#also when I said I need to make an 'evil' lycan dnd character

[littlegalerion]

Recently was working on some custom Expedition cards, specifically for a werewolf class. After realizing that half the cards were buffs that benefited your party in some shape or form, it got me thinking more about werewolf socialization, in DnD and in Elder Scrolls. Sadly werewolves in DnD are very different from TES, but in TES at least I have a bit more room with them as the bloodlust isn't as bad.

Poor DnD wolfies. I'll definately need to create an "evil" lycan character at some point for sessions.

Anyhow, some werewolf socialization/romance headcanons for TES woofers.

- A Pack consists of both a werewolf's blood family or of those they've personally bitten, then bringing into their ranks. Often lycans opt out of interacting with people in general, so it isn't uncommon that they start a family with another packmate.

- For lycans that have a spouse outside of the pack, it's usually frowned upon if the pack is kept a secret. It's seen as disrespectful as, under Hircine's word, the pack is your family first. With blood family it's understandable to hide- you can't choose who brought you into this world. But you can choose who you brought into your world, and if you chose them, then they should have no issue with your pack mates.

- It is a BIG no no to take a spouse from another pack, even if there is no friction between your two packs whatsoever. You either leave your pack and join theirs, or they leave and join yours. There are no "star crossed lovers" allowed. A pack is a unit, meant to have strong ties so that their hunts are fluid and successful every night. How can your packmates trust your head is in the game if your heart lies within another pack?

- Usually marriages between two packmates consist of the couple leaving for the night to hunt together, alone, in an unfamiliar territory. No worries, your packmates have already scouted the area, once the couple has decided where they want to hunt. So no threats of Silver Dawn. Everything else the wilds have to offer in terms of danger still remain. The couple hunt together, and in the morning bring back as much as they can carry. This provides a "Sunrise Feast", symbolizing the dawn of a new life together which their packmates celerabete with them. After that, rings are exchanged, if even desired.

- When packmates do have children, be it with another packmate or with a partner outside of the pack, the pack is non hostile towards them. Unless they are the offspring of two packmates, it's highly suggested they do not interact with the pack until in their teens. By "not hostile" it's more so that the pack isn't angry nor do they consider the child a threat to sapping away their packmate's attention. They genuinely hope the child grows to one day accept Hircine's blessing, and join their pack. But...it isn't wise to have a child waltz in around whelp and seasoned lycans. I think the one questline in Skyrim can answer why.

- If the child is born by two packmates, it's accepted into the pack earlier. I mean, what choice would they have if both parents live with the pack 24/7. In order to keep the baby safe, seasoned members, including the alpha, of the pack often accompany the parents, and form a very strong godparent bond to the child. They force it on themselves, physically and mentally. They have to see the child as theirs, in terms of territory, for fear their bloodlust could gain an inch. They take the slightest wrong glance at the child by any pack member as a threat and will give that individual a thrashing. Nothing that bone breaking, but bad enough that they'll feel it for a week. It may seem extreme, but enforcing the mindset that the baby is a part of their territory and pack is a necessity that HAS to be constantly reinforced on the daily. It's for the baby's safety.

- This kind of behavior goes on for a while, until the child reaches preteens, but sometimes it dies out sooner than that. It all depends when the child shows a more pronounced nature, and displays interest and active support to the pack. In which case, they pack begins to see them as a member naturally. But still, the seasoned members keep careful watch.

- I know the big question: When is the child bitten? Well, the answer you would think would be "Right away, as soon as they could survive the bite." Like how the assassin in the ESO DB was forced to drink lycan blood by her family at a young age? Well, perhaps in the more ruthless packs, but not among proper packs that actually want to stay in existance for more than four seasons before the Silver Dawn find them!

- In a structured lycan pack, children are bitten or allowed to drink lycan blood once they reach their teen years. This is done through a ceremony to Hircine, where the teen must be old enough to hunt on their own, bring back an impressive kill, and present it before Hircine. This proves their worth as a potential lycan hunter, and Hircine will then allow his hounds to give them a bite, or let the teen drink of lycan blood.

- Typically it is the parent or alpha who gives the bite. If going for the blood route, it is always the alpha that donates their blood.

- To be a true lycan, a true hunter and beast of the wild, NEVER forget that what Hircine has given you was a choice you made. To force it upon another individual who could potentially soil and disgrace the blessing is a whelp's mistake. Any grown lycan knows better. For those born with the gift, well, then it wasn't something you chose, but it definately chose you, as such things are rare. But most any structured pack would welcome in such a rarity, and prove what a blessing it is. Regardless, no child is forced to take the gift. Pressured and expected to? Yes. But never outright forced.

#elder scrolls lycanthropy #ever played expedition? #its a soft version of dnd thats a card game #very soft and super simple and tons of fun #my friend and I are to the point we want to keep custom card decks for personally made characters #i think its around 20 bucks on amazon #also when I said I need to make an 'evil' lycan dnd character? #i had to say evil because Raloqen is tech a lycan #lythari are 'true' lycans #they lack a hybrid form but morph from elf to wolf and are in complete control as a wolf #are they elves? or wolves? the answer is yes