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The Howlers are a remnant of the ancient Trogenvargs. It is suspected that while some packs traveled south, where they came into conflict with the ancient vampire-gods, that a few packs ventured northward and eventually made their way through Greenland and onto the North American continent. Some scholars suspect that the fate of the Viking colonies in Nova Scotia were the responsibility of the Vargs who had migrated there in earlier centuries. One's traditional prey comes as a tasty treat after generations of deprivation.
Most of today's packs of Vargs remain in the world's arctic regions, although they are by far most numerous, if their small numbers can be called such, in North America. The Vargs can now be categorized into two main tribes, the ones that stayed and were nearly hunted into extinction, and the ones that colonized North America. All of the Vargs share the same appearance and features, but the two tribes have each developed their own distinct cultures in response to their environments.
Vargs in their native wolf form are very large wolves, between 200 and 400 pounds, with white coats, blue eyes and short muzzles. In human form they appear as unusually tall and muscular humans. Vargs are also able to assume a transitional bipedal wolf form in which they have all the traditional weapons of the wolf form, with the additional benefit of articulated hands and an upright stance.
The culture of the Vargs of the Siberian tundra and the far northern reaches of Western Europe is a very insular one. Having been the victims of systematic extermination has made them very suspicious and aggressive towards other creatures, especially vampires. These Vargs cling to the old ways and live as they did centuries ago, as feral hunters. Their warrior-based culture impels young males to venture beyond the tribal territories to prove themselves in the hunt, but even with those forays, encounters are rare and usually undocumented. Little is known about these descendants of the Vargs.
The Vargs of North America differ greatly from their old world cousins. They are also a close-knit society suspicious of outsiders, but having avoided centuries of genocide, they are far less fearful of other creatures. The defining trait of the North American Varg is a steely gaze, utterly confident in their ability to crush and destroy anything in their way.
Of the several sub-tribes within North America, the most powerful and numerous are the Howlers. Over half of the Varg packs of North America are Howlers by birth or alliance. The tribe consists of a loosely affiliated collection of packs. Each pack consists of up to a dozen individuals led by a strong alpha male. Each pack ranges over several hundred miles, although they usually only claim forested or wild areas as their official territory. Periodically the packs congregate for large tribal gatherings where their complex and ever changing hierarchies of rank are worked out and bonds of kinship and alliance are reaffirmed. Issues of importance to the tribe as a whole are discussed and ruled on by a council of the strongest packleaders. The word of the council is strictly adhered to by all the tribe. The Howlers adhere religiously to the rules of their strict social hierarchy.
The White Howlers believe themselves to be the purest of the Werekind and to be the true descendants of Loki's first children. They view all other Werekind as half-breeds, having mingled their blood with wolves and humans, and see themselves as the most superior beings on the planet. They are very intolerant towards the practice of the lesser werewolves of involving themselves in human and vampire society. In general, they distance themselves from the cities and isolate themselves in rural areas having little to do with other packs and the societies of other supernatural beings. They are rarely seen by other Werekind and are practically regarded as a myth by vampires. Nonetheless, they are still very much feared by both groups. The ancient tales of Varg prowess have not been forgotten. Vampires and even other werewolves speak of them in hushed, fearful tones. Though they are rarely encountered, they do sometimes make an appearance in the shadowed alleyways of supernatural society. Usually leaving a swath of destruction in their wake. When a White Howler is spotted outside of their own territory, it usually means something big is about to go down and inspires wide-spread panic among both Werekind and Bloodkin.
How other tribes view the Howlers...
They're arrogant, elitist, bigoted and violent. They are definitely not *nice* werewolves. But they're not "evil" in the same way vampires are to most werewolves. They're selfish and intolerant, like vampires, but they are not totally lacking in regard for the well-being of other, "lesser" creatures. They are diligent protectors of wildlife and the environment, even more so than most tribes. Their methods are more extreme than most Werekind feel are justified. Whereas most of the modern tribes try to work with the humans, work around the vampires, and maintain a low profile, the Howlers handle most problems like a military operation and maintain secrecy by killing the witnesses, figuring that they were probably involved anyway.
In theory, the goals of the Howlers are "good" ones. Preserving the wilderness, protecting wildlife from human incursions, searching out and destroying polluters and rapers of the environment. All good. It's their single-minded pursuit of their goals and their favored methods for dealing with problems that make them unsavory.
Many werewolves admire the Howlers because they are unfettered by diplomacy and compromise. Many werewolves also hate the vampires as much as the Howlers do. And there are also many who do not admire them or agree with their attitudes or methods.
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