Were creatures include many species that are either half human-animals monsters from mythology and folklore, borrowing traits from both side, or shapeshifters who are able to go from one realm to another. The latter are usually wizards, shamen or creatures from another world/ under the world.

In every culture, we find stories of man-beasts, combining the now denied viciousness of man's animal nature with the physical attributes of the region's most feared predator.  Were-tigers and Were-bears roamed Asia, Were-hyenas prowled Africa, Were-coyotes hunted in Central America and Were-lizards slithered across New Zealand.