Welcome to the Mendacium family! We have quite a few Mendacium wolves active on site now, but there's always more to be adopted out. If you have any questions or anything that maybe I can explain a bit better, just let me know! I'm also more than happy to help come up with designs if none of the ones I have linked here suit your tastes!



Mendacium Beliefs
It is believed that the strength and gifts that are given to Mendacium wolves come from the souls of their ancestors which they refer to as the Ancients. The belief is that the spirits of Mendacium wolves came from a more powerful energy than those of normal wolves, bestowing them with rare and beautiful coats and striking mutations.

There is a set of rules that all Mendacium wolves must follow or they shall be cast out from the family and stripped of their name which in turn blocks them from joining the Ancients when they pass. There is no morality or ethicality in their beliefs as long as the commandments are followed. There is nothing in their beliefs that prevents or encourages any sort of murder, bloodshed, rape, incest, polygamy, or anything else that might be considered a “sin” in other beliefs. Mendacium wolves are free to live their lives how they wish in that regard.



Rules & Commandments

• Family comes first above all else.
  
• While the power of the Ancients is to be respected for the strength they bestow on their living counterparts, they are not gods and should not be worshiped.
  
• The Mendacium family is matriarchal and will always have a head of the family that is female, typically a descendant from the previous matriarch.
  
• Every Mendacium is believed to have a soul mate that possesses a soul of an Ancient and that wolf has been predetermined from birth to be the best parent for their children. It is encouraged to go on a pilgrimage to find them if needed and to bring that Ancient spirit back into the fold of the family so that the power of their souls may continue to grow. A Mendacium's soul mate will never take the form of their sibling, though incest is not unheard of.
  
• All children born to a Mendacium must be with the same partner. An agreement must be made between the two wolves that they will exclusively have children with each other and no one else. If children are born with any other wolf outside of this pairing the bastard pups must be killed and parent punished.
  
• There is no divorce or uncoupling from a partner after a litter has been born or after a Marriage Ceremony has been performed, whichever comes first. In the event of the death of a mate, the surviving Mendacium may not take another mate nor bear any children.
  
• The sins of the parent do not transfer to their child. If a parent has been disowned and cast out of the family, their children will still retain their Mendacium name. Anyone born to a Mendacium wolf after they were disowned will be given a chance to prove themselves to the Matriarch if they wish for a chance to earn their Mendacium name.
  
• There is no obligation for a Mendacium wolf to be romantically involved with the wolf chosen to be the parent of their children. For example, if someone falls in love with someone of their same gender or with a close relative, they may find their soul mate and keep them close purely for procreation. Mendaciums are freely allowed to mate with other wolves outside of their soul mate paring as they see fit as long as no children come of it.
  

Ceremonies & Rituals
There are several ceremonies and rituals that can be a part of the Mendacium’s lives if they wish, but it depends on the individual’s dedication to their beliefs whether they feel the need to adhere to them strictly. The list of ceremonies is as follows:
Marriage Ceremony - Reserved exclusively for the single wolf believed to be the soul mate of a Mendacium. This will give the Mendacium name to someone not of their blood and brings the Ancient spirit they possess back into the fold of their family.
Disownment Trial - If a Mendacium wolf has fallen short of the ideals of their family and has made their soul no longer worthy of being brought back into the Ancient spirits then they are placed on trial to plead their case to the other members of the family. If they are found guilty then they are scarred or maimed by the members of the family and they are stripped of their name. It is not done lightly and cannot be reversed.
Naming Ceremony - In the rare event that a child is born to a Mendacium that had previously been disowned by the family and that child has proven themselves worthy of their family’s name, they are given the Mendacium name through this ceremony.
Funeral Rites - A final ritual that welcomes a Mendacium’s soul back into the energy of the Ancients.



Family Structure & Current Adopts
For ease and clarity I've made a Mendacium family tree which you can see by clicking here! Any currently unclaimed living relatives can be adopted and their names can be changed if you wish or you can have a child branch off of one of the existing family members. If there's not a partner listed for the family branch your interested in that can be added!

Current active family members:

• Manea Mendacium
  
• Alastor Mendacium
  
• Avacyn Mendacium
  
• Saracyn Mendacium
  
• Fiametta Mendacium
  
• Larisa Mendacium
  
• Poe Mendacium
  
• Naráca Mendacium
  
• Imperia Mendacium
  
• Desponia Antonis
  
• Merrick Mendacium
  
• Nirvana Mendacium
  

Concerning Appearances
Here are some designs that you are welcome to use for any of the family members if you wish! You are also welcome to use your own design! Any of Manea's direct relatives I would prefer if they keep to the mainly purple color palate, but anyone else in the family can be anything in the rainbow. Abnormal colors are preferred, but not required. Same goes for mutations! If you do use one of the designs I've provided here I ask that they only be used on Ardent and if the character gets reclaimed I will take the design back with it also.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13


Requirements & Application
I know life can get in the way occasionally so if activity ebbs and flows I completely understand, but for any of Manea's immediate family I will have a hard cut off after three months of complete inactivity. I will take back the character to be readopted, though I will have any passes or purchases made for them refunded to you. Any more distant cousins I will not readopt, but there will be IC repercussions if they are in Manea's life and suddenly disappear. If you use one of the designs I provide then it will stay with the character, but if you bring your own design then the appearance will be changed during readoption. If you're interested in one of these guys then please fill out the form below. And thank you for reading my long, rambling adoption page!

Code:

<b>Name:</b> Provided name or your own
<b>Family Relation:</b>
<b>Gender:</b>
<b>Height:</b> Large or above is preferred
<b>Build:</b>
<b>Appearance:</b> Just a link to the reference or a brief description is fine
<b>Special Attributes:</b> Any mutations? Any notable scars or features to note?
<b>Alignment:</b> Unlikely that they would be anything "better" than lawful neutral. They do kill babies after all.
<b>Personality:</b> At least 200 words please
<b>Backstory:</b> What have they been up to since Manea saw them last?
<b>Plots:</b> Any ideas for what you'd like to start with?

Name: Imperia Mendacium
Relation to Manea: Cousin
Gender: Female
Height: 35 inches
Build: medium
Appearance:

Special Attributes: none :c
Alignment: Neutral evil
Personality:
The black sheep, the sin of the family, Imperia was never expected to bring greatness to the lines. She was born to a cold parenting, as they allowed her to live out of obligation, out of a must. And due to this, due to the lack of love pr any interest, Peria's build a cold, emotionless character. Empathy doesn't exists in her heart, she only lives to serve her family, to serve herself. She lacks the ability to get into someone's paws, she doesn't care at all. Her family is above everything else, but just to fulfill a role but nothing beyond that. Being born "without a gift" there is nothing that would put her into a position of being a figure of authority.

She isn't a social butterfly, she does well alone. But of course with her family that changes but again nothing that would actually come from her own heart if she has one at all. On the other hand, killing for her family's sake won't be an issue for her, she lacks the remorse to feel bad for taking someone's life, and there won't be exceptions, not age distinctions.

She is smart, clever, and sometimes she will try to manipulate others or even take advantage of any opportunities her faes give her. She never plays, she is up to just do business. Just like many from her family, she has left her homeland in order to find a soulmate,if there is one for an outcast like her.

Backstory: Imperia has been gone around the world, looking for both her soulmate and for a purpose for her existence.
Plots: I would like her to meet Manea as I dont know she would had met her before she left. And part from there!

BIG OLE WIP--

Name: Poe Mendacium
Relation to Manea: Cousin, possibly through Larisa?
Gender: Male
Height: Dire? Maybe? Idk I'm still working on this
Build: medium or heavy
Appearance: Goth
Special Attributes: Would love a mutation, but likely not gonna be able to afford it if he's a dire. Maybe polydactyly in the forepaws? Otherwise I would love to get him snake eyes, and have him be XL-non dire height.
Alignment: Neutral Evil neutral good when there's a child left in his care
Personality:
Aloof & Distant: First impressions are everything, and Poe aims to be an enigma from the start. Putting off an overall disposition of being apathetic or disinterested, it always seems like he has better places to be. Distant and cold on the outside, with a roving gaze that seems to land anywhere but the face of whoever needs his attention. He maintains a great deal of emotional separation with strangers, and even with his more loosely tied relatives. It is quite rare for him to express genuine interest or care for others, beyond what serves his own interests.
Calculating & Cynical: The world is cruel, and Poe only sees the worst in others. He has become skilled in the art of giving the initial once over and finding his results come away fairly accurate. The dark sides of others are the most useful to him, they serves his nefarious ends far better than the good natured aspects. It only serves to amplify his trust issues, and further his isolation from the majority of the world around him. The only thing that feeds into this terrible cycle is the ability to minimize guilt associated with the use and abuse of others for his own gain, once he sees only their most glaring flaws.
Hedonistic & Cruel: While he cannot make a mate of just any wolf he comes across, Poe is certainly a harlot. Driven by an intense desire for physical pleasures, he is well known to seek out others in the interest of devouring them. His tastes border on the verge of outright sadism, and he derives a great deal of satisfaction in drawing blood, sweat, and tears from his partners. There is a thrill to the chase, and he has certainly chased down his fair share when they weren't receptive of his advances. For the most part, he aims to engage with those who gain as much satisfaction from sex as he does - their enjoyment only amplifies his.
Short Tempered & Unforgiving: To slight Poe is to risk pain of death. It takes very little to set him off, and anyone who can recognize how to push his buttons is almost certain to regret it sooner than they think. He is a brawler by nature, and built for heavy hitting. If not met with outright violence upon insulting him, trust that Poe will hold a grudge until well beyond the grave. It requires a grand gesture and a thousand promises at the minimum to sate his temper once he's set his mind to hurting you. Even then, his trust will certainly never be fully won back. There will always be doubt toying at the back of his mind, scrutinizing every effort made and every action taken.
Protective & Nurturing: A dramatic shift in his demeanour comes when he is around family and friends. Beneath the callous, dangerous exterior is a genuinely affectionate and caring man that only wants the best for his family. Fond of gentle bumps of the shoulder and selfless undertakings, he is most at peace when surrounded by those he loves. Poe is an excellent wet nurse, and was sought after among his siblings and cousins when it came time to leave the kids with someone while they went out. For all the terror he can instill with a mere glance, he is no more than an overstuffed teddy bear for his nieces and nephews. Anyone would find themselves hard pressed to find a more steadfast guardian for their offspring.

Backstory: Most of his yearling and adult years have been spent tending to newly born siblings, and serving his sisters when required. Heavily devoted to his family, while he worked more loosely towards his own goals of locating his soul mate. It took a great deal of bullying from his closest family members, but he eventually was forced away from his parents and siblings to search for his own destiny. Hunting down his soul mate, he exhausted his options in their homeland and decided to follow the general trajectory Manea took, assuming that since she never returned to the fold the was likely successful in some regard wherever she ended up.

Plots: Maybe hang around Manea in search of guidance from the new matriarch, potentially acting in a supporting role during her whelping? I also wouldn't mind tossing him into a pack to act as a soldier until summoned by Manea for some grunt work/hunting/etc.

Thank you for the applications!! I'm going to go ahead and give Imperia to Cloudy and Poe to Virgil (even though he's WIP, I know the plans lmao).

Still plenty of adopts open for this family so keep them coming!

Name: Naráca (Ara) Mendacium
Relation to Manea:Cousin through Larisa (Younger sister to Poe)
Gender: Female
Birth season: Winter, Year 14 (2)
Height: 40"?
Build: Light
Appearance:
Ara is a girl on fire. Her coat comes alive in a shimmer of coals and campfire-sparks that seem to whisper with life across her coat. It was undeniably clear she was blessed, even before her small, budding horns were spotted.

While part of her coat is midnight-dark, other parts seem almost lit with an inner glow, the effect of the rich tones of fire that spark across her hind, underbelly, and glimmer about her neck. Her coal-black face is broken by the slashes of red under her eye and down her forehead. Her eyes are the inner amber of an open flame.

Special Attributes: Maybe horns, maybe glow
Alignment: lawful neutral
Personality: Spoilt by her older brother, and others in the family. The beautiful flame-marked girl can come across as haughty and spoiled, but her loyalty to her family is absolute. She had a knack for finding trouble, mostly because she cares little about the feelings of those outside of her family. When she starts trouble, she knows that Poe will back her up and defend her. The devil-horned brother is a wolf she will always look up to, and one of the only wolves that can encourage her to back down when she goes too far.

She is ambitious, and cruel. She will work hard to learn the skills she needs, training herself as a warrior. Despite her ambition, and the work she will put in to better herself, she loves to find ways to get others to spoil her and do things for her. She wants rank and fame and adoration. She will need to find a balance between finding her strength, and letting her spoiled tendencies get the better of her. She will likely have a bit of a temper, but it won't show through all the time. She likes to look like a wolf in control. Of herself, and others. (She’d probably make a good slaver in the pack if needed)

Backstory: Learning to fight, getting spoiled. She's gotten bored of the loners life and wants a pack around her. How else will people love and praise her?
Plots: Chill with Poe, perhaps become a slaver. Definitely ambitious enough to work for a high rank

Name: Despoina Antonis
Family Relation: Half (bastard) sister
Gender: Female
Height: 36"
Build: Light
Appearance: This one!
Special Attributes: I'd love to add a mutation (Maybe similar to Manea's?) should be able to afford them at this point, if you'd prefer something further from Manea's I really like the idea of ram horns.
Alignment: Lawful evil
Personality: Despoina is perhaps aptly named, a young woman shrouded in mystery. The young woman keeps things close to her chest, clearly distrustful. Guarded and quiet Despoina comes across as cold and aloof, she seems to glare down her nose at others, and does little to hide her negative opinions. Despoina is not afraid to roll her eyes or even walk away in the middle of a conversation if she's no longer engaged. There is a sort of pride to her that also isn't helping her less than friendly disposition. Though she was not raised among the Mendacium she was told of their cultures and carries the ideal of her birth with her. Though she knows well enough that the rest of her blood looks down upon her birth she never asked for it and therefore refuses to be held responsible for the choices of her mother, instead believing that though it was in error her own life is just as "blessed" as those of her full-blooded siblings. All of this makes Despoina a rather unpopular wolf. She has had little to no real friends and may in fact be somewhat awkward in social situation as a result when all her signals to leave her alone fail.

Backstory: Born to circumstances outside of her control Despoina was raised to believe most of the Mendacium beliefs though she buys into the unfairness of the laws that dictate love and children. Though she was also raised to distrust those bearing her mother's former name and so has long since learned to not be too open about her parentage. Still, nothing can be said about her life being too tragic, she was raised with two parents who showered her with love and attention. Time just comes that you leave the nest.

Plots: Kinda dig the idea of her sister finding her and treating her as a slave as you stated, she'll probably start out strong willed or even eager to prove herself to get out of the situation but I'm down for anything either her earning her way our or being broken down. ;) In terms of how she'll approach any of her "family" Despoina will be cautious or even outwardly hostile as she has reason to believe they could be potentially dangerous to herself.

I approve Naráca for Sea! Welcome! <3

I approve Desponia for Lolaf! :D Welcome to the family!

Hi! Hoping I could grab an adopt as my first character :)

Name: Larisa Mendacium
Family Relation: Aunt
Gender: Female
Height: 36"
Build: Light
Appearance: I'm trying to figure out how to fit her in with her offspring's appearances, but to do so with my single 400 gem store purchase...so I don't think I can use any of your suggested designs.... Black base coat + varying shades of grey over shoulders/dorsum + age-related greying of muzzle/ears/ventrum/paws? Then can I afford to have red streaks associated with grey areas of the coat + other areas like tail base, caudal thighs/shoulders? Or do I need to make it like...an auburn or other naturally "red" colour. She will have deep yellow/amber eyes.
Special Attributes: None
Alignment: Lawful evil
Personality: Larisa is cold and distant, even with her close family. Her respect and adoration are things to be earned, and she is not quick to dole these honours out. She is more lenient with her children and can’t deny the maternal instincts she feels towards them, but she was never the nurturing type and still holds them to a high standard. Needless to say, she is slow to warm to others and does not aim to surround herself with companions; despite this, she is courteous to acquaintances, if only to leave doors open if an opportunity in the future arises.
Quietly ambitious, she carefully weighs up social interactions so that she gives away only what she needs to; however, this is at conflict with her loyalty to the pack and family, and this can be a source of discontent for her. After being demoted from the position of ‘acting matriarch’ so-to-say, which she accepted graciously, she could not help but develop a feeling of resentment at the loss of this position. She tries to suppress this feeling for the societal good – or so she tells herself to maintain the status quo – and yet it has soured her relationship with her niece.
Backstory: She was disappointed in her sister's actions and felt that disownment was appropriate given the circumstances...however couldn't shake a feeling of regret and sadness at her leaving which she hasn't fully been able to come to terms with. She supports Manea's claim to being the new matriarch, but harbours some resentment after being demoted...she offers her full support regardless, but definitely feels differently towards her niece.
Plots: Happy to make some conflict between her and Manea if you want! Otherwise just happy to feel out the change in dynamic after Manea becomes matriarch c:

Larisa goes to Platalea! Thanks so much and welcome!!

Bumping since new adopt options have been made and page edited a bit!

okok I think this is done
Name: Nirvana Mendacium
Family Relation: Manea's niece
Gender: female
Height: 35"
Build: light
Appearance: here
Special Attributes: none
Alignment: neutral evil
Personality: There's a strange bitterness to the girl, despite her young age. Nirvana never entirely bounced back from being rejected by her father, and it's left her a bit angry and a bit cynical, and in general distrusting of men. She holds a fierce, intense love for her mother's side of the bloodline, especially the aunt that took the time and care to raise her. Though she's been afflicted with a serious case of wanderlust, her loyalty to the Mendacium name is fierce and unshakable. While away from home physically, Nirvana's heart is with her family, and she'll think of them often and fondly.

Within her, ambition is in no short supply. It's all in the name of self improvement, and of being the best she can. At this point, she's insistent on not just surviving but thriving in spite of her father, and to honor her mother. The only times she finds peace is in the midst of utter exhaustion. That search and drive for inner peace is what drives her, and what leaves Nirvana borderline driving herself into the ground. Satisfaction will never come, and there will be an unyielding hunger within her. (There's a likelihood that, as she ages and lives with chronic pain, this unceasing hunger will lead to burnout and deep depression. We'll see how she ages though.)

Nirvana is gritty. There's not a lot of tact when it comes to how she handles things. She doesn't mince words, she doesn't sugarcoat things. Her honesty is brutal, and she's not afraid to voice her opinions. She speaks quickly and sharply, and her bullshit detector is incredible. This girl considers herself an expert in eye contact that's intense enough to make others look away first, and making people distinctly uncomfortable to get what she wants. If that doesn't work, then she'll happily fight for whatever it is. Fear no fall, fear no brawl, fear no scars.
Backstory: Nirvana was exploring when the long night hit. She found the experience extremely disorienting, and contracted the Ooze. While she doesn't know exactly how, she survived on her own. Though she doesn't realize it yet, it's caused lasting damage-- when it's cold, she'll experience stiffness and pain in her hips (excess wear and tear on the joint due to crystal growth) that will get worse and more chronic with age.
Plots: would love IC development on whether or not she decides to join Elysium. Also maybe her line of thinking atm is that any soulmate she had died of the Ooze before she could find them? So finding someone to change her mind would be cool, maybe Manea playing matchmaker would help. Skills will be navigation and fighting, though as she ages and her chronic pain becomes more, well, chronic, she'll probably swap one or both out for something less physical. I mentioned a little in her personality writeup as well.
Oh also I made her a quick moodboard

Name: Nirvana Mendacium
Family Relation: Manea's Niece
Gender: Female
Height: 42 inches
Build: Medium
Special Attributes: I'm thinking maybe a couple claw scars over her shoulder and opposite hip from predator battles?
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Personality:
Strong Willed
Nirvana is eager to show her dominance and strength to not only those who may insult her, but simply just to show off. She knows her place when needed, but essentially doesn't care much for wolves outside of her family. It is hard to get close to her in general, so good luck.

Observative
While harsh and coarse, Nirvana has big interest and mind in learning from others. She finds it important to drive styles in fighting and crafting as well as conversation from everywhere.There is no one way to do things, but this does not mean she is so open to discussing what she has learned unless you are close family.

Cruel and Unreasonable
Nirvana could really care less about hurt feelings. She is often sarcastic and dark humored though you should expect what she says to be more truthful regardless of how jokey she intends to sound. She's easy to challenge for things she wants. Have a problem? Fight her. She might just fight you anyway.

Brave
Nirvana will step up to any challenge without any hesitation. It's important for her to succeed but doesn't get completely bent out of shape in loss. She just needs to train and practice some more, maybe you'll find yourself in a rematch. Expect it to be fun.

Backstory: Went off on her own to challenge her strength and live off the land to become stronger? Maybe had a departure discussing this with Manea before going off? Said to come back a year later or so before she comes of age for suitors or to find her soulmate
Plots: Just joining Elysium for now and regrouping with manea and fam and meeting the kiddos. Skills probably fighting and intellect

this is a terrible app but hopefully with time the personality will develop better!! finished~

Manea's Niece
Appearance ─
A slender body with a hip sway that makes the boy's swoon, Nirvana is quite the stunner with a dark lilac coat accented with a white facial mask, underside, striping across all four of her limbs and rear, and a small blanket across her shoulders and top of her lilac-striped tail. Soot accents underneath each sky colored eye give her the sweet, puppy-eyes look while the smudge up her nose adds length to her already narrow features. The shell of each ear and the undersides of each paw darken to match, though it is the vibrancy of the lilac in the center of her nape and back that is her favorite feature.

Personality ─
Nirvana knows she's pretty. She doesn't need to be reminded, although she'll never turn down the offering of such kind words. This translates over to many things that she does, actually, and in fact if she can't get something out of a situation then it's simply not worth her time and effort. This doesn't stop her from doing things for others, but if there is no reward or benefit that she likes, don't expect the girl to leap to her paws. For her family she is somewhat more helpful, especially towards Manea and close family.

Since her mothers death and her father abandoning her, Vana's trust is hard earned and saved for those that mean something to her. It's not easy earning it, either. While she'll eagerly spend the night with a man, she certainly won't let her guard down or stick around for the sun to rise. Believing that once she finds her soulmate she won't want to leave, she simply takes a sample where she can. She's not easy, though, as she does value herself and of course, her time.

Ever since her youth she's been known to be sarcastic and sassy, firing back with witty comebacks and it hasn't changed a bit. She's quite smart, especially having been out on her own for almost a full year, and learns quickly when being taught a new skill, though is known to be quite playful and childish despite this.

Backstory ─
Came to Boreas with Manea, however wanted to continue her traveling to see more parts of the world and possibly find her mate. Spent many nights with many men only to return home empty-pawed and very annoyed about it. Isn't seeking to return home, but will once she hears how well the family is doing with the pack and pups and to see if theres any hot guys.

Plans ─
I think she would like to join Elysium, although I don't want to say that it would be permanent or not. I'm open to either direction, depending on where plots lead! Although she'll hate it, I would love for Manea to play matchmaker anyway, or at least try to! Nirvana is very stubborn and may do better finding her own mate, but that doesn't mean Manea can't be secret about setting it all up ;)


* I only use the coded table to help with creating the character, it's only for aesthetic purposes and not to try and win extra brownie points, promise!

Nirvana Mendacium
female ─ neutral ─ heterosexual ─ light ─ 40" ─ fighting / navigation

by skelle.

Name: Merrick Mendacium
Family Relation: Manea's older brother
Gender: Male
Height: Dire
Build: Medium
Appearance:
Special Attributes: Talons with hooked thumbs, scars on his face and littered throughout under his fur.
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Personality:
Brutal: There is little feeling within the brute for those that do not prove their worth. He will mete out justice easily and with no remorse. His methods are swift when necessary and drawn out when the situation calls for it. You might think that he draws pleasure from torturing and killing others. You wouldn't be wrong in that assessment. Why not be proud of something that you're good at? Often, Merrick has been called upon to cull extra pups in litters when the parents just can't stomach the task. There are whispers that he has been called The Reaper behind closed doors.
Vindictive and Possessive: An eye for an eye. Or maybe your whole head. Merrick does not take slights against him very well. The women in his life will be forced to walk on eggshells and any displeasure will be blatantly shown. Punishments will be given quickly to those that disobey. Look at another man and he'll pop your eyes right out of your skull. Touch another man and you'll lose that paw. Lay with another man... death will swiftly follow.
Self-Serving: Merrick is more than a little selfish. He enjoys being complimented and doted upon to a fault. This can make him let his guard down a bit with the women in his life. Keep him happy, do what he wants, and he'll be sweet as pie. Merrick tries to shift situations into his favor whenever possible. He really is the most important wolf in his life. It's rare that another receives a similar sense of import.
Superstitious: It might be a little odd to think a brute like Merrick could be superstitious, but he very much is. Omens and symbols have power. A shift in the wind can bring calamity or prosperity. Believing so deeply in superstitions can often bring the brute to episodes of mania, making him extra aggressive to those around him.
Backstory: One of two options:
1) Merrick settled down with his soul mate until she banged another man and birthed bastard children. He them promptly killed all of them. Having nothing else tying him down, he went to seek out Manea.
2) Merrick was out to sea with a band of slavers, traveling the world so that he was never in the same place long enough for Manea's ravens to find him. When the ship pulled into port for a long overhaul, the ravens finally found him and he decided to seek Manea out.
Plots: Integrating into the pack, learning his place, taking on unsavory tasks. If we go with backstory two, then he'd possibly be on the lookout for his soulmate and hope to pump out some nice, mutated children. He might build himself a tiny harem.
Down the line, his obsession with superstition might drive him a little mad, but that won't be until he's much older.

Thank y'all for all the applications!! I'm going to go ahead and give Nirvana to Wicked and Merrick to Resin! Welcome to the family, guys!!