You notice a young man looking around the store, he seems uneasy, like he's trying to work up the courage to do something. He's dressed simply enough, in a plain gray t-shirt and blue jeans. He looks around the store as you and the Game Master watch him.
"Can I help you with something?" asked the Game Master. The young man seemed to hesitate and moved as if he was about to just walk out of the store but stopped himself. He walked over to the counter the Game Master stood behind.
"Is it true that you can transform people? Change them physically?" asked the young man.
"Yes, what is your name, young man?"
"Nate."
"How old are you, young man?"
"Sixteen. That's the age when I can get transformed without permission from my parents, right?" He seemed anxious.
"That is true. What did you have in mind?" The Game Master was curious.
Nate hesitated again but eventually spoke. "Can you make me a werewolf?"
The Game Master smiled. "Why yes, dear boy I think I could manage that. But nothing in my shop is free. You must play a game for it. Are you willing to take the risk?"
Nate nodded. The Game master waved his hand over the countertop and a small black box appeared with "Werebeast" written across the top of it in bright, red letters and a vivid illustration of a young man that looked rather a lot like Nate in the throes of transformation, with large fangs jutting from his mouth, pointy ears, ripping open his shirt, revealing a furry chest. The Game Master opened the box, revealing four decks of cards. He pulled out the first deck and started shuffling it and then set it down in front of Nate. He did the same with the remaining decks, setting one next to the other.
"To determine your transformation, you will need to pick a card from each of the four decks. The first deck determines what your turn into. The second deck determines the duration of the transformation and how much you change. The third deck determines when the transformation occurs and the fourth deck determines how long you will remain transformed. Any unwanted transformations cannot be taken back for at least a week. Are you ready to play?" asked The Game Master.
"Yes!" replied Nate enthusiastically. You had been watching intently since Nate has announced he wanted to be a werewolf to see how this played out.
The Game Master picked up the first deck of cards and fanned them out in front of Nate so he could pick a card. He liked the kid so he let the desired card poke out a little further in hopes he'd pick it. Sure enough, Nate grabbed it and smiled when he saw it said Wolf, with a picture of said animal below. He laid it down on the counter face up. He then picked up the second deck and fanned out those cards. He wasn't helping him with this one though, he'd have to pick on his own. Nate hesitated for a second and then picked one. The card read Bi-Pedal Werewolf: Snout, fur, large fangs and large claws, with tail. 5 minute transformation. Nate was shocked to see an image of the fierce monster wearing the tattered remains of the same clothes he was wearing. He set the second card down as he watched the Game Master pick up the third deck. He fanned out the cards and let him pick. Nate drew a card and looked at it. It read night and showed a picture of a starry sky. Nate seemed confused and showed it to the Game Master.
"Well, my dear boy that means you would transform each night after the sun sets," explained the Game Master.
"That will be interesting," responded Nate as he set the card down next to the other two. The Game Master picked up the fourth deck and fanned out the cards. Nate picked one and looked at it and seemed slightly disappointed. The card read 5 hours. "Aww, man, I wanted all night."
"That's still a pretty good card, could be worse. There's one in there that's only two minutes." The Game Master flashed him a wink.
Nate set the card down on the counter next to the other ones. "Well, I think I can live with this. Alright Game Master, chance has decided the parameters, do your magic!"
"That's the thing, boy, we already have. The spell was cast as you drew the cards, your touch sealed the deal. It's already happening." He turned and looked out the window of the store. "And by the looks of the darkening sky, it's sunset."
You watched the young man cry out and back away from the counter, doubled over in pain as the transformation began. He let out a slow moan as you could hear as his transformation started with pops and cracks filling the small shop. With a gesture, the back wall became a giant mirror again. He held up his hands, marveling as his thin fingernails cracked open and fell away, replaced with slowly growing, thick claws. You notice the fur growing along his face and around his neck as his ears slowly grow pointier. He lets out another groan and stumbles over to the mirrored wall. He opens his mouth and is shocked to see his teeth reforming into sharp fangs, especially the canines, growing and reforming into large, fierce fangs. He groans again and starts rubbing his lower back, just above his butt. You realize this must be where the tail was coming in. His body seemed to shake as the transformation intensified. His shirt stretched and began to tear at the seams as his back and front reformed. The minutes ticked away as the transformation continued, the fur grew in, thick and dense and his face pushed out into a lupine snout as his ears moved up his head. He reached back with a clawed hand and ripped open the seat of his pants, letting out his long, bushy tail.
The teenage werewolf stood up and looked over his transformed self. You watched as he ran from the store, jumped on a bench outside and let out a loud, joyful howl to a group of stunned shoppers. The Game Master chuckled and with a wave, the cards disappeared.
"That should drum up some interesting business," he mused as he watched the werewolf run through the mall, disappearing from view.