Feralthane: The Wildbound
“We do not transform. We return.”
Overview
The Feralthane are Mythborn beings whose ancestry is not traced to a single origin race, but to a sacred merging—of mortal and beast, of instinct and soul, of blood and the will of the wild. Where others speak of bloodlines and lineages, the Feralthane speak of awakening. They are the ones who shift.
Commonly called Shifters by the wider world, the Feralthane are bound to the primal rhythm of nature. Some say their kind was born when the Moon Goddess or Namsae herself reached into the world and wove together hunter and hunted, human and wolf, heart and claw.
Not every shifter is Feralthane—but all true Feralthane carry the ancient mark of wild legacy.
Physical Traits
- Eyes: Reflective, animalistic, often glowing faintly at night; gold, amber, ice-blue, or feral green.
- Build: Muscular or lithe depending on beastline; all possess agility and core strength.
- Features: Claws, fangs, heightened scent and hearing; even in humanoid form they move with predatory grace.
- Aura: Most mortals feel uneasy around them—sensing something untamed just beneath the skin.
In hybrid form, features become exaggerated: digitigrade legs, fur patches, sharpened jaws, tails, or partial wings, depending on the beastline.
Beastlines
Each Feralthane is tied to a Totemic Line—a beast-spirit that shapes their magic, instincts, and transformation.
- Luphari – Wolfborn. Loyal, social, and strategic.
- Ursari – Bearborn. Massive, protective, devastating in rage.
- Felari – Catborn. Stealthy, prideful, precise.
- Serpari – Serpentborn. Elusive, calculating, venomous.
- Avarari – Birdborn. Sky-walking, keen-eyed, prophetic.
- Others – Some rare lines include stag, boar, fox, badger, or mythical beasts.
Culture
Feralthane culture varies greatly by tribe or lineage, but they share a few sacred truths:
- The beast is not a curse. It is a reflection.
- Instinct is sacred. They trust gut and dream before logic.
- The Pack is life. Even loners feel a pull toward kin.
- Shifting is spiritual. The first transformation is often seen as a rite of passage—a vision, a trial, a second birth.
They gather in secret groves, sacred stone circles, deep woods, or high cliffs. Howling, duels, dances, and vision-quests are central to many rituals.
Abilities
- Shifting – Transform into a hybrid or full beast form. Painful at first, graceful with mastery.
- Feral Surge – Momentary bursts of speed, strength, or resilience in times of stress.
- Beastcall – Communicate with or command animals of their totemic kin.
- Blood Memory – Tap into ancestral instinct or memory of their line.
- Ashlink (rare) – A psychic bond between twin Feralthane or soul-bound kin.
Role in the World
- Wilderness Guardians: Defenders of sacred natural spaces.
- Trackers & Hunters: Their senses and shifting make them unrivaled scouts.
- Outcasts & Legends: Feared in cities, worshipped in wild regions.
- Prophecy Fulfillers: Some are born under eclipses or comets, believed to herald great change.
Relationships
- With Mortals: Varied. Some serve tribes or villages; others are hunted or shunned.
- With Druids/Verdantblood: Often allied. Both understand instinct and the sacred wild.
- With Noctari: Deep enmity. Feralthane magic resists corruption, and their senses often expose hidden vampires.
- With Seers: Warily respectful. Seers often interpret Feralthane dreams or test them in trials.
Lore & Legacy
- It is said the first Feralthane was born from a pact between a dying warrior and a wolf-spirit.
- Some Feralthane can resist transformation until death, only to awaken post-mortem as pure beast.
- Ancient cave paintings in Ironspire’s underwild show hybrid beings long before recorded history.
See also: Shifters (Common term), Totem Beasts, Namsae, Verdantblood, Noctari, Ashlink