the wapiti creek dogs have settled in an area known as for what they were named,
wapiti creek.
wapiti creek is a serene area entirely untouched and unknown by man, and the dogs will go to g
eat lengths to protect it from other hostile animals. consisting of hills, valleys, and plains amon
g other features, it is a completely and utterly wild place. all of the dogs in wapiti creek were b
orn there, either in the group or outside of it as loners or travelers. there is no such thing as a “
pet” in wapiti creek, and there never will be. the wapiti creek dogs are always suspicious of ne
wcomers, and they are put into the hlessi ranking - not fully accepted - until it is decided wher
e they fit best. they are only accepted fully into the group after they complete a trial, where t
hey are sent out hunting solo. if prey is caught, they are welcomed, but if no prey is caught, th
en they are cast out and forbidden to return. after completion of the trial, the dog is then “ma
rked”, a wound on their hind leg that, once scarred, marks them as a full member of the group.
despite being suspicious, the group is loyal to the death and abide by strict laws to keep order.
if the laws are disobeyed, they will be executed. the laws are as follows:
1. no dog stands alone/no dog shows cowardice.
2. if a dog is killed, their family will be taken care of.
3. no dog is left for dead.
4. a dog never betrays it’s own.
5. in unity, there is strength.
the dogs of wapiti creek group hold these laws extremely high. to break one is one of the greate
st offenses, and there are no second chances.
the dogs of the wapiti creek group follow three individuals. the god frith represents the sun, wh
ile the black dog of inlé represents the moon. it is believed when a dog dies, if they are noble, t
he black dog of inlé will offer them a place in her owsla. if they are rejected or decline the blac
k dog of inlé’s invitation, it is unsure where they go. it is rumored they are left as wandering sou
ls, to be a hlessi (a homeless dog) forever. although they don’t worship him, el-ahrairah is the p
rince of dogs and the “prince with a thousand enemies”, the champion of the dogs who is highly
respected. more on the mythologies and beliefs can be found in the archive (tba).
the rankings of the wapiti creek group are as follows:
chief dog - the highest ranking in wapiti creek, the chief dog is the leader of the group and their
word is law. at any time, another dog can challenge them for the position, but that is unusual. a
s is custom, rah will always be added onto their name as a suffix to know who is chief dog.
sergeant - the sergeant is second in command to the chief dog, but their rank cannot he challen
ged as they are appointed by the chief dog. when the chief dog is sick or absent the sergeant wi
ll temporarily act as chief dog, but they will not have rah added onto their name. when the chie
f dog dies, unless challenged and the challenger wins the sergeant will take his place.
shaman - the shaman does not hold any power over anyone, but is respected as much as the chi
ef dog and the sergeant, and is in charge of healing when a dog or dogs is sick or wounded. they
are also responsible for the marking after a dog completes the trial successfully. they are also a
member of the wapiti creek council.
captains - captains oversee the owsla, and there are multiple at a time. each captain leads a s
quadron of typically five dogs. there are separate captains for wide patrol and hunting owsla s
quadrons. they report and take orders from the chief dog and sergeant. captains are members
of the wapiti creek council even if they are not a senior owsla.
owsla - there are two owsla, wide patrol and hunters, and both are separate. owsla are divide
d into squadrons of five led by a captain. owsla are not members of the council.
recruits - recruits are dogs who are older than pups but younger than owsla, and as such, they
are trained by the owsla, captains, and rarely unless their numbers are high, the sergeant and
chief dog.
marli - marli are female owsla who are expecting or nursing pups. they are temporarily reliev
ed of their duties until their pups are recruits, and there are no permanent marli.
hlessi - hlessi are dogs who do not yet have a place. the chief dog will decide where they are
best placed.
council members include: chief dog, sergeant, shaman, and captains.
common breeds: any medium-big dogs, such as caucasian shepherd, german shepherd, pitbul
l, ibizan hound, irish wolfhound, etc
not found: breeds such as toy or tiny (chihuahua, corgi, pomeranian, dachshund, etc)