Werewolf

Werewolves are a species of supernatural creatures that although outwardly human, have the ability to turn into a large wolf. They have heightened senses and strength both in wolf and human form. They are at the center of The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery.

Lore
Within the Gabriel Knight universe, werewolves can change into wolf form at will, or they can be forced into wolf form by a full moon, hearing another werewolf howl, or through other sounds. Werewolves are either alpha werewolves or beta werewolves.

An alpha werewolf is created by one of two ways. The first is sorcery, such as having a cursed placed on him/her by someone. The second is being born to a parent that is a werewolf, whether mother or father. By contrast, a beta werewolf can only be made by being bitten, whether that bite comes from an alpha or from another beta.

A beta werewolf is damned to hell once it tastes of human flesh or blood. If the werewolf never eats a human, his soul can be saved, but only if he takes some action that results in the alpha's death. The lore does not make clear how direct this action must be. For instance, it is not indicated whether Ludwig II's soul is damned, though he took actions that eventually led to the killing of his alpha werewolf.

A beta can harm an alpha, but an alpha cannot harm a beta without incurring the same wound himself.

In wolf form the werewolf retains all memories and characteristics of their human self (e.g. personality, emotions, and other human characteristics such as cunning). Werewolves are immune to most physical diseases and once they reach adulthood are resistant to the effects of aging. They are virtually immortal but can be killed by any method that damages the heart or brain or results in oxygen deprivation of these two organs, such as hanging or drowning. When turning into a werewolf, the person's personality becomes erratic, causing them to become aggressive and angry. This can eventually be brought under control once the person is accustomed to the curse.