Lupins are a race of proud, strong warriors native to the hills, forests, and tundras of the north. These humanoids are unsophisticated hunters, living in in loose clans or packs modeled after the wolves they resemble. Due to their resemblance to werewolves, humans often assume that lupins are evil savages similar to gnolls or orcs, but in fact the wolf-people are brave and loyal protectors of the frozen frontier who constantly battle frost giants, ice trolls, winter wolves, and worse evils. Though often aggressive toward outsiders, once gained, a lupin’s respect is eternal.

Lupins are seminomadic. During the summer the clan ranges across large stretches of forest or tundra, living off the land, but when winter approaches they retreat to small villages centered around a large communal longhouse. Each clan is governed by an elder who is democratically elected and serves for one year. Once per year, under a full moon, all lupin clans in an area gather for three nights in a festival called the White Howl, in which news is shared, young braves choose mates, and the clans reaffirm their ties. Most lupins are nature worshippers; they practice the Green Faith (as druids) or venerate ancestors and animal spirits (as oracles) rather than revering specific gods. Lupins often capture and tame die wolves to ride as mounts.

Lupins despise werewolves. The lupins believe that the first werewolves were descended from lupins who mated with humans, for which they were cursed by the wolf spirits for polluting their bloodline. They also hate werewolves for the grief caused to them by humans mistaking them for lycanthropes. Lupins believe they have a sacred duty to exterminate all lycanthropes, and this zeal sometimes brings them into conflict with nonevil shapechangers such as werebears.

Lupins can be found throughout Golarion’s northern hemisphere. They are extremely common in northern Arcadia. In Avistan, lupins are the primary inhabitants of the Ice Steppes to the north of Irrisen and the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, and they sometimes come south to trade. They are also found in smaller numbers around the edges of the Crown of the World and in northern Casmaron and Tian Xia.

A wide variety of lupin subraces exist, most of them resembling dogs of various breeds. Most such subraces are extremely limited in numbers and geographical scope, usually limited to only a few thousand individuals.