[ ART CREDIT ]
- GARULF -
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The Garulf as a general beast are common knowledge to any familiar with Theodra, but their weaknesses and strengths are not. No one knows the exact curse that causes it, only the origin and their purpose. Some see it as a beast that is relentless, others respect it as a hunter.
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"Known by only the term Garulf, these beings are ferocious hunters that know no difference between mortals and animals; for they are both simply prey. Cursed by the Goddess of the hunter, they are ones who have crossed Theodra and broken her rules. Upon death, the curse transforms them into what is a Garulf over the course of a few months; forcing them to forever abide by Theodra’s laws of the hunt."
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[ Limited to Event Staff ]
H A B I T A T
Garulfs are hunters, and they find themselves often within the wilds of the world. Highlands are more rare, more commonly within the northern reaches and the deepest forests.
P H Y S I O L O G Y
Garulfs are a large canine-like bipedal mammal, with the appearance of a wolf with the shape of an earthspawn. Averaging around the height of nine feet, taller or shorter at times, with toned bodies that weigh well over 225kg. They are terrifying creatures of the hunt, often having lost the mortal they had once become.
Some Garulfs are more mortal than wolf, the curse not having fully taken them over. After death, a glowing silver takes over the pupil of the eyes of the cursed immediately; where they rise up and the transformation begins. The fur grows loosely, and their bodies transform into the wolf they one day become. A painful and slow process, one that destroys the mortal within. Spines twist and grow to their new size, hands growing more into claws. The first part of a mortal to change is the skull, and oftentimes it will always be fully changed; with an elongated snout and sharpened canines. Once the curse has taken hold they are nothing like their mortal selves, unrecognizable even to those who knew them best.
Garulfs forever show their crimes to Theodra upon their body. Glowing silver tattoos cover their arms, legs and backs, marking them for death as ones who have wronged Theodra. Before rising as a Garulf, mortals with this curse bear these tattoos as well; a symbol for all of her faith to hunt them down and let the curse take over. These tattoos are symbols of Theodra herself, such as moons and wolves, surrounded by chains. Some chains are words declaring their sins, but they are distinct in their silver, divine-like, glow.
Diet: Garulfs will hunt any beast that they can, so long as they are hungry. They are carnivorous in all sense, and will refuse any food offered other than ones it has hunted itself. They don’t hunt for sport, and only kill to eat or defend themselves.
Lifespan: Garulfs do not age, for this is their afterlife. They will only die when they have been hunted by a hunter that has earned their kill.
B E H A V I O U R
Garulfs embody two of Theodra’s values in their purest form; resist the temptation to kill without need, and to not sit idle in the face of a threat. The entire world is their prey, but they are not always aggressive. Some stalk their territory, defending it from hunters who would hurt them; others are simply interested in the hunt to honor their goddess.
It is known by any who are faithful to Theodra that to hunt a Garulf is the highest honor. They are true beasts of the hunt, ones who are blessed and cursed with Theodra’s power. Hunt it, put it down, and take its pelt as a trophy of a hunter’s worth.
A B I L I T I E S
With extraordinary strength and speed, and a fair bit better healing than that of a mortal, a Garulf is no easy hunt even for the most experienced of groups. They overpower their foes, taking hits that would otherwise hinder an animal without a second thought, and move at a speed faster than a deer at times. Their strength, both claws and bites, will pierce through the highest quality leather and thinnest metal. They also heal at a rate significantly faster than a mortal, and should they escape from a fight could return in mere days with only a few scratches.
Alongside that, they are cursed by Theodra to harm any who get in their way during their punishment. Should they bite an opponent long enough to sink into their skin, under DM discretion they could be inflicted with a sickness that affects them nearly immediately; causing the veins near the wound to glow a silver similar to that of a Garulf’s tattoo. Over the course of the sickness, these colors spread until they reach the eyes; where their pupils glow a bright silver the same as a Garulfs would. Those afflicted are aggressive, and a need to hunt unlike any natural feeling. Friends and Enemies are only prey to those with this sickness, and they will do whatever they can to feast upon their prey. During this time, they have a heightened smell like that of a wolf, sometimes overwhelming to the point of headaches. This sickness fades away after 48 hours OOC.
In terms of weaknesses, Garulfs are no invincible predator. Their hides are strong, but with enough accuracy and enough coordination a hunting group could take one down. Blooded Silver will also slow down their movements, making them easier to take down as though they were fatigued and slowed by the metal’s connection to their bloodstream.
To remove the curse from a Garulf is an affront to Theodra, and any who respects her ways would know doing so might anger her. But it isn’t necessarily impossible, and should a party choose to attempt to do so it will be handled on a case-by-case basis with their DM. How does one remove the curse of a Goddess?
W E A K N E S S E S
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Y I E L D S
[Garulf Pelt] The pelt of a Garulf is the reward for the best hunters in the world, an honor granted by Theodra for slaying one who crossed them. The pelt grants its wearer the senses and smells of a wolf, giving them the ability to track their prey on a trail that would previously have been considered cold. So long as they have an initial trail or item to begin with, they can take a fresh scent of the recent few hours or more and follow it. Once removed from a killed Garulf, the pelt loses its tattoos.
Rarity: 4
Masterwork Effect: If a fresh Garulf hide is turned into a masterwork level craft, it will protect its wearer through the lingering influence of Theodra. When the wearer of the hide is being stalked, looked at, or otherwise threatened, the hide will twitch and alert its weather with a subtle nudge. It has no capability of giving a direction, but a warning nonetheless. Hunters are known to wear these hides as a ward against predators during their hunts, and wear them proudly as a trophy at other times.
Original Writeup: Cap
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