Yfir

Rules:

1. Loyalty and Trust - the bonds between Yfir members are tighter even than the bonds of blood. Yfir wolves are expected to be loyal to one another as well as to the pack, and such vows are not easily dissolved. Each wolf must be able to trust in the protection of their fellows, and must be trusted to always be there to support the pack. Yfir is not a temporary home, but if you are in need it will never let you down.

2. Valor - to protect your fellow Yfir wolves without fear or holding back is the ultimate honor and privilege of each Yfir warrior, and to fight with all their knowledge and courage to heal their fellow packmates the privilege of each Yfir medic. To back down from such a challenge is a betrayal of the bonds of friendship and pack. To hold back is cowardly and unacceptable behavior as it could result in the injury or death of a packmate, and will be punished by demotions, shunnings, and other such public shames.

3. Honor - To act without honor is to bring shame and chaos to the Yfir pack. Yfir wolves will be required to behave honorably among those not of Yfir so as to not bring shame and danger to their packmates. Rape, torture, murder - except in the case of war these will not be tolerated even among non-packmates and will be punished. However, Yfir will not allow another pack - even an allied pack - to punish its members and will close ranks around the accused even as far as going to war for it. It is a matter of honor and pride. Yfir does not submit to other packs' punishments.

4. Strength - Yfir wolves will be expected to train hard in their chosen field. Whether it be the path of tooth and claw, or herbs and mind, they will train to the utmost of their potential. As a lack of effort in practice could result in injury or death of a packmate when the skills are needed most, slacking will be punishable by demotions and public shaming and if necessary removal from the pack. Even those not among the elite are expected to train their bodies and minds in some way to better themselves.

5. Pride without Arrogance - Yfir wolves will display their pride in their pack at all times. Yfir is strong and any wolf can count themselves lucky to be a part of it, and that is the attitude expected to be shown at all times. Denigration and speaking badly of the pack and it's members to outsiders will be considered a betrayal of trust and will be punished accordingly. Pride, however, is not arrogance. Arrogance leads to mistakes.

6. Obedience - although questioning and independence of thought is encouraged to prevent stagnation, the failure to act decisively and swiftly when given orders could result in the injuries or deaths of Yfir packmates. Obey immediately, ask questions later. Failure to do so will result in punishment.

7. Family - Yfir is a family... complicated but closely joined. Mates from outside of the pack are not allowed. If a mate is taken from outside the pack the mate must also join Yfir, for Yfir loyalties cannot be split between a mate and the pack. All children of Yfir wolves are expected to grow up within Yfir regardless of whether or not both parents are in Yfir. Permission must be obtained from an alpha before children will be allowed from any pairing. A lack of control that results in pregnancy without permission will be punished through severe demotions and shaming of the parents - in severe cases where the repetitive failure to control their own urges begins to put the health of the pack as a whole at risk, the pair and their children may even be demoted to thralls. Parents are responsible for the very early training of their children to the age of six months, at which age the pups will be fostered to other Yfir members to continue their training or they are allowed to take the oaths to become dreng or skald if they are ready.

8. Community - once every season the pack will be called together in a meeting, a thing where the alpha may make announcements, assignments for the coming season, and promotions. The pack will be given the opportunity to publicly voice complaints, concerns, ideas, and desires. Justice is often given at the things and any pack member can request a hearing before the assembled Yfir. Likewise the various cadres will gather regularly to engage in activities of learning and fellowship.

9. Marriage and Concubines - In viking culture marriage is considered a business arrangement, a manner of producing heirs suitable for their family, or the sealing of a peace agreement between warring factions. A male must essentially purchase the right to marry a female to bear his heirs, with lavish gifts to both her and to her family, and the female will often act as a peacemaker between her family and the family she married into. They are the physical embodiment of an alliance, not a love-match. Therefore it is considered acceptable practice for married men to take concubines - in Yfir it would not be entirely untoward for a female to take male concubines as well, though the practice would be frowned on if it resulted in pups. The pups that result of a marriage will always be considered to be higher than those resulting from a concubinage. Concubines are of a lower social strata, often taken from among freed thralls or loners, and so are not a threat to the spouse. They are not bed-slaves, as they must enter into the concubinage of their own free will, and so any illegitimate children of their bonding will not be made slaves even if not acknowledged by the father. They are not, however, the equal of the wolf who took them as concubine. They are expected to show complete loyalty, and to refrain from sexual activities with other wolves.

10. Slaves - Slavery is allowable under Yfir law but even thralls have their rights as members of the pack, no matter how subservient they are. The murder, rape, and maim of prisoners is severely punished, and unnecessary beatings are strongly discouraged. Murder is likewise unacceptable for slaves, and rape is highly discouraged in part due to the possibility of pups. Pups of slaves will also be slaves, but must be cared for by the pack and given medical care, as will any slave crippled or sickened. Maims and unnecessary beatings of slaves are discouraged. Slaves can barter with the alphas for their own freedom to either leave the pack or join as a full member.

11. Protection - All wolves are expected to respect the borders regardless of status or intent. No Yfir wolf is to bring a non-Yfir wolf passed the borders without the express permission of a tier 1 or 2 wolf. If the borders are breached it is the responsibility of all Yfir wolves regardless of rank to sound an alarm. Thegn and dreng (and any other lower ranked wolves so inclined) are expected to seek to maim intruders with an easily visible scar that will mark them as an enemy of Yfir - a deep and terrible scar from the corner of their muzzle to the base of their ear... One strike against Yfir, one side scarred. Two strikes, two scars. Three strikes... That does not bear considering. Those of a high enough rank to claim slaves are expected to do so unless the situation warrants otherwise.

12. Allies - They have few allies but those few will be considered part of a larger tribe, one of yet apart from Yfir. Fostering youths to allies, or taking in allied youths to foster, will be an accepted practice, as will arranged marriages among allied packs. Despite this, allied packs may still be considered fair game for small-scale attacks and raids to promote and display the skills and training of each pack's warriors.

13. Asylum - Rarely, Yfir may offer temporary asylum to refugees. This wish must be made clear upfront, before they enter the pack, for once fully joined to the pack Yfir wolves are not allowed to leave without punishment. Refugees seeking asylum will be considered lesser members of the pack and their stay will be brief unless they make the decision on their own to become full members.

Customs:
- blóts (festivals) celebrating the three seasons (keeping in mind that vikings were not farmers by nature and did not reckon on four seasons according to planting, growing, harvesting, and fallow as many cultures did) and honoring the gods

• vetrnátta blót - the Sacrifice towards Winter, which takes place mid-October, where sacrifices are made to ask the gods for a good year.
• miðsvetrar blót - Midwinter Sacrifice or Yule, which takes place mid-January, where sacrifices are made to Frey asking for peace and fruitfulness, and solemn oaths are made.
• Sigr-blót - the Sacrifice toward Summer, which falls around mid-April, where sacrifices are made to Odin and ask for victory in battle.

- when a litter is birthed, upon their eyes opening the father (or husband or male relative of the mother in the absence of the actual father) will choose whether to claim them as his own. If he does not, the children are considered illegitimate and will bear only the mother's family name having no connection to the father's family or any inheritance from either family. If they are claimed, water will be sprinkled over them and the father (or husband or male relative) will take them against his chest and name them.

- arranged marriages (explanation of ceremony to come)

Pack History:
Pack history goes here.