The Snow Ghost's: Pack Information from Top to Bottom

Welcome to The Snow Ghosts

This is a fresh new pack that lives within the mountains, slowly finding its way around new territories and other wolf packs. 

The Snow Ghosts live by a code that was formed by Swan, Swift, NightNose, and Boulder during the early formation days of the pack. It is called 'Code of Ghost' which intends to guide and conduct pack members' behavior both inside the pack as well as towards outsiders. Packs that are allied with The Snow Ghosts are treated with equal respect.

Code of Ghost

• No 'ghost' (wolf) left behind
• Safety and security of all sprites (pups) come first
• Loyalty to the pack (your fellow ghosts)
• Disagreements must be settled by the end of the day (precisely when the moon reaches the center of the sky), pack unity is a priority. 
• Phantom's word is final

Ranking

phantom

specter

wraith

ghoul

spirit

ghost

shadow

sprite

Ranking in  The Snow Ghosts follows a hierarchy based on the overall experience of a wolf (stats), and their age and role in the pack also affect their ranking. Each rank comes with a title that is used only among members of The Snow Ghosts. Rankings go as followed and are ranked from highest to lowest:

• Phantom: Alpha wolves hold this title and are addressed as either "Phantom" or saying their naked name after Phantom (ex. Phantom Swan). This title would be expected to be used by wolves who are not close family or high in rank. Age does not matter here, but alphas are expected to be of higher experience (stats).
• Specter: This title refers to the healer of the pack and is revered with much respect because of their ability to cure fellow ghosts. The Specter must be very wise and very intelligent (high stats in wisdom, smarts). A shadow is chosen by the current Specter, ensuring that whoever is next in line is suitable for the position (this is figured out through personal interaction with younger wolves).
• Wraith: The title of Wraith goes to the oldest and most experienced hunter wolf, no matter their position in the hunt. They are respected for their knowledge of hunting and are responsible for training other hunter ghosts. There can be more than one Wraith depending on the size of the pack.
• Ghoul: The title of Ghoul is specific to scouting ghosts and is given to scouting ghosts no matter their age or experience. The scouting ghost with the most experience in scouting does receive more respect however and is recognized and respected by higher ranks. If a sprite (pup) ever goes missing, Ghouls are expected to track them and return them to the safety of the pack.
• Spirit: This role is parallel to pupsitting and is typically assigned to ghosts who have had pups before or have dispositions that are perfect for nurturing sprites (puppies). Age must be older than 1 yr and 5 months. Spirits don't receive as much respect compared to other ranks because their role doesn't require them to leave camp. The role of Spirit is often underestimated, especially when taking care of multiple pups.
• Ghost: Title given to wolves who are not holding leadership positions. This includes mainly other hunters and wolves who hold no other position. Any ghost who holds this rank is required to be specialized in combat. This is in case of threats to the actual den and to other wolf packs.
• Shadow: This title is given to adolescent wolves, specifically because they are shadowing older ghosts and their positions in the pack, hoping to come up with ideas of what role they would hope to play in the future.
• Sprite: This title is specifically for puppies under the age of 5 months.

Allies

(2/5)

Allied with...

 Silver Star Pack

Twin Ember Stags

Rituals and Spirituality

The Snow Ghosts' culture consists of different rituals that are said to enhance the connection of the wolf with their surroundings and bring them spiritually together as a pack. The Snow Ghosts worship their ancestors, believing that they were being watched over by ancestors who favored them and punished when their ancestors felt they were guiding the pack towards ruin. They call upon their dead ancestors in their times of need and praise them when times are plentiful. They would call these ancestors (individually) 'Haunts', and as a group, The Haunting.

 The Snow Ghosts also believe in the power of nature and treat it with the same respect they give The Haunting. Even though it is not mentioned in The Ghost Code, killing for sport is heavily frowned upon and believed to encourage harsh plagues from The Haunting. The Snow Ghosts participate in different rituals to honor different aspects of their spirituality.

The Specter's Craft

Nightnose is The Snow Ghost's first specter and therefore is responsible for the creation of sigils for rituals. Sigils are used during rituals to enhance the spiritual energy surrounding all who participate. The energy is often positive, but can sometimes be saddening or aggressive, depending on the ritual. 

sigils:  life, death, growth, warrior, pride, strength, sun, and rain

Furthermore, specters are expected to never have offspring due to the belief that you can not be completed devoted to the role of 'specter' if you have other responsibilities (puppies}. 

Celebratory Life Ritual/Celebration

This ritual is centered around celebrating and ensuring the health of new life, with the arrival of puppies. It begins at the estimated middle of the mother's pregnancy, which is determined by the specter. The specter then paints the life sigil on the sides of the mother's belly with white mud while reciting a blessing. After the blessing, the specter then notifies the phantom of the occasion.

The lead phantom will send ghouls and ghosts alike to begin the process of collecting flowers and small mammals as spiritual gifts to thank the Haunting for ensuring new life. As the sun sinks below the horizon, the mother is lead to the main cave where the ritual is held. There she is showered with sweet-smelling flowers and loving songs to boost her spirits. She then eats all the small prey and flower offerings before starting a howl, to which the rest of the pack then slowly chimes into the rhythm of her song. After the choir of howls, each member of the pack takes a turn to touch their nose to her belly in congratulations and excitement for the future. 

Ghosting Initiation

This ritual is reserved for young shadows who are turning the corner of adulthood and looking for their place in the pack. Before the actual ritual begins, a shadow must have an idea of what kind of role they wish to play. This has been done by each shadow literally shadowing an older ghost actively doing their role. Each shadow has about 6 months to make a decision.

During the full moon of the final month, the group travels to Beaver's Lake. Each shadow presents theirself to the specter who paints the growth sigil on each of their left shoulders with bright yellow mud. A blessing is recited in hopes that the "...shadows find their blinding light, and as they sprint towards the sun, and become ghosts..."(an actual line from the ritual).

After the specter's blessing, the shadows then demonstrate what they have learned over their six months before the eyes of high-ranking ghosts. If they notice a shadow expressing particular interest in a role, and they seem capable enough to fill that role, then they are given a new title once they're fully an adult. Once they've received a role, they start their training. 

The Choosing of a Specter

A specter begins searching for a shadow during their final couple years on earth because there can only be one official specter in the pack. The specter's spiritual connection with the Haunting, and Mother Nature must be unbreakable, so finding a shadow who reflects the same spiritual intensity is rare, but a choice pick. 

When the specter has taught their apprentice all they know, they start the 'spectering' process. To being, the specter creates a special hallucinogenic elixir for the ritual. After the elixir is complete, the apprentice drinks the entire dose and falls into a spiritual trance where they are able to commune with spirits of all animals, and the Haunting. While they are asleep, the current-ranking specter paints the strength sigil with bear blood on their chest to strengthen the physical body to prepare it for its temporary coma.

This ritual is important because its purpose is to allow previous haunts, who were specters in the living world, to confirm that the specter in training is aligned with their spiritual energy and the energy of the pack. Due to the properties of the elixir, the apprentice specter stays asleep for three days and nights before they awaken. After they awaken, the now old specter will use their blood to place their paw print on the new specter's forehead, officiating their rank.

However, the elixir is designed to awake a shadow earlier than 3 days and nights if their spirituality is not to the standards of the Haunting. The shadow does remain ill for a couple days after, but no one has ever died from performing this ritual. 

Funeral Ritual

Death is always a sorrowful affair, but The Snow Ghosts do not completely see it that way. They believe that through death you become reunited with the earth and the Haunting, to which is their extended family. Even if they will be missed by the living, they still uphold values of pride over death, especially an honorable death (ex. dying for the sake of the pack). 

The ritual begins with the specter examining the body and preparing it for burial. The body is cut open on the right side to allow for special smelling herbs and flowers to present the ghost as regal, even in death, no matter their rank. The specter seals the cut with the death sigil with green mud to mark the end of their life on earth. 

While the specter is preparing the body, higher ranking ghosts and phantoms are in charge of digging the grave. They believe that the more they are buried within the earth, the more they become one with it. Long grasses and flowers are placed at the bottom as 'bedding' for the corpse. Before the body is covered, a low howl is sung throughout the pack as they bid their fellow ghost goodbye. Each member takes a turn to cover the hole while the lower ranks finish up the burial by covering up the hole and placing stones in a circle around the grave. 

Phantom Ceremony

wip

Locations within the Territory:

(they change territories sometimes, so wip)

The Snow Ghosts claim the mountains as their choice of territory. The promise of larger prey and remote mountainside caves pique the interest of this pack. The ghouls are in charge of finding choice landmarks and areas in the territory that the pack could use for multiple reasons like hunting, medicinal reasons, and safety. 
 

Beaver's Lake

This location is directly NW from Snow Peak's Ledge. This large lake was formed as a result of a family of beavers that live a couple of miles west of the lake. The lake is surrounded by towering pine trees. The reflection of stars is especially admired here by the pack. During the winter, the lake freezes over and the land becomes easier to scale. However, this location is not used for rituals during this season. 

The specter believes that the lake holds some sort of life-giving energy due to the belief that the water has spiritual properties from all the life it supports. Due to this belief, the specter will collect water from the lake and bring it back with them to use for healing properties and mixing it with different color clays to make mud for painting sigils. 

Raven Rock

This landmark is found SW of The Snow Ghost's main cave. The area itself is found along the edge of the forest and prairie, within it is a patch of rocky land surrounded by dead pine trees, and hundreds of ravens flocking about. At times when food is scarce, wraiths will travel to Raven Rock to commune with the ravens in an attempt to strike up a deal; the ravens would help the ghosts find food, and in return, the ghosts will share some of the found goods. 

Another useful purpose for this location is training ghosts in combat. The large flock of ravens provides a crowd for the sparring wolves, which helps determine who's the 'winner' and 'loser' of the sparring match. 

Silent Pine Hollow

This dead silent hollow is found deeper within the coniferous forest, directly south of the main cave, and is named after how eerily silent it is. A small section of this hollow is used to bury the dead while the majority of the space is used for all of The Snow Ghosts' rituals. The hollow itself is a large dirt clearing surrounded by towering pine trees. During the full moon the clearing lights up completely and is perfect for performing life and growth rituals, while the new moon is perfect for performing specter rituals. 

Shining Summit Cave + Cave system

The summit is named after how the sun shines through the entrance of the cave, casting warmth and light into the main clearing of the cave.

This is the main cave where the sprites are kept safe until they are shadows. The cave is beneath the summit of one of the mountains north of the territory of the mountains. The cave is large and hollow with a medium-sized stream spilling out from the center and trickling out of the cave. Smaller tunnels deeper in the cave leads to three smaller caves. One is inhabited by the Phantoms, the second is claimed by the specter and the last cave is the nursery.  

The specter inhabits one of the larger caves that is connected to the main cave through a tunnel. This is where the specter keeps all medicinal and spiritual items, constantly collecting them to mix different medicines and colored muds. The specter's cave is particularly special because a small breakage in the ceiling allows for flickers of sunlight to seep into the cave, allowing for dim comfortable light.

The second biggest cave is kept as the nursery, where mothers come to nest, birth and ween their puppies in the warmth of this cave. 

The last cave is reserved for the phantoms. They often nest in this cave and the phantoms often sleep here as well.
 

Snow Peaks Ledge

The gray stone clearing outside of the main cave is where The Snow Ghosts spend most of their social time together. After a long day, the pack will settle outside the cave for a meal and storytelling. High ranks will ready plans for the day to come while shadows play fight near the cave entrance. Only shadows are allowed onto the cliffs because it is too dangerous for clumsy little sprites. 

The cliffs are ideal because they provide a wide and distant view of the entire territory, making it easier for phantoms to give assignments.