Lycans

Be loyalty thine love? Cult-like devotion to Tarja? Wanna start a family? Play a Lycan!
+1 to stat of choice
Pick Two:
Bonus 1st level feat +2 to Survival +2 Perception Proficient with all Dwarven Weapons Naturally proficient with medium armor 1d6 bite attack Lycans are immune to non-magical cold damage
move: 30 ft.
sight: normal

Basic Information

Anatomy

Lycans are often taller than humans. Their bodies have the same proportions as men, but however take on a more wild form. Lycans resemble humanoid wolves and other species of dogs, such as foxes, coyotes, and even sometimes shepherds. Lycans have paws with fingers, allowing them to function in a world with doorknobs and swords. In addition to their fur, which covers their bodies, Lycans also grow manes which they treat as humans would treat hair.

Genetics and Reproduction

Like all beastkin, Lycan reproduce much the same way as humans do, however unlike other beastkin and humanoids, Lycans almost always give birth to more than one child, called pups. Usually a Lycan mother will birth somewhere between 2-4 pups in a single litter.

Growth Rate & Stages

Like all beastkin, Lycans grow at the same speed as humans reaching sexual maturity in their teens, physical prime in their twenties, hitting middle age between thirty and thirty five, and old age around fifty.

Ecology and Habitats

Lycans prefer to live in or near the forest.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Like all beast kin Lycans are omnivores.

Biological Cycle

Being creatures with fur, Lycans are prone to shedding at the change of seasons.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The center of Lycan culture is the home. Lycans live in large, extended family groups called tribes. In those tribes the patriarch and matriarch each rule an aspect of tribe life, one the administrative and external, the other the domestic and educational aspects of life. Lycan family structures are complex. When one of the leaders dies, their eldest child of the same gender is to take their place.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Lycans live throughout the forests and cities and towns that border the forests of the inner world.

Average Intelligence

Human level

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Lycan names, just as their language, are the result of a bastardization of Wood Elf dialect and Dwarven street-slang. Whereas hardly anyone uses Lycan or even considers it a proper language, they borrow from the naming traditions of both cultures. First names are usually adjectives in Dwarven or Elvish with a gendering suffix following them. The exception to this is naming children after saints in the Church of Tarja. For a female common female suffixes include: -oth (Dwv. def. maiden), -iel (Elv. def. beautiful), -rya (Dwv. def. mother), -dia (Elv. def. pure). For a male common suffixes include: -kas (Dwv. def strong), -ion (Elv def. brave), -seth (Elv def. seeker), -var (Dwv. def. heroic).
Lycans take on the name of their tribe as a surname, usually two words of common placed together descriptively which describe either the location or the general alignment or characteristics of the tribe.

Major Organizations

The Cult of Tarja

The Silvertooth Bards

The Great Northern Council

The Greengully Rangers

Gender Ideals

Lycans tend to be very egalitarian about gender roles so long as the home runs smoothly.

Courtship Ideals

Lycans are deeply opposed to arranged marriages and as a result tend to marry a little later than most other races. Courtship is an open process, generally considered as a deepening friendship between the two parties. Lycan culture is structured so that youths of similar interests and skills work together often, allowing this friendships to form naturally. Any marriage must be approved by the bride's tribal chieftain and can be formalized by either a bard or a priest. Lycans are generally accepting of interracial marriage, save with Elves.

Relationship Ideals

Lycans are supposed to mate for life between a single male and a single female. The ideal end of this relationship is to build a loving home for their children. Unfaithfulness to a mate results in the unfaithful member being exiled from Lycan culture, unable to enter another tribe or remarry. The victim may remarry.
The idea of a loving home includes the care, protection, education, and discipline of children. It is expected that one parent stays home to educate and nurture children.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Lycan is itself a dialect of ancient dwarvish spoken with a wood-elf accent and occasional elven words.

Common Etiquette Rules

bowing while crossing thresholds is considered very polite

always be sure to thank your host at least three times

if speaking publicly acknowledge everyone, not just whoever seems to be in charge

if you have food, offer to share

Common Dress Code

Lycans have the thickest fur of any of the beastkin and consequently tend to wear less and lighter clothing than their Gnoll and Tabaxi counterparts. Clothing is simple in dark tones, particularly greens, grays, and blacks.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Lycan Culture is very traditional and has changed little over the years.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Lycans are encouraged to always be "Faithful, honest, and hospitable" Tribal strongholds will never turn away lost or hungry travelers. Lycans are also known for taking in orphans and the disabled.

Bards wield tremendous power in Lycan culture. They bury the dead, marry lovers, bless children, carry news between tribes, and keep track of the ancient laws and traditions of their people. Their word stands even above the mightiest chieftain.

Tarja is almost universally worshiped by the Lycan tribes. Some also revere Kata and Asagoth.

Traditional Lycan culture does not use any form of monetary exchange, focusing more on the exchange of goods and services without coin.

-Lycans often have tattoos illustrating the history of their tribe or classic tales from mythology.

Common Taboos

public discussion of sex, particularly stuff beyond the scope of their relational ideals

wedding an elf

History

Since the re-birth Lycans have dwelt, largely at peace in the woodlands of the Inner Realms in extended family groups known as tribes. These tribes are all lead by a mated pair of Lycans, one male and one female. Lycans lived peacefully, interacting with the men of Mariel as allies against the Orcs of the Eastern plane during their skirmishes.
Lycans originally fought against the rise of Varien, resenting any attempt to create an overly centralized government or trade with elves, but eventually joined with him for the greater good of peace and the spread of Tarja's Cult. After his death the Lycans have withdrawn more from human society, but still maintain a general allegiance to the throne of Mariel, still believing its occupant to the be the rightful lord of Taikangard as deigned by Tarja, even if they do not trust kings.
After the death of Varien the elves and orcs have been more aggressive in testing the defenses of the Lycan tribes resulting in more skirmishes and conflicts, that have never yet evolved into a full-blown war

Historical Figures

Alsivar Broadshoulders: The first Lycan Cheiftan to openly support Lord Varien

Common Myths and Legends

Tarja's Kiss: This is an epic fable of how a kiss from the goddess Tarja sent an elderly priest on a quest that would take him to the edge of the known world and back.
The Cannon of St. Mortimer: These are the collected scriptures of Tarja from the earliest days of the world. They were cannonized and translated into common by St. Mortimer of Taya and his followers. This is the holiest book of Tarja and the most common book in Lycan culture.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Humans/Halflings: The interactions between Lycans and the five kingdoms of men varies wildly by the place in which they interact. In Mariel, men and Lycans live side by side and many Lycans live in the cities of Mariel. However, most of the other kingdoms Lycans do not enjoy the same level of acceptance. Many of the other kingdoms consider Lycans strange and dangerous.
Other Beastkin: Tabaxi consider Lycans lower than themselves, less civilized and developed than themselves. Lycans do not trust Tabaxi and consider them quick-talking, prideful, and dishonest. Gnolls and Lycans rarely interact based on their geographical location, but they have been known to work together happily, despite their cultural differences.
Elves: Elves and Lycans hate one another with a passion. They compete for similar resources and have nearly diametrically opposed cultures. Elves consider Lycans backwards, uninformed savages whereas Lycans consider Elves to be amoral, pompous, and domineering. Rare are the Lycan and Elf who are friends.
Dwarves: Despite their ancient ties, Dwarves and Lycans rarely interact in these days. Dwarves do not concern themselves in the affairs of the outer world. They consider Lycans to be poor business partners as they do not use money in their culture. Lycans were once their slaves and Dwarves consider them similar now, less than themselves, poor and foolish. Some Dwarves use this as a gateway for charity, others for business advantage.
Starkin: Lycans have a strange regard for Dullahan beacause pf their link to Tarja's fate domain. They are viewed of harbingers of either great good or great evil. Lycans, thanks to their mythic linkage with Tieflings seem to have a natural affinity for the creatures, extending them more friendship that many of the other mortals. Aasimar and Lycans do not often interact.
Orcs: Lycans and Orcs interact more than Orcs and other races because of geography. Lycans are generally appalled by Orcish culture and consider them barbarians, but merely misguided, unlike Elves who are civilized and really ought to know better.
Goblins: Goblins are still trying to form a centralized culture, but many of their territories overlap with Lycans. Goblins have a deep regard for Lycans as they have been far more accepting of them than mankind.

Lifespan

60 years

Average Height

M: 6'2" F: 5'9"

Average Weight

M: 8 Stone F: 6 stone

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Lycan fur can be of a variety of colors gray, brown, black, red, gold, and white in that order are the most common, but based on ancestry, other fur shades such as jade, lavender, pink, blue, and orange have been seen.