Ways Of The Cold
The Scarred Ice Pack exists in The Bitter Cold and is led by a lone Alpha who believes that only the strong are worthy to survive. This being said, the definition of 'strength' is actually remarkably flexible. If a weak pup is born to the pack, but that pup is protected by their parent(s) and grows up to hold the wisdom of the pack or has a particular knack for storytelling, they are considered strong of mind and valued in their own right.
The individuals of the pack come in all colors since the Alpha doesn't care what her members look like as long as they can survive or somehow serve the pack. Some infighting happens occasionally but mostly isn't tolerated. The pack must be a strong whole to survive. If a pack member falters, it's a toss-up if they're considered worth the resources to aid. This isn't considered a cruelty, but a necessity. The whole is more important than the one and if the pack suffers in caring for the injured member, that is simply intolerable.
The Alpha's Beta is the one who associates most with the other pack members, as the Alpha herself is too busy working for their survival to bother. She cares in her way, she's just not very personable. The Beta is of a much warmer personality than the Alpha is, and is more lenient when it comes to weak pups and the judgment upon them. However, he has only rarely overruled the decisions of the parents on whether a pup should live or die.
Food caught is given to pregnant females too gravid to hunt, the Shamans and strong pups too young to hunt, then to the hunters who caught it and finally the rest is given to the injured, the sick, the old and those otherwise not hunting. A hunter may at their own judgment choose to go with less to feed others if the kill was brought down by them alone, but this behavior is not encouraged. Kills are never shared with other packs.
Home Realm
The Bitter Cold, where the pack lives, is constantly bombarded by winter storms. As such, they must have very thick and fluffy coats to best manage the elements. Pelts of blue or white are favored, as they're less visible in the blizzard than other colors and therefore are better able to hunt. Their range is vast and the Alpha is constantly testing the boundaries of her territory to expand where her pack might hunt for food and resources.
The pack themselves den in several deep caves against a mountainside, partly blocked by sturdy trees to keep them warm. Some of the caves are interconnected. Those are the family caves. Phosporent lichen lights the depths of the caves.
Hierarchy
The Alpha's word is law. Any who challenge her are dealt with, either with a severe beatdown or in some cases, death. Challenging her for leadership of the pack is always a fight to the death. The exception to this rule is her Beta, who has special permission to question her edicts without a guarantee of a maiming.
While the Alpha goes largely without being questioned, all are welcome to ask questions of the Beta. Being of a more friendly and approachable personality than the Alpha, this is preferred regardless. By and large, the Beta is extremely easy going, but he can be absolutely ruthless if pushed too far, and while he may let a challenger for his position live, his opponents often are left wishing he had killed them instead.
Shamans stand just below the Beta. They advise both him and the Alpha, and may even question the Alpha on certain matters--though wisely they often go through the Beta to do so. They are the healers and holders of mystic wisdom and are not required to hunt.
Hunters do just that; they hunt. They hold no particular authority, but they are the most numerous group and are due certain rights as the providers of the pack. It is upon them that the pack's survival hinges, after all.
Guards are encouraged to also be Hunters or Gatherers, but may fill the single role without any loss of face, as there are always threats to guard the dens from.
Gatherers may use the Gates to go to other realms and may also be Shamans or occasionally Hunters. Their task is to find herbs and even to recruit if the opportunity presents itself.
Storytellers hold the wisdom and knowledge of the pack, and their job is to teach lessons and entertain the pack when the hunt is done for the day and there isn't much else to be doing. To be a Storyteller alone however means they are the last to receive the spoils of the hunt, and so they will not get the best or often enough to eat. As such it's best to hold another position in the pack that actually gives you worth.
Relationships
The pack is the first and last concern. Outsiders are to be treated as parasites and must prove themselves quickly or be chased away or killed. While an individual who is simply lost will be treated more leniently, any wishing to join the pack must have a skill that will prove valuable, either as a shaman, a hunter or one holding valuable knowledge that will aid the survival of the whole. Courtship is kept short since energy must be primarily focused on survival and monogamy is encouraged, since more than one family will be harder to support.
Children
Pups born to the pack are judged from the moment of their emergence for their size and energy level. It's strongly encouraged to abandon or even devour pups that are too small or lethargic to be considered able to survive. Of course, this very rarely happens, and usually weak pups end up dying on their own in due time. All pups are taught from the moment they can understand the harshness of their world and the roles they can choose from in order to be of use to the pack.
Naming Themes
Nordic, Germanic, Icelandic and Celtic names are all encouraged, though no particular naming theme is enforced.
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