The Sophros

Pack Purity & Isolationism

A fearsome, reclusive pack, Sophros maintains a ruthless pursuit of perfection, and is exclusively made up of an esteemed bloodline of Pure wolves. Confident in their place among the chosen few, they care little for unclean heathens beyond their border. Most outsiders would look with shock upon the strict tenets of Sophros, but for those living isolated within it, this is simply life. Sometimes exciting in intervals, but not strange, and mostly mundane. While Sophros culture is much stricter than most packs, growing up in it means that the tenets are second nature to the pack body, and the lack of contact with outsiders means there is little, if any, contrary input to challenge the established Way Things Are. 

While it is a hard territory to survive, it is not without joy. The pack is unshakably loyal to those who offer it devotion, and such kinship is a venerated bond not easily broken. If a packmate takes ill or comes into need, their family will leap to their aid with a religious fervor. After all, uniformity and unity is demanded; the only way the pack can be strong is if its individuals are. 

Sophros belief centralizes around purity of mind and body. Good breeding and obedience to the laws of the pack are the two ways in which one makes themselves worthy of blessings from the gods. Maintaining these virtues ensures bountiful prey, good weather, many mates, and large healthy litters. Well-pleased gods may even provide divine inspiration in craftsmanship, or bless lower-ranking parents with pure offspring which will raise the station of the future family line. There are many benefits to obeying the laws of the pack.

Certain times of moon cycles are particularly auspicious, and being born or doing important things on these days leads to fortune. Black wolves born on new moons, and white wolves born on full moons, are said to be favored by the gods. White wolves born during the first snow or frost of winter, and black wolves born during an eclipse or blackened sky, are thought to be even more so, perhaps destined to rise as the Eclipse and First Frosts, themselves.

Uncleanliness in the form of fur-color defect or sin, on the other hand, inspire anger from the gods, and will bring misfortune and curses down upon the offenders. The gods will readily punish entirely family lines for the impurity of a single member, meaning reverence and bloodlines are important not just for one's own self, but their parents, children, and grandchildren. Displeased gods may cause migrations of prey to fail, and pups to be born undesirable or even impure colors.

Surprisingly, many disabilities and old age are not considered flaws, but simply wounds. So long as they are otherwise pure, even wolves with obvious impairments who cannot perform to the laws of the pack have a place within the clan and may contribute in whatever capacity they are capable of. If unable to do so themselves, they must have family members or the Anemon offer sacrifices and acts of piety in their stead. Furthermore, injuries earned in service to Sophros must be repaid by the pack through caring for the wounded member until they are healed, or for the rest of their life if recovery is impossible. Usually, this falls to direct relatives such as parents, children, or siblings. If none of these are present, the Anemon will take over their care.

Wolves outside the pack are considered heathens, separated from the gods by impure minds and bodies. They are not permitted to join, speak, or even come near the Sophros. More extreme Anemon might even claim heathens lack souls entirely. To leave the pack or be forcibly excommunicated is to accept a similar infidelity - it means being cut off from the will of the gods forever. Leaving in such disgrace may anger them, resulting in divine punishment upon not just one's self but their remaining family members in the pack, who must now make amends for the sin of their blood. If they can. The gods, after all, are not known to be especially forgiving of such blasphemy.

Nameless Gods & Orca Veneration

The highest of the Anemon, the Rime-Wind, interprets the will of the gods, who have no names but act through the sea. The gods send signs by sky, water, and the orcas which patrol the coast. Orcas are seen as the ideal species and are highly venerated. While their clicks and whistles are generally impossible to understand by anyone except perhaps the Rime-Wind, they make their will known in when and how they show themselves. Indeed the gods may take the forms of orcas to commune directly with the pack, and so these creatures must always be treated with attention and respect.

Sacrifices of prey are regularly made to the orcas at Kitos Cliff, a massive 150ft (46m) drop into rough waters. If not already dead when thrown over, impact with the sea is typically fatal. Any who survive such a fall would likely be injured severely and/or knocked unconscious, and must furthermore contend with monstrous waves crashing against razor-sharp rocks and an unforgiving current. Should they survive even this, the orcas below are there to make quick work of the offered meal. 

Despoiled wolves and newborns deemed impure may also be offered to the gods here, returning their bodies in hopes the soul might be forgiven in the afterlife and the wrath of the gods turned away from the pack. 

Wolves who have committed certain unforgivable sins have few options. Excommunication is shameful, and may harm their family. Alternatively, they can throw themselves off the Kitos Cliff, offering their bodies up as sacrifice in hopes the gods will be merciful to their soul.

Laws of Sophros

Sophros has a great many quite variable rules which dictate daily life among the pack body, determining when and what to eat, where and when to rest, how to address superiors or inferiors, etc. Much of these are determined arbitrarily by the Rime-Wind who interprets divine signs, or by the First Frost and Eclipse who maintain dominion over the pack. Breaking these laws could inspire wrath from the gods who would punish the entire family line, or even pack as a whole, for the wrongdoing. There are additionally several "winter laws" which do not change or alter:

• Outsiders must not be spoken to, traded with, or permitted near the territory markers under any circumstances. Trespassers should be killed on sight, if possible, and their bodies displayed in warning along the border markers. Maiming and chasing well beyond the border are permissible if they cannot be killed outright.

• Impure wolves may not remain with the pack. Sins of color can result only in execution or exile, while sins of the mind may be ablated through fasting, service, sacrifice, or similar acts of piety, depending on the sin and as deemed appropriate by the Anemon.

• Breeding with outsiders and/or producing despoiled offspring is cause for exile or sacrifice.

• Only the Rime-Wind and Anemon may speak prophecy or proclaim messages from the gods; any other attempting to claim divine connection is a blasphemer.

• Wolves must obey the mandates of higher-ranking wolves, determined primarily by the purity of their coat color. The Eclipse and First Frost command all, followed by the Rime-Wind, then Aedos, Berothos, and finally Laerohs at the bottom. 

  • • Lower ranks may appeal to the leadership if they feel a higher-ranking wolf is asking them to do something displeasing to the gods, but unless a significant sin has been committed, will likely be met with disdain and retaliation for their "insurrection."

• Violent sins such as assault of the leadership or Aedos, murder of any member, and rape, are crimes against Sophros itself and may be punished by excommunication or death. If the crime is deemed severe enough, the Kitos Cliff is an impermissible outlet, as these wolves are not to be given an opportunity to appeal to the gods in the afterlife for mercy. They will neither be put to sea. Instead, their remains will be left out for carrion-eaters, like all heathens. 

  • • Accusations made across caste-lines, without witnesses, will almost invariably be ruled in favor of the higher ranking wolf, who's purity is less questionable by birth.

    • In Sophros terms, "rape" pertains mainly to assault on a higher-caste wolf by a lower one, or wolves of the same caste. A Laerohs cannot refuse the will of an Aedos. 

    • "Murder" does not apply to accidental deaths during games of Snatch, though a deliberate carried out attack on a pack-member resulting in their death would likely still lead to inquiry and trial.

    • If guilt seems possible but cannot be unquestionably determined, and the crime is severe enough, suspects may be sent off Kitos Cliff to take it up with the gods. 

• Nonviolent sins such as theft, malcontent, the siring of impure offspring (including incest), and disobedience to higher ranks will require acts of penance appropriate to the sin as determined by the Anemon, or, in very extreme cases, excommunication or self-sacrifice over the Kitos Cliff.

• Disputes between individuals or families may be brought into games of Snatch, but if done so must be resolved there. The pack cannot leave the field of play as foes, regardless of outcome.

As there are no particular concepts of monogamy or adultery in Sophros culture, there are no particular laws requiring loyalty to a singular mate.

Mateship & Eugenics

Every litter which is born must be examined by the Rime-Wind after their first moon of life (by which point their adult coloration can be relatively accurately determined.) Pups which show too much color, such as black ticking on an otherwise white wolf, distinct shades of grey, an agouti pattern which is not uniformly black enough, etc. represent impurity within the pack body and must be adorned in decorative offerings and thrown off the Kitos Cliff to the orcas - a sacrifice to purge the sin they represent. Failure to do so would bring wrath and misfortune down upon the entire pack. 

By the age of one moon, however, most pups are beginning to speak and understand the world around them. Many parents will preemptively offer newborns to the Rime-Wind for culling if they appear to show any impurities, before they are grown enough to comprehend fear or pain. Others may choose to give their offspring as long as possible to grow into the correct colors and be spared, at the risk of becoming attached to children who may ultimately have to be offered to the gods for the good of the pack. 

Pups born with severe impurity - distinct coloration or loud patterning - are seen as proof of consorting with outsiders, an unforgivable offense. These despoiled offspring, their mother, and if he is known (or perhaps even suspected), their father as well, must all be sacrificed or chased away immediately to prevent misfortune to the pack. A despoiled adult might earn mercy in the afterlife by submitting to the Kitos Cliff and thus presenting their remains to the orcas, while helping to purify the pack.

While the pack does not have an understanding of "genetics" in a formal sense, they do recognize patterns. Two white-colored Aedos (albinos) mating together should always produce albino Aedos offspring. Infidelity of a black Aedos (fibro-melanistic) might not show up for several generations - part of why the birth of despoiled offspring necessitates the parents also be considered despoiled and killed or chased off to protect the purity of the pack. 

It is important to note the pack does not have words like "albino", and "melanistic." To them, these are simply black and white wolves of varying degrees of "purity."

Because the pack maintains such strict breeding rules, and has for generations, unclean colors have been purged from their genetic lines. Impure pups are not altogether uncommon, but outright despoiled ones are extremely rare and can certainly be attributed to crossbreeding with outsiders or the curse of an angered god, hence the severe punishment to those that parent them.

With melanism is so widespread in the pack, Sophros have significant resistance to disease compared to other packs. However, for the same reason, miscarriages are common. Sophros do not have a formal understanding of "genetics," but generations of careful selection have taught them that, in general, breeding black-to-black tends to result in fewer & smaller litters, and reduced fertility of offspring. Thus black-to-white pairings are encouraged.

Mating itself is a rather informal affair, and permanent pairs are unusual outside of the Eclipse and First Frost (if they are compatible.) There is no formal "marriage" in the pack, though some wolves do form lasting partnerships. The Rime-Wind may also command two wolves to procreate for the benefit of the pack, if the gods will it.  While cousins and aunts/nephews or uncles/nieces are permitted to reproduce together, any closer relations would be considered incestuous and an unclean pairing. 

Homosexuality and various gender identities are acceptable, as long as the wolves submit to the will of the gods if their parentage is demanded for a new generation. Coat color is more a wolf's soul than anything else in Sophros. 

Sophros are permitted to mate between different castes, but Laerohs may have a difficult time finding willing partners, even among their own. Few would risk publicly crossing blood with an undesirable partner knowing their combined progeny might exacerbate undesirable traits. Furthermore, wolves who have a history of producing Laerohs offspring, even if they themselves are unblemished, may find it harder to woo partners given this poor breeding record.

Bounty of the Seas

Most of the pack's food comes from the coast. Storms rolling in from the sea are considered good omens, likely to bring flotsam to the beach and force prey like otters and birds onto land. Sophros can often be found patrolling the beaches during all but the most severe storms, eager for blessings from the gods. 

Their black and white coats also offer camouflage amidst snow, ice, and dark volcanic rocks that comprise large sections of their territory, even around the coast, allowing them to lie in wait for unawares animals to pass through, and lunge out in ambush. 

The orcas are also known to hunt along the beach beside the wolves, trapping coastal prey like seals and schools of fish between the pack in the sea and the pack on the shore, allowing both clans to feast.

Tide pools offer easy picking of trapped prey, and if teeth can't crunch the shells of mollusks then a good rock will do the trick.

Sophros are also excellent swimmers and divers, enabling them to reach distant islands or ice floes on their hunts, as well as pick food up off the floor of the kelp beds sand flats in calmer areas of the coast.

Annual herdbeast migrations, seal pupping, herring spawn, and salmon runs are times of great plenty and coincide with seasonal feasts, where the pack eats well beyond its fill and buries further excess to keep them sated in later, leaner months. Without these migrations to stock the larders, the pack would struggle to live in their territory year-round.

Personal Decoration

Being a relatively homogenous pack body, many wolves have taken to decorating themselves in complex ways to stand out from the masses. Shells, feathers, and bones make frequent decorations. Roughly cured herdbeast skins may also be worn as cloaks, though usually only those of purest black or white, lest they make the wearer look blemished. Indeed even other decorative items usually are preferred to be black and/or white, or else of a bright color like blue or peach. Greys and browns look too much like blemish and are typically avoided.

Wolves of lower castes may take pains to disguise their blemishes. A wolf who is not black enough might roll in charcoal to appear more solid. A white one with creamy ticking might use decorations to hide these flaws.

Ceremonial and artistic scarring are also acceptable means of self-decoration, and similarly, scars won in battle or games of Snatch are worn proudly, even sought after.

At the time of death, Sophros are returned to the ocean by way of Kitos cliff, and will be decorated with artifacts of the sea to remind the gods that the spirit who owned this body belonged to them, that they might be merciful and guide it peacefully into the next life. If an orca takes the body, or especially can be seen to eat it, it is considered a good sign.

Feastdays & Snatch

Lunar events, signs from the gods, the appointment of new leaders, and annual prey migrations are all cause for feast days. New and full moons are viewed as Holy Days, and wolves may mark the turn of the moon their offspring were born under as a sort of personal milestone each year. (i.e. a litter born on a waning gibbous in summer will celebrate their "moon day" on the first waning gibbous of summer each year.) Celebrations are rambunctious affairs full of feasting, games, and song. 

A particular favorite activity is the game of Snatch, wherein a wad of kelp or seaweed is bundled into a knot and competed for by two teams of wolves. Teams are divided into black and white wolves and may be anywhere from 2-14 members strong, who may be swapped out if one leaves the field. It is a game of skill, aggression, and strategy. Success depends on knowing how to handle the ball gently and the opponent harshly, how to avoid injury, and how to reach the goal in the face of an enemy bombardment. It is also a fielding ground for wolves to resolve personal grievances. Performing admirably during Snatch can set one apart from their peers, making for a more desirable mate and more esteemed hunter, and can even invite the blessings of the gods.

Goalmarks are set on an open tundra plain, usually marked by a boulder or tree, and each team tries to get the seaweed to touch the enemy's goal. The game can be remarkably violent and has been known to cause maiming and, though rarely, death. Generally, wolves are expected to accept a submission from an enemy team member (who must then leave the field in shame) or to relent if their opponent is rendered too injured to continue playing. In the heat of Snatch, however, this does not always occur. 

Snatch continues until the seaweed ball is too tattered to use further, and the team with the most points wins. For this reason, aggression is generally directed at enemy wolves holding the seaweed rather than the ball, to ensure a long match. Some games end not because of a ruined ball, but because there are no opponents left fit to play.

Ranks

Rank is based almost entirely on physical traits.  Three leaders, the Eclipse, First Frost, and Rime-Wind, represent unblemished pinnacles of breeding. Just beneath them, Aedos specimens (albinos and fibro-melanistics) are essentially the aristocracy. Berothos wolves, solid black or white, form the bulk of the pack. Laerhos wolves occupy the bottom rung.

THE ECLIPSE  & THE FIRST FROST- Ideal pure black and white specimens respectively, scions of both colors who lead the daily routine of the pack. Currently occupied by NPCs.

THE RIME-WIND - Speaker for the gods, the Rime-Wind interprets signs from the sea and especially the revered orcas. Currently occupied by an NPC.

AEDOS - Aristocracy. Fibromelanistic and albino wolves - those utterly without blemish. The gods favor these wolves, and so should the pack.  Free to create.

BEROTHOS - Common packmates. Solid black or white wolves, respected in the pack body.  Free to create.

LAEROHS- A small subset of members that survived culling as pups, but only just. Have some obvious, though minimal, blemish. Unlikely to ever be desired as mates and are frequently maligned by higher classes.  Free to create.

Roles

THE ECLIPSE - A leadership role typically inherited from parent to child, an unblemished pure black specimen (fibro-melanistic).  They lead hunts, settle disputes, issue punishments, perform important roles during ceremonies, and direct daily affairs of the pack. They are expected to bear pure offspring for the pack, to strengthen bloodlines. Equal in rank to the First Frost.  Irreconcilable disagreement between these two leaders is considered a bad omen, and it falls on the Rime-Wind to arbitrate in such cases. Typically diurnal. // This unique role is occupied by Persephone.

THE FIRST FROST - A leadership role typically inherited from parent to child, an unblemished pure white specimen (albino). Equal in rank to the Eclipse, with all the same duties. Typically nocturnal. // This unique role is occupied by Titan.

THE RIME-WIND - A spiritual leader who speaks for the gods and interprets the signs of nature.  They are said to be able to understand the voices of the orcas. Anything strange that happens, or any signs that are brought from the sea and sky, are to be relayed to the Rime-Wind, who will determine what path the pack must take to remain aligned with the gods' will. They orchestrate all important ceremonies, appoint a new Eclipse or First Frost if no suitable direct offspring are available, and return impure newborns to the orcas. While technically second in command, it would cause great upset if their advice was ignored by the pack leadership. // This unique role is occupied by Paris.

ANEMON - Priests. Only Aedos and Berothos wolves may join the Anemon, for this is a role which requires utmost purity. These wolves help gather materials for rituals, supervise penance, and learn to listen to read the subtle signs of the gods brought in from the sea, as the Rime-Wind's apprentices. They also care for the sick and injured, raise orphans, and enforce the mandates of the First Frost and Eclipse.  Free to create.

WHALERS - The pack's hunters, who, much like the orcas, work and train together to bring down various prey. Brains or brawn, they will use the right tools for the job, together. They can be a bit insular, their close bonds causing them to tend to favor one another's company over that of other professions.  Free to create.

OTTEN - Craftswolves of the pack, known to be quite clever. They stock the larders, keep nesting material in the dens clean, and create beautiful decorations out of things like shells, skins, feathers, and bones. When packmates pass on, Otten decorate their bodies before they are returned to the sea. They also craft decorative offerings to adorn sacrifices with. Like the Whalers, Otten have a tendency to keep to their own "kind" and not mingle as much with other roles.  Free to create.

CUBS - Youngsters less than a year old, still learning the ropes of the pack.  Free to create.

Sophros once lived much farther south, but their odd coloration villainized them in the eyes of neighboring packs who hounded them relentlessly. Sophros continued to retreat North into bitter lands, until they reached their current territory. It is said they beheld the orcas and were given a sign by the gods of this place that they would find peace and prosperity here, if they could obey the laws given them, purify their bloodlines, and close their hearts and minds to outsiders. Thus it has been for generations beyond counting. 

Densite

• The First Frost and Eclipse each have a respective den beneath the roots of large pines in the Black Forest, where no others are permitted entry without invitation - not even their counterpart or the Rime-Wind. 

• The Rime-Wind and Anemon maintain a large lava-tube burrow near Kitos Cliff where herbs and ritual items may be stored, and the sick and old can be kept out of the elements.

• The rest of the pack usually keeps on the move and sleeps out in the open, except when nursing pups require mothers to dig out their own dens.

Prey

Sophros hunts many types of prey including, but not limited to: