Wolfkin Shapeshifters
The Wolfkins have, for the past 1000 years, been the largest group of shapeshifters in Hysal despite being regular targets of persecutions historicaly and to this day. Along with the Dragonkin Shapeshifters, they have become a formidable political and military force in Arros.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Wolfkins are usualy hard to differentiate from regular humans. However, during and around the middle of each month, near Veos's full moon phase, they gain some wolfish traits, such as a different eye colour, usualy golden or blue, as well as slightly longer and sharper nails, slightly pointed ears and a light dusting of fur in various places across their body. However, all of these changes are usualy very suttle, especialy in younger wolfkin, who often don't even shift at all.
Hybrid Form
While in Hybrid form, Wolfkin shifters mostly retain their human anatomy. However, they also experience some major physical changes. Firstly, they grow bigger, both in terms of height, and overall weight. Their feet develop paw pads and claws. They also become digitigrade, which adds a few centimetres to their height. Their hands might also develop partial pads and short claws. They grow a dexterious tail. Their face changes a lot. The nose flatens while the mouth pushes out, creating a short muzzle. The nose also darkens and humidifies, which makes it much more sensitive to scents. Their teeth, and especialy their canines, grow bigger, longer and sharper. The ears become pointy and move slightly up the side of the head. Their eyes loses their original colour and become golden or blue. Large patches of the body is covered in fur, which varies in lenght and colour. The fur blends in with the hair on their head.Animal Form
In animal form, wolfkins shifters look like a normal wolf from their respective sub-species, with one major exception, which is their size. Indeed, Wolfkins possess some of the largest Animal forms across all shapeshifters. They can grow as much as 3 times the size of a normal wolf, making them extremely dangerous to confront in combat in this form.Sub-species
Like in many other shifter species, different subspecies of Wolfkin exists. However, unlike those of Dragonkins, which have major differences between each other, the differences between wolfkin sub-species are marginal, only really involving the colour of their fur, ranging from black, grey, brown, white or a mix of two or more of these colours, as well as their average size in Animal form, which varies by less than 10% across all sub-species.Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Sight:
While in human form, they do not see any better or different than the average human. This changes in Hybrid form and especialy in animal form. In hybrid form, they loose a bit of colour perception but their overall vision gets sharper, especialy in low light. In Wolf form, they completly loose perception of some colour. However, they gain a much sharper vision overall which lets them see in the dark almost as well as in lit environment as well as much further away, especialy movement.
Hearing:
Wolfkin in human form largely have similar hearing as regular human, though some do have slightly more sensitive ears to high pitched sounds. In Hybrid form, the ears become more sensitive to quite sounds and the ears themselves are able to move to better capture auditory cues. In wolf form, their hearing is amongst the best in all the shifter population. Their range of detection becomes much larger, covering up to 10km.
Smell:
Even in Human form, their nose is much more sensitive to smells compared to the average human, an ability which many find unplaisant. In Hybrid form, they already have a better nose than most animals and Shapeshifters. They can detect and track scents much like a wolf or dog can, however, their range may be a bit smaller than the animals. This changes in Wolf form, as their ability becomes just as good, if not better than a wolf or dog's in terms of detection and range.
Wolfkin, like all Shapeshifters, have the possiblity to develop telepathic abilities. This allows them to communicate between each other by though. A higher percentage of Wolfkin Shifter can develop this ability than other shifter kins, yet it still remains rare. A by-product of this ability is that in wolf form, they can also communicate with actual wolves. In rare cases, this ability also works with humans, though only in one direction. They can talk to them telepaticaly, but the human cannot.
Visions
In very rare cases, some who have a very strong Etherial connection can develop the ability to experiance visions. These visions often show glimpses of future events, which are usualy related to them or someone close to them. These vision often appear while deaming and usualy are enterlaced with the memories of the individual, making them notoriously hard to understand.
While in human form, they do not see any better or different than the average human. This changes in Hybrid form and especialy in animal form. In hybrid form, they loose a bit of colour perception but their overall vision gets sharper, especialy in low light. In Wolf form, they completly loose perception of some colour. However, they gain a much sharper vision overall which lets them see in the dark almost as well as in lit environment as well as much further away, especialy movement.
Hearing:
Wolfkin in human form largely have similar hearing as regular human, though some do have slightly more sensitive ears to high pitched sounds. In Hybrid form, the ears become more sensitive to quite sounds and the ears themselves are able to move to better capture auditory cues. In wolf form, their hearing is amongst the best in all the shifter population. Their range of detection becomes much larger, covering up to 10km.
Smell:
Even in Human form, their nose is much more sensitive to smells compared to the average human, an ability which many find unplaisant. In Hybrid form, they already have a better nose than most animals and Shapeshifters. They can detect and track scents much like a wolf or dog can, however, their range may be a bit smaller than the animals. This changes in Wolf form, as their ability becomes just as good, if not better than a wolf or dog's in terms of detection and range.
Extrasensory abilities
Telepatic AbilitiesWolfkin, like all Shapeshifters, have the possiblity to develop telepathic abilities. This allows them to communicate between each other by though. A higher percentage of Wolfkin Shifter can develop this ability than other shifter kins, yet it still remains rare. A by-product of this ability is that in wolf form, they can also communicate with actual wolves. In rare cases, this ability also works with humans, though only in one direction. They can talk to them telepaticaly, but the human cannot.
Visions
In very rare cases, some who have a very strong Etherial connection can develop the ability to experiance visions. These visions often show glimpses of future events, which are usualy related to them or someone close to them. These vision often appear while deaming and usualy are enterlaced with the memories of the individual, making them notoriously hard to understand.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
As wolfkins are spread out across all continents of the planet, they naturaly speak many different languages. Most groups do not have their own language, but some isolated clans, such as in the mountains of eastern Arros or in the Salsian highlands of northern Enask, they may speak a distinct dialect of an existing language. The wolfkins of Skania in northern Arros, as well as the ones around Lake ghoro and within the surounding marshlands have their own language, derived from Rumalian and old Oromian respectively.
Common Dress Code
Within clans, wolfkin like to stay in hybrid form, which means that they tend to not see the need in wearing much clothing, since their fur does a very good job at keeping them warm while also making clothes feel uncomfortable to wear. Typical attire mostly consists of short pants or dress. In colder region, such as Rumalia, they may wear a coat and hat. When traveling to human settlements, they keep a human form, which allows them to dress like other people confortably.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Diverse viewpoints
Since Wolfkins are the largest and most dispersed group of Shapeshifters, their views and relations with non-wolfkin peoples varies a lot per region and clan.
Wolfkin-Human and Mage relations
In most regions, and especialy in eastern Arros, wolfkins regulary collaborate with humans, especialy in the matters of trade and security. Many clans in that region are nominaly under the protection of human kingdoms, but fonctionaly, they protect themselves and some even protect human lands from attacks perpetrated by other humans or mages, all in exchange for trade and ressources. They do not generaly nterfear in conflicts involving other shifters since most clans see it as a conflict of interest and even a betrayal. Intimate relationships between Humans or Elemental Mages and wolfkin is taboo in some clans, while others may not care and some will even accept the human or mage as an honorary part of their clan.
Wolfkin-Other Shifter kins Relations
Relations with other shifter kins in the matter of trade is very common, even more so than with humans, as many clans, including sometimes wolfkin clans, prefer interacting with other shifters if possible. Many have millitary alliances with each other. Intimate ralations between wolfkin and a shifter of another kin is seen as a positive, yet like with most kins, Wolfkins would prefer to couple with another one of their own. However, amonsgt all the shifter kins, they are perhaps the least worried about it.
Since Wolfkins are the largest and most dispersed group of Shapeshifters, their views and relations with non-wolfkin peoples varies a lot per region and clan.
Wolfkin-Human and Mage relations
In most regions, and especialy in eastern Arros, wolfkins regulary collaborate with humans, especialy in the matters of trade and security. Many clans in that region are nominaly under the protection of human kingdoms, but fonctionaly, they protect themselves and some even protect human lands from attacks perpetrated by other humans or mages, all in exchange for trade and ressources. They do not generaly nterfear in conflicts involving other shifters since most clans see it as a conflict of interest and even a betrayal. Intimate relationships between Humans or Elemental Mages and wolfkin is taboo in some clans, while others may not care and some will even accept the human or mage as an honorary part of their clan.
Wolfkin-Other Shifter kins Relations
Relations with other shifter kins in the matter of trade is very common, even more so than with humans, as many clans, including sometimes wolfkin clans, prefer interacting with other shifters if possible. Many have millitary alliances with each other. Intimate ralations between wolfkin and a shifter of another kin is seen as a positive, yet like with most kins, Wolfkins would prefer to couple with another one of their own. However, amonsgt all the shifter kins, they are perhaps the least worried about it.
Lifespan
90-100 years
Average Height
Human Form: 1,5 to 1,8 metres
Hybrid form: 1,7 to 2 metres
Wolf Form: 1 to 1,5 metres (at the shoulders.)
Hybrid form: 1,7 to 2 metres
Wolf Form: 1 to 1,5 metres (at the shoulders.)
Average Physique
Like most other predator type shifters, wolfkins are very strong. Even in their human form, they are much stronger than a regular human. In Hybrid and Animal form, they are one of the strongest shifter kins, rivaling the strenght of Bear shifters and Lion Shifters.
Related Myths
Wolfkins have, over the centuries, formed some of the largest and strongest Shapeshifter Clans in both Arros and Enaskia, with some containing as many as 5000 members. This allowed them to assert control over and govern over large swats of territory on both continents, but particulary in Arros. Many reasons explains their unique success compared to most other shifter kins, such as their naturaly large numbers as well as their strenght and resilience, for which their are famous for. However, arguably the most important reason is their exceptionaly robust social cohesion, which is compounded by the fact that many wolfkins, a larger percentage than most other shifter kins, also have telepathic abilities. This makes them a formidable political and military force in both Enask and Arros and one of the strongest mage group in Hysal, elemental or soulbound.
Geographic Distribution
- Most Wolfkins communities are located in Arros, where it is estimated that 60% of all Wolfkin shifters live. Most Arrosian Wolfkin live in the eastern and northern regions of the continent, particulary in the kingdoms of Heoria, Alvaros and the Confederation of Ru'mensh.
- About 20% are believed to instead reside in Enask, mainly in the northern half of the continent, while the remaining 20% are distributed between the continents of Osian, Mahador and Samaria. In all if those regions and in Arros, they are usualy grouped into Shapeshifter Clans, large groups of shifters of the same or similar species that can number in the thousands, especialy in their case.
History
After the end of the First age, the wolfkins, like all other shapeshifters and other Soulbound mages, began to be born. Their arrived in Hysal nearly a century after the first type of Shapeshifters, the Dragonkin did. Many of the first generation of Wolfkins were killed at a young age, much like that of the Dragonkins.
However, in some regions and in the following decades, they had managed to group themselves into clans, isolated and far from human society. In the Continent of Arros, thanks to the low population of humans, they had more success than in Enaskia Enask, where percecution and forced displacement was constant.
By the Mid second age, a clear disparity of wolfkin populations began to emerge across both continents. Enask became increasingly unlivable for many shapeshifter species including the wolfkins. By the time of the rise of the Essanian Empire, most wolfkins in Enask had retreated to the barren Salsian Highland region, the northern most region of mainland Enask. To this day, it remains the only region on the continent with a significant shapeshifter population.
On the contrary, in Arros, they enjoyed relative prosperaty, especialy in east, where human settlements were still minimal. This would change with the expansion of the Essanian empire into the continent and the rise of the Carathengian Empire. The later rose from the City of Carathenga and rapidaly expanded east, conquering lands inhabited by the wolfkins. Many on both side were killed. This is also how and when the practice of kidnapping young shifters for gladiatorial matches began. These battles were similar to Boyekens and were held in the large cities of the empires for the entertainment of the masses.
Fast forward to The Fall, the catastrophic events of this era forced Humans and all mages to cooperate for survival, and this included the Wolfkins, who by this point and despite the hardships, had already become the largest group of shapeshifters on the continent and had carved out huge chunks of territory for themselves east of the Alvars Mountains, particulary in Heoria. Their help in protecting the population and defeating the Blight Spawns were essential for the victory against the blight.
Nowdays, the relation between human and Wolfkins is neutral at best. Both sides usualy respect each other, but won't go out of their way to forge deeper relations, unless it is mutualy beneficial, like the alliance between the Clans and kingdoms of the Arrosian Far East. Despite this relative normalisation of relations between Humans and shapeshifters in general, many of the latter are still percecuted, especialy in regions that do not have large shifter populations.
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