the Volkavs of Vozhyveld
The Volkavs of Vozhyveld are a sect of animist, shapeshifting priests who revere the bear and wolf above other animals, claiming their people are descended from both. The northern branch of the people came from the bears, it is said, while those they merged with, from the east, descended from a celestial blue wolf. Like the people of Parria, they revere their ancestors, and burn their dead, but unlike them, they rely on the living spirits of the world around them for their magic, not the aid of their honored forebears.
In addition to shapeshifting, primarily into the animal forms of the Virtues (especially wolf and bear) , the Volkavs command the magic of the natural world: animals as companions, green growing things, wind and rain. They read omens in nature, and use magic and herbal potions to heal the sick. Some might even be able to summon earthquakes or ask the ground to swallow a foe.
While they do recognize the Seven Virtues, they associate them each with an animal spirit and call them by that name.
The Animal spirits and their associated virtue:
Bear - Fortitude
Wolf – Loyalty
Eagle - Justice
Seal - Faith
Horse - Temperance
Fox - Prudence
Mouse - Hope
