Weevils 101

[nothingofnote]

aka a resource post for torchwoods weevil theory.

This came about because of something that happened in game. See: my not quite thinking through. There is many *hugs* to noneofyours & redrose999 for discussing this with me and their ideas are included. :D

To start with canon knowledge:

- A population of a few hundred live in the sewers of Cardiff. They usually live off sewage, but occasionally one will go rogue, come to the surface and attack humans. It's been stated that the frequency of these attacks has been increasing, cause unknown.
- Weevils may have been in the sewer pipes of 4th century Byzantium, where they were described as "crocodile-like creatures".
- Low-level intelligence.
- Liittle or no language, but perhaps communicate telepathically.
- Family/group behaviour is noted (S2 DMW)
- Territorial aggression.
- Adapted to survive in dark, damp conditions.
- Possess great strength and speed.
- They are "time sensitive" (physically pained by dramatic disruptions in the spacetime rift).
- Possible that Weevils have a strong ability to rapidly adapt to their environment.
- They know when they're being hunted (Slow Decay)
- Evidence of them reproducing (one of the books mentions a younger, smaller one, mentions of Janet burying her child)
- Connections with Death (S2 DMW)

Theories so far:
- Species in their own right
- Evolved humans (Combat)
- Slave Race at some point (suggested by redrose999)
- Ood/Human hybrid! (I thought then.)

So what the hell does this mean to those bitten?
This is where it got confusing. There's Owen, canon doesn't give us a whole lot to go from really until he's dead. Which as nice as that is. Not much use when Owen in game? Alive and there's non-canon TW-fandom based oc Lyssa who's been bitten and survived too.

So it came to put something down about weevils and their taxology and all that biological sciency stuff to fill in the gaps that canon left.

-Male led society.
-Interactions not only via limited vocal communication but a larger more complex one that's telepathic/emphatic
-Large social family structure, travelling in groups, offspring remain with main group for possible long periods of time.

In order of canon being shown getting attacked in canon its Jack then Owen, in the space of Combat.

Jack: From end of S3 New Doctor Who it's stated pretty clearly that Jack is a fixed point in time. So this makes him pretty much indestructible (so tempting to start into the Captain Scarlet theme here), so kill him and he gets reset to specific point, namely when one Rose Tyler brought him back. So my own personal theory is that hurt him or do anything to him, which would include changing him on a molecular level he'll reset to that point too. Cellular mutation, mistranslation anything like that just doesn't happen.

So for Owen and Lyssa firstly there'e just human or in Lyssa's case mostly human to start with.

Slight mutation, maybe causing a mistranslation in the genetics meaning changing behavioural modifications/differences neuroreceptors and hormones and all that would be interacting on a cellular level differently to what a normal human would be. So far in game it's shown itself in the fact they have some idea of where weevils are, they have some telepathy and possibly more empathy that is showing, it's been mentioned they both growl at people for one of three reasons they're defensive, hungry or horny. Also there is a certain sense of restlessness during full moons, though this could just be Lyssa. They both show a defensiveness of each other that isn't just the bounds of normal human companionship/friendship as the pair aren't together or blood related, it's as if this happening gave them that link.


In short, if a spider bite can end up with spiderman, a weevil bite can change people too.

This will probably get updated as things go on ic.