The Principles of Night’s Blessed Pack

## Overview

The Principles of Night's Blessed Pack are an ancient set of rules and guidelines written by dire wolf philosophers and thinkers soon after the discovery of the dire wolves. These guidelines finished the work that started within the **Struggle of a Hundred Packs**. As all the wolfpeople started to work closer and closer together and annex many other canine species within their ranks, the process of the standardization and evolution of their religious beliefs would begin. Finally, these new, simpler principles of **Maancuraith** spirituality would appear in the form of **The Principles of Night's Blessed Pack.** They focused on the three most important aspects of Maancuraith culture: their laws concerning leadership, dominance and power struggles (Principles of the Greatest), their laws concerning spirituality and worship (Principles of Mother Moon) and their laws concerning the unity, the treatment of the pack and true, four legged wolves (Principles of the Pack).

## Prionzipaal'dhe Al-Fhearr (Principles of the Greatest)

* Any alpha (or **Al-Fhearr**) potential must prove themselves to truly be the greater than even the current pack leader. If the distinction has not been clearly made at the time of a potential's challenge to the current alpha, the challenger and defender must engage in various trials of combat, strength, mindfulness and spirituality.
* Impersonation of the status as the pack’s greatest is a mockery of the wolf and the pack. If a knowingly unfit leader takes up the mantle of Al-Fhearr remains in their position and continues to imitate a true leader, they risk the lives of his brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers. The mimic shall be shamed for their ineptitude, as they knowingly deprive the pack from a true leader.
* An alpha may step down from their position if they believe they are no longer suitable in their role as the pack’s greatest leader. They may spare the blood and time of themselves and their challengers prior to being issued any challenges. This decision shall solidify their honour within the pack. Upon stepping down, a previous Al-Fhearr may nominate a suitable champion to take their mantle and fight any potential challengers.
* The pack may refuse the champion nominated by an alpha and nominate their own. If the pack disagrees with a previous leader's nomination, the two contenders must engage in rigorous trials to determine which one is the greatest.
* An alpha shall honour all challenges at any time. They may not make any significant orders or decisions for the pack until their position is secured and all challengers put in their place, lest a cowardly Al-Fhearr put the pack in peril and use its people as hostage to delay a challenge. Those who do not accept an official challenge shame their blood and their tribe.
* If the greatest of the pack is under threat of usurpation and challenged by a rival for their position, they may not surrender or step down lest they bring shame on their pack. Surrender is a sign of the weak, the alpha is not weak. Defeat should be an impossibility in the mind of the alpha, therefore they should accept any challenge. If there is any doubt in their mind as to their capability and their strength, they should step down prior to any difficulty arising. If they choose to remain in power, it must be because they are confident that they are the better of their tribe. If they should fight and lose, making a miscalculation of their own competence, the alpha shall lose graciously and repent for the mistake of overstaying their position.
* An alpha who shamed their pack is no longer to be considered a wolf. A true pack shall establish the Maancuraith authority and demand repentance from their alpha before they may be considered a wolf and alpha once again. They have failed the pack and must therefore answer to the pack until those they have shamed are satisfied. After every shame, defeat and humiliation, an alpha must bow to their people and earn forgiveness. An alpha who refuses to face the consequences of their action under judgement of their pack should be removed and properly punished by a true Maancuraith challenger.
* An alpha bested in the trials by a challenger owes their life and autonomy to the victor. Their soul and fate shall be at the new alpha’s mercy. The victorious challenger’s word is law. The threat of terrible punishments and retribution for one’s shame shall ensure the alpha remains in good favour with their pack and acts with wisdom, mercy, benevolence and care. When it comes for the defeated leader to beg for mercy from their successor, may their honorable past as leader act as a shield against cruelty and pain. Successors with love and respect for the previous alpha shall show mercy not only to appease their conscience but to appease the pack who loved the previous leader as well. A true alpha should be freed of their bonds, while a weak and shamed former alpha should pay for their perversion of their role as leader. The first decision of the new alpha shall be important to the pack, and an intelligent leader shall listen not only to their own desires but that of their people too.

## Prionzipaal'dhe Vuuldhpak (Principles of the Pack)

* If two tribes are in disagreement, the leaders must discuss with no weaponry nearby but their own fangs and claws. If called for, the pack members must wait for their leaders and shall not spill any maancuraith blood lest it be in terms of the negotiation. It is possible that an agreement may be reached between two alphas, or a challenge is issued between the two, and wolf blood is not gratuitously spilled. Until such a time comes, the packs may graciously mingle, dine and hunt alongside one another.
* If forced to combat our four-legged kin, traps, destructive weapons, and magic shall never be utilized. They are brothers and sisters worthy of respect, and each challenge must be honoured and respected. If a sacred beast is harmed dishonourably, the perpetrator must provide a sacrifice to appease the victim, lest they anger the mother moon.
* The forests wandered by other packs, whether upright or four-legged, are sacred. A tribe may only conquer it with respect, and should not irreparably damage the land once in its possession. Once a territory belongs to wolfish power, it shall be treated with respect in its conquest, upkeep, and inevitable loss. Should the conquered of the sacred land graciously surrender, they may be allowed to share the land thanks to blessed wolfish grace. Should the land grow weary of a pack’s presence, or the pack’s weakness cause them to lose it to another, the land should be left usable and respected by its successors.
* Alphas and spiritual leaders must submit to our beastial brothers and sisters. Those who walk closer to the ground are closer to the very essence of nature and their wisdom must be respected. The bond between beast and maancuraith should be honoured. Should the two cross, it is the responsibility of the maancuraith to show proper respect to the moon’s favoured beast. A leader can not truly lead without humility.
* A Vuuldhpack is only as good as its weakest member. It is the responsibility of the family or pack alpha to ensure their people are a proper extension of their image and to remove or reeducate those who stain the family image, lest the entire family become rotten in the eye of Mother Moon.
* Rotten diseases spread through blood and the pack, and a shameful creature spawns shameful pups. Respect the ties of family and educate, guard, and raise your blood with care, attention, and inner strength lest you and your blood become shamed. Hold high standards for yourself and your pack, and do not nurture a rot nor the source of it, a partner and pups are a reflection of one’s soul and must be treated as such. Exile the imposters who may harm you, your true pack, or other wolves.
* Know your place within the pack. Each Maancuraith soul is precious, and the greatest amount of souls may only be safeguarded by thoughtfulness and willing sacrifice. If you must fight for the pack’s survival, fight. Mother Moon and her star pack will smile on your soul. If you must lead the pack toward prosperity and security, lead. Mother Moon will smile on your soul. If you must step down as a leader to ensure your pack receives better under another’s leadership, step down. Mother Moon will smile on your soul. If you must die for the pack’s prosperity, die and you will join the most blessed and respected pack of stars alongside Mother Moon.
* A pup shall not be subject to final judgment for a family’s sins. Their blood must be allowed to repent. Born from rot, tainted blood, or Falsmunseele, a pup’s soul is still being forged. They may yet repent for cursed blood and should be given the opportunity to do so. Raise or exile a shamed pup, but do not interfere with mother moon’s plans for their upbringing until they develop conscious knowledge of their blood’s sins and the strength so that they may repent. A monster is only a monster when it’s aware of its actions. The souls of the young are precious and unfinished, a rotten being may only face final judgment upon coming of age.

## Modern Interpretation of the Principles

In modern times, many still treat The Principles of Night's Blessed Pack as gospel, considering it the true and purest form of druidism and Maancuraith culture. While originally a wolf-centric set of rules, many non-wolves interested in druidism use these principles as guidelines. Many citizens of the Empire of Heilig-Maan still primarily follow Maancuraith tradition and spirituality, although not with such stoic dedication as the wolves once did. Nowadays, many occasionally go to pray in nature, nurture a strong sense of familial and personal honour and remember to treat the land around them with respect but do not dedicate their entire lives to the ancient ways, even if they're still considered a massive part of Maancuraith, and especially wolfish, identity. Recently, the Empire of Heilig-Maan has made several religious and cultural reforms, claiming to be evolving and expanding on traditional wolfish beliefs. Many believe that much of the reform was sparked by a historical event referred to as **The Alpha Mutiny**, wherein a disgruntled hyena sergeant, unhappy with the current leadership's decisions and tactics, challenged their Company Commander in the middle of a time sensitive mission. This would prompt the panicking and hurried Commander to have him shot, violating the rules of the duel and causing a public uproar which sparked a bloody mutiny within his ranks, many of his troops brutalized him and many of his officers and caused the entire operation to tragically fail.

The Empire's attempt to outlaw challenges and power struggles within their ranks was met with fierce opposition from most of the population, forcing them to reach a compromise. Nowadays, the Empire has created more standardized methods of determining whether a candidate is "better" than the other. Written tests, rigorous physical tests, teamwork competence, popular opinion and controlled duels are frequently used within the military to determine who the best candidate is, although some question the fairness or efficacy of the test. Quite a few stubborn Maancuraith still prefer directly challenging their current "alpha" themselves, desiring to assert dominance in a more traditional and respected means, much to the distaste of the Empire.

Current attempts to further organize Maancuraith culture were also made in terms of abolishing several protection laws which ensured the proper treatment of land and habitants of that land. Now, it is only "strongly advised" that Maancuraith resource operations do not permanently scar the land, and that their expansion process be sustainable. A portion of imperial druids were unhappy with these reforms, separating from the Empire and travelling to all corners of Carid'wel to practice their beliefs in peace, forming druidic covens like the **True Moon's Coven** deep in **Malia**, declaring independence from imperial rule. Even to this day, despite a majority of Maancuraith citizens strongly adhering to their old principles and traditions, a schism is slowly growing between the values and morals of the old wolves and the practicality and lust for progress of the modern imperial rule.