Onisraeri

At the beginning, in the end of an age, there were four of us. Four siblings, four packs. They took up the names Ooneloah, Oannali, Onishiki, and the Aoni. There was an even spread of power, of understanding, of god and element. Magic and Water, Chaos and Air, Knowledge and Fire, Earth and Order. The gods they named The Absorbed, and they visited the four in their own time, teaching the cublings ways and life and work. They were partners to them in those days, The Absorbed Gods teaching all the ways to live, all the magics alive, all the elements that could possibly be known.
And, as is the nature of all things, this continued until it ended. The Absorbed Gods gifted one last thing to their pack before vanishing; the gift was of Aalis, but those of the Pack, The Absorbed Gods, gave special call to the ones they valued most.
A loop of woven mesh for purpose, gifted by Water and Magic.
A compression of knowledge and metal, gifted by Knowledge and Fire.
A bowl of never-ending nourishment, gifted by Earth and Order.
A ball woven for hunt and sport, gifted by Chaos and Air.
To their most trusted and beloved, they created and gifted these items, to protect and connect the packs. The items were imbued with elemental power to reflect not only the givers, but the bearers. They were named The Gifted, and held the knowledge of the items, the Atmu, and all that transpired until then. They were known among the pack as The Connected, and were listened to and respected.
For a time.
As The Silence fell, Stars in the sky shifting and changing and The Connected speaking of loss and pain, some became afraid. Fearful. And then...blood. Some of The Gifted turned on the Pack, spouting words and speaking of events the others did not know about. They became violent, angry, and destructive. The Packs could not agree on what was to be done, but all knew that violence was unsustainable and would eventually devour them the same as they devoured their prey.
The items were taken and sealed away, deep into the mountains and rivers, and magic was woven to guard them from ever resurfacing, and those touched by The Absorbed were renamed ‘Anri’...The Branded. They were cast out from the lands, and barriers were put up by weavers to keep them out. When the Atmu returned, they did so in small numbers, wounded and scattered. They found their chosen cast out, and rejected the packs that did so. The Gifted, now reunited, chose to accept a new gift; The Absorbed and their chosen joined. They joined in body, in mind, and in breath.
Together, the Anri returned to the The Land. They were led by one, an Onishiki. Together the Anri and the Atmu broke down all the barriers, every one shattered beyond repair, and they ensured that all the Packs knew of their deeds. And then...they stopped. The Joined stood where the barriers had been, where the packs could see them, and vanished. And with them, they took the magical abilities of the Packs.
Now bereft, the borders were open fully, to any and all clan members that desired trade or dwelling. For now they had only physical ties to elements, the only magic left in them the ability to change skin, and had to rely on invention and diplomacy. The packs, a once great power, could no longer afford to seal others out.

Languages spoken

• Oaeri - Onisraeri Clan