time to get muddy

A closed culture of wolves subsisting in the humid swamps of Boreas and Auster, whose origin no one can truly pinpoint. Were they here all along, slinking through the muck just under everyone's noses, or did they arrive unnoticed only recently? They'll never tell. Their lineage stretches back many generations, a Family tied not by blood, but by the sucking mud of the swamps.

Their way of life is entirely dependent on the humidity and close pressing trees that make up their unique home, and they are an extremely hardy society. Their pups leave home young, and test their mettle against the dangers of the land around them. Some do not survive, and are claimed by predators, quicksand, or a fateful misstep. They were deemed unworthy of survival in the swamp, and they are mourned, but not grieved. Parents do not share the attachment to their offspring of most wolves, and once they leave home they are treated with the same warm respect and fondness as the rest of the Family.

Outsiders join the Family through bonds of the strongest kind. Chief among them is being born into the Family by one of its many members. They are raised with the customs and tongue of the Family, with mud in their bones. Mating is the next most common, and widely respected. These individuals are allowed to learn Fennish, the language of the Family, and once they are well acquainted with the customs they are introduced to the spirit of the swamp through the same ceremony as children, before they may be mated in the eyes of the Family and call themselves such.

This is an egalitarian society, with no true leader or hierarchy to speak of. Many offshoots feature a member whose age, worldliness, or well-travelled nature grants them more wisdom than most, and establishes them as the unspoken source of advise and organization where needed. However, this is neither required or mentioned anywhere in their traditions. It is simply an occasional byproduct of the core nature of wolves.

BEYOND THE SWAMPS:

The Family doesn't shirk contact with others, and welcomes trading between members and any others who wish to engage with them. They share some information about their culture and people readily, but some secrets are closely guarded, and to share them with outsiders is the highest of taboos. Intricacies of their ceremonies, the Fennish language, and secrets of surviving in the swamps are to be kept far from the ears of strangers. The Fennish tongue exists partly to facilitate discussion of Family matters in the presence of outsiders, though it is the language exclusively used between members of the Family on a day to day basis.

Many of the wolves inhabiting the swamps and their outlying areas wander freely and do not return for seasons at a time, which is of little consequence to the rest of their kin. The structure of their culture doesn't breed excessive levels of interpersonal attachment. This is how new offshoots become established so easily in other lands, as they can settle anywhere that meets the criteria of a suitable home.

FESTIVALS AND FEASTS:

With the change of each season the Family gathers at the site of their Great Tree for a day long meeting of all local kinfolk. This is the minimum requirement for these gatherings, though during favourable periods they occur at a full moon until they can no longer support the frequency of meetings. This is where new births, deaths, matings, and notable events are brought up.  Exchanges of goods, news, and gossip take up the majority of everyone's time from beginning to end. Once the sun begins to set, a potluck feast begins. Everyone contributes what they can, and no one is forgotten. There is drinking and storytelling beside the firepit that lies at the foot of the Great Tree, until everyone passes out where they lay.

TRADITIONS AND BELIEFS:

SETTLING NEW LANDS:

Critical to the establishment of a new locale where kinfolk may settle and thrive is the existence of a Great Tree. There are no specific requirements for this tree to meet, only that it is distinct and notable in some way. Whether the species is not native to swamps, especially massive, bears unique features that others of its type do not, or any combination/variation, there MUST be a Great Tree for a member of the Family to establish themselves there. The Great Tree is central to their customs and interactions with one another as well as the swamp in which they live. Without it, their way of life cannot be maintained across generations.

JOINING THE FAMILY:

Whether a courtship has culminated in a proposal, or a pair has brought new pups into the world, they join the Family through the same ceremony. Centred around the Great Tree, this ceremony is rather simple and typically does not require a crowd. Through the Great Tree, the swamp around them bears witness. By tapping the trunk for sap, gathering blossoms or fruits, or any variation of harvesting from the sacred tree, a mixture must be crafted from the harvested materials. This mixture is then used to "anoint" the wolf in question, allowing them to be recognized by the swamp and then formally introduced. Barring any portents of doom or bad omens upon introduction to the swamp, this wolf is now a member of the Family and may begin to learn Fennish. Wolves mating into the family may marry or officially mate (depending on personal preference) once they have a solid grasp of Fennish, as it is critical to being a fully fledged member of the Family.

NAMING CUSTOMS:

Children born into the Family are named for some aspect of their home, and can vary regionally. Overarching themes are consistent, and tend to encompass natural aspects of their homes. Individuals marrying into the family do not need to change their name, though some choose to be renamed and embrace the traditions of their new Family.

There are no surnames among the Family, as they are all kin folk bound by their culture and traditions. The swamp binds them, and decides who lives and dies. Blood relations are typically chronicled and shared amongst mated pairs and their offspring to ensure they do not accidentally mate with a close relative, and this information is passed on through the generations. They identify one another through conversation, as it is easy to determine an outsider based on an inability to understand Fennish, or general clumsiness within the swamps.

((Names that anyone making a swampy woof can claim: Loam, Murk, Peat, Vine, Moss, Bramble))