Magma Wolves
Magma wolves are a variety of normal gray wolves that were intentionally created by the Infernas, the spawn of the Dragon lord Xiralgus the Nova. The Infernas wanted a creature that could follow orders and guard them, but they wouldn't wait for the corrupting Aether of their god to eventually and naturally convert a large animal. Instead they took young wolf pups and exposed them to draconic corruption in its purest form. The survivors were bred and the process started over until they got the current version of magma wolves we see today. When the Infernas disappeared from Vreathe, these wolves started to roam free and have spread to many northern areas of Cassel. They also crossed over to the Moon Izi where they thrived and grew in great numbers, disrupting the ecosystem there.
Magma wolves are immune to burning temperatures and are able to cast their own fire magic. They have an appearance that is virtually the same as normal gray wolves, but with much darker fur. When they are angered they immediately start glowing red and giving off so much heat that nearby plants ignite around them. Magma wolves are a social animal that lives in large packs. They follow their draconic master and only them, treating all other human appearing creatures as an immediate threat that must be dealt with.
Scientific Name: C. lupus Infernas
Length: 1.5 - 2 m (including tail)
Height: 85 - 95 cm (at the shoulder)
Weight: 20 - 60 kg
body temperature (Calm): 38°C
body temperature (Enraged): 1500°C
Lifespan: 10 - 15 years
Age of Maturity 13 months
Group (Pack) size: 20 - 200 wolves
Length: 1.5 - 2 m (including tail)
Height: 85 - 95 cm (at the shoulder)
Weight: 20 - 60 kg
body temperature (Calm): 38°C
body temperature (Enraged): 1500°C
Lifespan: 10 - 15 years
Age of Maturity 13 months
Group (Pack) size: 20 - 200 wolves
Differences
Gray Wolf
Magma Wolf
Habitat and Range
Thanfully on Vreathe magma wolves never spread very far from the Red Towers region of Southern Lyonne/Northern Verdina and the Xiral Islands. They can be found in the following Baronies: Orthez, Terminus, Ardens, Aldarra, Canillo, Palma, Milos, Theria, Levitha, Kythira, Tholos, Lycuria, and Esurian. On Vreathe these wolves prefer living in rocky areas with little plant life and they usually find caves to live in. The oceanic nature of Northern Cassel is likely a reason their range never spread very far. Lone wolves have been spotted as far south as the Brazen Marshes in southern Verdina but this is only during drought years when they can stand being in such a humid place for a little longer.
During especially wet years the wolves are rarely seen. It is thought they are hibernating in some cavern somewhere. There are also rumors that they turn back into normal wolves to prevent being destroyed by the water. It isn't really known.
On The Moon Izi, Magma Wolves can be found in every type of region, from the Ashen Wastes to the Salt Flats and Sulfurous landscapes. They can be found in the mountains and the lowlands. They are even spotted swimming in the Lava lakes and hunting on the massive obsidian bergs of the Runic Lava Sea. The only two places where they can't be found are near the numerous acid lakes dotting the landscape, as well as inside the many humid caverns. Caves on Izi are filled with plant life and if a magma wolf attempts to enter the only thing they'll do is end up in extreme pain due to the water everywhere.
Their habitat of choice is of course wherever there is flowing lava. Their hunting tactics depend on this as they often hide directly in the lava or they lay low in the barren blackened landscape surrounding the lava. Magma Wolves don't seem to have any set migratory pattern dependent on time of year, but they always return to lava lakes and rivers to breed and raise their young.
Diet
Like their non-magical cousins, magma wolves are primarily carnivores. They have a preference of hunting hooved animals of any size from sheep and goats to deer and moose. Their most common prey are Elk, who migrate throught he Red Towers to get to their breeding grounds in Marsan every Autumn. many hundreds are killed by magma wolves on the migration down and back. Magma wolves are also to take down a bull elk solo, where normal gray wolves will need five or more individuals to take one down.
When these animals are not in plentiful supply, magma wolves will hunt smaller animals like hare and beaver. They will also hunt other predators such as foxes and normal wolves. Magma wolves hate going near the water as it can injure or kill them, but they have been known to jump in a shallow pond and superheat it, killing all the fish for an easy meal. If the wolf survives, they lose the ability to cast fire magic for quite some time, but they get quite a bit of food out of the deal.
Magma wolves will also go after livestock and dogs. They also have no problem hunting humans and elves when the opportunity arises. When food is very scarce, they will even put aside the differences between multiple packs and agree to invade a human settlement, burning it to ash and feasting on the people and animals. Luckily this hasn't happened in many hundreds of years as the kingdoms of Lyonne and Cassel have an aggressive bounty program to keep magma wolf numbers down.
Power and Tactics
"Magma wolves recognize only one thing: Overwhelming Force. They'll send dozens of wolves after a single human target (like me!) to ensure they are taken out before moving onto the next one. They also know to single out the biggest threats (like me, the Ice Mage!) DO NOT underestimate them!"
- Lucia
Normal Wolves know how weak they are compared to a large creature like an elk, so they stay hidden and wait for the right time to pounce, using rundown tactics to defeat their prey. Magma wolves, being able to cast powerful fire magic, will often send dozens of wolves after a target that might only need one or two of them to take down. This show of force makes animals and people panic and make poor choices, giving the wolves an even better chance at catching them.
They are also quite destructive for no apparent reason, content with burning down an entire section of forest to go after a single deer, before they move on to the next area. Magma wolves are apex predators and they know it, at least when they are large in number. Their careless burning usually attracts the attention of bounty hunters, and once the numbers drop the wolves go into hiding, waiting until their numbers rebuild and they can cause mass destruction once again.
Magma wolves also have the ability to sense mana and can figure out what type of magic someone is going to cast before they actually cast it. This allows them to tell if a human mage is about to send a harmless fireball their way or is charging a water spell. When water magic is sensed, the wolves often retreat, unless they percieve that they can take the target down before they get a spell off. More magma wolves die to being hit with water or ice magic than almost any other reason.
"Are you sure these suits will protect us from LAVA!?!"
"As long as you don't go near the lava, obviously you'll be fine. According to the map, the dark citadel is at the end of this lava flow. We'll follow it from here. I can't believe I feel like this is necessary to say, but keep your distance from the glowing liquid!"
Renelle's team followed the burning river for several hours before ordering her team to take a short break. Several knights at the edge of the formation kept a lookout but didn't notice anything. There was no sign of life other than the occasional phoenix flying overhead and strange black plants poking out of the slushy landscape.
Lucia was one of the knights on the edge of the formation near the lava flow. The quiet was maddening to her, but otherwise she was alert. Other knights on the edge included Ellis and Furio. Furio was the closest to the lava. The three walked through a field of boulders and noticed nothing.
Rather suddenly, Furio was attacked by multiple large creatures with black fur. They were wolves. He didn't hear them coming, but due to the world they were on, it wouldn't have been possible anyways. He figured that the wolves must have blended in with the blackened landscape. Despite having multiple sets of jaws closed over the unarmored parts of his arms and legs, Furio charged a spell and then sent a large nova outwards, sending out a shockwave that pushed Ellis and Lucia away. This fiery explosion was bright and would have normally incinerated anything it touched.
When the flash cleared, every single knight in Ren's team had their weapons drawn, ready to fight whatever the threat was. Then they saw roughly two hundred large wolves with glowing red and black fur, flickering as if it were on fire, giving off smoke and obscuring their appearance. Furio was on the ground, with his throat in the jaws of one of the wolves. The knights didn't hesitate and charged.
The wolves didn't break their formation and didn't split their forces against the 24 remaining knights. Instead all two hundred of them rammed into Ellis and Lucia, knocking them into the air and then tackling them into the ashen soil, biting into their bodies and attempting to tear them apart in the chaos. Ellis hever got a chance to draw his club before it was shattered in the jaws of one of the beasts. Moments later his forehead was punctured by razor sharp teeth.
Lucia was able to send off a frost spell that quickly spread to the wolves biting her. The affected creatures whimpered and ran away before they collapsed on the ground. Lucia could barely stand and draw her weapon before six more wolves charged her.
Her right arm was bitten into, which caused her to let go of her hammer. It was charged with mana but it harmlessly fell to the ground. Two more wolves bit into her left arm and several more bit into other parts of her body. They violently shook their heads in an attempt to rip apart Lucia's suit and get to the flesh underneath. Lucia felt this and attempted to get another ice spell off, but then the wolves broke through the outer shell of her suit, sinking their teeth straight through the other two layers and into her skin.
By now, the other knights were at the edge of the wolves and started tearing through them in an effort to save their friends. The Wolves weren't interested in fighting them, yet. A few of them sacrificed themselves and threw their bodies at the knights, but around fifty kept their distance and dragged the three knights they did catch away from the rest. By now Furio was well expired and Ellis was nearly there.
The knights were surrounded by over a hundred wolves. The wolves circled them, looking for the weakest link to go in for the kill. Renelle created a large bright spark of fire, in an attempt to scare the wolves away, but the wolves just seemed to be enraged by it. Their fur turned nearly all red, then white, glowing brightly. Despite being several tens of meters away, the knights could feel the sweltering heat coming off the bodies of the wolves. Many of them would likely get burned as the wolves approached.
Suddenly out of nowhere, a large horned beast crashed into the wolves, sending a dozen of them flying. The animal must have been nearby and percieved the wolves as a threat. Luckily, this caused the wolves to break their formation. Renelle ordered her knights to use water spells and defeat the wolves quickly! They had friends to rescue.
Lucia attempted once more to get an ice spell off before a wolf closed it's jaws around her neck and bit down hard. She gasped for air and started to black out. Feeling it was near the end, Lucia closed her eyes and smiled. She had a good life. Most of it was spent hunting vampires and other monsters, keeping the world safe. She only wished that she could die in the Deserts of Alluth, not a distant yellow moon.
"What are you doing!?!"
Lucia opened her eyes and was in a black void. In front of her was the woman that was tormenting her the night before. It was Lithane, the Queen of Vampires. Usually when Lucia sees Lithane talking to her, the vampire is smiling and manipulative, even motherly. Lithane had a terrifying appearance, angered by Lucia.
"You have blood magic! Why do you not use it?"
Lucia simply smiled. She wasnt going to play this game with the vampire goddess. She swore off the use of blood magic years ago and was never going to go back. For the sake of her son and--
"You leave me no choice!"
Lucia Saw Lithane raise her hand and tap Lucia on the forehead. Lucia then awoke, but was not in charge of her body, Lithane was. Lucia watch in horror at what she did next.
Lucia's blood suddenly crystalized and spiked out of her wounds, puncturing the wolves biting into her. These wolves then writhed in pain on the ground as Lithane's curse took them over. The other wolves kept their distance for only a moment before they charged, but Lithane in Lucia's body had regained her footing. She raised her mangled right arm and a thickened black miasma poured out of her wounds. It spread like a dark cloud over the wolves before sinking over them.
The Wolves decided that this wasn't worth it. They broke their formation and scurried away, but Lithane was not done with them yet. Several of the wolves attacked the others and started to tear them apart. then more wolves turned to Lithane's will and attacked more. In the chaos nearly all of the wolves died, the survivors yelping as they ran off.
Lithane cackled with delight at seeing the wolves tear each other apart. She then turned around, seeing Renelle running towards her. The knights had defeated the other wolves and came running to save their friends. Lithane lifted her authority over Lucia's body. As Lucia regained control, she realized she had lost far too much blood, and collapsed to the ground.
Renelle picked up Lucia and wondered what to do next. Two of her knights were dead and one more was very close to it. Claudia could be used to heal them and recall the souls of the dead, but it was far too dangrouns to set up camp here.
Then the horned beast from earlier approached Renelle. She didn't even notice before that there was someone riding the creature. It was a Fire Elf! The elf was holding a spear and pointed it to the immediate west. About a kilometer away was a rock formation with a flattened top. Ren immediately ordered her knights to go there.
Smoke and Frost VI
Previous:: Vampirism
Next:: ((Coming soon))
I really like the story telling aspect of these new articles. It definitely adds to the quality of your world. You do tend to tell in your stories a bit more than I would, but that's a style thing. You might think about ways to break the story up and sprinkle it through the article. Great work though... I would sure hate to meet one of these things, let alone 200!