Wolfen

"One of the First Three non-human races."Perked up ears, human foot prints giving way to paw marks, the tattered strips of ruined clothing. Wolfen were the wolves of the forests, heralded as the keepers of the old ways. They are a hybrid of man and wolf, able to take on the appearance of both while their default form is that of a human with lupine ears and tail. Their transformation can be triggered by strong emotions, hunger, or the full moon. They still live largely secluded from human society although there is more integration than ever before.

Legend
The subject of many a tale designed to scare children or explain mysterious violent deaths, Wolfen have long been portrayed in a very negative light by folklore and legend. Humans have hunted Wolfen through the woods and killed those suspected of being Wolfen, while Wolfen gained notoriety for preying on livestock and people alike. Interestingly, no stories about Wolfen include elements of cannibalism even in cases of murder, at least as far as tales from Grienzland are concerned.

A frequent element of Wolfen folklore is that of the outsider welcomed into the village, who attempts to live as one of them and is often successful for a very long time, becoming accustomed to a life of agricultural. But eventually unusual behavior or incidents add up, of missing animals or shredded clothing, and suspicion mounts. In most stories this leads to an inevitable confrontation that ends badly for one party or another. Aside from this, the story of a housewife capable of putting meat on the table from mysterious sources or workers complaining of stomach aches after being witnessed devouring a horse or sheep in wolf form were the most common.

And yet, despite a past filled with violent confrontation, these stories carry a common theme of respect for the primal power that Wolfen represent. The few accounts of heroic deeds by Wolfen all focus on the outburst of inner strength used to overcome challenges. There is a story of a Kierstian king in ancient days who married a beautiful maiden who he encountered hiding in a stack of hay on a hunting trip. She gave him several sons and stayed loyal to him for years when their castle caught fire in the night. With timbers collapsing in the blaze, the queen revealed her brutish wolf form and swiped her children up in her arms while tossing her husband upon her back to escape the inferno. After this, conflicting reports about what happened later make up the ending of different takes on the same story, but the primary and most common conclusion is that the king had his queen publicly confess her devotion to Ortueism and they lived happily and ruled over a period of prosperity.

The one universally present theme in Wolfen legends was that

Human Form
Capable of masquerading quite effectively as humans, transformed Wolfen look almost indistinguishable from the rest of the populace. They have the same average height as humans, at 5'7" for males and 5'3" for females. Their hair and fur color depends upon their ethnicity, while their eyes are brown or blue with the occasional gold/orange and green. Their incisors are longer than normal but not always detectably so. Otherwise they can pass as regular humans and exhibit no special abilities while in human form, beyond an improved sense of smell, a stronger immune system and resistance to toxins. This form is most often used for infiltration or avoiding notice, and is said to be uncomfortable and even tiring to maintain for long periods of time.

Due to the difficulty of maintaining a completely human appearance, Wolfen often allow their ears and tails to show while otherwise looking entirely human. This build requires much less effort to maintain, and might be as close to a default form as the Wolfen have in the modern era. Before the Unified Era, it would have been unheard of for a Wolfen to go about with ears and tail visible, but now it is the most common way to encounter one. The abandonment of constant concealment has done a great deal toward making the Wolfen a more visible and recognized element of society.

As an added benefit, showing their ears and tails aids Wolfen in improved balance and superior hearing.

Brute Form
The most stereotypical of the Wolfen's shapes, their brute form is the halfway point between animal and human. Sporting sharp claw-like fingernails, pointed canine teeth, and expressive ears and a tail, they are noticeably non-human in this form. Their muscles become more toned, and provide increased strength and speed as a result. They also gain a partial coat of fur that covers the lower halves of their arms and legs and another patch around their neck.

Wolf Form
Believed to be their 'real' shape, a Wolfen's wolf form is that of a mighty canine, larger than a normal wolf. They still possess their intelligence while in this state, though communication capability is limited to body language as well as growls and barks only intelligible to other Wolfen (regardless of form). Standing at four feet tall and weighing 150 pounds on average, they are easily distinguished from their smaller, non-shapeshifting brethren.

Ethnicities
There are only two known ethnicities of Wolfen, though it is believed that other subtypes may exist in other parts of the world which are not as accepting of them. It is also believed that there may have been an Umbrian Wolfen at one point in time, but that Synenolic Wolfen-hunting orders successfully drove them to extinction.

Forest Wolfen
The most familiar subtype in Uropa, Forest Wolfen are often referred to as Common Wolfen, the Uropan Wolfen, or just as "Wolfen." Forest Wolfen used to live all over northern Uropa, but Wolfen Persecution Laws in many countries drastically decreased their numbers until about a century ago when most nations abolished them as threats to the common decency. It is these laws that the Ascendancy of Man has restored and widened to institute the destruction of all non-human races within their borders and beyond.

Forest Wolfen universally have brown hair and fur in all their forms, though the exact color ranges from light tan to dark brown. Their eye colors include green, on top of the usual brown, yellow- orange, and blue. Forest Wolfen are the most adept infiltrators of human civilization due to living in the same, densely-populated regions. Many preferred to live in more remote regions within the woods, but few had that actual opportunity. As such, the most common place for Wolfen to reside was in small villages, living as humans unless a mistake revealed them.

Unlike many other non-human races, the Wolfen ethnicities do not have different powers or abilities. Forest Wolfen can change into the same forms as Tundra Wolfen, though they are a little bit more adept at shifting into and maintaining a human shape. This is believed to be due to their historic relationship with humans, as the ones who were not good at maintaining such a disguise were found out, and often killed. One difference between the two is that Forest Wolfen are — on average — more nimble and have better motor control than Tundra Wolves do.

Tundra Wolfen
Also called Northern Wolfen, White Wolfen, or (obviously disparagingly) "Abominable Snowdogs," Tundra Wolfen are those who live in the colder northern territories. Most of their numbers reside within the Rossiyan Federation, Ledzianie, and the Principality of Bielajaros. A growing number of Tundra Wolfen now live in Grienzland due to the Edict of Unification and the spreading influence of the Ascendancy of Man. Specifically, Della, Nordia, and Grand Breteyne has already completely eradicated the Tundra Wolfen population that used to live within their borders.

Tundra Wolfen are larger than their Forest Wolfen brethren, measuring in at an average of 5'9" for males and 5'6" for females. Their hair and fur ranges from white to light gray, and sometimes turn a light brown in the summer. The most common eye color is yellow/orange, though they do have the full range of eye coloration.

Tundra Wolfen feature heavily in the myths of the northern nations, but it is unclear how much of the claims (if any) are founded in historic events or individuals. One of the most prominent stories concerns an ancient goddess of Rossiyan primitives, Marrir, a murderous wolf-eared giant, said to be the daughter of Bavnik — the father of all Tundra Wolfen — and a captive Ice Dragon Daughter. Marrir is said to wait in a prison of ice to be thawed and released to revel in a great, final war that will bring about the end of the world. It is not possible for Wolfen to reproduce with Dragon Daughters, so this legend is believed to be a reference to an abnormally large individual of this already larger subtype of Wolfen.

Capabilities
While in their brute forms, Wolfen are incredibly hardy, able to withstand multiple gunshot wounds which would otherwise incapacitate a similarly sized creature. Their resistance to damage increases along with their rage, able to enter states of frenzy in which they can continue to function in spite of grievous bodily harm. When operating at this level of emotional arousal, Wolfen display an extraordinary degree of strength, able to lift and throw weight in excess of their own body mass, run in leaping bounds, and tear through sturdy materials with their sharp claws and fangs.

In their wolf forms, Wolfen exhibit far less savage behavior, relying instead on cunning and stealth. Their wolf form is capable of superior wound recovery, as this is generally the form a wounded Wolfen will take to recuperate from injuries. Healing while in this state is significantly faster than would otherwise be expected, albeit certainly not instantaneous. Still, broken bones or serious bullet wounds can be mended in a matter of days, rather than weeks or months.

Limitations
Any damage suffered by Wolfen while in their brute form is sustained when they shift to human or wolf form. A bullet through the leg might not be enough to put down a rampaging beast, but reverting to human before healing can result in life-threatening blood loss and even death.

A Wolfen fighting in brute form can get carried away in the heat of battle and have a difficult time discerning between friend and foe. Training can make this less likely, but there comes a point of bloodlust where the distinction of ally or enemy loses all meaning, and friendly fire is likely to occur.

Luckily Wolfen have a weakness that could also be potentially seen as a blessing. When in brute form, a Wolfen may be forcibly reverted back to human form by calling out his True Name. As with the Fey Cats, this leads to a culture of using pseudonyms with untrusted individuals. Though due to the ability to prevent unwanted collateral damage, a Wolfen's True Name is often given entrusted to battlefield comrades and commanders as a matter of safety.

Additionally, a Wolfen's nature requires it to eat a significant amount of protein to avoid dangerous hunger pangs. A Wolfen that has gone too long without eating will often transform into his brute or wolf form, and go hunting. They usually prefer to target livestock in this hunger fugue, but stories of crazed Wolfen slaying and devouring humans are not rare throughout history. Any Wolfen that is found to have eaten human flesh is put to death, so this is to be avoided at all costs.

An oft-repeated elements of legends surrounding Wolfen, there is some truth to their weakness to silver. Whereas many tales proclaim that simply being stabbed or shot with a silver knife or bullet will instantly kill a Wolfen, in reality it should be compared to stabbing a regular human with a steel knife or shooting him with a lead bullet. While not instantly fatal, silver weapons seem to completely bypass the increased toughness that Wolfen enjoy in their brute forms.

And finally, a Wolfen's presence has a chilling effect on other animals and- to a lesser degree- Night Ravens, Fey Cats, and Burrowers. This does not always result in panic but will often cause a state of hyper-vigilance in those with less experience around Wolfen.

Unification Status
In the times since the Edict of Unification, the Wolfen who have integrated with society were required to inform others of their nature. The first several years were very rough, with a number of aggressive clashes between human villagers and newly revealed Wolfen. The causes of these outbursts of violence varied from feelings of resentment due to feelings of having been deceived, as well as bubbling resentment over historical sleights and past destruction of property blamed on Wolfen, rightly or otherwise. While these confrontations were a hindrance to the process, the Wolfen adapted and persevered as is their nature, and slowly views on them began to change. First and foremost among these alterations was the religious understanding of their roles as primal stewards of nature subservient to the Living God. This insistence alone did much to demystify the Wolfen to the human population.

Having long interacted with human civilization under the shroud of secrecy, the Wolfen have taken to the Unification project with tenacity and a hopeful optimism. Wolfen and humans began to explore the benefits that Wolfen could provide to society. Many Wolfen were employed in fields that took advantage of their sharp senses and shapeshifting abilities. They are often found in forestry departments, search and rescue, lumber industry, railroad workers, tunnel watchmen, and many other dangerous or laborious trades that take advantage of their strength and ability to swiftly recover.

There is still much said about the risk to society posed by Wolfen and their animalistic urges. Especially in Bayernia — where the oft-touted respect for the public peace is placed in high regard — Wolfen who are accepted as pillars of a community are rare. This is even moreso true for smaller townships and rural communities where livestock graze in the fields. Shepherds are particularly suspicious of Wolfen and it is still not uncommon for town watchmen or militia members to keep a pistol or rifle on hand with silver bullets loaded in some regions, as a just-in-case measure.

Humans
"'The Humans insist that our ancestors were once humans who – so driven by greed, or lust, or hunger – sold their souls to the Queen of Darkness. Anger at this accusation caused eons of violence between us and drove us into the creeping killers of old. No longer will the sins of our forefathers mandate continued predation and punishment in turn. Wounded pride cannot result in renewed bloodshed.'"

Night Ravens
"'The Dark Birds remember the old times better than the Humans and seem not to believe that times are different on the ground beneath them. We cannot afford to let their provocations goad us into foolish outbursts, but... sometimes silencing their smug caws feels too satisfying.'"

Dragon Daughters
"'Varies widely. Their size makes them dangerous and yet they seem to lack ambition. Most likely their new friendship with the Humans is directly tied to the wellbeing of our own chances to maintain a positive relationship with the Humans as well. As such, the wise course of action would be to serve as the intermediary between them to maintain that balance. But should it come to it, the Dragons may be a useful contrast to help cement our similarity – and thus compatibility – with the Humans.'"

Fey Cats
"'Fundamentally untrustworthy, but less disruptive than the squawking Dark Birds just by virtue of their crippling apathy. They should still be watched closely for signs of intrigue, and try not to be put into a vulnerable position around one.'"

Burrowers
"'Largely harmless and even potentially enjoyable friends, though their skittish nature and perpetual frightfulness can wear one's patience thin. If one pulls a prank on you, it is a sign of trust, not an affront to your pride.'"

Sea Hounds
"'It remains to be seen what the nature of the Sea Hounds will be, but they do pose a threat to our own standing. The very fact that they are being likened to 'Water Wolfen' does not bode well for us if their intentions prove irreconcilably opposed to peaceful coexistence.'"

Changelings
"'Many a terrible act of history that has been blamed upon us was committed by a Changeling. They take delight in stealing the form of a wolf for perpetrating their evil so as to ensure we take the blame. They are enemies of our people as a result.'"