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 Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:29 am
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Welcome to the start of the Nchi'mahadi metaplot! There will be lots of opportunity for plot heavy RP and at least 10 SoA given away throughout.
Nantale has just announced many changes IC. To avoid confusion, I will list the ones characters should know about as follows:
• Ranks are now open to both genders and all species, from birds to hyenas. All of them, even Malenga.
• The Malenga will now be elected by all members of the pride. Nantale's future daughter is no more likely to take over than your character's.
• Other changes and new additions to ranking system with the exception of Captain, which doesn't yet exist IC. Therefore, there are currently six Council ranks instead of seven, including the Malenga herself, and there is no apprenticeship for guards.
• She has yet to ICly promote anyone aside from Mawi, who remains Lead Drummer. Keep in mind they're still speaking Swahili, so the name changes shouldn't be too different from what they're used to saying from an IC POV. You can read about them here.
• The pride is officially expanding their territory to include that which once belonged to their neighbors, the Mtaishi'Miele. You can read about it in the geography post here.
• Chants and just plain ol' singing is now being as encouraged as dancing and drumming. You can find more info here.
• Changes made to dances, including but not limited to the retirement of any and all Rain Dances. They have bred more resentment than enjoyment since the floods. Read about dances here.
• Though it was always taboo, it is now outlawed for a mother to surrender cubs to any non-Nchi before adolescence for any reason. Things such as "trading" cubs or giving away half a litter in exchange for siring them is not allowed. Nantale seemed not only assured, but unusually assertive in this decision.
Note this is an IC rule only and you are more than welcomed to break it if you're up for RPing consequences. Any mother caught tossing cubs to another pride will be exiled and have her remaining children taken from her to be raised in the Nchi.
• There are many OOC-centric changes as well. You can read about them here or find them in the directory in the same thread.
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:31 am
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What's happenin'?
The pride has gathered 'round the Drum Circle and been standing there a fair amount of time while Nantale provides her multitude of announcements. She and Ndoto have managed to whip up a decent variety of paints to work with, and the pride is set to draw on the walls of the kanyamaa escarpment that line up with former Mtaishi'Miele lands. This is to honor the disbanded pride and their former neighbors, especially since they're claiming what was once their territory for themselves.
Before they set out to do this, Nantale has opened the floor for any questions, comments, or concerns, which she requested wait until she was finished. (Feel free to say your character asked in advance anyway or even heckled her. She would have kept going regardless.)
Prizes?
Yes siree. The "winner" of this RP will win the following wild dog:
(Click for full image.)
He will be part of the meta (so be prepared to RP him) and must stay in the Nchi unless plot takes him elsewhere. Plotting specifically to get him out of the pride = not allowed. A legitimate plot that just-so-happens to involve him moving in the far off future is fine.
Can I join if I don't have a character in the pride?
Absolutely; however, the Nchi have no visitors in their lands at this time. I recommend you use a baboon.
Baboons not only work closely with the pride, they are part of it themselves. They'll know about the other characters and would already socialized with them same as any lined SoA would, giving you opportunity to react to things as opposed to playing some random lizard staring at everyone. Please be sure to actually read up the pride before you do this, though.
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 10:11 am
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Siesha and Tari sat side by side, ears pricked to listen. Siesha, of course, couldn't keep her paws still. One paw was tapping out a slow, simple rhythm while her tail swished behind her to the same beat. These changes were very interesting ones! Both females glanced at each other occasionally with approving smiles. It was wonderful that Tari smiled more often now. Time had passed, and the ache in her heart had eased some. Siesha had known it would happen, and was hopeful that perhaps someday her friend would find her voice again. But now at least they could both be dancers without the need for Tari to sing. That had troubled the two friends deeply, as they felt a deep need to be together, to be the same, and the requirement for Siesha's previous rank to sing had kept Tari from joining her. Now that could all change! Tari chuffed a happy sound and bumped her shoulder into the wild dog's. Things would be better now, for certain.
Sucana had little to say, of course. She merely sat primly and listened. However, the new ranking system gave her hope for her adopted sibling. She glanced over at him with affection. He was a cheerful soul, but even he had been starting to wilt under the disapproval of those who thought that firstly, he should snap out of it and acknowledge that he was a hyena and not a wild dog, and secondly that he should get his act together and learn to dance properly. It wasn't his fault that he was clumsy! But perhaps now he could find a rank that suited his effusive personality better, even if it didn't solve his difficulty concerning his species-perception.
Goss himself watched their leader with sympathy. His gentle heart was touched by her recent struggles, and how hard it must be to try and pull the pride out of its chaotic and muddled state since the flood. It couldn't be easy! His large, expressive ears angled and flicked with various emotions. However, they pricked straight up at the mention of the new ambassador rank. Why, he'd love to interact with the clever baboons and perhaps even travel to other prides! How exciting! His tongue lolled out with eagerness, and his tail began to swish. He cast his mother an eager look, wondering if she'd know what rank he'd want for himself. Maybe, just maybe, he'd finally belong like he'd always wanted to but never had. It wasn't easy, being adopted and clumsy in a singing, dancing pride!
Jamiri sat towards the back of the crowd. He still tended to keep to himself since arriving at the pride, but he was slowly adjusting to this new life. He still struggled inwardly at the idea of having a female leader, but things definitely worked very differently here. It was his home now, so he had resigned himself to seeing the world through new eyes. Today, he listened respectfully to her words, processing quietly as to where he would best fit in. Besides his internal musing, though, he was watching and observing avidly. Today would make an excellent event to put into song... the day the Melanga brought change to the pride and led them to honor their dispersed neighbors. Yes indeed, there was great potential there for a teaching song!
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Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 9:43 am
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Meanwhile, heading into the Mtaishi's land in the opposite direction...
For the most part, the Nchi'mahadi ventured into the Mtaishi's former territory only to cross through it on their way out to hunt or explore. Ja could see the uneven line in the overgrown grass from where they tread. He was walking ahead of God and Goddess, chattering with (or at) Uzimamto about times past. "And that's why I don't trust porcupines," Ja concluded with a grin. He inhaled deeply to replace the breath he'd lost to his verbose reminiscing, and it was then, right then, he could smell it. A fresh kill, blood. The only oddity of it was it was so strong despite their distance. Wouldn't the pride's feast be in the pride?
Confusion gave way to suspicion and Ja shot a sidelong glance to Uzimamto to see if she'd picked up on it. Then he moved forward with greater speed, yet more caution, in his haste not bothering to look and see if their parents had kept up.
It didn't take long to reach the source of his woes.
There, close to the stone wall that lined both territories, three large patches of grass were disturbed. "Mom?" Ja called, startled as any of them had ever heard him sound, and for good reason.
Mwokoti had met with Kitambi, the former Malenga, several days prior and been informed of Nantale's upcoming speech. Her invitation was issued privately in advance, something afforded to deities whose attendance Kitambi felt would boost morale more than her daughter could. Word was she'd done her best to summon the God of Arts, but the call had gone unanswered.
"I know you don't like these big gatherings," Kitambi had told her, correct in saying so, "but it would help if at least one of you were there."
Mwokoti did better than that. After inquiring amongst the Gods she was personally familiar with — Uuni being the last resort she fortunately hadn't had to succumb to — she had secured Misimu's attendance. A relief to both her and Kitambi for different reasons.
The walk between them had consisted of either comfortable silence or Misimu doing most of the talking. Until Ja had called for her.
Mwokoti hurried over. She grimaced at the perplexing and brutal sight. Three corpses lay in a row; two lions, one with mane and one without, and a wild dog. The crude but massive image painted on the wall behind them detailed a number of hyenas, wild dogs, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, and various other species, all but her own. Below them, a thick line, and below that, a massacre of lions and lionesses. The blood used to render the gruesome scene was already dried and peeling. But the Nchi'mahadhi had too many with a wanderlust for this to have gone unnoticed for more than a day.
Suddenly, the wild dog twitched, gagged, and wheezed.
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Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 10:18 am
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This territory was all new ground for Uzimamto's paws to step upon. Each step was taken in a manner that mimicked that of a cub bouncing alongside their parent, her paws lingering a little too long in each spot with a silent reverence for the world around her before continuing her stride over and over again. She didn't even look back to make sure her father or her bright, new friend's mother were following behind. She could hear the pawsteps and the fact he wouldn't leave her, not yet.
Her father had taught her from a young age that there we lessons to be learned by listening to stranger's tales, or not so much of a stranger now. Now she knew that porcupines, for the most part, were bad news. At least if you get caught behind them. Just as she was going to begin her story of how she outsmarted a crocodile with nothing more then a leaf when Ja turned to look at her. What a strange look to his face. No, that starry lioness hadn't picked up the scent of blood just yet, but that didn't stop her from quickly following after Ja.
She wasn't expecting that. None of it. Uzimamto's ears fell back and her body began to tremble. "Dad?"
There had been quite a lot of chattering and laughing, both coming from mainly Misimu as he had been walking with a goddess he had met not all that long ago. He had been invited to attend a feast, at least that's what he remembered being told it would be. The food didn't interest him, but it meant he didn't have to hunt for his daughter for a little while. It was the mortal interaction and that with a pride that interested him the greatest. Only recently had the god of seasons grown into his full mane and he was intent on seeing the world. Now he was able and this was a fine way to start.
Or it would have been.
Misimu hurried after his new godly companion, not wanting to lose sight of her in this unfamiliar land. The scene that greeted the two gods was something he could not have even envisioned in a nightmare. Quickly he approached his daughter, his head rubbing against the side of her face to reassure her for a few moments before he approached the rock wall. Pale blue eyes looked over it before looking to Mwokoti.
"I thought this land was peaceful?" He asked, his voice laced with confusion. Was this a trap he was leading his daughter into? No, her son looked just as confused and traumatized as Uzimamto was.
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Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 12:00 pm
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Mwokoti.
It is, Mwokoti thought. Peaceful and reclusive, so these must be unprovoked ruffians rather than enemies. Her familiarity of the pride's history dated back to Nsundu's rule. She'd heard something about trespasses at the hands of male lions, but the details were lost, either never told to her or spoken and drowned out by the many distractions her mind had to offer. Still she was sure they had done nothing to warrant this.
She turned to look in the direction of the pride. These were flat lands, and had the rock wall not jutted out to form a half circle that obstructed it from view, Mwokoti would have seen them all gathered at the drum circle, safe and sound.
"I need you to look into this with me, Misimu. They're just mortals and if they've been attacked they may need both our help. Think if it was your daughter."
Ja.
"It's all right," Ja had whispered to Uzimamto. While their parents carried on, heedless of the dying creature before them, he felt it most humane to handle this one step at a time, and that first step should be toward the wild dog. The quavering breaths he took could those of a lost cause. Could be. They would be if they didn't find some way to... to do something. Ja didn't know what.
"Aren't we going to help here first?" he asked, standing over the smaller, bloodied being. "This one is still breathing. — Can you hear me, friend? Can you speak?"
The wild dog hissed a haaa. "Help," he managed, his eyes just barely opened, unfocused. "Help."
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SilverLutz rolled 1 10-sided dice:
6
Total: 6 (1-10)
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Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 1:19 pm
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Ndoto was glad that there was no opposition towards the new rules that had been dished out. He figured there might be some later, in the privacy of dens and without everyone else around them, but hey...it could be dealt with on a case by case basis. And, as much as hated to think it, if there were those that didn't like the changes, they could always leave.
At the call to grab the paints, Ndoto moved forward first, heading for one of the few gourds with yellow in it. Nantale had been right about the paint not holding its color once it dried, so he had gone the extra mile to make some that would. There hadn't been much of the flower he'd found to do the job, though, so the yellow paint was rather precious. He carefully lifted the gourd with his teeth and grimaced as the movement jarred the paints, sending a little splash to the ground. He wiped his paw in it quickly so no one would track yellow paw prints through the drum circle and made himself focus as he headed over to the wall. Right...no spilling now.
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Talencia rolled 5 10-sided dice:
2, 4, 4, 5, 8
Total: 23 (5-50)
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Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 10:45 am
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Siesha and Tari both chose cool colors to pick up. It fascinated Siesha how even the paints that were the same color were each unique and different. Her own gourd of blue was just a little paler and a little brighter than the blue Tari had picked up. She grinned around her gourd at her best friend, who smiled warmly back.
Tari was rather excited, truth be told, about finding a new way to express herself. Words she did not indulge in, but perhaps using color might be a new and interesting way of showing her thoughts. She was eager to try it out, even if it was to honor the memory of allies now gone.
Sucana picked a sunny color of orange. It seemed mellow to her, very relaxed and cheerful. She gripped it carefully and stepped lightly. Her diligence was rewarded with not a drop spilled. She moved after the group, heading for the other side of the wall. She had eyes for no-one else, intently focused on her gourd of paint and where she was putting her paws. Hopefully she would make it to the painting area without any mishaps. She did pause once to flick her ear back at her brother, however... things weren't going as well for him as they were with her, unless her ears deceived her.
Goss bounced eagerly to the assembled gourds and randomly grabbed one. Color didn't matter much to him, he just was eager to help. He would have tried to get two to carry, if he'd been able to figure out a way to manage it. Instead, holding his gourd in his teeth, he pranced after Sucana. However, in typical Goss fashion, he managed to not pay attention to where he was going exactly. He didn't see a stone in his path. This led to a stumble, which led to a misplaced forepaw that promptly folded underneath him. With a startled, muffled yelp, his head and gourd met the ground. He managed not to actually fall, as well as managing not to tip the gourd over. However, his nose did sink deep into the orange paint.
He set the gourd down, pulling his nose and upper jaw out of the bright green paint. He stood still for a moment, his face contorting in all sorts of weird ways, jaw hanging open. Finally he whooshed in a great breath, then sneezed explosively, sending tiny flecks of color spraying. It seemed to mostly clear out the roof of his mouth of paint, at least, but he still stuck his partly green tongue out as he tried to get rid of the last of it. "Well... at least it was green!" he finally declared cheerfully before bending down to scoop up his gourd again. This time he was more ginger about where he put his paws as he followed the rest of the group.
Jamiri thought for a moment before choosing a deep red. Some might have said it was the color of blood, but it put him mind of grander things, such as lingering sunsets and sullen coals from a wildfire. It was a color of imagination for him. He was deliberate about his choice of how to pick it up, and his movement was a sedate, steady pace. He was, in fact, moving slower than a good portion of the others carrying paint pots. This, unfortunately, would be to his woe.
He happened to be walking carefully by when the hyena that had grown up next den over from him had his first accident. Jamiri paused to be sure he was alright and unharmed, and thus was close by when the sneeze happened. It startled Jamiri, causing him to jerk his head a little. A little too much, as it happened. Not only did he end up sprayed with bright green paint, but he also now had a splash of red paint across both forepaws. He sucked in a breath for a deep sigh, but remembered in time what was right beneath his nostrils. He let it out slow and soft, then sent the effusive hyena a glare. Bah, what a mess!
((If this was being used for somethign else, please just use my first die for whatever. Just thought it'd be fun for them each to have their own chance to make a mess!
EDIT: Rats, I goofed... Goss was supposed to get by without a hitch... but I like it as I wrote it. Hope that's okay!))
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Yin-Bug rolled 3 10-sided dice:
10, 1, 7
Total: 18 (3-30)
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Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 8:27 pm
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[[Sorry I'm late to the party!!
Ignore one of the rolls I'm only going to do two characters for now.]]
All of this excitement had Mawi buzzing, it was another adjustment but she was excited for this one. The return of the pride members and even the return of life into the pride had Mawi on her toes and more excited than ever. She had a pep to her step that she hadn't had in a while. She wasn't letting anything slow her down that was for sure. Her hair was beginning to pepper and she had an occasional limp because of an arthritis that was very slowly growing in her front right leg. She wasn't slowing down though. She still acted like a cub she had the spirit of one, she had to it was the only way that she was going to keep up with the cubs that she often taught how to make their first drums. She was a great grandmother (possibly a great great at this point) but she was still kicking.
She made her way from the back of the crowd, she always was the type to just want to blend in with everyone else. She looked at the gourds and picked one up as carefully as she could... But of course she dropped it all down the front of her. She looked up, her face splattered with paint and she left out a hardy laugh. With that she started to make her way around the wall, she had a happy trot to her step.
Kirja had been worried about her mother, she always was. She was a worry wart some times honestly. She worried about her children (even though they were grown now she still worried) and of course she worried about her parents. Her father was far more mild though, he took it easy where as her mother was always on the go. The limp was concerning and she honestly spent most of her time trying to help out her mother in anyway that was possible. Even if it meant waking up at an ungodly hour, because her mother was a super early bird.
Kirja stretched herself out as she rose and then approached the gourds, she walked a little ahead of her mother with hers but as she turned to look she noticed her mother covered in the red paint. She arched a brow at her mother.
"Don't talk back to your elders dearest!"
With that Mawi was approaching Natale's side, ignoring the fact that she was covered in paint. "I'm glad to see it is going well so far!" She started with a large grin on her face, she shook her head getting the hair out of her face. "No worries dear, today will go just fine."
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Kaelyndra rolled 3 10-sided dice:
10, 8, 6
Total: 24 (3-30)
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Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2014 9:36 pm
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Of the two, Csoa had always been the most eloquent. He held his own in social situations, the calm mediator who lacked a temper. The lion held his head high, but not too much, and his tail swayed at a gentle angle.
When it came time to pick up the ghords, Csoa's eyes were on Hanyu. Hanyu's eyes were on Hanyu. Everyone who knew the leopon was the more awkward, and therefore the most likely to spill purple completely down his pale front.
"What?" Hanyu snapped, squinting towards Csoa and standing protectively over his ghord. He had yet to pick it up.
The red-maned lion smiled gently, his muzzle straining over his teeth. He gently shook his head and did not shift a drop, heading towards the wall with purpose. In response, Hanyu's ears went back and he snatched his ghord. No surprise, the contents sloshed and dribbled, painting a fine mark of purple down his muzzle and splashed over his eye.
But then the unthinkable happened. The ghord slipped a few inches in Csoa's jaw, and in a moment lacking logic, the red lion tried to open his mouth wider to compensate. The confident, slight smile that defined Csoa's social grazes vanished. The ghord hit the earth, cracked down the center and oozed this way and that. Anyone walking near Csoa would be splashed by the accident.
Ghord in mouth, Hanyu could only snort or risk dropping his own. Smug smile in place, he marched by Csoa with his ghord, leaving bright, purple paw tracks as he walked through the disaster. Csoa sighed.
Baboon
Oblivious to the mysteriously clumsy leaders and those whose steps were flawless, Jeropope carelessly dangled a ghord from the end of one long, grey-haired arm. It dripped and splashed, highlighting his thin arms. Whatever color the baboon had been was now long faded to a pasty silver and blanch white around his mouth. His belly bulged out in front of him, and he scratched this as he walked; showing impeccable balance for a primate on two legs.
The baboon seemed to enjoy both feline and primate company equally, as long as some sort of drumwork was involved. He had endless patience, at least for needles and teeth and bone, but had to be spoken to in slow tones. He also, noteably, had the bad habit of simply leaving when he was done with a conversation. |
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 6:39 pm
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Nantale had no paint because she needed use of her voice. "The grass has overgrown near the walls, so we may have to tromp over it some." Her gourd would have fared no better than Csoa's or Mawi's; she'd have dropped it when she rounded the corner. The grass was high, high enough to keep the distant corpses from view, but what Nantale could see was enough to startle her. They hadn't been visited by a new God for many years.
"Come with me," Mwokoti insisted to Misimu. She started for Nantale whether he followed in tow or not. "Go no further, Nantale," the Malenga was told after the Goddess had reached their group. "There's trouble up ahead. Are all your members accounted for?"
"All of our —?" Nantale looked skittishly toward Csoa, her living, breathing security blanket. "One of our hunters is out, Saburi, but he —"
"Anyone else?" Mwokoti asked, nodding to the entirety of the group.
::OOC::
-- No rolls this time. Feel free to post back and forth in between this and my next post, which will be Tuesday night unless lack of posts delay it or IC necessity prompts it sooner.
-- They cannot see the bodies, but they can see Ja (and perhaps Uzimamto and/or Misimu in the distance, depending on Quaji's post) prodding around at something. Combined with Mwokoti's terse words, there's definite call for concern!
-- If you want an opportunity to kill off an NPC friend or family member, feel free to say they are gone from the pride in your next post. This must be a lion and a hunter.
-- New people may join in any time and play a non-lined species (especially baboons!) if they have no members.
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 6:59 pm
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Ndoto watched the other pride members as they helped with the gourds, smiling a bit as some ended up with paint all over themselves. A colorful but certainly happy bunch, that was for certain. He flicked his ears as one of the gourds split open on the ground, but the color within was easy enough to re-make. Perhaps not that exact tint, but purple was plentiful as blue and red berries were abundant in the area.
He hummed to himself as they walked, but as they rounded the wall, he nearly dropped his gourd in surprise. Only the reminder that he was carrying the precious yellow paint made him hold his muzzle in place, and he carefully moved to set the gourd down before him before doing anything else. Before them stood Mwokoti, whom he had met fairly soon after joining the pride. He had gone with her and a few others in a rescue mission to bring back Nantale from the rouge lands. His interaction with her had been brief, but he knew he could trust her. Beyond the large lioness a few other felines stood, one approaching, two others in the distance. They all were rather large, but it was hard to tell if they were gods as well from the distance he was at.
He moved forward a bit but stopped at the goddess' warning. Trouble? Everyone accounted for? What was going on?
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Reply
Ndoto sat in the middle of the gathered group, not wanting to be right by Nantale's feet as she gave her speech. He knew this was something she needed to do on her own and, while he would give her a supportive grin when her eyes met his, he otherwise remained silent. His paws and legs up to where his markings began were dyed a rather dark purple from mixing the paints still, even though he had tried to wash it out in the river. Thankfully he had done a few tests with other parts of his body - his tail and hind paws - and the paints had washed out nicely from his fur. It was just the experimenting and hours of crushing berries into the clay and water that had caused the dye to stick. It would come out, he was sure. Just not today.
