Caretaker Shawls

Manufacturing process

Depending on region, the shawls are knit from different fabrics. Colder regions often use a blend of wool and wolf fur fibers, while hotter ones may use a knit cotton or linen. The majority of the yarns are dyed red, most often using the godsbane plant, with undyed fibers for the embellishing symbols. Typically, shawls are a diamond with a hood, although in southern Laramidia, square shapes are favored. Once the entire shawl has been knitted, they are often given leather straps or fastenings to close it.
In the past when the caretakers of the pack functioned more similarly to priests, shawls were often blessed by Ferventi himself, however due to the size of the pack, this is no longer the case.

Significance

The caretaker shawl is an important item designating one's rank as a Caretaker in the Pack of Ferventi. Although they vary depending on the region and sect of the pack, all shawls must be earned through trials and many years of education in sustaining the group as a whole. Receiving a shawl not only is a symbol of a person's role within the group, but the trust others have in them, functioning as a uniform of sorts, allowing injured or ill members of the pack to spot a caretaker at a distance. The shawl also signifies the burden of the blood that inevitably will be on a caretaker's hands throughout their career, for one day, they will inevitably lose one of their charges due to the group's dangerous lifestyle. Many within the pack also say the shawl is a symbol of a caretaker being the lifeblood of the group.
It is not uncommon for shawls to be passed down from one caretaker to another when inheriting the role of a head caretaker, with some shawls still in use dating back almost 600 years in still near perfect condition. Inherited shawls are seen as a much greater undertaking for the new caretaker, to uphold the legacy of their predecessor. Often, these shawls will get additional embellishments woven into the fabric over time.
The symbols decorating the hems of the shawls hold deep significance within the pack. Most often, shawls are decorated with wolves to symbolize unity and leadership, birds of prey for vigilance, and various prey species such as fish, elk, deer, or moose for vitality. Newly created shawls for specific members of the pack, especially those that have joined from outside the pack or had a previous patron god other than Ferventi, may be specially decorated with symbols of gods from their home region or their previous patron.

Item type

Clothing / Accessory

Manufacturer

Pack of Ferventi

Rarity

Very uncommon

Raw materials & Components

Wolf's fur yarn, wool, linen, or cotton fabric, red Godsbane dye, leather straps or fastenings