Homebrew Wolf-kin Species Details

Physical Description

The fur coat of a wolfkin come in a variety of earthy tones: various shades of brown, black, or grey are the most common and some spotted or speckled coats. Others may have rare tones like dusty reds or even a bright crisp white. Males tend to be around 6ft. tall while females tend to be just over 5ft. tall.

Most wolfkin prefer not to wear armor or clothing, instead prefering to simply go about their day with nothing but the fur on their backs. However, when they do wear clothing or armors, they prefer lighter and more agile clothing and armor that doesnt impede their ability to move. Leather or hide is the armor of choice for wolfkin, but some have been known to wear chainmail and heavier armors. As far as helms, gauntlets, and greives go: Wolfkin will always use only helmets that do not impede the use of their fangs, always prefering to keep the option of biting and rarely wear armor on their paws or hands.

Many individuals grow the fur along the back of
their heads and necks significantly longer than the rest of
their fur. They often braid this longer hair and decorate it
with feathers or trinkets.

 

History

No one really knows how wolfkin gained the ability to stand, walk on two legs, and use items and weapons. Some say it was the work of a god and others say it was caused by wild fey magic, and yet others claim they are the products of a Druidic cult from long ago when magic worked differently. The wolfkin themselves have their own creation myths of course, but each sub species seems to have a different version of the tale, sometimes varying wildly from that of even other tribes within their own sub species!

Wolfkin have retained some of their natural wolf cousins behaviors and mentalities, but are much more civilized. they have a tribal nomadic lifestyle, carving out a territory and moving their entire village camps through out it. often times they will spend an entire sping and summer in one locale and fall and winter in others. While wolfkin can be shy and nervous around humans they have been known to set up permanent trading villages which they use to trade with elves, dragonborn, and a few other sentient races. some have even been known to give up the nomadic lifestyle and coexist with other species in villages and towns. Wolfkin aren't always united together however, and like humans; many wolfkin packs have fought each other over land or resources.

 Humans of the civilised variety tend to try to stay out of wolf-kin pack territories to avoid trouble. Some merchant caravans going so far as to be willing to take a major loss to profits due to wolfkins physical resemblance to werewolves by the casual observer. This association with werewolves has resulted in many a would be adventurer attempting to attack a hunting party out of ignorance to make their fame and fortune as werewolf hunters. This has made the average wolfkin nervous of humans. Because of this misunderstanding the majority of wolfkin that the average human encounters are either mercenaries, hunting parties, or adventurers. 

 

The Pack Mentality

Wolfkin are social creatures that live in extended family units
called packs. A single pack consists of on average ten adult
wolfkin, but may range from two to thirty with half as many
pups, all of which have strong bonds to each other. Several packs tend to come together to form a tribe, each tribe typically consisting of 3 to 5 pack family units; although the largest tribes have been known to reach upwards of 30 or more pack units.

Distinct tribes occupy great ranges of land, some of the largest rivalling even great nation kingdoms. They are a nomadic species that spend their days roaming, hunting, eating, playing, and sleeping. both the males and the females take up various duties as needed: hunters, weapon and armor smiths, foragers, weavers, etc. are all equally shared duties between the males and non nursing females. The tribes have a surprisingly complex social structure, wherein each family pack has a tier system with two alphas, usually a male and a female, on the top. These alphas are in turn ranked in dominance with each other, with the most powerful and/ or skilled family pack as the tribal alpha pack. A family pack is initially formed when a male and/or female wolfkin break off from their previous pack with their alpha and the tribal greater alphas blessings and either bond as a pair, breed, and have a litter of pups to start their new family pack, or set out to find a mate from another tribe for the above. On rare occasions wolfkin tribal packs have been known to band together with other races and create or join a village, town, or even a small city. In such instances individual tribes are ranked in a similar fashion as individual familial pack units but incorporate the other races governmental system.

unlike with gnolls, worg, and winterwolves: a wolfkin alpha is
the dominant not by virtue of an aggressive nature or a
sharper bite, but by virtue of an ability to hold the pack
together, to give it comfort and coordination and belonging.
The alpha pair are not necessarily the biggest or the meanest
wolfkin, but perhaps they are the wisest and most able to lead
and take care of each member within the pack. Hierarchical structure is characteristic of wolfkin packs, and this brings up issues of aggression between pack members.

Wolfkin do not live in groups in which there is no aggression, and disputes among individuals within a family pack or even between familial packs are not unheard of. These disputes, however, are usually settled without bloodshed via wrestling matches or games of wit, cunning, or ability, depending on the nature of the disagreement. however, in those tribes and packs of a more... disruptive... nature, battles for rank are sometimes fought to the death. Elven druids have noted these disagreements and aggressive tendencies are part of a greater, and instinctual, seasonal behavioral change. During the summer the pack is preoccupied with raising the pups, hunting, and crafting supplies for winter and trade. The summer time establishes firm rank positions within both the individual familial packs, and the greater tribal pack. In the fall pups begin competing for rank, their play becoming instinctively more agressive. While the juveniles look to make upward shifts, eagerly learning and showing off new trades and skills. The elderly wolfkin begin to make repressive moves for the first time, droping down within the hierarchy. Clashes in ranking order provide the opportunity for a new order to be established, and this coincides with the onset of the mating season. This time is when the tribes are at their most aggressive and territorial, and wars between tribes most often occur. by the time winter arrives however, the aggression levels of entire tribal packs subsides

Wolfkin Names

Pack familial names tend to be simple and often refer to some feature found within their tribes territory or based on their packs specialties, such as: Weaver, Redwood, clearsprings, hunter, etc. first names however tend to have a very wide range and its not altogether uncommon to find a wolfkin sporting a name of elvish, sylvan, human, or even dwarvish origin.

Wolf-kin Traits

Wolfkin share many a trait with their fourlegged brethren. They're natural hunters and coordinate well as part of a team. Their wild instincts make them fierce allies or dreaded enemies.

Ability score modifiers

+2 Dexterity or Strength, +1 Wisdom

Eyes of the Wolf

You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can
see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light,
and in darkness as if it were dim light. However you are Red-Green colorblind.

Languages

You speak common and a variant of warg that all wolf-kin speak.

Vicious Bite

As an action, you can bite your target (5ft range, 1 creature).
You are considered proficient with this attack and base
damage is 1d4 piercing damage, using your Strength
modifier for attack rolls and damage rolls. You may also use this attack as an "off-hand" attack bonus action.

Natural hunter

As natural born hunters with good hearing and sense of smell Wolf-kin are very perceptive and as such gain profeciency with the perception and survival skills.

Pack Tactics

A Wolfkin has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of their allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't Incapacitated.