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Roman Cremini

Born into one of the ten oldest families within Las Setas, Roman Cremini was the youngest son in a staunchly traditional family that resisted the introduction of the luperci virus into their bloodline until the vote was lost and they were forced to comply.

Roman was quite a different coyote in those days, but recalling them always brings a mix of pain and pleasure to him. Of course, Gypsy's memory forces him to relive his past every day, the good bits, and somehow, the darker bits.

1.  History

1.1  Before :: New Blood

Las Setas was once a massive and prominent all feral coyote clan claiming most of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, located in Yosemite National Park, California. As times began to change and new hybrid breeds began roaming the countryside, the leader of Las Setas called his council together for a vote, deciding whether or not they’d allow their borders to be open to these new hybrid canine groups. The council was made up of the prominent heads of each family within Las Setas. These were distinguished members who had proved themselves over the years or had the council title passed down for many generations.

The vote was cast and the decision was made. Any canine coming to their borders that didn't have a drop of coyote in them were to be turned away, but hybrids were now allowed. These new members to Las Setas were mixed races of dogs and coyotes. Wolves had always been the natural enemy to coyotes and this had been ingrained into their nature for generations past, so coywolf variations or any hybridization with wolf’s blood were considered an abomination and either chased off or eliminated on the spot.

1.2  2010 :: The Virus & Las Setas

Eventually the strange luperci virus, which was brought into the clan from the hybrids, began to affect some of their members, but instead of fearing the new bipedal and hulking forms, Las Setas leader and some of it’s council members saw the virus as a means of strengthening the clan. These new found abilities could be used to their advantage, especially if the virus was something that could be shared early on with their youth.

Three of the oldest family heads argued against this change and the proposed infection methods--pups who weren’t already carrying the virus would be bitten at 6 months of age for the best chance of survival from their first shift, and older members would have the option of remaining feral or receiving the luperci virus--Las Setas had always been a feral clan and this transition would alter their very lives. Chanterelle, Cremini, Bolete, and Dryad were unfortunately overruled and outnumbered by the other family heads and the clan leader. In another year, the entire clan of Las Setas would be carrying the luperci virus.

1.3  2012 :: Zefyr's Pact

Las Setas had some of the best territory along the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Yosemite National Park, claiming perfect access to water and the most abundant prey source for food. While this was great for the clan, it also meant they had many enemies. Other clans of feral coyotes and hybrid bands wanted a piece of their territory, and were tired of being pushed out of their own lands as Las Setas grew. Continuous expansion and growing numbers gave Las Setas the full run of the area and for years their rules and customs, while not violently forced on others, at first, were accepted and obeyed as the law.

A large band of wolves from the Jacinto Valley area, were driven up from the south by horrible drought, eventually making their way towards Sierra Nevada. Their leaders learned of Las Setas within days and of the prime real estate the clan had claim to in Yosemite Park. While the conflict between wolves and coyotes went back for generations, another coyote hybrid clan, had recently been taken over by a young hothead after the former leader had been slain. The clan called Fuego had been trying to negotiate for a larger hunting range within Yosemite Park, but Las Setas had denied their request. Furious with this decree and even more upset that his leader did nothing more to argue it, Zefyr took things into his own hands, orchestrating a coup d'etat, and decided to put these age old differences aside and work out a plan with the Jacinto wolves. They meshed their cultures and became Icarus, binding their lives to one another through mateship and blood. The new pack and Las Setas seemed to live with a certain peaceful indifference in the mountain range for a few years, until their numbers had come to rival Las Setas, and tensions began to arise.

Because Las Setas territory was so vast, they had a Meeting of the Clans at the turn of each season in the central part of Yosemite National Park. This was normally the only time that all the council head members were in one place for voting and for celebrations as they were responsible for overseeing large portions of the clan’s lands and to keep those areas protected. This was also a time when outside friendly clans and packs could come to Las Setas with offerings and tributes for the protection and territory claims Las Setas offered them. They could also negotiate new terms of their hunting grounds, discuss problems within their own packs or the rules enforced on them, and trade wares to Las Setas. Fuego, now Icarus, had been cast out from Las Seta’s graces since Zefyr’s takeover. They were no longer invited to the Meeting of the Clans and were mostly shunned or feared for their mixed blood.

1.4  2014 :: Icarus And The Meeting Of The Clans

Complaints about the pack Icarus imposing on other clan’s territories, had become a constant at the Meeting of the Clans. Something had to be done to keep Zefyr’s growing numbers in check. Icarus had even begun testing the waters and pressing in on Las Seta's territory, which ended with a few tense and hostile skirmishes, but Gypsy’s clan still held the power. A vote was put to the council at their Summer Solstice Meeting, it was decided that they’d would begin to drive Icarus from the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and far from the Park, in hopes the wolf hybrid pack would return to their old lands. Outside clans and packs were persuaded to do the same, but this would ultimately push Icarus too far.

As if he’d almost been anticipating the council’s vote, Zefyr’s actions were almost instantaneous. Indifference quickly turned into outright defiance after the Meeting in the Summertime. Icarus began bullying and intimidating the smaller clans outside of Las Setas, and trespassing into the National Park more frequently, keeping the border guards busy in various locations with an almost daily assault. This served as a weakening tactic of the sorts, and after this had gone on for almost 3 months, Zefyr suddenly pulled his pack back. A guarded normalcy seemed to return to the clan’s lands and those outside of it. The Autumn Meeting of the Clans was upon them and a last minute decision to extend an invite to Icarus was passed. The decision to drive the wolf hybrid pack away had come to a cease fire until further notice.

Many members of Las Setas were unhappy with this decision, not wanting to fraternize with the pack that had been harassing them for the past few months, nor individuals that were so keenly wolf, so they chose to stay behind. It wasn’t a surprise that many outside clans and packs chose to forgo the seasonal meeting as well, it seemed it would mostly be Las Setas council heads and their families as well as Zefyr’s select group of leaders. The negotiations were tense. Icarus wanted to take the southern half of Yosemite, leaving the entire north to Las Setas to continue expansion, but this would mean uprooting members of the clan whose blood had been in Las Setas since the founding. It was an unheard of request. Brishan Morel, the long standing leader of Las Setas, was firmly against it and most of the clan’s families agreed with him, except for the council heads Blewit, Dryad and Reishi. It had been a shock to see her mother vote against her father, but the council members had enough votes, along with Morel, to deny this request.

Time of negotiations and voting were over, Icarus could propose a territory expansion and claim at the next Meeting of the Clans, but their old lands from Fuego had been restored and members of Las Setas and the outlying clans were ordered to keep the peace. The celebrations lacked the usual relaxed and cheerful atmosphere from all the Meetings past, but this had been expected. Zefyr and his own council were less than happy with the discussions that took place, but took their leave from Las Setas lands shortly after the celebrations had begun. Council heads and their families eventually departed back to their assigned territories and clan life continued as usual for the next few months, without further hostilities from Icarus.

1.5  New Year 2015 :: The End Of An Empire

The Solstice Meetings of the Clans were always the most well attended, and the next Clan Meeting was set for the Wintertime. Though the fact that Icarus was invited once more, it seemed their slights had been forgotten by this time or rather ignored by many Las Setas members who gathered in the central part of Yosemite. Even the other friendly outside packs and clans that had chosen to stay away last time, began to populate the dense grounds in eager anticipation for the Solstice celebrations and the council meeting.

Once more, Icarus proposed an expansion to their lands and requested a claim to the southern parts of Yosemite National Park. This time promising that Icarus would honor Las Setas with a full year’s halving of all their crops and successful hunts, should the council give them this. It seemed Zefyr and his leaders had been actively reaching out to some of the council heads over the months leading up to the Meeting, as it was a tied council vote. Brishan would be the breaker, ultimately denying Icarus once more. Surprisingly, Zefyr, his leaders, and the band of Icarus members who’d come for the festivities did not seem completely put out by the council’s decision, they could always try again at the next Meeting of the Clans, and this was another step in gaining trust with Las Setas and the other clans. Everyone threw themselves hard into the celebrations, except for Zefyr’s group.

Not knowing his request would be denied, Zefyr had planned ahead anyway, and had the whole of Icarus waiting outside of Las Setas territory. Icarus was now as large as the coyote hybrid clan, but with far less territory to hunt on and live off. They were being pushed to the brink and would soon be forced into invading other clan territory again, something Zefyr wanted to avoid if possible. His intentions had been peaceful at first, he wanted to negotiate what he could here, and his pack had even made attempts to enlighten other council members to their plight, but it was clear Las Setas was not ready to give up anymore land to his pack. His hands were tied, something had to be done.

With their defenses down and drink freely flowing, Zefyr and his pack, made their move. The coywolf hybrids full out attacked Las Setas in the midst of the revelry, taking them completely off guard and killing or maiming anyone who stood in their path or did not willingly surrender to Icarus. They spared many of Las Setas members and the outsiders who had come for the Meeting, taking them as prisoners instead and eventually calling them members once they’d dropped their allegiance to Las Setas. Sadly, more than half of Las Setas perished in the massacre, including the council head members and Brishan Morel, who had voted against Icarus. Gypsy’s father, Jal, was executed.

The sons or daughters of a council member were seen as a prize. These boys and girls were taken and spared even if they put up a fight, because their bloodlines were gold in the once feral-based community. Forced mateships and future offspring from these pawns of war would be used to control the old Las Setas members and hopefully be used to create the next generation of the new clan born that night, Phoenix.

1.6  The Bound History Of Gypsy And Roman

Brishan Morel created a council of all the heads of the prominent families within Las Setas. He sought the advice and counsel of these clan members when it came to governing Las Setas, the outer clans and packs, and passing laws; Agaricus, Blewit, Bolete, Chanterelle, Cremini, Dryad, Enoki, Grisette, Porcini, and Reishi made up his council of 10. Morel’s vote would always act as the tiebreaker should a decision receive equal votes. This had always been the way of life in the Clan, and once a head felt it was time to step down, they’d pass the mantel onto their own worthy offspring, or if a line should end, a new bloodline would be inducted into the fold.

Before they were born, Gypsy’s and Roman’s parents had recently become heads on the council after many generations of this honored position had been passed down along their respective bloodlines. Coming from four of the oldest families in Las Setas and far before their own lives had come into existence, their ancestors had fought against mixing the blood, believing hybridization was only tainting the value of their pure coyote blood. They were the only families to remain pure once hybrids were allowed to join and interbreed in the Clan. And much like their ancestors of old, they put up a fight against the introduction of the virus into Las Setas, ultimately failing to sway the vote. Their clansmen would eventually all carry the luperci virus, but the four families made a pact to exclusively pair with one another to maintain their pure coyote blood.

Born a week apart, Roman was the only son out of three girls in the Cremini family, a prominent and long established bloodline within Las Setas along with the Chanterelles. Naturally, it only made sense to both their parents to strengthen the bonds of their bloodlines and further their own familial relationship by arranging a mateship between the firstborn daughter of the Chanterelles and the sole Cremini boy. Gypsy’s and Roman’s generation were the last to receive the infection bites at six months of age, as everyone else was born with the virus already in their blood.

Growing up alongside each other’s littermates, Gypsy and Roman became almost like siblings, each other’s competition, and the best of friends. The hopes and dreams of their parents were constantly forced on them, their duty of mateship and to uphold the bloodlines, quickly becoming the mantra of their day to day. It wasn’t long before it became a joke to them and they learned the exact right things to say and to pretend, in order to get their parents off their backs. Above duty and responsibility, they were friends, caring deeply for each other and sharing a familial sense of love for one another, though not in all possessing and romantic way. “One day we’ll become mates, just not today.” - Seemed to be the phrase they constantly said, as teenagers, the thought of their impending binding was so far in the future.

The day came however, in 2012 when they were both of the appropriate age. Both of them went through the motions of pleasing their parents and honoring the Clan, they were now bound in more ways than one and would be expected to produce offspring within the next year. It was strange to picture a life long friend in a romantic light, they both had, had their share of lovers and fun with others, never discouraging one another to end their side relationships even when they were recognized as a couple within the Clan, but their families were growing suspicious when Gypsy failed to show the telltales signs of pregnancy months after their mateship. It was time to “take one for the team”, but the result was two stillborn pups.

Though saddened by the loss, this chastened the demands of their parents and a bit of breathing room seemed to return to their lives again. Gypsy assured Roman they could see whomever they wanted to again, as she was secretly convinced she’d never be able to conceive anyway and didn’t want to push their friendship into uncomfortable territory again. They were stronger than ever after the fact, and she was more concerned on maintaining that, even when Roman admitted to a fresh romance that had begun surprisingly with one of the Jacinto wolves. Gypsy was hesitant to be supportive at first, but kept his secret, especially because Icarus had recently begun to stir up trouble with their Clan.

Another year passed without consequence, though tensions remained high with Icarus. Las Setas was planning for the Solstice Meeting of the Clans and the territory was buzzing with activity. Tragedy struck when Roman found his lover, dead, near their borders. Enraged and heartbroken, he vowed to get his revenge, thinking Icarus had found out about their forbidden romance and had done this to send a message before the Meeting was called. Concerned and afraid for him, Gypsy followed Roman, on his path towards the old Fuego lands and tried to persuade him to come back to Las Setas where they could charge Zefyr and the Icarus members for this crime outright.

They’d gotten maybe fifteen minutes out when screams and sounds of fighting broke out far behind them. Las Setas was under attack! Racing back to their homelands, they jumped into the bloody chaos, attempting to free clanmates from the Icarus invaders and trying to fight their warriors off, but drink had already taken it’s toll on their family and friends, it clearly was a battle they were going to lose. Spotting her father amidst the fray, Gypsy was about to call out and warn him of Zefyr’s killing blow coming from behind his back, but suddenly all the lights went dark when her skull felt like it had split in two.

She didn’t know that Roman defended her lifeless form, tooth and nail after she’d went down, or that he’d somehow managed to save both their hides and escape that night, all she knew was that her family and friends were being slaughtered before her eyes and Las Setas was no more.

2.  Personality

Quiet and intense are both good words to describe Roman. He is hyper-aware, taking in a room or area, and the people in it. He's not an aggressive individual, but there is a readiness, like a spring wound just this side of too tight. He can come off as aloof, but five minutes watching him interact with his charge would disabuse anyone of all of these things. He is gentle, attentive and caring. He never smiles, and if someone reaches for Gypsy they will find themselves very quickly staring at the point of a knife, or perhaps two.

3.  Relationships

3.1  Family

TBD

4.  Skills

• Hand to hand combat
• Armed combat (knives, daggers)
• Tactical Minded
• Protection
• Tracking
• Hunting

5.  Appearance

Pale grey eyes, not softened by any other colour. His pelt is an unusual mix of charcoal smoke and rust, making his outline hard to distinguish in low light. He is tall for a coyote and while he doesn't carry the bulk a wolf might have, his corded muscle and frightening speed, still makes him formidable against any opponent. His fur is mid length, but not built that well for the cold, but he endures. His back, chest, arms and legs are scarred with bite, claw and knife marks.

6.  Images