Frostbite Wolf
I once accidentally snuck up on what I assumed to be a white wolf pup—only to realize its magical nature when its glowing blue eyes turned towards me and it bared its tiny teeth made of pure ice.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Frostbite Wolves toe the line between beast and elemental. In fact, they share both similarities to the nonmagical wolves and to some of the primal beasts found on Tourceia—albeit with more icy properties. Its body is elongated a muscular, with a thick coat of frost that sparkles in the light. The creature's head is broad and wolf-like, with sharp, icy teeth and piercing blue eyes with a magical glow akin to that of primal beasts. Its ears are pointed and stand upright, constantly alert to its surroundings. Its front legs are thick and powerful, with razor-sharp claws made of ice that glint like diamonds. Their hind legs are also thick and powerful, giving the creature great speed and agility. A long and bushy tail provides the wolves with much needed balance and stability when they run.
The most unique feature of the Frostbite Wolves are their coats, which actually consist of three layers. The outer layer of their fur is perhaps the most interesting, as it is made up of strong, durable, interlocking ice crystals which act as a sort of natural armor for the creatures—and gives them an ethereal sort of appearance. This ice appears to be somewhat malleable, allowing the wolf to still move and bend like a living creature. This ice is also able to heal the creature, if given enough time. When the wolves are injured, the ice from their coats eventually move to their wounds and freeze—protecting the wound from further harm and kickstarting their bodies' cryohealing capabilities. The middle layer of their fur is made up of long hairs which repel water, snow, and dirt—which helps keep the inner layer of their fur dry. The inner and final layer of their fur is a dense undercoat made of soft, insulating white fur. As a whole, this coat allows the Frostbite Wolves to withstand extreme cold temperatures without any ill effects—while also providing them with a strong tool in combat.
While the wolves themselves may be warm, they exude a sort of cold energy which makes the opposite true for their surroundings. The wolves' breath is visible in the cold air, and they leave a trail of frost in their wake as they move. They constantly exude a biting chill, and it is not uncommon for objects near it to become coated in frost.
An Anatomical Drawing of a Frostbite Wolf
Ecology and Habitats
Frostbite Wolves make their home on the Elemental Plane of Ice. Due to the chilling nature of this plane, the Frostbite Wolves are specially adapted to its temperature. Additionally, the wolves have become extremely skilled in taking advantage of the plane's terrain. They are extremely capable of tracking prey over the snowy terrain of the plane, due in part to the obvious footprints left by their prey, but also because of the stronger smells left behind in the wet environment. One common hunting tactic of theirs is to bury themselves in the snow, and lie in wait for unsuspecting prey—which they can hear thanks to their extremely sensitive ears. This tactic also serves to hide the wolves from predators of their own. While the wolves are high on the food chain, they are certainly not the apex predators of the Plane of Ice.
Behaviour
The wolves tend to behave in a very territorial fashion towards other creatures. They make a point to know where newcomers to their territory are—and what they're doing. They are generally aggressive towards other creatures and have a natural inclination to hunt those deemed weaker than themselves. Overall, they behave very similarly to the normal wolves that one might find on the Material Plane. While they are slightly more intelligent to their material brethren, they do not have intellectual capacity of more advanced creatures—and thus are incapable of feats such as long-term planning or speech.
A Frostbite Wolf Baring Its Teeth
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Frostbite Wolves are especially adapted to the extreme weather conditions of the Elemental Plane of Ice, and have adapted to be able to better perceive their surroundings in the midst of these conditions. The eyes of the wolves are able to see much further than the average creature in the Plane's constant flurries. Their eyes, which naturally glow a piercing frosty blue, are able to filter out the motion of the snowfall, allowing them to see much clearer in their frigid environment. In addition, their sensitive ears are able to hear sounds from much farther distances than the average creature—making it increasingly difficult to sneak up on or hide from these creatures. Finally, their noses are extremely powerful and are rumored to be able to smell prey from close to two miles away. This helps them hunt their prey, tell friend from foe, and allows them to stay on high alert of any potential threats.
Scientific Name
Congelationis lupus
Geographic Distribution
