Herd Mock

[In Good Faith]

>>;; I should be asleep instead of doing this but bad life choices are just becoming reoccurring. 8D;

Outline:
Post 1. Introduction/Welcome/Index/Updates
Post 2. Where the territory is, beliefs, totem, etc.
Post 3. Herd Structure/Who is in the herd
Post 4. Who can join the herd
Post 5. Plot lines we're looking for
Post 6. Reserved
Post 7. Reserved  

[In Good Faith]

Intro  

[In Good Faith]

Location

[Map here]

The Willow Tree Forest

This comprises the majority of the territory, filled with sparse willow trees, dense enough to be called a forest. Towards the center of the territory, the larger the trees are, which is where the family make their homes, beneath their large canopies. A few babbling brooks and streams make their way through the territory, providing a source of water to the herd.

The Arena

This is a open field among the trees where the herd members train, spar, and battle one another, located in the North-West region of the territory. You can often find the majority of family members there when they are not patrolling the territory.

The Mountains

Set against the northside of the territory, it provides the barrier between the herd and the desert. During particularly nasty storms, the herd will retreat into the caves in the mountains for shelter. (The wingless members have a time of making it to the shelter, unfortunately.)

Totem

???

Culture

Family

The Wolves

Unique to HERD NAME, there has been special bonds formed among the family to a pack of wolves. The pack is a family, made by two parents, their five pups, and one additional member (see below for details). Each soquili, save patriarch Cato, has a companion that they hold dear to them. The wolves are considered a part of the herd, and utilize their skills to help protect the territory, their companions, and each other. More often than not, each wolf is present in a section of the territory, and will alert the others of anyone who crosses onto herd land. If the intruder is a threat, the wolves set off a chain of howls. Once alerted, the soquili and the wolves gather to staunch the threat before it can become a greater risk to the herd. The wolves can be considered "scouts" and run patrol just as the soquili do to ensure the safety of their family.

Strength

The majority of the members of the family have spent their leisure time bonding over a common interest: physical combat and learning to win in the arena. It is not uncommon for individuals to show off their physical strength by challenging another to duel in the sky (or some cases on the ground), often within the arena. Being in top physical condition and talented in the arena is prized among the majority of members. However: to not be interested in this type of recreation is not looked down upon... if you're a mare. Matriarch, Bernadette, has held a long time distaste for physical violence and is open of her opinion. Her daughter Arella holds the same views, and it is suspected granddaughter Valdelesia has the same opinion as the other mares. Kalidasa is currently the only mare to have a passion in the art of combat. As a stallion, it will be expected of them to learn to defend the territory and be good at it, less they be essentially mocked by others who do utilize combative skills, and seen as weaker in the family unit.

Lifemating

As a part of the herd, lifemating is preferred of its members. To have flings is to show a lack of commitment and in general causing a strain on the family by having a lack of union among the members. Example: Mr. BonBon has baby mommas from Miss Skanker and Miss Quakerhead (who do not like each other for obvious reasons). What is to happen to their children? The foals split between parents, from the herd? Unacceptable. The foals be raised side by side, with their mothers present, detesting each other? Unfair to multiple parties. The mothers leave the foals in the care of the herd? Unlikely. As a herd that values being united and strong, flinging is simply frowned upon. Not to say a member will be banned for going out and having babies. However, it will generally not be acknowledged it has occurred, the foals will not be recognized. This is to prevent the crumbling of the family.

Ceremonies

While still young, the herd has developed some ceremonies that they practice. Lifemating, especially, is a celebrated event that takes place. Once two individuals decide to form the special bond that is being lifemated, the male (or female) is to gift their other half with a special object when they ask (or "propose"). This gift should be something sentimental, something that represents the gifter's life. Then, in a specially chosen location, they pledge their devotion to one another, decorating the space with as much as they can. (When Cato and Bernadette made their pledge, they did so under the willow tree they call their home, decorating it with silks, silver, and gold strands in the tree's branches.) There must be a witness of the pledging in order for it to become solidified, preferably someone of authority or strength. Death/Mourning is another event that calls for a ceremony. Thankfully, there hasn't been a call to practice this ceremony, though it does include burying their lost one, or sending the body into the water when they are of especially high importance to the herd (Patriarch, Matriarch, or child for instance).

Prejudices

The Patriarch of the family comes from a different land, deep in the desert; That being said, there are certain aspects that have been bred into the blood: One in-particular is the innate hatred for harpies which he has fed into the family. Anything that does not have hooved feet is treated with deep suspicion to outright hostility, including but not limited to claws or paws.

History

The former herd which provides much foundation for the family was found in the desert, comprised predominately of Angeni-Kalona warriors/esses. Their belief was that the Kalona blood provided strength and durability while Angeni blood provided goodness, kindnesses, and tempered the negatives of the Kalona half. Any creature that even appeared less than the perfect mix between Kalona and Angeni blood was a lesser being. Full blooded kalona's were soliders, those with feather wings were servants. Anything else was considered a slave (including flutter-winged creatures). To be wingless was the absolutely lowest, and not considered a "member" of the herd. Their herd structure consisted of a King and Queen, who were the top warrior and warrioress. Their children would be the heirs to the herd, and trained accordingly and utilized arranged lifematings to ensure the strength of the leading family. As a group, they did not believe in a god/dess in particular, though it was not frowned upon to worship any of the figures. Life in the herd was generally filled with military values such as training, strategizing, in addition to other typical herd-life going ons such as food gathering, water supply up keep, foal care, crafting, etc. There had been a long standing fued/war with a neighboring flock of harpies that was often a source of turmoil among the herd, draining resources, time, and ultimately soldiers. The current state of the herd is unknown to the HERD NAME, though it is assumed to have no major developments since Cato's or Kalidasa's departure.

 

[In Good Faith]

Herd Structure

As to how the herd functions within their family unit is displayed below. While predominately patriarchal, there are no barriers for mares to take leadership and to defend the herd. Like wise, to be Head of the family, it is expected you hold the ability to fight and defend, along with being second in command. Many members hold more than one position. Example: Cato, Kalidasa, and Kaiser are all protectors. However, their main positions are within leadership of the family.

Head Patriarch & Matriarch | Cato & Bernadette

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Seconds in Command | Kaiser & Kalidasa

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Protectors | Valsier, Valrynn

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Members | Arella, Valdelesia

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Youth | Rohen

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Friends of the Herd

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Wolf Pack Structure

Unique to this family, many members have bonded with a wolf of the pack below. The wolves are not pets. They are companions that use their abilities to aid in protecting the herd, and the herd of them/vice versa. Cyril and Vidar formed their family as mates. Currently, the only member of the pack not born into the family is Kadyn, who is mated to Bas as a beta. There are not current omegas. If a new wolf were to offer to join the pack, and become accepted, they would first begin as the omega though this is usually a temporary position and would grow into becoming a gamma after "paying their dues" and showing their worth to the pack.

Alpha(s) | Vidar & Cyril

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Beta(s) | Bas & Kadyn <--- ???

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Gamma(s) | Zadok, Kyrie, Callie, Varin

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Omega(s) | None

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Bonded

As mentioned prior, each wolf is bonded to a companion. Below is the list of the which family member is bonded to which wolf pack member.

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Bernadette & Callie


Arella & Zadok


Rohen & Kadyn


Kalidasa & Vadir


Kaiser & Cyril


Valdelesia & Varin


Valsier & Bas


Valrynn & Kyrie

 

[In Good Faith]

Who can join  

[In Good Faith]

Possible Plots

-- Fight for power? Someone joins who begins testing the ranks because they want to be top-stallion. XD

-- Skinwalker battle.

-- Mini-plots with some outside wolves for the pack? Doubt they'd welcome outsiders easily.

-- Ohnoo Puppy bas got his paw stuck in a tree. Someone halp him. XD

-- Cross plots with the harpies or another herd. Sure there's someone out there running a herd who hates them as much as Cato. XD

-- Oooh maybe they seek out an alliance because the harpies begin trying to take the men? Ohnooo Thane or Kaiser get captured. Woe is them. One of them forever separated by the one they loove. /noo. (Not my favorite idea. I don't like harpy captures)

-- Whatever inner problems that might come up with the herd. Maybe it begins reverting into something like Cato's old herd? Older winged soquili join who look down on lesser soquili? Not sure. xD

-- Don't know if they'd have any seasonal traditions. But if so they happen!

-- Could have some kind of weather situation happen. Harsh summers thin out the water supply, or really harsh winters. They're by the mountains. The winters would be someone cold depending on the winds I think? IDK I'm not a weather person xD

-- HMMMM PLOTSPLOTS WHAT ARE FUN PLOTS. Have people submit ideas! Herd plots are hard because it depends on what the individuals are interested in.

Have a choice of war driven plots, weather driven plots, family driven plots. Maybe once in awhile they have a kind of tournament for a rank of higher standing that every member has a shot at?