Wolf River

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Wolf River, also known as Rivière-du-Loup, is an area situated on the south side of the St. Lawrence River, near its entrance, in a large valley that offers a wide variety of natural resources in limited quantities. At the very edge of it's territory, notably, is a small island. The mountains, to the south, have a wide network of caves that some of the luperci of the area utilize during the winter months. This is sometimes referred to as Wolf River Under. The area itself only has the capacity to support dozens of individuals comfortably, so there is a stark culture of those who have, and those who have not. The luperci of the area tend to be more inbred, as allowing new members to join would put a significant strain on their resources. For this reason, many leave when they come of age. Most of those who chose to remain are at risk of being selected to participate in the competition, which is always a fight to the death. Although traits and archetypes vary from family to family, these luperci seem to breed for unique colours, patterns, and markings. Every winter solstice, those of Wolf River join the heads of the households underground, to watch the annual competition where five luperci fight to the death to determine the hierarchical order of the families for the next three years.

Area Name

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Basics

Statistics & Foundation

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  • Location: Quebec, Canada
  • Status: REQUEST. More Information
  • Demonym: Unknown
  • Languages Spoken: English
  • Influences: something
  • Archetype (Group): something
  • Archetypes (Individuals): something

On this page... (hide)

  1.   1.  Essentials
    1.   1.1  Geography
    2.   1.2  Climate
    3.   1.3  Flora and Fauna
  2.   2.  Culture
    1.   2.1  The Competition
    2.   2.2  Species
    3.   2.3  Outsider Relations & Travel
  3.   3.  Structure
    1.   3.1  Leaders
    2.   3.2  Law & Justice
  4.   4.  Religion
  5.   5.  Significant Families
    1.   5.1  Family Name
  6.   6.  History
    1.   6.1  Significance
    2.   6.2  History
  7.   7.  Notes & References
    1.   7.1  Quick Reference Index
    2.   7.2  Notes

1.  Essentials

1.1  Geography

A description of the territory goes here. It's a good idea to look up the country of the area you plan to have your territory occupy -- think about aspects such as climate, geography, incidences of human structure and state of human structures (remember, it's been 20 years since humanity died off).

Don't get into too much super-crazy detail--remember, people aren't playing these territories. Information about the climate and general area will suffice if you don't want to go too deeply into it. For example, one might say that 'Souls is mostly deciduous forest in a temperate climate zone, with low mountains and a lot of coastline. If your area is a former human city, you can include particularly important areas that most citizens of the area would know--like Halifax in 'Souls. Not many canines live there, but pretty much everyone knows the human ruins, right?

1.2  Climate

Here's a header for the climate. It's important enough that it shapes many aspects of your territory: very cold areas versus very warm areas, etc.

1.3  Flora and Fauna

It might be cool to link a bit of this, especially if the flora/fauna is significantly different from what one might encounter in eastern Canada.

Put an example photo here!

2.  Culture

If your area has a particular culture specific to the area, you include it here. Again, general details will do just fine; there's no need to get really detailed here unless you want to--totally up to you. For 'Souls, one might say that there are many different packs with individual personality, but in general the canines of 'Souls are middling in their level of civilization; for the most part, everyone is just fine in their four-legged forms, but they are also generally not averse to canines who wear clothes or use human tools.

2.1  The Competition

While culture varies between families, what truly brings them together is the competition hosted every three years. During the year of the competition, the dominant family will stockpile resources for the event, using a mixture of taxes collected from the lesser families, as well as their own excess goods. Before the first snowfall, the Armistice Clan will arrive as guests of colour, and set up the underground to house those invited to spectate the competition.

The competition opens with festivities as families gather and meet on neutral terms, exchanging news and information, and training for games. Those who are not participants in the main competition will spar or partake in games and challenges, with bets and trades typically being exchanged among those in attendance. The mood is typically lighthearted, but there is a sinister edge to the festivities. While spectators are encouraged to socialize and mingle, attempting to manipulate the upcoming competition is punishable by major maim; a transgressor will lose either a hand, tongue, eye, or ear, depending on the crime.

A week before the Winter Solstice, the competition commences, and the six Luperci to represent their families are introduced. They are instructed to use a portion of the tunnels and the hills they are connected to, using those set boundaries as the grounds upon which they will attempt to survive. Members of the Armistice clan survey the competition, howling their reports during the day, and using their corvids and raptors to keep track of the competitors' movements. The goal is to be the sole survivor of the competition. Competitors may not receive any form of assistance from other luperci during the competition, but may hear when an Armistice member announces the death of a competitor. When only two competitors remain, they are escorted to an arena location set up by the Armistice clan, where they will fight in close range combat to the death.

Competitors may only have access to what is out on the playing field, as well as the items that they are able to carry in. They must also know how to survive in the wilds, and often compete against other local fauna, as well as the winter elements. The competition usually peaks around the Winter Solstice, although there is no set deadline for the competition to end. After the final battle, the family from which the victor belongs becomes the undisputed dominant family, effective immediately. If applicable, the previous dominant family will prepare to move from Wolf River, and the victorious family will send word back so that they may overtake the city. Festivities among the spectators are renewed, and a new era dawns. After a week of celebration, the spectators will begin to disperse back to their home bases. The Armistice clan members will remain to help clean up, and to ensure a smooth transition of power, and that laws and traditions will be upheld for the next three years. Once the St. Lawrence River is safe to swim across, the Armistice clan will return to their island.

2.2  Species

Canines in the area are typically hybrids, exclusively of dog and wolf ancestry, however it is not unheard of to have full wolf or full dog lineage. Their wolf heritage is typically Gray wolf or Arctic wolf. There are many contributing dog breeds in the area, so luperci tend to have a variety of appearances and traits. A vast majority of them reflect a typical landrace appearance for the area; medium to large in size, with a powerful and stocky physique, boasting a water and weather-resistant coat that is typically dark in coloration, with patches of white on the chest, chin, muzzle, and feet. Certain coat colours, eye colours, and markings may be attributed to a particular family in the area.

Luperci & Shifting

Luperci in the area tend to be highly humanized, and it is uncommon to see luperci outside of their optime form after their first shift. Those living within the city of Wolf River prefer their optime form, as it allows them to make efficient use of the ruins and resources at their disposal.

Languages

The families in the area all speak a common tongue. Families may practice a unique language among themselves, be it of a low-language of an animal they are affiliated with, or another language borrowed from other parts of the world.

Technology

How adept are the canines of your area with old human technology? Did they bother to restore the human ruins, or are they simply living among the rubble? The most adaptive Luperci of the North American continent are roughly a Bronze Age level of prowess, with most areas populated by European and west Asian Luperci slightly exceeding them.

Here are some sample technology subheaders you might want to use on your page. These are just suggestions, go wild -- your tech sections might be the most expansive, as you probably want a character who has some of these skills to come to 'Souls, yes? Just remember the unlikelihood of a master armorer/metalworker/glassworker uprooting and leaving their forge and tools for no reason. :)

Animals & Companions

Boating and Sailing

Style and Fashion

Agriculture

Wine Production

Residence

Where do they live? The remains of a human city? Sprawling forests and mountains? Do they remain in one place, or are the canines nomadic over a particular territory?

Practices & Traditions

This section is intended for any particular beliefs your canines may have -- note that this section is separate and different from religion. For example, in Sobiratsya, canines practice piercing "rituals" wherein a canine considered to be turning into an adult is given an eyebrow piercing.

Some sample headers (again, go wild, these are just samples):

Gender and Sexuality

Families and Family Structures

Hedonistic Behavior

Vices

Luck and Superstition

Fishing and Hunting

2.3  Outsider Relations & Travel

Travel

If your area is in Europe, think about the connections it may have to other prominent European areas -- for example, is it along any of the trade routes of the maritime map? Is it a port? Mediterranean sailing is much more common than Atlantic sailing, so keep that in mind! Arctic sailing is a bit beyond our Luperci; they do not possess ice-breakers or much of the requisite technology. Perhaps your area traded for horses in Bucharest.

If you plan to have a lot of characters get to 'Souls through this area, make sure to include some information about how long it would take to travel to 'Souls. O:

Outsiders

How do canines regard outsiders? Are they a cohesive, tightly-knit group or are they a quarrelsome group, prone to outbursts of disobedience or even "mutiny? If there are any civilizations that are nearby with which your area interacts, you can give them a subheader under here, even.

3.  Structure

3.1  Leaders

Alpha/beta/gamma? King/queen? Remember, Luperci don't tend to form complex government organizations -- their structures are simple, reflecting that of their ancestral packs.

3.2  Law & Justice

If there is a dominant system of government—e.g., a monarchy, or a pack-like structure with alphas, betas, etc—you can describe it here. Remember that extremely large groups of Luperci are usually split into smaller sects of canines -- e.g., a structure with a few packs or families banded together under a common name, like Sobiratsya.

4.  Religion

If there is a dominant religion in your culture, you can describe it here. Consider their landscape (e.g., the Kiev wolves worshiping the river around their territory.) Describe their general belief system here -- what are the cornerstones of their beliefs? Do your religions follow a particular written text?

Creation Legends

Are there any myths widely believed by the populations there regarding the creation of Luperci, the creation of wolves, the creation of that particular society? These are sometimes better to include than a detailed history—they're generally brief, fantastical, and easy to remember, and thus easy to pass from character to characters.

Deities

Are your characters monotheistic or polytheistic? Do they have minor god(s), if they're polytheistic? What about saints/spirits/angels/demons?

Symbols

Are any symbols pervasive in your religion (e.g., Christian cross, Star of David, etc). Think about what these things mean for your characters, and how these symbols are represented in your culture (e.g., perhaps residents get tattoos or markings in the shape of the symbols).

Religious Order

Are there priests, priestesses, shaman, religious leaders? How do they enforce the religious code, if there is one?

Practices

Do your canines have any particular practices, rituals, or pervasive beliefs? Perhaps the canines from your area are exceptionally superstitious. Ceremonies and the like can be listed here.

Ceremonies

If your canines celebrate particular holidays or religious observances, describe them here. This space can also be used for the description of rituals and the like.

5.  Significant Families

5.1  Family Name

Here's a description of a significant family from the area!

6.  History

6.1  Significance

If your area has a particular influence on 'Souls (e.g., a large number of immigrants come from this area, or a pack was founded on the basic beliefs of this area) write about it here! List any families that originate in your area:

6.2  History

If there was a massive war or other large scale occurrence here, you may include it here, however, please keep in mind that these events don't have a lot of meaning for characters who did not originate from the place during that time. A generalized summary is much better.

7.  Notes & References

7.1  Quick Reference Index

Essentials

Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Define areas, practices, beliefs, etc. quickly down here. This helps you in roleplay if you only need a momentary reminder, and it helps others especially if you use a tonnage of foreign words in your area's culture or whatevers. ;_; Isthmus of Tehuatepec

Religion

Momoztli
("altar") The single deity revered by Eternian religious canines.

7.2  Notes

Status

  • Creator: Players — see Wiki page for contact information.
  • Status: CLOSED.
  • Status: REQUEST.
  • Status: OPEN.
    • (NOTE: This text applies to CLOSED areas. Replace it if you're doing Request or Open). I have approved characters from this area in the past; however, please ask first. You will need to adhere to the information within this document and show me you have a strong understanding of the area and its culture in order to be approved.
    • You can also check out PLAYER's Adoptions to see if I have any available Families characters.

Inconsistencies

  1. something you maybe fudged from reality knowingly?

References

  1. any references not included in the index here?

Name Meanings

  1. define a name here if you want, or replace and rename this section
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