Though wolves are renowned for their domination of tundra, grassland, and forest, there are a lesser known subspecies of coastal wolves who eschew the traditional diet of deer and rabbit in favor of barnacle and fish. 

These are the sea wolves, the marine wolves. Smaller than their terrestrial cousins, they have adapted to life in the water. Their pelts are sleeker and more waterproof, holding air next to their skin for warmth and buoyancy. Their diet consists of ocean based life, from barnacles to salmon, to beached whales, even snacking on roe and hunting seals. They are incredible swimmers - they have been spotted on islands eight miles from the nearest land. Even their coloration is adapted to water, with most showing strong countershading in colors of black, gray, and slate - even blue, though the more unnatural the blue the rarer it is seen.

Their entire culture revolves around the sea, even their religion though individual beliefs and traditions vary from region to region, even family to family. The coastal wolves of the North tend toward coastal Inuit beliefs, while Auster sea wolves often show Polynesian religions and traditions, etc.

Physical characteristics vary by region as well. Sea wolves further north tend to have more fat stores and thicker fur, while those in Auster tend to be very short-furred and even smaller and slimmer than their Boreas counterparts, with the regions between running between the two extremes.

Marine wolves rarely venture far from the ocean, their specialized food sources not being found many places inland. They might follow along river routes for a distance inland, and some small tribes have adapted to the freshwater rivers and lakes, but it is by far more common for tribes to remain on the coast.

The overarching cultural similarities between tribes are few, but strong. As previously stated, all sea wolf cultures and religions are strongly influenced by the oceans and rivers they live on, but there are more similarities as well. Regional groups consist of loose confederations of tribes that are further broken down into, in some cases, totemic clans and/or in most cases further broken into extended families. Additionally, sea wolf culture tends to be that of traders and crafters, with crafts tending to be beautifully decorated in addition to their more practical uses. That isn't to say that they are all peaceful traders, and some cultures actually tend to be rather more piratical than others, while some tribes might lean towards artistic endeavors more than others.

So what do you need to adopt one of these marvels of modern science?

Code:

<b>Name:</b>
<b>Gender:</b>
<b>Age:</b>
<b>Height:</b> (should not exceed medium in size for Boreas regions, or small for Auster regions)
<b>Region:</b> (just a general idea of what part of Ardent they may hail from, for example, the north of Boreas, or the eastern coast of Auster)
<b>Cultural Influence:</b> (a general idea of what real-world coastal/seafaring culture their tribe followed, most likely based on what region they’re found in)
<b>Background:</b> (a brief description of what their life was like before they’re played)
<b>Design:</b> (should feature countershading - which is a camouflage technique with darker coloration on top and lighter coloration beneath - and generally in grays, blacks, and blue-shades, though other colors are acceptable with good reasoning)
<b>Physical Description:</b> (site minimum)
<b>Personality:</b> (site minimum)
<b>Roleplay Sample:</b> (200 word minimum)

Name: jura ery chimodre
Gender: male
Age: one
Height: small - 24"
Region: southern and western parts of boreas
Cultural Influence: based on the taino's people, of the caribbeans
Background:

jura was born into a simple, though beautiful, culture. as his mother had told him, they were aware of a divine presence whom they called yocahu, and to worship and give thanks was a major part of their lives. they had a social order that provided the leaders and guidelines by which they all lived. they hunted, fished, cultivated crops and ate the abundant fruits provided by nature. they were clever and ingenious and had everything they needed to survive. they had beautiful ceremonies that were held at various times - birth, death, marriage, harvest, naming and coming of age, to name a few. they had special reverence for the earth mother (atabey) and had respect for all living things knowing that all living things are connected. but his mother said another divine, which she had named guabancex, brought chaos unto their people. their ancestors fled on the waves of haracans (hurricanes) and found new tribes and homes. their family had arrived on ardent only a few generations ago, but instead of banding together they found that they rather enjoyed living their lives as vagrants. single couples would breed and raise their young alone, teaching them to fish and live land off of the sea until they reached of age. as such, when jura turned a year old, he was given a ceremony of his own and told to begin his life's journey.

Physical Description: (site minimum)
Personality: (site minimum)
Roleplay Sample: (200 word minimum)
* just wanna note, i'm totally not claiming this religion at all. i wouldn't mind if other's made sea wolves with it too

Changed my mind, ignore this.

Name: Ambrosia din Zanarr

Gender: Female

Age: Two

Height: 25”

Region: Ambrosia’s family hails from the south-eastern islands of Boreas; mainly Dove Island, Rekaru Island and the surrounding isles.

Cultural Influence: Very loosely based off the Atha'an Miere (Sea-folk) from the Wheel of Time series.

Background:

Ambrosia din Zanarr comes from a loosely-banded tribe of sea-wolves, who inhabit the isles in the south-eastern gulf of Boreas. They mainly reside on Dove Island and Rekaru Island, though travelling to surrounding islands isn’t unheard of, either. They tend to stay on the islands they were born on, only travelling to the mainlands of Boreas to trade. They make every effort to live and die on their islands. Her tribe, the Atha'an Miere are known to be extremely clever traders, and it it said they will always come out ahead - even when you feel as though you’re getting the better end of the bargain. They believe in a series of prophecies, basically which foretell the time when they will grow to rule all the seas of the world, so they can often seem a bit egocentric and have less regard for others than perhaps they ought to.

Physical Description:

At first sight, Ambrosia is a slender thing; accustomed to frequent swimming and travel by water, her coat is short and sleek, tending to hold water a bit better than the mainland wolves. As for her build, she is rather small, only standing at a meager twenty-five inches. She maintains a slender, graceful air about her as she moves -- and she is grateful for her slightness, for it makes travel by water that much more effortless.

Ambrosia has an extremely unique coat, even amongst her tribe - though even more so when seen by outsiders. Her pelt is a lovely array of teal, darker near her head and back and gradually lightening as the color works its way down her body. Her cheeks are a pale grey-teal, and that same almost-white blue can be seen on her stomach and paws, as well as dappling her back. As for her eyes, they are a rich orange-gold, a stark contrast to her blue coat.

Personality:

Ambrosia’s personality is as vibrant as her coat. On the surface she is upbeat and friendly, slightly flamboyant and a touch fantastical at times. Her voice is graced with a slight foreign accent, a result of living fairly secluded among her fellow sea-faring wolves. Despite her somewhat solitary nature, she is quite friendly when she comes across others. She could even be described as charming at times, finding great joy in flattery and tricks to convince strangers that she has a bargain they couldn’t pass up.

About some things, though, she is remarkably serious. She has a strong reverence for the sea and all things related to it, only really feeling at home when it is nearby; it is rare to find her drift far from water, unless she absolutely has to, and when she is away she longs strongly for her return to it. Trading, likewise, is a serious endeavor for her. She prides herself on being the sort of trader who will always come out ahead, no matter the deal.

Of course, thanks to her culture, she is quite the hoarder. Ambrosia has an affinity for anything that might prove to be valuable or useful in the slightest. She can be a bit greedy in that regard, often hiding her finds, and being extremely stingy about parting with her favorites.

Roleplay Sample:

It’d been a long time since Ambrosia had set foot on the mainlands. The journey from the islands to the shoreline wasn’t a long one, and it was one she had accustomed herself to. The slender, blue-furred creature shook out her sleek coat as she drew herself up the shore, her paws making clear imprints in the sand as she went. It felt strange to be away from the islands she’d been born on, the ones her family had known as home, but she knew unfamiliar lands often held treasures valuable enough to be worth the expended energy.

That was one thing the sea was valued for -- the treasures that it brought. Often when low tide hit, she and her family would spend hours scouring the shoreline for anything left behind by the waves. Finding much of anything was a rarity, but it was worth the time spent doing it, for when they did find treasures they were valuable indeed. Today, though, she wasn’t in search of what the sea brought, but rather things hidden deeper in the land. She cast a longing look toward the horizon, where the sea met the sky and meshed in a blurry wave of blue-grey, before turning her attention back inland and beginning her journey into the unknown.

Nyx, Ambrosia looks great! Also super, super appreciative of the use of the Atha'an Miere, as you know. XDD Accepted!

Name: Bellamy...maybe?
Gender: Male
Age: 3 months? 4? Haven't decided. A tiny tot for sure.
Height: 28"
Region: North
Cultural Influence: Inuit but his people have been greatly influenced by outside cultures.
Background: His people are mainly traders. They deal mainly in tools, knick knacks, southern herbs and knowledge. For countless generations his people have lived and traded by the sea; they know it well. They are a hardy people accustomed to harsh circumstances. In spite of the harshness of their environment, his pack is considered a warm and hospitable one, and outsiders are welcomed with cheer. They're peaceful and live rather quiet, unassuming lives.

Bellamy is, surprise surprise, the son of a trader. His father was born and raised in a semi nomadic pack that spent part of the year on Frost Island and part of the year traveling the coast of the mainland and his mother is from somewhere outside Boreas. She is the one who named him and perhaps the person responsible for his restless spirit. Since birth she's told him stories of adventure and a huge world full of unbelievable things. These stories coupled with an active imagination lit a fire in tiny Bellamy that propelled him around the island with enough energy to try the patience of even the most saintly of saints.

When you live on the sea what is there to fear? Pirates, of course! And it's pirates that Bellamy was told about time and time again in an attempt to get him to settle down and behave. Pirates, you see, steal misbehaving puppies and, depending on the story teller, eat them or take them far away, never to see their families again. Of course if you have an imagination like Bellamy's, those villains can quickly become friends. In a tiny, quiet pack, who wouldn't want to get away?

Having been raised on stories of pirates and adventure, Bellamy longs for the life of a swashbuckler. It's not uncommon for the young wolves of his clan to be restless, Bellamy just started a little earlier than most. He took those stories (stories meant to scare misbehaving pups straight) seriously and, already bored with the quiet life, decided he wanted to be a pirate. This desire led him to run away.
Design:
Physical Description: (site minimum)
Personality: First and foremost Bellamy is a thrill seeker. He's brave and reckless; willing to throw caution to the wind in search of an adventure. Boredom is his most bitter enemy and there is nothing worse, in Bellamy's book, than sitting around with nothing to do. If at all possible he'd like nothing more than to fill his day with new and different things, whether that be a dangerous adventure or simply meeting someone new.

He also has a heart of gold. Bellamy may be many things, but cruel he most certainly is not. Sure, he can be clueless and accidentally trample all over someone's feelings, but he's not deliberately mean. Most of his blunders can be chalked up to exuberance. He wants to do everything, try everything and in his excitement to do that sometimes there are casualties.
Roleplay Sample: (200 word minimum)