The Wintercrown Pack
History
Formation: The formation of the Pack goes back many, many years and seasons. Originally, the Pack was called the Bloodrose Pack. The original Pack was run by Amira's father, but when it was time for her older brother to take over the Pack, he declined and passed the Leadership onto her which led to Amira renaming the Pack, moving to a new home and setting up new rules and cultures.
Rivals: Currently the Pack does not have any rivals other than their natural predators- Bears, Hooved Animals, Humans, etc.
Age: The Pack isn't so new that they only just started out, but the Pack also isn't so old that the beginnings of the Pack are beginning to fade into history.
Shaping Events: The thing most told within the Pack is how Amira's brother declined the Pack's leadership role instead to pass it to Amira. There are also legends of Aton, the God of Trickery, stealing misbehaved pups away in the middle of the night, with them never to be seen from again.
Heroes and Villains: The Pack often looks up to Aliam, the Goddess of Protection. They often ask for the Aliam to protect them when out scouting, hunting and during the winter months when prey can be scarce and life in the Glaciers can be harsh.
Pack Characteristics
Build: The build of Pack members varies depending on their duties. Hunters are lean yet muscular, allowing them to move quickly through their territory in order to take down large prey with their powerful claws. Guards and Scouts are bulky and heavy set, allowing them to patrol and scout almost every kind of territory flawlessly.
Pelt: The pelt colors in the Pack vary a great deal. Some are all white while others mottled with many marks and colors. Their fur length usually varies throughout the year- a little shorter in spring and summer, longer in fall and winter. Most of the eye colors in the blue range- blue, ice, etc.
Pack Culture
Mates: There isn't really any specific system in the Pack regarding mates. All (adult) Pack members are free to take mates, but once they do, they cannot undo the process unless it is granted by the King, Queen and Council. A mated pair needs a 8-2 (8 for, 2 against) vote in order for the dissolution of the pair. If there is no 8-2 vote, then the dissolution is declined and the pair must stay together until one of them dies or leaves the Pack, with the latter usually happening more than not. Wolves are allowed to become mates without the intention to ever have pups.
Naming: There is no specific naming system within the Pack. Pups are named based on whatever their parent(s) wish to name them. Sometimes the King or Queen might name a pup if they feel it will have great potential within the Pack.
Religion
“The Gods”: The Pack regard their ancestors as The Gods. There are many Gods, and Goddesses, that the Pack worship and look up to. Some of them are: Aton, the God of Trickery and Aliam, the Goddess of Protection. A full list of names can be found here.
Influence: The powers of the Gods differ greatly. Some are known to heal while others are known to harm, whether this be physical with cuts, bruises and abrasions or it be psychological by confusion, making a Wolf lost in the wilderness, etc. The Pack is able to contact them, but only through the Ice Rune and only on certain days. The Herbalist and Storytellers are more spiritually connected to the Gods than other Wolves.
Worship: The Pack honors their ancestors, The Gods, and those who have passed by holding two different rituals. One which is performed by the Herbalist alone every full moon so that the Herbalist may speak with them. And another which is celebrated every year in the summer that allows the Pack members to speak and visit with their ancestors.
The only Pack members who are strongly connected to The Gods are the Herbalist and the Storytellers. The Herbalist speaks to The Gods every full moon and will interpret signs and omens that they might send. They’re also responsible for taking care of those who may die and pass on as well as being responsible for introducing the new Queen and King of the Pack. The Storyteller is the link between the Pack and The Gods with stories. They’re also in charge of The Feast of Stars which is the ritual that is held every year in the summer.
Individual pack members can show their reverence for The Gods by visiting the Ice Rune and leaving offerings to them. The offering left to The Gods can differ depending on which one they are trying to show respect for. For example, if they are trying to show respect for Finare, the God of Healing, they may leave a medicinal herb or medicinal item that they got from the Herbalist. Or if they’re trying to show respect for Kima, the Lady of the Sky, they may leave something such as a feather, owl talon or something avian related.
Holidays: The Pack has two different festivals they celebrate- The Festival of Children and The Festival of Falling Stars.
The Festival of Children is held every year in the spring for 2 weeks (14 days). It is a highly celebrated Festival that has a lot of spiritual elements, competitions and games of chance. The Festival is used to celebrate the litters that have been born the previous year and to give offerings to Illyrie, the Goddess of Fertility, in the hopes that the Pack is blessed with wonderful litters in the following year. Most of the Chance games are played by pups while adolescents and adults participate in the competitions.
The Festival of Falling Stars is held every year in the winter for 1 week (7 days). It is a Festival that is celebrated with much gratification. It has mystical roots and no one is really sure where or when it started. It is a Festival that is celebrated by the entire pack but is led by the Storytellers. While the pack participates in large feasts, the Storytellers are telling stories of different ancestors.
Afterlife: The Pack believes in Heaven and Hell. They believe that if you are good in life or do good deeds in life that you will go to Heaven when you die and that if you are evil in life or do terrible deeds in life that you will go to Hell. There have, however, been instances where a Wolf who thought they did good deeds in life have been sent to Hell and vice versa.
When a Pack member dies, their body is first dressed with herbs such as Garlic and Pineapple Leaves by the Herbalist. After the Herbalist is done dressing the body, various Pack members who were close to the deceased in life or those who wish to say something to them are allowed to say goodbye. Once everyone has said their goodbyes, the body is carried out of the camp by Guards and are taken to the Pack’s Burial grounds which is located west of the Ice Rune and camp. All of the Pack, minus the youngest pups and their mothers, make the journey to bury the deceased member’s body.