[ OCC Leaders | Ovarian Paint, Yin-bug, and [Eskimo] ] [ IC | Simbi, Fleur, and Coracao Caotico ]
Hello! Obviously this is and attempt to get the Pepo'porojo pride rebanded! Eski has recruited Yin-bug and Ovarian to help her bring the pride to life and keep it going. Yin and Ovarian have plans on keeping the pride as original as it was before and are keeping Eski as a leader so she can still have say in what is going on. With the rebirth of the pride we are introducing a few new ranks through a major plot! Please stick around and find out what is going on!
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 9:19 pm
If you're looking for the information on the pride check this post out because we have all of it in here!
Beliefs: The Pepo'porojo's religion and way of life centers around Voodoo and the Loa. The Loa are spirits. There are spirits that govern nature and its forces, and spirits that govern individual things, like a spirit that governs all trees, or all rocks (these are considered to be the children of Mawu--see below). The pride also believes that when one dies, one becomes a Loa. Once you're a Loa, you are able to come back to the land of the living by means of possession (through a member of the Poupe rank). There is a hierarchy within the Loa, as well. Despite pride members believing in the dead becoming Loa, they do believe in an afterlife--heaven and hell. Despite which place you end up, they still believe they can summon you back for a time, or that you can come back during specific festivals on your own.
Mawu: While the pride members have a bunch of individual Loa and spirits they believe in and worship, they do believe in a single divine creator. This one god is called Mawu. She is generally considered to be androgynous, but most refer to her as female when speaking of her. According to pride legend, Mawu created absolutely everything. She did, however, make certain higher-up spirits (demi-gods of sorts) who created specific things (volcanoes or rocks or trees, for example--these are the gods of SoA, although this pride doesn't really believe in gods), but they created things because of Mawu, because she created the higher-up spirits. Her followers honor her, but it is understood that Mawu sort of set the world up like a spinning top. She doesn't interfere much in their daily lives, but they believe that she watches from above.
Loa: "Loa" is the general term for all of the spirits. Since Mawu is distant, the Loa are sort of like go-betweens--they manage things on the earth as they please, acting as intermediaries. The Pepo'Porojo believes in a Loa hierarchy like this: Mawu ---> Higher-up Loa (the gods of SoA; while it is understood that they won't possess the living, it is known that the higher-up Loa may disguise themselves and walk among mortals) ---> Rada, Petro, Kongo, and Nago Loa ---> Ghede Loa While the term "Loa" is collective, each Loa is seen as an INDIVIDUAL. It's very similar to how Catholics see Saints. For the Loa, they all have likes and dislikes, and they each have their own unique personalities. Certain things must be done to gain their favor, and doing the wrong things for them could spell disaster.
Rada Loa: These are the "good" spirits. These are the kindest of Loa, possessing their Poupe very quietly and calmly. Many of them are older, as well. When a Mama dies, many believe she is adopted into the Rada Loa family. As the Rada Loa are the "guardians of morals and principals" and "normal affairs", many will pray at their hounfor (see farther down) or summon them about matters related to those. Sometimes, though, people will just pray at a Rada Loa hounfor if they're having a bad day and want to feel a little kindness. Likes: Flowers, soft-colored things, living creatures, needy emotions...
Petro Loa: These are the darker Loa, possessing their Poupe violently and aggressively. They are more likely to attack the summoners and surrounding SoA, even murdering or maiming in some cases (this is not punishable, however, as the Poupe supposedly has no control over the Petro Loa's wishes). They aren't really evil, but compared to the Rada Loa, who are "cool", the Petro Loa are "hot". (OOC side note: these are the Loa who were Dr. Facilier's "friends on the other side" in The Princess and the Frog.) They are definitely not nice, and only the darker pride members, especially Caplata and Bokor, seek their company. Likes: Being summoned at night, dark colored things, blood, dead things, many bones, hair of the dead, angry emotions, souls...
Kongo Loa: These Loa are most commonly associated with water, usually possessing serpent-like traits, or are spirits of serpents. This family of Loa is large and fierce, and great care must be taken when summoning a Loa from this family, lest you accidentally call forth the most evil heads of the family of Kongo Loa...who will most certainly kill you. These Loa are usually summoned for revenge or punishment on an individual (especially if your motives are envy or jealousy-related), so they are rarely summoned, as a meeting with them will usually result in death. They are not often prayed to, but there are some who prefer their company and pray to them often. Likes: Water, dlo benit, cool colored things, animals that live in water (dead or living), water plants, snake venom, fish bones, female summoners...
Nago Loa: Strong, militant brutes, the Nago Loa are normally summoned for war-related reasons (for tactical guidance or strength), and are considered patrons of the Guards. The Guards pray to them the most often, but many other pride members pray to them, as well. They are strong and sometimes fatherly, offering strength to those who ask it (or who they deem worthy of it). Likes: Claws and teeth (of any species), hair of guards (living or dead), bones of deceased militant-like SoA, corpses of defeated foes, strong summoners and Poupe...
Ghede Loa: This group of Loa are all the spirits of the deceased. They are the most dominant of Loa in number. While this group of Loa consists of the spirits of ALL the dead (ALL...the dead), the ones most commonly prayed to and called upon through summoning are the spirits of the pride's deceased ancestors. Ancient heads-of-pride may be summoned forth for help in making political decisions, while average deceased family members are called upon for matters that depend solely on the summoner's personal reasons. Likes: Depends on the individual being summoned!
Bones: Bones are seen as sacred objects, especially those of deceased ancestors. They are believed to possess powers capable of curing ailments or easing the pain of wounds. They are good luck charms, wish-granters, or items that simply remind the individual carrying them of their ancestors. Being objects that the pride view in a sacred light, they are cleaned regularly and kept in the best possible condition. They don't clean them with just plain water--Medsen Fey are enlisted to make a leaf-water mixture (dlo benit; see below), and then one of the priestly SoA puts a blessing on said water mixture. That mixture is used to clean any sacred trinkets the pride members have, including other things besides bones. Usually each family has a large bark-shell bowl of this special water at their den site, which they use regularly to clean with until they run out. In that case, they take a trip to request more from a Medsen Fey, and the cycle repeats itself. Sacred decorations and bones are kept clean and shiny. No one wears any bloody or dirtied bones. There are no dirty, grimy pelts, or splotchy, blood-stained skulls. Everything is clean in this pride. The only thing that could potentially be seen as "dirty" is if a pride member put paint on any of their trinkets, even bones. That is allowed, and is not seen as being unclean, since paints are made by Medsen Fey and blessed by a priestly SoA before being applied to a sacred trinket. Bones are connections to those who have passed, and thus connections to the Loa, so they're special to the Pepo'Porojo.
"These sacred relics of our ancestors, both biological and through initiatory lineage, are highly valuable objects. Their ownership indicates respect and reverence for ancestral spirits, not affiliation with "black magic" or "evil". In fact, there is no "black magic" in Haitian Vodou or the associated magical traditions - that is a racist term imposed by outsiders. In our tradition, there is religion and there is magic. If a Mambo does magic that helps Anne get a job, and therefore prevents Anne's competitor Janet from getting that job, did the Mambo do good to Anne, or evil to Janet, or both? Magic in Vodou is best characterized as "effective" or "ineffective", not "black" or "white"."
Dlo benit: This is the sacred water used for cleaning trinkets and mixing and cleansing herbs. Medsen Fey are the only members who are able to make this mixture (with the help of their primate "friends"), and as said above, they provide all of the pride members with this water so that everyone can keep their bones and trinkets clean. It basically looks like water with some green, torn-up leaves and such mixed in.
Hounfor: These are shrines. Various-sized mounds of dirt covered in grass, rocks, logs or what have you, which have been dedicated to a specific family of Loa, or as a grave-site of one who has died (they are either buried there, or the mound has been erected in their memory). These are what the Shrinekeeps look after. They intimately know every deceased member, going so far as to meet with family members for several days at a time so that they can learn what the deceased member liked. Since Hounfor are also erected as shrines for specific Loa, they are visited often by every pride member depending on which family of Loa the pride member wishes to pray to. The Loa Hounfor are also what the priest/ess members visit with a Poupe in order to summon it. Offerings are given both to deceased ancestors and to Loa. If a specific Petro Loa, let's say, likes the blood of baby hares and the bones of a female ancestor, these items would be offered at the base of the shrine before a summoning ritual, or just as an offering to have the Loa hear the individual's prayer and hopefully answer it. Ordinary pride members must be careful in doing this, however, for if the wrong items are offered, or are offered in the wrong manner, it could spell disaster. It is always wise to confront a nearby Shrinekeep or priest/ess to get an idea of what to offer, and how, first.
Dead Places: This is the term for a place where a pride member has died and was not buried, but left to be a part of the Circle of Life. Some family members will choose to let this happen, while others may not have had a choice.When a family member wishes their deceased kin to be buried, their place of rest is in a Hounfor.
Ranks and Teaching: As noted in the ranks section, when cubs reach juvenile age, they usually decide what they want to do and are then taught in that specific rank. An example of the teaching process is this: let's say several juveniles decide they are interested in becoming Medsen Fey. Once they decide that, they notify their parents and the family meets with the Mama, who will more than likely approve of their choice. Then, every day, the juveniles as a group will meet with several experienced Medsen Fey in an area of their teachers' choosing. They may go different places depending on what they are being taught on any given day (perhaps one area contains one type of herb, another contains something else, etc.), but regardless of where they go, they are all taught as a group, with some one-on-one time thrown into the mix. This happens for every juvenile, regardless of what rank they choose--they pick their rank and are then taught collectively by older, more experienced members of that rank who are capable of teaching the next generation. To add to this, there's also the subject of newcomers--older felines who are newly joining the pride and must now choose a rank to dedicate themselves to. In cases such as these, they usually don't join the "classroom" of the juveniles, but are taught separately at later times by the various teachers of their rank. It is not unheard of for an older feline to be seen among the juvenile group, however, if the teachers have somehow deemed it necessary for that individual to sit with them. The youth (or older SoA) is taught in this way until adolescence or adulthood when they graduate and are declared full-fledged members of their rank. However, once they pick their rank as a juvenile, they are declared whatever they choose from that age onward--they're just not considered a full-fledged and capable member of their rank until they graduate. For an older SoA who has newly joined, it will take them several months before they are considered full-fledged in their rank, or less time if their teachers approve of their skill level earlier on.
Love: Love isn't a huge deal in this pride. If two SoA fall in love, then they decide to stay together and that's that. Most SoA in this pride are monogamous, but polygamy is not forbidden. What is frowned upon is mistreatment of the mother of resulting cubs, as well as of the cubs themselves. Something else frowned upon are very large age gaps, as the journey from Little One to full-fledged member of whatever rank is a coming-of-age time and taken very seriously. That's why adolescent breeding is looked at with quirked eyebrows, although it's not forbidden.
Flings: These are allowed, as well as adolescent breeding. Adolescents are discouraged from breeding, however, as they are considered to be too young, but it does happen and it’s not forbidden.
Prey: There is nothing this pride won't eat (well, except other regular SoA species). Most South African hooved animals are the most commonly hunted. If it exists in South Africa, the Gatherers may target it as a meal.
Names: Anything goes in this pride, but most original members have South African (Swahili, Zulu, etc.) and Haitian Creole names.
Familiars: This pride isn't too big on familiars, BUT there are some that they are very commonly be seen with. Snakes (because of the Kongo Loa), various types of primates like mandrills or baboons (Medsen Fey are seen with them the most, as they help them greatly with their tasks--if they can befriend them or entice them to help now and then), vultures (excellent for scavenging for carcasses and bones--Pèseptè love these), and some various types of birds (if one finds something useful it can do). Other than that, not really any other familiars are seen (or allowed) in this pride. (If your SoA is bonded to a familiar not listed and you wish to join without parting them, let me know and I'll see about making an exception or not.)
This pride lives a darker territory of Africa that seems to be more dry than wet during the rainy seasons (though there is a lot of fog and humidity at times). Many places in the pride have no grass at all--just large portions of cracked, gray earth. Things seems generally more dark and hazy, as there are a vast amount of trees (many dead and dying) interspersed throughout the territory. Basically, if you imagine a sort of dark Elephant Graveyard, minus all the skeletons, and add a lot more trees and some green, throw in some den site mounds and a ton of rock-mound Hounfor, picture various trinkets and bones hanging on some tree branches, voodoo-looking lions walking to and fro, and you're imagining this pride.
Very common animal sightings are giraffes, elephants, buffalo, elands, gazelles, impala, warthogs, wildebeest, and zebra. Most of them may appear to be quite creepy to an outsider within the pride's territory, since large clouds of fog are common and often blur these creatures from view.
Summoning: Loa can be summoned ("summon" is a strong word, but the easiest to use in this case. It's more like they go forth to humbly ask the Loa if it would grace them with its presence) by the Houngan, Mambo, Bokor, or Caplata, individually or collectively. A ritual is performed to summon a specific Loa, and once the group knows for certain the Loa is the one they have called upon, the specific actions and offerings preferred by that Loa are performed and given. Depending on the Loa they wish to call upon, the priest/ess will select the Poupe they believe is most suitable or most favored by that specific Loa. That Poupe is called forth and then stands in the center of the group of summoners, with the summoners encircling them (however many or few there may be--if it's just one, the Poupe simply stands in front of that individual). All of them encircle the Loa's Hounfor. The SoA give the offerings that specific Loa may like, such as a specific type of meat, bones, a yellow flower, a beaded necklace--whatever they are said to like--and once it has been offered before the Poupe at the base of the Hounfor, the summoner(s) begin praying, calling upon the Loa. Depending on the Loa, this ritual may be very tranquil, or it may be very violent, with the Poupe convulsing, falling to the ground, or even attacking (or in worst-case scenarios, killing) the summoners or surrounding pride members. It depends on the Loa (and the Poupe, for that matter...). Medsen Fey play a small role in the summoning process, as they are the ones who provide certain special drinks (see below) that their familiar friends helped them to concoct. These drinks are said to help the individuals connect with the spirits, but not all choose to take these drinks. Many Poupe choose to drink them, as many of them get scared during the entire summoning process. These drinks help the summoning individuals to "see" the Loa, and get a better connection with the Other Side. (See post below for a list of ingredients and potions.)
Sacrificial Ceremony: While no SoA is ever killed for a ceremony, in some cases a priest/ess may kill a species of preybeast or small animal if they think it's what a certain Loa wants. In fact, some Loa will only "come out" if a specific animal is slaughtered for them. This pride are not murders, however, as said above--they just sacrifice small animals at times if that's what they believe the Loa wants. The Gatherers will herd the animal of choice towards a clearing of black earth, free of grass and obstructions. Once at the center, one or more priest/ess SoA will come forward and cleanly kill the animal, leaving it as unmarred as possible. Once the animal is dead, the priest/ess will say a quiet word of thanks to the creature, the spirits, and to Mawu, and will bless the deceased animal. At that point they may use either the whole carcass, parts of it, bones, hair, or whatever, to place on a Loa's Hounfor.
Dead Day: Similar to the Day of the Dead, this is the day that the dead can supposedly walk amongst the living without being summoned. During this day, deceased ancestors' spirits possess Poupe (usually relatives) quite spontaneously. They walk around the pride as normal and are truly believed to be the deceased possessing the living. Great feasts are held for this occasion, with all the pride wanting to feed their ancestors heartily before they depart once more. For those deceased ancestors who did not possess any of the current living, food is offered at their Hounfor, or in large heaps in random areas in the pride for ancestors to feed on as they wish. For those dead who possess their choice of Poupe, they eat at their leisure and enjoy the great company and gifts from others (the Poupe live the sweet life on this day). For all the families, if their ancestors did or didn't visit, all members will visit their Hounfor or Dead Places. Once there, they will place the dead's favorite food or trinkets (whatever the individual liked in their lifetime) in a ceremonial sort of feast for the dead. After this has been done, the families will call upon them in prayer and request things like health, safety and the like, with a promise to keep serving the immortal spirits of the dead. By the time the sun rises, the spirits of the deceased return to the afterlife, and everyone sleeps the day away contentedly.
Marriage: If a couple (of any gender) decides they want to be together for life, then rather than just saying so, some of the more spiritual members decide to have a ceremony conducted by a Mambo or Houngan (Caplata and Bokor do not perform this ceremony). The couple pledges themselves to one another and there’s a big celebration following the ceremony. Marriage is not expected of anyone and not everyone decides to get married, though.
Funerals: While this isn't a festival, it is a type of ceremony that everyone has to go through at some point in life. As stated previously, when one dies, they are either left at their Dead Place or buried in new Hounfor. Depending on the family member's wishes, only family members or priest/ess members may attend the funeral, or it is open to the entire pride, in which case anyone may come and pay their respects. The priest/ess selected to bless the new Hounfor will say some words about the newly-deceased, then others may come forward and place their offerings on the Hounfor, as well as say their own words about the individual. The process of how the funeral goes exactly varies depending on the family.
Kase fey: This is the ceremony of the collection and breaking of the leaves. At certain bountiful times during the year, instead of individually going out to collect things for their trade, the Medsen Fey will move out in a group to collect many, many herbs together. They would most certainly bring some baboons or something along with them. Sometimes they will ask a priestly SoA to summon one of the herb and medicine-related Loa via a Poupe, and that Poupe would accompany them until the group returns home. It's a pretty happy ceremony that tends to involve a lot of teaching, even though that's not the point of the ceremony. When everyone returns home, they bless the herbs with sacred water, and each Medsen Fey returns to their dwelling place with a share of what has been collected. The Loa in the Poupe is withdrawn and the Poupe returns home, the baboons depart, and all of the Medsen Fey leave with a head full of new memories and maybe something new they learned.
Kuhitimu: This is graduation day. On this day, there is a celebration for all of the pride members who have successfully gone through the education and training process and have been declared full-fledged practitioners of their rank. Much food is gathered, and there is singing, story-telling, and games. Those graduating are treated as the guests of honor and decorated in jewelry and flowers. It is an all-day celebration.
Potions & Poisons: The Medsen Fey are the ones in charge of healing, remedies, love potions, other types of potions, spiritual drinks for priest/esses, making creepy things that Bokors and Caplata request, and poisons. Their poisons (made with the help of their mandrill and baboon "friends"), can make certain things happen to you--get sick, vomit, fever, hallucinate, etc...while there would be scientific reasons for the side effects, the pride has other beliefs about them. One poison might be believed to make snakes grow inside you, making you swell and suffer and writhe like a snake, when really you're just having an allergic reaction to the ingredients in the poison. Love potions are highly requested, especially amongst adolescent females, and while they are said to work (for a time), they're really only making the male light-headed and dazed, often making him more open to agreeing with whatever he hears.
So yes, your SoA can get high or be an addict and yes they can be affected by the natural alcohol content in fermented fruit juices. Just make sure whatever you RP is natural and within reason.
Ingredients: Mostly all of the ingredients are crushed into a fine powder to make them easier to ingest, mixed in water to drink, or mixed with water to make a paste to apply to the skin. Some herbs may be crushed and have their juices extracted and applied or drank. There is nothing tasty about these ingredients (except for fruit drinks), so the pride members just have to grit their teeth and bear it. It's for their own good, after all.
Dream Herbs: Usually not spoken of individually, these herbs are each known as "dream herbs." So if a Medesen Fey wanted to make something for you, instead of saying they would use Red Ubulawu, they would probably just say that they were going to use a Dream Herb.
Acacia xanthophloea (a type of tree bark)
Helinus integrifolius (a flowery herb)
Red Ubulawu (a type of tree bark)
Rhus pauciflorus (a root)
Chionanthus battiscombei (a type of tree bark)
These herbs, when prepared or mixed properly, can cause the user to have long, strange, vivid dreams, be able to "think differently", interpret their dreams better, speak with and see their ancestors more clearly, and also remember things better for longer periods of time. Once these herbs pass through the user's system, the effects wear off.
Devil's Claw - Harpagophytum procumbens: A cure-all of sorts, this root is crushed into a powder and given to the user to ingest as a cure for fever, blood diseases, blood purification, lower back pain and pain in pregnant women, coughs, diarrhea, diseases of the liver, gall bladder, kidneys, pancreas, digestive system (heartburn, peptic ulcers, constipation and lack of appetite) and small joints, as well as hypertension, high cholesterol and tuberculosis. Externally it helps heal ulcers, boils, skin lesions and wounds.
Umfusamvu - Pittosporum viridiflorum: A crushed root that is mixed with warm water and sipped. It is used as a pain-killer and sedative.
Greenheart - Warburgia ugandensis: A bark that, when dried and crushed into powder, helps to heal muscle pains, general body pains, stomach aches, and toothaches.
Umnwele - Sutherlandia frutescens: An herb that is used mostly as a sedative or painkiller. By either smelling its aroma or ingesting it, the user becomes relaxed and calm. This is the herb that is most popular to give to a Poupe before a Loa calling.
Buffalo thorn - Ziziphus mucronata: The leaves, roots, and bark of this tree are used for healing injuries, infections, and killing pain. Sometimes the bark is good for stomach aches. The fruits can be distilled to create a very pleasant sort of drink. Drinking too much of this liquid, however, has been known to cause the drinker to feel and act strange, see things, and have some difficulty walking normally...
Fruit drinks: Similar to what is stated just above, any common edible African fruit can be used to create various drinks. A curious thing happens when a Medsen Fey leaves fruit out to rot, and depending on how long its left out, it creates a juice that is either sweet or quite strong and bitter, albeit somehow pleasant. It is common for a Medsen Fey to mix particularly strong ingredients into a sweeter fruit drink in order to make it more bearable to the user.
Euca leaves - Eucalyptus globulus: A rare leaf, this ingredient is most commonly used as an anesthetic when turned into a paste and applied to the skin.
Sacred Blue Lily - Nymphaea caerulea: Usually only given out to the priests and priestesses upon special request, this rare ingredient can bring euphoria, tranquility, and a heightened awareness. It is used to help divine spiritual messages and better understand the will of the Loa.
Poison leaf - Dichapetalum cymosum: An herb used in a very deadly poison. The leaves are crushed and sometimes mixed with water to create a drink. Sometimes the juice of the leaves will be mixed in with a fruit drink, making the user unaware of their fat.e Depending on the quantity used, the poison may be near-fatal, or deadly. (Note: Special permission is required if you wish for your pride member to have a Medsen Fey either give them this herb or create a poison for them.)
Pepo Porojo
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Pepo Porojo
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Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 9:39 pm
If you have an old member interested in rejoining please post a form with updated information! We still have the old thread however we want to start fresh and make sure we have all of our information updated! We of course looking for new blood as well as old! At the bottom of the post we have the forms to post if you're interested.
.:. Leadership .:.
There is no monarchy or any real leading order in this pride. There is no king and queen mated pair, chief, matriarch, patriarch, or anything like that.
The pride instead is more or less a member-run pride with an invisible hierarchy built within the ranks. The one rank that may be considered closest to a leader is the Mama, who is the oldest and wisest female in the pride. Aside from her, the members who perhaps have the most say in matters (though all members have a say in decision-making) are the oldest, most experienced pride members within each of the ranks.
.:. Hierarchy .:.
While two individual SoA who hold the same rank may be seen as equals on that level, there is a generally acknowledged hierarchy within the ranks. For example, a newly-appointed Medsen Fey is obviously going to look up to a very experienced, older Medsen Fey, and try to learn all they can from them.
There is no gender hierarchy. The pride members value each other like family and certainly don't go around looking down on someone based on if they're male or female. That's just not how they look at things.
The older, more experienced pride members are the ones who help to train and teach the younger ones who are newer to their ranks. Older Mambo will teach younger Mambo, existing Poupe will share stories of experience with newer Poupe, and so on. There is a hierarchy within the ranks, and everyone works together to train the new generation and help to keep the pride running smoothly.
Mama: Usually the eldest female in the pride, the Mama is greatly respected, and all of the pride helps to look after her. Whether she is a Mambo, Caplata, or any other rank, she is the strongest spiritually in the pride, because she has the most experience. She has no control over anything, but the pride members understand the importance of wisdom with age, so she is sought after for constant advice and spiritual guidance. The Mama also helps to train the younger generation in any of the ranks. Many of the pride members who do not have family due to death or separation will look to her as their mother, so the Mama has many "adopted" children. She is a highly regarded and respected individual, and you would be wise to bow your head when graced with her motherly presence.
Zanmi: The Zanmi is the first of two lionesses who act as go-betweens for the pride and the Mama. The Zanmi is literally a friend of the Mama. She is older and more experienced than her go-between counterpart, the Ede. The duties of the Zanmi require great organizational skills and social skills, as the Zanmi is meant to help keep the Mama from being overloaded with things to do.
Ede: The Ede is the second of the two lionesses who act as go-betweens for the pride and the Mama. While the Ede is also close to the Mama, she is still learning and looks to the Zanmi for guidance. The Ede's tasks generally require less skill and responsibility than the Zanmi, but the Ede is a highly trusted individual nonetheless.
Houngan: These are the male priests in the pride. Houngan are able to summon Loa, ordain other male lions as Houngan, perform rituals, give blessings, perform funerals, and are ultimately responsible for spiritually training the younger males. They are the "good" priests and usually do not like involving themselves with the darker Loa and more risky rituals. They are usually mostly pleasant souls, but there are, of course, exceptions.
Mambo: These are the female priests of the pride. Mambo do all that Houngan do. They spiritually train the females in the pride, and they are capable of ordaining other females as Mambo.
Bokor: These lions are just like Houngan and Mambo, only they specialize in "black" magic. They are sorcerers. They are usually not without bad intentions, and are normally seen as being just a tad (or way more than a tad) dark and malevolent. They enjoy the company of crueler Loa, and are not above tricking and cheating someone to get what they want, or even just for amusement. Many of them are said to have sold their own souls to the Petro Loa for more power--considered the greatest, most favored offering to the Petro Loa, and definitely one that would earn you a lifetime of dark powers. But they can be either mean, nice (but kind of sly--none of them are ever truly kind, no matter what), downright cruel, playful, or completely solitary. So the personality type isn't set in stone, but the obviously aren't going to be nice, smiling, and happy--they're darker, more sinister, no matter how they portray themselves on the outside. Many would suggest you watch your step around them--they tend to have silver tongues.
Caplata: See the above! They are exactly the same as a Bokor, only female. The only noteworthy difference is that many Caplata use their female wiles to get others to do as they wish...
Medsen Fey: Also known as Leaf Doctors, this rank is for those who specializes in herbal remedies, healing, and health. These particular pride members have a special relationship with familiars, even monkeys and baboons, who help them to gather ingredients and help mix their concoctions.
Poupe: The translation of this rank means "puppet/doll". These are the lions who are considered able to be possessed by Loa and the spirits of deceased ancestors during a summoning ceremony. They are average individuals, for the most part, who participate in hunting along with the Gathers, and also help with a multitude of miscellaneous tasks whenever needed. However, they are slightly revered in that they are the ones "chosen" by the Loa to be possessed and used as vessels. (Whether your SoA truly believes and feels it or just pretends to be possessed is up to you...)
Gatherer: These are the lions who hunt to provide food for the pride. They are also the ones who collect living sacrifices for the summoners. They are skilled in the art of the hunt, as well as the strange art of shepherding live animals back to the pride. While they are normally the bulk of the pride, this is by no means a dull, "normal" rank--Gatherers are highly skilled hunters and shepherds, possess a vast amount of knowledge about wildlife species and plants, know in and outside the pride lands like the backs of their paws, and since they gather live animals, plants, and various objects for required spiritual tasks. They are highly in-tune with the Loa. When all of the Gatherers get together and head out into the wild, it can be quite a spooky image.
Pèseptè: Maybe by now you're wondering, "How do these guys get the bones and hair from the dead? Do the Gatherers do it?" Nope. Gatherers deal in living animals and hunting for food. Meaning "collector", Pèseptè are the ones who collect the bones and such from the dead. That means they go out into the land sort of scavenging for the rotting corpses of pride members who were left in their Dead Places, and they also dig deep into any Hounfor to collect what they can or what is needed, as well. No one can say how the Pèseptè feel about death and living as a result of their close proximity to disfigured corpses--that's up to the individual. Generally, though, most pride members seem a little uneasy around the Pèseptè. Their task is not often spoken of, but they are highly respected. The only ones who seem truly comfortable with them are the various priest/ess members, but even some of them may look at Pèseptè in an off-put way. The Pèseptè, as in most ranks, come in all personalities, but their rank does have the stereotype of being the "quiet, creepy" type. In a nutshell, their rank is to provide the priestly SoA and Shrinekeeps with items from the dead required for various types of ceremonies, as well as other more simple objects like a type of feather, stone, or trinket of some kind. Just like Poupe, while they do have their own special tasks to perform, they may also help in anything that needs help, including hunting or anything else.
Shrinekeep: Most commonly female, the Shrinekeeps tend to the different Hounfor, keeping them tidy and making sure there are always a few offerings around that pertain to each particular Loa's likes. They carry their gifts to the spirits in bangles and bands around their forearms or satchels and place these gifts at the Hounfor by pulling the offering out gently with their teeth, then positioning it around the Hounfor. They are seen as pure and peaceful individuals, never having fiery tempers or speaking sharp words. It is not unusual for a Shrinekeep to never take on a mate, since many of them, being so close to the spirits, choose to devote their lives to serving them.
Guard: While the entire pride helps to look out for each other, a specific rank is offered for those whose sole wish is to protect the pride territory and its members. Males and females take on this rank, though usually the female guards are a bit larger and stronger than the average lioness. However, it's not uncommon for there to be a small or thin female (or male) guard, as it is considered helpful to have very fast, agile bodies for times when quick warnings are needed. There is true camaraderie among members of this rank, and they treat each other like military brothers. Communication between guards is thick, not always requiring vocal messages. They train with one another physically and also in the strange art of attempting to read one another's thoughts, which is helpful when taking down an enemy without notice or going to silently investigate potential disturbances. They normally circle the borders of the pride's territory, but there are some who remain within the heart of the pride to keep things safe there, as well. There is no stereotypical personality type for Guards--they can be anything, as long as they do their job well.
Little One: These are the cubs of the pride. They don't have any responsibilities other than having fun and just being cubs. All the pride members help to look after them if need be, but it is mostly the parents who watch over their own cubs.
When a cub reaches the juvenile age, they begin to get a good idea of where they want to go in life, and from there they are taught by the more experienced individuals of the rank they show an interest in. They take on the rank name they are pursuing at the juvenile stage, but obviously they are not a full-fledged whatever they are yet! Really, the offspring don't get a huge say in what they train in. They are encouraged to decide for themselves, but in this pride, the parents (with some feedback from other pride members or elders) would decide what rank is best for their offspring, and the youth would train in that rank.
Make sure if you post you read all of the information included the spoiler below and you fill out the correct form.
Species allowed in: Lions, cheetahs, leopards, hybrids, and accepted familiar species (with a bonded only). Any other species are not permitted to join.
Colors: There are no color restrictions in this pride. Anything goes.
Pre-existing members: If you have a blank slate and you want him/her to be a pre-existing member (born in the pride), that's fine. Just make sure you make that clear in the "what's their story?" section. Additionally, you can also have an older member who wasn't born in the pride. "New member" doesn't have to mean just-off-the-boat new. These SoA could have joined a while back--they just weren't born-in. However long ago your SoA joined is up to you. But remember, since this pride hasn't been accepting non-lions for very long, it wouldn't make sense to say your cheetah is a very old member of the pride.
[size=9][b].:. OLD MEMBER .:.[/b]
[b]SoA Name:[/b] [b]Owner's Name:[/b] [b]Picture:[/b] (Link, please!) [b]Rank:[/b] [b]Personality:[/b] [b]Name of Parents:[/b] (Father) x (Mother) <-- ((You can put names of parents if they have passed away (like if they don't exist ICly) OR if they will be achieved via customs! Or just put question marks. Either way, it is assumed that this SoA was born in the pride.)) [b]What's their story?:[/b] (Doesn't have to be long--just a little summary of their life in the pride, whatever you want to include.) [/size]
[size=9][b].:. NEWER MEMBER .:.[/b]
[b]SoA Name:[/b] [b]Owner's Name:[/b] [b]Picture:[/b] (Link, please!) [b]Rank:[/b] [b]Personality:[/b] [b]Name of Parents:[/b] (Father) x (Mother) ((<-- Or question marks--whatever's on your SoA's cert.)) [b]Why is this SoA joining the pride/how long have they been in the pride?:[/b] ("Newer members" doesn't have to mean just-off-the-boat new--these SoA could have joined a while back; they just weren't born-in. However long ago they joined is up to you. It really depends on how much of a history they have.)[/size]
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 10:29 pm
This pride is very old and has been around for many generations. They used to be extremely racist and the pride was only made up of lions, but lately, with the most recent younger generation growing up, they've begun to adopt a different sort of mentality towards other felines. The pride's religion and way of life centers around Voodoo and the Loa (spirits). There are spirits that govern nature and its forces, and spirits that govern individual things, like a spirit that governs all trees, or all rocks (these are the children of Mawu). The pride also believes that when one dies, the dead becomes a Loa, and are able to come back to the land of the living by means of possession.
Recently the pride has been pretty quiet, yet busy. It is flourishing and everyone seems to be pretty content; however, a surprise has started a stir in the pride. The Mama has taken two lionesses under her wing to be helpers as she is too busy. Coracao Caotico is a lioness who has been part of the pride. Some of the members aren't too happy about her having such a important rank, some people think she is a little too mean or snappy. The other lioness who brings even more suspicion is the lioness Fleur. She is a pretty recent member of the pride and some members think that she got this rank because she is up to no good.
We have a large plot being planned! Make sure you check back here for updates as it goes!
Pepo Porojo
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Pepo Porojo
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Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 10:32 pm
Mama: Owner's Name: [Eskimo] SoA's Name: Simbi Image:xXx Rank: Mama Parents: ? x ? Personality: Sometimes quiet and serious, other times good-humored and somewhat coy, depending on the situation or her mood. Recent events in the pride have caused her to be somewhat embittered.
Zanmi: -Taken-
Ede: SoA Name: Fleur Owner's Name: Yin-bug Picture:X Rank: Ede Personality: Fleur is extremely confident, confidence is in every fiber of her being. She is so arrogant she can occasionally get to the point of arrogance. She especially confident with her looks, she knows that she is attractive and flaunts it at times, and she also uses it to be flirty when she wants. Otherwise she is intelligent and to the point. She can be silly whenever she wants but when she needs to she can be extremely serious, and at times can come across as cold to those she doesn't know because of this. She feels strongly about her work in the pride and her beliefs. Name of Parents: ??? x ??? What's their story?: A wanderer for most of her life, she lived in the rogue lands for most of her life and enjoyed it. She birthed a litter of cubs and she finally stumbled across the Voodoo pride where she fell in love and joined.
Houngan: Mambo:
SoA Name: Jambazi'ekundu Owner's Name: DFA Picture:Here and just because it's cute, some fanart too: 1, 2 Rank: Either Mambo or Caplata. Probably Mambo (I still need to decide). I'm figuring these are open ranks ;_; I am not dead sure? Personality: Bazi has always been the quiet one among her sibblings, and though she believed in their cause, was never one to outright voice this, or otherwise shove herself into the spotlight. Their mother, Tiah, daughter to Scar, believed her father to be the rightful heir to pridelands, and though she could not realize her dream of putting her family in the throne, the Outlands was founded in an attempt to persue such a dream. Bazi grew up to be the lead priestess of the pride, and often read their fortune in bones, flame and other places. She could not foretell the eventual failure... and the disbanding of her pride, and when such a time came along, she moved on, fixated on learning new ways, for she felt her powers (she is not a seer!) had failed her, which meant she had to learn more about the occult in order to better herself. She's hard working, stubborn as a mule, and although she doesn't seem to talk much, she's hardly shy; she just seems to have trouble adjusting to others around her and is a touch socially awkward from spending most of her time with the spirirts. Name of Parents: Adonai x Tiah Why is this SoA joining the pride/how long have they been in the pride?: I figure she's just recently stumbled upon the pride and rather likes their way of life. She hopes to learn from those in there in order to better herself.
Bokor:
Owner's Name: [Eskimo] SoA's Name: Ithambo Image:xXx Rank: Bokor Parents: ? x ? Personality: Always in a bad mood, Ithambo isn't the nicest cheetah in the world, and he's certainly not running around looking for friends. He mostly keeps to himself, but he can be pretty talkative around other Bokors, or those he has decided are genuinely open and nice--"good spirits". He has a notable weakness for Shrinekeeps.
Caplata: Medsen Fey:
SoA Name: Eran Owner's Name: MoonRazor Picture:Cert, uncert Rank: Medsen Fey Personality: As a result of this almost OCD-like impulse to watch his surroundings, Eran seldom initiates eye contact with others. His gaze tends to flit restlessly about, keeping track of everything around him. When he does maintain eye contact, however, he holds the other’s gaze with a stark, unblinking stare that has an eerie ability to make others uncomfortable. At times, it almost seems as though he takes some perverse kind of pleasure in watching others squirm under his gaze.
He can come off as rather brusque with most, often answering with short, blunt responses. His world is one of tough love, and he refuses to coddle others. Eran is a strong believer of toughing things out, and uses this belief to push others to become better. His emotions are buried deep, and though he does form the occasional bond with other creatures, he will rarely verbalize them, or even show them in any way. These rare bonds tend to be so strong, however, that he can trust the other half of the relationship to understand him and recognize his pride when it is applicable. Name of Parents: ? x ? What's their story?: He was pushed into this rank by expectant parents and has never known anything else. He's one of the more experienced Medsen Fey in the pride. and was dubbed "wise" because of his extensive knowledge regarding anything having to do with his rank. He knows how to make the dlo benit and a lot, if not all, of the remedies used to keep one healthy or cure an illness. He knows how to identify herbs, where they are, what needs to be done to gather them, and what needs to be done to prepare them. He knows how to make poisons, as well as cures for some of them but what he will and will not make upon request is hard to determine.
Poupe:
Owner's Name: [Eskimo] SoA's Name: Uovu Image:xXx Rank: Poupe Parents: Mbaya x Ziara Personality: Dark, cynical, pessimistic, quiet, and grumpy, Uovu trusts few (if anyone) and questions most. He's racist against non-lions, but being scolded by the Mama has caused him to zip his lips about it more lately. He secretly doubts the beliefs of the pride, and sometimes he wonders if he's a real Poupe at all. Maybe he just thinks he is? Maybe he's pretending? But maybe...it's okay to pretend.
SoA Name: Kusheleli Owner's Name: F a y t h - x Picture:X Rank: Poupe Personality: Otherworldly, quiet, listless, seemingly lost in a haze most of the time. He's very introverted, careful. His words and judgement can be harsh and blunt, but never made or given without thought or care. Name of Parents: ??? X ??? What's their story?: He was actually found as a very young cub by an older lioness gatherer. It was a misty day - either early morning or late evening - when mists parted to reveal the young cub. It was not known how he got there - there was no trace nor scent of his mother anywhere. The cub's eyes looked up to the lioness who would come to raise him, listless, as if he were only half-there. It was then believed that he was constructed from the Loa and placed in the pride's lands as some sort of gift to the lioness who had never had a child of her own, but was devout. The cheetah always seemed rather otherworldly, but never caused much of a stir in the pride, aside from the day when he was initially found.
Gatherer:
SoA Name: L'envoi Owner's Name: magnadearel Picture:AdultWith Fam Rank: Gatherer Personality: L’envoi is a chilling lion with a cool personality; cool not in the ‘cold’ sense, but in that ‘awesome’ feel. He gets along with just about everyone and any specie. For him, it is all about friends rather than enemies. L’envoi is always ready for a good time.
He enjoys his work of gathering food and animals for the pride. An apt learner makes him the ideal student. L’envoi has, he found out, a knack for herding live animals to the pride. His hunting skills aren’t that bad either. Learning the plants has taken him slightly longer. He likes to be sent out for items; meat, live animals, or plants he does his job cheerfully and willingly. Name of Parents: Npcs Father Luroku(Deceased), Mother Moenvoi(Rogue) What's their story?: L’envoi ran across the Pepo'porojo, quite by accident, when he was a juvenile, almost young adult. At first he was intrigued by the beliefs of the lions. He stayed to learn more. Picking to become a gatherer he felt as the safest route. Anyone could hunt right? Initially he was surprised to learn that gatherers did more than just hunt. They brought back live sacrifices. Much to his delight, L’envoi found himself fitting right in and learning the ways of the pride. They have become very thoroughly a part of him. He feels very comfortable in the pride now. Notes: He's been approved for a fling with an amazon female. All male cubs will be dumped on him. He will also be bringing back two mates.
Pèseptè:
Owner's Name: [Eskimo] SoA's Name: Zakura Image:xXx Rank: Pèseptè Parents: Thona x Adannaya Personality: Zakura usually acts as the older brother figure to most SoA, lending an ear to their problems, and just generally being the sheltering cave amidst a storm. He's pretty smart and usually knows the best route to take in most situations. When something doesn't go his way, he becomes extremely down and frustrated, but hides his feelings with a facade of normality. He can hold a grudge forever, often dreaming of dark things that he wishes upon those who have made him sulk. Along with these happy, mostly normal traits, Zakura has a deep, dark secret that he tries desperately to hide... He has a bit of an insane obsession with his spots. When he first saw his reflection in the water, Zakura thought that his spots were fish scales. He came to believe he was part fish. When he sees the spots on his arm, he tries to scratch them off (while no one's looking), thinking they're fish scales. He goes through phases. When he notices the spots after a while, he'll politely end any conversation he was involved in, walk off, hide somewhere, and fret about his "scales", really self-conscious about them. But this always passes and he becomes extremely embarrassed that he is standing there thinking he's part fish. He prefers to stay pretty close to water most of the time, as he sometimes, with dread, thinks he "belongs" there. But at the same time, in some situations, he has a profound fear of water. He thinks he's doomed to one day become the mate of a fish, hating the idea simply because fish are so ugly and female felines are so pretty. But dreams of beautiful fish-feline-mermaid princesses ease his dismayed, secretive thoughts.
SoA Name: Vir'ani Owner's Name: Kitsu_is_EPIC_FAIL Picture:CertUncert Rank: Pèseptè Personality: Quiet and a bit of a misanthrope. He doesn't typically go out of his way to talk, and he really isn't the sort that goes looking for trouble, but it always seems to find him in one way or another, so he's learned it's better to just slide on by and let others do what they're going to do. It's probably going to be bad anyways. If you can get him to stick around though, you'll discover a leopard who can be very loving and very protective of what he considers to be his. Name of Parents: (?) x (?) Why is this SoA joining the pride/how long have they been in the pride?: Vir'ani has been a wanderer for most of his life. He doesn't have much memory past a certain point in his early adulthood. Anything before that is just a blur of emotions and occasional images. But one thing that has always stuck with him is his faith - his belief that the world is inhabited by spirits. He's never had a name for it before is all. But when he came to the outskirts of this pride, he lingered, unlike all the other times that he'd simply avoided contact. The concept of finally belonging to something intrigued him... It was possible. He gathered his courage, going against his better judgement, and walked through the camp, putting faith in a good spirit that he would be safe.
Shrinekeep:
Owner's Name: [Eskimo] SoA's Name: Betsabé Image:xXx Rank: Shrinekeep Parents: Takis x Sikitiko Personality: Completely innocent and always happy. She loves decorating things and especially loves flowers.
Owner's Name: [Eskimo] SoA's Name: Safi Image:xXx Rank: Shrinekeep Parents: ? x ? Personality: Quiet, shy, kind, and pure. Safi has a very good heart, but most of her love goes to the Loa.
Owner's Name: [Eskimo] SoA's Name: Ramla Image:xXx Rank: Shrinekeep Parents: Dharba x Enigste Personality: Ramla is a dark, solemn lioness who never shows her face. She can be brutally honest and bitter, but she does have some kindness in her. She was slightly disfigured when she was small, attacked by a lion who was part of the group at war with her former pride. It left her face scarred and one of her eyes mostly blind. She never quite got over it.
Guard: Little One:
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 11:10 pm
More about the male here:
This boy's name is Samedi. He was owned by Zephira738, who has given him up for re-home. You can see her winning contest entry here with all of his info.
He was born to a pair of reputable Houngan and Mambo, Mbaya and Ziara, but his rank is up to you. The Old Caplata was the cousin of the late Mama who recently passed away, and she is the aunt of this male's deceased mother. So the Old Caplata is this male's Great Aunt, and the late Mama was his first cousin twice removed (someone can correct me on that if I'm wrong). Based on the subconscious hierarchy of this pride, this male has a bit of a boost up the ladder simply based on his heritage, as well as his parents' reputation.
This boy is the older brother of Uovu Uovu was the result of the parents' second litter, meaning this boy was an adolescent when Uovu was born. Whether this male is like his younger brother or not is completely up to you.
We decided to edgy and make this both a raffle and an advertising contest! Everyone can enter for a ticket and you may win more tickets for every day that you advertise. You may use a small text-link in your sig to advertise or one of the following images:
Make sure to use the correct form before to claim your ticket. Remember for each day an ad is in your sig make a post other wise we won't count it. You also get a ticket as soon as you put the link in your sig.
[color=red][size=15]Can I have a free ticket![/size][/color]
Pack/Pride Name: Pepo'porojo Current IC Owner(s): Yin-bug, Ovarian Paint, [Eskimo] Current OOC Owner(s): Yin-bug, Ovarian Paint, [Eskimo] Default ranks: Boop Current Pride/Pack Members, and Rankings of Each: Links to at least five current RPs: Lol we need 5 Brief Description of your Pride/Pack: (Do not exceed 175 words, it has to fit in our layout!) Cert Background Large Image:Here Pride Symbol for Cert:here Any Extra Information: If you want to include a place for alternate names or clans, please say so here - we will not allow you to change the cert afterward. Pride/Pack History:
