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 Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:06 am
 Dare you enter the Nguvu'Utawala lands? Nestled into a small niche on the very borders of the scathing Nubian desert where it meets the more forgiving savanna of the Great Rift Valley, the lands of the Nguvu'Utawala are a balance between windswept desert and softly rolling savanna hills.
Constant erosion has swept the sands from a large crescent-shaped chunk of granite. This piece of rock rises from the brown sands it was borne from. The outcropping serves as a sanctuary to those who call it home, and a prison for those less fortunate.
Welcome to the Nguvu'Utawala.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:10 am
The herds did not return.
With the last bones picked clean, the clan had to roam further and further afield to find prey. They drank filthy, muddied water eagerly when they found it. Mostly, what they found was conflict. The pride of lions that lived beside them in an uneasy truce was hungry. They clashed bitterly, stealing one another's kills more and more frequently. Into this hard and hungry time, the queen of the hyena clan bore five cubs. Two strong females and three smaller brothers. She knew that with so many hungry adults, she should let them starve, but she could not.
With five more mouths to feed, the hyenas grew more desperate. Their raids on the lions grew deadly. Their numbers dwindled. Dikeledi and Bahari, the two females of the litter, were still too young to range far from their den, but they understood that this was the way of the world. Life was a battle. They saw their exhausted, starving family limping home from fresh battles with a few stringy mouthfuls of meat, their hides seared by the red marks of fang and claw for their trouble.
The end came in the night, when the five cubs were safe in their den, curled up at their mother's skinny flank. They heard the whoops and screams of their clan and woke at once, their eyes bright with terror. Their mother went howling up out of the den like a dervish. Later they would not remember her name, but they would always remember her laughing shrieks as she tore into the invaders, and the thuds and scuffles from above as she fought to defend her home.
The shrieks became helpless squeals of agony, and a rhythmic kicking, scratching sound. The cubs huddled together, too horrified to move. Relief washed through them as something crouched at the entrance of the den.
But this was not Mother returning victorious, this was something else. The Claw. To adult eyes the starving lion's paw would have seemed wasted, but it was the largest and most terrifying thing the cubs had ever seen. The massive paw reached for them, blunt claws extended, raking one of the male cub's faces. He began to scream, but the scream was cut short as the paw caught hold of him more securely and dragged him from the den. Dikeledi and Bahari sat huddled in blind fear as the paw came back, snatching the rest of their brothers and hauling them from the den, their pitiful growls and squeals cut short with a terrible crunching, smacking sound.
It was their silence that saved them, their fear, something that Dikeledi and Bahari would attempt to make up for for the rest of their lives. The starving lion, satisfied with his meal, left the den. Dikeledi and Bahari heard the sounds as the rest of the lions turned on him, growling and snapping as they fought him for the remains of the cubs. By the time the morning's light entered the mouth of the den, silence reigned. No friendly calls of the clan. No snuffling nose in the den, coming to find the queen's cubs.
They did not work up the courage to leave the den until midmorning, their hunger driving them out. What they witnessed was devastation. A few of the clan hyenas remained, torn to pieces on the bloodied ground. Several rail-thin lions lay among them. Their brothers -- they could not bear to look for them, nor for their mother. The cubs did not remain to mourn their clan. They were too young to know much, but they understood, in a vague way, that soon their hunger would overcome them. Even then they would not do what the starving lion had done. The tiny cubs knew they would rather starve.
They staggered on, sniffing half-heartedly for bugs and mice. When the sky darkened they did not understand. How had night come so quickly? They sat on their haunches, miserable and afraid. They had no den, no Mother. The lions would come and hunt them tonight. Just as they opened their mouths to cry at the loneliness and sheer unfairness of it, something struck the ground before them. And then another something. Dampness. They stared at it, not understanding. While they sat, paralyzed by astonishment, the skies broke open at last.
The rain had come too late to save their clan, but it would bring a flush of life to the land and sustain the two sisters. They would carry on their mother's legacy, Queens in their own rights, and rebuild the clan decimated by lions. A True Hyena society, founded on matriarchal beliefs, would come together to bring the lions to their knees.
Currently:
arrow Bahari is heavily pregnant, expecting to give birth ANY DAY NOW.
Past Events:
arrow Bahari gets preggo by Bekeli. UH OH!
arrow Bahari and Dikeledi discuss boosting their numbers by having pups with the two males that tag along.
arrow The four hyenas have come across a stupid lion. They've given her the name Manyara, and she's taken a liking to Bahari since they are both gray. Manyara feels that Bahari has saved her life, and is most dedicated to the female.
arrow Dikeledi and Bahari have met with Bekeli and Sudaj, two males. Led by Bekeli, the small clan of hyenas seek strong females and males to join their ranks. They move on the lion pride that has monopolized the only clean water source in the area; they will win back the territory by force in numbers.
After completion of the meta, the hyenas will have a lush, clean water source (fed by an underground spring) that is located at the base of a rather large half-circular outcropping of stone. When water is plentiful, two small "rivers" flow outward from the "lake". When water is scarce during the dry season, the rivers dry up and the water source shrinks a bit.
The dens are located in and under this outcrop of strong rock. The den of the two sister Queens is located deepest underground while the lesser females find themselves carving safe havens out of the stone above ground. The males sleep together in dens farthest from the higher outcropping of stone. Their dens are more vulnerable to intruders as they are located on the outermost "ring" of the territory. A good distance away from the base of the Clan territory is the location of the Burial Grounds, where deceased sisters are buried.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:12 am
...on Lions:
Lions are nothing better than slaves, but stray lions found on the clan lands are usually killed swiftly and brutally. The hyenas of the Nguvu'Utawala do not tolerate lions on their lands. Lion cubs are sometimes stolen and given to the royal cubs as playthings and toys. Should the lion cubs survive they are used as personal slaves later in life.
Male lions will sometimes be pitted against one another in a fight to the death, but this is merely for the Clan's entertainment and holds no special meaning to the Clan.
...on Female Rogues:
Female rogue hyenas are welcomed with open arms more often than not. If they are strong or smart, they are invited to stay amongst the members of the Nguvu'Utawala. Any smart, strong female hyena is most assuredly an asset to the Clan.
...on Male Rogues:
Male rogue hyenas are approached with a watchful eye. If they are properly submissive to the females in the Clan, they are taken in and added to the communal harem. Males in the communal harem are kept fed by the Huntresses of the clan and are cared for by the slaves in the Clan. It is no simple life by any means, as they are given tasks such as cub-watching and assisting the Priestesses and Crafters with menial tasks such as herb-gathering and the like.
...on Rogue Breeding:
-Females are oftentimes encouraged to breed with rogue males only to introduce new blood into the Clan. This is to prevent inbreeding amongst members.
-Males of the clan are not allowed to breed with rogues. Those discovered doing so will be punished severely, or even killed.
Royal Consorts:
The Queens may prefer 1-2 males to father their cubs. These Royal Consorts have proven themselves to the Queens in one way or another. Be they smart, cunning, strong, or brave, the Queens recognize their strengths and will mate only with these Consorts in order to keep their bloodline strong. No other females are permitted to breed with these males under any circumstances. Should one or both Queens die, these Royal Consorts will either be killed to honor the deceased Queen, taken on by the new Queen, or driven from the Clan's lands.
Adolescent Breeding:
It is not looked down upon, per se, but it is not encouraged due to the smaller litter sizes it entails.
Lifemates:
Do not exist in the clan. All females live to care for the Clan, to protect their Queens, and all males live to care for the females, and the cubs.
Same-sex relationships:
Discouraged but allowed. Sister-bonding is important between female hyenas in the Clan and it happens often, but if it causes any issues within the Clan the relationship will be squashed. Pursuing the relationship further will resort in death or exile.
Males are left to their own devices as long as they perform all their duties satisfactorily.
The Nguvu'Utawala pray to no Lion Gods. Instead, they worship only the "Creator" -- praying to Her for food, health, strength and power. However, the Clan is not structured around their religion and beliefs, and so prayer is not enforced.
Being Nocturnal, all Clan rituals are performed at night. The moon is considered good luck for the Clan.
The New Moon (birth):
A priestess is always present at the time of birth for any female hyena in the Clan. She assists with the birth, and reports to the Clan at the end of the birth. She will never report the birth of males, only females; if a pregnant hyena bears no females her litter is looked upon as cursed or bad luck. All new mothers have the option of keeping her sons in the Clan, but abandoning sons is not forbidden. The new mother is given a naming theme by the Queens and the female cubs are given names according to the theme provided by the Queens.
The Laughing Moon (Coming of Age):
When a female has grown old enough to choose her future Vocation (adolescent) there are festivities that include dance and song. The Head of her chosen vocation will bless her and welcome her into the fold. This will usually happen when multiple females come of age, and it is a very important ceremony.
The Dying Moon (Death):
When a female hyena in the clan dies, it is a sad time for all. Her body will be cleaned and decorated with flowers and trinkets. A group of males will be ordered to dig a hole at the Burial Grounds. When it is time to transport the body the Queens lead the procession, followed by the Council. Next, the body, carried by a group of females. The rest of the clan (even males are allowed) will follow in mourning as the body is laid to rest.
The Triumphant Moon (New Member):
This ceremony will be held when the Queens acknowledge a new member. It usually is done when there is more than one new member to be celebrated. There is a feast, and each new member is blessed by the Diwani'tabibu (head priestess). After that, each new member is presented with her den and introduced to the harem so that she might become acquainted with the available males.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:14 am
--Royal Ranks
Queen (Malkia)(2/2)
The highest rank a female may take. Usually there are two Queens and usually they are sisters. They are charged with the well-being of their entire Clan and tend to be judge and jury should the situation arise where a decision needs to be made.
Royal Female Cubs (Tajiri)
--High Ranks
Council (Diwani)(0/5)
The Diwani are the heads of interests for the Clan. As follows:
Diwani of the Hunt (Diwani'winda)
-The head Huntress. In charge of all other Huntresses in the Clan. All problems within the ranks of Huntress are brought to her attention before going to the Queen.
Diwani of the Craft (Diwani'sanii)
-The head Crafter. In charge of all the Crafters in the Clan and all Ceremonial items are to be blessed by her.
Diwani of the Priestesses (Diwani'tabibu)
-The head Priestess. She ensures that all rituals are being performed correctly. Only she is present when one of the Queens gives birth.
Diwani of the Harem (Diwani'kiume)
-The only female hyena who is in somewhat-constant contact with the harem males. She is in charge of making sure they behave, and any problems that arise are brought to her attention before going to the Queen.
Diwani of the Slaves (Diwani'mtumwa)
-The "slave boss" -- not only in charge of keeping the slaves in line, but also in charge of sending out her "seekers" to procure more lions (and also to recruit new females and males to populate the Clan) if need arises.
--Special Ranks
Royal Consort: The Queen's preferred males. Usually 1-2, but she may take more than this. No other female is permitted to approach this male. He is a possession.
Seers: Can be male or female. Hyena only. If it is suspected that an individual is a seer, they will have to prove their powers in one way or another. If a slave-lion is a seer, they are secluded from the other slaves, perhaps kept amongst the males in the harem.
--Common Ranks
Huntress (Winda): The females who are in charge of bringing in food for the Clan. They are usually very skilled at their duties, unafraid to fight and willing to kill. They also moonlight as Clan warriors, though all females in the Clan are capable of combat.
Crafter (Sanii): Produce trinkets and baubles made available for the females to wear. A crafter may choose 1-2 males to assist her in gathering supplies that she will use in her duties.
Priestess (Tabibu): The healers of the pride, they assist the sick and wounded using herbs and prayer to the Creator. A priestess may choose 1-2 males to assist her in gathering supplies that she will use in her duties.
Seekers (Atapata): Seekers are skilled fighters, strong and extremely cunning. Their duty is to seek out both hyena and lion in order to both populate the clan and provide the clan with more slave-lions.
Civilian (Uraia): Females who are not "of age" are placed in this category, as are the aging and elderly females.
--Slaves/Low Ranks
Males (Dufu): Males have three purposes. To provide the females in the Clan with cubs, to look after the cubs, and to assist Crafters and Priestesses with their duties should it be required. They hold no other rank in the clan, except perhaps to fight should the need arise or the clan be threatened by outsiders.
Male Cubs (Dufu'dogo): Male cubs that are not killed or abandoned are looked after by the other males in the clan. When they are old enough to provide females with cubs, they are considered useful.
Slaves (Hamna): Lions or any other feline that intrudes on the Clan lands will either be killed on sight or captured to provide entertainment for the females in the clan. If a pregnant lion is enslaved, her cubs will be given to the royal cubs to keep as playthings and personal slaves.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:21 am
If your hyena isn't linked here please post the image link in the thread so I can add it!Queens:Dikeledi (Christopher Johnson) Bahari (Christopher Johnson) Royalty:Zalika, Princess (pinchmonster) Kibibi, Princess (hibi-tea) Tizi, Princess (Christopher Johnson) Chipuko Council:Nene, Diwani'winda (Keantha) Mayrah`kirra , Diwani'sanii (-_Wish of the Goddess_-) Special:Bekeli, Royal Consort (pinchmonster) Sudaj, Royal Consort (pinchmonster) Common:Males:Igola Kero Kepo (Christopher Johnson) Kele (pinchmonster) Slaves:Manyara, slave (Christopher Johnson)
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:21 am
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:38 am
Current RP for easy tracking! Stuck Between a Rock & a Hard PlaceBekeli, Bahari, DikelediBahari & Dikeledi come across Bekeli who has found a precious, muddy puddle of water. He tells them of a wonderful pool of water that the lions have monopolized. They group up with Bekeli leading the females towards the fresh water.Three + One = TroubleBekeli, Bahari, Dikeledi, SudajThe trio come across Sudaj who'd just killed an elderly zebra. Offering to share his meal with the three, they include him in their quest for clean water.Respect Them!Sudaj, BekeliBekeli is furious at the way Sudaj doesn't properly respect the females, and lets him know about it.Unlucky OneBekeli, Bahari, Dikeledi, Sudaj, ManyaraThe group stumbles across a stupid gray lioness. Bahari convinces her companions to keep her as a slave. Bekeli agrees, and the others begrudgingly follow suit.The Stupidest HyenaBekeli, A GHOST?!Out for a midnight stroll, Bekeli happens upon a GHOST. It's really the cheetah Sadiki, but Bekeli is too stupid to realize what's going on.About the New Slave...Bahari, SudajSudaj questions Bahari's motives for keeping the stupid slave around.Bow Chicka Bow WowDikeledi, SudajSudaj approaches Dikeledi in hopes of tappin' dat booty. Things don't go entirely as planned.Girl TalkBahari, DikelediThe sisters discuss the pros and cons of boosting their numbers by becoming mothers, using Bekeli and Sudaj as ...donors.Gonna Be ParentsBekeli, BahariBahari informs Bekeli that he's going to be a daddy. His reaction doesn't let Bahari down.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:03 am
Pack/Pride Name: Nguvu'Utawala
Current IC Owner(s): pinchmonster & Christopher Johnson
Current OOC Owner(s): Bahari and Dikeledi (both owned by Christopher Johnson)
Current Pride/Pack Members, and Rankings of Each:
Queen:
Dikeledi (Christopher Johnson)
Bahari (Christopher Johnson)
Princess:
Zalika, pinchmonster
Kibibi, hibi-tea
Tizi, Christopher Johnson
Chipuko - Satsurashi
Council:
Nene, Keantha
Mayrah`kirra, -_Wish of the Goddess_-
Royal Consort:
Bekeli, pinchmonster
Sudaj, pinchmonster
Commoner:
--
Servant:
Igola - Keantha
Kero - Redbud-Tree
Kepo (Christopher Johnson)
Kele (pinchmonster)
Slave:
Manyara, Christopher Johnson
Links to at least three current RPs:
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=20969565 - Bekeli x Bahari - January 25th
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=20970839 - Bekeli x Bahari - January 25th
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=21034121 - Bekeli x Bahari - February 3rd
Brief Description of the current status of your Pride/Pack: Having reached the fresh water they've traveled far to find, the Queens are searching to bolster their numbers before they slaughter the lions that have monopolized the lands that the sister Queens wish to lay claim to. With their offspring nearing adulthood, the Queens are ready to make their move, ridding the area of lions once and for all.
Cert Background Large Image:
Size 1
Size 2
Pride Symbol for Cert: Symbol
Where is this pride located on the SoA map? NW of [8] - Matembezi'Wasakaji - between the two bodies of water located therein.
Any Extra Information: --
Pride/Pack History:
Season after season of drought had brought the clan to its breaking point. When the last water holes began to vanish, it was, briefly, a predator's paradise. The hyenas mingled with lions, leopards, and creatures of every stripe and spot as they took from the desperate herdbeasts. When at last the herds fell where they stood, they feasted, knowing that this would be the last bounty for many of them.
The herds did not return.
With the last bones picked clean, the clan had to roam further and further afield to find prey. They drank filthy, muddied water eagerly when they found it. Mostly, what they found was conflict. The pride of lions that lived beside them in an uneasy truce was hungry. They clashed bitterly, stealing one another's kills more and more frequently. Into this hard and hungry time, the queen of the hyena clan bore five cubs. Two strong females and three smaller brothers. She knew that with so many hungry adults, she should let them starve, but she could not.
With five more mouths to feed, the hyenas grew more desperate. Their raids on the lions grew deadly. Their numbers dwindled. Dikeledi and Bahari, the two females of the litter, were still too young to range far from their den, but they understood that this was the way of the world. Life was a battle. They saw their exhausted, starving family limping home from fresh battles with a few stringy mouthfuls of meat, their hides seared by the red marks of fang and claw for their trouble.
The end came in the night, when the five cubs were safe in their den, curled up at their mother's skinny flank. They heard the whoops and screams of their clan and woke at once, their eyes bright with terror. Their mother went howling up out of the den like a dervish. Later they would not remember her name, but they would always remember her laughing shrieks as she tore into the invaders, and the thuds and scuffles from above as she fought to defend her home.
The shrieks became helpless squeals of agony, and a rhythmic kicking, scratching sound. The cubs huddled together, too horrified to move. Relief washed through them as something crouched at the entrance of the den.
But this was not Mother returning victorious, this was something else. The Claw. To adult eyes the starving lion's paw would have seemed wasted, but it was the largest and most terrifying thing the cubs had ever seen. The massive paw reached for them, blunt claws extended, raking one of the male cub's faces. He began to scream, but the scream was cut short as the paw caught hold of him more securely and dragged him from the den. Dikeledi and Bahari sat huddled in blind fear as the paw came back, snatching the rest of their brothers and hauling them from the den, their pitiful growls and squeals cut short with a terrible crunching, smacking sound.
It was their silence that saved them, their fear, something that Dikeledi and Bahari would attempt to make up for for the rest of their lives. The starving lion, satisfied with his meal, left the den. Dikeledi and Bahari heard the sounds as the rest of the lions turned on him, growling and snapping as they fought him for the remains of the cubs. By the time the morning's light entered the mouth of the den, silence reigned. No friendly calls of the clan. No snuffling nose in the den, coming to find the queen's cubs.
They did not work up the courage to leave the den until midmorning, their hunger driving them out. What they witnessed was devastation. A few of the clan hyenas remained, torn to pieces on the bloodied ground. Several rail-thin lions lay among them. Their brothers -- they could not bear to look for them, nor for their mother. The cubs did not remain to mourn their clan. They were too young to know much, but they understood, in a vague way, that soon their hunger would overcome them. Even then they would not do what the starving lion had done. The tiny cubs knew they would rather starve.
They staggered on, sniffing half-heartedly for bugs and mice. When the sky darkened they did not understand. How had night come so quickly? They sat on their haunches, miserable and afraid. They had no den, no Mother. The lions would come and hunt them tonight. Just as they opened their mouths to cry at the loneliness and sheer unfairness of it, something struck the ground before them. And then another something. Dampness. They stared at it, not understanding. While they sat, paralyzed by astonishment, the skies broke open at last.
The rain had come too late to save their clan, but it would bring a flush of life to the land and sustain the two sisters. They would carry on their mother's legacy, Queens in their own rights, and rebuild the clan decimated by lions. A True Hyena society, founded on matriarchal beliefs, would come together to bring the lions to their knees.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:52 pm
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 8:15 am
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:29 am
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:32 am
heart Bekeli and Bahari need to RP about impending babbies, btw.
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:36 am
HELL YEAH THEY DO.
I'm going to lunch in 30m but will be around after that, if you want to start something now I can respond to it. Or are you on your phone?
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:38 am
PHONE
If you want to post somepin I can get back to in a couple hours or I can post then
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Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 2:15 pm
We has babby.
CONTEST INCOMING!!
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