First book is over, but the story isn't and while you wait, I have a little something for you, which will become useful especially as we head into the second part of the story - a little breakdown of various terms. There are many werewolf themed books out there and every author works with the lore slightly differently. I am no exception to this, so I figured I will create a vocabulary which should help expand the story just a bit more. I'm also adding a map of the World where our heroes live. And lastly, at the very end of this update, there is some info regarding book 2 so definitely check it out!
Summerlands:
Population: Summerlands population consists of humans and inhumans alike. While the majority of settlements are human, you could encounter witches, fairies, werewolves and an occasional mermaid if you are visiting Southern or Southeastern shores. That's because the continent was originally home to inhumans first, specifically Elves - now extinct ancient race and ancestors to fairies and vampires. It was only in recent millenia that humans took over, creating a majority on the peaceful continent.
Werewolves: There are roughly 3000 werewolves living in Summerlands at the time of our story start. Vast majority of them resides in the town of Moonvalley, a mountain locked picturesque town in central Summerlands where sun rarely goes down and its residents get to enjoy beautiful warm weather all year long. Local woods are perfect to let their wolf souls run free in the wild, that is if they manage to summon their wolf part at all.
Under an old peace treaty, Southern werewolves suppressed their predatory nature, therefore they lost many abilities which came with their heritage. They grow to the usual heights of regular humans, cannot control their shifts (some never shift at all), and their senses are slightly better than humans. They are naturally talented hunters.
Alpha: This is a hereditary title which was passed down from generation to generation all the way from the original ancestor Alexander who brought a group of werewolves from Winterlands and settled in Moonvalley. To challenge the Alpha and his authority is considered the ultimate treason and is punishable by death or by exile. In the werewolf society of Summerlands, this is considered the worst possible crime.
Mate: Werewolves have naturally longer lifespans than humans with an average of 140 years. This means they often take a while to find their destined mate, a soulmate whom they are meant to be with for the rest of their life. While it is a special occasion when a mate is found, if the werewolf already has someone else they care about, they often end up formally rejecting their true mate, choosing someone else instead. For this reason, finding true mates being with each other is very rare in the South.
Religion and holidays: In widely pagan society, Moon Goddess is the one werewolves mainly pray to, if they pray at all. Given that Southern wolves have never actually even seen the moon, religion isn't a priority for them and they keep holidays mainly for social purposes. Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice are the main annual celebrations with festivals, gift giving and charm carving.
Hunting: Werewolves are predators by nature. That said Southern werewolves are a peaceful nation, hunting only during dedicated season and even then only a selected group of most skilled men with the best control of their wolves is allowed. The human and wolf side are firmly separated in their minds as well.
Winterlands:
Population: Winterlands is a home to werewolves, with only a small population of humans of werewolf origin and a few witches. The cruel and unforgiving land is practically always shrouded in darkness and freezing cold of never ending night, local settlements locked in land by giant ancient mountains which likely hide remnants of long lost Dark Elven cities and Dragon lairs. This frozen werewolf kingdom is separated from Summerlands only by Frozen Wastes, an empty stretch of land which consists half of just frozen sea and not actual land.
Werewolves: They are the main residents of this place and they run it with a firm hand. Nation of brutal warriors, Northern werewolves are known to be dangerous and likely managed to keep everyone away from their shores not only because of the inhospitality of the continent, but also due to their nature. Roughly half of the werewolf population consists of rogues, who roam the roads and mountains, scavenging and hunting for anything and anyone to eat including their own, answering to no laws but those of nature around them.
The rest live in towns and cities which are built like fortresses and don't allow strangers. This is likely one of the reasons there is a vast difference between small towns on the Frozen Wastes border and towns which surround the capital city. Midnight City, the capital, is a modern wonder with advanced technology and modern buildings surrounded by obsidian mountains and protected by ancient magic, while towns like Duskfall live more simply with barely any technology at all.
Pack/Clan: Packs are the most common amongst werewolves of the North. They can vary in sizes but they are bound by blood oath which allows them to communicate using their minds and makes them more effective in battle. Clans are a significantly rarer option, where the group is formed only by members of one specific family. There are very few clans left and they all fall under status of werewolf high class/royalty. Two most famous clans are Silverstar and Delila which have a feud between them spanning millenia.
Packless vs Rogue: While nearly half the population of Winterlands are rogues, it doesn't necessarily mean they are packless. Just like being packless doesn't mean one is a rogue. But what does it mean? Being packless is a choice. This is a common trend mainly with young werewolves living in towns and cities when they grow of age, they choose not to swear the blood oath to their pack and instead live on their own until they find a pack they like, if any at all. Rogues don't have such a choice as they are born into it and unless they join the military (or gain their status illegally much like Nolan or Connor did), they can never escape and are bound to roam the Winterlands wilderness, sleep in caves and fight every day to survive. Some rogues form packs, but those are rarely successful. They are feral and many of them forget their human forms.
Life in settlements: Northern settlements are very closed off and strangers are not welcome. Because of this, residents usually carry a specifically scented tattoo which gives them the ability to leave and enter as well as actually stay. Tattoos are big part of werewolf culture as many use them to mark their life journey on their bodies as well as to create protective charms or to worship their gods.
Alpha: Unlike in the South, Northern alphas have to fight for their title. To lead the pack one must be the strongest one standing and only then the rest will bow. Fight chain is very important in werewolf society as werewolves gain a unique power by winning over others. This power gives them rank. And with high ranks comes the ability to make those less ranked listen. This is why Alphas have to fight to become one.
Mate: Mates are sacred in Northern culture. There is no such thing as rejection or having someone else. Having a mate is considered the biggest blessing from the Goddess and to deny them or lose them is great offense. The mate bond allows the couple to share emotions and communicate that way. It also allows them to make each other stronger and share rank. If a werewolf dies and leaves their mate behind, it will cause them unbearable agony which will eventually drive them mad.
Religion and Holidays: Northern society takes its gods very seriously, especially the moon goddess. They frequently leave offerings, participate in sacred rituals and organize celebrations. Each settlement has a high priestess. The main holidays in the North are All Souls which is designed to celebrate the dead and Winter Solstice on which everyone is equal. Given they are a warrior nation, Northerners celebrate their dead, not mourn them. They also don't bury, but burn them as in the frozen ground no graves could be dug up.
Hunting: Northern werewolves are natural predators. They live for the thrill of battle and hunt. Death is a daily occurence in their lives. They grow taller than any other inhuman race, their minds perfectly connected half human and half wolf, they have higher body heat to withstand the freezing temperatures and extremely sensitive senses which allow them to expertly track their prey. They train since they are children to shift on command, fully or partially. They learn to fight in an early age.
Here is the map of the World, most of which we won't visit just yet, but there will be time for it in book 3.
Here is the map with two trails added. White line for Freya's journey from Moonvalley to Duskfall, Pink/red line is the journey our group made from Duskfall to Midnight City.
Now for the big news you are waiting for! Book 2 is coming soon! The name of the book is Children of Sun and Peace. It will be longer than Children of Night and Snow and I'm very excited to start posting it the moment I finish writing it!
So, what do we know so far? Well, firstly there is a time skip between the two. When we reunite with Freya and the rest of her group of misfits, nearly two years have passed since they moved to Midnight City. The book will also no longer be in first pov, instead we will see chapters from different povs. You will get Freya's pov or course, but there will be others including Azazeal or Nolan. We will also revisit some of the characters we've seemingly left behind!
Children of Sun and Peace is coming in January 2022! (But keep an eye out on prologue around Christmas 😉)