Den

Den is the central protagonist of '*Den and the Wolves*' and twin brother of the story's antagonist, Rane. In Arlain, his name means both 'Liar' and 'to douse/to flood'. It is a self-appointed name that Den adopted to suit his distrusting and mysterious personality. His birth name is Xienar, which translates to 'Other'. He is also known as the notorious 'Black Stranger', by a select few. Den is described as a young man of approximately 18 years old, with jet-black hair, pale skin, and grey eyes, who dresses often in a similar attire to a monk, with bandaged feet and a black cloak. He keeps a belt with numerous pouches, each containing some sort of edible, poison, or *anki*. He is particularly protective of his daznapea berries, which he uses to treat his insomnia.

Den is cursed with immortality after a spell was cast onto him by the 81 wolves, several millennia ago. He is kept alive by the existence of six bloodstones, scattered across the world, and is ultimately attempting to find and destroy each of them to rid himself of this curse. Removing his immortality would also have the same effect on Rane, allowing him to kill his sister whose megalomania threatens to engulf the world.

## Birth and pre-immortality

Den and Rane (One and Other, respectively, as called in Alexib's preface) were both born into the ancient nomadic Irrok tribe, to a father and mother named Li and Lileotu. They were born during the Dichotome, making both anywhere between five and eight thousand years old by the beginning of the story. While Rane was destined by the *norsaks* to achieve some sort of vague greatness, Den was assumed to become her antagonist, or lesser half, and was treated as such for most of his childhood. In comparison to Rane, Den was described as slower, smaller, less skilled at hunting, less intelligent, and rather feminine. After dreaming of pushing his sister off a cliff to her death, Den is visited in the night by Nightmare, one of the 81 wolves. Nightmare taunts Den and then attacks him, leaving deep claw marks across his chest. Den's wounds become infected. After Rane makes a pilgrimage to the Great Hollow, bargaining for her brother's life, a spell is cast that keep grant both immortality:

'*One cannot live without the Other*'

The wolves look down upon Den through the Pool on Top of the World, and while watching over him, pull his tainted blood from his body and cast them into six individual bloodstones. These stones then scatter across the world, to be lost and forgotten. Den emerges from his feverish state alive, and well, and thankful of his sister's sacrifice.

## First feud with Rane

The curse of immortality allowed Den and Rane to gradually watch their tribe go extinct over the course of several centuries. This was accelerated by a catastrophic event; the eruption of the Kao Kao Da volcano. This continent-shattering explosion brought about an ice age, causing famine and extreme weather, resulting in the extinction of nearly all life - human and animal - while Den and Rane were spared. Frustrated, Den followed Rane back to the Great Hollow, where she demanded answers regarding her destiny. There, Den encounters a familiar nemesis - Nightmare - and learns his real name. He also meets several wolves who later become allies, such as Martyr (to be extended).

Rane's frustration with the wolves escalates until she takes arms against them. Den watches in shock as his sister manages to kill Madness, one of the top-tiered *norsaks*. She is blessed with that wolf's power, and usurps multiple wolves from their thrones in a display of chaos. She invites Den to join her, offering him an injured wolf to kill. Den refuses and attempts to stop Rane, but is cast out of the Great Hollow by her newfound power. Being immortal, like him, nothing appears capable of stopping her from murdering the *norsaks* and assuming their positions as a god.

## Surviving the Kaokatome and Akratome

After the eruption of Kao Kao Da, the Dichotome ended and the world plunges into several centuries of a turbulent period called the Kaokatome. Den repeatedly lives and dies over and over after enduring ice ages, lightning storms, tidal waves, hurricanes, famine, and disease. He attempts to find any remnants of the other ancient tribes across the world, but fails to come across another living human. During this time of endurance, Den becomes withdrawn, introverted, and cynical. He blames the chaos on his sister and her inability to command her new strength. He loses the ability to sleep, and if he does, he is visited by Nightmare, who continues to taunt him. In the north of Nirtoh, Den discovers daznapea berries, and begins using them for long periods of time to remain in a coma-like state. He attempts to find new soils around the world where the berries will grow.

The Akratome - the re-emergence of animals after the chaos - follows slowly, and Den's travels lead him to meet the first evolving Dovna in southern Win Wenada. He meets Iara, giving birth to these creatures, and helps her keep them wet by digging puddles in the mud and transporting sea water inland. He also protects them against a rogue *norsak*, Hunger, whom he kills. Iara rewards Den with a pearl.

The Akratome ends violently with the War of Sand and Rain, which Den alone witnesses during his travels across Nirtoh. He is the first, and only, to lay eyes on the legendary Blue and Red Engalions as they clash. The war generates two new environments: a northern desert that spans Nirtoh, and a southern marshland that floods Win Wenada.

## A plot against Rane

The gradual rise of the Empiritome sees multiple human settlements, explorers, and small kingdoms begin to re-emerge. Unlike the ancient tribes, they speak a new language, Civil, and their gods are sculpted like humans instead of animal-based deities. When Rane, still waiting on her throne in the Great Hallow, realizes she is no longer viewed as a god, and lesser, prettier statues are being erected in lieu of her, she plans to eliminate life and wipe out everything in the hopes of starting over. Den, who is sick of seeing life crumble and start over, tells her she must move on, abandon her post, and come find a new meaning in life outside the wolves' lair. Rane refuses. She plans to infect the minds of these people like a plague, until they are each compelled to bow down to her.

Den, at last, concocts a plot of dethrone Rane. Unfortunately, they are both immortal. For a brief time, Den studies with the wise monks of the newly-emerging kingdom of Diarma under the Three Kings, learning about more sophisticated *anki* in hopes that magic alone could kill her. He does a lot of meditating, and is taught to use his immortality to gather wisdom, not strength. After some time, he is visited in his meditative state by Lunacy, who gives him a crazy idea: if the bloodstones were destroyed, Den - and by proxy, Rane - would no longer be immortal. Nightmare hears of this plot, and loyally informs Rane, who initiates a mad rush to stop him.

Wildfire burns down the monastery, forcing Den and its occupants to flee. Knowing he is not safe to be around, he ventures off on his own to begin the search.