Wulven

The mighty, primordial wolf-men who treasure excess, joy, and combat

Base Racial Traits

Ability Score Modifiers: (+2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, +4 Charisma): Wulven are blessed with mighty physiques, but their short lives and headstrong lifestyles mean they tend to rely on their forces of personality to see them through most situations that their bodies cannot otherwise.
Size: Wulven are large sized creatures, and gain the corresponding penalties and bonuses from it.
Type: Wulven are creatures with the Monstrous Humanoid type. They are affected by all effects as if they were both Humanoids and Monstrous Humanoids.
Speed: Wulven have a base land speed of 40 feet.
Vision: Wulven gain Darkvision out to 60ft and Scent out to 120ft. Wulven may use Scent to note the direction of scents as a swift action instead of a move action.
Languages: Wulven begin play speaking Common and Wulfe. A Wulven with high INT may choose any non-secret language as a bonus language.
Big Furry Friends: Wulven, rather famous for being unnaturally charismatic, are treated as automatically succeeding a diplomacy check against all creatures they spend time interacting with(GM Discretion) to influence their starting attitudes upwards by one step to a maximum of Friendly. This is by no means brainwashing, and does not force creatures to take any actions for good or for ill. Additionally, Wulven are automatically treated as being the subject of an Extraordinary Ears of the City effect any time they spend an hour or more in revelry at a populated establishment such as an inn, drinking house, bar, etc - Wulven automatically succeed all Diplomacy Checks made for this Ears of the City Effect and do not need to concentrate on it. Finally, once per session, a Wulven can select an NPC they are currently engaged in conversation with and attempt to craft a narrative that ties them to the NPC in some way, thus making them "Old Friends" or "Old Acquaintances" - the GM is final arbiter on if the narrative is viable and thus successfully takes hold and becomes 'canon', and thus tying this attempted narrative into the NPC's existing history may grant this ability a higher chance of functioning.
Alien Amygdala: Their brains built wholly differently than most other species, Wulven do not have a 'Fight-or-Flight' response - for them, the same release of hormones provokes only one response: "fight!". This unique brain chemistry makes Wulven react strangely to fear - Fear effects have the wholly opposite effect on a Wulven: Shaken gives bonuses instead of penalties(But only when inflicted by true enemies), Frightened forces the Wulven to run towards their fear and destroy it to the exclusion of all else instead of away from it and grants bonuses instead of penalties like shaken, and Panicked functions the same as Frightened save that the Wulven MUST use its natural attacks to attack the source of its fear as it reverts to a more primal nature. Other fear effects not listed here will generally have opposite effects, but GM has final discretion on what that entails. Additionally, Wulven gain a +4 on all saves made vs emotion effects and a +2 on all saves made versus mind-affecting effects.
Fight, Drink, Learn: Wulven, born of the natural world and with an unnatural charisma, gain Knowledge(Nature) and any one Charisma-Based skill of their choice as class skills, gaining a +4 racial bonus to both. Additionally, whenever a Wulven is drinking with another creature, each full glass drank with the creature in question will give the Wulven a unique revelation about the other creature's current state of mind, worries, place of origin, or any other minor factoid at GM's discretion. When Wulven drink alone, they gain random pieces of information as if they had succeeded at a Knowledge Check against a random topic(Which is rarely relevant to a specific task or goal at hand, but tends to give insight into a local area more than the rest of the world at large).
Lunar Bastion: Blessed by the rawest, truest essence of the Lunar Skies, Wulven bodies are the ideal which all Lycanthropes descend from - their bodies, hardened against assault, grant them DR 10/Silver and +2HP per HD they possess. In addition, once per day as an immediate action, Wulven may grant themselves immunity to all non-silvered physical damage for 1 round as their fur glows silvery-blue in response.
Wild Warmongers: Massive, walking redoubts of violence and death, Wulven are most at home in violence and get an almost meditative peace from acts of it - for every 10HP they lose in a single fight, Wulven gain a +1 on attack and damage rolls(Up to a maximum bonus equal to their HD+2). For every 20HP they lose in a fight, Wulven can move up to 5ft between melee attacks they make in a round which provokes Attacks of Opportunity as usual and stacks in distance up to a number of times equal to 1/2 their HD. Healing equal increments removes these bonuses.
Fight for the Thrill, Not the Kill: Wulven, preferring to fight for the enjoyment of the act rather than the butchery that follows, take no penalties of any kind for dealing nonlethal damage with their natural weapons, and can convert all damage types they deal with their natural attacks(Even elemental types) into nonlethal damage.
Walking Armory: Wulven gain two natural claw attacks that begin at 1d6 damage for their size, and a Bite Attack that begins at 1d8 damage for their size. Both crit on a 20 with a x2 critical multiplier, and the Wulven may choose which of these attacks are the primary and which are the secondary at character creation.
Armory Additions: Wulven may attempt a free CMB check to trip foes struck for damage by their bite attack that does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity. Additionally, Wulven gain the Rend Universal Monster Rule with their claw attacks, dealing another iteration of their claw's damage when they successfully hit a target with both of their claw attacks in a single round.
Rite of Lunar Mantling: Wulven, born with a potent connection to Lunar Energies, are capable of channeling the energies of the Three Moons above Ea to call down a variety of potent effects - using this ability is a standard action(Unless otherwise noted) and provokes attacks of opportunity(Unless otherwise noted). While this ability has no duration, maintaining any mantle for periods of time lasting longer than one hour continuously will invariably have deleterious effects on one's body.

• Mantle of Aquarius: When this moon's azure-blue energies are mantled as a full-round action, the Wulven in question emanates a 30ft radius aura that automatically suppresses all resistances and immunities to an elemental damage type of the Wulven's choice possessed by creatures within its radius, even those of the chosen element's true element, for as long as the creatures remain within its radius. Additionally, while this mantle remains in effect, the Wulven can shape a 10x10 section of the battlefield and terraform it in whatever ways they desire(GM Discretion) such as adding walls, removing walls, raising or lowering terrain, etc.


• Mantle of Bahaemon: When this moon's silvery energies are mantled, the Wulven in question sheds silvery light like a torch and can create a silvery area of holy energy with a 20ft radius centered on a square they can see within 120ft that functions as a Consecrate spell. At 10+HD, this functions as Hallow instead. If an ally has a spell that could be attached to the Hallow, they can use it as an immediate action when this ability is used. Only one such area can be created at a time, and making another destroys all other existing areas. Additionally, such areas are illuminated by a pillar of silver light that deals 2d6 damage automatically at the start of all creature's turns who could be harmed by the damage from a Holy Weapon.


• Mantle of Mordain: Better known to the Wulven as the Coward's Moon, when this moon's stone-grey energies are mantled, all weapons the Wulven wields gain the Treasonous Weapon Special Quality(Functioning against the pack the Wulven Belongs to) and, should the Wulven be reduced below 1HP while this Mantle is active, negate all damage that would lower them below 1HP on the given attack or spell in question - after which this ability as a whole remains inactive for 1 hour. This mantle, alternatively, will negate one death effect that would instantly slay the Wulven while active - but will deactivate this ability for 24 hours instead of 1.

Last of the Primordials: As the last of the four primordial races made by the gods to endure into the modern day in their original forms, Wulven are inextricably tied to the natural world they were made to embody and defend - they automatically gain Old Druidic as a Bonus Language(Which they cannot lose or have taken from them), gain the Plant Bringer Universal Monster Rule(Replacing Mythic Rank with 1/2 their level) which they may activate/deactivate as a swift action, and are not hindered by all difficult terrain resulting from plant life, greenery, or similar nature-based causes(even magical sources). Additionally, Wulven cannot be raised as Undead and cannot become Undead or Half-Undead(Even willingly), and cannot be affected by Lycanthropy. Unlike normal, Wulven Old Druidic is heightened in efficacy and functions more akin to speak with plants and speak with animals than usual.
Pack Trait: Wulven gain the pack trait for the pack they choose to be a member of. If they choose to go packless, they get the Quick Reactions trait instead, giving them a racial +4 on all initiative checks.

Wulven Packs:

THESE REPLACE ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS AND RACIAL FEATS. PLEASE READ.
UNDERGOING REWORK.
Wulven, contrary to all other races in the world of Ea, are a race that rarely deviates from their base form during their growth, evolution, and cycle...and as such, few among them develop alternate traits in the traditional sense of the word.
However, Wulven instead divide themselves into “Packs”, where each Pack reigns over a different area, locale, or climate(sometimes sharing such with a different Pack, on occasion), and are defined by several key traits that are more prominent on them than other races, serving the same purpose as Alternate Racial traits but in different ways. Each Pack can be said to be unique and identifiable amongst the Wulven, possessing their own traits and features that set them apart in different ways.
Though countless Packs exist, the below 8 are the main “Superpacks” from which all other packs branch off of, and trace their lineage back to.
Each Pack has a single trait that is shared without exception across all Wulven who call themselves a part of that Pack, and several other traits that manifest more sparsely amongst them. Additionally, there are a set of more specialized mutations or abilities within the Packs that serve the similar role as Racial Feats do for other races. These are called “Pack Trait(Which is received by all Wulven in it)”, “Pack Alternate Traits(Which are optional and replace existing traits)” and “Pack Feats”.
A Wulven does not have to pick a pack for themselves, and may remain packless, though such a thing is rare.
Below are all the Wulven Packs:
Silvermane Pack
Firefur Pack
Blackclaw Pack
Winterfang Pack
Marrowmaw Pack
Frosthowl Pack
Terrorpaw Pack
Runescar Pack

Basic Information

Anatomy

Wulven are large and hardy beings, and stand over twice and even three times as tall as a normal human creature, with two legs as thick as solid metal beams and two arms that ripple with muscle, each ending in hands with long claws on each. Due to their size, Wulven skeletal and musculature systems are built to withstand much more punishment and withstand more weight and stress than the systems of an average creature and are even said to be stronger than hardened and tempered steel.
On top of that, a Wulven's unique biology grants the them power of incredibly quick natural healing thanks to a unique and powerful cell and circulatory system as well as their unique, multi-organ internal systems that grant them incredibly and almost supernaturally powerful healing as they bodies close wounds and cuts in scant minutes rather than days. Wulven have a number of redundant internal Organs, which lends even more credence to their invincibility and durability, as their twin hearts, lungs, and more allow them to sustain injuries that would cripple and kill a normal creature.

Biological Traits

Wulven biological traits in the modern day are determined mostly by the pack they are a part of. Their fur can range in color, their bodies can develop new quirks or abilities such as flaming or frozen claws, and a vast range of other abilities that are taken from one's Pack. See Pack pages for more details.

Genetics and Reproduction

Wulven are highly virile creatures, and reproduce quite often through sexual reproduction. Thanks to not only their high level of virility but also their rambunctious and boisterous personalities that often lead them to engage in sexual relations relatively often, Wulven are capable and often do have children with nearly any race, even ones normally impossible for standard races to impregnate like the Dai-Yukai.
Though they can obviously reproduce with members of their species, Wulven have no qualms as a species or culture with reproducing with anyone else no matter their species, and Wulven children are almost always split evenly between their Race and the Race of their host parent.
When Wulven come down with child, they carry their young inside of them for a period of time where they gestate for anywhere between 2-5 months, and often quicker depending on the situation.

Growth Rate & Stages

Wulven grow up incredibly quickly, and once born they reach adulthood in a scant 6 months, reaching the full adult size for their Pack by around month 5 of their growth. During this time a Wulven rapidly is taught the ways of the Wulven People as a whole and the ways of their Pack, and it is during this time that infant Wulven pups learn how little their people value life. They are taught that life is short, and that because of this that they should strive to always live to their fullest so that each day is a day where you could die happy if it was your last.
They are given training as hunters by their tribe, as because of the high death rate for Wulven as a whole they have little care for parentage or blood relations so newborn Wulven are instead raised communally, by all members of the Pack.

Ecology and Habitats

Wulven are an incredibly hardy bunch, and Wulven Packs can be found across all environments and climates around the world ranging from scorching deserts, arctic wastelands, and magic-blasted hellscapes.
Whenever Wulven move into an area, they do so loudly and with much fanfare, and almost all who inhabit such an area know of their arrival when it happens. Being incredibly close to nature, Wulven Packs will often become highly attuned to the natural world in the area they move into and often become very avid defenders of the balance and ecology of the given area they reside in.
They will often work communally to protect the balance of the natural world they live in and around, and besides this they will often range around and hunt freely and fight even more freely, often ranging around to the other tribes, packs, or creatures that live in the area and fighting them to their hearts content...which, despite the good intentions of the Wulven themselves, can often lead to friction between the different tribes or creatures that live alongside them. Otherwise, Wulven often get along reasonably well with almost any other race or settlement nearby and are quite amicable and live in tune with the areas they inhabit.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Wulven are ominvores, and can and readily do eat anything they can find or get their hands on. They are incredibly avid hunters, and often range out near their villages to hunt for food.

Biological Cycle

Altogether, much is unknown about how Wulven as a race are affected by the passing of time and what their Biological Cycle may be. Thanks to their incredibly boisterous lives that also are often cut incredibly short, there is altogether little opportunity to study the effects of time on a Wulven's biological cycle and their bodies.
However, theories abound primarily from the Wulven themselves that they are, in fact, immune to aging and are thus actually immortal in regards to aging. This theory is somewhat supported by the incredibly rare Wulven who can sometimes live longer lives...the longest of which managed to live nearly 500 years before they were killed. As the saying goes, "No Wulven ever dies from Old Age".
A very popular Wulven theory is that their patron god, Muzaka, is the only example of a Wulven who lived long enough and managed to fight enough to reach godhood.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Wulven have a fierce Pack culture and even fiercer lineage, and thanks to their highly communal lifestyle each Wulven has very closely knit bonds that tie them to their pack-mates and kin...and it is these same bonds that often drive Wulven to even higher depths of frenzy and battle-lust should one of the pack-mates die in battle. However, quite uniquely to Wulven society is the simple fact that Wulven, unlike other pack cultures like the Lamia, do not necessarily mourn for their dead or those that fall in battle; Instead, Wulven are simply so familiar with death and the loss of life that they will simply spare a moment to wish their pack-mates well in the next life and move on with the battle, letting their death serve as proof that the fight is even more worth fighting and dying in. Each Wulven within their Pack contributes equally to the continued existence of the whole, and each will hunt, protect, scout, and perform duties in equal measure to provide for the whole, as for Wulven the providing and advancement of the whole is synonymous with the advancement of each member of that whole.
Each Wulven pack is led by a Prominent Wulven "Alpha" that wears a silver suit of ceremonial armor which is passed from one Alpha to the next upon their death, to denote their status. These suits of armor are silver and are said to each contain a shard of the armor once worn by Muzaka, thus granting his protection to each Alpha that lives and has lived. A new Alpha is always chosen by martial duels, and upon their death Wulven of their Pack will compete against one another to prove their dominance until one Wulven rises above the rest and beats all competitors, thus claiming the title of Alpha for themselves. Otherwise, an Alpha can be challenged while he yet lives...such a challenge results in the Alpha dueling his challenger until one Wulven emerges victorious, and thus claims the title of Alpha for themselves, thereafter ruling their pack according to their wishes and desires. These rites can vary slightly from Pack to Pack, but this format is nearly universal across all Packs.
Each Wulven Alpha is both the spiritual and physical leader of their Pack, and are fully expected to not only lead the pack into glorious battles, but to further the Pack and assure its' continued existence, placing the goals and desires of the Pack first and foremost above all other things. They are the protectors and leaders of the entire Pack, and are looked to for guidance, wisdom, and to keep the pack safe and well. It is a position with much burden, and many Alphas are considered the "Paragons" of their respective Packs.
Wulven social structure is communal and mostly merit-based, with no particular gender or race being given favorable treatment; if a creature can pull their weight and can respect and follow the wishes of the community and the Alpha, they are generally welcome to live inside a Wulven village and contribute to it. Rank within this social hierarchy is determined by accomplishments both on and off the battlefield, and while combat prowess is favored heavily in Wulven society, any member of the Pack is expected to be capable and able to perform other duties for the sake of the Pack such as hunting, foraging, building, crafting, and sometimes, cleric or healing duties or even arcane studies. There is generally at least one cleric or similar divine conduit in each Wulven village who serves as a direct link to the gods.
Wulven, given their combative, aggressive, and chaotic nature, rarely form cohesive and unified governments. Instead, Wulven society can be viewed as an extension to their simple pack structure, but with a number of different levels:

Superpacks: The Political Body of the Wulven. The 8 Superpacks are truly massive packs that meet occasionally to decide upon matters that involve all Wulven as a whole. These Superpacks are comprised of smaller Greater Packs, and are each led by a "Grand Alpha".
Greater Packs: Smaller packs of Wulven that are still large and powerful, but are less focused on political matters and more on combat, hunting, or otherwise.
Packs: Packs range in size and importance, and are generally led by low-ranking Wulven and more important packs led by more powerful Alphas with experienced bodyguards.

Facial characteristics

Wulven faces are wolf-like in appearance, with furred heads, elongated snouts, pointed ears, and beady eyes that often shine with chaotic energy. They have a mouthful of sharp incisors and teeth, and often are seen smiling and laughing so much that the simple act of smiling is almost synonymous with a Wulven face.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Wulven can be distributed across all locales and climates. There are very few places where Wulven Packs cannot survive or thrive.

Average Intelligence

Wulven, while they aren't commonly thought of as "Intelligent" in the traditional sense, are smart and wise creatures that are often overlooked as being so thanks to their unique outlook on life.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Wulven are incredibly talented hunters, and as such have a highly developed vision that lets them expertly pick out small details in large and complicated environments. Their noses are also incredibly sensitive, and their sense of smell is so incredibly potent that they can detect subtle changes in scents from over a hundred feet away...and thanks to their monstrous natures their eyes quickly adapt to even the darkest of environs, allowing them to see in the dark up to sixty feet away.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Wulven names are universally guttural, sharp, and biting to the tongue, and are chock full of ‘-z’, ‘-k’, ‘-r’, and other growling, guttural syllables, though female names are more pleasant and roll off the tongue better than male names. To the Wulven who are so often as wild as a tornado, their names tend to be short and simple, with the more fanciful among them in possessing of elongated names in some odd Wulven analogue to poshness, though overly long names are often mocked in Wulven society. To them, in the time it takes to pronounce a long name, they could be fighting, drinking, or going on with their lives.
Male: Muzaka, Maduke, Razzak, Lennix, Kazyr, Rurrga, Fenrik, Kentas, etc...
Female: Lyca, Kria, Sybil, Zhira, Esyn, Garda, Dorant, Urne, etc...

Beauty Ideals

Because of their incredibly short lifespans and chaotic lives, Wulven rarely place importance on the exterior for matters of Beauty. Instead, they form bonds and fall into love with a creature's personality, or some facet of them that they find appealing. Whether that be the warrior spirit of their love, their furious personality or the way they laugh, Wulven rarely get attached to the physical or find beauty in it. To them, the exterior can be scarred, cut, damaged and even destroyed over the course of one's life...but the interior, the personality, shall sign true for all time until the day a creature dies...thus, the interior is a more reliable judge of who they are, and what they fall in love with more often than not.
However, that is not to say Wulven wholly ignore the exterior for matters of Beauty. Wulven generally pay attention to the exterior's beauty only as a representation of a creature's inner self is like, and as a reflection of their personality and habits.
Wulven find scars, injuries, burns, or similar relics of intense combat or of lessons learned to be beautiful in a way, and things that denote one who has a beautiful soul.

Gender Ideals

Wulven males and females are considered to have incredibly similar ideals, but can be slightly varied.
For Wulven males, their ideal is a Wulven who always seeks out new and challenging experiences, smiles even when life gets hard, and never hesitates to befriend those who do him wrong. They believe that their lives are too short to carry grudges or hatreds, and that standing above these things and being taller and better than such pettiness is the hallmark of a true Wulven. Additionally, while this can vary slightly between Packs, the 'ideal' Male Wulven is one who doesn't blindly pursue anything and everything that resembles a "fight". Instead, the 'ideal' Wulven is one who judges and evaluates which fights should be fought and which should be laughed down and settled another way...hearkening back to their short lives, Wulven believe that blindly fighting every battle possible is nothing but a waste of one's life...for with lives already so short, no Wulven wants to get injured or even worse to die in a fight that was beneath them or pointless to begin with. As such, Wulven often seek out "great" or "challenging" fights, or ones they believe hold some significant meaning or interest...this way, they ensure they fill their lives with only the best experiences and no paltry or uninteresting ones. This means the "Ideal" Wulven is one who is equal parts boisterous and impulsive but is also Wise and capable of discerning what is truly worthy of their attention and what should be dealt with in other ways...as to die ignominiously or for no particular reason is one of the greatest fears of the Wulven.
For Wulven females, their ideal is almost identical to the Male ideal...the only difference being the 'Ideal' Female Wulven is one who also births and raises the newborn Wulven pups well and with pride, being sure to pass on their knowledge to the next generation so Wulven tradition can live on. The ideal Wulven Female is also an avid protector of the homefront, and one who keeps watch on the village and keeps their pack-mates on track when they get off topic or stray from important matters.

Courtship Ideals

True to their nature, Wulven courtship is often lightning fast and intensely passionate...like a lightning bolt of passion they blast into the lives of those they fancy or wish to court, wooing them with intense feats of strength or talent that are sometimes poorly received, but that nonetheless stops the Wulven from trying. Their courtships are quick, passionate, and after a quick romp or sometimes an extended series of meetings the Wulven in question will often either dash off to their next endeavor once they have ensured their pup will be well-cared for, or will die before the pup is born.
Because of this, Wulven are often seen as playboys or playgirls, layabouts, and hedonists and vagabond lovers who will invariably leave the parent after their moment of passion either willingly or through death, meaning they sometimes have a poor reputation among other races for their poor ability to maintain long relationships...however, for the Wulven, who already place almost no important on familial and blood ties, they see no particular issue with this and simply see it as natural for them who live such short lives. They do care for their pups and their lovers, but beyond ensuring they will be raised safely and well, they rarely stay involved in their own pups' upbringing or the lives of their lovers.

Relationship Ideals

Wulven relationships are ideally short, passionate, and are ones that bring incomparable joy and glee into the lives of both parties...but they are also ones that end just as quickly as they began. The ideal Wulven relationship should be enjoyed, treasured, and protected and cherished with all of one's might for as long as they last, and are never things to be done halfheartedly or for no reason...because to the Wulven, when they live such short lives, they cannot afford to do anything halfheartedly.

Average Technological Level

Wulven packs each tend to specialize in a different field, but all Wulven are generally at a medieval level of technology. They can metalwork, have pseudo-advanced cultural systems, and can perform a myriad of arts and crafts but otherwise prefer to live simple lives in-tune with the natural world.

Common Etiquette Rules

Wulven always strive to conduct themselves in as boisterous a manner as possible, and often have a great fondness for drink, for laughing and mirth, and love fighting and combat. They are generally good natured and value personal freedoms, and always endeavor to treat other races with this same respect and good-naturedness...they have an almost universal cultural belief that no creature is above being offered a drink, a seat at your table, or a laugh from your stories. They are quick to make friends and love meeting new people, and have a strong and innocent belief that there are seldom few conflicts in the world that cannot be defused in some way...or, barring that, cannot be salvaged once the battle has ended.
They are generally respectful of the situation and of those they meet, but Wulven see little issue with bringing a bit of chaotic whimsy and delight to the lives of those they encounter. Likewise, Wulven etiquette practically demands universally that Wulven offer laughs, drinks, and mirth to those they fight and those they encounter regardless of any biases they or others may have against them. Even if they were beaten or beat them in a fight, even if others shun or dislike them, or even if they are downtrodden or haughty Wulven generally try to form their own opinions about others, and are almost universally quick to forgive others for transgressions and move on with their lives....often, they take those they were mortal enemies with hand in hand and go for drinks and laughs minutes after the fight is finished.

Common Dress Code

Wulven, being avid hunters and warriors, often outfit themselves in furs and other thick cloaks. They are often familiar with wearing armor, but otherwise generally decorate themselves with furs and pelts of beasts or other creatures they have slain.
Otherwise, Wulven are chaotic creatures at heart and other than wearing a necklace of their god and some symbology that represents what Pack they belong to, have little to no dress code...though, being beings so closely in tune with nature, often prefer natural garments and decorations for their fur, adorning their fur with twigs, bark, leaves, vines, shells, and more.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

While Wulven are often loathe to kill those they fight, they not only hunt and thus provide food for their pack as the circle of life dictates, but they are capable and will Kill when circumstances call for it depending on their own judgement. Though some Wulven will make extreme efforts to preserve all life, it is not uncommon for the average Wulven to not kill his enemies simply where it makes sense, and for many of their foes such as animals, beasts, or even sentient creatures they do not hold qualms with ending life; they simply prefer to find other alternatives when they are present and make sense. Thus it is not uncommon for a Wulven to spare his enemies even if they mean to do him harm because they see no point in killing such a creature, but it could be equally likely for an Wulven to deign to kill such a creature if they judge it to be a better or the only option in a scenario...as a race, they simply give level-headed thought to whether each creature they fight should die, though they lean towards sparing those who make sense to do so for.

Common Taboos

Killing another creature is the closest thing to a Taboo present in Wulven culture. Killing another creature when another opportunity is available is frowned upon and seen as wasteful of both life and the opportunity to at the very least foster a strong foe they could fight later on. However, this is not universal across all Wulven, and many hold no qualms about this taboo when there are no other alternatives or when it would clearly be more beneficial than simply knocking a creature out.
Likewise, willingly infringing upon or allowing harm or destruction to come to nature is similarly taboo to Wulven.

History

Wulven history is a long and storied one, as they are considered the last of the Primordial Races(Dubbed "High" races by contemporary scholars) to exist in their original form in the world of Ea. Said to have been birthed from primordial nature close to the beginning of all things, Wulven are said to be living embodiments of nature and all the chaos involved within nature and the creatures who call it home. Most of living Wulven memory and even written records date back only as far as the Age of High Humanity, where it is taught that long ago, Wulven society did not have a concept of "packs" or anything similar like "tribes"...instead, Wulven were simply one people united beneath the banner of Kings. These ancient Wulven kings are spoken of even today as the stuff of antiquity and legend, and as the stuff of the past that existed before Wulven society was broken into its current pack structure.
Long ago, during this period of the ancient Wulven Kings, the last King of Wulven and the greatest to have ever lived was said to be the great Wulven known as Muzaka, now the patron god of Wulven but then said to have been no more than a mortal...albeit, the first and greatest Wulven of the era. Muzaka was said to have been the last King of the Wulven, and over the course of the Age of High Humanity led his people to countless wars alongside and against the Humans and other races.
The key tale told by Wulven that tells the story of how they were split into packs comes from the same age, when the ancient Lamia Ancestors grew so completely powerful they conquered the entire world...feasting on races as they pleased and making all life into their broken toys, the ancient Lamia had their way with everything and everyone...and when the final war came that would lead to the destruction of the ancient Lamia civilization, it was Muzaka who corralled his people and kept them from engaging both sides of the conflict, focusing them for the first time towards one goal: Helping the races of the surface destroy the ancient Lamia. During this war the Wulven fought mightily, and contributed significantly to its victory...but afterwards, it was said Muzaka, seeing how large and unruly his people had become that they would even have helped the ancient Lamia if it meant an enjoyable fight, decide to end the ways of Wulven kings for the sake of his people, and to prevent the Wulven from uniting against a cause ever again.
He split the unified Wulven into eight great Superpacks which he declared would rule the Wulven People...afterwards, he vanished to parts unknown, not to return for an age in search of challenges and grand fights.
Over time, the Wulven retained this Pack structure and, once Muzaka returned to the continent centuries after he had left, they as a people were present at the moment of his ascension, when he battled the war god Ruthger and ascended into godhood. Ever since, the Wulven have strived to follow the example of their patron Muzaka, who they see as the paragon and best of their kind.
True to their role as the living embodiments of nature, Wulven traditionally have spread out and made their homes in the various forests, woods, or places closely attuned to nature throughout the world and can often be found in the deepest thickets and most overgrown woods, where life is at its most dangerous and survival is not guaranteed.

Historical Figures

The biggest and most notable Historical Figure in Wulven Society is Muzaka, the patron god of the Wulven people and last King they had in days of yore...he was said to be responsible for creating the Pack structure of modern-day Wulven society, and set the bar for all modern Wulven standards for what a Wulven should act and carry themselves like.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Wulven are almost always incredibly friendly with almost all other Races they meet, and there are few Races that do not get along well with them. They are particularly friendly with Dwarves, who get along wonderfully with the Wulven thanks to their mutual love of community, drink, and mirth. Wulven are quick to befriend others, and even when wronged or attacked rarely will outright decide to no longer care or befriend their foe...indeed, they will almost always try to befriend and laugh with those they fight until it becomes absolutely clear such a thing is impossible.

Lifespan

Unknown. Most Wulven die before age 30 in battle or elsewhere, and no Wulven has ever lived to old age.

Conservation Status

Alive and well. Wulven are widespread and numerous, and in no need of conservation.

Average Height

3 - 6 Meters

Average Weight

400 - 600 pounds

Average Physique

Wulven bodies are covered in fur, with a large amount of muscle mass. They often hunch over when they move as a result of their animalistic instincts and larger size, and are developed enough to run on all four limbs or on their legs only.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Wulven fur can come in a wide variety of colors and markings, and each is depending partly on the Pack a given Wulven is a part of and partly on the environment they live in. Some Wulven Packs do enjoy marking their fur with stripes and lines for decorative, spiritual, and cultural purposes, but this is not a common theme for all Wulven.

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