Lycaon, King of Arcadia, had a beautiful wife and two sons. Not knowing his wife was of the Apollite people (cursed by Apollo), he watched helplessly as she died horribly at the age of twenty-seven. Realizing his sons would meet the same fate, he attempted to circumvent the curse. Gathering as many Apollites as he could find, he began using arcane magic to change the people, trying to find a way to fool the gods.
Using these magicks, King Lycaon began splicing the essence of the Apollites with that of predatory animals, creating the first Were-Hunters. His experiments succeeded in circumventing the curse. Instead of living only twenty-seven years, they now lived for close to a thousand. Choosing the most powerful of the animals on which he had experimented, King Lycaon blended his sons with a dragon and a wolf.
For defying the will of a god, the Fates demanded that Lycaon kill his sons as punishment. When he refused, the Fates cursed the new race saying, "They will spend eternity hating and fighting until the day when the last of them breathes no more."
Whenever Lycaon blended an Apollite with an animal, he ended up with two new separate beings: one with an animal's heart and one with a human's. Thus the Katagaria and the Arcadians came to be.
Those directly descended from King Lycaon took the surname of Kattalakis.
The Katagaria are the animal-hearted Weres. Born as an animal, they can only become human at puberty when their magical powers are "unlocked." The Katagaria are very mistrustful of the Arcadians, because they believe humans are often deceptive. Katagaria follow the law of kill or be killed, preferring to attack when they feel threatened as opposed to waiting to be attacked themselves. The Katagaria only kill to defend themselves, their pack, or their territory.
The Katagarian Strati are a sort of soldier that seek out Rogue Arcadians, but will not engage an enemy unprovoked. On the other hand, there are some Katagaria who are unable to reign in the hedonistic impulses of their animal soul and succumb to maddness. These Katagaria are referred to as Slayers.
It is a common Katagarian tradition to mount their first kill on the wall of their home. It is also polite to refer to the Katagaria by their animal selves, though referring to them by the term Were is extremely insulting.
The Arcadians are the human-hearted Weres, born as humans and can only become animals and harness their magical powers at puberty. The Arcadians feel that the Katagaria need to be closely monitored and controlled as to prevent them from being emotionless animals capable of killing without reason.
Arcadian soldiers, Sentinals, usually travel in groups of four, and make it their main duty to track and kill Slayers. Only a few Sentinals are born to each patria and they are chosen by the Fates. Sentinals can be recognized by a geometric design covering one side of their face. The design is a birthmark that appears at maturity, though most prefer to use their powers to hide them.
Mating is a serious affair in the Were-world. Mating is not just sex: it is the discovery of a soul mate. That soul mate is one chosen by the fates. As many animals mate for life, the prospect of finding a soul mate for most Weres is as natural as breathing.
For some species, mating involves a hunt or chase. For, the female must have reached maturity and be ready to receive the male. For some, it is just the divining of the proper pheromones. Than all of this animal instinct has to be weighed against the two Weres as humans, with all the pain and emotional baggage that goes with that.
Once the soul mates have discovered each other, beautiful Greek scroll-markings burn themselves into the palms of the male and female after they have sex. The markings mirror each other exactly, showing parental lineage and the ancient cipher can only be read by another Were. It looks a bit like a delicately detailed henna tattoo.
While they bear the mark, the couple must be careful as each will carry the scent of his or her mate. This complication has put a Were in mortal danger more than once. Once an enemy has pegged a Were, that Were will be tracked by his/her scent. A Were’s scent is the one thing he cannot change or hide with magic.
Once the mating marks appear, the couple has three weeks in which to consummate the mating - an act over which the female has total control. She is the one who must decide whether to take her partner into her body and accept him as a mate.
This is a tribute to the first law of Weres:”Nothing a woman gives is worth having unless she gives it of her own free will.”
If for any reason she does not, and the couple does not consummate their relationship within the allotted weeks, the Fates have declared that they must live out the rest of their very long lives without another mate.
Such solitary damnation has less of a biological impact on the female of the species. She is still able to copulate with whomever she pleases-she just won’t ever be able to have any children.
Those are only the Fates’ laws, however. The clan laws are not so benevolent. They are strict about who and what they will allow into their patria, Fates be damned. In certain Arcadian groups, punishment for a female mating with a despised Katagria male is that she be “given” to the unmated men of the clan. Few women survive such a punishment.
The male of the species must face if he decides to reject his chosen soul mate is just as cruel. He is rendered not only sterile, but also unable to perform the sexual act with any other woman, ever again, so long as his rejected mate lives.
To make it worse, it’s not something the couple can just change their minds later. The couple must make the decision within the allotted time, and they must make the right one. It’s forever. Their future depends on it.
Now, once mated, there are two classification of how strong the bond between each couple could possibly be: claimed mates and bonded mates.
Each couple is given the chance to decide whether or not to claim each other. Like almost every other decision in a Were’s life, the decision to bond or not to bond is once again eternal and irreversible.
In order to bond, during the consummation of their love the couple must clasp their mating-marked hands together. Then, each must recite the words of the Bonding Spell:
"I accept you as you are, and I will always hold you close in my heart. I will walk beside you forever."
Directly after the bonding spell, the Weres succumb to the thirio-their passionate animal instinct. They give in to their wild side, and their canine teeth elongate.
At this time, the couple can officially bond with each other by mutually sinking their teeth into each other, drinking their partner’s blood, and combining their life forces.
Just as it is the female’s choice to claim her mate, bonding is also totally within the female partner’s control. It’s easier to resist the thirio than resisting a soul mate.
The act of choosing to not claim her mate is more common practice among the indecisive female Arcadian Weres. Very few Katagaria females refuse their mates. To them, claiming your mate is simply accepted as the way things should be.
Once formally bonded, if one of the Were couple should die, the other will die as well. The only exception to this is if the female Were is with child. If a Were is pregnant when her mate dies (or is killed), she will outlive her partner only long enough to give birth to her litter. If the couple is not bonded, then when one mate dies, the other is free to mate again.
| Patria | Animal |
|---|---|
| Balios | Jaguar |
| Drakos | Dragon |
| Gerakian | Hawk, Falcon, Eagle |
| Helikias | Cheetah |
| Litarian | Lion |
| Lykos | Wolf |
| Niphetos Pardalia | Snow Leopard |
| Panthiras | Panther |
| Pardalia | Leopard |
| Tigarian | Tiger |
| Tsakalis | Jackal |
| Ursulan | Bear |
| Patria | Arcadian | Katagaria |
|---|---|---|
| Balios | Extinct | Myles Stefanopoulos |
| Drakos | Damos Kattalakis | Darion Kattalakis |
| Gerakian | Arion Petrakis | Draven Hawke |
| Helikias | Jace Wilder | Michael Giovanni |
| Litarian | Patrice Leonides | Paris Sebastienne |
| Lykos | Vane Kattalakis | Fury Kattalakis |
| Niphetos Pardalia | Anelise Romano | Wren Tigarian |
| Panthiras | Alexander James | Dante Pontis |
| Pardalia | Dorian Kontis | Stefan Kouris |
| Tigarian | Adrian Gavril | Lysander Stephanos |
| Tsakalis | Constantine | Vincenzo Moretti |
| Ursulan | Leo Apollonian | Nicolette Peltier(deceased) |
AKA
Sons of Vengeance
Paris Sebastienne Patria: Litarian (lion) Last seen/Fought: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1989.
Ilarion Konstantinus Patria: Drakos (dragon) Last seen/Fought: Toronto, 2002.
Icarus Kallikedes Partia: Gerakian (falcon/hawk) Last seen/Fought: Paris, 1860.
Jasyn Kallinos Patria: Gerakian (falcon/hawk) Last seen/Fought: Richmond, Virginia, 2000.
Lysander Stephanos Patria: Tigerian (tiger) Last seen/Fought: The wilds of the Orient, 1817.
Fang Kattalakis Patria: Lykos (wolf) Last seen/Fought: New Orleans, Louisiana, 2002
Vane Kattalakis Patria: Lykos (wolf) Last seen/Fought: New Orleans, Louisiana, 2002
Trey Xanatos aka Ax, Trion Patria: Tigerian (tiger) Last seen/Fought: Scotland, 1742
ANGELIA KATTALAKIS ~ Arcadian Sentinel.
Were Hunters- use magick to time jump- using invisible energy called Rytis to perform time jumping
LIA is mated to FURY KATTALAKIS- Arcadian born turned Katagaria on maturity
Arcadian soldiers, Sentinels, usually travel in groups of four, and make it their main duty to track and kill Slayers. Only a few Sentinals are born to each patria and they are chosen by the Fates. Sentinals can be recognized by a geometric design covering one side of their face. The design is a birthmark that appears at maturity, though most prefer to use their powers to hide them.
An arcadian were-bear.
This arcadian were-tiger represents his patria at the omegroin as the tigerian regis.
This arcadian were-panther rep. his patria at the omegroin as the Arcadian Panthiras Regis
(Deceased) Sister of Sebastien and Damos. Was killed by Bracis and his Katagaria in seventh century Britain. She was responsible for weaving the legendary dragon tapestry.
An Arcadian Sentinal Lykos were-huntress, Mother to Vane, Fang, Anya, Fury, Dare and star. She was captured and raped by a pack of katagaria and it was discovered she was mated to one of them (Markus). Bryani refused to complete the ritual, unfortunately she was already pregnant. After she gave birth she took the three children and left the three animals with their father to raise. Bryani and Markus were banished to a fifth century arena on an island to battle each other for all eternity, by Acheron for Bryani's kidnapping and attempted rape on Vane's mate Bride.
Arcadian were-dragon, and Drakos Regis of the omegroin, Damos is the eldest of the direct Kattalakis Drakos descendants. Brother of SebastianKattalakis, and cousin of Darion. His parents along with 90% of his patria, died after a brutal slayer attack led by Darion. Born: AD 330 Birthplace: Essex, England
Arcadian brother of Vane, Fang, Anya, Star, and Fury. Raised by Bryani Born: AD 1463 Birthplace: Essex, England
Cousin to Damos, Sebastian, and Makis, brother to Persius. Anchor for his tessera and provides the stability they need. Born: AD 812 Birthplace: Hexham, England
An Arcadian drakos born between Damos and Sabastian, Makis longs for the return of Sebastian and the reunification of their scattered patria. Born: AD 535 Birthplace Wessex, England
Arcadian Sentinal Drakos were-hunter and the youngest of the direct Drakos Kattalakis Descendants. Sebastian is mated to a twenty-first century human, Dr. Channin Macrea.
Born: Oct. 3, 535 Biirthplace Hexham, England Height 6 ft. 5 Hair/eyes Black/greenish-gold Wereform Dragon with blood-red and black scales Current location Richmond, Virginia Featured story "Dragonswan"
Arcadian sister of Vane, Fang, Anya, Fury and Dare. Star was raised by Bryani, along with her arcadian brother Dare.
Born: AD 1463 Birthplace Essex, England
(deceased) Arcadian Drakos was the identical twin to Makis. Died protecting their sister from slayers.
Born: AD 585 Birthplace: Wessex, England
An Arcadian sentinal, Lykos were-hunter and Aristo, Vane was born Katagaria, but changed to Arcadian at puberty (the opposite of brother Fury, who changed from being Arcadian to Kategaria). As an Aristo, his powers are legendary. While doing a favor for the Dark-Hunters, Daimons attacked his pack, killing Orion, the bonded mate of his beloved sister Anya. Because of their bonding, Anya would have died after her wolf pups were born, but before they were born, she was accidentally struck by taser, causing her to shift from her base form of a wolf to human, killing both her and her children instantly (see Bad Moon Rising). Because of this, their father Markus turned on both Vane as well as his brother Fang. They were subjected to a timoria, imprisoned in metriazo collars and left to die of the elements, alligators, or daimons - which ever got to them first. Vane managed to save himself and Fang, but Fang was wounded by the Daimons and left in a comatose state (which was discovered in Bad Moon Rising (Sherrilyn Kenyon) to be a bit more than just a normal coma). Vane took him to Sanctuary to recover from his wounds. He worked ten-hour days as a bartender at sanctuary, earning both his own keep and Fang's , but was later banished for attacking Stefan. His banishment was lifted after he mated and married Bride McTeirney in 2004. Vane currently represents the Arcadian Lykos patria at the Omegrion.
Born: AD 1463 Birthplace: Essex, England Hair/eyes: Mottled dark brown/green Wereform: solid white timber wolf Featured novel: "Night Play"
Nickname: Dori. An arcadian were-leopard and bro. to Ravyn Kontis. Dorian is the bonded mate of Terra and twin of Phoenix. He is a sentinal and rep. his patria at the omegroin as the arcadian pardalia regis.
Born: March 10 AD 675 Birthplace: Athens, Greece Height: 6 ft 2 Wereform: Leopard Current Location: Seattle, Washington
Were-leopard is the father of Dorian, Phoenix and Ravyn Kontis. Owner of the Serengeti Club in Seattle, not formally bonded to his mate and survived when the were pack was slain by the humans.
(deceased) Unbonded were-leopard mate of Phoenix Kontis. Killed along with her children when Isabeau betrayed the weres and the humans attacked the clan.
Nickname: Nix
Arcadian were-lepard sentinel, twin to Dorian Kontis, and reluctant bro. to Ravyn Kontis. Ravyn's murderer, when his bros. human mate betrayed the were pack that killed Georgette. Resides at the Serengeti Club with family.
Born: March 10 AD 675
Bithplace: Athens, Greece
Height: 6 ft 2
Wereform: Leopard
Current Location: Seattle, Washington
Wereleopard, Dorian's mate.
Hair/eyes Brown/ blue
Wereform Leopard
Current location Seattle, Washington
(deceased) were-leopard and sister to Ravyn, Phoenix and Dorian. Zatira died with her family and village were humans attacked.
Pandora POntis's surviving sister, mated to a katagaria panther.
PANDORA PONTIS Were Pantheress Hair/eyes brown/lavender featured story "Winter Born" (nee Kouti) Arcadian were-pantheress is the wife and mate of Dante Pontis. Wears her husbands signet ring, an object used as a homing beacon.
AIMEE PELTIER Arcadian Bearswan Sentinel
Daughter of Omegrion Nicolette Peltier Mama Lo Arcadian Bearswan and bartender at Sanctuary
Archigos: Leader of the patria.
Aristos/Aristi: A rare breed of arcadian with the ability to wield magic effortlessly, Aristi are the most powerful and considered gods in the arcadian realm.
Book of dragons: Explains the origins of the arcadian Draki, taken from the library at Alexandria by Sebastian Kattalakis. Given to Channon Macrea as a birthday present.
Cresting: Term used to describe were-hunters at the height of their sexual peak.
Diki: Trial by combat i Were culture.
Dragon Tapestry Woven by Antiphone Kattalakis in seventeenth-century Britain, The tapestry tells the story of Lycaon and his brother. Embodies the origin of the Arcadian Draki and the eternal battle between good and evil.
Exoristos: Exiled were, no member of the exiled were's former patria is allowed to even speak his name.
Fazer: A dangerous sentinal weapon developed specifically for the Katagaria.
Filos: The Katagaria term for a male pack member.
Grand Regis: 1. The representative of either the Arcadian or Kattagarian species, Which means that there are two Grand Regis per species, one for the Arcadian half, and one for the Katagarian half. It should be noted that there are only 23, because all Arcadian Jaguars are extinct, due to them angering Savitar.
The Howlers: Sanctuary band, they play heavy metal.
Laminas/Limani: Atlantean term for "haven" portals between worlds (bolt-holes). Term used for any were-hunter sanctuary.
Metriazo Collar: Tiny silver collar sends tiny ionic pulses into the body of a were-hunter, thus preventing its victim from using his magic powers. Effectively stops a shape-shifter from changing shape, can only be removed by magic.
Nearas: Term used to describe virgin were females who are cresting.
Omega Wolf: Slang term for the scapegoat of the pack whom everyone picks on.
Patria: Name for the family grouping of were-hunters of the same race and animal genes.
Regis: The leader of each individual were- hunter pack.
Rytis: The invisible stream of waves that move through everything in the natural world. Were-and Dream-hunters use the rytis to move through time and space.
Sentinels: Arcadian warriors chosen by the Moirae. Equivalent to the Katagarian Strati, they hunt Slayers and True Slayers.
Slayer: Katagarians that lose themselves to their animal impulse, and attack Arcadians. More violent and vicious Slayers are referred to as True Slayers. Slayers and True Slayers are hunted down by Sentinels, and are often disliked by brethren Katagaria for their violent nature.
Scooby: Derogatory lykos katagaria term for a brainless, cowardly pup.
Strati: Term used for katagaria soldiers who seek out rouge Arcadians to fight. Some arcadians refer to all strati as slayers, Strati are the katagaria equivalent of sentinels.
-Swain: Suffix for male were-hunters. (bearswain)
-Swan: Suffix for female were-hunters. (bearswan)
Tessera: From the Greek word for "four", term used for a group of four were-hunters sent out to hunt others of their kind.
Thirio: The instinctual need inside weres to bond and consine life forces during the consummation of mating. Basic, powerful animal thrall that overtakes a were, the canine teeth grow to facilitate the bonding.
Timoria: Katagaria punishment.
Tresola: A rabies-like madness that comes upon a were-hunter when he hits puberty.
Whelps: Young Were-hunters who have reached puberty and mastered their hormones, but have yet to harness all their powers.