Wolfriders

Wolfriders

The Wolfriders are the main company of ElfQuest, a shy and secretive tribe of forest dwellers who have allied themselves with the wolves of the world of Two Moons.

History

The Wolfriders trace their linneage to the High One Timmain. She, in her shapeshifted form, lived and mated with an Abodean wolf, producing Timmorn "Yellow-Eyes" the first chief of the Wolfriders. His ilk became the only mortal Elves; and struggled with the powerful and often opposing internal forces of "Wolfsong" and "Elfsong". Over time, and with the dilution of the original wolf blood his descendents became attune with and a part of the World of Two Moons in a way that no other Elf Tribe had.

The Wolfrider chiefs

The 10 Wolfriders chiefs before Cutter.

• Timmorn Yellow-Eyes†
• Rahnee the She-Wolf†
• Prey-Pacer †
• Two-Spear †
• HuntressSkyfire †
• Freefoot †
• Tanner †
• Goodtree †
• Mantricker †
• Bearclaw † first of all other Wolfriders to make contact and trade with the Trolls of Greymung's Keep
• Cutter called "the Blood of Ten Chiefs", and is first of all other Wolfriders to make contact with other Elf Tribes
• Ember

Culture

Wolfriders are as much lupine as they are Elven. They eat raw meat, sleep during the day, and hunt at night. Howling is used as both ceremonialy, to commemorate the dead, as well as an expression of joy, and a form of communication.

For far longer than Wolfriders can remember wolves have been the elves' most trusted allies.

As children, Wolfriders will call out to a newly born wolf litter, and bond with whichever wolf answers said call. The pair will hunt and howl together, a living reminder of the ancestrial link between wolves and the Wolfriders. The bond remains for the life of the wolf, at which time the Elf will select another "wolf friend". If the Elf is killed first, it is not unusual for the wolf to leave the tribe entirely.

Children are taught to fight and stalk at an early age, and go on their First Hunt when they hit adolescense. Sexual activity begins at this age as well, and Wolfriders often "play at love" with several partners before finding a lovemate.

Though chief's lock - the top knot a cheif wears - has run through Timmorn's biological line, but, following the custom of wolves, leadership can be challenged at any point. If the challenge is serious, the chief and the challenger will have a fight, and the winner will be chief.

The Way

The Way can be described the Wolfrider's way of life. The hunt, the howl, and the "Now" of wolf thought. The Way is living entirely in the present, not dwelling on the sorrows of the past, or the worry of the future. The Way transends pain, loss, and fear, and is a cultural representation of their lupine beginnings. Starting with Chief Huntress Skyfire, The Way also includes living in peace with humans as much as possible.

Present Wolfriders

Father Tree Holt

The original holt of the Wolfriders before being burned down by followers of Gotara.

• Cutter Chief of the Father Tree Holt
• Skywise
• Nightfall
• Redlance
• Strongbow
• Moonshade † the tribe's tanner
• Dart
• Treestump
• Dewshine
• Clearbrook
• One-Eye
• Scouter
• Woodlock
• Rainsong
• Newstar
• Wing
• Pike

Forbidden Grove Holt

Second Holt to the Wolfriders after The First War/Elf-Troll War, during The Seige at Blue Mountain. Located in the Valley of Endless Sleep.

• Cutter Chief of the Forbidden Forest Holt
• Leetah the tribes healer
• Ember
• Suntop
• Skywise
• Nightfall
• Redlance
• Strongbow
• Moonshade
• Treestump
• Clearbrook
• Scouter
• Dewshine
• Windkin
• Pike
• Skot
• Krim

Thorny Mountain Holt

The third Holt to the Wolfriders, located near the Vastdeep Water (Kings of a Broken Wheel). Rayek flew a new tribe in the Palace, an amalgamation of other tribes selected by Timmain, to discover the kin-cry in Suntop's head. Rayek then abandoned the new tribe to reconnect the current Palace with the Palace of the future. In doing this he abducts Leetah, Suntop, Ember, Skywise, Ekuar, and Picknose's daughter Trinket. Leaving Cutter without his family and the Wolfriders to wait 10,000 years for their return. Thorny Mountain Holt begins a new era of the Wolfriders being a conglomeration of other tribes.

• Timmain - High-one in wolf form
• Cutter - Chief Wolfrider
• Moonshade - Tanner of the Wolfriders
• Strongbow - Archer of the Wolfriders
• Treestump - Defender of the Wolfriders
• Clearbrook - Defender of the Wolfriders
• Redlance - Tree-shaper of the Wolfriders
• Nightfall - Defender of the Wolfriders
• Skot - Defender originally of the Go-Backs
• Krim - Defender originally of the Go-Backs
• Pike - Defender of the Wolfriders
• Shenshen - originally of the Sun Village
• Zhantee - Shield magic of the Sun Village
• Trolls: Picknose, Oddbit, Maggoty
• Later joined by:
  • Aroree - originally of the Gliders
  • [Temporarily] Khavi - originally of the Go-Backs
  • Venka
  • [Temporarily] Tyldak - originally of the Gliders
  • Tyleet - born to Redlance and Nightfall

Howling Rock Holt

The splinter tribe of Wolfriders, originally appointed by Cutter as the "Keepers of the Way" during the Shards quest to recover the palace's fragments.

• Ember Chief of the Howling Rock Holt
• Mender healer
• Scouter
• Dewshine
• Tyleet the tribe's tanner
• Pike
• Krim †
• Sust
• Pool
• Freetouch
• Dart

Wolfhaven

The Wolfhaven Holt is a module described in the out-of-print Elfquest RPG.

Module Introduction

"Two-Spear was the fourth leader of the Wolfriders, and the first of the line of Timmorn to look more elf than wolf. Perhaps Two-Spear also lost much of the natural wolf caution.

Some of his tribesmen, including their healer, were slain by humans, causing Two-Spear to develop an unreasoning hatred of the five-fingered murderers. He bravely led the Wolfriders in a series of catastrophic battles againsnt the humans. The Wolfriders killed three humans to one elf, but each elf lost was a defeat for the slow-breeding Wolfriders.

Two-Spear left the tribe and trekked towards Sun-Comes-Up with a half-dozen followers. Several wolves accompanied the exiles, creating a new pack. Two-Spear's Wolfriders established themselves in another forest, separated by broad plains from their former home. They called their new holt Wolfhaven because it gave the Wolfriders refuge from the marauding humans.

Away from the pressures of the war with the humans, Two-Spear suddenly Recognized Moonsilver, one of his followers. Shortly after their lifemating, a son, Sharptongue, was born."

Culture

The Wolfhaven holt is a nomadic group of Wolfriders that are descended through Two-Spear's bloodline. Their numbers range up to the hundreds, and are spread out across the forests that they inhabit. The tribe is divided into individual clans, each of which consists of it's own family group: these clans, similar to the Plainsrunners, only occasionally interact. It is not uncommon for an elf to leave his clan in order to travel as a messenger between it and other, local clans.

Deceased Wolfriders

• Bowki: (presumed deceased) in Sorrow's End. Son of Dart and Serrin.
• One-Eye: killed by a Troll prior to the Elf-Troll War (The First War). Lifemate of Clearbrook, father of Scouter.

• Rainsong: died of old age, in Sorrow's End. Lifemate of Woodlock, sister of Pike, mother of Newstar, Wing, and Mender.
• Skot: Originally a Go-Back; died in a suicide mission saving Treestump and Clearbrook.
• Wing: died of old age, in Sorrow's End.

• Woodlock: died of old age, in Sorrow's End. Lifemate of Rainsong, father of Newstar, Wing and Mender.

Past Wolfriders

• Bearclaw's generation

• Mantricker's generation

• Goodtree's generation

• Tanner's generation

• Freefoot's generation

• Skyfire's generation

• Two-Spear's generation

• Prey-Pacer's generation

• Rahnee's generation

• Timmorn's generation