Where do they live?: In a bunch of caverns in a mountain. It snows a lot. Who do they worship?: Shan Furen, a female deity who is believed to have created them from tree branches, leaves and water. No other gods.
What are you looking for?: Members, at this point! Especially a few nobles, priests and hunters.
Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 1:55 pm
[ recently ]
An avalanche has wiped out the original colony that lived within the mountain. No one is quite sure what caused the sudden collapse of the snow, but many have their guesses. Some, including the queen, believe it was Shan Furen's displeasure of late king Heinrich's allowance of lions, the very species that chased them from their ancestral homeland, into the colony's lands. As such, she has outlawed lions and their b*****d children from setting a single paw within her lands. While some accept this explanation for the catastrophe, not all are convinced...
In the aftermath of the avalanche, King Heinrich and his queen, Pinot, have gone missing. With their only son sickly and small, Elisheba, the eldest of the five children born from their marriage, stepped forth and took the throne from her brother. Despite having two older brothers, both of whom were born from Heinrich's first wife, the eldest daughter seemed like the right choice. She ascended to the throne during her early adolescence and with the guidance of Barafu-taji and others to give her counsel, she has become the first queen in Mlima Tuokoa history.
After banning lions and their hybrids from her lands and exiling all that resided within the pride already, she has moved to disband the templars that once served the kingdom of snow outside of their borders in favor of using their resources to find and bring back members who may have been lost in the avalanche, or at the very least find their bodies and return them to give them a proper burial.
- - - - -
Talk of the displeasure of the common folk has finally reached the queen's ear as she learned that a majority of her colony did not find her banishment of lions and their kin just. Fearing an uprising she has brought them back, at the approval of the high priest, giving them one rank: servant. A rank, in her opinion, fitting of the kin of the usurpers. Any born within the pride or joining from the outside found to have lion blood in their veins will share the rank of servant regardless of their lineage.
[ history ]
The colony was founded by Heinrich's grandfather, a leopard by the name of Riho. He led the colony of leopards as their king as they lived within the forests that pushed up against a mountain range, the tallest of which they believed Shan Furen to live atop of. The colony was a peaceful one. At the time of founding they had little protection aside from their belief that their goddess, Shan Furen, would keep them safe from harm. Instead of investing time and effort into training guards and soldiers, they grew their mind, learned about the world around them and began to explore.
Their exploration led them to meet a lion pride, in which they invited into their forests from time to time to learn of their culture and what they knew of the world around them as well. In time, the colony grew trusting and one night, their trust was betrayed.
It was sudden. In the night, as the hunters were getting ready to leave, the roars of dozens of lions could be heard throughout their jungle. They barely had time to even panic before their larger African cousins were upon them. Blood and fur entered the air, as roars of despair and ferocity spurring both sides on, though one was for destruction and the other was for survival. Some tried to escape to the trees, hoping to lose the lions in the branched with their expert climbing but were shocked to discover that during their time in the colony, the pride of lions had begun learning to climb trees themselves. Up they went, though not nearly as gracefully, and pulled many the leopards to the ground where they gasped their final breath. The remaining leopards fled the only way they could: out and up.
They escaped the jaws of the lions only to come face to face with the bone-chilling cold of higher elevation. With only death behind them, they pressed forward, pushing through the slopes even though the chilled rain began to fall, hoping to find something other than death. Many left, thinking it foolhardy that their leader continually told them that their goddess would not have guided their paws that way if there wasn't some kind of hope. Others died along the way, left to be buried in the snow, while remaining few were left to either join them by stopping to mourn or trek onward, hoping for the chance to go back and bury the bones. No one was left unaffected by that day. No one. Their king, Riho, lost his queen that day, lady Manjari, along with nearly all of his court, colony and family.
The colony continued until they came across what would become their new home. Two caves, large enough that it is now common belief that their goddess must have lived in the caverns at one point but in truth it was what others know as the lion gods of Africa most likely inhabited them. Further exploration of these saved uncovered not only the two, but the further one led to a higher cavern with a cavern opening of it's own. Along the passageway to the third was a smaller den to the side and up, which has since become a birthing den for the colony. From the third, continuing upward, were two more den areas, connecting by a ledge outside. These highest two dens house the royal family and the leaders of the four ranks within the colony: the huntmaster, the grand master, the high priest and the captain of the guard.
King Riho continued to rule the Mlima Tuokoa until his death at a ripe old age in which his only son, Henryk, took the throne. He was soon wed to Isobel, a gorgeously spotted leopard that had been born in a far away land. Not long after they announced their first litter. The firstborn of whom was name Heinrich. Along with two other sisters and a younger brother, they became the young royalty of a growing colony. The four also had three other siblings who died in infancy.
As they grew, Henryk learned of an assassination plot and sent his sons away to find followers who would listen and respect the two boys, giving them the word to only return when they achieved this goal. Heinrich left first, confident in himself and Artur left shortly after, giving himself more time to prepare for the journey.
While out in the world, the assassination was carried out and Henryk was killed, along with both of his surviving daughters and all of their children. Isobel managed to escape and her whereabouts are currently unknown though the queen is assumed dead. The colony was all but lost with the son of a rival leopard colony's king at the helm, but Heinrich returned with a pregnant to-be queen and being Henryk's eldest son, he inspired the colony to take back their home and drive the usurpers out.
Along with with his consort Pinot, Heinrich brought back two sons from a previous mate, though their mother was lost to them, marking them as illegitimate children and unable to ascend to the throne. Following behind, Barafu-taji, the grand master of the templars, returned home to find his order in ruins as the leopard that had been left in charge of running things had become corrupt and had been involved in the assassination of Henryk and the royal family. Several ladies-in-waiting,and to-be hunters, guards, templars and priests followed Heinrich back to the colony as well, all of which solidified his reign as king.
Along with the return of a peaceful existence within the colony, he allowed cheetahs into the colony with the first being a noble who acted as his assistant until the avalanche. Lions were also allowed into the colony, though all non-leopards and non-leopard hybrids were restricted in rank, only able to obtain the rank of consort or hunter during Heinrich's reign. Pinot's litter was born shortly after her coronation as queen, giving Heinrich four daughters and one son. His son was sickly, small and weak, hardly the son he had wanted but regardless, Heinrich's son began training to take the throne one day.
Soon after the litter's second birthday came the avalanche and the end of Heinrich and Pinot's reign and the beginning of Elisheba's.
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Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 1:57 pm
[ weather ]
The Mlima Tuokoa do not experience almost any other weather phenomena except the biting cold a and strong winds that would chill anyone to the bone. The intensity of the wind, the cold and the snowfall can vary, but they are all fairly constant. This sort of environment likely would have killed them quickly, if if they hadn't adapted to survive that is. Clad in furs on their backs and something around their legs, they keep warm wherever they can. Still, cubs are kept inside in bad weather and few brave the ledges in high winds.
[ setting ]
The Mlima Tuokoa colony live within caverns on a mountain they have named Umsindisi, or savior that is situated facing inward of a valley. It is one of many mountains along this stretch of range but this is the one the colony calls home. A pathway leading from the plains winds its way up the rocky side of the mountain, ending only a quarter of the way up and spilling into a communal area with two dens. Within the den on the furthest from the path is tunnel that leads higher up, with a small den that is used to store bones, furs, gems, meats and anything else the colony may need. Continue through this tunnel and you arrive in the third largest den which overlooks the plains. Within this den is another is a second tunnel that leads directly into the temple of Shan Furen.
The highest point is home to the royal den, the largest accessible cave the colony utilizes. Inside it is five other dens, each roughly the same distance from the other as they circle a central meeting point. There is a crude circle slightly raised into a hill with a sort of flat top in the middle of this meeting area. Three of the dens belong to Captain of the Guard, the Huntmaster and the High Priest. The fourth used to be home to the Grand Master of the templars before the order's disbanding, it is currently vacant. The fifth and central den out of the five is the actual royal den, where the rulers, their cubs, the queen's ladies-in-waiting and any royal nannies will sleep. It is the largest den within the entire mountain as it can sometimes fit over a dozen leopards within it.
From there, just outside, overlooking the same ledge as the royal den is the temple. Inside is an altar to Shan Furen. The altar itself it simply a flat-top stone that is covered in furs adorned with bones and more specifically, claws. On top of them is a turtle shell that is full of water, water that is forbidden to drink as it is said to be the tears of Shan Furen who shed them as the leopards were chased from their home. The High Priestess at that time was said to have collected them and brought them with her somehow. Besides the altar, the temple is home to several small dens used to house the priests and scholars.
Following the tunnel inside of the temple back down, the scholar's quarters is next. This den is fairly large and is shared by members of many scholar's families. Inside of are bones, each carved with pictures describing history within the colony or the outside world. They are carefully collected and stored on sinew that hangs from the ceiling thanks to the birds that aid them. It is not uncommon to hear them knocking against one another. The most precious of all bones are kept within one of the three small holes in the wall. The den has no outside path leading safely down to the lower tier, but it does possess a ledge that makes an excellent place to teach, share stories and contemplate the universe with one another.
The bottom two dens that have access to the main path are home to the guards' den in the back and the hunter's home in the front, just to the right off of the path. The guards' den is only slightly larger then the hunters', but this is to make up for the fact merchants also make their home within those walls. The guards also inhabit the den in which any outsiders would have to pass through to make it up any father in the mountain.
At the base of Umsindisi an expansive plains to the east and forests to the west with a mountain-snow fed river snaking through the forests and out into the plains. Acacia trees dot the plains, as do small watering holes. The forests was once the home to the colony but is currently (as far as they are aware) inhabited by the lion pride that routed them and chased them up the mountain. Going into the forests has been strictly forbidden by late king Heinrich as a tentative peace has been made. Now the colony hunts in the plains, dragging kills back up into the mountains.
Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 1:58 pm
[ information ]
Allowed Species: The colony's royal family and much of the upper class is made up of strictly leopards. Leotahs and cheetahs are allowed to some degree, and while they may mate with any royal who is not the queen or ruling feline, they may never become a leader, at least not in this day and age. Lions, believing to be the cause of Shan Furen's wrath, at at the bottom in the pecking order in the colony, only surpassed by cheetons and leopons who sit almost equally as low. The only rank they may take within the colony is that of a servant, as that is all their lion blood will allow.
Disallowed Species: Wild dogs and hyenas are believed to be formed from the sins of the original leopards, their blood, spilled in fighting, took form and became the first hyenas who mutated into wild dogs over time. Because of this they are looked upon with disgust and are either chased out or killed depending on who meets them.
Pelts: The colony does not care what you look like.
Birthing: Births within the colony are celebrated, but done so in a modest manner regardless of the mother's rank. Usually a priest, as well as a nanny, will be present for the birth, to help the cubs and the mother through it. The cubs will stay with the mother overnight, in complete solitude before being brought to the temple by the family. They are laid on the altar and anointed with some of the holy water before being given back to the parents. This blessing touches them directly with Shan Furen so that the goddess might touch their lives in return.
Death: The dead of the colony are handled in a very similar manner as births. The body is first anointed once more with holy water and then wrapped in their sleeping furs before being taken to the bottom of the mountain and into the plains. Once in the plains, they bury the body, returning it to the earth from which they believe they originated from. After, the entire colony mourns for the family and provides them with boons for around a week, if not longer, while the family grieves.
Marriage: Most marriages within the colony are as simple as agreeing to be mates and live together. There are typically no special ceremonies held, though some families will still gather to celebrate, but it is not a pride-wide or largely attended event. Small feasts are common, as are gifts for the new couple; usually being a bone to commemorate the event with their carvings in it and furs for their den.
Royal Marriage: The marriage of a member of the royal family is a highly celebrated event in which the entire colony will pitch in for a rather large and impressive feast that will last several days. Important friends and allies will also be invited. The exacts for even ceremony vary from couple to couple, but the fact that it is large and celebrated throughout the entire colony is static.
[ shan furen ]
Shan Furen is the only goddess worshiped within the Mlima Tuokoa. She is said be a beautiful female leopard with a white pelt, accented with a muted teal and light blonde. Her blue eyes are said to be like looking into the vastness of the ocean and her fur as soft as a freshly groomed cub's. She is said to a kind goddess as she is credited with saving the colony once before, but she also expects their loyalty. She can also be wrathful if not treated as her position deserves or if the colony goes against her will as she is also credited with causing the avalanche in recent history due to the re-introduction of lions into the colony.
All records show her with a cheetah travelling with her, but the colors and true information on this cheetah is unknown as nothing was written about it. But the fact a cheetah is seen with the goddess of the Mlima Tuokoa is the main reason that colony allows them within the mountain.
In lore, she is called the creator of leopards, beings formed in a forest and made of sticks, mud, leaves and water. Sticks being bone, mud as muscle, leaves as fur and water for blood. From there, the first leopards thrived but some turned away and began thirsting for more power, thinking they could take it from Shan Furen. In-fighting soon followed and the first blood spilled is said to have created the first of the hyenas which caused two parts of the now split first leopards to band together to defend themselves while the third sided with the hyenas. Shan Furen eventually intervened and cast them all from her forest. The leopards went their own separate ways soon after, becoming cheetahs and lions in time. All while the hyenas left while some mutated into wild dogs thanks to Shan Furen's blessing, wild dogs of today now represent an ongoing purification ritual to turn them back into blood.
From then, Shan Furen is said to have withdrawn from the world until Riho sought her help.
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Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 1:59 pm
[ ranks ]
[ Upper class ]
Monarch
Pay no attention to this rank. I'm working out details.
Current Monarch: Elisheba - Eldest daughter of Heinrich and Pinot
Consort
Pay no attention to this rank. I'm working out details.
Current Consort: Batabata - Son of Zibuka and Chapua
Prince/Princess
Children born to the current monarch and their official consort. They are provided the highest level of education within the colony as well as an immense amount of respect, but in exchange they have a large amount of pressure placed upon them as they are always in the public's eye. It is typically expected of them to marry to form alliances as well, marry for the sake of the colony instead of for love and sacrifice their own happiness so others are secure. Once their parents step down or another assumes the throne, they are demoted to Lord or Lady. Any children are given the rank of noble.
Current Prince or Princesses:
Lord/Lady
Children born to a previous monarch and their official consort. They are given nearly all of the same benefits being born a prince or princess receive, expect they are not nearly as pressured to marry for the good of the colony instead of themselves. Any children are given the rank of noble.
Current Lord or Ladies: Eduard - Youngest son of Heinrich and Pinot Raiyana - Daughter of Heinrich and Pinot Gisa - Daughter of Heinrich and Pinot Waridi - Daughter of Heinrich and Pinot, missing Tomasz - Son of Heinrich and ? Mithrandir - Son of Heinrich and ?
Noble
The nobles within the colony are the children of royalty or they are members of worth and have contributed someway to the well-being of the colony. With this rank, they have been given privileges by the ruling monarch. They have fairly comfortable lives and usually don't do much in the pride except counsel the royal family and act as ambassadors. Occasionally they will marry off to other prides and colonies to form bonds with them.
This feline is charged with overseeing the daily organization of the protection of the royal family as well as the border of the kingdom. They report only to the ruling family on any matter and are one of the three heads that counsel the ruler if asked.
Current Captain of the Guard: Barafu-taji - previous Grand Master of the templars, he has taken up the duty of protecting his queen and colony.
Huntmaster
This feline is in charge of organizing the hunts that are preformed during the day and ensuring all of their hunters make it back by nightfall. The hunters' safety is this leopard's priority as well as ensuring the colony stays fed throughout the entire year. Any rationing is done by this leopard with the permission of the royal family.
Current Huntmaster: Open - because this is a council role, this a heavy RP ranks, but it is available for application. They must be a leopard, leotah or cheetah and can be a new or old blood member of the colony.
High Priest/ess
The voice of Shan Furen, this feline is always a seer. Spending most of their time in the snow and among the people, they are seen as something mystical, almost other-worldly. Their word is thought to be the will of Shan Furen and they hold quite a bit of sway in the average leopard's choices. As such, any vision is usually reported to the royal family first for them to judge if it is fit for the public to learn of or not.
These felines are the assistants for the queen and (crown) princess(es). They aid in daily things such as bathing any royal litters, hunting, tasting food (as there were some attempts of poison in the past), cleaning the dens and changing sleeping furs. Some even carry things upon their backs for them. Despite all this work, they are treated with high respect, especially the 'head' of them which usually has the queen's ear. Some are even married off higher then their birth would normally allow thanks to their influences in the court. Despite these luxuries, they are forbidden to breed without the queen's permission or even court without her blessing.
Current Ladies-in-Waiting: Noir - Served Queen Pinot as a lady-in-waiting and friend until her disappearance. Now serves Queen Elisheba.
Royal Nanny
Typically only one or two, depending on how actively the royal family grows, these felines tend to the cubs and act as the primary teacher for them at a young age to teach them right from wrong, general facts and minor things. They also accompany them to every lesson with the scholars, guards and hunters. Their tasks also include the grooming of cubs, care for their sleeping furs and general health.
Few in numbers, these felines are the wisest and most knowledgeable within the colony. They study the stars, earth and the skies as well as the hearts and minds around them. Their task is simply to learn and record their findings on the bones within the library. The information they can focus on can range from history inside of the colony or the outerlands, to inner workings of the royal family, to nearly any subject. Each scholar must have their own bird to help in hanging bones.
The priests of the colony are a devout lot who live and breathe the teachings and word of Shan Furen. They are in charge of overseeing any offerings to their goddess as well as any spiritual ceremonies the colony may hold. They also tend to the weak, the sick and the needy of the colony, offering them solace in times of strife. Priests are not allowed to breed without the permission of the High Priest since they are supposed to devote themselves completely to Shan Furen and the colony.
Current Priests: - stuff here
Guard
The guards of the Mlima Tuokoa are an interesting bunch. They are made up of now-retired templars or those who don't want to live as just a simple hunter. They spend their time patrolling the paths and caves the colony use, digging and exploring for new caves and dens, surveying the surrounding mountains for possible expansion of the colony, patrolling the borders and the plains, along with settling simple disputes within the colony itself.
Merchants are hugely important to the colony as they bring word from the outside world to the members of the colony. They work as ambassadors as well as traders, usually trading for furs and bones wherever they do. On occasion they trade for dried meats as well. It is not uncommon to a see a merchant with one or two servants to help them carry any goods they plan on trading or selling in-colony or out in the rogue lands or other prides.
Current Merchants: Rosso - Twin to Picolit. Picolit - Twin to Rosso. Þekja`Hrimi - ??? Isamu -
Nanny
The nannies act as midwives to the pregnant or nursing ladies of the colony and counsellors to mothers with young cubs. They attend all of the births and are frequently asked to cubsit while the parents are tending to their normal duties. They are the primary teachers to most of the middle and lower class cubs and some of the wealthy or prominent families have their own nanny or two.
A simple hunter, but still highly respected within the colony. They hunt within the plains and drag their kills back into the mountains. Because of this, they are usually strong, with powerful jaws and large paws to keep their traction while climbing the pathway back into the mountains. They hunt solo or in small groups to make this trek a little easier.
Any lion, cheeton or known leopon within the colony will take this rank. They are forbidden to breed without their master's permission and any cubs produced will become servants to their master as well unless born a pure leopard, cheetah or leotah. Servants without a master will serve the entire colony instead of just one family and must petition the ruling monarch for permission to breed. While not slaves, they are dependent on one or a household for their protection, food and shelter. They are free to leave if they wish, but many have connections to the colony and choose not to.
[size=11][b]Name:[/b] [b]Rank:[/b] [b]Survivor or New Blood:[/b] [b]Why do they want to join?:[/b][/size]
Hey, I want in!
Name: Rank: Survivor or New Blood: Why do they want to join?:
For Name: There are no naming rules within the colony. For Rank: All ranks are open, including Noble, except for Lord/Lady and Prince/Princess (if you are interested in one of those, please ask and I might be able to help). Nobles need to be approved first, but it is open. Huntmaster and High Priest/ess applicants are welcome to apply, but they are by application. Please give a back-up rank if you apply for Huntmaster, High Priest/ess or Noble. For Survivor or New Blood: Survivors will need to have either been away during the avalanche or have survived it and returned to the colony. New Blood just needs to have joined afterwards. For Joining Reason: It can be as simple as "They love snow!" or as complicated as you want it to be.
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 9:38 am
Pack/Pride Name: Mlima Tuokoa Current IC Owner(s): Elisheba (Quaji) & Batabata (Safaia) Current OOC Owner(s): Quaji Default ranks: Youth (cub) > Prowler (adol/adult) Current Pride/Pack Members, and Rankings of Each:
Prowler - Suk`tamu - Quaji Prowler - Phirun - Puhterodactyl Prowler - J`loki - Safaia Prowler - Rana - Schicksalswende Servant - Abayomi - Quaji Servant - Zhaleh - Safaia Links to at least five current RPs:12345 Brief Description of your Pride/Pack: Forced from their forest home by an invading lion pride, a colony of leopards were saved by their goddess, Shan Furen, by journeying up a nearby mountain. Shortly thereafter, they renamed themselves the Mlima Tuokoa - the mountains saves us. Now they live in this snowy, rocky terrain and under the rule of the line of king Riho, there they survived and thrived for generations. Familiar Rules: All familiars are allowed. Cert Background Large Image:The background! Pride Symbol for Cert:50x50100x100 Any Extra Information: --- Pride/Pack History: It fairly long. The entire history can be read here.
Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 9:43 am
I like the idea so far! -was reading some last night too XD- Might see if I can find someone suitable to throw in, myself. :3
Ahh, thank you. ; u ; It's a super old concept from like...2 years ago that I've been thinking of bringing back. There was a lot to revamp though since it was one of my first, so I'm really glad you like it!
Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 3:16 pm
Hey, I want in!
Name:Raiyana Rank: idek, put her anywhere. XD;; We can talk about it. Survivor or New Blood: Survivor Why do they want to join?:To be with her family and her home. <3
Hey, I want in!
Name:J'loki Rank: Hunter or Nanny ? Survivor or New Blood: New Blood Why do they want to join?: Honestly, she's mostly a blank, but I'm sure she somehow came across survivors and wanted to help!
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 6:48 pm
Eee, both obviously accepted. <3
I opened up the High Priest/ess and Huntmaster ranks officially in the rank list and provided a little information for what's required. The High Priest/ess is open for a possible female leopon since god-kids might make finding a seer to fit the role a little easier. A leopon would need to be willing to be heavily plotted in a meta later on though and be possibly willing to face rank loss, exile or possibly death. I might be doing a god breeding later on to fill this role and simply give a female cub away to take it if I can't find someone who wants it before then. c: The Huntmaster doesn't have as difficult of requirements, it's just a council role who happens to ration all the food, ensure the colony doesn't starve and oversees the largest rank in the colony. Not a big deal or anything.
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 7:04 am
Hey, I want in!
Name: Maeteq Rank: Noble, by adoption
… or if not acceptable perhaps nanny??
Survivor or New Blood: Survivor Why do they want to join?: Honestly I think it would be a good fit for her biggrin I see her has being really for the no lion / lion hybrid ruling. She does not even trust them as servants and is loyal to her queen through and through. I
I have a few others but I have to gather up the info / specifics XD
If I get any more cheetahs or leopard I'm definitely throwin them in. Might throw a lion for a servant also c:
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 12:40 pm
Maeteq is totally good for noble if you want it Leth. <3
Awesome, tani! : D The more the merrier~ I'm hoping to have a giveaway soonish for people without cheetahs/leopards/leotah, so maybe you can get one through that.
