Luani

BACKSTORY

Luani was a child of Maliketh, one of the Founders of the Wandering Vagabond, and a mate from a different clan. He took on the mantle as Pack Lead when his mother passed away, having surpassed many other siblings and cousins in the race for the position.

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SOCIAL HIERARCHY

Unlike most other packs where the wolves all belong to the same family, the Wandering Vagabonds are essentially two family lines living alongside each other in harmony. The highest positions in the pack are Pack Lead and Pack Advisor. These titles are held by one wolf in each family line, interchangeable between generations.

Maliketh was one of the Founders of the Vagabonds, and all pups in her bloodline belong to the First Line of the pack. Renyan was the other Founder of the pack, and her descendants belong to the Second Line, respectively.

Wolves from the same Line may not take each other as mates to prevent inbreeding, as they all share one common ancestor. Wolves from different Lines may intermingle and take each other as mates, but they will automatically be disqualified from the running for Heirs. Additionally, the children of these wolves and their descendants will be deemed of mixed blood, muddying the lineage record, and are forbidden from joining the Main Branch in any way. Mixed blood wolves must always take an outsider as a mate to prevent inbreeding in later generations, ensuring a strong bloodline. However, more often than not, they would be asked to leave the pack upon adolescence.

Wolves from both Lines are separated into a Main Branch and a Side Branch.

The Main Branch forms the inner ring of the pack's structure - core members who are offered a permanent place in the family. This includes the Pack Lead, Pack Advisor, Heirs and some of their descendants, but not their mates. The firstborns of the Pack Lead or Pack Advisor are guaranteed a place in the pack as members of the Main Branch upon birth. This is to guarantee that the majority of the core members forming the Main Branch will always be direct descendants of the Founders. Wolves from the Main Branch are responsible for the well-being of the pack, including the matter of inheritance and harmony. Loyalty to the pack is an absolute requirement, and thus any wolves chosen for their position but refused to fulfill their role will be banished from the pack, along with their mate and any pups they may have spawned, never allowed to return.

The Side Branch wolves are also considered members of the pack, but their positions are less permanent in nature. Any pups from the founders' bloodlines that did not fulfill the requirement to join the Main Branch from birth or did not become Heir during their lifetime are considered members of the Side Branch. These wolves may choose to leave and rejoin the pack of their own volition with no repercussion, but unlike the Main Branch wolves who are secured a place in the pack, Side Branch wolves might be asked to leave the pack during leaner times or if the pack has become too big. Weaker members of the Side Branch also tend to be asked to part ways with the pack once they are old enough.

Wolves not offered a place in the Main Branch upon birth may also be allowed to join it if they fulfill certain criteria. Wolves that has been chosen as Heirs will be allowed to join the Main Branch by default. Side Branch wolves who has proven themselves by performing an act of exceptional merit might be invited to join the Main Branch as a honorary member. Outsiders and adopted wolves may not become Main Branch members, but they could be allowed to join the Side Branch if they proved their worth, and their children might be eligible for a spot in the Main or Side Branch if they became mates to wolves from the founders' bloodlines.

Heirs are wolves that will inherit the title of Pack Lead and Pack Advisor upon the death of their predecessors. Heirs are chosen within the last year of the previous pair of Pack Lead - Pack Advisor's lifetimes, and come in a pair with each wolf set to inherit one of these titles respectively. To become an Heir one must be from either founders' bloodlines, and within a pair of Heirs one must always be from the First Line and the other from the Second Line. Heirs have the same privileges and standings within the pack as each other when their predecessors are still alive, but at the time of inheritance the more exceptional wolf of the pair will take on the mantle of Pack Lead and the other will become Pack Advisor.

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TITLES

This wolf is/was a Founder of the pack.
This wolf is/was a member of the Main Branch of the First Line.
This wolf is/was the Pack Lead.


- Pack Lead: Leader of the pack, top of the social hierarchy and makes the final call on important pack decisions. The Pack Lead and Pack Advisor are a pair of closely bonded wolves - but they are not a breeding pair. Their mate must be an outsider wolf to prevent inbreeding in later generations.

- Pack Advisor: Second in command of the pack, advise the Pack Lead on important decisions and lead the pack in the absence of a Pack Lead. The Pack Lead and Pack Advisor are a pair of closely bonded wolves - but they are not a breeding pair. Their mate must be an outsider wolf to prevent inbreeding in later generations.

- Heirs: Direct descendants of the Founders who are chosen during the last year of the current Pack Lead - Pack Advisor pair's lifetimes to inherit these two titles upon their predecessors' death. As they are set to inherit two titles, Heirs also come in pairs and each Heir must be from a different Line. Heirs must also take outsider wolves as mates so not to muddy the lineage and prevent inbreeding.

- Honoured Ones: Wolves from the Side Branch who has performed an exceptional deed and allowed to join the Main Branch as honorary members.

- Unique Titles: Unique titles might be earned by performing an exceptional feat (i.e. Founder titles are granted to only the two wolves that first formed the pack). These titles cannot be inherited, but some might be re-granted to the wolves that live up to that feat after the predecessor who originally earned that title has passed away.