Welcome to Tomerong, WA
Do you like camels, rain on corrugated iron, cattle, native vegetables, spinifex, freezing nights and blistering days, termites, giant sand snakes, howling at the moon, fighting to control your inner beast .... and some general Ozploitation?
Well this is one big fat WIP, but here's the basics.
What do we got:
- A remote werewolf (and other were-creature) community in an outback hideaway, self-reliant where possible. Inspiration includes Broken Hill and the Pilbara region (yes, opposite ends of the continent, I know).
- Set in an alternative version of Australia; we can make our own history where we like, but the majority of things are grounded in our reality. There will be other mythical beings however (witches, vampires, etc).
- A mix-mash of biological rules thrown together from my basic understanding of werewolf-horror-movies, the Mercy Thompson series and Werewolf: The Apocalypse
- A rival pack and a bloody internal history that may have recently come to a head
- A local town where few know our truth, and we want to keep it that way
- Abandoned iron mines, should one care to find them. Full of deadly drops and tunnels to who knows where
So, the werewolves:
- Sparklewolves and unnatural colours absolutely allowed
- Other species allowed; current rules in mind would be a limit to just canines, maybe extended to just carnivores if anyone wants to bring something different in
- Have a place and reason for being in Aus; the original spread of lycanthropy came from an English colonist who worked as an officer. From there it maintained a small bloodline, but the majority of the population now come from immigration and any subsequent attacks
- People can be turned only via a severe mauling that leaves them on the brink of death. For some, it wouldn't work and they would just die regardless. Many do not survive the process and die from the wounds
- Typically are gifted with increased strength, endurance and a keen sense of smell even in human form. The latter makes it very hard to lie to a werewolf unless one is well practised at it. Generally, packs are very upfront about things as a result
- Have a doubled lifespan from the moment of turning, and age half as fast as a result
- Can shift at will, but the process takes a while and is more painful the less often you shift. All feel an animalistic urge to shift during the full moon, but can struggle against their instincts to not do so...which few succeed at
- With time and alignment with one's 'inner beast', it is possible to have complete sentience and a human level of understanding while shifted. Most adults with some decades under their belt have reached this, but emotional turmoil makes it difficult for anybody.
- Can shift into a bipedal and quadrupedal form; the bipedal form is harder to shift to and takes a decent level of control to attain
- It is possible to maintain a pregnancy and successfully have children as a werewolf; children with one werewolf parent may be born completely human. Many experience fertility issues however.
- Those who are born werewolf instead of being turned typically have a high level of control from birth and are preternaturally in tune with their wolf
- Typically feel a need to live in a pack and within an understandable hierarchy; lack of either can cause significant anxiety and discomfort.
The pack itself is not fully thought out yet, and that's where I'd most like input!
The current concept is- a pack that has recently undergone a huge change and an overthrowing of the old leader that resulted in a catastrophic fight and some casualties. The new leader (marrok), Desoto, is inexperienced and unsure behind a confident facade. The old ways were archaic and cruel- it's time for a change.
The pack functions almost as a retreat and rehab of sorts. Total isolation from humanity is the goal most of the time, aside from the occasional trip into the nearest town via the single beatup land rover the pack owns. The town, and the whole country, are mostly unaware of the presence of werewolves save for a few who are in on it. One or two such people live in town, and may be useful later on.
To maintain this secrecy, it is generally expected that the pack only shift at night or close to home. The heat of the day can also make staying in wolf form very unpleasant!
The territory the pack maintains is widespread and patrolled. There is a small herd of cattle they keep for emergency food, but typical food is feral camel and other creatures caught on the hunt. There is also a small farm for growing native vegetables such as native yams, quandongs and youlks. All are expected to pull their weight in maintaining the property.
'Home' is a large old farmhouse, part weatherboard and corrugated iron. Its very modest and has little in the way of technology, but houses the pack comfortably. There are bedrooms, but few are assigned to individuals, as most of the pack tend to form cuddle piles for a comfortable sleep.
There maybe/will be a few NPCs for anyone to control as desired