Norn (IC Leaders): Mai'dido (*Greenie), Leta (Felyn), Saranta (Z o m b i k ii) OOC Leader(s): Felyn, Krysin, Z o m b i k ii
Symbol: Link - Artist: Z o m b i k ii Cert BG: Link - Artist: Z o m b i k ii
Pack/Pride Name: Skiringssal Current IC Owner(s): Mai'dido (*Greenie); ??? (???); ??? (???) Current OOC Owner(s): Felyn; Z o m b i kii; Krysin Default ranks: (the ranks for regular/growing members if not posted for a cert change) Current Pride/Pack Members, and Rankings of Each: Links to at least five current RPs: (These RPs must have been done in the last month. At least one must have included the current ruler.) Brief Description of your Pride/Pack: (Do not exceed 175 words, it has to fit in our layout!) Familiar Rules: Does you Pride/Pack allow familiars? If so, which ones? Are there any specific rank restrictions or is bonding to a regular member necessary? Be as specific as you want! Cert Background Large Image: (Cert colors are now ultimately up to the cert maker, but please try to make it rectangular in shape.) Pride Symbol for Cert: Transparent PNG, please, and not already on a cert!circle. Please keep it square-like in shape, not rectangular. Any Extra Information: If you want to include a place for alternate names or clans, please say so here - we will not allow you to change the cert afterward. Pride/Pack History:
The Skiringssal is made up of familial houses. Each house has a ‘Jarl’ as their head, this usually given by default to the eldest son, however a female sibling or younger brother can challenge the heir to become ‘Jarl’. Then as before, it is their first born son that takes the role after them, in the case of family members believing they might do a better service to the family they may fight for their right to become Jarl. This right may also be passed onto another family member in a time of crisis (mentally unstable or illness). If a challenge is issued it would be common to have a small crowd - likely the family - and possibly a pridal figure (Norn) there to witness the challenge and approve the results.
So what does a Jarl do? In the simplest of terms a Jarl tries their damn best to bring glory to their house. They oversee and validate marriages happening inside their house, legitimise b*****d children if a request is made and generally make sure the house is rich and prosperous. A Jarl is a unique rank, these characters are expected to have meetings with the norns and are the only ones allowed to talk to the oracles and priests.
A jarl can give out bracelets to their lovers, as a status symbol. The main female or male associated with the Jarl will have two bracelets as a sign of his/her preference.
Another family specific rank is the ‘second’ or ‘champion’ which is the highest scoring member in the pride. This rank is a yearly achievement, it is declared on the yearly purge.
Jarls (familial sect) are determined during this yearly event. The house champions will fight on the Jarls behalf and will help to determine if that house stays in power this season. They will have a chance to fight for their house again the following year. (This can be split out into a section specifically about duels and how they relate to the prides structure.)
Locations in the Pride
Center Caves: The pride has a main cave for meetings with Norn. This cave is decorated with paintings of various things (could include the house symbols scrawled on the walls in celebration of current ones or past ones). They can be renewed each year or refreshed as necessary when a house continues their reign or has been given the chance to become one of the 9 main houses.
Mount Bleikr: The priests/priestesses and various other religious individuals do not associate with shadows cast by the maze or other possible nooks and crannies. They instead reside atop the mountainous regions on the outskirts of the pridal lands where it allows them cover from predators and safety in the light. The snow capped mountains also provide them the ability to blend in with their surroundings. They might rarely see visitors other than the Jarls or Norn and the reasons would have to be fairly specific. (This doesn’t mean they are secluded, but are most likely to interact with one another as like minded individuals).
The Ocean: Fish are friends, but not always.. The fishermen of the pride - yes they don’t just herd prey creatures - have a small pathway from the prides maze, between the mountains, that hits the waters beyond those mountains. They have mastered various ways to catch the fish required, but most just resort to their paws. The spoils from their day to day are then taken to their homes for prep before being sold/bartered with in the market.
Farmlands: The farms themselves will skirt the pride itself at the base of the mountains. This provides enough space for prey animals to easily roam and yet remain captured. It’s likely that if a prey animal was discovered to be trying to escape they would die anyway… Escape from the secluded area is unlikely due to the fact that they are basically wild, but domesticated. They wouldn’t know the maze and nor would they have the capability to swim. The prey creatures are treated with dignity and respect since without them the pride would grow hungry and die off.
Market: The market.. This is a place of trade/sales. When a lion/ess has collected their goods - whether it be made/caught/killed they have the opportunity to barter with other houses on neutral terrain. There aren’t stalls or anything man made set up, but rather small sections designated (????) to each house for the purposes of these trades/sales.
For the purposes of monitoring how well or how poorly a lion may have done this is our idea… each Week the RPer is required to roll a dice and complete an RP that indicates how well they might have done. The pool is between 1-5. 1 being the worst.. Your fish bit back. 5 being the best.. You got ‘er done. If an individual participates in these rolls weekly they earn a bonus set of points are the end of the month that can go towards their total. (This determines, for a less combat oriented house, how rich they are in assets.)
The pride believes in light versus darkness. Light is the good in the world, where evil hides within the shadows. Their thoughts on pelt only relates to the religious figures though. So Valkyries and others in the religious section are typically white or mostly white. Otherwise pelt coloration doesn’t impact the choices or views of the pride members.
How are the selections done? The cubs of the pride - who are born all or mostly white - will be taken at birth and brought to the mountains for the religious section to review and teach. Unfortunately these cubs are taken without much consideration for the families so these situations are typically very emotional, but the pride as a whole understands the need for these individuals.
Gods they idolize…
Light (Felyn) Approved Darkness (DarkFireAngel) Approved - They don’t revere Darkness, but they have a healthy respect of it. They recognize that without Darkness there would likely be no Light and vice versa. Labyrinths (Fairy Snails) Approved Divinations (Krysin) Approved Rebirth (Felyn) Approved, pending a small meta Insanity (DFA) Approved, blessed the forest. Deception (DFA) Approved, blessed the forest.
Marriage is something that is quite relaxed inside the Pride, because it is really down to the Jarl’s and Champions to keep a record and eye on things. It is the women that are moved over to their husbands houses, however if a female marries a rogue or ‘caste less’ lion they can stay in their own house. Same sex marriage is a-okay here and not treated any different to same sex pairs.
Though that is not to say the Pride is expected to be monogamous by any means, lions usually have their main ‘squeeze’ as their partner, but they can take on other lovers if they so wish. In general any dispute when it comes to…. flinging around? Is sorted out with a duel, and if they can’t settle it the Jarl will make a call based on the case brought to them.
Only children born within marriage as ‘legitimate’ and considered part of the house, however if a case is brought to the Jarl to make b*****d children legitimate (and to be honest, we need the points so why would they say no) they will, though this can only be done by the father (so two houses are not fighting over the same cubs).
So what happens when two lions decide to tie the knot, we tie the knot, like your paws get tied together and everyone gets drank.
Divorce is also a thing, apply to the Jarl or Champions, the pact is broken, you go back to your old house. Though any duel points earned stay with the house you earned them for, and kids will stay in the house they were born into.
Breeding
Breeding within the pride is a means to an end for the most part, whether it means selling a family member for status or trading for immunity and so on. The breeding for this pride is done a little differently. Since their resources are finite and cannot be replenished to support a rapidly growing pride they have restrictions of when houses may apply to expand their homes with cubs. The only house that is not restricted by this laws is Fólkvangr, house of the Norn and the priestesses/priests/oracles.
The months below are broken up to represent when each house has been permitted to POST for a breeding. The breeding form will stay posted after that month, but may only be posted during that time. Breedings are limited to one per person and regular breeding requirements must be met. The reason the heads of the pride are unlimited to breedings is because the expectation of the priestesses/priests/oracles are too have cubs preferably with Gods or Demi-gods as this will promote sight and guarantee all white spawn for the purposes of expanding their ranks.
The months with no breeding availability will be reserved for special rewards and other possible situations!
January House 2 / House 4 February House 1 / House 3 March -- April House 5 / House 6 May House 7 / Champion House June House 2 / House 4 July House 1 / House 3 August -- September House 5 / House 6 November House 7 / Champion House December --
The general population may consist of all cat species in SoA. The primary roles those ranks that are considered high ranks are specifically lion. The pride historically has not allowed another species into a rank such as the Norn and does not intend to change history - not drastically.
Prey Familiars - Hare; Klipspringers; Waterbuck
These animals have been destined to be prey animals for all of their lives. They are treated no differently here. These are tended to by farmers. (These animals are also born and raised right on the pride lands. A chosen few are selected to become harvested for articles like special pelts or jewelry.)
Non-Prey Familiars - Ratels; Jackals
Ratels and Jackals are kept by the houses. They are often seen as a sign of health and wealth. Jackals also serve a secondary function of a guard animal for individual homes. They are set to protect the wealth each house has. (Could open up the opportunity to plots in regards to thieving etc etc)
Norn (x Three): The Norn are the leaders of the pride. There are always three and those three are always female (no if ands or butts). Typically the leaders produce their own heirs and it’s likely that the first born daughters are the replacements should the leader retire or perish.
(Stones) Norn’Bjarg (x Nine): These nine are keepers of the maze. They are selected from the Norn children and grow up with the goal to enter the maze and ensure that they are protected. Often times they are mistaken as guards, but truthfully act as guides or informants in the cases where the maze has individuals enter it’s midst for the first time. The members won’t guide new members, but ‘stalk’ their progress and inform the Norn of their findings.
Birds: Raven; Hoopoe; Basic Bird
(Stones) Norn’Steinn (x Nine): These nine are maze runners. They are selected from the Norn children and grow up with the goal to enter the maze and ensure they are clear. These individuals know the maze through and through. When they enter the maze they do so with the purpose of ensuring that those who enter make it out. If there are any threats they will spread the word to the Keepers who will ensure that the warriors are alerted and prepared to defend.
Birds: Eagle; Falcon; Vulture; Hawk
Valkyries (Unlimited - Pelt must be mostly white, refer to hex code chart): The Valks are the spiritual guides of the pride. These lions are all white or mostly white (?) and reside in the mountainous region at the very border of the pride. These individuals aren’t typically involved in the day to day life of the pride beyond collecting other white pelted lions for their rank. (Doesn’t necessarily have to be a seer - these are priests/priestesses.)
(Oracles) Frodleikr (Unlimited - Must be a seer): Oracles are the seers of the pride. They predict the future, remind the pride of the past and encourage changes or improvements to avoid disaster. If the pride if ready to make a big decision they might approach the oracles prior to making it to see the possible outcome. (Possibly use bones to complete readings.)
(Head) Jarl (x Nine): The Jarl (male or female) are the head of the house. They ‘rule’ these individual groups and are responsible for the members. The Jarl is also the link between the family and the God’s, they are the only members of the Pride permitted to speak to the norns and the only ones who have regular contact with the rest of the clergy.
(Jarl Heir?) Leif (x Nine): Usually the first born male, but can be challenged for this position by their siblings. The Heir is the Jarl’s shadow and their live revolves around learning the duties that will be left to them on the death of their parent. They even follow the Jarl to meet with the clergy, though are forbidden to speaking to them - their roll if to observe. Sometimes if the Jarl is sick, they can take on their duties for short periods of time.
(Champions) Vegr (x Nine): The warrior within the family with the highest points, when a Vegr is declared they keep the title for one whole year until the points are tallied again. Their duty is to the Jarl and their family, a personal bodyguard that makes sure no harm comes to them. It is seen as the most respectable rank that can be earned within a family.
(Bears) Berserkir (1 for every 5 Wolves): The glorified warriors, revered and respected. Berserkers are the norns personal guard and generals in the military, ever berserker lords over 5-10 Ulfhednar and numerous boars. They often indulge in the ritual consumption of special herbs that dull pain and fear, making them fight harder, longer and stronger. They lead the way when battle breaks out between prides, or if an enemy threat invades.
(Wolf) Ulfhednar (Unlimited): The military, Ulfhednar are seasoned fighters who focus their energies on protecting the Pride from enemy invaders. They are the paws on the ground, ready to defend the land from threats and throw themselves into battle if it breaks out. They report to the Berserker and spend the rest of their time dueling between the houses to bring their own family honor.
(Boars) Svinfylking (Unlimited): Scouts and Hunters, the boars are the part of the military that keeps the pride fed and the borders secure. They rarely see lion on lion fighting, a task that is mainly reserved for the Ulfhednar; but they do collect information from the borders and report suspicious activity to their berserker, maintain scent markers and bring in food when the farms yield is lacking.
(Fishermen) Fiskr (1 Fisherman to every 3 Villagers): These individuals are the fishermen of the pride. They supply fish from the waters behind the pride. Their wares are usually available to family and friends immediately, but can otherwise be purchased/sold at the market. They are joined to specific families and their ‘profit’ points go to their house.
(Farmers) Stadfestr (1 Farmer to every 3 Villagers): These individuals are farmers of the pride. They supply fresh meat and pelts to the pride. Their wares are usually available to family and friends immediately, but can otherwise be purchased/sold at the market. They are joined to specific families and their ‘profit’ points go to their house.
(Merchants) Farmadr (x Nine): Each house has a merchant to represent them. They are responsible for selling/trading the wares that the pride has to offer. These articles can range from raw pelts, meats, fish, fermented fruits, and much more. (We are working out the currency.) They are joined to specific families and their ‘profit’ points go to their house.
(Pelt Makers) Skinnr (1 Pelt Maker to every 3 Villagers): These individuals are pelt makers of the pride. They supply finished pelts to the pride. Their wares are usually available to family and friends immediately, but can otherwise be purchased/sold at the market. The importance behind these pelt makers is significant. Earning your pelt is something each pride member hopes to achieve. They are joined to specific families and their ‘profit’ points go to their house.
(Villagers) Firar (Unlimited): The pride is made up of these villagers for the most part. They are the population that aren’t in a specialized field. They aren’t useless though and often times take up hunting/raising the cubs and organizing the prides events (setting up event fields etc etc.) They are also part of specific families, but don’t often offer much points wise.. Unless they are in a duel.
