Lycan History and Beliefs

⚠️ This page contains topics that may be triggering. ⚠️
Content includes: *mentions of death (**Ritual of Returning**), "omegaverse" tropes, and NSFW sexual content (**Heat/Rut & Soulmarking**)*

**This information is from Tristan's exomemories. It is not a fictional universe or fantasy setting.**

## History of Lycans & Werewolves

Before the existence of humans, the Moon Goddess was craving physical intimacy and saw the wolves on Earth. She descended upon them and copulated with one, becoming impregnated and giving birth to the *First Werewolf*. He was crazed due to the power of the Moon Goddess and the primal nature of the wolf, and impregnated many wolves who then gave birth to more werewolves. Werewolves continued to live on in the wild.

Then, humans came to exist. The *First* saw a human woman travelling along the forest's edge and was completely enraptured by her beauty, and her similarity to the Moon Goddess. He slowly gained her trust while in wolf form, and they formed a strong bond of trust and love. He showed her his werehuman form, and she accepted him. They procreated and she gave birth to the first lycan.

Due to the *Bond*, every child she birthed was a lycan, even with a human man. All lycans descend from her and her male partners. She was accused of being the spawn of evil and a seductress, due to the children's behaviors and her many male partners as a travelling woman. The places she visited all heard of her children and decided to hunt them, forcing the lycans to flee to the forests. They were never found by the humans, and continued to thrive in the woods in secrecy.

The name of the Mother of Lycans was lost, as all human records of her were erased, but her symbolic name is (the) Celesta.

## Lycan Physicality

### Nature (Alpha/Beta/Omega Alignment)

In lycan society, your *Nature* is where you are on the Alpha/Omega spectrum, this is also commonly known as "secondary gender". This is determined by the moon phase you are born in. If you are born during the gibbous phases, you are more Alpha. If you are born during the crescent phases, you are more omega. This is due to the amount of the moon that is visible. There are pure Alphas and pure omegas, born on the full moon and new moon respectively. The pure Beta only occurs when the moon is exactly 50% visible, and are the only form of Betas, so they are the rarest *Nature* of lycans.

### Power of the Moon

The concept of moon visibility also applies to the amount of power you have as a lycan when you are born. The spirit of every wolf in history is within all lycans, as they are all connected to the moon and its energy. They are stronger during the full moon, weaker during the new. Their power is a constant ebb and flow between the earth and the moon. The more power absorbed by the earth, the less that is bestowed by the moon. In this way, every Alpha will know lack of power, and every omega will know excess of power, maintaining balance between all. Betas are at a perfect homeostasis and do not experience a fluctuation of power. The longer you are alive, the more powerful you become, due to more exposure to moonlight. This power is why the concept of pack Elders are crucial to some pack's functioning, and Elders may be regarded with more importance and authority than the pack's *Head Alpha*.

### Eye Color

The natural eye color of lycans can be any color of human eyes, however their eyes change color during the full/half/new moon and during heat/rut to reflect their respective Nature. Pure Alphas are red, Alphas lean more red, pure Betas are blue, omegas lean more yellow, and Pure Omegas are yellow.

### Shifting

Lycans are able to control their shifting, capable of fully shifting to wolf form. Traditionally, you are only to shift full wolf on your birthday/family birthday hunts, the equinox/solstice hunts, and Returning rituals. Other sacred events may be designated by Head Alpha, pack vote, or however a pack operates. It is also common to partially shift for normal hunts, as it heightens natural predatory instincts and abilities.

## Lycan Behaviors

### Heat/Rut & *Soulmarking* (NSFW Mention)

Lycans go into heat if they are more omega, and ruts if they're more Alpha. These are times when they need their mates very close, are very protective of them, and usually have heightened sexual libido. Until a lycan's soulmate is found, they do not experience sexual or romantic attraction, and experience attraction solely to their soulmate once they meet. It is possible for lycans to have multiple soulmates, but it is a rare occurrence.

During the first heat/rut, lycans usually *Soulmark* each other, an instinct developed from the Bond formed by Celesta and The First. Traditionally, the Alpha soulmarks the omega first, and then the omega reciprocates, however the order of soulmarking isn't necessary and doesn't affect the *Soulmark.*

It is common during mating in heat/rut to shift up to 3/4s, depending on genetics. Meaning (at most): still bipedal, full hair coverage, wolven facial changes, claws and paw-like hands, and decrease in speech capacity. The heat/rut shifts usually slowly revert after the omega mate has been knotted, and usually is consistent in timing with knot decrease.

### Marking

Marking is when lycans reinforce the *Soulmark* given during the first heat/rut with their mate. It doesn't need to be formalized, but some lycans choose to have a Mark Ceremony every year on the *Soulmark* anniversary, similar to humans "renewing their vows".

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### Nesting

Nesting is a common behavior in omegas, but is not unheard of for Alphas to nest. It essentially is gathering comforting items, such as their mate's clothes and blankets, as well as their own personal comfort items, and snuggling with them for extended periods of time. The urge to nest can be spurred on by missing their mate, being anxious/sad, or just wanting warmth. Nesting also happens very often after mating, as a way to slowly regain composure afterwards.

## Pack Structure

Many lycan packs have a *Head Alpha* that has been elected to lead. The *Head Alpha* then chooses a right hand, and they both have authority in the decisions of the pack. The pack still has the most power, and it is possible for the decision of a *Head Alpha* to be overruled by the pack majority, though many just go by the *Head Alpha'*s choices because they aren't often unfavored.

Another popular way of appointing *Head Alphas* is by whom is the eldest, born closest to the full moon. This is often seen as more traditional.

There are multiple lycan packs across the world, but they don't all communicate with each other.

## Ritual of Returning (Death Mention)

Upon a lycan's death, their body shifts to wolf form. It is traditional for those present for the death/close family to conduct the *Ritual of Returning* on the night of the death. The moonlight must clearly shine on the body or else the spirit will not be able to travel back into the moon, so many lycan packs have a designated clearing with a carved stone tablet for this purpose. The phase of the moon determines how much of the spirit returns to the moon, and how much is imbued in the earth where the body lays. If no one was present to the death, the responsibility falls upon the Head Alpha, and close family members.

The body is carried to the clearing, placed upon the stone. Those present and the closest family members shift to wolf form and groom the body as a way of saying goodbye. The entire pack comes and *Howls* for the loss of life. They can shift to any degree they wish during the *Returning Howl*. The *Howl* can last as long as the pack desires, and usually those who conducted the *Ritual* are the last ones to finish, though that is not a rule.

The pack leaves the body alone in the clearing to *Return*. It is unknown what exactly happens to the body, but it vanishes by sunrise. Most lycans believe that the Moon Goddess descends to carry the body into her realm.