Na Ni Kuliwa (Hyena I/T)

[CaliWolfe]

Setting up. This thing is going to be based rather loosely on natural Spotted Hyena culture.

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Pack/Pride Name:
Current IC Owner(s): (owners with a king/queen member)
Current OOC Owner(s): (owners with a regular ranked member)
Default ranks: (the ranks for regular/growing members if not posted for a cert change)
Current Pride/Pack Members, and Rankings of Each:
Links to at least five current RPs: (These RPs must have been done in the last month. At least one must have included the current ruler.)
Brief Description of your Pride/Pack: (Do not exceed 175 words, it has to fit in our layout!)
Familiar Rules: Does you Pride/Pack allow familiars? If so, which ones? Are there any specific rank restrictions or is bonding to a regular member necessary? Be as specific as you want!
Cert Background Large Image: (Cert colors are now ultimately up to the cert maker, but please try to make it rectangular in shape.)
Pride Symbol for Cert: Transparent PNG, please, and not already on a cert!circle. Please keep it square-like in shape, not rectangular.
Any Extra Information: If you want to include a place for alternate names or clans, please say so here - we will not allow you to change the cert afterward.
Pride/Pack History:

 

[CaliWolfe]

The Devourers
The Devourers are a society of Hyena whose main goal is to merely survive. That said the pack is very new in terms of pack-age. Only in recent years has it sprung into existence having been initially comprised of a small hyena family welcoming strangers among their midst. Slowly but surely the family grew in size and eventually determined they would need a permanent place to stay. Hence, the Devourers were born.

The pack's formation was not exactly warmly welcomed. Other more dominate species such as lions, leopards and wild dogs have been dependent on the land the Devourers chose as a spot to start up their pack for many years. They had used this stretch of land as a place to stop and rest during travel, or come to when negotiations need be made. What was once a communal watering hole has now been overtaken by hyenas, making it impossible for rogues or ambassadors to use it as a meeting spot. Herds in the area are being pushed away further into the grasslands due to the recent influx of hyena limiting their ability to find a secure water source. The Devourers are making an impact, and it isn't one that other species are appreciative of. That said, The Devourers don't see themselves as really hurting anybody. They just need a space to call home, and their present territory fits the bill with food, water and shelter all provided for.

As far lifestyle goes the Devourers mindset heavily leans towards "might is right". Status among ranks are earned through sparring, with the strongest members holding the highest ranks. The more fights a member wins the more likely they are going to be looked up to and respected. This mindset does have tenancies to lead to situations where strong members 'remind' lower ranking members they stand above them, and are more capable at holding their ground. This doesn't necessarily mean they'll physically fight them or outright bully them in any way (though it could lead to such), but they do tend to flaunt and gloat over any achievements they earned as a way of proving they're 'better' then lower ranking members. Though the most favorite method of showing off is 'play fighting' with weaker members as a way of asserting dominance.

High ranking members are not necessarily mean, and in fact, most aren't. Part of the reason members are allowed to advance in ranks to begin with is because they impress the leader with their ability to cooperative with others in a group. Typically the higher rank a member is the more likely they are to play fight, spar and partake in group activities with the pack as a whole. They're generally well liked on account that all the weaker members would probably rally together and fight to dethrone someone they hated.

Even as cubs females are taught they are bigger, stronger and better then males. It's not that males can't be/aren't capable fighters, some of the strongest males in the pack fight alongside the toughest females with ease! They just generally aren't. They weigh less and don't grow as big, making them easier to defeat in combat. They're also are ranked differently then females on account of most born-in males leaving when they reach adulthood. Even the strongest male is outranked automatically by the weakest female, and if a male picks on a female he's about ten times more likely to get beat up.

For spotted hyenas in general males leave their natal clans when fully grown to join another clan. In the case of the Devourers the males leave to go to the roguelands in search of a new pack to join or to find new males to recruit to join the pack. Doing so brings in fresh blood and ensures inbreeding never becomes a problem.

 

[CaliWolfe]

Territory...

For the environment think standard African plains. Grassy, but dry and typically warm. The main 'den' is the area surrounding the watering hole the pack has taken over. A series of both rock outcropping and previously used hare burrows litter the area, and the Devourers were quick to take advantage of this. Mothers usually share the abandoned hare burrows with other females and their cubs, raising them together in the same tight knit space. The burrows generally are large enough to fit an adult female if she crouches, with larger, taller 'rooms' at the back of each den for sleeping. That said some adult females merely sleep outside above ground inside of inside the shelters as they might find it confining to move around in with two other families inside.

The pack usually spend the most time together when raising cubs at the communal den- aka the watering hole, where they fight, play and otherwise socialize during their free hours. Smaller groups patrol and defend the territory together with bigger groups being formulated when going hunting. (As a general rule of thumb, hyenas hunt anything ranging from gazelle to zebras and wildebeest but avoid american buffalo and giraffes as prey.)

Some familiars are often kept around for their several uses, with vultures being the most ideal companion.

Vultures: Although not required Huntresses are encouraged to have vultures as familiars. Vultures can scout out prey ahead and signal for the huntresses to draw near. They're also big and bulky enough to aid a hyena if they get into a fight. These qualities make them ideal companions and many hyenas seek them as pets.

Snakes: Snakes are seen as useful if bonded to a pack member, as they can be trained to bite and some create poison which is helpful during a hunt. Otherwise they are seen are vermin or food and usually killed on sight.

Maned Wolves: Nobody is quite sure why the pack started bringing these home, but they did and now they're allowed to stay. They make for useful scouts, oftentimes paired with vultures and sent out together to survey an area and report any notable changes before a hunt begins. They also are useful den-guards and are sometimes deployed to stand watch over dens when the mother is off doing something else.

Ratel:  

[CaliWolfe]

Pack Name and Hunting
The pack name was originally a nickname other species used to refer to the Devourers to begin with. They called them such on account of them "Devouring" all of the prey in the area. (according to wikipedia a group of 35 spotted hyena can consume a zebra in 36 minutes together.) The pack adopted the name after hearing a few displeased cheetahs and leopards muttering it while they chased them out of their newly acquired territory. Ever since, the name has stuck. Though the group has changed things up slightly and officially call themselves Na Ni Kuliwa (and is eaten).

As you can imagine hunting is large part of day-to-day life for the Devourers.

The pack regularly keep a close eye on the resident zebra herd within the territory. This herd consistently moves further and further away every month making hunting trips longer and more of an event then just grabbing a snack.

Instead of being bummed out by the zebra inching away and away the pack has instead turned hunting them into a game. Though the pack as a whole tends to spend time either at the Watering hole or off on their own somewhere when members decide they want to eat meat that isn't gazelle or bunnies they will come together to arrange for a large group hunt. With festering numbers they set out to hunt the zebra a 'point system' being used to determine who gets to eat first when they bring down their prey. Though they typically are only capable of bringing down one or two zebra members are largely unhurt and thus the 'games' of hunting them continue regularly, much to the dismay of the herd.

Other prey flourishes just outside the borders of the pack with gazelle being the most common. However the more ideal target, wildebeests, annually migrate near pride territory each year providing the pack with a hearty meal when they arrive.

 

[CaliWolfe]

Ranks
Ranks are typically rather 'open' as far as what a day-to-day schedule is like. They mainly are listed here to serve as a definite social standing.

---|| "Queen"

A female who is currently in ruling power. Up to three Queens can co-exist at one time and run the pack together. Typically Queens are related in some way, though not always.

---|| "Princess"

Cubs born from a Queen who happen to be female. Largely just a title to increase social ranking for when a cub is born, protecting them in case any Bossladies or Huntmasters get any malicious ideas. If a princess proves an incapable fighter by the time she is an adolescent it is not untypical for her to be demoted to being a Huntress.

---|| "Bosslady"

The highest rank a hunter can achieve. Effectively the leader of their own squad.

---|| "Huntmaster"

A skilled member in the field.

---|| "Huntress"

Provider of food, and protection. The most typical and common rank.

---|| "Veteran"

Usually a retired or injured female who cannot hunt any longer. Sometimes they are weak females who simply can't aid the pack physically. These members fill their days with doing little tasks, such as bartering items with rogues or creating some variation of accessories to be worn. Maybe they collect something, who knows. They don't fight and as such are rank low on the social-chain, but they are usually not treated horribly and left to do as they like.

---|| "New Blood"

A rogue who decided to join. How interesting.

---|| "Wolf Cub"

A cub. Males and females both take this rank. At adolescent they take on their appropriate adult rankings.

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As said before, Males are ranked in a unusual fashion. Ranks increase over time, not through skill or show. (Granted if a male starts acting out of line and aggressive when not in a high ranking, this is cause for him to be demoted.)

---|| "Battlemaster"

A male who serves as a line of defense against outside enemies and who carry out dangerous missions outside of pack territory. The highest rank a male can achieve.
Wait Period: None.

---|| "Battlehound"

In exchange for severely shortened breeding rights these males take up a warrior's path. They are taught by more experienced males and females how to properly act when on a mission. Going on five missions, or hunts will allow a Battlehound to be promoted.
Wait Period: None.

---|| "Favored Male"

Someone close to the rest of the clan who is well known and favored by females when they are selecting mates.
Wait Period: None.

---|| "Known Hound"

A member who is considered apart of typical pack life.
Wait Period: 6 Months

---|| "Hound"

A recently joined male who is just settling into their new home.
Wait Period: 3 Months

---|| "Immigrant"

The most recent rogue male to join.
Wait Period: 1 Week

How it works for born-in males:

- Born in males at adolescence will be given the role of "Hound". At the end of the three month term, instead of advancing to "Known hound" they are instead kicked out of the clan.
- This changes if they make their intentions to stay known. (when posting the litter for me to update the memberlist tell me which males, if any, will stay with the clan upon growing up)

 

[CaliWolfe]

Other/Misc. Info

Pelt: Doesn't matter

Raising cubs:
Cubs are generally reared by the mother who birthed them. Males usually have little to no part in raising their young and similarly other females typically do not aid the mother in raising her pups outside of defending them from potential threats.

Breeding rights: As a general rule, low ranking females (Veterans) are permitted to breed but they must obtain approval to do so.

Battled ranked males are only permitted to reproduce with pack females once every three months. They require permission to do so.

High ranking males and high or standard ranked females can reproduce at any time they wish, and without prior permission.

 

[CaliWolfe]

Memberlist/Joining

[b]Joining![/b][size=11]
[b]Username:[/b]
[b]IMG:[/b]
[b]Desired Rank:[/b]
[b]Reason for Joining:[/b]
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[CaliWolfe]

eight. This should be good enough