Rutnik

Sheeno (Adoptive Daughter)

Theron (Brother)

Evander (Half-Brother)

Austree (Aunt, NPC)

Saurugol and Aphrodi (Cousins)

## Application Sheet

Rutnik was a gray-and-gold-furred wolf, born and raised in Fellfang. He was the best friend, and close advisor to, Jarl Fable, serving as a Beta. He was mate to Tayen, father to their two pups, Corrin and Gaius, and adoptive father to young Sheeno. He was created and RP'd by data-bull.

## Personality

* ***Brave and Loyal.*** At his core, Rutnik is utterly devoted to the Skuld. Though he has faltered in the past, the Old Guardsman has renewed his unwavering allegiance to Fellfang, and to Jarl Fable. He has dedicated his life to the betterment and survival of his Skuld-mates, however he will not hesitate to rout enemies among them should they pose a threat to the Jarl's safety.
* ***Insightful and Introspective.*** Serving as a marauding warrior on Fellfang's behalf for years has taught Rutnik that fear is every wolf's worst enemy. This isn't to say he never feels fear, in fact he experiences the emotion more often than most, however he refuses to surrender to it.
* ***Resilient, but Full of Regret.*** He works now more than ever to work past his fears because he believes his personal struggles don't take precedent over the trials and tribulation the Skuld must face together. Though he strives to move past what happened to him and the Skuld he can't seem to shake free of the blame he feels for everything that's gone wrong around him. For good reason, Rutnik has decided he won't compromise his beliefs or his duty for the sake of anyone. He will obey the Jarl without question of course, but should they disagree he will make that perfectly clear. While he would still go beyond the call of duty in a heartbeat to help a skuld-mate, he wouldn't do so if he felt what they were doing was wrong. He won't bend the rules for anyone else's benefit, nor his own.
* ***Friendly, yet Dense and Hurt.*** Sometimes it's difficult to get a message through Rutnik's thick skull. An easy enough wolf to talk to for business, in social situations he falls short, often missing non-verbal cues, and sometimes verbal ones. Talking about his feelings is something he's nearly incapable of doing in a comprehensive manner, making him want to avoid them altogether. He's not much better with the feelings of those around him either, though to his credit he tries to listen and simply doesn't understand. Due to the stresses of losing his daughter, almost losing Keme, and recently losing their home, Rutnik is understandably on edge. He's become more irritable than previously, though he tries harder to cover it up; when he does slip he always apologizes for it, though he finds it increasingly difficult to fix what is broken inside of him.
* ***Dedicated, if Stubborn.*** He works now more than ever to work past his fears because he believes his personal struggles don't take precedent over the trials and tribulation the Skuld must face together. Towards those he knows well, Rutnik has become more open as a whole since his depressive phase. While he still keeps his distance from newcomers, he is laughing again, smiling, and spending time with his few close friends. He isn't hostile to the rest of the Skuld of course; as he's taken it upon himself to help coordinate the goings on of Fellfang he's been very supportive of his skuld-mates regardless of rank and task. As one can imagine he shows some more favor than others.

## Pre-Group History

Rutnik was conceived while his mother was still young. Helbreau had intended to remain chaste as a Havirian missionary to the loners of the domain, but the strain of being released into a wild, unpredictable environment shuffled her priorities. Being raised in the traditional, unchanging landscape of Havir, the shock of the outside, the unrest and strife caused her to question the gods. If they were truly as benevolent as she was told, as she believed, then why were non-believers allowed to suffer? It was as her faith had been shaken that she encountered the head-strong pack wolf, Cobalt.

Whether it was through his womanizing ways, her lack of independence, or both, she became his mate as he was the only wolf she had. Though he stabilized her momentarily, he had soon left, scared off by the outbreak of rabies that shifted the balance of power around them. Thrust once again into loneliness and despair, Helbreau soon found herself pregnant, and with that she seemed to have lost all favor from the gods to whom she'd once devoted her entire being. Breaking her chastity vow had severed her only remaining ties to her birth-pack; she could not longer return even if she wanted to.

Even the birth of Helbreau's pups was an uphill battle. The combined lack of food she'd been able to scavenge and strain of defending herself had left her worse for the wear even before labor set in. But after hours of contractions, three healthy, if emaciated, pups were born. Two boys and a girl, each bearing a radically different pelt. While her daughter took after Beau's own golden sheen, one of the males was black as his father. Then there was the second son, tawny with Cobalt's black mane; a perfect mixture of his parents.

Over the days that followed, the new mother found it more and more difficult to provide for her brood. She was so starved herself that she could barely produce milk, and so she resorted to supplementing her diet with anything she could find; plants, insects, minerals. Thankfully at least water was in abundance, and that kept her going. Her pups on the other hand, were not so lucky. Her beautiful golden girl was unable to gain weight, despite her best efforts. She struggled valiantly to stay with her family, but in the end the nutritional burden on the pup's body was too much. The passing of her daughter ate away at Helbreau's soul; not only had she lost a child, but in that pup's death she also saw her own. A golden light snuffed out.

Though she received a brief respite from hunger, watching her remaining sons further deteriorate was too much to bear. Pride crumbling into nothing, Helbreau sought out anyone who could take them in, but a dubious wolf in such dire straits like her was not a very welcome sight. Word of a nomadic pack from outside the domain reached her, and in a fit of madness or genius, she poured all of her remaining energy into finding them. By the time she finally stumbled upon Ode, Helbreau's pups were on the brink of death, as was she. Begging and pleading for their lives, it was by some otherworldly grace that they were allowed to join the ranks of his pack, of Fellfang.

The pups were put into the care of another wolf until Helbreau was able to regain her strength, and in this time her black pup mysteriously vanished. Nothing was thought of it; the caregivers assumed that the pup had gone off to die, as the weak did not deserve to live. In contrast, Rutnik responded quickly to the sudden availability of food. As his body recovered from the constant malnutrition, the only remaining member of Beau's litter was allowed to rejoin his grieving mother.

Even as they both grew stronger, Rutnik was kept on a short leash. He wasn't allowed to leave his mother's sight, and so he stayed at her side. Though the tawny pup was able to interact with others his age, his mother's worship of Ode meant he was often nearby. It was through this that he was able to befriend the alpha's second son, Fable.

As Helbreau descended further into her obsession, Rutnik was allowed to accompany Fable on mock hunts and 'adventures'. They would often hunt rabbit, though they were never able to catch one. It was around this time that Nik started to notice Fable's eccentricities, but he thought nothing of them. He was well aware of Ode's extreme teaching methods as he trained his sons to take his place. This didn't concern him in regards to Fable, as he knew his friend wouldn't become like his father. Rutnik did become increasingly weary of Fable's elder brother however; he saw something in Story that frightened him.

This became increasingly more clear as time wore on. Rutnik grew, as did Ode's sons. He found himself distanced more from Fable as time went on, and was outright forbidden from playing with him after the Coming of Age trial. It was during that event when he saw Ode's wrath with his own eyes; the enraged alpha lashing out against him when he expressed resistance towards the Jarl's accompaniment. Throughout the hunt, Rutnik kept his distance from the alpha, his tail hovering between his legs; a reminder that he had no power, that Ode owned him.

Not long after, Nik began his training to become one of the Jarl's killers. He saw little if any of his mother who was off doing whatever the alpha asked of her. This formed a pit of jealousy and anger within him towards Ode, though he didn't dare act upon it. He felt his mother was being controlled, just as the other wolves were, as he was. They were all pawns for the Jarl's use. Keeping his head down and going about the daily grind was the only way to survive; at least that was what he told himself.

It wasn't until the true power of Arn's line, their madness, became apparent that he second-guessed his loyalties. Though he hadn't spent time with Fable since they were innocent pups, he still saw the alpha-son as a friend. That was, until Ode turned up dead and Story pointed out his brother as the culprit. In the time they had been apart, Rutnik hadn't realized how much worse Fable's illness had manifested. When the confused wolf was questioned about the murder he looked so lost, so confused. Rutnik wanted to aid his friend, but how could he?

No sooner had Fable been exiled from the pack that Story became the Jarl. From there, it was bloodshed and darkness. Where he lacked his father's finesse he made up for it in brutality and unpredictability. None dared oppose him.

The loss of Ode proved to shift the balance of power within the pack, but it also seemed to destroy what remained of Helbreau's soul. Without her deity, her savior, she drifted about. Though he tried to reach out to her, Rutnik was unable to bring her back. One night she simply vanished without a trace, leaving her son without family and without friends.

In an attempt to remedy this he reached out to the wolves around him. He bonded with them on the battlefield over their kills. Like a poison, the blood lust seeped into him, replacing what was once love and acceptance with killing instinct and hatred. A strict hierarchy was enforced among the warriors to keep order, namely Story's supremacy. Rutnik fought for the sake of fighting, allowing himself to be used for the Jarl's enjoyment, unable to do anything else.

It wasn't until Fable's return that Rutnik was awakened from the nightmare. Unintentionally reclaiming the pack from his brother, Story and his sympathizers were lost to Fellfang. The return of his old friend brought a plethora of emotions surging forth, but it was not the same for Fable. Whether it was out of spite or something more sinister, the wolf didn't acknowledge anyone he'd once known. Assuming it was the former, Rutnik didn't say anything.

The sudden influx of new members and shifting of power put everyone, including Rutnik, on edge. Though the urge to fight against the change festered within him, he finally took his future into his own hands. Dedicating himself as a supporter of Fable's rule and the changes he instigated, he wanted to ease the transition for his fellows of the old regime. Even if the new order would make things difficult for his skuld, he didn't want to lose any more of them. In the most dire of straits they had become his family, those he could trust his back and his life to.

## External Links

* Official Application Sheet (Bio Only)
* data-bull's deviantART Gallery