Essentials

If you are new to roleplaying wolves, you will definitely want to familiarize yourself with the species. WolfCountry.net offers good summaries of all the basics of wolves, including pack dynamics, diet, dens, puppies, and annual cycles. Wolves on 'Souls are more or less wolves in real life. The added human-level intelligence does shake things up a bit, but it's important to remember that wolves are still wolves and many instinctual aspects will remain the same.

Dominant & Submissive Behavior

Roleplaying on 'Souls, you should have a pretty good understanding of how wolves and most other canines behave. In particular, you should understand how to exert dominance and submission. Dominant wolves keep their heads and tails high and their ears erect. They will look directly at other wolves and can intimidate via eye contact. Submissive wolves will hold themselves in pretty much the opposite way -- they keep their heads and tails low and their ears pinned backwards. Eyes will usually be averted from the dominant wolf, often looking towards the ground instead. Relaxed wolves will be somewhere in the middle, with head and tails at a casual, medium height, and ears pointed forward. Wikipedia has a fairly comprehensive section on body language you should try to familiarize yourself with.

Dominant and submissive behavior is instinctive, but as more and more wolves at 'Souls choose to adapt to a more human lifestyle, such formalities may be lessened. Leaders may not require that their subordinates act particularly submissive, preferring they all act like equals. Nevertheless, one should keep in mind that no matter how humanized a wolf becomes, he will still retain the instincts that have been present for thousands of years, and will react accordingly. A surprised and scared wolf will likely act submissive no matter how equal he acts in everyday life.

Behavior in Territories

For ranked wolves on pack territories, your character should act differently depending on his or her rank. An omega is required to be submissive at all times, and an alpha should maintain the appearance of dominance most of the time. Wolves should submit and show respect to anyone ranked above them. Most times, a lowering of the head and a less-than-free tail will suffice, but certain higher-ranked wolves may request more of your character. This is where a lot of the humanized aspects of 'Souls wolves will play in; different characters will have different preferences as to whether they want lower ranked wolves to display a certain degree of submission. If your character is meeting a higher ranked wolf for the first time though, it would be safest to be over-submissive than under-submissive.

Joiners

Unranked wolves seeking to join a pack, or "joiners" as the terminology goes, must be especially careful when attempting to join a pack -- politeness is key, and canines don't adhere to the exact rules of ettiquete as humans do. For more information, see the Joining page.

As a Visitor

When visiting on foreign lands as a ranked wolf of a different pack, respect is key. You may not be required to show the same amount of extreme submission as an unranked wolf, but regardless of your home rank, you are a guest on foreign soil. Trespassing is considered very rude regardless of whether your character is a joiner or a wolf from another pack and should generally be avoided. Specific rules regarding trespassing can be found in section 5 of our Procedures.

Neutral Territory

For unclaimed territories, basically anything goes, unless you encounter a wolf of the same pack, in which case, the same behavior used on the packlands applies.

Hunting

Naturally, wolves hunt to eat. Wolves will typically eat any kind of prey in the area, ranging from buffalo and caribou to rats and mice. Larger prey is generally only hunted in groups. Small prey can be taken down by an individual. Group hunts are a very special occasion for a wolf pack, usually called together by either one of the leader ranks or the pack's designated hunter. Once the hunting party is gathered, they track animals and isolate a good candidate for slaughter. Once this candidate -- usually sick, injured, very old, very young or otherwise vulnerable -- is selected, the hunting party formulates a plan according to their position, the terrain, and the position of their prey. They then act on their plan, and once the animal is surrounded or cornered, take turns slashing and trying to find a good hold on the prey. Wolves' jaws are capable of crushing necks, and throats are also a favorite place to hold. National Geographic has a clip about wolf hunting tactics and the ways they will take down prey.

Common Hunting Patterns

Sounds

• Howl: Wolves howl to communicate across distances. A howl can be used to call a hunt, give news, mourn, express joy, or even mark territory. Generally, only simple messages are carried in a howl, though more complex messages are possible.
• Growl: A growl is usually a noise of dominance, aggression, or annoyance. However, a "happy" growl can express a desire to play and be something akin to a purr.
• Whimper: A whimper is a submissive or placid noise. Wolves also whine and whimper to express joy.
• Yelp: A yelp is a sound of pain or play.
• Bark: Wolves very, very rarely bark. When they do, it is usually for one of two reasons: alarm or play. A wolf will make a soft "woof" sound when s/he is alone and alarmed. A wolf will make a loud barking sound when s/he is in a group and notices danger. Wolves also bark to let the rest of the pack know they wish to play. When wolves bark, they typically do not bark in the repetitive manner of dogs -- puppies are more prone to this behavior than adult wolves.

Though wolves are the dominant species at 'Souls, coyotes, dogs, and hybrids are not uncommon. Other species may have variations of the above sounds or express themselves with sounds unique to them. For example, a coyote's howl is generally higher-pitched and more "whiny" than a wolf's, and the basenji -- a breed of dog -- has a trademark yodel. See the Species Guide for more specific information.