Wergar and the Grey Wolves of Westland Headcanons
You know, for being the family from which our main character is from, we know nothing about the Wolflords of Westland. The most we get is fragmentary insights into Wergar through other characters.
So, in light of the lack of material within canon material.
Like their eastern kin, the White Wolves of Shadowhaven, the Grey Wolves trace their ancestry back to the Dire Wolves from the Era of the Old Therians. With their ancestral roots originating from north western Sturmland, where Blackbank and Moga are today.
Both the major noble houses Gévaudan of Highcliff and Skoll of Shap & Wilt - along with the minor houses Asena, Pricolici, Fenris, and Grimm - all claim descent from the quasi-historical hero king Lúkos. The Dire Wolf who slayed the Chagoroth the Betrayer, ending the reign of the Dragonlords and marking the beginning of the Age of Brenn 1,000 years ago.
The Grey Wolves specifically claim their descent through Lycon, one of Lúkos's two sons with the bearlady Arktio (Whom in some stories is described as a giantess, a witch or an actual she-bear - specifically in the ones that also describe Lúkos as a actual wolf). This is believed to be the root for the long standing connection between the Grey Wolves and the Bearlords of Brackenholme. As Lúkos and Arctic's other son, Elmensi, is claimed to be the ancestor of the Brown Bears of Brackenholme.
The eldest son of Prince Willem lll of Highcliff and Lady Aisha of Ro-Pasha. A notably scandalous union given Willem was already courting Lady Elise of Highwater, and Aisha was a doglord of the notorious House Simur (even if she was denounced by her family). Many in Highcliff believed that Aisha's marriage into the family would bring misfortune.
Wergar's early childhood didn't elevate those concerns. As he was a little punk of a child. Constantly getting into trouble and causing mayhem. He was stubborn, sarcastic and rarely show respect for anyone who wasn't family. Not the kind of traits that individuals in the court wanted for someone in line for the throne to have.
As he entered his teens, Wergar started amassing a group of friends amongst the lords and ladies of Lyssia around him. His 'pack' if you will, that would later become his Wolf's Council. Of their number included Bergan, Manfred, his future queen Amelie, Mikkel, Baron Griffyn of Windfell, Earl Gaston of Hedgemoor, and Countess Lyra of the Cluster Isles.
His personality also 'somewhat' mellowed out as he became a young man. Becoming more of a romantic, dreaming of glory and fortune of wars long past. The peace his grandmother had won making him restless.
As such, much of his time was spent with his brothers and friends. Venturing across the continent, taking in the sights and spectacles. When the land bored him, he took to the sea. On Lyra's ship, Sosha's Cradle, he claimed to have ventured to Scoria, and even set foot on Bast. This was all before his marriage to Amelie. After that, he remained in Lyssia for the remainder of his life.
Wergar wasn't groomed to be king. Even with Queen Willa getting up in age, Willem was the crown prince, and was expected to have a reign as long as his mother. But, after six months of him taking part in a diplomatic mission to Azra, all that came back was a small box. Overnight, Wergar was now heir apparent and had to be trained to be King asap.
It was discovered early in Wergar's life that he had ríastrad. Also known as 'berserker's madness', it's a chronic condition in some werelords where the line between beast and man is blurred. In turn, making the beast harder to control and start to seep into their 'human' side. Mostly these start physically. In Wergar's case, he had fangs, pointed ears and bright lupine gold eyes at all times.
In his later years his condition started to wear on him mentally. His mind and the beast's slowly becoming one. Among other changes, he became more tribalistic, considering only those within his 'pack' to be worth trusting. He was increasingly protective of his family and friends. The world he knew began to loose its color, reduced to black and white. Friends and foes.
As for his lycanthropy, he never could fully control it while transformed. Only under moonlight could he have a semblance of control. Otherwise, the Wolf attacked like a rabid animal. Friend? Foe? They were all the same. Just meat for the slaughter. Had his condition progressed further, there would've been a point to which Wergar would transform and never return.
After his death, Leopold made sure Wergar’s condition was widely known to the masses. Part of a larger initiative to create propaganda against the Wolves. ‘Wergar the Beast’ became his most recognized title after the Lion took the throne.
Second son of Willem and Aisha, he was everything his elder brother wasn't. Serious, straight-laced, traditionalist, and a real stick in the mud.
Lacking the inherit charm of his brothers — and being the runt of the litter — Wren poured himself into his studies from a young age. Particularly, his skills as a diplomat were where he was gifted.
His predilection for their family’s duty first has caused him to clash with his brothers, especially the more free minded Wergar. Nonetheless, the two of them were still close. With Wren even later serving as his nieces’ and nephews’ primary tutor.
Wren was married to Lady Hana of Redmire, a pair he himself insisted on vehemently. Though no one knew why. She was a second borne of a second borne, expecting little in the way of inheritance. As court rumors went, their marriage was loveless, though a far from cold one. Others still pointed to gossip over Hana’s preferences for women being to blame. In the end though, no one knew why Wren was insistent on their pairing.
Eventually, the two of them would have a child. A little girl named Irma. Though, neither the parents nor their infant daughter would survive long after Leopold took Highcliff. With Wren being burned at the stake alongside his brothers.
Youngest of the wolf princes, Lucian was better known by his epithets of 'The Sea Wolf' and 'The Bear-dog'.
He earned 'The Sea Wolf' from serving on the crew of Countess Lyra, Pirate Queen of the White Sea. Initially joining alongside Wergar when his brother went on his continent spanning journey. Yet, Lucian stayed even after Wergar returned to Highcliff, having found an extended family with the crew of Sosha’s Cradle. He would eventually even become Lyra’s first mate, stealing the title from one Ghul.
As for ‘the Bear-dog’, all one needed to see was Lucian himself to understand the name. He was a giant of a man, nearing eight feet in height. Even when transformed, he resembled a bearlord more than a wolflord. A fact that did ignite court rumors of him being a bastard. Though evidence points to this being unfounded.
Though Lucian never married, there were prevailing beliefs that he had sired children. Such rumors were particularly persistent given his lifestyle. Some even claiming one of Lyra’s own children was his.
His end came when Ghul sacked Cutter’s Cove. While the Kraken killed Lyra, he put the Sea Wolf in chains and carted him to Highcliff. Handing him over to Leopold personally.
Queen Willa, the Warmother
Grandmother of Wergar, and his direct predecessor, Willa served as sovereign of the Seven Realms for nearly seven decades. To some, she was the last great ruler of Lyssia.
Her’s was a firm but fair rule, with particular favor towards the common folk under her protection. Serving first as her people’s protector and servant, and their ruler second.
Alongside her was her husband, Erkin the Red of Shadowhaven, with whom she had Willem, Wergar’s father.
Both Willa and her husband earned their titles during the Outlaw War. A three year long conflict between the Seven Realms and a renegade outlaw nation within the Badlands. Erkin earned his from the color his fur would be after any day of battle, fighting among the front lines. Whereas Willa earned her’s from taking in many children who were orphaned by the conflict.
By the time the war ended, Willa had sheltered 78 children as her own.
Though Willa was fairly tolerant of her grandson’s behavior in his childhood, even she had her limits. Personally ordering one of her Longfangs, Manfred, to watch over the young Prince Wergar.
She passed in her sleep 25 years prior to the start of Wereworld. At which the Realms mourned, for a month straight, the Wolf Queen.
Much of who she was and what she accomplished was scrubbed away after Leopold took the throne. Only thanks to surviving texts in Icegarden, Lake Robben and Brackenholme was her memory preserved.
