A contest for a handful of plot-relevant cubs from the Mwezi'Johari!
Please read through the pride info and understand what you're getting into with these cubs. The pride is very religious and headed for some tough political times.
Starts: Now! Closes: Sunday December 20th, 2015 - 23:59 PST
***
One night, under the bright light of the full moon, two litters of cubs were born into the Mwezi'Johari. A litter of six princes and princesses, eagerly awaited by parents and pride, are welcomed into the world with great excitement. In a quiet den not far away, a litter of five is born with less commotion but more warmth to greet them.
As the excitement waned, something else caught the attention of the new parents- a shooting star. And then another, and another.. that night, eleven cubs were met with a good omen. The King and Queen rejoiced at having the Great Lion's blessing over their brood, making sure no lion in the pride didn't know. The common parents only smiled over their cubs, knowing better.
***
You may only win one cub in this contest, but you may enter for as many as you like.
Note Both families consider the meteor shower that occurred on the night of their birth to be a favorable omen, a sign of good luck for the cubs and their parents. Any of the cubs might be told there was a meteor shower the night they were born, but common public belief will be (said to be) that it welcomed Liuhe, Shangyue's heir, and showed the Great Lion holds no grudge against the King for how he came into power.
All four cubs will have the same prompts. I want you to suggest a name, personality and their thoughts on the rebellion. Keep in mind that their view as cubs would be very simple, and an idea of what it might grow into would a nice touch.
Growth Notice Unfortunately, I've taken quite some time to get organized and have the contest set up properly, and so all of these cubs are actually scheduled to grow in January. To help make up for it, I'm aiming to have this all sorted out before Christmas. This is why the contest runs less than two weeks and, pending sufficient participation, I'll do my best to get results out ASAP.
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 3:51 pm
Father: Shangyue, King of Mwezi'Johari Mother: Parisa, Queen of the Mwezi'Johari
Seen by some as a usurper, Shangyue has some legitimate claim to the throne as his mother was heir to the throne and he was her eldest child. Unfortunately for the royal family, the young prince could not wait for two generations of monarchs to pass before he could take the throne so, with the help of former-rogue Firaga, he murdered his grandparents and parents so that he could become king while he still had time to make a difference (or so he says).
Firaga was made Head of the newly formed Royal Guards and is regarded as the second most powerful lion in the pride despite the fact he is part of the Low Class. He brought with him to the pride three cubs, two of which became part of the pride nobility in the High Class and one that joined her father in the Royal Guard.
Following some careless behaviour on the part of the young king, Shangyue produced high class cubs within the pride. Their mother was not a member of the High Class and she quickly came under suspicion as a rebel. Not wanting his b*****d children to have any hope of claiming they had a right to the throne, he placed his would-be heir in the service of the Shaman and finally took a proper wife- Firaga's daughter, Parisa.
Their marriage is a surprisingly happy one. Though they are far from mushy romantics, they have a strong partnership and work together to keep the peace within the pride. Shangyue has always been reluctant to have a legitimate heir (considering how that worked out for his predecessors) but it was a necessary risk-- and Parisa is particularly pleased with herself now that the Great Lion has blessed them with a litter.
Littermates Liuhe (Ecavi) - Firstborn and heir to the throne, this boy looks nothing like any noble before him- at least not in living memory of the pride. He's a proud little fellow who enjoys a carefree life, giving little reason for his parents to worry he might follow the same violent path as his father. For now, anyway. Yuehua (Kathryn Dragonna) - ... Juexing (Safaia) - ... Xiyang (mouselet) - She is proud to be a princess and loves her parents. She doesn’t like it finding out that there’s lions who don’t feel the same about them.
Other Siblings Antara (nessiaing) - The daughter Shangyue believes would be his heir if he had not produced legitimate cubs. She was taken from her mother, Kamia (Ecavi), and brothers as a cub and given to the Shaman, a strategic move meant to keep her busy and off the path to the throne and ever within sight of the paranoid monarch. As a cub, she resided in the royal den with the King and Queen but was barely treated as a proper member of the family. With the arrival of the new princes and princesses, there seems to be an expectation that she will leave the den- but not go too far.
Umepatwa (Ecavi), Ndogo (Saint Sergio) - The other children of Shangyue and Kamia living within the Mwezi'Johari. Out of respect for their mother, they have stayed out of trouble so far but they are rarely given a second thought as children of the King. Despite their High Class status, they are a hunter and guard respectively.
Nketa (mouselet) - Kept in secret on the borders by a group of rebels, Nketa is Antara's twin sister and the true would-be heir of Shangyue. Her existence was kept secret in hopes that they could protect her and her claim to the throne, with the rebels unable to predict what it might take to get the pride on their side. Unfortunately, deprived of her family and her own identity, the lady has grown up bitter and disinterested in pride politics.
Iloziya (Greenie EA), Chunyue (Puhterodactyl), Mari (Ecavi), Dwyllodrus (mouselet) - Though they are not formally acknowledged by the King as his offspring, their lineage would be hard to deny after more than a passing glance at them and they are the eldest of all of his offspring. Raised by one of Shangyue's most violent and vicious supporters, Tyfu (mouselet), they are generally not a pleasant bunch.
Cub Requirements - Chinese name (Useful Translator!) - Must stay in the pride while Shangyue is King (or until his fall is inevitable). - Must take sides in the upcoming rebellion plot. Reluctance is OK but total evasion is impossible, they are too close to the conflict.
CUB #1
About Cub #1 - Second oldest cub in the litter, second in line to the throne after Liuhe.
[size=12][color=mediumpurple][b]Cub #1[/b][/color][/size][size=10] [b]Name:[/b] NAME [b]Meaning:[/b] MEANING (LANGUAGE)
[b]Adult Rank:[/b] [Default is Princess but she may prefer to take a job]
[b]Personality:[/b] Limit of 3 words
[b]What does she think of the rebellion?[/b]
[/size]
CUB #2
About Cub #2 - Third oldest cub in the litter, next in line to the throne after Cub #1.
[size=12][color=mediumpurple][b]Cub #2[/b][/color][/size][size=10] [b]Name:[/b] NAME [b]Meaning:[/b] MEANING (LANGUAGE)
[b]Adult Rank:[/b] [Default is Prince but he may prefer to take a job]
[b]Personality:[/b] Limit of 3 words
[b]What does he think of the rebellion?[/b]
[/size]
Ecavi
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Ecavi
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 3:52 pm
Father: Vesper, Middle Class Guard Mother: Ota, Lower-middle Class Huntress and Leader of the Internal Rebellion
Though not officially married, Vesper and Ota are very much in love. They share the dream of bringing the pride back to the true peace they lost the moment a murderer took the throne. Both have already been (separately) connected to the early rumblings of rebellion, which is the major factor in the decision not to have an official marriage ceremony and draw attention to the fact that they are a couple.
Ota is a seer with some control over her abilities. She is confident that Shangyue's end is coming, and that the pride is already on its way to being rid of the usurper king. All that remains is breaking the silence and letting the pride know they don't have to let Shangyue get away with anything.
The cubs will be born during the early stages of the rebellion. Out of necessity, they will be taught early to be wary of strangers and to try to stick with lions they can trust- even if it's just another sibling tagging along. As they become better able to understand the situation and defend themselves, they may choose not to follow these early lessons.
Littermates Matakwa (Talencia) - The eldest cub, Matakwa is a serious fellow who doesn't trust easily. Though still a happy, fun-loving cub at heart, he isn't the type to goof off or act thoughtlessly. Milele (Safaia) - ... Kimondo (Ecavi) - The youngest of Vesper and Ota's cubs, she is an energetic little lady with every intention of helping the cause. Though careless at times, she is ever optimistic and reliable.
Cub Requirements - Simple, one-word Swahili names. - Must stay in the pride until adulthood. - Must take sides in the upcoming rebellion plot. Reluctance is OK but total evasion is impossible, they are too close to the conflict.
CUB #3
About Cub #3 ...
[size=12][b]Cub #3[/b][/size][size=10] [b]Name:[/b] NAME [b]Meaning:[/b] MEANING (LANGUAGE)
[b]Adult Rank:[/b] Lord, Guard OR Hunter
[b]Personality:[/b] Limit of 3 words
[b]What does he think of the rebellion?[/b]
[/size]
CUB #4
About Cub #4 ...
[size=12][b]Cub #4[/b][/size][size=10] [b]Name:[/b] NAME [b]Meaning:[/b] MEANING (LANGUAGE)
[b]Adult Rank:[/b] Lady, Guard OR Huntress
[b]Personality:[/b] Limit of 3 words
[b]What does she think of the rebellion?[/b]
[/size]
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 3:52 pm
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Ecavi
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AstoriaFallen
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Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 5:49 am
Is this open? It says Starts Now.. I can delete the post if it's not open yet. XD
Cub #4 Name: Kesi Meaning: Born during difficult times (Swahili)
Adult Rank: Lady
Personality: Cautious, Observant, Calculated
What does she think of the rebellion? Kesi believes that the rebellion is being done for all the right reasons. At least from what she can process with her young mind. She's paid careful attention to the things that have been said about their King and what he did to gain power. Personally she believes what he did was wrong and that he should pay for his wrong doings, though beyond that she doesn't have much to say since there is much she has yet to learn.
She will be reluctant as a cub to choose a side in the matter but as she gets older she'll gain a better understanding of all the circumstances surrounding the pride and it's current ruler and make a more calculated decision. She will ultimately side with the rebellion and take a role as a Lady. She feels as though the position will prove to be useful in time.
Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:33 am
Ditto for me XD
Cub #3 Name: Siwatu Meaning: born during a time of conflict (Swahili)
Adult Rank: Lord
Personality: Ambitious, loyal, resilient
What does he think of the rebellion? Siwatu grows up with the word rebellion in his mind and heart. He fully believes that his mother's cause is noble and right and he'll do what he can when he's older to help her. As a cub he'll be very curious as to her secret work and will pester her with questions. He'll probably be more trouble than he's worth at that point, but he means very well. Once he gets older he'll want to help and will do all he can to see that his mother and her cause succeeds, even if it means putting himself in harms way.
Also PS my lioness Jioni is a lady and wants to help as much as she can XD I think you knew that already but just a reminder >w>
What does she think of the rebellion? Lìzhì is loyal to a fault when it comes to her father. She would do anything and everything her father would ask of her. She is greatly disappointed that she was the second born and that her brother who looks nothing like her father will take the throne after her dad. When the rebellion kicks up she will fight for her dad. She will also demand her siblings do the same, any sibling that doesn't stand with her dad will essentially be dead to her.
She is mildly interested in her older sister that was the supposed heir to the throne before she and her siblings came around. Lìzhì will never fully trust her and therefor will keep a close eye on her sister.
Cub #3 Name: Heri Meaning: Blessed (Swahili)
Adult Rank: Lord
Personality: Kind, Compassionate, Optimistic
What does he think of the rebellion? Heri will stick by his parents in anything and everything they do. As a cub he will always try to listen into his parents conversations wanting to be a "big kind" and "useful" before his time. Though he will always follow his parents rules of staying with someone trusted. He is excited about the prospect of one day being able to do more.
As a young cub Heri will secretly hope that the meteor shower was actually an indication that either he or one of his siblings is actually meant to lead the pride. As he grows older he will help his parents recruit others.
(Side note: We should finish our Batu/Ota rp)
Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:28 pm
Cub #1 Name: Aiguo Meaning: To love one's country/Patriotic (Chinese)
Adult Rank: Guard
Personality: Prideful, loyal, protective
What does she think of the rebellion? She thinks the whole thing is silly - Her father is the king by birth right, what does it matter how it happened? He did things to help the pride and they should be grateful! She would defend him in a heartbeat!
Cub #2 Name: Xiu Meaning: Handsome / refined / elegant / graceful, Chinese (I would think Shangyue would toot his own horn by naming his cub who strongly resemble him something like this)
Adult Rank: Prince
Personality: Vindictive, shallow, stunted
What does he think of the rebellion? He would cut out the tongues of those who speak ill of his father if he could, but he's actually lacking in the emotional intelligence department, so even as an adult he would be prone to tantrums, childish enough to not follow through, and balk if challenged. He views his father as infallible and thinks as many rebels must be crushed until the point is made. He trusts no one but Shangyue, and to a lesser extent, Parisa. Knowing how his father came to power, he is especially wary of his siblings and half-siblings, but also fancies the idea of ruling the pride (however no one has taught him history tends to repeat itself, one way or another).
Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 5:22 am
Cub #4 Name: Asia Meaning: “Life” (Swahili)
Adult Rank: Lady
Personality: Astute, charming, ambitious
What does she think of the rebellion? As a cub: She believes what her parents tell her, fully absorbing their viewpoints and passion on the subject. She doesn’t actually think about it as a personal issue, it is just there and since her parents are against the King, so is she. As an adult: Having grown up with the knowledge that their king doesn’t deserve his post, she reaches adolescence with a burgeoning passion to do something about the issue. She believes, with her heart and soul, that Shangyue needs to be de-throned, for the good of the pride, but also, on a personal level she wants him banished or dead for his persecution of her family and all her friends. She harbours a burning passion to see his bloodline fall and her own rise to take what she believes is their rightful place in the pride as the ruling family. To this end she will work tirelessly, using her charm and undeniable beauty to win support for the rebels and gain information on the loyalists. She chose the rank of Lady in order to have time to devote herself to her work for the rebels. She is shameless and will beguile and flirt her way to her goals, but at her core she is devoted to her family and unquestionably loyal.
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 10:50 pm
Cub #1 Name: Liúxīng Meaning: Meteor/shooting star in Chinese
Adult Rank: I'm thinking Guard, to help facilitate her open-mindedness or exposure to other subtle feelings on her father's ascension to the throne.
Personality: Steadfast, guiding, nurturing
What does she think of the rebellion? As a cub, she mostly believes what her parents tell her and what her siblings say. As she grows, though, and catches on to some of the subtle feelings and whispers around the pride, she can't help but sometimes think about what others say. She will always shake off these feelings, though, unless something happens or convinces her otherwise. She also stands by her older brother, trying to make sure he is protected and heading down the right path.
Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:37 pm
Cub #1 Name: Àorén Meaning: Worthy of pride/impressive (Simplified Chinese)
Adult Rank: Princess
Personality: Aggressive, Ambitious, Prideful
What does she think of the rebellion? While she is not a rebel, Àorén wants the rebellion to occur. This cub takes after her daddy in a rather violent manner. She does not believe that her older brother who looks nothing like either of her parents ought to be the heir. If the rebellion results in a battle between her father's loyalists and the rebels, then who would possibly be surprised to see dear Liuhe's body amongst the fallen from the battle? With him gone, Àorén will be the next in line for the throne and rebels or not, she would do anything to get that spot.
Cub #2 Name: Hâomìng Meaning: Lucky/blessed with good fortune (Simplified Chinese)
Adult Rank: Prince
Personality: Sweet, resilient, uncertain.
What does he think of the rebellion? As a cub, Hâomìng will see the world through rose-colored glass. Everything will be sugar-coated and flowery. He will be unaware of the rebellion, only seeing his parents as wise and noble leaders and his father as the strongest king of all.
As he begins to move through adolescence, he may catch wind of the rebellion. Depending on how much he learns of it will decide much of which side he tips further towards. He loves his father and mother with all of his heart, but if so many of the pride are against Shangyue's actions, shouldn't there be some sort of change in the system?
Cub #3 Name: Akili Meaning: Intelligent (Swahili)
Adult Rank: Lord
Personality: Charming, Mild, Manipulative
What does he think of the rebellion? After being raised to believe in the injustice of Shangyue's actions, he will put his heart into aiding the rebellion. As a cub, he will stick close to his siblings, but as he grows into adulthood he will begin to branch out.
While he does not come across as the most passionate of rebels on the outside, he will use his wits to gain members to the rebellion from the inside as a Lord, charming the secrets out of the other high class members.
Cub #4 Name: Hodari Meaning: Mighty (Swahili)
Adult Rank: Guard
Personality: Passioinate, Loyal, Brawny.
What does she think of the rebellion? Like her siblings, she will be all for helping the cause. As a cub, she will be bold and proud of her mother's leadership, even if she is not allowed to speak it aloud, just yet.
This pride will stay with her well into her adulthood and she will help the rebellion in the way she thinks is best. The murderous King has several strong guards on his side, but she is determined to be even stronger.
Cub #3 Name: Jabari Meaning: Fearless, Brave (Swahili) (A name to help inspire the courage he will need later on to face the tides of rebellion.)
Adult Rank: Guard
Personality: Charismatic, Knightly, Determined
What does he think of the rebellion? As a cub Jabari will never doubt his mother and will always be her support. More innocent and kind than most he’ll find the tension in the pride somewhat confusing as he ages. Even though he knows that there is injustice within the pride and he does agree with finding peace again, the lion will find himself conflicted about the exact rebellion. His devotion to his family is strong and if his mother’s will is to support the rebellion then his loyalty will be there. Becoming a guard will also help to secure that not only can he assist within the pride, but it will be much easier for him to roam around the borders. After all who would question a guard doing his duty? (His charisma is also essential in getting any lords to brag or lovely ladies to spill their hearts to the charming lion.)
Yet shadows of doubt will occasionally cause him to stumble….just because the king did something bad, does that mean the rest of his family must suffer?
It would be even more interesting if this guard somehow got caught up and potentially attached to one of the royal cubs as well.
In the end his goal is peace. Just as the shooting stars promised, Jabari will continuously hold onto the belief that things will work out. Somehow, someway they will resolve.
What does she think of the rebellion? Honestly, she’s at a loss. As a cub Jia will be with her family, but the whispers and the rumors of something dark in the past will keep her wary. Mostly her dedication will be to Liuhe, even if it’s originally only because she herself would never want to be heir. The duties of ruling are not something that Jia would ever want her own shoulders burdened with after all. (She’ll never be bothered by his different appearance and would have a hope that those shooting stars were shining for his own future role.)
As she grows she will transition from loving her parents, to doubting their words as she expands her knowledge of the pride and the past, and then to questioning why someone would want power so badly. She is much more a free spirit and would prefer to one day have the ability to live her life to the fullest without any titles or fear holding her down.
Yet it does bother her heart to see suffering. Despite her best attempts to cover up her sincerity for others with a care-free attitude, Jia will slip. More than likely as an adult her heart will get her into trouble and perhaps even push her to make more difficult choices in favor of helping the pride…
Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 9:57 pm
About Cub #2 - Third oldest cub in the litter, next in line to the throne after Cub #1.
Cub #2 Name: jú huā Meaning: lChrysanthemum - was born on a harvest (blood) moon
What does he think of the rebellion? He views the conflict with naive excitement. Treating the matter like one of his stories. He imprinted onto Firaga early on and idolizes the captain of the royal guard. holding especial affection for all royal guard, Wanting to join alongside his idol. He knows many of the lower ranked guards by name and is close with most of the higher ranked guards.
Cub #1 Name: Jīng lán Meaning: Amethyst Orchid
Adult Rank: Princess
Personality: classist, proud, patient
What does she think of the rebellion? She has distaste with the senseless loss of royal blood to power grabs and assassination. She is wise for her years due to her veneration and care for the pride elders; seeing the experience and age honed instincts as priceless as family heirlooms. Holding private resentment for the careless actions of Shangyue, which she believes was the source of weakness that allowed the lower classes to form the start of a potentially successful rebellion.
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Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2015 10:14 pm
Cub #2 Name: Yueyun Meaning: ring around the moon / lunar halo (Chinese)
Adult Rank: Prince
Personality: Devoted, well-meaning, uncertain.
What does he think of the rebellion? As a cub, he'll be upset that anyone could dislike his family, but otherwise think little of it. As he grows older...ah, this is where it could get interesting. You see, he loves his family dearly. But he also loves his pride. At heart, he is a throwback to those before Shangyue, who only did their duty as best they could. Depending on who he meets, and what he learns, this young lion could find himself standing at a crossroads...caught between the family he'd do nearly anything for, and the pride he wants to give everything to. When he makes that choice, it will nearly destroy him.
What does she think of the rebellion? The rebellion is necessary. The reasons for this will change, but the crux of that belief will remain crystal clear. At first the simple fact that her parents believe, and they are wise and good, will be enough. The older she gets, the more she learns, the more her disdain will grow for a monarch that took his place by assassination, that has a penchant for surrounding himself with the brutish and the cruel. If for no other reason, he needs to go so that the beasts he calls followers are no longer inflicted upon the pride--and her family. The aftermath can be dealt with once that is done.
