Overview
In old Norse mythology, legend tells the great wolf-gods Skoll and Hati, offspring of the Great Fenris Wolf, who chase the Sun and Moon across the sky. One day, it is foretold that they will catch the Sun and Moon and devour them, thus signalling the time of Ragnarok, the End of All Things. This should not be feared, for all things must come to an end, just as all things will begin again. Until then, Skoll and Hati maintain balance within the universe: each shepherds their charge across the sky every day and every night. Should either of them neglect their duties, the world would surely fall into disarray and chaos as the Sun and Moon would fail to rise and set, and days would come to an end.
The Lupes Subspecies aims to create and breed individual dragons to resemble the likeness of the Wolf. This subspecies is especially for players who like wolves and are looking for dragons that resemble the natural coloring and coat patterns of real wolves. The Lupes Subspecies is also heavily based around the legends of Skoll and Hati, the Wolf-Gods who chase the Sun and Moon. The members of this subspecies worship the Wolf-Gods to varying degrees and their culture is based around the deity of their choosing.
The days of the Summer and Winter Solstices as well as the Spring and Fall Equinoxes represent very important days to the Lupes. The Summer Solstice is the day that Hati chases the Moon in order to lengthen the night and shorten the day, while the Winter Solstice is the day that Skoll chases the Sun in order to lengthen the day and shorten the night. The Equinoxes each represent the midpoints between these two dates and are especially auspicious days for the Lupes. Additionally, days of Solar and Lunar Eclipses are seen as days for celebration, as in Norse Mythology these days represent times in which Hati or Skoll come close to catching the Sun and Moon.
2018 Celestial Calendar
Total Lunar Eclipse - January 31st
Partial Solar Eclipse - February 15th
Spring Equinox - March 22nd
Summer Solstice - June 21st
Partial Solar Eclipse - July 13th
Total Lunar Eclipse - July 27th
Partial Solar Eclipse - August 13th
Fall Equinox - September 23rd
Winter Solstice - December 21st
Affinities
To the Lupes, Affinities essentially function as birth signs, although unlike birth signs there are only two Affinities. Pups are assigned Affinities if they are born within a specific date range based upon the Solstices:
All pups born between
December 21st and June 20th have an affinity with
Skoll, as the days lengthen during this period.
All pups born between
June 21st and December 20th have an affinity with
Hati, as the nights lengthen during this period.
God-Touched
Some rare Lupes individuals have an additional trait: being God-Touched. To be God-Touched is to be blessed by one of the Wolf Gods, and is considered an incredible honor. God-Touched Lupes are often seen as holy and prophetic, and usually take up a spiritual or shamanistic role within the pack. God-Touched individuals are either:
- Born on the Summer or Winter Solstice.
- Born on the Spring or Fall Equinox.
- Born during a Lunar or Solar eclipse
- Born during a Full Moon.
Those who are
Touched by Skoll are either born on The Winter Solstice or during a Solar Eclipse, or Born on the Spring + Fall Equinoxes. Those Touched by Skoll have
blue (lightning) eyes.
Those who are
Touched by Hati are either born on the Summer Solstice or during a Lunar Eclipse, or Born on the Spring + Fall Equinoxes. Those Touched by Hati have
red (plague) eyes.
Those who are
Touched by the Fenris Wolf are born randomly and rarely throughout the year. Those touched by the Fenris Wolf have
green (nature) eyes.
These gifts given by the Wolf-Gods can be varied in regards to the shape they take as well as their strength. God-Touched individuals are venerated by packs and are often regarded as seers, soothsayers, and oracles despite the fact that they may not even possess such a power. Blessings of the God-Touched are inborn and ‘like second nature’.
Some examples of powers of the God-Touched include:
Unnatural speed, unnatural hunting ability, heightened senses, clairvoyance, healing, berserker strength, increased stamina, the ability to dream walk, the ability to walk within the spirit realm, the ability to control the weather, and shapeshifting.
Pack Structure
A pack of Lupes is generally made up of an Alpha Male and Female, their pups, and any non-related individuals who may have joined them. There can be anywhere from 2-20 pack members, though 5-10 pack members tends to be the most stable average. The Pack represents life - a community in which you hunt, feed, sleep, and live with to survive, vitally important to identity as a group and as an individual. As a result, Lupes do not like being without a pack and will try to find one to be a part of, and lone Lupes who elect to be alone are regarded with suspicion.
Traditional Lupes packs worship a single Wolf-God, usually chosen by the Alphas or by a particular God-Touched individual. Within traditional Lupes packs, the Affinities of the group as a whole tend to trend toward the Wolf-God the pack worships, although more contemporary, less-traditional packs do not heavily subscribe to this as traditional packs do. While all packs celebrate the Equinoxes and the Solstices, packs will especially celebrate the Solstice of their Deity the most.
Within Lupes groups there also exist packs that do not worship Hati or Skoll but their progenitor the Fenris Wolf. Packs that worship the Fenris Wolf tend to be zealous and fanatic, with prayers and rites often centring around Ragnarok as the End of All Things. It should be noted that, amongst those who worship the Fenris Wolf, there is a particular tendency to see individuals Touched by the Fenris Wolf as prophets or messiahs, and will even kidnap such suspected individuals as a result.
Hybridization
Lupes-Canis Lupus Hybrids
Click here for more information on the Canis Lupus Tundras subspecies. Canis Lupus lore and hybridization permission courtesy of @crescentstar711
The Lupes and Canis Lupus species and cultures are very closely related, and it stands to reason that there would be much cultural interchange between the two of them. Lupes and Canis Lupus packs often exchange members and form unions to foster alliances. The birth of hybrid pups are especially auspicious and a cause for celebration, as their existence further solidifies allegiances. Typically, Lupes-Canis Lupus pups born tend to be descended from the Spirit Canis Lupus variant, and as such are naturally gifted with mysterious and astral powers without being God-Touched. They are usually spirit-walkers and dream shamans, capable of conversing with the spirits of the living and the dead, walking within the dreams of others, and communicating with other Spirit Canis Lupus (and hybrid) individuals from a great distance. Such power, however, comes after years of training and tutelage under other capable Spirit Canis Lupus teachers. As such, Lupes-Canis Lupus hybrid pups are often fostered with allied packs to receive this teaching if there is no one to teach them within their own pack. God-Touched Lupes-Canis Lupus individuals are greatly venerated within packs and are believed to converse with the Wolf Gods themselves… which has been known to cause some pups to react with anxiety under such great pressure and expectations.
Lupes-Moonbeast Hybrids
Click here more information on the Moonbeast subspecies. Moonbeast lore and hybridization permission courtesy of @friendo.
Due to the nature of the Moonbeast condition and their general unpredictability and volatility, Moonbeast individuals are generally unwelcome within Lupes packs. Typically, Lupes-Moonbeast hybrids are a result of whirlwind romances between a member of a Lupes pack and a Moonbeast outsider. Lupes-Moonbeast hybrid pups are generally less dangerous than their full-blooded Moonbeast brethren, but still have heightened senses and increased strength and stamina to varying degrees in comparison to Lupes wolves. The strongest and most dangerous hybrids are those with a moon tertiary gene coloration, especially if they have the stained gene. Most packs will abandon their Lupes-Moonbeast hybrid pups and those who bore them in fear of what destruction these pups may bring to the community as a whole, though there are rare packs out there that will keep and take in Lupes-Moonbeast pups and help them understand their power and try to teach them how to control it to become members of the pack proper. Even more rarely, there are clans who seek out Lupes-Moonbeast hybrids to enslave them in the pursuit of conquest; these pups are stolen from their parents and treated as weapons to be tamed and wielded. God-Touched Lupes-Moonbeast hybrids can be brutal forces to be reckoned with; with the heightened strength, stamina, and senses of their Moonbeast lineage and their deity-given gifts, they are incredibly powerful and, if untrained in controlling their fury, totally unpredictable and capable of mass destruction and death. Considering this, Lupes-Moonbeast hybrids themselves generally try to learn to control their ‘other half’, and especially view bodily autonomy and self-determination to be vitally important.
Vulpes Lore
The Vulpes subspecies is heavily based upon the variants of foxes. It is commonly thought that Vulpes are the tricksters and thieves of the universe, rogue elements that are not to be trusted. Some may even go so far as to call them ‘Children of Loki’ for their love of mischief, but these beliefs are generally stereotypical generalizations. Vulpes tend to be highly intelligent and highly independent, seeking to stay out of trouble and not cause problems… though there are a few that live up to expectations. Typically, due to their highly independent natures, Vulpes do not travel with Lupes packs. When they do, there are usually only two or three Vulpes within the pack, and their presence is a mutualistic relationship of safety in exchange for swift paws and cunning advice. If they are permanent members of the clan, Vulpes tend to fulfill the role of ambassadors and negotiators due to their clever tongues and sharp wits. It is rare for Vulpes to be God-Touched, as they do not worship the Wolf-Gods the same as the Lupes do.
Vulpes Rouge
A red variant of the Vulpes, Vulpes Rouge hail from the mountains and the forests. They are quick on their paws and incredibly clever. Often, they will work with Lupes packs to help flush out prey in exchange for a part of the kill, but are also known for their espionage and spy work against enemy packs. Of course, not all Vulpes pursue a vocation in espionage, and some also become healers and herbalists.
Vulpes Fennec
A cream variant of the Vulpes, Vulpes Fennec hail from the sandy and rocky deserts. Their big ears allow them to hear far better than other Vulpes and Lupes, making them valuable for hunting prey as well as reconnaissance. Vulpes Fennec individuals are most likely to seek safe harbour with Lupes packs due to their small size and vulnerability. They have a special connection with the stars and the night sky, and shaman Vulpes Fennec rely on astrology to divine the future.
