fandomhigh | Chasing History's Monsters [Friday, Period 1]

When the students entered the Danger Shop, they would find themselves in a scene of what appeared to be a simple village. Surrounding the village, however, were thick and shadowy woods.

"Welcome to a village located in the Margeride Mountains in south-central France, 1767," Annja began speaking once everyone was in the class. "For three years, these mountains were rumored to be terrorized by horrible wolf-creatures."

"It was believed that the Beast of Gévaudan was involved in 210 attacks on people in those three years," Arya continued. "113 of those attacks resulted in deaths."

Annja gestured to one of the simple huts where the sounds of mourning were able to be heard. "Of course, with each death that happened, more people were determined to kill this beast and the legend of the creature grew." She sighed. "As the legends grew, so did the death toll."

"Werewolf." Arya's lips twitched slightly as she said the word. "That's what they ended up calling the beast. Since the survivors of the attacks had such completely different descriptions of the beast, it must have been a magical creature -- something not of this world."

"Some people even went so far as to say that it was a curse from God." Annja's jaw clenched, but that was the only outward sign of her personal feelings about this.

Arya raised an eyebrow at Annja, but didn't comment on her reaction. Instead, she picked up a pile of papers that had been sitting on a tree trunk and started passing them out among the students.

"These are different views on the legend of Beast of Gévaudan or La Bête du Gévaudan," Annja continued. "Read through them and then we want you to break into groups of two for discussion. What do you think the beast really was? Do you think the Beast would have gained such legendary status if this had happened in a more modern time? How would you have handled the different witness reports if you were the one investigating the attacks?"

Arya gave the last student their packet and returned to where Annja was standing. "Begin."

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Like you're a hunter.

Bobby Drake

Tara Maclay

Mercy Thompson

Lion-o

Susan Sto Helit

Alex Aaron

Shira

Loki Laufeyson

Listen, take notes, notice that your teachers seem to have personal opinions about this myth.

Mercy knew who the Beast of Gévaudan was - at least in her world. His name was Jean Chastel and he was a violent dangerous werewolf who led the werewolves of Europe, brutally killing anyone who so much as questioned him. He also killed humans - enjoying the taste of human flesh, though he'd been forced to stop doing it openly.

He'd also killed a regular wolf and presented it to the people of Gévaudan - thus taking responsibility for 'killing the monster'.

Still, she'd stay quiet since she knew this wasn't information she was allowed to share. And it also seemed her teachers were unhappy about the Beast being considered a werewolf.

"What do you think the beast really was? Do you think the Beast would have gained such legendary status if this had happened in a more modern time? How would you have handled the different witness reports if you were the one investigating the attacks?"

Tara looked through the handouts with a kind of horrified fascination. "I -- don't see any reason to think it wasn't a werewolf," she said. "Maybe one with a little demon in it for extra oomph."

"It could have been a Helwolf," Loki chimed in gleefully. "Or any such giant wolf."

There were... a lot in Norse mythology, okay?

Mercy shrugged, trying to seem neutral and not utterly spooked by mention of the Beast. "I think a lot of so called eyewitness reports need to be taken with a grain of salt."

They're definitely here and are willing to stop their own discussion to assist you.

In the first book of her canon, Annja finds out the answer to what La Bête really was (in her world) and she was so not happy about the answer. Of course, that's also how she found out she was the spiritual descendant of Joan of Arc. So lose some, win some.

Well, in New Amsterdam it turns into a ghost and kills Jack? So weird the story turns up in multiple canons.

But also kind of awesome at the same time. :)

And in Mercy's canon - or well, sister canon, though she'd certainly have known about it - they have their own version of it. He's actually in the book Hunting Ground.

Hee. I love that we chose a historic monster that is in so many things.

In the same canon, Mercy's guardian, Bran, is also (or was also) the beast Grendel from Beowulf after he's driven mad by his mother.

Chasing History's Monsters [Friday, Period 1]

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