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The Lycan

The lycan body is not very complicated as it is intricate. As stated in the History section, the lycans are decendents of wolves who were able to change into humans, NOT the other way around. Eventually needing to stay in their human form to avoid being hunted down by the humans, lycans soon grew detached from their former selves, making it harder for them to switch back into their normal forms. This is why many people believe that lycans are humans who can change into wolves. Those with purer blood don't have as much trouble changing and when the lycans found sanctuary, balance was somewhat restored.

As such, the most comfortable form for the lycan is their wolf form. When a lycan is in their wolf form, human thought and mind stop working in their brain and makes thinking much easier. They become one with their instincts and learn to move with their heart instead of their mind. A lycan who does not usually take their wolf form may have a general sized form with dull colors. Those who are used to being in their wolf form, or with a more pure blood have larger wolf forms and more distinct colors and features. Lycans with royal blood in their veins can have a wolf form the height of their human form. Their color and style is almost comparable to their human forms.

Human abilities differ from person to person. There are many cases where lycans interbreeded with humans, and their decendants cannot change into a wolf form, since their blood isn't very pure. They do however have great hunting instincts. Regular bred lycans are very good instinctive hunters in their human forms. They can run faster than humans and for days at a time. They can leap a good amount of distance and depending on their amount of energy and experience, heal their own wounds.

Royal Lycans

Royal lycans have the purest blood and have powers not available to other lycans. They have an aura that surrounds them that heightens their physical attributes. This aura is best described as a fuzy kind of light in a colour specific to the person. The aura can be seen by all and is used only based on emotions and desperate needs.

Royal lycans also have a special ability to command lycans of lower ranks. Obviously, this includes interbred lycans, wolves and werewolves, but also includes most lycans on the island. The queen has over all command over each and every member of the canine family alive. After her is her heir, followed by their siblings, and so on and so forth. As easy as it would be for the queen to simply whisper a few words and command peace, that would be unjust and unethical.

Lifestyle

In lycan society the female is dominant. The female is the giver of life, mother of all. For this reason, the queen is the most powerful of her kind, and only her first born daughter can claim the throne after her.

There have been some cases where a queen was not able to produce a daughter. In cases such as this, the daughter of the queen's first born son becomes the heir, not the son. Heir's are only to be females for it is the female gene that passes along the powers of control over other lycans.

The lycan government works on a dynsaty system. Each family is named after the name of their queen. A queen can be overthrne from her position only in a fair battle against another female. If the queen is defeated or killed, powers will transfer themselves to the victor and a new dynasty begins.

As of now, we are in the Viento dynasty created by the queen Cassandra over fifty thousand years ago. She won powers from the queen of her time in a battle over a mate. Since the queen is genetically more powerful than other lycans, it was a wonder how Cassandra was able to defeat the queen. She was very cunning and used strategy to win the battle. Sometimes one may hear someone reference an old queen. The lycans do not believe in any partiular god except for the one noted in the story of the archangels and the birth of their kind. But referencing their names is sometimes seen as sacreligious and that is why there are often references to a queen. She is the closest mortal thing to a god anyway.

Anglo-lycans

There is only one other form of lycan; so rare that most references are just bedtime stories for young pups. The anglo-lycan is a lycan who made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of a cause greater than themselves. Suicide does not count and simply dying to protect one or two isn't enough. If the archangels see that a lycan life was given purely for the sake of a greater cause, that lycan is granted immortality in the form of an angel. The lycan returns to their world after some passing of time in their body reborn. Usually, they are much cleaner than before- hair, eyes and skin maybe lighter that what was their usual tone. Wings attach themselves from the shoulder blades and can disappear at will. The lycan still retains all of their lycan abilites. There are only a few known cases of anglo-lycans; the greatest heros whose statues can be found in the palace throne rooms.

Character Background

Setting

The Island de Luna

The island is a very isolated place out in the middle of the ocean, southeast of the mainland coast. The ocean creates a barrier of fog and mist, making it very difficult to see the island, even from above. Many humans who have tried to invade the island usually get lost in the fog for months before eventually starving to death. The lycans would eventually find their lost ships with flesh and bone rotting on the woodwork of the man-made ships; more often than not, would-be invaders grew desperate enough to resort to cannibalism.

The island itself is visible within a few miles once you have made it through the fog. Only a lycan can navigate the fog, for it is the call of the island that guides them on their journey. The ocean surrounding the island is bountiful in fish of all sizes, suitible for small snacks or large feasts, and serves as the main diet of the people of the island. The beachy shores are made of white sand that shifts with every movement. The beaches circle the entire island, moving into the land for about a mile or so. There are no establishments on the beach, save for the Port of Galvan located on the northwest part of the island.


The Port of Galvan

The Port of Galvan sits on the beachy shore. Its main facility is a small three room building of two floors made of grey stone. This small building serves as a Command Post and Look-Out. On the first floor, the main room is a breifing room. On the wall, the Captain of the lycan army draws out plans, scenarios and gives other commands. In the second room is a small armoury. It isn't very large, but instead leads down into an interior cave underneath the establishment. This is where all weapons, supplies and other items can be found. This is not where ALL supplies are held, just a main stock room so that there isn't such a hassle carrying equipment back and forth from the training grounds. The third and last room isn't so much of a room, as it is a small cell. This is used to hold prisoners for a while until they are transported to the main city.

At the far end of the main room is a set of stairs that leads up. The second floor is only one room, small and used as a look out post to observe the rest of the port. The room opens up so that one can stand on the roof at the same time. The entire building, much like all the structures of the island, is very open and has no closing doors save for the small cell. The lycans don't believe in closed doors.

The port its self have many docks, and twice as many ships. The lycan ships are made from the trees of the island and are blessed in ceremonies before setting sail. Production of the large ships is not very active, since there are not many wars to be had at the moment, but they are still kept in tip top shape. Usually, elder lycans man the port, keeping things in tact both on and off the ships. The docks are always kept clean and the ships all wave the royal flag of the lycan army.There is no particular ship that holds the Captain, so that any ship could be used when nessecary, but which ever ship the Captain does sail on always leads and always bares two flags- the royal army flag and the personal flag of the Captain.


The Wildlands

Suddenly, the beach ends and rainforest begins. The vegitation becomes green, thick and alive as you enter what is known as the Wildlands. Great leafy trees reach as high as the eye can see and block most all sun light from shining down onto the thickly rooted floor. Critters of all types can be heard all around, buzzing and chirping and stomping all around. The Wildlands are sacred to the lycan people, it is here that the more tribal residents claim their territory. There are often strange markings found on trees, sybmols of peace, warning or other tribal markings can be seen stained in what may be blood.

The vegitation lasts for miles, stretching into the island and thining out the closer you get to the center. If you are not a resident of the Wildlands, one can get lost very quickly. But there is always a helping hand lingering up above in the trees. And if you are an intruder, well... lets just say the eyes watching you in the trees aren't so friendly. There are no known landmarks in the Wildlands for the people that live here are always on the move, living throughout the territory. They also travel high in the trees and therefore, there are no known paths on the jungle floor. The best way to get through the Wildlands is with a tribal escort, otherwise one could wander the jungle for weeks.

The people of the Wildlands keep all of the old traditions of the first lycans. They are the most spiritual and all knowing of old magic and medicine. It is with these people that the language, history and bloodline of lycan lifestyle stays alive and beating. There are magics that many lycans do not even know they can muster, and all questions concerning one's body can always be answered by a resident of the Wildlands. Usually, when a lycan child hits puberty, they are sent into the jungle to learn from the tribal people and then left on their own so that they can apply their knowledge and become one with their inner self.

The lycans of the Wildlands can take on a much larger wolf form than most domesticated lycans. It is with the tribal lycans that a second form (what is commonly known as a werewolf form- half man, half wolf) stays alive. This is because tribal lycans are much more intuned with nature and their animal instinct- they are only in their human forms for 25% of their lives when they visit the main city or for formal events.


Terra Villa

Soon, the vegitation of the Wildlands will start to fade away and turn into thin forests, even meadow. This land is called Terra Villa. This is were farmers and herders keep their stock and live. Since there is no profit to be made on the island, these farmers and herders work for the honor of feeding the entire island and are treated with great respect. Here, many wild game stay alive and thriving in sanctuaries and feed off of the land. Without a steady control of game (and someone to even grow fruits and vegitables) the island would starve from such a massive popilation fighting over control of food. Since there is a system set place to keep the food ratio under control, a lycan will never go hungry and since there is no monetary system, all people are treated as equals.

The farmers live in stone houses and have army patrol scouting the land for trouble makers. The farmers and herders pass on their knowledge from generation to generator and come in few- only a few well known families allowed the duty. The people of Terra Villa are few and far inbetween, but are by far one of the most important aspects of everyday life on the island. Because of all the vast spaces of land, the herders will gladly steer their game to other parts of Terra Villa so that the people can hold festivals and games as to not over crowd the city.

Not everyone is allowed to go into Terra Villa. The army patrol monitors who frequently passes from the city to the Wildlands and therefore have to cross Terra Villa to get there. No children are allowed to roam Terra Villa alone, since they are so young and haven't learned to control themselves around such a large means of stock. Usually, farmers and herders are met with court officals and other workers who take food back and forth. Only a small part of Terra Villa produces other items such as cotton and dyes, but most of anything other than food is taken from the mainland in exchange for lycan protection.


City of Largon

Once you've gotten pass the army patrol monitoring Terra Villa, you slowly start entering the city of Largon. It is a large city, speading wide instead of tall. Lycan architechs built structured low to the ground, naturally not being too fond of heights. The outer parts of the city are family owned markets and shops where people can go and find what they need for the day or week. This is where an actual monetary system comes into play. You can trade in goods or services to a merchant who travles back and forth to the mainland to retreive wares for you that are other than nessecary or made on the island. There are black smiths and seamstress' and the like who will work special projects for a good trade or two, but geneally they work to pass the time and for pride and bragging rights.

Once you get pass the market place (it spands wide around the diameter of the city instead of just on one side of the city), you move into the residental part of the city. Homes are one story, sometimes two and, depending on the size of your family, may be three, but never go any higher. When a couple is married, the Housing Commisioner will grant the couple a home of their own and when a child is born, either a new home will be assigned or new rooms can be built upon in the current home. Services and trades can be offered for a newer home or more room; more often than naught, soldiers, generals, merchants and tradesmen often have more space and lavish homes than simple residents who may have just a simple home. Nevertheless, the Housing Commisioner ensures that everyone lives in enough space and makes sure no one feels too cramped.

The streets have dirt pathways that are swept everynight and day, since it seems there is the same amount of traffic throughout the entire day. Some districts of the residental city are designated night and day areas. The Housing Commisioner usually will try to group those who are more nocturnal together and those who prefer day time living together. This way, there isn't much clutter outside constantly while others may be trying to rest. The commisioner will also try to group districts with single families together seperate from those with larger families. Elderly lycans will see better treatment with their homes, sometimes even having a home servant to care for them- though this is not seen too often since the lycans are very prideful. More often than not, elderly lycans who feel that their time has come will either swim out into the ocean, or wander the Wildlands to die a peacful death as one with nature.

The residental city goes for about thirty miles in and wraps around the central part of the city.


Viento Palace

The lycan palace consists of many buildings. At the end of the residential area starts public facilities that every city needs to function. On the Eastern half are military quarters adjacent to the army training grounds. It is here that soliders train, eat, sleep and live thier lives when they are apart of the army. Weapons are kept here and a seperate market his housed here as well so that everything is within reach.

To the west is Viento palace. It is made of the same blueish white stone that other buildings are made of and is very wide, being only one story high. There are no gates or walls, giving a sense of equality between civilian and royal. The children like to sometimes play a game of hunt where they try to sneak onto the royal grounds and take a rabbit or bird that may be wandering around for a snack. The objective is to not get caught, of course, but the royals never do anything when they do catch a pup wandering around. Just send him on his way without dinner to excercise authority.

The main enterance leads directly to the thrones. These are seated according to command. The queen sits at the center, with her husband at her left. Then, her heir to her right, followed by any other children by age. Statues of legendary wolves- past rulers and heros line the walls and hallways, both in human and wolf form. The floor is of the same stone and there are no walls, save for the seperations of rooms. Other than that, the entire palace is open to fresh air and sunlight. Blue is the royal color and it is the color carpet that leads the path from the main room into several hallways.

In the main throne room, anyone is invited at any time of day. Guards partol the area, walking about as wolves in the halls and on the grounds. Anyone who wishes to meet the royals can do so by simply asking one of the guards. Usually however, the queen will prefer businuess to be done at dawn until midday so that she may tend to other duties.

Behind the palace is a lavish garden with more statues and the like garnishing the land. The garden will then turn into woods and then leads back into the residential part of the city that encircles the inner city. No one is allowed into these back woods except guards and royals. This is a place for the royals to have a place of their own to be in peace.

Reserved.

Reserved.