The Jack of Fades

------------------------------Traveling Wolf------------------------------

The Jack of Fades (also known as "High Jack" or "Faceless Jack") is a creature thought to only exist in fairy tales.

According to legend, the Jack was once just an ordinary wolf pup, who was accidentally left behind during a den move. By the time the pack even realized their pup was gone, they assumed it was already too late – and the Jack was left alone; unmourned, and soon forgotten.

Said to be the manifestation of unresolved grief, the Jack is a shapeshifter -- with the power to mimic the voice and appearance of any wolf it encounters. Above all else, the Jack desperately wants a family to call it's own. But believing itself to be undesirable, it likes to steal the faces of lost loved ones (both dead and missing), in the hopes of being welcomed into their pack.

While it rarely causes any direct harm to its hosts, the Jack can be a rather cruel and capricious creature. It feeds on the emotions of those around it – but no matter how much love it is given, it is never enough. If it witnesses others expressing affection for someone other than itself, the Jack may become jealous, and attempt to trick or lure away the wolf in question, so it can replace them instead.

The Jack cannot maintain its disguises forever, however – and the longer the Jack stays with a pack, the more its voice and appearance will start to twist and distort, often causing the wolf it's imitating to behave in unusual or out-of-character ways.

However, even after the Jack's true nature is revealed, it can be quite difficult to get rid of. While it can be wounded, the Jack cannot be killed – and if driven off, it is very likely to simply return later with a new face. It is also a very convincing actor, and few wolves are eager to harm their loved ones, even if they know it isn't real.

However, the only thing the Jack desires more than to be loved, is to be mourned.

So the only way to get rid of the Jack for good, is for the host pack to acknowledge that their loved one is gone, and never coming back. Often, this is done by asking the Jack to lie down, and having an elaborate funeral ceremony over the "body", where everyone can say goodbye. After which, the Jack will temporarily be sated, and wander into the woods. That is, until it starts to gets hungry again, and must find a new family on which to feed.

------------------------------Rules:------------------------------

1. Do not keep my traveler for longer than 6 rollovers -- with the exception they are nursing, which in that case, please move them on as soon as the pups are weaned. If you ever are having trouble finding a host or need some extra time, just let me know.

2. Please only take them in if you are interested in adding lore -- that is the entire point of this wolf, and I want to give the people who are actually interested in that to all have a chance.

3. Decor (especially Coigreach) is always appreciated -- but not required! I like to imagine the Jack does like to keep trinkets (either given or stolen) to remind them of their past "families".

4. Do not starve or neglect my wolf -- I will be checking in every now and then, and will pull them back if necessary.

------------------------------------

Author's Note: I purposefully wrote this lore to be rather vague, so feel free to make the Jack as sympathetic (or unsympathetic) as you would like!

Speaking of legends, it is also rumored to be possible to have children with the Jack. The pups are thought to turn out relatively normal and healthy, for the most part – though they often possess a propensity for pranks and mischief.

Happy haunting!

------------------------------------

Username/ID: Rue #91670
Pack Name: Spur Hollow
Decor Added: Ogham Emblams Headwear (silver)
Lore: Available Here

------------------------------------

Username/ID: Scream #9176
Pack Name: Haunting Bellows
Decor Added: none
Lore: Available Here

------------------------------------

Username/ID: Wildheart72 #65586
Pack Name: Pack of the Bright Sky
Decor Added: Arnica Flower decor
Lore: Available Here

------------------------------------

Username/ID: Sesstria #84617
Pack Name: Data Pack
Decor Added:
Lore: Late one night as the first snows of winter were threatening to fall, Zorin woke up when a cold nose pressed itself into his ear. "Zorin wake up." The voice whispered low and husky. He blinked and looked into deep blue eyes surrounded by a mask of red fur.
In a flash, he was on his feet, staring in amazement. "S-solaris?" His old pack leader stood before him bathed in moonlight streaming in through the cave opening. Her white fur sparkled in the night, her muscles rippled under her coat, strong and healthy. "Why are you back? I thought you were looking for the others." He whispered, trying not to wake the rest of the pack.
She giggled and gave him a sideways glance. "Oh, my sweet silly little Zorin. The others are fine. They'll be here in spring." She pranced over to stand closer to him, the scent of her fur filled his nostrils. "But you! You, my dear. How I have missed you. And how you have grown since my departure." She flashed him a smile. "Look at you, so strong, so, virile. Taking such an important role within my, our, pack." She sidled up beside him, pressing herself bodily against him, sending a shiver through his spine. "Won't you honor me with your company for a little while?" Her eyes shone in the dark like luminous stars.
"Of, course Solaris." He spoke, the words flowing unbidden from his tongue. "My dear leader, you haven't aged a day since I last saw you. Why I'd love nothing more than to have you share a bed with me tonight."
When dawn broke, there was a scuffing of paws and a snuffling of noses around Zorin, rousing him from a deep and restful slumber. "Zorin. Zorin!" The commanding shout was Feather, the leader of Data Pack. "Zorin! Explain yourself! What is the meaning of this?" She pointed with her snout to where Oracle was pinning Solaris to the ground. Solaris was panting heavily, evidently beaten after a scuffle, her eyes were wide and she cracked a crooked grin towards Zorin.
"What do you mean?" Zorin clambered to his feet, wresting free of the last tendrils of sleep clinging to his mind. "Solaris came back from her journey! She returned to us at last!" As he spoke the words aloud, the other wolves turned slowly to stare at him. Solaris gave a stifled chuckle.
Feather's brow furrowed in concern, she looked from Solaris, to Zorin, then Oracle, and finally back to Zorin. "Zorin." She began, her voice gentle. "Zorin, Solaris is dead. She has been dead for a long while now. I don't know what that thing is, but it's not her."
Zorin's eyes went wide and darted around the cave, finally resting on the wolf pinned to the ground beside him. The wolf was shaking under Oracle's paw before letting loose a howling laugh that echoed around the room.
"Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack steals your heart with a little trick!" As the wolf spoke the white fur melted away like snow, revealing a ruddy pelt underneath. The wolf gave a wink to Zorin, and then vanished from under Oracle's paw, reappearing at the opening to the den. They turned and gave a bow. "Jack has tricked some poor fools once more! And this time Jack has taken the most precious prize of all!" With another peal of laughter, the wolf vanished in a burst of green lights.
Winter was long and cold, Data Pack jumped at shadows and sniffed each other warily. Who could be trusted now that there had been a shapeshifter in their midst? However, in the end, spring came, warm and bright, and melting snows revealed delicate flowers as if winter was nothing more than a myth. With the rising spring sun, in front of the entrance to the dens, three young pups appeared. A voice on the wind whispered when they were approached.
"Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack has performed the greatest of tricks!

------------------------------------

Username/ID: Morbid#86206
Pack Name: Alhavenlan Pack
Decor Added: Baltimore Checkerspot
Lore: After arriving in the Taiga, the Jack spent a few days observing the Alhavenlan Pack. Over these next few days, the Jack slowly grew more and more jealous of just how in love the alphas, Ella and Varogathe, were. It could also sense some lingering doubt and guilt from the pair. Perhaps something terrible had happened to them and the two were still recovering from it.

No matter! This could give the Jack the edge it needed. The Jack disguised itself as the strong and rather intimidating Varogathe before setting out to find Ella during one of her patrols.
...
Ella had been on her nighttime patrol when she started hearing faint whispers coming from the shadows surrounding her. The alpha female froze, her mind instantly recalling the rather traumatic events of Coigreach. She could even faintly hear Varogathe's voice on the wind. "Varo?" she called out, "Are you playing a game on me? This isn't funny." Ella nervously chuckled as she watched the edges of her vision, half expecting to see familiar yellow lights.

It was at this moment when the Jack disguised as Varogathe stepped out of the bushes, it put on its warmest smile to dissuade her fears. "No need to worry my dear, I was just trying to have a little bit of fun is all!" the Jack laughed as he approached her. Ella rolled her eyes at this and nuzzled him. "Don't ever do that again, I thought something had happened." The female stood like that for a few heartbeats before stepping back and observing him. Ella's eyes narrowed briefly before she shrugged her shoulders and continued walking. "I'm heading back to the den to check on our pups, you coming?" the Jack quickly nodded and trotted after her.
...
Once the two arrived at the den, they both entered and Ella was immediately greeted by excited 2-month-old pups. She quickly settled the 4 of them down and laid down inside to rest. A few of the pups gave the Jack a wary look, clearly unsure of its presence. Ella and the Jack chatted for some time and the Jack was clearly enjoying all of the attention she was providing him. She was very determined to ensure the wolf had a good day and ask for any interesting stories from his scouting expeditions.

The Jack had gotten so lost in his story telling that it had never heard someone else enter the den until it heard snarling behind itself. "Ella, tell me who this is right now and why do they look like me." the male snarled. Instinctively, the pups that Ella had been nursing scurried deeper into a different section of the den away from the conflict. The alpha female immediately got to her paws. Ella looked both bewildered and terrified now. "I-I don't know Varo, I thought it was you!" Ella quickly sputtered out, backing away and guarding the tunnel her pups went down with her body.

It was now the Jack's turn to asses the trouble it had gotten into. It slowly turned around to face the true Varogathe before dropping the guise as a wide, sinister grin overtook its face. "I am the Jack of Fades! Master of tricks and stealer of hearts!" The Jack chuckled in a sinister way as it moved forcing Varogathe and itself to swap places. Varogathe now stood inside the den, guarding Ella while the Jack stood with his back towards the entrance. "The Jack appreciated this little trick but the jack must go! The Jack desires more tricks!" and with that, the orange-colored wolf took off into the night leaving Ella and Varogathe stunned inside their den. The Jack was off to find more wolves to trick and it couldn't waste any time after all!

------------------------------------

Username/ID: Acai0074 (#970730
Pack Name: Glaceon
Decor Added: Arctic White
Lore: The Jack was welcomed into the pack with open hearts, they didn't know what was to come. The jack had decided early in their travels that a different tactic would be necessary to achieve their goal. This pack is so loving, they share everything. It would be hard to trick them, but not impossible.
Early one morning jack asked a younger wolf Dovasary to take a walk with them to the riverside that ran through the territory. " I just have a lot I got to get off my mind and I feel like I can trust you" Jack used as a rouse to get the young wolf to agree. A fatal mistake for the young she-wolf.

On return to the camp, jack was met with many questions and concerns about where jack had gone. The jack simply replied," it was the strangest thing I have ever witnessed. vanished like a puff of smoke." Pack mates seemed confused but accepted the explanation.

Jack spent their time in this pack teaching Dovasary's pups and sharing meals with her friends, 'Maybe I could stay here and live this life', they thought, watching the pups grow.

But that is not what they came here for. The facade began to wear off and the pack began to realize what truly happened to Dovasary. The pups looked at jack in anguish and terror. Maybe the fear and anger jack could feel radiating from the pack was better than a simple life. It fueled him.

The alpha growled," is this what you came here to do, steal our loved ones and fool us?!"

"The jack might be a useless card in the deck when it comes to some games, but in this one, it is the most powerful", Jack replied calmly before stalking into the darkness feeling fulfilled and fed. Now to find my next victim...

------------------------------------

Username/ID: Ghostface (GH!) #339
Pack Name: The Village of Ravens
Decor Added: Watchful Warrior [Gilded]
Lore: TBA

------------------------------------

Username/ID: Blackbird #122545
Pack Name: Blood Stalkers
Decor Added: Skeletal Remains, Grouse Feather Decor
Lore: When Fades came to visit Blood stalkers she first saw a trail of blood leading into an large cave in the woods, She followed the trail and was met by Raven (lead wolf), Raven was tall whit massive paws and huge black ears she was white whit an black under body, bloody mouth.
Raven Huffed then licked her mouth and started wagging her tail to welcome Jack of Fades to feast on the fresh carcass, Jack was scared of what would happen if she dident accept the invite but when she started eating the carcass she stopped for a second and barked to Raven to tell her "I've never had anything this delicious!" Raven then huffed to tell her to eat til she cant move.
Jack had never ever eaten this much she wagged her tail and huffed as a way to thank Raven and her pack but when Jack started walking to an dry spot to rest in but as soon as she turned she slipped in a puddle of blood but quickly got up and wagged hair tail to tell everyone she dident get hurt, When she rolled around in some dried up moss to get the sticky blood off but all the puppies thought she was playing.. They ran and bit her tail and back legs, Jack got bit a little to hard whit the sharp puppy teeth, Jack growled to tell them to back off so they whined and walked away whit their tail between their legs, Jack felt bad that she did this so she wanted to make it up to them.
When she woke up she had her own little puppy named SeagullShe had blue paws and blue ears and a white body whit orange spots but Jacks favorite thing about her was that she had one white eye and one black, This puppy was something special to Jack, She was playing very Vulgar but Jack dident see her parents so she went to Raven to ask where Seagulls parents where but Raven just looked down and stared and then it hit Jack, Shes adopted.
From then on Seagull and Jack became best freinds, who knew Jack would adore puppies this much. Jack became an role model to Seagull and soon they were out training together for Seagull to become an Traveler just like Jack.

------------------------------------

Username/ID:
Pack Name:
Decor Added:
Lore:

------------------------------------

Username/ID:
Pack Name:
Decor Added:
Lore:

------------------------------------

Username/ID:
Pack Name:
Decor Added:
Lore: