Legacy of the Pack

*"We are not the strongest of the Wyldborn. Nor are we the swiftest, or the most resilient to injury. We do not wield the greatest magicks, and we do not bear the greatest numbers of offspring. Our greatest advantage is that we do not fight alone, but ever with brothers and sisters at our side. The strength of the wolf is the pack."*

*-Elder Samantha Longspeaker*

The Legacy of the Pack is a Spiritual Legacy possessed by wolf spirits. It is one of the Secret Legacies, held exclusively by the wolves, and is not taught to any Wyldborn who themselves does not possess a wolf soulkin. As such, wolf spirits will only instruct werewolves in its ways, refusing to teach it to Skinchangers other than the Wuugral, or werewolves. Wuugral are capable of learning it without tutelage, though such a thing is much more difficult, but as with all Secret Legacies, no other Skinchanger may learn it through mere practice. Of course, some ambitious Skinchangers of other breeds have been known to dominate spirits to steal the power for themselves, but the Wuugral are known to crush any who attempt to steal their Legacy before it has a chance to be spread about. The main reason for this is the fact that the Legacy of the Pack is their key advantage against all other Skinchangers, allowing the werewolves to achieve coordination in combat that makes them the ultimate warriors of the Wyldborn.

## Mechanics

As the name implies, the Legacy of the Pack is used by Wuugral packs to bond together in comradery and better coordinate in combat. Some powers of the Legacy require several werewolves to mutually commune together to form the bonds necessary for them to function, whilst more potent abilities are so strong that they can affect even those who are not bonded as a pack.

## Powers

### Level 1 (Tyro)

#### **Packbond**

An ability used by most every werewolf, learning to form a Packbond is necessary for any group of young Wuugral who wish to form a true pack. In most places, the formation of a Packbond is accompanied by a great ceremony, but the power itself does require one. Instead, any Wuugral who wishes to become packmate to another must cut themselves, and mix blood with each other Wuugral they wish to join in the bond of the pack. As they do so, they take in the scent, sound, and sight of the other Wuugral, pressing skin against skin and mixing blood. As the blood comes together, they begin to experience flashes of each other's thoughts. Once each prospective packmate has shared blood with all the others, they all fall into an unconscious trance.

In their collective mind, they all experience joining with their soulkin, and battling one another for dominance. Whoever wins becomes alpha of the pack. It should be noted that this spiritual battle has little to do with the physical prowess of the Wuugral, but rather, is a battle of wills.

Once the alpha has been determined, the pack awakes from their trance, the bond between them formed. The Packbond enables all packmates to sense one another's presence when in close proximity, and experience one another's feelings and sensations. The only one exempt from this is the alpha, who can choose to withhold their emotions from the rest of the pack. Should any member of the pack die, the others will instantly be aware of it, regardless of how far separated they are. And finally, the Packbond allows other powers of the Legacy of the pack to be employed with ones packmates. As one might expect, this constant sharing of emotions makes packmembers extremely close.

Severing a Packbond is impossible except by the use of potent mystical rites.

### Level 2 (Maven)

#### **Soulhowl**

Werewolves often communicate with one another over distances by howling, but that is just noise. The Soulhowl is truly mystical ability, that enables any werewolf who possesses it to let out a magically charged howl that is audible to their packmates, regardless of distance. This howl is charged with telepathic information, that enables the Wuugral using it to give psychic flashes of their situation, conveying to their pack whether they are hunting a foe or are in danger, as well as their exact location at the time the howl is made. Usually, when a Soulhowl is heard, those responding to it will let out a Soulhowl of their own to signal they are joining, if they are able.

The telepathic properties of the Soulhowl work for other werewolves as well, but they must actually be able to hear the howl physically.

When a Soulhowl is performed by an alpha, their packmates are compelled to answer it, and can only resist with extreme efforts of will, and so long as their alpha does not possess any other power to force their obedience.

#### **Thoughtspeak**

Another power that is commonly used by many Wuugral, once learned, enables them to broadcast telepathic messages to the rest of their pack when in close proximity to them. This can be done on an individual basis, or to the entire pack. However, an alpha with this power can always detect any Thoughtspeak messages their packmates send in their presence, regardless of whether those messages were directed towards them or not. This ability only allows for the projection of thoughts. In order for two packmates to converse in Thoughtspeak together, both must possess this ability.

### Level 3 (Curakh)

#### **Bear Burden**

The use of this power allows a werewolf who possess it to draw any pain or distress felt by one of their packmates into themselves, so long as they are within close proximity. The same can be done with another Wuugral, but requires physical contact. This pain can be physical or emotional, allowing the members of a pack to share the agony of injuries, mental stress, grief, or fear amongst each other. Combatively, this enables a Wuugral pack with members possessing this ability to battle on with injuries that would otherwise incapacitate them, while mentally, it allows them to fight through stressful situations by sharing each other's woes.

#### **Dreamspeak**

To learn this ability, an Wuugral must first master Thoughtspeak. Once they have, they may then progress to this next power. In order to utilize Dreamspeak, a Wuugral and whoever they wish to commune with must both be asleep. When this occurs, the Wuugral wielding this power may enter the dreams of another to communicate with them. With packmates, Dreamspeak functions at peak capacity at any distance. With any other werewolf, the quality of communication becomes weaker and more difficult with distance, until it eventually becomes impossible.

### Level 4 (Udar)

#### **Share Strength**

In order to utilize this power, a werewolf must learn to Bear Burdens. At will, an Wuugral with this power can lend some of their own life force to member of their pack who is in close proximity to them, or by making physical contact with an Wuugral not of their pack. This bolsters the regenerative abilities of the Wuugral gifted with the extra life force, as well as granting them a portion of the speed and strength from the werewolf lending them the energy. The werewolf performing the sharing has control over how much life force they give, which can extend to them giving up their own lives to save another Wuugral who might otherwise be beyond saving.

#### **Voice of the Alpha**

As the name implies, this ability can be used exclusively by pack alphas. When the power is activated, the Wuugral has their commands mystically augmented, making their words more compelling, and filling those who hear them with dread at the prospect of disobedience. This is enough to make most humans do whatever mundane task is asked of them, and lower Udam Wuugral find it extremely difficult to resist orders issued by the alpha. The alpha's packmates are even more affected, finding it utterly impossible to disobey any orders given with this power.

### Level 5 (Vatha)

#### **Fealty**

An alpha with this ability is able to facilitate a process similar to the forging of a Packbond. However, Fealty can only be gained from another alpha. If the Fealty process is engaged with another alpha who possesses the ability to exact Fealty, the two fall unconscious as their minds join, and their wills batter for dominance. Once the winner is established, the loser of the contest functions like a member of the alpha's pack, with the added bonus that the victorious alpha can command the defeated alpha's pack through them. Using this ability, many powerful Wuugral have been known to establish great armies.

As with Packbonds, Fealty requires powerful spiritual rites to break.

#### **Packmind**

A power exlusive to alphas, the ability to initiate a Packmind involves the alpha melding the consciousnesses of their pack into one. With this done, they become as a single mind across multiple bodies, achieving the ultimate union of the pack, fighting as one for so long as the power endures. Should the alpha employing this ability die while it is active, the rest of the pack will be temporarily stunned, making them all vulnerable to attack.

### Level 6 (Shadan)

#### **True Alpha**

Legendary Wuugral Shadan who wield this power are usually taught how to do so by the Great Alpha himself, the spirit lord of all wolves. Once acquired, this ability makes it so that any other werewolf the Shadan meets functions as if they are a member of their pack, enabling the Shadan to command them as an alpha would. Though this effect ceases the moment those subjected to it leaves the Shadan's presence, the power it grants is still awesome.