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 Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 8:13 am
Among the dunes and crags and dust lives a pack obscured by sand storms.
Are you brave enough to enter their lands?
(HEAVY WIP)
Quick Stats
Biome: Desert
Species: Ma'duwi majority, Saloli'tsula and Inadu'daksi favoured, all accepted
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 8:29 am
Pack History
The Mashi Alrimal did not come together through a planned effort. Nomads in the desert had to work together to survive, sharing the water provided by the limited buried water sources, and trading food and shelter for this life giving resource.
At a distant point in history, a group of these nomads calling themselves the Sand Walkers came across a giant oasis. Full of life compared to the surrounding sand and high cliffs, they settled for a time to enjoy the plenty it provided. Eventually, they were discovered, but instead of driving the newcomers away, the original group embraced the newcomers as friends, as long as they were honest, hard workers. Soon, a pack was born.
Pack Members
The pack is heavily populated by ma'duwi, the original nomads, but they will accept anyone that is willing to tough out the conditions of the desert into their ranks. After all, life is hard, and many paws ease the burden.
The creatures calling the Mashi home are typically hardy, with short fur or feathers and wear hoods over their heads to protect themselves from the burning sun during the day and to provide warmth at night. The pack is the most active at night, but members can be seen working at all times a day, depending on their duties. The colour of one's fur, feathers, or scales does not matter to the Mashi, just one's skills.
To differentiate pack members from strangers and prey, they often wear a corded band of leather on their wrist, ankle, neck, or antler, coloured with plant dyes to show their rank. These can also be decorated with beads, feathers, shells and anything meaningful to the owner. Prey species in the Mashi tend to wear the brightest bands to make sure everyone can see they belong there.
Land
The packlands surround a body of water only known as The Great Oasis. Immediately around the oasis are cultivated farmlands, featuring several food and herb species both natural to the desert, and imported from elsewhere - though exotic species are limited to what can survive the temperatures and frequent droughts. Around that are the majority of the pack's dens, with the higher ranking individuals closest to the center. The outermost ring contains outposts and small markets for greeting and trading with outsiders.
Outside of the main territory is a scorching, sandy desert to the south and west. To the north are rocky cliffs, baked dry by the sun for centuries. The east lead to a great, flat plain of salt and sand, dominated by frequent sand storms. Only the toughest of the Mashi venture there.
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 9:01 am
Religion and Beliefs
The beliefs of the Mashi Alrimal are as varied as the animals calling it home. Most members have some belief in a higher power, typically based on the desert or the sun. Belief is encouraged as it gives the dwellers hope and courage in the toughest situations, even if there is no strict belief system. However, there are groups of animals that wish to set up organized worship, though the results of their efforts are yet to be seen.
Pack Events and Celebrations
Seeker's Songs
Firsts Festival
Celebration of Night
Friendship and Farewell Ceremony
Leadership
Leaders in the Mashi are often given their roles due to their extensive knowledge and experience, so they are frequently the oldest ma'duwi in the pack. Animals can only be given these ranks by others with the same rank, after a vote occurs among all of the leaders, known as Firsts. If the Firsts cannot decide whether or not a dweller is suitable for leadership, a vote is held across the entire pack. Therefore, an animals influence over the pack can be just as important as their actual contributions to the pack, which makes leadership changes a dramatic affair at times.
The Firsts all have specific duties that they alone handle on a day to day basis. The pack usually looks to the Firsts who would be the most appropriate to handle an emergency (eg. in times of drought, the First Seekers are consulted). If a situation is serious enough to involve the entire pack (eg. war), the First will come together for discussion, but that is rare. It is understood that the Firsts are the experts in their particular fields of knowledge and should be trusted to make sound decisions for everyone.
Pairing
Pairing is an informal affair and both brief relationships and long term matings are found among members. Life can be brutal and short, so as long as the involved animals are adults and select each other as partners, the pack will accept the arrangement. However, if a member is caught mistreating their mate or children, they will face severe punishments.
Raising of Youth
The youngest members of the pack are often raised by a combination of their parents and family and the Pup Raisers of the pack's creche. When their parents have duties to attend to, they are free to leave their offspring in the creche at any time. It is also where unwanted or orphaned young will be raised. The Pup Raisers are both babysitters and teachers, teaching the young essential skills to survive the desert as soon as possible. They are taught to work together, but also independence, in case they find themselves alone in an emergency and need to take care of themselves long enough to be found.
As they grow, the young members of the pack will tend to join the adults as they work and learn them by following by example. This can be by watching a parent, or finding another trusted adult in the pack to shadow. Pack members are encouraged to teach any youth who want to learn, as they are trying to find their place in the pack. It is understood that they may try a few different things until they find what suits them.
Any adolescents or young adults who find themselves drawn to the outside world are allowed to leave and will be welcomed back if they decide to return. Traditionally they are given a pack of food, water-soaked moss, and a cloak to help them on their way. Older adults do not get this courtesy - they are expected to have enough knowledge to get out of the desert safely by themselves.
Crime and Punishment
The Mashi have few real laws, but the ones they do have are important for the function of the pack and animals will be punished for breaking them. Mild infractions are dealt with by the Firsts in charge of that dweller's rank. As many Firsts and members with the same rank are gathered as possible, then the accused is surrounded and shamed in front of their peers for their transgressions. More serious law breaking results in a dweller's rank being stripped by their Firsts. They are given the rank Forsaken and a set time period of punishment. Someone being caught stealing from a Merchant, for example, may be tasked with hauling goods for that Merchant for three months. Once their sentence is carried out, the First Guard will confirm it and reinstate the dweller's previous rank. However, dwellers that are caught breaking the law multiple times and show no sign of improvement may have their rank permanently changed to Forsaken.
If a First is caught breaking a law, they are stripped of their First status permanently and dealt with by all the other Firsts.
The main laws of the Mashi are as follows:
1. You will not take what you are not entitled to
2. You will not make pure water, impure
3. You will not harm Pups, even from outside the pack
4. You will not harm those who share your den
5. You will obey your First, unless the command leads to harm to you or the pack
Violence, even if it causes death, is taken on a case by case basis. If a dweller was proven to be defending themselves from harm, they will not face a punishment. Many Mashi have had to resort to fighting for their survival, so scuffles are not unusual. Pack members are expected to restrain themselves when they are defending their rights, but accidents happen. However, a particularly rowdy dweller may still face punishment if they get out of hand.
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 9:04 am
Ranks
Leadership Ranks
First Walker - The most skilled hunters and gatherers, they are also considered the best at surviving the desert and are often the leaders most pack members come to first for advice. They are in charge of organizing hunting parties and deciding how the food brought back should be divided and stored.
First Seeker - The experts at finding water even in the most dire of droughts. They are the most respected leaders, and they are in charge when water supplies are strained. They dictate who gets water, when, and how much. They also organize search parties for finding new water sources.
First Gardener - Experts at plant keeping, these dwellers know how to get the fruits and herbs of the gardens growing at their best. They are also the most skilled healers, dealing with the worst illnesses and injuries.
First Scavenger - The cleverest at finding unique resources. Like their counterparts, they are tasked with organizing search parties and dividing whatever they bring back. They work closely with the Merchants as well, providing them with goods to trade to visitors.
First Merchant - These expert negotiators are in charge of planning essential trades that will benefit the entire pack. This can involve speaking to the leaders of other groups to discuss shared land use, resource sharing, etc. They are the politicians of the pack.
First Guard - These dwellers have seen many conflicts in their lives and use that knowledge to prepare others. They act as generals to the Guards, planning out shifts, keeping them in shape, and checking on weaponry. They are also in charge of ensuring the Forsaken carry out their punishments. Once a Forsaken pack member completes their punishment, they are the ones to reinstate their ranks.
First Raiser - The Mashi's ultimate teachers and guides, these dwellers have raised countless Pups. They are the ones any struggling parent or Pup Raiser can come to for help, and it will be gladly given. Their tasks also include keeping track of births and deaths and ensuring new families have everything they need to be successful.
Common Ranks
Sand Walker - The most common rank, these individuals are responsible for the general hunting and gathering for the pack as they are most frequently leaving the Great Oasis and braving the desert sands, hence the name.
Water Seeker - A rank for those who are particularly skilled at finding hidden water sources. They often accompany Sand Walkers on their duties. They are extremely respected, especially in times of drought, when the Great Oasis' waters have receded.
Gardener - The dwellers that take care of the plants around the Great Oasis are known as Gardeners. They make sure the plants are free of disease and bring water to them if required. They also are the makeshift healers of the pack, knowing which herbs can help with common ailments.
Scavenger - These animals often venture into the desert to find anything and everything that might be useful. This can overlap with the Sand Walkers if they find food, but typically they seek out abandoned supplies, bones, pelts, stones, and so on that can be used by the pack.
Merchant - The Merchant rank is for animals with a smooth tongue and a skill for trading and bartering. Their job is to look after the outposts and trading both inside and outside of the pack. They rarely leave the oasis, unless a trade requires them to transport goods.
Guard - A self-explanatory title, they guard the rest of the pack from danger. They are trained in several forms of combat, from using tooth and claw to rudimentary weapons. They are the most ruthless members of the pack.
Pup Raiser - These are the caretakers and teachers of the pack. They care for the Pups until they reach Shadow rank. They typically do not leave the oasis.
Forsaken - This is the rank given to dwellers serving a punishment as a temporary title, or to those who have committed so many crimes they cannot be rehabilitated. They are constantly supervised by the Guards and the rest of the pack, and they are not allowed to leave the pack lands. They are given the most gruelling tasks, such as digging out dens, removing refuse, and so on.
Youth Ranks
Pup - All youth, regardless of species, are called Pups. They have no duties - they just need to grow up!
Shadow - This rank is given to adolescents, young adults, and anyone new to the pack as they are expected to "shadow" the other ranks as they are learning new skills. (Note: This rank can be skipped for animals who have no adolescent stage and new joining members for convenience).
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 9:05 am
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 9:07 am
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 9:08 am
Joining
Leadership Ranks Available
First Walker - 0/1 (Reserved for me!)
First Seeker - 1/1
First Gardener - 1/1
First Scavenger - 1/1
First Merchant - 1/1
First Guard - 1/1
First Raiser - 1/1
For the interest thread only - No RP is required for these ranks until they are filled!
The default adult rank is Sand Walker.
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2026 10:42 am
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2026 10:49 am
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