Mythic Origins

Ancient humans took wild wolves and domesticated them, creating a domesticated animal that could help hunt and defend one's domicile. Or, so the common story goes. There is a lesser known tale in which two Neanderthal brothers were punished for killing several females, a terrible crime as it prevented the group from adding to their numbers and growing stronger. The Shaman cursed them so that when they woke the next morning they rose hounds.

Unable to return to their human forms or truly fend for themselves in the wild, they remained near the group, scavenging for food, sharing the fire, following from one site to the next. To satisfy their urges, the brothers mated with wild wolves. In doing so, some wolf mothers shunned the oddities in their litter, leaving them to the brothers who brought them to the Neanderthals where they too learned to be comfortable around the humans. Generations later, hounds had invented themselves and Neanderthals took advantage of these four-legged companions.

Leadership & Social Structure

The leader of a pack of Wolfhounds is known as the Warden. A challenge determines who will become Warden, though it need not be a challenge of combat if the reigning Warden opts to step down voluntarily. Wolfhounds have the same instinct to follow an "alpha", but are closer to humans than their wild cousins, and understand that physical strength is not the only skill a good leader has. Because Wolfhounds tend to look outward rather than focusing solely on their pack, they know the value of intelligence, charisma, and compassion. If a Warden does not voluntarily defer to their challenger, then the matter is settled by combat.

Wolfhound shifters tend to be social but have an independent streak too, which leads them to live in their own homes within a small radius of other Wolfhounds. In this way they define their territory, setting a sort of perimeter around the space they consider to be theirs. It is not unusual to have several Wolfhounds living in the same neighborhood or even on the same street.

General Traits & Abilities

Wolfhounds are protectors and guardians by nature, although they are not all shepherds of humanity or eager souls looking to save the world. Some can take the protection to the extreme and become overbearing while others scoff at helplessness. Regardless, when a Wolfhound chooses to protect someone, they are dogged in doing so and are not easily swayed from the task.