#packs lore

Shapeshifter Packs

OVERVIEW: 

Shapeshifters are not always as insular as people might assume – while there are instances of packs of only werewolves, or colonies of only sirens, it’s common to find a mixture of shifters all cohabitating, be it in the wild or in a more urban setting. There is a good reason for this beyond the obvious benefit of looking out for one another: when shifters organize themselves into a pack and form strong bonds, they’ll find that their strength and senses are heightened while in close proximity to pack members. Bonded pack members may also find that their emotions run high when they’re together, making their behaviors more unpredictable and prone to dangerous, primal instinct.

Each pack has some kind of leader, determined in whatever way they see fit. It might be a test of strength, brutality, or even loyalty to the other pack members by means of personal sacrifice – it really all depends on the shifters in the pack. Once chosen, the health and success of the pack will become that shifter’s responsibility, and they will work hard to make sure that their bonds are strong, offering them the best possible advantage against any threats that might come their way.

You can read about a few of the different packs below.

Wicked’s Rest’s Packs

CHILDREN OF METAZOA:

These shifters have taken a more ritualistic approach to the whole “found family” trope, believing themselves to be superior to all other forms of supernatural life and willing to prove that in some rather horrific ways. Each new member is initiated with a trial of faith — they must go out into the world and bring back offerings. Sometimes these are human sacrifices, sometimes dangerous monster parts (harvested by the initiate), or even the “live” undead or the heads of fae beings. These offerings are then presented to the leader of the pack, who determines their value and decides if the initiate is worthy of joining. Generally speaking, the more successful initiates a current pack member is able to recruit, the higher their standing within the pack. Their goal (or so says their leader) is to expand until they can create a large enough society to recruit globally and protect their flock from any outside threat.

GLOOMBORNE:

Down in the deep deep dark of the caves connected to Netherville is a pack of shifters that find themselves best suited for the environment: eyeless, long-limbed, and pale, these creatures haven’t seen the sun in their entire lives. They originated from a pack that lived in Bleak Point before the Serpent’s Flat erupted from the ground and wiped the neighborhood off the map in 1921. Many members of the pack survived in the underground caverns and adapted to their new habitat within a few short generations (thanks largely in part to the demonic magic they were marinating in down there), resulting in the spindly, frightening shapeshifters that still reside there now. They like to visit the Devil’s Gullet and provide offerings for Lankyloo, who they believe to be the first of their kind. However, now that the ground has opened up above their heads, some of them might start venturing up to the surface…

SHIFTSKINS:

Members of this pack can often be found loitering around The Chimera, and have become a little notorious among their peers. They’re all loud, brash, overly-confident types, who tend to bully and berate the more meek members of their kind. This might have a lot to do with the fact that their leader is a bugbear who, by all accounts, loves nothing more than scaring the absolute shit out of people. Which is obviously a bugbear’s natural inclination, but this one often takes it too far. It’s been said that he learned how to terrify large groups of people at once by studying lutins, but that’s neither here nor there. He’s kind of a jerk, and everyone who chooses to be in his pack are jerks, too. And yes, they do all wear the exact same kind of leather jacket with a large back-patch that is an illustration of a roaring grizzly bear encircled by the words “SHIFTSKINS RULE” , which can thankfully make them easier to avoid. It’s exactly as obnoxious as it sounds and definitely matches the pack’s general vibe.

WILDKIND:

The Shiftskins seem to have inspired more than just fear throughout the community of shifters in Wicked’s Rest; some have feelings of a more aggressive nature in mind. A werewolf who was once part of the overly confident group broke away and has started forming Wildkind after a nasty incident. This werewolf didn’t enjoy the way the Shiftskins ran things, and wanted to try other tactics, such as a supportive community of shifters who could command the town through respect. The group still believes that shifters are the superior species, but they choose to wield their power in much kinder ways. Most of the members are level headed, prone to philanthropy, and get along with the other citizens of the town. Naturally this has led to a huge rivalry with the Shiftskins that gets out of hand. Fights often break out between the two groups, and this alone has made it impossible for a member of Wildkind to go into the Chimera and come back unscathed. As such, they’re setting up camp at the Midnight Drive-In instead, at least until they can find a more suitable location to plan out their slow take over. Their leader believes it's only a matter of time before the pack can rule, especially with the town starting to rally behind them. 

WRATH OF THE WILD: