Appearance

The Enkratis and Chortari wolves are indistinguishable by appearance, which varies wildly from wolf to wolf. In their basic anatomy, every wolf has a wolven body and features, such as the structure of a grey or maned wolf or other varieties, but the similarities stop there. Mutations run rampant in these wolves, and many display characteristics such as horns, extra limbs, growths or abnormalities, and vary widely in size. A rare few wolves display wings as well, though this mutation is very rare.

Abilities

All wolves are able to use magic; however, the kind of magic differs between the packs, with each pack using magic akin to the god they follow.

Enkratis: Wolves of the Enkratis pack tend to favor light, gentle magic, and many have an affinity for water, though they are not limited to just that. Like any other magical creature, the wolves vary widely in what abilities they possess, and each wolf has certain magics they are better able to master than others.

Chortari: Wolves of the Chortari favor darker magic, taught to them by the Dorcha Elves before the elves left. Though the Chortari wolves still show an affinity for water, they have tried to move away from Feaya's influence. Like the Enkratis wolves, each individual wolf's powers vary widely.

Royals: Royal wolves have three abilities that most wolves do not. At birth, each royal is granted a familiar-- a creature that is bonded to them to serve them for their life. The familiar sets the royals apart from the other pack members, and establishes their rank; although a few non-royals possess familiars, these wolves are few and far between.

The other two royal abilities are their increased stamina and lifespan. These abilities are only granted by the gods to the current Alphas of the pack, to ensure that the pack will be led to the best possible ability of the Alphas. The Alphas are thus able to hunt longer, to fight harder, and to keep watch over their pack, making sure that there are no threats to the pack or to their own position. The increased stamina is stripped from the Alphas if they step down from the Alpha position, but their lifespan remains lengthened, so that they are able to use their wisdom to assist the new Alphas in their rule.

History

The first wolf was said to have been born from the rapids of the Kiriel river, emerging from the foam of the water as the current crashed along the rocks and banks under the ever watchful gaze of the goddess Feaya. In the beginning, the pack was small, living by the Kiriel river and traveling along its lengths. Prey and resources were plentiful, and the pack thrived, growing in numbers every season.

However, this peace was not to last; at an uncertain time in history, the pack encountered strange, two-legged creatures, that called themselves the Dorcha. These creatures had a strange, dark aura about them that many members of the pack resented, and the pack tried to drive the Dorcha away. In the end, the pack was successful, but only partly, for some of the members of the pack had listened to what these dark elves had had to say, and they had found a hint of darkness within their souls that aligned with the darkness of these exiled elves. These wolves could not be quelled, and the pack that had thrived so well turned in upon itself, as families split and friends turned to bitter enemies. The peace was broken, and unable to coexist, the pack split into two: the Enkratis Pack, and the Chortari Pack.

The Enkratis Pack moved to the north, claiming the area surrounding the Saithithe Lake and Marsh. They continued to worship Feaya, building their dens in the fork of the western branch of the Kiriel River, and teaching the pack the ways of the water. As they established their territory, the Enkratis Pack stumbled upon a new, different kind of elf: the Foraoise.

Both parties were wary at first, but quickly began to form a bond, helped by the Royals' ability to shift into what the pack considered wolfkin. In honor of their new alliance, the Enkratis presented the Foraoise with three pups, sent to help guide and defend the small elven kingdom, and to protect those elves that wished to visit the pack.

Meanwhile, the Chortari Pack remained in the south, taking the majority of the Kiriel River and the desert beneath it, from where the Dorcha had originally come. As these elves had long since left, the Chortari pack built their dens in one of the tribal dwellings that the Dorcha had left behind, raising their pups in the heat of the sun to be cunning and fearless of the darkness within. From there the Chortari found a new goddess to worship, one that reflected the hunger for power that had long overtaken the dark wolves; this was Cysnial, the goddess of greed.

To this day the Chortari and Enkratis Packs live on, thriving in their territories. Occasionally the Chortari will attack the Enkratis, unable to quell their craving for more land, more resources, but they are always met with power to match their own, and the border between the packs remains stationary.