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There are places where younger Lycans who have struck out on their own find solace in the company in each other. In one such place a group has decided to come together and stake out a territory of their own in the North. In the Yukon Territory of Canada there is much wilderness and a low enough population density for even Lycans to go relatively unnoticed. Not like in the now vastly populated Europe and most of the United States, it's becoming harder and harder to hide. They've decided on a wooded area just off the banks of the Miner river and are hoping to set up an outpost, making their living on guided tours from adventurers flown out to them from Eagle Plains or brought down on the river. They hope that this will be their new home and their own place. The trouble with remote areas though, is you never know who's already been there and if they're coming back.
The characters will be part of this new pack and we will begin shortly before they arrive at their destination just shy of the banks where there is said to be an old mining settlement.
Lycanthropes
Body Size Limits & Physical Description
Females- 34 to 39” (83.4-99cm) tall, 6.5 to 7.5’ (2-2.3m) nose to tail, 123 to 160lb (55.8-72.6kg)
Generally more refined looking in their canine form, thinner and less bulky than males.
Males- 43 to 50” (109.2-127cm) tall, 8 to 9’ (2.4-2.7m)nose to tail, 190 to 230lb (86.2-104.3kg)
Heavier built, less refined, broader chest and shoulders than females, larger heads, usually much larger than females. The higher ranking the male within the pack the larger they generally are. Bachelor males, or males without a pack tend to be in the middle of the body scale range though some have the size to become an Alpha through an Ordeal.
Lycans are a full genetically diverse species, they have may different coat colors though the most common is variations on grey or brown though black and white wolves do occur they are extremely rare. They also have a variety of eye colors while phased into their canine form. In order from most the least common they are; brown, orange, yellow, amber, grey, green, and blue. For every 350 brown eyed wolves there will be one with blue or green eyes.
Their upright or "human" form appears to be mostly the same as a human though Lycans are much faster and stronger than a human would be. Their vision, hearing, and sense of smell is also enhanced compared to a human though not as strong as when in their canine form. A Lycan in their upright form is roughly 1.5X as strong as a human of equal stature and health and just a little less than twice as fast as their human counterpart.
Generally more refined looking in their canine form, thinner and less bulky than males.
Males- 43 to 50” (109.2-127cm) tall, 8 to 9’ (2.4-2.7m)nose to tail, 190 to 230lb (86.2-104.3kg)
Heavier built, less refined, broader chest and shoulders than females, larger heads, usually much larger than females. The higher ranking the male within the pack the larger they generally are. Bachelor males, or males without a pack tend to be in the middle of the body scale range though some have the size to become an Alpha through an Ordeal.
Lycans are a full genetically diverse species, they have may different coat colors though the most common is variations on grey or brown though black and white wolves do occur they are extremely rare. They also have a variety of eye colors while phased into their canine form. In order from most the least common they are; brown, orange, yellow, amber, grey, green, and blue. For every 350 brown eyed wolves there will be one with blue or green eyes.
Their upright or "human" form appears to be mostly the same as a human though Lycans are much faster and stronger than a human would be. Their vision, hearing, and sense of smell is also enhanced compared to a human though not as strong as when in their canine form. A Lycan in their upright form is roughly 1.5X as strong as a human of equal stature and health and just a little less than twice as fast as their human counterpart.
Culture/Belief System
There are many legends as to how Lycanthropes came about but the one that is consistently believed throughout Lycans across the globe is a story that begins before the time of Ancient Greece, when the first pyramids in Egypt were being built. There were many gods in Egypt and across the globe at this time. However, there has always been, no matter where you go, a Lunar God. The fractions that revered the moon for its pull on the tides and its beauty were the ones that would become Lycans. Many quote the story as being the group of people who worshipped the constellation and the god Orion The Hunter who was married to the moon and even in times of famine and drought and disease they remained faithful and did not curse their God. As a result of their loyalty and their love for their God his wife, the Moon, gave them the ability to transform into great beasts who could hunt and survive and thrive even in the darkest of times on Earth. Most of the European decedents follow this story and though the names change the story remains unchanged. Their devotion won them the ultimate prize.
Many Lycans still follow this very same religion, Orion The Hunter is their primary God and his beloved wife The Moon is their Goddess. Males tend towards praying to Orion while females tend towards praying to The Moon. You can often here Lycans swear to the Moon when they are passionate about something, it is not considered a curse. You may also hear things like "Sweet Moon! Where have you been?" Sweet Moon is used much in the same context as Thank God or other phrases of this nature are used in other religions.
Lycan culture can be rather complex if you think too much about it. There are some general ground rules that do apply everywhere though. Challenging one's character is always a bad idea unless you want to get into a fight. This may include things like calling someone a liar or a cheater or weak among various other insults. Disrespecting someone of a higher rank is also a poor idea in almost any situation, especially if that individual is an Alpha. Staring directly at them for more than a few moments, directly calling someone out, and not moving out of the way if you are able to are all signs of disrespect.
In a pack everything belongs to everyone generally as this lessens the disputes over property. If someone needs something done they find someone who can do it for them if they cannot do it. The pack operates on a favors system and simply does things for one another because they know one day they will likely need the other person to do something for them. There is no money exchanged within the pack. They pack has a central bank of money that everyone has access to with the Alpha Pair's permission. When someone needs something that must be gotten from outside the pack's community the merchant is given the money to go retrieve it. This money comes from the pack selling goods that they produce and do not need. This can include fruits and vegetables, horses and other livestock, and various other items like handmade weapons and furniture.
Lycanthropes require physical and social contact. One of the worst punishments a Lycan can be given is exile from a pack. While most often they simply join another pack sometimes a wolf is black balled and is not allowed to join another pack. When this occurs generally the Lycan will leave for a remote area to start a pack of their own. On occasion though they become Rogues and their wolves take complete control of their brain. They become killing machines with no mercy and no regular reasoning.
Many Lycans still follow this very same religion, Orion The Hunter is their primary God and his beloved wife The Moon is their Goddess. Males tend towards praying to Orion while females tend towards praying to The Moon. You can often here Lycans swear to the Moon when they are passionate about something, it is not considered a curse. You may also hear things like "Sweet Moon! Where have you been?" Sweet Moon is used much in the same context as Thank God or other phrases of this nature are used in other religions.
Lycan culture can be rather complex if you think too much about it. There are some general ground rules that do apply everywhere though. Challenging one's character is always a bad idea unless you want to get into a fight. This may include things like calling someone a liar or a cheater or weak among various other insults. Disrespecting someone of a higher rank is also a poor idea in almost any situation, especially if that individual is an Alpha. Staring directly at them for more than a few moments, directly calling someone out, and not moving out of the way if you are able to are all signs of disrespect.
In a pack everything belongs to everyone generally as this lessens the disputes over property. If someone needs something done they find someone who can do it for them if they cannot do it. The pack operates on a favors system and simply does things for one another because they know one day they will likely need the other person to do something for them. There is no money exchanged within the pack. They pack has a central bank of money that everyone has access to with the Alpha Pair's permission. When someone needs something that must be gotten from outside the pack's community the merchant is given the money to go retrieve it. This money comes from the pack selling goods that they produce and do not need. This can include fruits and vegetables, horses and other livestock, and various other items like handmade weapons and furniture.
Lycanthropes require physical and social contact. One of the worst punishments a Lycan can be given is exile from a pack. While most often they simply join another pack sometimes a wolf is black balled and is not allowed to join another pack. When this occurs generally the Lycan will leave for a remote area to start a pack of their own. On occasion though they become Rogues and their wolves take complete control of their brain. They become killing machines with no mercy and no regular reasoning.
Social Order
Lycans are highly social creatures operating within a pack family structure generally run by a very dominate mated pair referred to as the Alpha Pair. They have the ability to communicate telepathically at all times with their pack and link all the other members together. If they were to leave for and extended period of time, over a month or so, the pack’s mental link would dissolve and the pack would either disperse or find a new Alpha through and Ordeal. They are the central bonding force between pack members.
They generally have an enforcer who is know as the Beta he is usually the second largest male. There are female Betas but generally they are mated to a male who already had the rank.
Alpha is generally a hereditary rank and is usually the strongest male and his male offspring. The eldest offspring is considered to be the Heir regardless of sex. The Heir of the pack is highly respected and has some of the ability of the Alpha though not the full power. They are taught from a young age how to fight to defend their title and keep the pack together and organized. Alphas have the ability to locate members of their pack at will and also force them from one form to another.
Males are very volatile and aggressive when they are unmated so many packs require the previous Alpha’s heir to be mated before they take the position. Males and females are very Yin and Yang, they balance each other out and mated Lycans are much less volatile than unmated ones.
If the Alpha dies with no heir there will be an ordeal held two full moons after their death and burial and any male may fight in the ordeal to win the spot of Alpha. Afterwards females may fight to become his mate. An Alpha may also be challenged for his title by a rival male who believes he is better capable of running the pack. They must have at least three other wolves who will stand with them in support of the challenge.
Occasionally there will be a small male or female, generally an orphan that will be the Omega of the pack, they tend to get a lot of pack aggression thrown at them but they are gifted with a calming effect on the other pack members and some can turn out to be mild healers as well.
They generally have an enforcer who is know as the Beta he is usually the second largest male. There are female Betas but generally they are mated to a male who already had the rank.
Alpha is generally a hereditary rank and is usually the strongest male and his male offspring. The eldest offspring is considered to be the Heir regardless of sex. The Heir of the pack is highly respected and has some of the ability of the Alpha though not the full power. They are taught from a young age how to fight to defend their title and keep the pack together and organized. Alphas have the ability to locate members of their pack at will and also force them from one form to another.
Males are very volatile and aggressive when they are unmated so many packs require the previous Alpha’s heir to be mated before they take the position. Males and females are very Yin and Yang, they balance each other out and mated Lycans are much less volatile than unmated ones.
If the Alpha dies with no heir there will be an ordeal held two full moons after their death and burial and any male may fight in the ordeal to win the spot of Alpha. Afterwards females may fight to become his mate. An Alpha may also be challenged for his title by a rival male who believes he is better capable of running the pack. They must have at least three other wolves who will stand with them in support of the challenge.
Occasionally there will be a small male or female, generally an orphan that will be the Omega of the pack, they tend to get a lot of pack aggression thrown at them but they are gifted with a calming effect on the other pack members and some can turn out to be mild healers as well.
Bloodline Information
Lycan blood always breeds true, the genes that cause the ability to shift forms and cause accelerated healing among other things are dominate over human blood. Lycan males are allowed to take human wives because of the low number of Lycans and the need for fresh bloodlines. Pregnancy in with Lycan pups is a short one, only 4 and a half months. Some women go a full five months but this is rather rare. Human women do not handle the carriage of offspring as well as a Lycan female would. However, there have been significant leaps in the care for pregnant human wives. A member of the pack must always be present with the woman as the pups can shift forms from the 2 month point on and doing so can cause significant damage internally. They are also vastly stronger than human babies and can break ribs which is very common. During the last months rest is very important and the pups are now large enough to do serious damage if the woman is left unattended. Multiples in Lycans are very common, usually twins and mostly male though a few will be one male and one female and even fewer will produce two females.
Growth Rates & Aging
Pups less than the age of twelve can be forced between forms by adults in the pack which is how they prevent them from changing in the womb. The younger the pup the easier it is to force between forms, they can also be soothed by adults. Lycans are considered to be grown and an adult at the age of 20. However because of their place in the ecosystem much like other predators their growth from birth to adulthood is very rapid body wise. They age in much the same fashion as a puppy though slightly slower. By one they are walking and talking and potty trained, by 2 they are the size of a three and a half year old, by 4 they appear to be 6, by 6 they look as if they are 10, by the time they are 10 they appear to be 15. It is believed this may also be a defense function so that pups are vulnerable for a shorter amount of time that human babies are. A 2 year old pup can outrun the average adult human in their canine form. Once the pup is fully grown, around 16 or so the rapid growth slows continuously until they age at an extremely low rate. They will appear twenty or so until they are nearly 45 years old.
Health Information
Lycanthropes, much to the dismay of the general public, seem to have mostly bred out the allergy to silver. Pure silver most often leaves a red itchy spot and as long as there is not prolonged exposer of the blood to pure silver there is minimal damage done. Only beheading or severing the spinal column will kill a Lycanthrope as will puncturing the heart for an extended period of time. Due to their accelerated rate of healing Lycans are very hard to kill. It is believed now that this is due to an increased speed and efficiency in the cycle of cells, this speed also contributes to their speed and strength. This also seems to be the reason behind their extended life span. Lycanthropes seem to be immortal though many die in accidents or in fights with other Lycans and some are killed by hunters.
There is a single disease that haunts the population, it is known as ICED or Interrupted Cell Efficiency Disorder and this results in a slowed cell process that leads to death eventually though it may take up to 40 years. This still significantly reduces the lifespan of any Lycan. Lycans with ICED are often kicked out of the pack as the disease is selectively contagious. The susceptibility to ICED is thought to be genetic, only those with certain genes are capable of contracting the disease but no one is sure what genes those are or how to remove them to eliminate the disease.
Another thing to note about Lycanthropes is that though they can remain in the city for quite some time even in densely populated areas the longer they stay in these places and the more populated that these places are the longer they must remain in the wilderness to recover. Too much time around humans and you loose your wolf, too much time among the wolves and you loose your human. Younger Lycans and those still maturing often get physically ill if they spend more than a couple weeks at a time in the city.
There is a single disease that haunts the population, it is known as ICED or Interrupted Cell Efficiency Disorder and this results in a slowed cell process that leads to death eventually though it may take up to 40 years. This still significantly reduces the lifespan of any Lycan. Lycans with ICED are often kicked out of the pack as the disease is selectively contagious. The susceptibility to ICED is thought to be genetic, only those with certain genes are capable of contracting the disease but no one is sure what genes those are or how to remove them to eliminate the disease.
Another thing to note about Lycanthropes is that though they can remain in the city for quite some time even in densely populated areas the longer they stay in these places and the more populated that these places are the longer they must remain in the wilderness to recover. Too much time around humans and you loose your wolf, too much time among the wolves and you loose your human. Younger Lycans and those still maturing often get physically ill if they spend more than a couple weeks at a time in the city.
