Saekanis

Saekanis is one of the few Godlike entities that came about after Kraus' initial creation of Eternia, the Divine Spirit of Winter. It is it the counter-part to the Ookami's main deity of worship; Asena. Where Asena is Summer, Saekanis is Winter. Where Asena is birth, Saekanis is death. Asena is the beginning, and Saekanis the end. The two balance each other. One does not seem to be able to exist without the other.

Saekanis's domains are emotions, death (in the physical sense, worshippers do not believe that Saekanis seems to have interest in shepherding the souls of the dead) entropy and chaos (and ultimately destruction). A lack of interest in the souls of the dead could be due to the fact that Saekanis represents the destruction inherent in nature, as necessary to be recycled by Asena for life once more.

Some examples of things worshippers might attribute to Saekanis are natural disasters, death, good fortune (especially the sort of good fortune that comes from enemies suffering bad luck!), bad fortune. Some worshippers even attribute plagues to Saekanis. Accordingly, Saekanis is often referred to as the Plague Wolf, and as the Lord of Entropy.

Appearance / physiology

Saekanis is the black wolf to Asena's white. Unlike Asena, when he appears to mortals he may take any number of different canine forms, and in fact regularly shifts between them. He may take the form of a great black wolf, or he may take the form of a coyote. Regardless of whatever form he takes, Saekanis, as the representation of natural entropy and chaos, regularly is in horrifyingly varying states of decomposition when he appears to those misfortunate enough to warrant a visit.

Origin

The exact origin of either of the Great Wolf Spirits is not actually understood. It is generally held that Asena came before Saekanis, as you cannot have destruction without first having creation. Most Ookami believe that Asena and Saekanis were born out of the energy of the world's creation, and took form to shape the seasons across the world.

Non-Ookami usually aren't as familiar with Saekanis as they might be with with Asena, and so therefore they likely have no immediate opinions on the Plague Wolf. Once they become familiar with Saekanis, they may react quite negatively - declaring him to be some sort of evil spirit of sorts. Ookami would perhaps not necessarily disagree, except to point out that to define Saekanis by mortal standards of morality is foolish indeed.

Worshipping Saekanis

Where Asena cares not for emotions but for reason and logical interactions, as well as rules and staticity, Saekanis is the unavoidable embodiment of emotions and chaos. Where one thinks before acting they are in the domain of Asena. To live by ones own nature and act upon instinct are prone to falling under Saekanis' watch. The Chaos Wolf has been regarded as the Berserker's idol of worship in tribes that still practice such rituals, which often involve the use of Sinka. The first and typically most powerful associated impulse with Saekanis is not just to destroy, but to devour.

Due to this, Saekanis is often associated with being an extremely aggressive and destructive natural force, present in war, fear, malice, and hunger.

Saekanis is often worshipped and called upon by people who desire to understand the nature of chaos and to be able to manipulate fate, as well as by those who simply want the power to destroy and obliterate their enemies. Saekanis isn't so much a death god as he is a god of destruction, a god of final endings. Therefore, he may not be so much as revered but feared by ordinary Ookami.

"The fear of Saekanis is the beginning of wisdom, for Saekanis is a hungry deity, held in check only by Asena."

The Ookami believe that due to their worshipping of Saekanis, that he will either spare them from final destruction.. or devour them last.

Two sides of the one coin: Asena and Saekanis

While mortals might attempt to attribute good and evil to Asena and Saekanis, in truth the two aspects of nature are beyond such things. They are non-moral entities.

Saekanis is a hungry deity, held in check only by Asena. Conversely, without Saekanis, Asena may well see the world turned into a very static state, potentially leading to her own corruption. There must be destruction and entropy for Asena to recycle into new things and for the world to continue existing. Without it, nothing would die and the matter could not be formed into new life. The world would stagnate. Believers know that the many little laws of nature, the passage of the seasons, exist to keep Saekanis and Asena in check. The two balance each other.

Therefore, those who follow strictly the will of one or the other are often inbalanced, with one favoring unchecked creation and unlimited protection and the other wanting mass destruction - perhaps to the extent of the world itself. Sole worship of either one is highly discouraged, but generally more accepting of those who wish to seek Asena's aid.