Name: VarlwulfBiology: Varlwulf are great canine beasts built for the frigid colds of the most hostile worlds. Subsisting on a mostly carnivorous diet the voracious beasts form large pack families raising their litters communally when not domesticated. From birth they can weight as little as eight ounces, making them roughly the same size as a human newborn, this similarity ends as by one year of age they are roughly three feet long two and a half feet tall and weight over one hundred pounds. Adulthood varies but the average is around three years of age where the adult will be five feet high and six feet long weighing roughly two hundred to two hundred and fifty pounds.
Four massive sharp teeth make up the forefront of their snarl. These teeth are the only ones that are with them for life as the rest rotate out regrowing so long as the beast chews many bones or gains calcium from other sources. It's stomach is strong being able to gain nutrition from the measliest of meals by slowing down or speeding up digestion based on the leanness of the hunting season.
It's four paws are roughly the size of an adult males hand. Each comes with five sharp claws that grow for the entirety of it's life kept down to size by regular use. The claws are sharp enough to rend the bare flesh of even the hardiest beasts, but would break quiet easily when faced with solid stone, metal, or armor.
Their coats of thick fur are legendarily soft and their hollow nature causes them to flick off dampness of rain and snow from their keen eyes and steadfast paws. They shed regularly depending on the temperature so a Varlwulf brought into a warmer environment could shed pounds of fur very quickly.
Subspecies: Domestic Varlwulf - Notably smaller than their wild kin by about half a foot, Domestic Varlwulf have a more even temperament, a notably weaker sense of smell, and are in general less violent.
Sentience: While not self aware, Varlwulfs have a keen sense of family and will come to the aid of their pack mates physically and emotionally. They have been observed grieving their dead, often not leaving the site of a dead packmate for several days before moving on. When paired with a sentient from birth the Varlwulf can gain a keen sense of loyalty to their master and with proper training reveal quite a lot of latent intelligence.
Breeding: Varlwulf breed through sexual intercourse. Males and female pair off based on a menagerie of criteria usually involving a warm climate and full bellies. After coupling, the female will recuse herself to a den for one year in which she will fall into a near vegetative sleep. Ever loyal, the male of the pair will hunt and gather food bringing it to the female who will wake to eat it. Litters are born a dozen at a time and will quickly learn from their parents through observation as well as trial and error.
Weaknesses:Varlwulf are pack creatures and if one in the pack is trapped others will try to aid it. This allows hunters and breeders to capture entire packs at once. As the breeding cycle takes a year, any number of factors can lead to failure. If the female grows close to starving the pregnancy will terminate, this happens during especially lean seasons or the unfortunate death of the male.
Varlwulfs can be tricked with false scents of meat and certain noises imitating wounded prey. This can be used to lead them toward you or away from you depending on your intent. Finally their fur coat is too thick for them to live comfortably on any truly hot world, often they will die of dehydration within forty eight hours of being exposed to higher temperature than 45 degree Celsius.
Strengths: Strengths is in the pack. Individuals can be strong, weak, or average, but the pack is strong. Through communication and dogged pursuit of their prey a strong enough pack can take down the toughest foes.
Adaptability over time has made the Varlwulf a master of the ice and tundra. Thick fur provides warmth in the coldest environments. It wicks away the melting ice from its eyes and its ears and nose are specially equipped to listen for prey in the thickest of blizzards.
Domesticated, a Varlwulf's strength is in its loyalty. Trainable in war and protection the beasts will fight to their last breath for their master. They require only the basest food and water to earn their loyalty and they will not easily forget it.
Diet: Varlwulf eat meat. Whatever kind of creature is made of meat they will hunt it without discretion. Sentient, non sentient, it does not matter to the pack through they will seek the easier meal with the bigger payoff so hunting sentients is often an act of a desperate Varlwulf. Once their prey is killed they will eat every part of it including the bones. All that remains of a Varlwulf kill is a stain of blood and even that is lapped up mostly.
Behavior/Temperament: A wild Varlwulf is violent. If they see something near their food they attack, something that could be food they attack, something that might be something they attack. Often the Varlwulf are only calm when eating and even then they take turns to ensure someone is looking out for them as they dine.
A tame Varlwulf is a different story and often comes down to how well fed it is and how well trained it is. The variance is also made larger by the specialization of the beast. A War hound will be more violent than a guard hound and a domestic beast will often be quiet friendly. It's difficult to tell the nature of the beast so its important to ask the owner if you can pet it. Hands have been lost for less.
Communication: Through chuffs and grunts Varlwulfs can communicate a surprisingly complicated amount of moods and feelings. Howling is used for long range communication to regather the pack or summon others to a meal. Urine is also used effectively to communicate territory to other packs.
Culture: No culture beyond simple hunter pack mentality.
History: Varlwulf evolved on Deucalia. As the planet grew gradually colder the beast adapted, but ultimately the planet became even more deadly than the beast. Luckily some where domesticated and others captured by the fleeing Deucalians who took them with them on their journeys to be used as hunting pets, guards, war hounds, fur, and sometimes food. Those not eaten flourished and while some escaped others became full bred and domesticated for various tasks.
Planet: Native to Deucalia, however as the planet died they were brought along by Deucalians. Through a series of abandonment and missteps the wolves can now be found on many worlds in the galaxy, notably wild packs were seen on Hoth and Ando Prime
Technology: They are dogs without thumbs. No tech
Intent: I like big doggos and I cannot lie. I'm bringing them back to this TL as they survived with their Deucalian masters both in their settlement and spread in packs across the stars.
