Lycanis-Alpinus

Better known in the western world as a Dholeman these Lycans are the most populace species in South East and Central Asia. Though there population is no where near as substantial as its cousins this is simply because they have not spread out across the world. With much of the Dholemen being confined to VIetnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos with smaller populations being found in South China and across the whole of South East Asia.

### Lycanis-Alpinus Appearance and Attributes

Unsurprisingly once more Lycanis-Alpinus resembles that of its name sake whilst in canine form. Being shorter on average than other Lycans these Dhloemen make up for it in their pack numbers. Unlike other Lycanthrope packs that are made up of many smaller packs which are in turn made up of families the Packs of the Dhloemen are simply mad up of one large pack. This has been the standard for almost as long as they have walked the Earth, it is incredibly rare to see a Lycanis-Alpinus pack with less than 40 members. Even more unlike other packs there is no rigid hierarchy with members of the pack only beholden to one another. It does seem that one member does watch over or act as leader of the Pack though this members seems to change depending on the incident. For example in times of famine its common for a Dhloemen pack to be lead by their best farmer where as in times of war the pack will be lead by their finest warrior. This allows Lycanis-Alpinus packs to adapt to effectively to deal with the majority of issues that arise, cementing Dhloemen as a fixture of Lycanthropy in South East Asia.

Although their furs are vibrant oranges with pale white under bellies almost resembling foxes the Dhloemen are adapt at camouflaging themselves. Making use of makeshift camouflage many Dhloemen almost resemble tigers, with their bodies painted to blend into think jungle undergrowth. This paired with the large hunting parties they form lead to Dhloemen being a fierce force of nature. Unsurprisingly many of the accounts of “Rock Apes” encountered by US Marines during the Vietnam War were packs of Dhloemen. Much of the more more severe incidents have fortunately been removed from history though it should be noted that Lycanis-Alpinus packs were instrumental in halting the advance of American forces during the war.

It should be noted that unlike their cousins the Dhloemen rarely travel the world, with 99.89% of the species being found in South East Asia. This is most likely due to the pack structure employed by Lycanis-Alpinus, with most of the species being part of only three packs. None of these packs are recognised due to their refusal to accept other Lycanthrope sub species.

Given the smaller size of the Dholemen they can often be found lurking in far tighter spaces than there cousins. Lycanis-Alpinus packs litter the area around their packs home with tunnels and traps reminiscent of those used by the Vietcong. These tunnels allow hoards of Dholemen to poor out of the undergrowth from seemingly no where. Often the sudden appearance of so many Lycans alone is enough to cause any intruder to flee, those who do choose to fight though will surely be torn to shreds. This smaller stature also leads Dholemen to make use to projectiles more often with a common tactic being hiding atop cliffs and trees whilst hurling heavy rocks down at their prey below.

### Lycanis-Alpinus Origins

It is entirely unknown when and where the Dhloemen first appeared though the prevailing theory is that Lycanis-Lupus instances settled areas bringing Lycan centric religions to the populace. This would have lead to the creation of new Lycanthropes as local people converted to these new Lycanthrope religions. This theory is considered to be the common belief in the modern age due to many Dhloemen packs depicting many of the same deities as other Lycanthrope Religions though this could simply be coincidence. One thing is for sure however, modern Dholemen prefer to stay with their own kind, a contradicting social point given their supposed origin.

### Lycanis-Alpinus Cultural and Religious Demigraphics

Unlike other Lycan sub species that hold positions across all levels of society the Dholemen instead only hold positions in the common workforce. Many of these Dhloemen work and live in rural towns off of the main roads alongside members of their pack, never seeking a higher position in human society. This mindset is further amplified by the religious views that are almost universal within Dhloemen packs. The primary religion followed by Lycanis-Alpinus is Lycanic Shintoism or at least a Dholeman variant of it that puts a strong focus of pack unity. Unlike other packs and religions Dholemen have no defacto spiritual leader simply relying on their local priests for religious guidance.

### Lycanis-Alpinus Common Form

Oddly enough there has never been any recorded instances of Lycanis-Alpinus using Astral or Serkik Lycanthropy. All modern as well previously encountered instances have been Cynocephaly. It is unknown as to why exactly this is though it may simply be due to incredibly small population compared to their cousins. With the primary form of Lycanis-Alpinus being Cynocephaly its common to see large families consisting of 10+ members. Being able to reproduce is most likely the only reason the Dholemen have not been eradicated by the bloodied past of the region.