WESTFEN | noon approaches...

[Minsuil]

 

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In the western expanse of Matope lies the land of Clan WESTFEN. The clan itself controls around fourteen square acres of swamp-land and is expanding steadily. Westfen is a close-knit group of kin who live by the swamp and with the swamp. They are a clan that values tradition, strength, stories, and talent - all of which they seek to foster both in their members.

Members of Westfen are:
- kimeti, able, and seeking to work in a collaborative community/family group
- value stories, tradition, individuality, talent
- in touch with the swamp
- they have ambition

NEWS+UPDATES

AUG28 Congrats to the tribe for a great showing at the BoTT! Special mentions to the Pentathlon Winners, Dual Natures, Shameless, Westward Bound, Flame of the West, and Time To Go. As well as the Scavenger Hunt team, Ashdown, Burning Bush, Shameless, and Westward Bound!
JUNE22 Come join us for Battle of the Tribes fun! Feel free to join one of the teams or make your own and compete to bring honor to Westfen!!

show spoilerhide spoiler

SEPT2 Thread info update! (cries because now its hard to tell which way the news tracker goes, this is the newest and jun17 is the last!)
NOV22 THE MOON RISES - ORP
SEPT28 Welcome Widow's Wail as a hunter, and Owl Caller as a seer, to Westfen!
JUN17 Westward Bound's clutch, Keeper of the West has joined Clan Westfen. Welcome Beck, Shameless, No Bloodstains and Flame of the West!

 

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The clan has a strict and pretty straightforward hierarchy. They are listed below in roughly descending order of rank. Generally speaking, aside from the roles of leadership (Clan Head, Seers) and the youngsters, everyone is considered equals.

Clan Head The head is the current leader of the clan. They preside over the clan and make sure everything is running smoothly. It is the leader's responsibility to make sure that everyone does their job and also to oversee the Clan's actions. In addition to their duties, the Clan Head is also responsible for settling minor disputes between members. Leaders may vacate the position of their own volition, or they may be "voted" out in something similar to a coup d'etat. If the clan feels that the current Head is incapable of their duties, they can kick them out. Sometimes the kin is kicked out of the clan, other times they simply return to being a normal member. The duty of the Clan Head is huge and there is no shame in stepping down.

Seers Seers are clan members that are deeply in touch with the swamp. They are those that receive dreams and prophecies from the swamp and guide the clan, and individual members, spiritually. They are the only members of the clan that wander around freely. Each seer has their own place far away secluded in the swamp where they listen to the swamp. In dire cases, they intervene when the Healer can't. Their job is to observe, guide and console the clan. They are supposedly available should any clan member need their wisdom and be able to find them.

Healer The clan healer is the kimeti responsible for the care of injured and sick clan members. Theirs is an important role, and the healer is expected to help with both physical and spiritual ailments. They are chosen during the apprenticeships, and trained by the previous healer and seers. Unlike other apprentices, a healer apprentice does not become the "healer" until their mentor passes away or leaves the clan. This is because there is always more to learn as long as there is someone to learn from. Instead of going on a Pilgrimage, the apprentice is slowly relegated more responsibilities as their mentor sees fit.

Hunters Hunters are the members of the clan responsible for hunting. They spend their time hunting, collecting meat, pelts, bones, and other animal parts for the clan. Hunters are also responsible for patrolling the borders of the clan territory. To be a hunter is to bear a great honor. Senior hunters are often in charge of patrols, and may hunt alone whereas other hunters are expected to hunt in pairs. Most children are apprenticed to hunters, though not all become hunters.

Gatherers No less important than the Hunters are the Gatherers. They are the ones responsible for gathering whatever the clan might need (anything from plants, to medicinal herbs, to eggs, to mud, to stories.) But that doesn't mean Gatherers are weak! Since Hunters spend most of their time away from the clan home, the protection of the clan home, the children, and other members, fall to the Gatherers. In addition members that are unable to do their usual duties, usually new-mothers, soon-to-be mothers, injured and elderly members, often work as Gatherers - but often are delegated tasks such as watching children, preparing bedding, and storing food that allow them to stay in the clan home. Gatherers are the most versatile of the clan members. Since they spend most of the time in the clan home, they are able to explore other crafts - basketweaving, claymolding, drying plants, carving, etc.

Builders Builders are few and far between due to the unique set of skills they require. It is the Builders who build, engineer and repair the clan's things. From dens, to homes, to fire pits, drying racks and dams, they build it all. Builders are also expected to be familiar with the territory of the clan, the Clan Head may call upon Builders to help in deciding which way the clan should expand. Builders are exempt from patrol duty, but may partake in a patrol if they wish too. When they have free time, they often make crafts and other things for the clan.

Apprentices After their sixth full moon, colts and fillys can be brought to the Blackwater and take part in one of the Sightings. A Seer (or the Clan Healer in the absence of a Seer) assigns them their masters. Most masters are current Hunters, though some children are apprenticed to Builders and Gatherers. Rarely, a Seer will claim a child for their own to teach them the ways of the MotherFather. Those who are claimed as such are meant for another duty... Apprenticeship marks the start of the transition into adulthood, and can be considered the "educational" period of a kimeti's life.

Children Some children are born into the clan. Others are found and brought to the clan while fillies/colts or even in the sac. Mothers, hunters, gatherers, builders, healer, even seers, everyone helps to raise the clan children. Children are raised by the clan within the clan home. They have no obligations as it is up to the clan to raise them.
 

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Below are the traditions and rituals of Clan Westfen.

JOINING The joining ritual is pretty similar to the apprentice's Pilgrimage. Prospective members are expected to bring something of "worth" to the clan. Any member of the clan, young or old, are allowed to object to the Joining if they find them unsuitable/unlikable. A majority opinion may lead to acceptance or rejection. The Clan Head has the final say in Joinings.

TRIAL BY WATER Should your kin be accused of something horrible, something that affects the entire clan, things that the Clan Head cannot judge by himself, such as treason, betrayal or murder, they are summoned to the Blackwater. In front of the entire clan, they may plead their case. At the very end, each clan member (with the exception of children) may decide if the kin on trial is guilty or innocent by placing a whiteflower (signifying innocence) or nightshade (signifying guilt) into the Blackwater. Majority decides the defendant's fate. The Clan Head is expected to abstain from voting to prevent a "bandwagon".

BLOOD OATH A clan member may vouch for an outsider or someone currently accused, by spilling their own blood. By vouching for someone, that person becomes your responsibility and any crime or mistake they make is yours. To declare a blood oath is to bind yourself to someone for life and risk your life for their's.

EXILE The worst punishment; to be exiled is to be forever cast out from Westfen and her lands.

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THE SIGHTING The Sighting occurs every four months, on the Winter Solstice, Summer Solstice, Fall Equinox and Spring Equinox. On that day, all the colts and fillies deemed ready are brought to the Blackwater. The Healer will then announce the mentor for each child, effectively beginning the apprentice stage of their lives. Traditionally, the mentors bring something for their new apprentices. For Hunters, the tradition has always been feathers. For an child to be presented with a hawk feather means that their mentor is very capable, and likewise, that the child will grow strong and swift under their mentor.

PILGRIMAGE When an apprentice is deemed ready, their mentor will send them on the Pilgrimage. The mentor and the friends and family of the apprentice often give them gifts for the journey. The Pilgrimage is the adulthood-ceremony of Clan Westfen. The apprentice leaves the clan territory and ventures out into the swamp, not to return until they find something of value to bring back to the clan. Value has many different meanings, and apprentices bring back all sorts of things, some tangible, some not. Some brings songs and stories, some bring information, some bring herbs or kill, some bring bone, and some bring other kimeti. When the apprentice finds something to bring back to the clan, they present it to the Clan Head and are accepted back into the clan -- but not yet as a full adult, first they must go through The Long Night.

THE LONG NIGHT Upon returning from their Pilgrimage, the apprentices bring their find/contribution to the Clan Leader. If the contribution is acceptable, then they are sent out into the farthest reaches of the clan territory without any food. Some seek a Seer, some stare into the Blackwater for answers, others just wander. It's said that after a day of walking through the land, during the night the apprentices will recieve a dream from the Motherfather. What they see in their dream is their's to know. When they wake and return to the Clan, they return as fully-fledged clan members (Hunter/Gatherer/Builder/Healer).

ENDSIGHT The leaving. When a clan member becomes too old to continue to help the clan, they can, of their own volition, leave the clan and go somewhere to find peace and death. One does not need to be old to go on the Endsight. Some who leave are simply those who are leaving the Clan permanently.

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VIEWS ON OTHER KIN
The swamp belongs to kimeti, or so the clan would say. They’re not fond of other kin – they’re not, perhaps, openly hostile, when not on Westfen grounds. However, other kin will be chased off the clan’s territory if they outstay their welcome. At their most tolerant, members of Westfen simply prefer that acha and kiokote and totoma keep to their own territories outside of Westfen lands – kimeti have thrived on the swamp for ages, and know how to survive in it. In the same vein, other kin know their own territories. The kimeti share a bond with the swamp that the other kin simply do not. The clan perceives other kin as a burden, they need more to survive in the swamp and there’s no need for other kin to bog Westfen down.

Their view on half-breeds, or even quarter-bloods is a little more mixed. Some are open to them, others are not. It is possible for these kin, no matter how mixed their blood (so long as they are on the kimeti base), to join Westfen.

VIEWS ON CLAN-OUTSIDERS
Westfen isn’t an especially exclusive clan, but they generally look down on outsiders. The way Westfen sees it, they’ve found the most effective way to survive as a clan, and to further the existence of kimeti. They are self-sufficient. They’re open to outsiders, and certainly allow their members to liaise with outsiders (they certainly welcome the children into Westfen). Westfen does, after all, still accept outsiders into their ranks, so it would be detrimental to their goals to turn all of them away. They tolerate outsiders passing through their lands, but will chase out anyone who overstays their welcome.

Rival clans, however, are not welcomed onto Westfen lands. A warning may be sent, or a patrol group to scare them away. In some situations, perhaps even a declaration of clan war.

ANIMAL COMPANIONS
Many hunters in the clan find and raise companions to help them. Other Clan members raise companions who help them in their daily jobs. Hawks and wolves are the most prized as they are the hardest to tame and also efficient hunters. Of course the expectation is that these companions won't be a danger to the clan.

 

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Current Westfen territory is in the western expanse of Matope. They are far away enough from the Ghost Thistle mound that the journey would take them far from their lands, almost two days of travel non-stop. They have around fourteen square acres of swamp and bog and forest. Around 30% of the land has standing water, though in the warm season it may increase to anywhere from 40-60% depending on rainfall.

The main clan home is located near the Blackwater. On the Northern flank lies an ancient and large tree, long toppled. The builders have fashioned it into a semi-wall like thing with many hollowed-out cubicles. It is surrounded by earthen walls and leaves. This is where the clan's food supply is stored. In the center of the clan home is a large boulder, a side of which has been eroded away leaving a cavern. This is the home of the clan chief. The healer's hut is located within the trunk of another ancient tree. It has been hollowed out and there is storage for all the healer's herbs there. Most of the clan members live in dens dug out under the roots of great trees, or in the hollows. Builders have helped fashion earthen walls and mounts as well as leaf coverings for homes.

Blackwater is the name of a pool of water that seems deep and endless. It is a deep black color, and sometimes reflects the sky, sometimes reflects the surroundings, sometimes reflects nothing at all. It has a spiritual significance to the clan and it is said that if you stare into the water, the Swamp will show you something. Events such as the Sighting take place on the banks of the Blackwater. It is located in a small clearing. It is hard to be exactly sure where the water starts at some points, and there are plenty of plants and sedges around the edge.

The Standing Stones In the heart of clan territory stand three stones, three kimeti high, weathered and covered with lichens. These are the Standing Stones where clan members come to settle disputes. When someone wrongs you or sullies your honor (or something that offends you greatly) you may challenge them to a duel at the standing stones. Clan Heads may also be called to the Standing Stones in challenges for clan leadership.

Whiteflower A island in a series of lakes that is covered in whiteflowers during the warm season. If a buck (or vice-versa) wishes to prove his love, he may make the treacherous swim to the island and bring his lady-love back some flowers.

Moss Streak A wide expanse of flat land. It is close to the clan home, lying between it and the Blackwater. Older children are often allowed to play here under supervision as it is safer. Before the arrival of the cold season, the berries here attract many birds and animals. (image)

Littleneck A small winding creek on the northern edge of the territory.

Ghost Pools A marsh and group of lakes connected by streams that lies in the south. On hazy days, the saying goes that you may see a great blue heron in these waters. Considering the heron as a herder of souls, many elders choose to go south when they leave to die. Some say that within the swirling mists of the Ghost Pools, you can see your loved ones.

The Mouth A vernal pool that fills during the wet season. Even though it's a vernal pool, lots of fish gather here which attracts frogs, amphibians, lizards and birds, making it a rich hunting spot. It is said to hold enough to fill everyone's mouths.

Saltlick Despite being located near The Mouth and her sister vernal pool, Saltlick is much, much different. It is a small salt water pond. In the heat, the water dries up and recedes, leaving the banks coated in salt. Gatherers come here and collect rock salt and use it to preserve what cannot be eaten.

Bone Grove This grove is home to several large skeletons, long since bleached white and picked clean. Young children sometimes play here, hiding beneath the ribcages and such.

Well's End A small bubbling spring of cool fresh water. It is so named because it lies at the eastern-most point of the clan territory and marks the end of Westfen territory as the clan only expands deeper into the west.
 

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CLAN HEAD

Longclaw The stoic leader of Westfen. He founded the tribe with his good friend Westward Bound because they desired something different from listlessly wandering the swamp. He is sometimes a bit more violent than necessary which is reflected in his apprentices. They are almost always hunters. His wolf companion never leaves his side.

SEERS

Burning Bush huehuehue
Owl Caller A solitary sage who makes his home in a creepy little grove hung with bones that clink in the wind somewhere near the ghost pools. Owl caller's main method of 'sight' is through ripping open owl pellets and 'reading' their contents. He performs lots of other rituals, however, and tends to go for big flashy demonstrations of mysticism such as trances and the like. Whether the things he 'sees' are real or not is, of course, unknown. He never takes his beak-mask off in front of others and likes to encourage the rumour that it's actually a part of his face.

HEALER

Feverfew A kind and gentle-mannered girl who loves plants above all else. She is accompanied by her toad, Tansy, her jellyfish, Foxglove, and her ever mischievous mongoose, Sticky-Paws. Always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needs it.

HUNTERS

Widow's Wail
Flame of the West The prodigal son of Westward Bound and an "unknown doe". He is one of little words, but well-respected and feared. Longclaw was his mentor, and as the first of his clutch to become a hunter, he feels the need to support the clan more than most.
Shameless


Shadow Step A doe of few words, and those few she offers tend to be blunt, cold, and a bit pointed. She does her job, and does it well and efficiently. There is no room for fooling around when you are to provide for the clan, after all. Her one joy, outside of hunting, is pelt collecting. When she isn't busy, you can usually find her grooming and cleaning the pelts from the day's kills for new bedding for the clan.
Rift in Stone An aloof, cold hunter, Rift in Stone values nothing more than strength of the body and mental fortitude, he cannot forgive weakness of any kind. Despite his general feelings of superiority, Rift in Stone is, without a doubt, loyal to his tribe to the very end.
Dual Natures

BUILDERS

Westward Bound Co-founder of the tribe. A good friend of Longclaw's and also the head builder of Westfen.
Scathing Lies blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb blurb

GATHERERS

Guards Well info blurb here
All As One info blurb here
Landfall info blurb here


Ashdown quiet, organized, terse. He likes the structure and stoicism of the clan, and wants to be a part of the community and contribute.
Time to Go Cold and strange, it's hard to say whether Time to Go is with you. She's always there to lend a hoof to a fellow Clan member, though, and her encyclopedic knowledge of various poisons is...helpful. She refuses to speak to any kin who is not a kimeti.

APPRENTICES


Beck info blurb here
No Blood Stains info blurb here
Riptide A new arrival who has come from the Tidewalkers with her sister. She is eager to prove herself to the tribe, but equally eager to see her sister settle down here too.

CHILDREN

Ever Burning, the resident salamander resides mostly within the fire pit of the tribe home.

 

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Clan Events:
The Moon Rises - ORP, open to outsiders and clan members. A competition and welcoming home of the new apprentices.
Battle of the Tribes - Matope 2014 Summer Event.

BotT: Eightfold Maze - The Eightfold Maze, Westward Bound, Ashdown, Shameless and Burning Bush
BotT: Race - The Race, Flame of the West, Westward Bound, Shameless, Dual Natures, Time to Go

Personal RPs:
Between Siblings - Flame of the West & Shameless
By The Blackwater - Burning Bush, Westward Bound. West wonders about his wayward son, whose long journey has simply stretched on and on and on...
Blessing - Burning Bush and Rift in Stone deal with some trespasser looking for a blessing.
Seeking the Seer - Burning Bush offers Westward Bound a blessing for his new clutch.
Like Waves in a River - Riptide, apprentice of Westfen, returns with her offering.

If there's an RP you'd like to add to the RP Tracker, then post the following in the thread and Minsuil will add it ASAP!

[code][b][url=THREAD URL HERE][color=#A4A885]THREAD NAME HERE[/color][/url][/b] - [color=#181C1B]blurb + participants[/color]

 

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Interested in Clan Westfen? First you should be aware of a few things that may or may not affect your decision:

• Being a member of Westfen is exclusive. Your kin cannot be a part of any other clan upon joining and cannot join any other clan while a member of Westfen. They should be ready to dedicate their lives to Westfen.
  
• Being a member of Clan Westfen is mostly a stationary life. You live in Clan territory and you play your part in supporting the clan. At the end of the day, your clan comes before anything else and that includes your own desires. That is not to say you are limited to one area of the swamp for the rest of your foreseeable RP-life, but that your kin isn't able to wander where ever they please when ever they want. Trips away from clan lands are normal and completely possible, as are encounters within or near clan territory. Clan territory is also expanding, so your kimeti can become a conquistador of sorts!
  
• Joining, however, is not permanent. Your kin may leave the clan at any given point should they choose to. We would prefer to have an RP/plotline but that is your choice.

APPLICATION

[b]Kin Name[/b] (name + link to cert)
[b]Kin Blurb[/b] this will be slapped onto the front page for the whole world to see ^o^
[b]Rank[/b] what your kin will enter the clan as, child/apprentice/builder/gatherer/hunter/seer.

[b]Reasons[/b] Reasons for joining the clan/how they found the clan.
[b]Joining[/b] Only applicable if your kin is entering as a builder/gatherer/hunter/seer.

IF YOUR KIN IS JOINING AS AN OUTSIDER...

[b]Blurb[/b] Just a quick personality blurb.
[b]Why/How[/b] Why and/or How they found Westfen and decided to join.

[b]Joining RP[/b] Would you like to have your joining RP'd out? [Yes/No]
[b]Joining[/b] What will/did your kin bring as an offering to the clan?
[b]Blood Oath[/b] Did someone vouch for you from within the clan? And if so who?

 

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APPLY TO BECOME AN APPRENTICE HERE

Next Sighting ??? ???

[b]Kin Name[/b] (name + link to cert)
[b]Lineage[/b] only relevant if parents/grandparents are within the clan, if not, can be ignored.
[b]Sighting[/b] Feel free to pick one of the equinoxes or solstices!

[b]Blurb[/b] A quick personality blurb about your kin, include talents, weaknesses, flaws and virtues, this is the basis on which we will assign mentors!
[b]Preferred Mentor + Why[/b] If you have a preferred mentor and/or job you'd like to have your kin apprenticed to explain here. If not feel free to ignore this section.

 

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ARE YOU READY TO LEVEL UPPP

i am finally an adult

[b]Kin Name[/b]
[b]Current Mentor[/b]

[b]Pilgrimage[/b] insert your pilgrimage here
[b]RP for Longest Night?[/b] Y/N
[b]Longest Night Solo[/b] if you don't want to work out a short RP with one of the seers

i hate longclaw

[b]Kin Name[/b]
[b]Current Rank[/b]

[b]I CHALLENGE YOU TO A D-D-DUEEEEEEL[/b]

 

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Plot requests that were offered to Westfen, if you want to go for one please notify us in thread so we can take it down! Feel free to submit plot ideas too.

venafydan

I would like to know if Westfen's growers would be willing to trade plants and information with The Outlier's grower. That is, Sorrel. I have no knowledge of plants, and actually kill them more often then keeping them alive, but it might be nice to have Sorr stumble in on a search for plants and meet someone. She'd be upset with herself for trespassing, but would also be excited about trading her own plants/seeds for some Westfen has and she does not.

Not that she carries them with her... maybe there could be 2 RPies, the first where she's so focused on the new plants around that she misses tribe markers and then a second where she returns with plants to trade. Her brother Mugwort would likely accompany her for the second trip. And maybe even Spiral, if any Westfen clan members have pets they'd be willing to breed with Spiral's pack, seen here. I'm not sure on the openness of badger breeding but I think wolf breeding is closed or event only.

genders: Toadstool is male, Cracked Pebble is female, Twig is female, Longtail is male, Twisted Root is male & Blackwater is male.
Sorr also has an owlcat (Carnation is male) and Mug a mongoose (Pansy is male).

 

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ideas for interaction scrubs this post

Technologies boiling, trap making, building methods, cold storage/preservation, salt preservation, flame cooking, char-grilling, roasting.
Trading Unlikely, but you are welcome to try.
Westfen has: crawfish, boar, caiman, skins, pelts, teeth, bones, medicinal herbs, whiteflower, salt, charcoal.
Westfen wants: ???  

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[spoiler][quote="hybridic"][/quote][quote="remkins"][/quote][quote="Melancholies"][/quote][quote="Blinded by Silence"][/quote][quote="Amorpheous"][/quote][quote="LOLLI qAq"][/quote][quote="The_Great_Book_Wyrm"][/quote][quote="Lural"][/quote][quote="Astraea Pandora"][/quote][quote="Celestial Requiem"][/quote][quote="Owlied"][/quote][quote="Patmos of Endtimes"][/quote][/spoiler]

 

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credits.

westfen minsuil + thyPOPE
photo doronenko
color scheme swamp sail
graphics minsuil