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 Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:02 pm
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The Mistweavers were never without strife. In ancient times, it’s believed that the pride was prosperous and gifted with enlightenment from the gods themselves but at all times their borders were haunted by the red devils from the desert, the Firekin. Like the Pridelands and the Firekin, the Mistweavers had remained in their ancestral homeland since their founding. Where the Firekin represented power, the Pridelanders represented spirituality, the Mistweavers were the embodiment of wisdom. They were the first pride to create a written language and record their history on stone.
In its final days, a terrible plague swept through the land following a terrible drought. The great Mistweaver pride had dwindled down to three: Nyunya, the King, Kunge, his Queen, and Bahari, Kunge's sister. Several weeks later, Kunge gave birth to a single female...the lack of water had been hard on the pride, and all her energies had been focused into giving birth to one healthy cub.
Nyunya, however, ended up dying from disease soon after when he accidentally allowed another lioness - a biological time bomb, as it were - into the pride. She was carrying a deadly illness that she soon died from afterwards...but not before inflicting the same illness upon nearly all of the rest of the pride and giving birth to a single cub- a male sired by Nyunya as a result of a tryst.
After Nyunya's death, the remaining Mistweaver lionesses tried to stay together...but Kunge fell ill from the disease. One evening, Sumba and Waka, two Firekin lionesses, stole onto the lands, killing Bahari, leaving Kunge to slowly die from illness, and stealing the young princess.
Maji, the b*****d son of Nyunya and Katibu, the rogue lioness, was taken under the wing of the Storm King himself. Seen as the final vessel of the Mistweaver legacy, the gods blessed him with knowledge of the pride’s legacy, their reading, their writing, and their philosophy. He grew up within the pride, knowing the labyrinth of caves that protected the written secrets of his pride and quietly educating himself in the ways of his fallen people. Over the years, several rogues took refuge in the MIstweaver valley and in time the small group of rogues formed what might have been the beginnings of a new dawn for the Mistweavers.
However… the departed princess, Masika, returned to the territory with a band of rogues at her back. Demanding her birthright, she challenged her half-brother and called his claim to her throne into question. While she had grown up a slave and had no knowledge of her pride or of their ways, the rogues and a handful of the new pride members supported Masika over Magi. The old Mistweavers, along with their b*****d prince, were exiled from the territory. In the span of only a year, Masika and her supporters vanished from the lands entirely. Nothing is known about what happened...
Maji, along with his cousin, Kisulisuli, and his adopted son, Obi, spent the following years as traveling rogues. Eventually they met up with Tifu, a young seer who joined their rag tag group. It was Tifu who received a vision of a scattered pride in need gathering in the ruined lands of the Mistweaver valley. Setting aside the pain of their exile, the Mistweavers are returning…
The Neled Orod were a pride of lions that dated back to ancient times. They lived along the sea, celebrating the strength of the endless tides and worshiping the gods of every domain and name. They had a complicated, advanced society thanks mostly in part to the blessings of multiple gods. They offered their own members to mate with the gods in a variety of rituals and rites to promote the creation of seers. Seers were given special ranks within their society and even ran their own branch of government. Gods soon came to trust these mortals enough to raise their offspring. Because of this, the Neled were blessed with the protection of the divine.
Unfortunately, one of the Neled members betrayed both the gods and their pride and attempted to kill a young god shortly after being entrusted to its care. This brought down the wrath of one of the most powerful gods- the god of hate -and nearly the entire pride was devastated. The survivors managed to locate one another and traveled at the guidance of their remaining seers. Through visions and faith alone, the Neled have found themselves in the land of the mists.
The two must become one. Both the Neled and Mistweavers have found themselves feeling abandoned by the gods and by their own kind. The Neled were willingly isolated from the rest of the world where the Mistweavers fell into near constant oppression from within and without. Seeing a common need for survival and a common mistrust for their fellow lions, the two will unite to form a new pride- a perfect union of the Mistweavers and the Dreamwalkers - The Mistwalkers.
► Territory:
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:07 pm
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¤Religion…¤
The Mistweavers' god is the Storm God; he who brings the life-giving rain. They also worship the moon and have an affinity with the nighttime. They believe drought years are the result of some sin on their part, while bountiful, lush years are the result of following the god's ways. While tolerant of other beliefs, they still tend to remain in their own valley, preferring little contact with outsiders. They are often looked upon as mysterious and almost magical by the Pridelanders, whom they share a border with, and disdained and loathed by the Firekin, their natural enemies.
The Neled Orod worshiped any and all gods, acknowledging that for there to be good there must also be evil. For there to be darkness there must also be light. In this, there is some division within the pride. For now, every member is free to worship as they wish so long as it does not endanger the pride or invite practices that both the scholarly Mistweavers and the Spiritual Neled Orod would abhor.
¤Culture…¤
≈Gender Roles…
While originally the Mistweavers were very accepting of gender equality, and traditionally they still are, there’s a definite stigma against females in power. Considering that the Mistweavers were ran out of their territory by a female, that same female devastated the pride, and an attempt at a female dominated society resulted in the desertion of the pride there this stigma is well-founded. Traditionally, a king is preferred over a queen now but there’s no laws forbidding females from taking an equal or higher status than a male. The Neled were a little less tense about females in power, in fact they had special ranks for high-ranking spiritual leaders reserved only for females. The two sides have compromised in saying females and males are to be treated equally.
≈Family Structure…
The family is one of the cores of the pride. A father is the defender of the family, the source of wisdom, and the guardian of the family’s bloodline. The mother is the caretaker, the provider, and the bearer of cubs. Unlike most prides, cubs are raised within a family unit rather than in a core group of females. This is especially true for the royal family. Families may extend to sworn-siblings, godfathers/godmothers as strong bonds form.
≈Mating…
The Mistweavers were always more traditional when it came to mating. Courting was a serious affair that involved the entire family. Bloodlines are important so mates are considered carefully. Males are expected to court and woo their ladies as if they were each and every one of them a queen. They approach the father of the female or her eldest living male relation for permission to court. Even then, the female is given the choice whether or not to accept a suitor. The Neled Orod were very traditional and isolated so they had very little exposure to any alternative forms of mating. Anything outside of the natural union of an adult male to an adult female would shock and disgust them.
○ Flinging is not regarded kindly. It creates cubs outside of wedlock and may lead to punishment of the parents.
○ Only adults are permitted to breed. Even adolescents are considered too immature to understand and maintain a family.
○ Incest is absolutely not allowed. Inbreeding leads to a thinning of the bloodlines and has never been acceptable among the Mistweavers.
○ Pairs are restricted to one male and one female. The pride is extremely traditional in that sense. The Mistweavers weren't exactly fond of pairings outside of the natural ones that could produce offspring. The Neled have never even heard of anything outside of the traditional, so it's simply not allowed.
○ The ONLY exception to the 'no flings' rule is if a mortal flings with a god. This will provide the pride with Oracles and the cubs will be raised by the Oracle mother and father rather than either natural parent.
○ For mix and match months, Mistwalkers are not eligible. You may take the risk if you so choose but remember that flings are heavily frowned upon unless it is with a god.
≈The Oracle House…
The oracle house is one of the things that the Neled insisted upon retaining upon their union with the Mistweavers. Cubs who are born with the seer ability are instantly taken to the oracle house to be raised among their fellow seers, by their fellow seers, and for the benefit of their fellow seers. Every seer’s ability appears in a unique way and it is the goal of the oracle house to support the youngsters as they grow into their abilities and to use the talents of the oracles to both honor the gods and to protect their pride.
While there is no distinctive rank to separate them, oracles are separated into two major branches- the god-born and the god-chosen. God-born are the direct offspring of the gods and the god-chosen are those rare individuals believed to be touched by the gods, brought out of the common blood to carry the gift of the seer. All oracles are treated equally, regardless of how they came into their abilities.
◘ A metaplot is in the works to coerce the gods into returning to the Neled and to reestablish a bond between the pride and the divine. An annual ritual will be established in which a handful of pride members will be selected to be offered to the gods as mortal lovers. This would represent the bond between the divine and the mortal world, the result being the seers- the bridge between the two worlds. This is the only time when flings are acceptable!
≈ Pelt colors…
The Mistweavers, like the Firekin, have a color bias that finds root in their faith. They revere the waters, the rains, the storms, and the moon so their coloration standards reflect that. Blues, grays, whites, blacks, and even browns are accepted. The Neled Orod had similar coloration standards, mostly to define which among them was related to the gods and who carried mostly mortal blood. Now the coloration code from both prides is essential to their survival. The faded, grayed colors of the earthen tones and the cool watery tones are easily hidden within the mists that fill the lands and within the darkness of the night. Colors like red, orange, and bright yellow would stand out far too much and would invite unwanted investigations by their neighbors. The Mistweavers still harbor a good deal of spite towards the Firekin so these colors are completely undesired. Pink and bright green are, again, too obvious in the mists. Dulled yellows or minimal yellow is a case-by-case decision.
≈ Runes…
Not all Mistwalkers are born with runes but when they are this is said to be a gift from the gods. In the Mistweavers, rune symbols were very common on natural-born pelts and often represented something about the individual. Many were seen as prophetic, guiding points in that individual’s life. Those that are born with the runes naturally are said to be blessed and more often have a rank chosen for them upon birth. Those born without are assigned runes later on by the arch magi that speaks of their strengths more directly. They’re a little less prophetic but no less meaningful to the individual.
Neled Orod also held runes in high regard and saw them as messages from the gods themselves. Both factions agree that every individual should be represented by at least one- either by birth or by assignment.
xxx☼ Rune Guide(s) ☼
xxxxx• Rune Symbols & Meanings
≈The Unfortunate…
While the Neled Orod are less bias against coats that don’t fit the pridal standard, this is one aspect of the Mistweaver’s culture that will die hard. The color red is not a trusted color, regardless of how it comes about, on a lion’s pelt. Red is the color of the firekin and while most of the current members have had the good fortune of never having come in contact with the firekin, there is a good deal of superstition regarding the color. The survival of the pride had always depended on the ability to fade into the mists and seemingly vanish. Those that are born with pelts bearing red and pink are unacceptable as future pride members as they put the others at risk. Those born with too much of a ‘unacceptable’ color are lumped into this group. While there is no malicious intent towards these unfortunate beings, for the good of the pride they must be released from the territory.
Those bearing the a pelt that would be regarded as unfortunate will live with their mothers, unable to leave the denning area, until they are juveniles. They are then escorted to the border and sent on their way.
◘ A plot is in the works between the Mistwalkers and the Vikings! Cubs left at the border by the Mistwalkers will have the option of joining the Vikings. Cubs left at the border by the Vikings, and that are of the appropriate coloration, will have the option of joining the Mistwalkers.
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:14 pm
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 ≈Rulers:
○ King & Queen
The king and/or queen are the high authority of the pride. They’re charged with the protection of their pride and the enforcement of the law. The rulers are often descended from the royal line through the eldest male heir but there have been times when a queen is left behind to carry on the rule after her husband’s passing. The king and queen hold the same amount of authority but it is preferred to have a king in power. The queen is often chosen from a powerful or blessed bloodline to be the future king’s betrothed. His prevents inbreeding among royals while still maintaining a quality lineage.
≈Nobility:
○ Heir or Heiress
Heirs are more common but on occasion an heiress is chosen if no sons are produced or if a female is found to be more worthy than her male siblings. The heir or heiress is bound to a betrothed upon adolescents and is expected to honor the choice of his parents for the sake of the pride. He or she works closely with his or her parents in learning the ways of the pride and all that’s to be expected of them. When the heir or heiress suit’s the throne the event is marked by their official marriage to their betrothed.
○ Princes & Princesses
These are the offspring of the king and queen. They are essentially a standby in case the unthinkable happens to the heir or heiress. They remain in line for the throne until the heir or heiress produces offspring of their own. They have no official duties but much of the time they assist in helping their parents maintain the pride, they’re married into strong families or act as diplomats when it’s necessary.
○ Lords & Ladies
These are the siblings of the current king and queen, and the rank that the princes and princesses will take when their sibling suit’s the throne. Lords and ladies pretty much have the same role as the prince and princesses.
≈House of Oracles:
○ Mother & Father Oracle
The father and/or mother oracle serve as the head of the house of oracles. When a cub is born with the gifts of a seer, they are taken to the house of oracles to live among their fellow seers. The mother and father oracle become their new father and mother and their fellow seers become their siblings. The mother and father oracle can be a mated pair- but it’s not a requirement.
○ Oracles
Oracles are the seers of the pride. This rank is open to cubs, juveniles, adolescents, and adults. Oracles train all their lives so they can identify their talents, learn to apply them, and assist the pride. In a way, the oracles live in their own existence within but somehow apart from the pride.
≈The Magi
○ Arch Magi
The arch magi is the wisest of the wise. The arch magi is the master of the written word, the historian of the pride, and serves as the head advisor to the king and queen. More often than not, the arch magi is an older lion that had been tutored by the former arch magi to succeed them. The arch magi can be male or female.
○ Magi
The magi are the wise ones of the pride. They spend their younger years learning how to read and write and they spend the rest of their life learning the history of the pride, recording current events, and working with the royal house to create and maintain the laws of the pride. Essentially, the magi are scholars and historians.
≈Military
○ Sentinel Captain
The captain is the military leader of the pride. He’s in charge of directing the sentinels, securing the borders, and enforcing the law that the royals dictate. He’s the executioner, the general, and the judge all rolled into one. The captain is almost always a male but there is room for (future) exception.
○ Sentinel
The sentinels are the guards and soldiers of the pride. They’re bigger and stronger than the hunters and are trained from adolescents to be soldiers, to obey the order of their captain, and to defend the pride. Considering the fall of the fall of the Mistweavers, it’s now understood that the borders must be secured and defended.
≈Hunters
○ Head Hunter/Head Huntress
The head hunter or head huntress is in charge of organizing hunting parties and leading the hunt. They are often the most experienced of the hunters.
○ Hunter/Huntress
The hunters provide the food for the pride. They may travel for days to return with a kill. Hunting is highly dangerous and many hunters are forced into retirement early. This is the default rank for adults.
≈Apprentice
The apprentices choose a trade- sentinels, hunters, or magi.
≈Youths:
Youths are the cubs and juveniles of the pride. They have no expectations other than to enjoy their childhood and honor their parents.
◘ The Unfortunate
If a cub is born with colors unbefitting of the pride, they are given the title “Unfortunate” which they will carry with them until they become juveniles. At this time, they are escorted to the border separating the Mistwalker territory from the Viking territory. From there, their road is their own. They are wished well and sent into the world. The Unfortunate are never treated badly, but their rejection is, for now, for the protection of the pride. |
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:22 pm
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◘ “So my lion has some yellow/green on it, but it’s not a lot.. Is that okay?”
○ Yes that’s fine for now. If the yellow and/or green is 30% or less of the SoA that’s acceptable. This means mane/tail, OR small markings like belly/toes.
◘ “What about red?”
○ Red, pink, or orange in -any- amount is absolutely forbidden. These colors represent the Firekin.
◘ “Can a member fling with a god and still be okay?”
○ This may come about through story once we get up and running. The oracle house will likely begin a tradition of offering virgin pride members to the gods to help bear oracles. This will become a rank/tradition later on, but for now the pride’s just getting back on its feet.
◘ “Who are the Neled Orod?”
○ The Neled Orod was a concept pride that… really never got off the ground. To revive the Mistweavers, give them some numbers and some new culture and plot potential, we’re combining the Neled Orod with the Mistweavers. If you want to know more about them, you can read about it here.
◘ “You say there was some conflict in the past between Masika and her followers but there’s no rp proof of this!”
○ In-character there was no explanation given as to why Maji and his supporters were bumped out of their positions of power and out-of-character we were ignored when asked. Those involved with Masika and her side of things have left gaia/SoA so we decided to use the best possible explanation of what exactly happened.
◘ “I have an old Mistweaver, can they come back?”
○ Of course! So long as they fit into the pride.
◘ “I have an old Mistweaver but they have red/pink on them…”
○ Sorry, these old Mistweavers were part of some in-pride strife that would lead to their being turned away at the border. (Nyekendu’s blood, forbidden breeding with a Firekin, etc.)
◘ “Can non-lions join?”
○ No. Both prides are exclusively lion. |
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