strength far outmatches that of either race. They lose all resemblance to their former self upon transformation, growing fur, a snout and claws. But perhaps worst of all is the change to the mind. A full Werewolf is truly like a beast. Hunting, mating, and surviving are their only considerations. Although werewolves can maintain or even regain some semblance of their minds (through strong willpower or external magic), it is always a challenge to keep from killing. A beast's true nature is hard to change.

Werewolves strike with their claws to cut deep into the flesh, and deliver a final bite to the throat. For the werewolf, this would ideally be the end of it, but unfortunately (or fortunately, as the case may be) very few humans, elves or dwarves will let themselves be hunted like a common rabbit. Werewolves wear no armor beyond their naturally thick hide, which can still be pierced by blade or bow. With no particularly strong means of defense, a werewolf will usually try to strike swiftly and hard, rather than wait for the opponent to make the first move. Their hides serve no defense against magic, making that as good an option as any if the werewolf's prey has the talent.