In terms of self-consistency, I see morphing technology as very similar to two biological phenomena:
- complete metamorphosis
- regeneration
If you cut a leg off an axolotl, it will grow back. (Proven scientific law. Scientists are bastards.) Its cells "remember" what shape it should be and re-grow.
If you let a silkworm grow large enough, it will do one better than the axolotl. It will actually change its bodyplan. Its cells grow one shape from egg, and a very different one (a very fat white moth) from pupa.
Now if there's one thing werewolf stories agree on, it's that they're hungry. There's obviously some metabolic activity going on at an insane pace. One explanation is that werewolves are regenerative--nothing short of a catastrophic injury will slow a werewolf down (except possibly for silver, which seems to inhibit regeneration).
Similar to metamorphosis, however, the "targeted form" the cells grow towards is not the original body plan.
Now, does any of this sound familiar?
Regeneration, change of form? Mmmhmm.
Thus, the following hypotheses:
- The human form of a human lycanthrope can be acquired. The full-moon form cannot be acquired.
- A morpher may be infected with lycanthropy. A lycanthrope may use the Escafil device. Either way, the result is a morph-capable lycanthrope.
- A morph-capable lycanthrope has greatly enhanced, though imperfect, control over transformation. Transformation is forced under a full moon, and morphing is extremely difficult and tiring under a new moon.
- A morph-capable lycanthrope might involuntarily morph any acquired morph under a full moon, not just full-moon form.
- A morph-capable lycanthrope, like all lycanthropes, constantly regenerates under a full moon.
- A morph-capable lycanthrope, like all lycanthropes, is ravenously hungry under a full moon.
- A nothlit lycanthrope transforms and regains the ability to morph with a full moon.
- A nothlit infected with lycanthropy becomes a morph-capable lycanthrope, but cannot recover his original form.
