Know Your Bloom
The Blooming Maw marks her children in many ways, and the Path recognizes these gifts in sacred tiers. Each is a step along the spiral of her garden, not a ladder to be climbed.
The Eternal Bloom
"Roots in flesh, flowers in faith."
The Eternal Blooms are the rarest and most sacred wolves, those who have been immortalized through the Preservation Rite. They are revered as saints and direct vessels of the Blooming Maw, living symbols of divine mercy and transformation. Though their bodies never age beyond puppyhood, they possess a unique spiritual maturity and often serve as guiding lights within the pack.
The Eternal Blooms are venerated as miracles and saints, embodying the paradox of innocence and eternal wisdom. Their presence blurs the line between life and death, reminding the sect that the Maw’s love is both monstrous and merciful. They are the heart of their faith and the ultimate testament to the Path of Blooming Bone.
The Ascended
"Bloom until the bone breaks."
The Ascended are the wolves who were born with lethal mutations. Though their time in the physical world is brief, their passage is deeply sacred and celebrated as a vital part of the sect’s spiritual cycle.
The Ascended are revered as holy martyrs, brief but brilliant sparks of divine energy whose sacrifice nourishes the sect’s future. They embody their acceptance of death as part of the sacred cycle of bloom and rot. Their memory is cherished, and their presence continues to influence faith long after their passing.
The Choir of Flesh
"Tongues as petals, throats as roots."
The Choir of Flesh consists of wolves bearing disabled mutations; those whose physical changes might limit mobility, senses, or other functions, but whose spiritual importance is immense. They serve as the oracles, advisors, and ceremonial leaders within the sect.
The Choir of Flesh is revered as the voice and hands of the Maw in the physical realm. Their disabilities are not viewed as weaknesses but as sacred gifts, marking them as closer to the divine mysteries. They are respected, loved, and sometimes feared for their profound connection to the cult’s spiritual heart.
The Glimmermarked
"We shine so the Maw may see."
The Glimmermarked are wolves who bear aesthetic-only mutations, visible changes that are beautiful or striking but do not impair or disable. They are the ritual dancers and sacred breeders, embodying the allure and mystery of the Maw’s gifts. Their presence inspires awe and devotion, and they often serve as cultural icons and symbols of the cult’s divine favor.
The Glimmermarked are celebrated as the shimmering bloom atop the pack, living proof of the Maw’s loving touch. Their beauty and grace are seen as blessings not only for themselves but for the entire sect. They inspire hope and reverence and are often envied for their favor, yet respected deeply for their role in maintaining the cult’s spiritual vitality.
The Rooted
"Roots bind us to the Bloom."
The Rooted are the special bases, wolves who bear rare, non-mutational physical traits that set them apart without overt mutation (e.g., special base colours). They are regarded as the grounded foundation of the sect, steady and reliable caretakers who nurture both the pack and its sacred lineages. Their presence symbolizes stability amid change.
The Rooted are respected as the steady earth beneath the bloom, neither the rarest nor the most ostentatious, but vital for the cult’s survival and growth. They embody balance and nurturance, a reminder that even the divine must be grounded in the tangible world. They are often trusted with crucial pack matters and are regarded as the backbone of the Path of Blooming Bone.
The Beast-Bound
"Beast’s blood, wolf’s heart."
The Beast-Bound are wolves marked by the uncanny, bearing physical markings that originate from other species (Whitetail Spots, Opossum, Vixen Points). Their presence serves as a reminder that the divine touch flows through many forms and that the Maw’s influence transcends natural boundaries.
Titles of the Markings
- Kiss of the Ash-Fox
- Bloom of the Frost-Deer
- Mask of the Carrion-Sleeper
The Beast-Bound are respected as living bridges between the wolf and the other spirits of nature, honoured for their unique appearance and their role in sustaining the pack’s spiritual and physical boundaries. While their gifts are more accessible than rare mutations, their sacred connection to the wild is never questioned, and their place in the cult is vital and revered.
The Bearers of the Seed
"We carry the Maw’s tomorrow."
The Bearers of the Seed are the genetic carriers, wolves who carry the potential for divine mutation in their lineage, even if they are untouched themselves. They are seen as the fertile earth seeded with promise, essential to the propagation of the Maw’s blessings. Their bloodlines are guarded and carefully tended, as they hold the key to future blooms.The Bearers of the Seed are respected for their crucial role in the cult’s future.
The Veiled
"In obscurity, we find purpose."
The Veiled are the common wolves of the sect; the unmarked, unmutated, and unexceptional in body, but not in purpose. They make up the majority of the pack and are seen as the fertile earth from which blessings may one day sprout. Though they are not touched directly by the Maw, they are not cast out; instead, they are taught humility and service as virtues, and many aspire to ascend by birthing or nurturing those with divine signs.
Though not elevated, The Veiled are not shamed. They are seen as essential; the untouched canvas upon which the Maw may still choose to paint. Their patience and faith are virtues, and should one of their offspring be born touched, they are celebrated as having been “seen” at last.
The Soilbound
"In quiet, we honor the path."
The Soilbound are Veiled wolves who have proven themselves indispensable to the cult’s continuity and growth. While they lack mutations or divine markings themselves, their unwavering loyalty, care, and humility mark them as vessels of great spiritual significance. They are likened to sacred soil, not yet blooming, but rich with potential and devotion, worthy of cradling the seeds of divine favour.
The Soilbound are respected and sometimes quietly revered, especially by other Veiled wolves who see them as the embodiment of achievable sanctity. Their devotion is considered a quiet miracle in itself, and though they will never ascend in caste, they may be remembered in bone shrines as vital to the cult’s survival.