☽︎ The Vykrest ☾

The people of Vykrest are a very reserved bunch who tend to stick to their own kin and enjoy being self-sufficient as much as possible. Their communities are usually very closed, with many of their cities being entirely restricted only to their own kind.

☽︎ Physical Traits ☾

The Vykrest -- known as Vykrest wolfhounds when referring to species -- are considered a type of sighthound. Typical Vykrest wolfhounds usually have a tall, slender build. Their snouts are rather long and narrow, often pointy. Their ears -- one of their most remarkable features -- are very large and often have a bit of a curve to them. They are placed quite far back on the head and typically point backwards when relaxed.

A range of Vykrest face shapes.

The body of an average Vykrest is typically quite well adapted to running on four legs, a quality which is not exactly unique to them but is more prominent on them due to how their culture emphasizes it. Their tails are usually very long and thin, sometimes moving in a more cat-like way than canine.

☽ Family Packs ☾

The vykrest have a very high chance to give birth to a pair of pups, and when their first birth isn't double, they often have another child as soon as possible. Siblings of similar age are very important to the Vykrest because they believe a child should have all their needs met at home, including the need for someone to play with them on the same level. They're raised to trust each other above anyone else, making their siblings a Vykrest's best friends when they're children. They will typically stick to their pack, having very little interest in anyone outside of it, until they are old enough to leave home and start a new pack on their own.

They will usually spend a long time getting to know someone before they can consider that person truly a friend. Given enough time, some friendships become similar to what they felt for their siblings -- something that they call a lokfen.

☽︎ Culture ☾

Music plays a very important part in Vykrest culture. Talk about hunting and music.

☽︎ Vocabulary ☾

Although the Vykrest don't have an entire language of their own, they use several words that are unique to their people. Here are some of them and their meanings:

Arkaven - An ancient tree, typically one that has some significance to the place where it grows and is considered a guardian.

Fenrest - word for a city that isn't restricted to Vykrest-only. Used in names, like for example, someone born in Luno-Vyke (a fenrest city) will have "fer Luno-Vyke-Fenrest" in their name.

Fer - From, as in from a place, usually used only for names. Also added to the end of a place name as an adjective for something from that place, like for example Vykrestfer.

Ferkalp - walking or running with feet and hands, on "all fours". Elsewhere known as "feran stance".

Hark - a greeting used for strangers and acquaintances.

Howlark - a form of singing which combines howls and barks.

Kath - a pack. There are specific words for different types of packs.

Lokfen - a friend with whom one is bonded with like family.

Vall - a hunting ground, enclosed and maintained for vyhare and vycervus hunting.

Vycervus - a magiform species of deer with wolf teeth.

Vyhare - a magiform species of dog-sized rabbit with wolf teeth.

Vyrakalla - a song written for a family member marking a special occasion.

Wynding - the process of a youngling of detaching from their family pack. Can be used in verb form, to wynd.

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