-=Elders 101=- [DO NOT POST HERE]

[U-tse-li-i]

Elders 101

~Or, how to become an elder



Ok. So, you’ve got a Soquili that you love and adore; through many months of arduous roleplay and game-playing, you have managed to get them all the way up to 100% stats! Congratulations, you’ve got an elder, right?

Wrong.

Don’t get us wrong. Total 100% stats are an important part of the elder process (can’t be an elder without’em, in fact!), but not everything.

Ok, headscratch moment. “But didn’t we only have to have total 100% stats in order to become an elder before,” you might ask; and indeed, it’s a valid point. Correct as well, actually, but emphasis on BEFORE.

BEFORE, there weren’t so many Soquili with 100% stats. This 100% explosion is not a bad thing, of course; this means that we have a very active roleplay community. Considering that Soquili isn’t an rp-required shop, these 100%s are yet another reason we offer a hearty congratulations to everyone who has been working to develop their characters!

However, since there are now many, many more Soquilis at the appropriate stat level, the staff has realized that while some details of the Elder process are well-known, other basic elements have been sadly ignored. This thread will be serving a tripartite purpose: expanding on the basics of elderhood, detailing the process of becoming an elder, and explaining what an elder needs.

So, without further adieu, the topic!  

[U-tse-li-i]

Part 1: What is an elder?

If you’re reading this, you are either A) an involved person who believes in reading updates (in which case, good for you!) or B) owner of a potential elder. So I’m sure that you’d like to know what that potential is all about!

Basically, Elder is the highest stage a Soquili can attain. It’s purely optional, and only attainable through rp. Buying a life cycle Soq doesn’t mean you’ll get an elder if all you do is stick that pet in your sig, so don’t get bent out of shape that yours never makes it that far. Elder is an RP PERK.

So, you have your pet and you rped it and now have all 100% stats. Why would you want to go elder? What are the benefits?

For starters, you get a new stage of your Soquili. There is male and female elder art, and elders will be upgraded to this beyond-adult stage that they might look as regal and dignified as they now are in their new state.

Secondly, elders, being bigger and tougher than regular adults, are also capable of bearing more children! In any breeding where a parent (be it one or both) is an elder, that breeding will yield THREE baskets, guaranteed, plus have a chance at getting a whopping FOUR! And for comparison, normal adult Soquilis can have two baskets, three if they’re lucky, so…this is a major boon.
*However, owners are still only allowed to keep one basket each; this just means more to give away!

Now, by this point, you’re probably thinking, “GREAT!” Who doesn’t love art and baskets? Why, I want EVERY SINGLE SOQ I OWN TO BE AN ELDER AS SOON AS THEY HIT 100%

Wrong answer. Sure, the perks are nice. But beyond the perks, there are a few basic elder truisms that need to be remembered.

First and foremost, the very name elder implies something about this stage. If, like me, you are a rabid literalist, you might make a point on the age of the Soquili involved. However, an Elder is often a leader; be it religious, or spiritual, political, or merely formal, Elder implies that the person (or in our case, Soquili) is an individual worthy and fit to have this role. Elders are leaders among the Soquili, individuals who can be looked up to by others and exhibit the necessary traits for the important role of elder.

So, keeping that in mind…  

[U-tse-li-i]

Part 2: What makes an Elder?

Hopefully, people have by now read and understood this post in all its significance. Most importantly, we hope you paid attention to the bit about what an elder is (part 1, if you need a refresher). However, because this part of the elder policy is new, we’re going to go into a little more detail here.

Basically, elders are leaders/leadership material. Keeping this in mind, not all Soquilis are meant to be Elders. We hope that owners will be using their best judgment in putting Soquili candidates for elderfication forward, and to help you all decide whether or not to go elder, we’ve put together a basic list of what will be looked at when considering that Soquili for elderfication.

1. Responsibility and leadership. Obviously the elders need to be able to handle themselves and situations that come up; they are the ones to which other Soquilis will look in times of trouble, so they need to be up to the challenge. The definition of responsibility and of a good leader varies from breed to breed, and this will essentially be looked at on a case by case basis. What makes a Kalona responsible might be different from a Regular, and so on and so forth.
2. Rp development. Elders are supposed to have grown and matured to the elder stage through rp (see, it all links back to roleplay). Consequently, the roleplay of the Soquilis in question will be checked to determine whether or not the Soq in question has grown into a character worthy of being an elder. If all you have is mate-finding rp…chances are you won’t be elderfied.
 

[U-tse-li-i]

Part 3: Becoming an Elder

As mentioned in the introduction, becoming an elder is a multi-step process. So, in a new and streamlined list format…how to become an elder!

Step 1:Have all six stats at 100%
Step 2: Have trackable, readable rp (although this ought to already exist if your stats are at all 100s, it’s best to make sure)
Step 3: Post the elder application HERE in this thread. The elder application itself can be found in the last offical post of this thread.
Step 4: Wait for it! All applicants will be notified whether or not their Soqs have been approved for elder, so PLEASE BE PATIENT. Once approved for elder status the art will take time as well. Keep that in mind when applying!

*Approval of elders is done via group. Specifically, a panel of individuals will be considering each application and jointly deciding if your nomination is valid. As mentioned above, owners will be notified of the verdict regardless of whether it’s affirmative or not; additionally, a list of approved elder Soqs will be maintained in this thread so that everyone can see who their elders are.

**If you feel that you have unfairly had a Soquili turned down for elder, you are welcome to submit an appeal AS LONG AS YOU DO IT POLITELY. Explain why you think your Soquili deserves to be an Elder, and if the panel feels you’ve argued your point well, you may be permitted after all.

***In addition, if your Soquili is rejected for elder once, you are welcome to try again later after working more on your Soquili’s character in rp. However, for reasons of scope a Soquili may only be submitted (and appeals count as submissions) for Elder status three times. After that, no dice.

****This is merely the first incarnation of the elder policy and the staff reserves the right to change details as circumstances merit. No changes will be retroactively applied, and all changes will be clearly indicated in the update thread.

Application

[b]Name of Soquili and Link to Image:[/b]
[b]Link to Teepee:[/b]
[b]Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder':[/b]
[b]Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path?[/b]
[b]Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC?[/b]

Elder Application Status Is Currently: Closed.  

[Lilwolfpard]

>> *is weird* =D first non mule post woo~

Ohkay so. I PMed sirenz inquiring about elders, and she said i could open a few elder slots every month. What does this mean for you?


Pros:
a chance to get your soquili to become a elder.

Cons:
If lilwere didnt color the original soquili, the elder might look a little different. I can only copy a style so much(i would get as close as possible.). If the original colorist is still around and you want them to color it, i would suggest waiting to see if they would open elder slots(atm only i am). If you still want me to color it, and the original colorist is still working for soquili, i would have to go and ask the original colorist first for permission to color it. ( its a respect thing. )


Rules:
1: READ THE ABOVE THREAD PLEASE.
2: If your soquili is chosen to become a elder, you must Pick a god, and PM lilwere with which one. If you dont want a tattoo on them thats perfectly fine, as it says i shall put it on the cert.
3: Going elder doesnt cost anything <3


We shall be accepting forms until Friday (tomorrow) at 4 PM EST. We will not accept any more after then. We will post those whom we decided can go elder.

 

[Excited Apathy]

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Helaku http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/soquilipets/soqs/Tags/soradelph2.jpg
Link to Teepee: http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=2372876 (A lot of RP links will lead back to here, as most of the pages in it are of his RP.)
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder':
... o.o *glances at her teepee* Ah heck, I can't narrow anything from his teepee down. gonk Reading most of it is probably a good idea, but the first few links here are a bit of a snapshot.
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=2372876&page=2 (continue to page 5)
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=2372876&page=12
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=2372876&page=14
And now for out-of-teepee links. x3
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=6663249
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=7832173
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=7975079
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=8057207
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=8098979
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=8478995
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=10222559
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=10297451
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path?His family, what's left of it. It's been a painful road to attain them, but he had a certain level of contentment... only to lose it all, in his eyes, when he lost his mate. He still has room to grow, everyone does, but he is now much more of a developed Soquili mentally and spiritually than he used to be.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC?Well...by the umpteen RP links you can see that Helaku's had a long and sometimes painful path to walk. I got teary-eyed a couple times reading some of his old hurts, because he's a much-beloved character, one that I care about quite a bit. Watching such a young proud stallion get his heart broken not once, but twice...then finally finding a mate, a family, contentment...even though he lost his mate and encountered heartbreak yet a third time, even if he weren't to become an Elder, I'm very proud of my boy Helaku. He is my first, and certainly one of my most beloved, Soquili. (Note: I have Mai's uncerted image if it's needed. <3)  

[Kamiki]

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Stormwild
Link to Teepee: http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=1422550&page=1
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder': Defense Against Balrog, there's also several exchanges here where she defends her son against Balrog again.
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? She's always been strong and independant, raising one child by herself (which was very hard for her because she was Wind and he was not), and doing her best to view all Soquili as equal - a stark contrast to her friend (and off again-on-again mate, Balrog), who is very elitist. She is a devoted mother to her children, and her first son, Sequoyah, remain very close to each other, even in adulthood.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? I'll admit I haven't done as much RP with Stormwild as I would like to. When I first got her, I was really gunning to make her an en Elder one day, but sadly the days when Elders would be available got farther and farther away and I dropped off Gaia and/or Soquili several times in the meantime. However, Stormwild is still my most RPed Soquili overall, and has a special place in my heart. AND, I'm back to being fairly active and involved in Soquili. She is one of the oldest Soquili, and I'm fairly certain she's the first wind Soquili ever. (or at least one of the first few, she was won in the first Soquili custom auction ever) - which I think is one reason I would love to see her an Elder, even it is completely OOC reason. I would love to see Sequoyah, her son, follow in her footsteps one day, but for now I should focus on her.  

[samus x]

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Dyami
Link to Teepee: my teepee
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder': Dyami has defended a human Here against a foal Kalona after seeing how violant the foal was being towads the human and couldnt stand to let it continue. @_@ donno what else i could put cause my rps are so disorganized at the moment in my teepee x_X
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? Dyami would choose the elder path so that he could contiune to protect those he cares about and help those that need it or need advice. he has raised 3 foals that are now proud adults and is a devoted mate/father.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? ooc wise really i have no reason to make my soquili an elderexcept for that he is my very first soquili who was givin to me as a gift from Takakun so he is special to me and i would love to see him as an elder.

-x_x edited for my spelling errors sorry-  

[Epine de Rose]

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Yei Umeko - Image
Link to Teepee: Click
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder':
*Eyes her teepee* Um...I have a lot of Roleplay in that but I'll attempt to simplify it as best I can?

Responsibility and Leadership:
Grencia Appears - Despite her prejudice against Rare soquili at that current time, her sense of honour and integrity force her to look beyond this to aid the stranger in his time of need.

Nagual-An Gives Birth - Following the period in which a crossbreed kalona took advantage of her friend, Yei comes to her aid in her greatest time of need. While her human companion promptly loses his nerve, Yei stays until the end.

Yei, You Are and Aunt - Yei finds out that her adoptive brother has had children and takes a sworn oath to love and care for his children with all her heart. Ultimately the children turn out to be completely unique in their own ways but she keeps her promise and teaches one in particular (Biscuit) quite a few things.

RP Development:
It's hard to generalise her Roleplays in terms of development as she's had so many. Skimming through the teepee is probably easiest with the most recent of her developments being a realisation of where her prejudices came from. She ultimately works to overcome them thanks to finding out Grencia is alive.

I can only add so much into this app without it getting crowded but I hope I conveyed the point. If you need any more there is (as I've said) plenty of RP in her teepee to provide examples of her development and sense of responsibility/leadership.

(Both internal Teepee RP and external RP are linked in the same areas under appropriate banners)

Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path?
Yei has always been somewhat different from her fellow soquili. That isn't to say she's "better" than them but her experiences in life have been different. While others fell in love early, Yei encountered many problems and prejudices within herself that presented her from seeing clearly. In doing so she missed out on many opportunities for romance.

However, through these experiences Yei developed a greater sense of self awareness and purpose. She grew accustomed to her lands and to the knowledge that all must learn - having experienced so much she had much to teach and thus she made her decisions based upon this.

During the period in which she was mateless (for the majority of her life) she adopted and mentored many soquili from foals to young adults as they strived to understand who they were. Despite the fact that she has recently found love this has not changed.

'Old' she may be but she is still very much young at heart and her love for children and their safety still runs deep in her blood. Consequently her mate has accepted her decision and respects it as he should be so inclined to do.

Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC?
As with her IC path, I've always thought of Yei as a somewhat maternal character. While she is a little hot tempered on occasions, it's generally through indignation at the lack of responsibilities of others. Through the process of RP and the number of things that she did experience during RPs (such as heartbreak, violence and prejudice) I thought she would have a lot to share.

Consequently, I developed her to really become maternal and as a result she often mentors young foals should she encounters them. Though she may not excel at storytelling her ability to understand their point of view (regardless of how young) has proved useful.

It was pretty much a natural progression from this point on. She's one of the few of my herd I'm determined to get to Elderhood.  

[dolphingurl]

dolphingurl

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Lonatos
Link to Teepee: Teepee
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder':
XXXXXXXXXX
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? After his last visit with Jeevita did not end well he left to find himself again, he knows he has taken some things for granted and wants to change. He has learned from what happened and if he could do it differently he probably would, but he knows that he can not change the past so he must move onto the future.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? He was my first ever soquili, and I think that it would fit with what he is going through.

 

[dbz2010]

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Midnight Shadow
Link to Teepee: [X]
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder' -see teepee for RPs and stats-
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? She's been trying to find something that makes her feel like she is needed in life and she find that this is the path that she must take in order for her to find her calling in life.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? Because she is my first, and only, Soquili and this is the highest honor for a soquili.  

[Celeanor]

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Flame
Link to Teepee: Elderwillow Camp
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder':

1-[x] The first example RP is a snap shot of his past life, before encountering Gully, Tai, and the Kawani. It shows the turmoil of his thoughts and a bit of the dilemma he found himself in.

2-[x] The second takes place some time after the first, Tai has since grown up enough to explore, and Flame begins to learn the pains of being a parent and a friend both.

3- [x] Set after Tai has met Yei Umeko and the two attempted to play a joke on him, Flame unstiffs a little and plays a bit of a practical joke himself.

4-[x] This is in the wake of the first 'family argument' where Tai storms off in a temper. Flame later hears that the natives found him tied to a tree, so at Celei's behest Flame looks for the young native hunter and in the meantime comes across some interesting soquili. First near brush with his erstwhile son.

5-[x] The white wind stallion Crousader's fall from the skies, shows the respect and trust given to him from Tai.

6-[x] Basically used to show the acceptance level he now has for his odd visions and set the stage for later development with Blais.

7- [x]Quick look into how things are now, prior to Blais's journey back to the herd that formed the rift between father and son. Crousader and Flame spar, discuss honor, and start to teach Blais a new lesson before they are interrupted.

8- [x] This -very- short blurb shows that he won't start useless fights, unlike a certain wind, and he will help a friend (no matter how annoying) in need.


Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path?

You could say it has always been his destiny to be the revered old sage beneath the pines. He thoroughly enjoys storytelling and helping troubled souls, as evidenced by his relationship with Tai, Crousader and later with Blais.

So while he starts off as a rocky sort of wanderer; most of that can be attributed to the plague of his dream visions which he later grows to accept and understand. For all intents and purposes he tried to drown himself in wanderlust, mares, and thoughtlessness before reality caught up with him.


Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC?

What makes him different is what makes him special to me, and really defines his temper. While others may have shunned their angered son or gone mad with the pain of a thousand misty dreams, his strong will and iron control brought him through the turmoil to a point where he felt secure enough within himself to teach others how to find their personal paths.

Also, everything that defines an Elder just says "Flame" to me. I have Tai, who is 'older' shop-time, and Crousader who is 'older' IC-time; but it is Flame who seeks out those who need him and does as much as he can to help.  

[Ameh]

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Maize
Link to Teepee: http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=1290655
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder':
(note that these are all in chronological order, and you should be looking for the dull purple font)

http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=2357354&page=2 (Maize is doubtful of her ability to lead her head although she is practically matriarch to it, but her father recognizes her inherent leadership abilities--not really an rp as much as I'd call a short flashback?)

http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=3&t=2432511#52753934 (mainly the 11th post into it, when Maize speaks of burdens and responsibilities that she must accustom herself to in order to mature; everything else is pretty much small talk *shrug*)

http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=7182347&page=2 (starts at fourth post from top of page; a thing you must understand of Maize is that she about never flies. She isn't proud of her wind heritage like most winds are, but she finds it necessary in order to keep her offspring safe)

http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=7817943 (best exemplifies elder qualities, though I'm still waiting to finish the rp)
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? Maize is a kind soul who will always be there for another if they are in trouble, or try her best to do what is needed to do. She offers unconditional aid, even to those who are not members of her herd. She would seek out the elder path in order to better qualify herself as someone to look up to; although most already do, Maize is not 100% confident that others would completely confide in her, which is reasonable. Maize's wisdom is beyond her years (and she's pretty old, too!) and her advice will never be kept from those willing to accept it. Hopefully, Maize would think, the elder path would open new pathways to points of view that she would then be able to share with others.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? To help explain this answer, an excerpt from Maize's personality in my teepee: "Maize takes things calmly; she handles things one by one. Even through troubled times, she takes things with ease. Because of this, she is often sought after for help or advice by others. However, her serious and sometimes dry disposition on things makes other soquili unable to become close with her."
Being the "second in command" of her father's herd, Maize does not dare stray away from routine duties and responsibilities placed on her. She aids others and works without complaint, and she has more of a level head than most soquili. Also, the fact that it is very hard to become close to Maize would work as a benefit in becoming a leader; for while a leader may have close ties with loved ones such as family or others they grew up with, it is also a job for leaders to distance themselves from others, as sometimes severely close relationships may cloud the judgments one makes.

I believe Maize is the top soquili out of my herd who fully deserves to become an elder because of who she is. She was born into a broken family (having had her biological mother leave them at a young age) but since then, progressed nicely into a matured, motherly, and wise mare.  

[Remove]

Name of Soquili and Link to Image: Artemis
Link to Teepee:Teepee
Links to RP(s) that show the Soquili has met both the first and second examples of 'what makes an Elder': Teepee Most of my RPs are in the Teepee because a lot of them were done in the main thread and copied over. There are loads that are lost though sweatdrop
Another RP This RP is Artemis giving Ghost some good advice about things and about boys!
Why would your Soquili (IC) choose the Elder path? Artemis feels that she can help others. She loves to give good advice and to just be there for others. She will go out her way to help someone if they need it but she also doesn't just go around asking if people need help. She is also rather mellow, she is content with her life and happy. She also gives everyone a chance, for example when she met Thestral he may have been a Kalona but by giving him a chance she found that looks were sometimes deceiving. It is something she would love to see, everyone just giving everyone else a chance to prove themselves though she wouldn't advise going up to a Kalona and trying to be friends with them as most aren't like her mate.
By choosing the elder path Artemis would be able to be herself even more. She would be able to discover new ways of helping people and would make it her responsibility to pass on her knowledge and wisdom to others so that they might grow in it too.
Why have you chosen the Elder path for your Soquili OOC? I think it suits Artemis. She has always been probably the most serious in her family. She has always been quiet and so she watched others and that was how she learnt to do things. I think she would be great as an elder as she always meets others with an open mind, never judging them before they have given her a reason to. Though she wouldn't judge a Kalona just because it was evil as that is what they are.