The question you are probably asking yourself right now is "What is Wolf RP?" Don't be alarmed that you're not familiar with this genre. Even the most experienced roleplayers sometimes have never heard a word about this form of roleplay.
Wolf roleplay is nature-based, realistic, free-form roleplay. I myself have been doing this for nearly seven years, but wolf roleplay has been around far longer than that. No one knows exactly how old wolf RP is or who founded the first pack. It has, however, become increasingly popular over the years. When I first began, there were only a few packs, and now there are far more. The Silver Mists wolfpack and the packs with whom we associate all roleplay on IRC; however, many packs roleplay on online forums such as Yahoo! Groups.
For those of you who have never heard of free-form roleplay, it is very simple. Free-form roleplay means there are no set guidelines as with White Wolf or Dungeons & Dragons, only the laws of nature and each individual pack. Dice may or may not be used, depending on the pack. For the most part, you decide the effects of your own actions and the actions of others.
Some of you may now be wondering "What is mIRC?" mIRC is a chat program that you can download at mIRC.com by clicking "Download mIRC." Install and run the program. Fill out the information when the box pops up. Then, beneath Connect, click "Servers." In the box below "IRC Network" select Sorcery.net, then click connect. Last, type /join #Wolfmist :) If for any reason you need to change your nickname, type /nick newname. There is a tutorial built into mIRC; just click Help! If you need help with Sorcery.net services (ChanServ, NickServ, MemoServ), please vist www.sorcery.net :)
The point of wolf roleplay is to form bonds with others by taking a mate, having pups, finding family members, making friends, and joining or starting a pack then moving up in rank. Wolf roleplay teaches a lot about the behavior of wolves and how they interact with one another and their environment. It also can teach many virtues such as patience, honor, and the value of family. My respect for this noble creature grows each day as I learn more about them and incorporate that into the roleplay. Wolf roleplay is not about violence or politics; it is about joy and love.
Packs consist of two Alphas, generally the founders of the pack, who can be male/male, female/female, or male/female. Beneath them are the Betas, second-in-command, who each can also be male or female. Beneath them are ranked wolves such as Guardians, Hunters, Shaman, Lore Keepers, etc., and ranks differ with each pack. Last come unranked wolves and pups, followed by the Omega, often the newest pack member. Assessments are those who have asked to join the pack who are currently being judged by the pack as to whether or not they are worthy. In most packs, members have Ops (@s by their names) and assessments, pledges, and important guests have Voices (+s by their names).
To join a pack, you simply ask the Alphas to enter assessment. Some packs, like ours, require that you ask for this during a pack meeting. Assessment can last a week to several months, depending on the pack and the wolf. During this time, you will be judged by the pack, and then they will vote to decide if you may join. So long as you are respectful and obey the rules of the pack, you will be allowed to join.
As far as hunting goes, it is very simple. As with anything, you can only do what a wolf can do--and that's a lot! A single wolf can kill an adult caribou alone. Wolves are very strong and are designed by nature to bring down and kill large animals. Hunts are usually led by a Hunter or higher-ranked member. We track the animal by its scent, create a strategy, and then bring it down together. We take no more than we need, which is just enough to keep our cache full. We howl out of respect for the kill, then bring it back to our clearing to eat. Every pack has different rules regarding hunting, so do not hunt in a clearing unless you have read their rules and have permission to do so.
Mating is also very simple. You meet a wolf, get to know them, and then decide you like each other enough to mate. You must ask your Alphas to court, which is very much like dating or being engaged. This can last for two weeks to several months. Then, you will be pronounced mates, and many packs perform mating ceremonies for this occasion. This does not, however, mean that you can breed. You must ask your alphas again before breeding, as there are restrictions in each pack. (And no, we usually do NOT roleplay out the actual mating, but many do roleplay out the birthing.) You will need to find roleplayers to roleplay your newborn cihldren, which can be difficult... but do not give up!
So where are the other packs? There are many besides us, you know. To view a pack's webpage, select the name of the pack in the Links bar. :) Most of the packs are located on Sorcery.net with us, but there are two on other networks. You may also type /join #wolfRP once connected to Sorcery.net to view a list of the packs and the channels in which they roleplay. Be sure to read each pack's website before joining in the roleplay, and always join their OOC rooms for OOC chat!
Good luck! If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask!
- Alicorn, Elder Silver Mist