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Saba'nyumba - (The Seven Families) - name open to consideration.

Working with Talencias idea, with permission.

The Seven houses are incredibly spiritual, with their interests in nature, herblore and rituals. A friendly and accepting pack, they hold no known judgement against another, and are grateful for all this land has given them.

They reside in a forest, in the middle of which is a huge clearing. Dug out dens provide safety, although the forest also backs onto a large sloping cliff-face. It is in the clearing where the Saba'nyumba take their rituals, and celebrate their festivals. Official business is held near the top of the cliff-face. This is also where the guards take their shifts.



History.


The Saba'nyumba are simply named, for they branched out from a group of seven travelling wild dogs. Superstitious and lovers of nature, they settled in a forest. Due to the nature of their gentle practices, they began to draw in attention. When each sibling tried to explain the nature of the group, they found they all had a different basis for belief and practice, and no two could agree. This is when they decided to split into seven houses. Each would head a house for the element they held to be "theirs", ie, what they drew their characteristics from, and worshipped.

Religion.

Although not a terribly religious pack, they have a huge affinity with nature. They know of the balance needed with all the elements, are therefore no house is more important than any other. They worship most gods, and they are all believed to have given to the world in some way.

Leadership.

Each house has a Mkalimu as the head of the house. The importance is not placed on leadership, but rather teaching. The seven Mkalimu form a council that determine more serious issues within the pack, but usually the houses are lead independently. Mkalimu do not usually step down until death. The new leader is chosen not by blood, but by someone who has proven themselves to have good character, and intelligence. A Mkalimu oversees most practices of witchcraft, and spiritual festivals.

Houses.

A house is held by an element, and the creatures within that house are usually the ones that are most interested by that element, ie, their spirit element. They often share characteristics that could be considered related, ie. As the seven families all share the same forest, and are encouraged to mingle and socialize, they wear talismans in order to make their house clear. As a child they wear a single feather of their houses colour. This can be used however they like. As an adolescent they must either craft, or approach another to help them make their adult talisman. This differs for each house.

Metal - firm and determined.
Water - intelligent and creative
Wood - logical and adaptable
Earth - patient and giving
Fire - strong and passionate
Air - active and energetic
Spirit - sensitive and emotional

Packs and Ranks.

All packs have the same basic ranks.

Hunter/Nanny/Scholar/Leader.

However, they are also known for their one true trait/job. This also places emphasis on the seven families needing to work as a whole. For safety, the fire house holds fighting lessons and practice for all that want it.

Scholars are incredibly practiced in their houses preferred job, and work under the leader to educate and further the others within a house. They also help to head the rituals.

Metal - Those in the metal house are firm, and usually know what they want. They are not unbending, but are usually individuals with a certain mindset that can be difficult to change. As the most sturdy and usually impassable in character, the Metal house usually produce the best guards and watchers.

Water are the most creative, arguably, out of all the packs, intelligent and usually free-spirited, they make the best talismans around! Craft is their practice, and they usually do not specify in a certain item, though they can if they choose to. Many dogs come to the water house for their talisman, but as they are the best at crafting, and to encourage socialization, they must work together. They are also, the best swimmers.

Wood The most logical, they are calm and tend to think things through fully before taking any decision. They are usually highly adaptable and able to approach any situation with a positive mind. They are known for their knowledge of the mind. Wood produce the most noble of counsellors. (?) not sure about this.

Earth earth are the most patient and giving of all the houses, and with a seemingly bigger interest in herblore than the rest of the houses, they are the doctors of the pack. Resourceful and great at gathering ingredients, they are often sent beyond the borders to find supplies.

Fire Passionate and strong, they certainly have the most "fire" out of the pack. Due to their strength and temper, they have the best warriors, even if most of them do need to be tamed a little at training.

Air Active and energetic, some argue that Airs contribution to the pack isn't as important as the others, but this is not true. They are the entertainers of the pack, often taking up dance, gymnastics and acting and their professions.

Spirit The spirit pack is usually sensitive and emotional, they carry out two of the most important jobs, marriages and funerals. These are a big deal in the pack, and those in the Spirit house usually keep a professional exterior for their duty. They are also usually the most proficient in witchcraft, and usually put forward the beliefs of the pack.

Talismans

As a youngster, they are permitted to wear a feather of the following colour.

Metal - yellow
Water - blue
Wood - brown
Earth - red
Fire - orange
Air - white
Spirit - purple

Adult talismans.

An adult usually keeps it's childhood feather, and weaves it into its adult talisman. This can also help to discover "maiden" names, as such, if someone has married into a family.

Metal - They usually wear an item of bronze, with a small inscription on it. Those that are guards wear these on their shoulders and upper arms.

Water Usually a vial or a pouch of water, as they are the best crafters, these are usually extravagant necklaces or pieces of jewelery. They often have pouches or vials full of material alongside their water bottles/

Wood Wooden bracers or wooden bracelets are the norm for those in the Wood house. They are usually a dark wood, and are usually scored.

Earth Being so close to earth, they elected to not have something so restrictive. Terracotta tattoos made from a mixture of earth and herbs are usually what cover their hind-legs. These can be primitive, and usually a member of the Earth house is trained in this business for the best possibly result.

Fire Fire use glittering gemstones in red, orange and topaz. Due to their rarity, they are usually kept in the fire house when found, and given to adolescents to craft into a piece of armor (if warrior) /jewellery

Air Air usually opt to collect more feathers, to make into a headdress, or a skirt/bracelets. Their childhood feather is usually kept separate, i/e. on their tail.

Spirit Spirit use both spiderwebs and scraps of fabric to make cloaks and delicate jewellery.

All talismans should represent a house, but also a job when/if applicable. A fire warrior would more than likely craft their gem into a piece of armour/something sturdy, and a nanny would be more likely to commission a bracelet. Extra elements of a talisman where not described, should follow the colour of the house, and the feather of the child.

I'M GONNA EDIT MORE IN SOOON.

From a PM with Talencia:

Yeah I have the scholar rank, but I think that's more for training in the "trades" etc, Priest would be awesome as a head for rituals, I'll add that in.

I need to work on some things like joining/marriage/adoption.

I'd like to keep marriage and funerals linked to spirit though, I like that link C:

Heirs are supposed to be chosen when the leader reaches an elder I believe? These are done in communication with Scholars and Priests, as to who possesses the most skill and spirit.

I think there should also be a festival for the heirs to meet, so they can bond as they will essentially run the pack together.

Me and Tal are ironing things out via PM and sharing ideas etc, but you get the basic idea!

We were also planning to co-own too, so we could split responsibilities and stuff, C:

Love those ideas! *___*

This is really coming together nicely!

Also, if no one has offered already, I could maybe, tentatively offer to do a cert background if you don't mind me being a little slow.

I'm think your idea is good to go! The dogs are yours. ^_^ You're both welcome to choose one each to keep and find homes for the rest. I suggest holding a contest/plot search to find them all mates, 'cause it'll double your member number.

Don't forget to detail how rogues can join, and/or how to switch houses when you're setting up!

And I know you'll work this out when you set up, but keep in mind the history. This pack was started AFTER the pups grew up, so you'll need a little bit about maybe why or how or something. Also, let me know how involved Mchawi was with the pups, 'cause we never worked that out. xD She could have raised them to adols, but she wouldn't have been an attentive mother, just bringing them food and teaching them things when she felt like it.

I don't think I'll be keeping one of the pups, but might be a good idea to see if Polette wants one, she hasn't told me yes or no for sure yet. xD

Given that Polette doesn't mind (I consider her to have first pick), I would like this girl. I'm communicating with Zoh about further details, some of which we've already partly hashed out. Not all of it made it into the edits she'd done on the main concept summary, hehe.