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 Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:21 am
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"When you look into my eyes, and you see the crazy gypsy in my soul
It always comes as a surprise, when I feel my withered roots begin to grow
Well I never had a place that I could call my very own, that's all right, my love, 'cause you're my home."
Stories once told of a Haven where lamb lay with lion. Where the lack of rules was the only rule. Songs, dance, tricks, and chaos were daily occurrences. But recently rumors have changed. Tricks, song, and dance are still the order of the hour, but a strange rash of disapperances has tainted the area. Tales of mysterious fortune tellers, alchemists who brew foul potions, and thieves who come in the night for your food, your possessions, your very cubs warn outsiders to approach with caution.
We're still all mad here...mad like foxes.
1. Title / Introduction
2. Territory/History
3. General Information
4. Naming Rules
5. Pride Culture
6. Rituals
7. Ranks
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Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:24 am
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Along the Eastern Coast of Africa, directly below Bahari'moto. Close to the island of Madagascar.
The area that the Kizingo'zaa call home is small but lush. Their section of the shore is a cove, surrounded on the in-land side by high, but climbable, cliffs. Most of the area inside the cove is thick jungle vegetation, marked by a network of springs and pocket meadows of wild flowers. The beach is naturally white, spreading out a good distance away from the protective cliffs before it meets the water. While there is a fair distance of clear water shallows, the drop off is still rather close to the shore. Because of this, cubs are not allowed to go swimming alone until their adolescent years.
The northern ridge of cliffs ends in a small jetty that shoots out right to the drop off. Its only wide enough for two lions to stand shoulder to shoulder, rocky and wet. Only adults are allowed out there, and even then they usually don't go unless its for a funeral.
Caves and tunnels riddle the cliffs in the northern and southern sides of the cove. These are generally where the Kizingo'zaa go when there's a storm coming, going up the "levels" when there's a flood, though it doesn't seem to happen often. Most of the time, the lions prefer to live out in the open, especially on their beach.
Ages ago, before time was remembered in story or song, there was a pride whose nature was nothing like Kizingo’Zaa. It was a pride of warriors, proud and fierce, ruled by a strong and just king. However, as often happens in prides where ambitions run wild, there were many others who wanted the king’s throne. These others sought to remove the royal family from a throne they had held power over for many generations, and they chose to do so by sowing lies into the once-loyal pride.
It was not a hard task, upsetting the foundation the King had built his throne upon, because the times they lived in were some of the hardest they had ever faced. The pride’s population was booming, but their food supply was dwindling both from poor conditions and other prides moving in on their territory. Soon, the rumors began to spread, the lies took root, and the whole pride was in an uproar. Their once beloved king was suddenly accused of greed, selfishness, and heartlessness.
There was one lioness, however, that decided to take matters into her own figurative hands. She was a young, beautiful female who had given her heart to the king, and under different circumstances she would have been a fine queen. She was ambitious, like many in the pride, but she was not corrupt, and she knew the lies for what they were. On a day when many young cubs and elders were complaining about the lack of food in their bellies, she rallied a team of able lionesses for a hunting expedition. With the blessing of the King, they left, heading out to the farthest reaches of their pride’s lands – to areas they had visited little in hopes there were supplies left to them.
These parts of the pride lands yielded the scent of a herd, but they would only be found in the depths of a forest. The females set out in hopes that they would be easy to find, but the farther they got into the depths of the forest, the warmer it became. Many of the huntresses became uneasy, especially as the rest of the wildlife around them began to flee, but the head huntress pursued onward. Strange scents began to fill their noses, strange noises, and it grew ever warmer. The last of the females loyal to the head huntress turned away, but not before pleading with her to return. She refused, and the other huntresses left her – they barely escaped the forest fire with their lives.
The hunting party returned sullen, injured, and without a single scrap of food to show for their efforts. After the story began to spread, those few that sought to remove the King from his throne saw this as a perfect opportunity. They began to toss around ideas of how the King had sent his beloved to her death, how he was sexist, and it was only a matter of time before the females of the pride turned on him.
Even a King is no match for a crowd of angry females, and he was slaughtered. However, what the traitorous lions hadn’t counted on was the females seizing power. They moved the group onward, naming all males bastards for allowing the King to continue his reign, and began a nomadic life.
For months, perhaps years, the pride traveled looking for their new homeland – and everything about their previous life changed. However, there were a few among this group that never quite got used to what was happening, nor did they ever find much comfort in what had happened to their old King. Perhaps they were simply too loyal to the King, perhaps they weren’t ones to adjust to change, but for whatever reason, they broke away from the larger group and instead began to travel on their own.
This smaller group was happy for a time, living together like a family instead of a harsh militaristic pride with cruel leaders. They ate together, sang songs of happier times, and sat around telling stories to keep their spirits up. However, even they knew that they could not stay nomadic forever – they too needed a play they could finally call home. Of all of these, perhaps the most discontent was a younger male that had been born into the original nomadic group. He had once been a young, happy cub, until his twin sister had died some time in their adolescence. It was a harsh life they led, and not all lions were suited to it. After she passed, he was never quite the same.
Each member took turns going out to hunt for food, and one fateful day, when it was his turn to perform such a mundane task for his pride, he met someone that would change his life and the lives of his pride forever.
Perhaps it was the scent of a fresh kill that had originally attracted the female, but it was something else entirely that made her stay. At first, the young male thought she was a cub – a strange, little blue winged cub. Then, of course, he thought it was a hallucination – until she began to speak. She spoke of many things, of lands where his pride could live in peace, even told him where to go. She spoke of the sorrow in his life and how she would fix it. He listened, enraptured with her, this strange little goddess, even as she told him that fixing him meant breaking him a little more.
He passed a long time in her presence, and as he left, he felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders and instead replaced with something else that was almost light and airy. He believed her when she said he would carry a piece of her with him always, and that she would do the same for his pride. He departed with an uplifted mood and a smile on his face, his head filled with the words the goddess had spoken.
When he came back to his pride members, he told them of everything that had passed, and they set out to find their new home – the lands the goddess had spoken of. Eventually, they found them and became the Kizingo’Zaa.
After the pride moved to Insanity's haven, the lions all grew uninhibited, and some more than a little insane. The pride's 'blessing' made anyone who entered lose some part of their mind. Some just became eccentric. Others were so enthralled that they essentially could no longer function as hunters or story tellers. All sorts were accepted into the pride, because under Insanity's sway all were made equal. And every lion had a muse, a voice that spoke to them, regardless of how nuts they were.
Time passed for a while in this way. The pride was met with few troubles, as anyone who would seek to attack them was 'blessed' by the goddess of the land as soon as they stepped foot in it. Cubs were born, songs were sung, and life was peaceful, if not orderly.
But one day things began to change. The goddess the pride loved so dear appeared, and removed the old leaders from power. In their place she put a newcomer to the pride and an overly-energetic native. Some of the more aware lions took this change as an omen, and shortly after they were proved right. For reasons unknown, their goddess, their protector, the source of their blessing and curse, vanished without a trace.
For a time life went on as usual. The land was still rich with the 'blessing' of the goddess, and though some worried after her, the pride was still safe, and that was what counted. Then out of the blue a new god appeared. He was the god of peace, and finding favor with the pride for their peaceful ways, he too gave the pride a blessing, and went on his way. His blessing was a healing one, but for the pride, it changed everything.
The curse of insanity lifted from the pride over night. Muses fell silent. And over the coming hours, days, weeks, more and more of the pride came to their own senses. Some seemed never to lose their insanity, but a great deal did, and it was with their newfound sensibilities that the leaders realized that things had to change. They could no longer count on Insanity to keep dangers at bay.
The oldest stories were retold, and ancient songs sung. Traditions long forgotten in the wake of foolishness were revived. The pride called up a new patron god and goddess to help teach them tricks and cunning they would need to survive. Song, dance, and chaos were still the backbone of the pride, but now it was the craziness of the fox that ran through the pride. They would keep their home a haven by tricks and farce and force, if needed. This was their home, and though it was not Insanity's home any more, they would fight to keep it and their traditions alive.
 Recent History ||
Strangers were to be expected, and welcomed if they meant to stay, but bad news was neither expected nor welcome. The two came in the same package and the news had left the gypsy king rattled. The patrons were called to patrol the boarder, doubling their numbers and doubling their shifts. While the mutterings of the fortune-tellers was normally something that Riddle-mouth wrote off, something seemed all too real about this particular fortune-teller's vision. A seer, and apparently, the child of a god.
"You have run from the past so long, it seems it's come to find you." The fortune-teller's warning rang in the back of his mind, "You've invited the muses back in without even knowing it. Seems their followers are not too far behind. Brace yourselves."
The fortune-teller and his companion were not too far off. The past, in a sense, returned to them in the form of brightly colored strangers declaring themselves to be the children of Muhali. They were met at the border with an air of uneasiness. Their leader was a confident male with a shadow in his eyes and a tongue that spread honeyed words over the minds of his followers. They demanded that they be allowed to return to the land of the muses to worship their goddess and promised they would let the gypsies keep to themselves. Riddlemouth was hesitant to do so, but with some prompting from Paradox, he relented.
It was better to keep a known enemy close than send him into the world to seed further hostilities. At least here, they could be watched.
It was agreed that the dreamers would be given a small place within the pride's territory in which they could exist as a part of the pride- but as their own little collective. A cult, in the mind of some, a throwback to old ways better forgotten. While searching for an ideal location, Riddlemouth was ambushed by a brightly colored male who had not been among the strangers before. The two went to blows and both came out of it quite injured. It might have been that they would have killed eachother if not for the intervention of Muhali herself, who had been masquerading as Paradox.
In the wake of the attack, the leader of the cult had mysteriously vanished. Muhali hardly believed the delusional dreamers were to blame and granted them a small seaside cave and the surrounding territory as their homeland. Within this place, her blessing of insanity would consume their minds and allow them to exist in a state of delusional bliss. To some, this was an answer to their prayers.
Distrust remains, but the pride has introduced a small fraction within itself. The Dreamers, they are known as, and to many within the pride they are second class citizens. They have no responsibilities or duties and are kept quite secret from the outside, most especially the Bahari. How this new dynamic will effect the pride as a whole has yet to be seen.
*Small Note: The Kizingo'Zaa and the Kunanda'Nakhun are branches of the same pride from long ago. Over the years both prides have forgotten their history together, but they live very close and are aware of the other's existence. The Kizingo'Zaa is fairly unconcerned with the Kunanda, but the Kunanda does not like the Kizingo because they view them as weak and honorless. View it as the hatred between Firekin and Misty - a Kunanda going to the Kizingo to live is very unlikely. If a Kizingo comes into the Kunanda lands, they are left to their own devices and not touched because a Kunanda does not want to taint themselves with their dishonor.
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Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:26 am
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The Kizingo'zaa is generally considered a haven, though that safety comes with certain rules of conduct. Any creature may join and/or seek refuge within the territory (So long the 'leaders' are notified - Gypsy King and Queen), no matter the species, age, or alignment of said creature. This means that a huge variety of fauna can be found within the land, of all shapes, sizes and personalities. Some may be good, some may be evil and some may be neutral or happy to switch 'sides' from time to time. Regardless of this, ALL creatures are expected to follow the rules of the pride, and do their best to not cause too much trouble for the natives.
"Keep it secret, keep it safe." - The pride doesn't advertise itself, and requests visitors do likewise. Similarly members all are encouraged to use false 'gypsy' names when dealing with outsiders and newcomers. This extends to some extent to the pride's crafts and trades. They are usually passed down through families, and each family might do things a little differently, or have a secret technique that is not to be shared with 'competitors'.
Hunting is done on the lands bordering the pride and in the deeper jungles, not in the pride's heartland. This is to keep the scent of death away from the main area of business, and to help preserve the central fauna. It also throws back to the Insanity-era traditions of no violence in the pride's lands. Likewise members are strongly discouraged from fighting except in self-defense, and fighting among the pride's members themselves is forbidden.
The pride is formed mostly by 'gypsies' that favor dance, song, story telling and fortune telling but one can find many different lions within the territory, ranging from thieves, to pirates, to just about anyone. The Kizi are known for never turning away anyone wishing to stay or merely passing by to rest - so long they can abide their rules (or pay.)
Insanity
Due to the fact Muhali, the Goddess of Insanity has left the pride, and following the visit of Li, God of Peace, the pride's insanity is dissipating. Those who were members prior to the change (10/1/11) have the option of retaining their lion's insanity if they desire, though they are encouraged to embrace the pride's changes. Those who opt to remain insane will fall somewhere between eccentric and utterly mad. They will still hear the voices of the muses, and the portion of the pride who have regained their sanity still tend to them. The insane are not restricted in any way, though they are monitored to be sure they do not get into trouble, and to keep them safe from rogues or visitors.
All cubs born and rogues joining after 10/1/11 will not be affected by the insanity.
Code of Conduct
The Kizingo are a pride that manages to make having rules look like lawlessness. The Gypsy King and Queen still function as leaders, but many times issues and decisions will be still brought to a pridal vote, including either the heads of each trade group, or the entire pride.
Members are expected to live their lives following the Golden Rule of keeping the pride and its members secret and safe - that aside, the possibilities of what they can do are pretty much endless. Some members are tricksters by nature and can be often time found pranking or tricking others (even those of neighboring prides - though if the situation gets foul, these members are expected to hold their own and face the consequences). Other members like being left alone, being anti-social or are simply of a darker nature, while others are horribly social and enjoy the pridal festivals that come with singing and dancing. Some make things that they trade for food or materials, and some tell fortunes to those looking to know the future or their fate.
Within their ranks are also fighters and thieves. The fighters maintain a low profile, often helping with the dancers or singers, or learning a second craft to devote most of their time to. Only when the pride is under threat, or an argument needs broken up do they step into their warrior roles. As for the thieves of the pride, they are sanctioned, and often even praised for their daring, though a thief that is caught stealing (be it items or cubs) will have to face the consequences on their own--the safety of the pride itself outweighs the desire to save anyone who gets busted. Needless to say, the 'moral compasses' of the pride are slightly 'off'. They don't hold 'Honor' in as high regards as others (which is one of the reasons they allow anyone within their land so long they can follow the rules they have), nor are they particularly brave. Their members range from pirates, to thieves, to gypsies, to con-artists, to more normal-like lions, after all.
Generally speaking, however, the Kizi members are mostly passive in nature (even if they can be tricky, or somewhat strange, or even morally 'off'). Even outside of the pride lands many members will often-time run away from a fight shamelessly, or use under-handed methods to get away from a threat instead of facing it head on (for instance, you're likely to find one of these lions kicking dirt into an opponent's eyes and running away).
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Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:27 am
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Muses are no longer a large part of the Kizi society, though the lions do still live in close accordance with nature. Some pride members may still believe they are a part of greater things, like the sky, or sea, or flowers, but since the departure of Insanity, the ability to hear the muses has all but left the pride. Only a few older members from before the loss of insanity can still hear them. To handle this, naming conventions have been changed. Please read up to know what's going on!
At birth, parents give their cubs names. These are their true names, and they will keep them all their life. However, the pride likes to be mysterious, especially around foreigners and sometimes even other familes. Children are thought to be protected from bad spirits by virtue of being young, but once they grow that changes. Once a lion reaches adolescent and becomes a full member of the pride, they will give themselves a gypsy name. This often is simple, and refers to their future profession in the pride. Lightdancer, Bonereader, Strongback are good examples of names for a mummer, a fortune-teller, and a patron respectively. Names can also be simple things, like a favorite color, a physocal trait, or the like. These names are discussed with their families, and for those intending to life-mate, their mate's family is also involved, as one's trade often is dependant on the family itself. The purpose of a gypsy name is to help protect the lion's true identity from evil (and rogues who may feel slighted by a bad reading or potion that didn't work!)
The OOC Name System
To help make the naming system run smoothly, here is a run down of how you should handle the renaming of your cubs!
1. All cubs born into the pride should have both their names and gypsy names picked out at birth and posted in the pride info thread by one of the cub's parents' owners with the rest of the litter.
2. If for some reason you have not picked a gypsy name by adol, and had it changed or added on the cert, you will not be permitted to breed, as the pride would consider you a liability and probably keep you sequestered until you figured it out.
3. Please post for your cub's name change when they are going to grow! Colorists don't like recerting things when it could just be done when they grow and have to be certed anyway. So plan ahead!
4. Once they change their names they are full-fledged members of society - celebrate!
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Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:28 am
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We have already stressed that the Kizingo'Zaa accepts everyone and anyone within the pride's lands, but just so there's no confusion, we'll cover the basics of pride views on different colors and species.
Color
Kizingo'zaa lions are not color-biased at all, and welcome anyone within their lands. There is a long standing tradition of thinking lions with blue eyes are blessed (originally by Muhali), and that has continued into the current generation of pride members. Having blue eyes is now thought of as a sign of luck, but not much more.
Non-lions and Hybrids
Kizingo'zaa lions are also not species-biased. Originally non-lions could only hold one rank, but since the end of the Insanity-era, they are now welcome to take any rank they can prove themselves good at, barring royal ranks. All species are considered equal, though for OOC reasons we would like to emphasize that this is a lion-dominant pride, and there should never be more than a 9-to-1 ratio of lions to non-lions.
The breeding between a lion and non-lion feline is not looked down upon (at the same time it's not encouraged) and the offspring are cared for as any other cus would be. They are considered to be 'full members' of the pride and can have normal titles, just like anyone else.
Life-Mating and Breeding
♥Mate Material♥
The Kizi is a very open pride but they do have a few standards of mating that have come along with the new traditions and leadership. A general rule of thumb is if you can't produce offspring with it- it's not mate material. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out. The Kizi are very willing to share many things in the game of love but there are two things that they are never to share with their lovers; bloodlines and genders. Almost anything else is fair game. If it brings little ones into the world, why not?
All we ask concerning non-lion feline mates is that we keep these relationships to a minimum. The Kizi is a lined pride and needs to maintain a 9 to 1 ratio from lions to non-lion members. Hybrid offspring are just fine in the pride, but for OOC reasons, please keep this in mind!
♥Flings♥
Flings happen all the time, as do adolescent breedings. No one has any problems with this because it brings new life into the pride and no one can complain about that. Cubs produced by an in-pride fling will typically take on their mother’s trade. There can always be exceptions, very little is written in stone, but it’s uncommon for a male to bring cubs into his trade outside of those produced through a life-mating situation.
Cubs produced by a female through a fling are required to stay with their mother until they are old enough to leave. Even then, they are heavily encouraged to either go to the Bahari, if they need to leave, or remain with the pride. Cubs produced by a male through an outside fling will likely not be known about by the pride. They -will- require a joining RP in order to join the pride.
♥Mix and Match Months♥
We have no problem with members being tossed into the mix and match! However, we have to keep the 9 to 1 lion-to-non-lion ratio so please do not allow for hybrid breedings!
Cubs do have the option of going with the father or staying with the mother within the pride. If you decide to have a rogue cub join after this decision has been made, remember that you will need a joining rp!
♥Life-Mating♥
Life-mating means you stick together forever. This practice is not very common in the Kizi, most are very free lovers and don’t always like the idea of settling down with just one partner. However, it does happen and from life-mates comes trade-families. The ceremony for life-mating is small and private, and binding. Life-mating is for ADULTS only, though adolescents may breed. This is because the pride wants adolescents to learn their trades and experience some life before they make this big decision.
When a couple decides to mate, traditionally the female moves in with the male's family, and casts off her old training to take up the male’s family trade. Once she has fully learned her mate's ways, the pair moves out on their own to start their own branch of the trade. Because this means the female's parents lose a member of their trade's family, they are typically paid a sort of dowry, be it in the form of crafted items, foods, services rendered, or a mix of the three.
The new trade family is part of the pride but they are a closer-knit group specializing in a trade.
♥The Mummer’s Ball♥
This is a very special time when the Kizingo’Zaa and the Bahari’mtoto prides come together to celebrate their alliance, their sharing of the ocean, and to share bloodlines. Yes, this is essentially a time where singles or those looking for a little outside romance can look beyond their borders and take a mate or lover with a member of their allied pride. During the mummer’s ball, flings are perfectly fine but the larger purpose is to exchange life-mates. A couple must decide whether to take their vows as Kizingo’Zaa or as Bahari’mtoto. Wherever they choose to go, that is where their cubs will be born. Cubs that are born out of these unions are free to change prides when they are old enough to leave their mothers, but this will require a joining rp.
Religion
The Kizi tend to believe in a multitude of gods, all changing with their needs. Going on a hunt? Pray to a god of hunting or prey. Making something tricky? Pray to a crafting god. They do however have a few patron gods that they look to more than others.
♦ Approved Gods ♦
☼ Muhali || Goddess of Insanity || Dark Fire Angel ||
The main patron of the pride. Muhali was the original founder of the pride and the pride is a little divided on how they see her. Some see her as the original trickster while others revere her for the gift of insanity. She was liberated from her self-imposed insanity when peace blessed the territory and lifted the blessing she had originally placed on the land. Now clear of mind, Muahli lives within the land once more. She has blessed a small portion of the territory known as the Dreamer's Cove. Pride members can now choose whether or not to embrace insanity.
☼ Li Wei || God of Peace || Thalion ||
The god responsible for the final purging of insanity from the land. Because the Kizi were a peaceful pride originally, the small god was attracted to the lands and issued a blessing of prosperity. What little lingered of the curse of insanity was driven away. Because of his blessing, the territory is bountiful and quite pleasant but many of the pride members still grieve for their lost ‘muse’ and greatly resent the god. Either way, the pride hunts outside of the pride’s territory to retain his blessing and keep the scent of blood away.
However, following the assassination attempt, Li Wei was forced to leave the lands. However, his blessing remains- so long as Riddlemouth lives.
☼ Aharu'ka || Goddess of Thieves || Meepfur ||
Following the dispelling of Insanity's curse, the pride turned to Aharu'ka for guidance. She taught them how to live in the shadows. They revere her highly, but the pride and the goddess do not have an intimate relationship.
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Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:29 am
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Kiza rituals are separated into two categories - ceremonies and celebrations. Ceremonies are typically smaller than celebrations and revolve around a major event in the life of a pride member. Festivals are much larger and are typically celebrations that the entire pride partakes in.
Ceremonies
Initiation Ceremony - Initiation ceremonies are official initiations into Kizi society, celebrated by members at the adolescent age when they become a full pride member. Occasionally litters will wait until all members have picked their gypsy names to have the ceremony. They involve the individual officially pronouncing their and changing their name, so they can not have a ceremony until they have acquired their gyspy name. These don't always include all members of the pride, unless the individual is of a high social standing, but either the Gypsy King or Queen are usually in attendance to make it official (in some cases, it may simply be an heir to either position if the chosen heirs are old enough). If an individual never has an Initiation, they are never considered an adult within society and consequently may not breed. (OOCly, you do not have to officially RP this ceremony, but if you don't change their name they aren't going to be breeding inside the pride.)
For the celebration of the Initiation itself, the individual is dressed up in crowns and necklaces of shells and various flora. At the beginning of the ceremony, marked by the sunset, they will make an official statement of their new name. Then, the festivities will begin with a small feast, dancing, story telling, and singing that usually lasts through the night until the dawn of the next day which is seen as the official beginning of the individual's new life.
Death Ceremony - Opposite of the Initiation Ceremony is the Death Ceremony, which marks the end of a member's life. When a member is dying, they retreat to a great cave (called the Twilight Cave) that is secluded from the rest of the pride. There are members whose sole purpose is to watch over these dying members in their last days and are the only members aside from the dying that are permitted to enter the Twilight Cave. These lions are also responsible for moving the bodies of those that died before they could reach the cave to it so that they can be in their proper resting place. Once a pride member has passed, they will have an item reprisentative of their life brought and the family will press it to the heart of the deceased member so that their soul may continue their trade in the afterlife. Then, once they are confident the soul of the member has moved on, those who tended the dying will leave the cave and begin a procession down to the shoreline. Along the way, any member they pass is expected to fall in line behind those that lead the way, but all must go in silence so that they do not distract the soul of the spirit from finding their way. Once the procession reaches the shoreline, the lion that tended the dying will walk out onto the jetty and toss the piece that represented the lion's life into the ocean so that it may return to the world beyond with the soul of the deceased pride member.
Following this, family of the deceased will often hold a small feast and celebration of the member's life, for dying is not meant to be a sad time. Rather, their lives are to be celebrated.
Festivals
Festival of Souls (March) - The Festival of Souls occurs on or near the Autumn Equinox. As it's name suggests, it is a celebration of souls, and more importantly a day to remember those that have died. It is somewhat minor in comparison to the summer or winter festivals, but is still an important part of their lives.
During the day, members of the pride scavenge to find the best representations of their own lives and trades. At the beginning of sunset, they all gather on shore outside of the Twilight Cave with their sacrifices in hand (figuratively). At a cue from the Gypsy Queen, they begin to walk down the shore line, singing a song led by the Queen. Many of them may dance, though some may simply walk. This continues until the sun sets beyond the horizon and the night has fully descended, at which point they cease their songs and dancing. The Gypsy King will step forward and toss his/her sacrifice into the ocean, at which point the rest of the pride will follow suit. At the end of this long procession, they will feast. There have been many stories where pride members claim to have seen family members that have passed on, singing and dancing with the rest of the pride, ghostly spirits returned for one night to be with those they left behind.
The Longest Night (June) - The Longest Night is also known as the Winter Solstice. It is a celebration of the dry Winter passing and the plentiful months that will soon be coming. The most important part of it is the Shining Queen, who represents the sun.
In the days before the Longest night, the Gypsy King and Queen will choose a 'Shadowed Hag'. This will often be a young female among the pride that is an exceptional story teller/dancer/singer/crafter. She is chosen in secret, and expected to keep her silence until the night of the celebration. On the day before the celebration, she will be taken away to a secret cave and will be covered in drapes of seaweed and leaves in an attempt to make her look as scraggly and wretched as possible. When the sun sets, the Shining King will announce the beginning of activities, and the pride will commence dancing and singing well into the night. When it reaches midnight, the Shadowed Hag will be let out of the cave and sent to the rest of the pride. Along the way, she will do her best to appear old and haggard. When she reaches the pride, the Shining King will approach her and remove all of her 'rags', renewing her and relinquishing his 'rule' to her. For the rest of the night, she will rule the festivities, and is a good omen until the next Shining King is chosen.
Festival of Growth (September) - The Festival of Growth occurs during the spring equinox and is a celebration of the beginning of the rains. The rains during this time are just beginning, the growth back on the savanna is very light, and the herds are only just beginning to return - but it marks the end of the dry winter. On the shore, the Kizi pride is affected less than many others during the Winter months, but they are always pleased when their resources are once again plentiful.
This, like the Festival of Souls, is considered minor in comparison to the Midsummer and Long Night Festivals, but it is one that is greatly enjoyed by the younger members of the pride. Marked by feasts (of what little has returned to the lands), singing, dancing and typical Kizi festivities, it may appear at first to be nothing more than a typical celebration in the pride. However, this is a celebration that is catered more towards the younger generation of the pride. Cubs take part in pride-wide games set up by their elders and adolescents spend much of the festival flirting with potential mates (with parents keeping an eye out for good matches to encourage).
Midsummer Festival (December) - Also known as the summer solstice, and more recently, the Feast of Fools, the midsummer festival is the celebration of summer, occurring in December. Many of the pride's meals come from hunting parties that venture past the jungle and onto the savanna, and even the further reaches of their jungle depends on the wet season that the summer provides. Thus, Midsummer is a celebration of thankfulness and a recognition that the days of plenty are coming to an end.
The Midsummer Festival is extravagant, spanning over a three day's time. Each day there are feasts, dancing, singing, and story telling like many of the pride's other celebrations but there are, as well, things that make the Midsummer festival uniquely it's own. When the sun sets on the first day of the festival, all interested young adolescent males gather and proclaim they are competing to be the 'Shining King'. The rest of the night and the second day, they will compete with one another by attempting to sing, dance, trick, joke, mock, or tell stories better than their competition. On the dawn of the third day, the Gypsy King and Queen will announce the Shining King, who will then be the center of the festivities for the rest of the Midsummer Festival. He will be adorned with crowns and necklaces of flowers and bones, representing the abundance of resources in the pride, and will become a temporary king to the pride. However, his 'rule' is seen as something almost comical. He can not change any laws within the pride, but he can make up new, amusing ones that his followers must abide - such as walking backwards the entire day, or hopping wherever they go. When the sun sets on the third day, the festival is over, as is the Shining King's reign over the pride. However, he has an important role to play on the Longest Night Festival, and is often seen as a good omen among pride members until the Shining Queen is chosen.
The Mummer’s Ball (Every few months)
Every few months (typically when both the Bahari’mtoto and the Kizingo’zaa have large litters that have grown into adolescents ), the leaders of both prides arrange a festival on neutral territory. This celebration is primarily to strengthen the alliance between the two prides but its secondary purpose is to ensure that both prides can keep a constant flow of new blood between them. Kizi and Bahari singles seeking a fling or even a life-mate mingle during this festival and sometimes, a few females end up with fat bellies in the months to follow! Life-mating arrangements are encouraged, but not required. It’s up to the couple to determine where they will make their vows and ultimately start a new family. The resulting cubs are welcome between the two prides.
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Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:30 am
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[Rank Availability]
* = Not open to everyone
• = Open only under special circumstances or through RP/promotion.
† = Temporarily Unavailable
Everything else is free game.
Royalty
Gypsy King *
Equal in rank to the gypsy queen, the gypsy king is the ‘strong arm’ of the leadership. It’s his job to maintain the patrons, gypsies, and thieves as well as oversee the defense of the pride. If a threat is posed to the pride, it’s his job to see to it. The gypsy king and queen are currently not mated, nor are they expected to be. This will likely become a tradition in generations to come. However, both the gypsy king and queen are free to choose the successor to their rank. Neither has any say who is chosen by the other.
Gypsy Queen *
Equal in rank to the gypsy king, the gypsy queen is the ‘caretaker’ of the leadership. Her job is to oversee the mummers, fortune-tellers, alchemists, and merchants within the pride. The current queen, being the native of the two, is responsible not only for the care and upkeep of the pride members, but for the care and upkeep of the pride’s culture, history, and traditions. While hardly a weaker individual than the king, she’s the ear of the pride where he’s the muscle.
Gypsy Prince: •
This is the chosen heir to the gypsy king. When this tradition begins, the gypsy prince will be the favored of the king’s offspring and the only one of his brood to take on the title. His siblings will become gypsy lords and ladies. The gypsy prince will spend his time learning at his father’s side and accompanying the gypsies and thieves in their duties so he can learn the ways of his pride personally.
Gypsy Princess: •
This is the chosen heiress of the gypsy queen. When this tradition begins, the gypsy princess will be the favored of the queen’s offspring and the only one of her brood to take on the title. Her siblings will become gypsy lords and ladies. The gypsy princess will spend her time learning at her mother’s side and accompanying the mummers, fortune tellers, and merchants in their duties to learn the ways of her pride personally.
Gypsy Lords & Ladies
These are the royals of the pride. The offspring of the gypsy king and queen, their siblings, or their chosen mates. (If the gypsy king takes a mummer as a mate, she becomes a gypsy lady, etc.) They take on the royal name of their parents (or mate) and assist in overseeing the pride. While they are expected to take on common duties, they are held in high regard among the commoners of the pride.
Militant Ranks
Patron General •
The leader of the patrons and the proven strongest of the fighters within the pride, the patron general reports directly to the gypsy king. Under him, the patrons serve and train, defending the pride from outside threats and, if need be, handling any internal struggles as well. While the patron general is typically reserved for a male, a female may one day take the position. (1/1 Available)
Hunt Leader •
In charge of handling hunts, the hunt leader is in charge of organizing hunts between thieves, gypsies, and patrons in order to provide for the pride. The hunt leader position is open to either gender! (1/1 Available)
Patron
The patrons are the fighters of the pride. Open to both genders and any species, the patrons are often larger, stronger, and more bold than the rest of the pride. They are not permitted to wage open combat outside of the boarders, their sole purpose is to protect the pride from threats both foreign and domestic. Keep in mind the pride is not a militant one, and so even the boldest of the patrons would not pick a fight outside of the pride as it would draw unwanted attention to their homeland. When there is no threat present they act as normal gypsies, helping with hunting, crafting, and entertaining. (Unlimited positions available.)
Thief
Thieves are celebrated as the backbone of the pride. While common in rank, it’s the thieves who brave the outside world in search of resources, items, and new members. The thieves gained their abilities from the goddess of thieves herself and use their cunning to the pride’s benefit. A thief can work alone but it’s not uncommon for thieves to pair up or form a troupe to arrange larger heists. Thieves are often times issued to slip into the territories of other prides and secure new blooded youngsters to boost the pride’s numbers and insure that there’s new blood for future generations down the line. Thieves also poach off of other pride’s game to insure that the resources of their homeland aren’t tapped into as much as possible. Finally- thieves have a love for all that glitters. As the pride will soon begin to decorate its members with trinkets to boast their accomplishments- thieves will be the ones to secure exotic items from various locations to assist the merchants, crafters, mummers, and gypsies.
Commercial Ranks
Head Merchant •
This individual is the one all merchants, traders, and crafters both fear and respect. Cunning, under-handed, and crafty, the head merchant didn’t accomplish this rank through playing nice. They decide just how much a thief gets for his or her stash, how valuable trinkets are, who gets to pay for them, what they must pay, and how they’re used. It’s not uncommon for the head merchant to set the prices so he or she comes out on top every time. Because of this, the other merchants both hate and fear this individual all while aspiring to be them. Nothing is traded without the head merchant knowing about it, for this individual is as greedy for rumors and talk as they are for trinkets and treasures. (Fidel The Magpie)
Master Craftsman •
This individual has a certain touch that can take a pile of bones, feathers, and scrap and turn it into an accessory fit for a king. The master craftsman always has first pick of the merchant’s wares and is often pardoned from the sometimes heavy fees and payments imposed on the lesser crafters of the pride. Providing the articles found decorating the higher ranked members of the pride- the master craftsman is highly regarded. (Reginault Hatter)
Master Alchemist •
This individual is in charge or learning and updating any potions, salves, and cures known to the pride. Essentially healers, the alchemists are in charge of providing the pride with a source of healing through their collected knowledge of herbs, plants, and the mixture of a variety of ingredients. The master alchemist spends a lot of time tutoring the younger alchemists, gathering ingredients, and learning of their effects. (Wimbaji Seven Songs)
Merchant
Merchants have close dealings with the thieves and the crafters. They will horde items, trinkets, bones, and a variety of other found objects for the sole purpose of trading. What the head merchant doesn’t take for himself, the merchants are free to ‘sell’ to the rest of the pride. Lacking any true currency, the merchants will accept favors, information, and other trinkets from the pride members. Thieves are their source of product and so the thieves are often kept within the merchant network and rewarded for their efforts with information, favors, and items to assist in their raids. (Unlimited!)
Crafter
The crafters work alongside merchants, often on a daily basis with one or two regulars, to turn the scrap into valuables. The crafters make the attire of the pride, create weapons, bowls, jewelry, etc. The crafters are often given a cut of whatever the merchant makes in exchange for their efforts. (Unlimited!)
Alchemist
The alchemists are the healers of the pride. They learn from their master and combine their knowledge to help create healing salves, numbing potions, etc. It’s very common for a thief to return from a raid with injuries and hurts, it’s the alchemists that keep them on their paws, ready to serve the pride. (Unlimited!)
Social Ranks
Shining King/Shining Queen •
This is only a year-long title, held by adolescents to young adults. They are seen as the King and Queen of festivities, although their 'reign' does not extend into pride politics. The Shining Queen rules from winter solstice to summer solstice, while the Shining King rules from the summer solstice to the winter solstice. Although they may not be actively 'ruling' during their 'dormant' months, they are allowed to keep their title until they are replaced by the next lion to take their place, and then they are expected to take another rank.
Voivode •
The viovode is essentially the chiefdom of the pride. This rank is open to older members, full of wisdom, experience, and compassion. The voivode oversees all marriages within the pride and is the sole member of the pride permitted to attend to the dying and their final rights. Because of this, the voivode are highly expected and revered, even by the royalty. There is no gender requirement for the voivode, but only older members of the pride are able to carry such a burden. (3/5 available- Memeth & Rai Shadows)
Lead Mummer •
The lead mummer is essentially the master of ceremonies and entertainment. This individual is the dancer, the singer, and the performer that all entertainers aspire to become. Full of life, spirit, and excitement, the lead mummer arranges the festivities within the pride, trains the mummers under them, and is often seen as the keeper of tradition. The lead mummer can be either a male or a female, but there is ever only one within the pride. (1/1 Available)
Head Fortune Teller •
The head fortune teller is often times an older lioness who has spent her lifetime finding and interpreting signs in just about everything. As the insanity lifted from the lands, the fortune tellers began to rely on seer abilities, signs in tossed bones or cloud-shapes to attempt to read the future. While it’s not a requirement, the head fortune teller would be stronger if he or she possessed the ability of a seer. (Eurimewn'niwl Godchild)
Mummers
Mummers are the performers and entertainers of the pride. These are dancers, singers, and story tellers- a rank very familiar to the pride, it would be the easiest for most of the old members to convert into. Mummers keep the pride’s past and traditions alive through stories, songs, and dances of the speaking sea, rains that sung, and a time when the entire world spoke to the pride. The mummers are primarily female, but males are hardly uncommon. (Unlimited rank!)
Fortune Teller
The fortune tellers all work under, and learn from, the head fortune teller. They learn how to read the clouds and interpret what they see there. They learn to read stars, toss bones, and listen to the dreams of their fellow pride members to find a hidden meaning that could foretell fortune or misfortune for the pride. Seers within the pride are encouraged to take up this trade, even if they come from a family with another trade, as they are rare and valuable to the pride. There is a lot of mystery and even fear surrounding the fortune tellers, even among the pride. (Unlimited rank!)
Other Ranks
Gypsy
When a lion grows into adolescence, they become a gypsy. Gypsies are now old enough to have a marriage arranged, to choose a gypsy name, and to select a trade for themselves. They are free to fling and the resulting offspring will take whatever trade they do or marry into. This is the default rank for anyone who does not select a trade later on. It also contains regular hunters and minders. They are essentially the catch-all rank for those that don't fit in elsewhere.
Prince
Now this is rank is kind of a joke. This is the rank for cubs that are stolen and brought into the pride, for members who have no trade, for members unable to marry into another family or pass on a trade on their own. The title of ‘prince’ is more or less given in mockery. Princes are expected to take on a trade, either by persuading a family to take them in, having a family assigned to them, or marrying into a family. Until a prince finds a means into a trade, takes a gypsy name, or gets married- they remain a prince and thus are unable to breed. If a prince does reproduce, the parents are thrown from the pride and depending on the mood of the gypsy king and/or queen, the cubs may be given to another family or exiled as well.
Youth
This is the default rank for cubs born to pride members. The youth rank will automatically move to gypsy. Most males will remain within their family, carrying the trade and the name of their family. They will marry a female and move into their own territory of the pride’s lands to begin their own family. Females are expected to marry a male, take on his trade and family name, and bear a good number of cubs.
Other Ranks
Dream King/Queen
The Dream King or Queen are royalty within their own little patch of land within the Kizi territory. The plot is small compared to the roaming space that the rest of the pride enjoys, but the residents are lost to insanity once more so most don't even notice. The Dream King/Queen is the leader of the dreamers and acts as the voice of the dreamers. He or She is the closest to Muhali and carries her blessing as the overseer of her precious children, they also act as the diplomat between the Dreamers and the rest of the pride. There can only ever be one King or Queen of the dreamers, never both. The mate of the King or Queen is just another lion as far as the pride is concerned. The title really is given to set the 'lead dreamer' apart from all the others.
Dreamer
Dreamers are lions who have chosen to once again embrace the muses of the old ways. They are blessed by Muhali and are inflicted with some form of insanity. The insanity ranges from minor to large and is up to the player to determine how it manifests. The dreamers have no responsibilities within the pride as they are often lost to their muse. They are restricted to a small territory. If they leave it, their muse will fade away with their insanity. They are protected by the pride and kept somewhat secret. Unfortunately, this means they are something of a second-class citizen but the pride fears that outsiders would easily take advantage of them or that their ally prides will fear an epidemic of insanity.
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