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ok, this is the form from the contest thread we need to fill out, just thought it would be good to keep it posted here so we can refer back to it. 3nodding


Anyways, here was my idea, continuing with Daeril's:
Running with the idea of the blindness, I think there should be sort of a division within the herd, some that want to stay within the protection of the humans, and then some that want to leave and go to different territory to escape the humans. The rebellious deer would probably be all without the blindness, so they don't want to be kept as sitting ducks for the humans when they are capable of escape.

As well for something about the Hierarchy...maybe there could be like, a usual advisory council to the Lord of the herd, made up of mostly elders. However, since the herd has had to be moved, they (the elders) were some of the first to be picked off by the humans because of their old age. So without most of the council, the herd has lost it's longstanding governing body, and now is even more conflicted.

I have a possible name idea that I came across while looking up Irish/Celtic myths for something on the religion or culture of the herd. But right now I'm going to put in my idea for the religion of the herd. I think it would be interesting if they had a legend that claimed the forefather of the herd had come from the land of Hy Breasail, a phantom island believed to reside off of the west of Ireland. It was believed this island was completely shrouded in mist every day, except for once every seven years when it became visible. There would be some long tale of how he came to the land they reside on now and such that could be figured out later. Since the island was a phantom, or fairy island, it would be plausible that the legend would speak of the forefather having some type of either magical power, or connection to Herne (he would kind of be like what starbuck is to the firebringer herd, though they may also believe in starbuck as well). This could also be interesting if some of the deer, who may or may not know the cause of the blindness, feel that it is a curse bestowed by Herne. Methods of trying to break the curse could be part of the story, to make it more interesting and stuff. So...that's my idea for the religious part of it.

Anyways, the name idea I had was Hy Breasail, which is the name of the phantom island. It's kind of unoriginal though, so I would love to hear anyone else's ideas.

adding to Tam's idea for the history portion: Maybe the tale/ "history" could be that on the island, Herne created a herd to protect the island from whatever (insert something here). However, after seeing that the deer he had placed on the island were not unified and/or performing the task he had set them there to do, he created a leader from the waters and earth of the island and named him Ennis/Innes (which is a celtic name for "from the island") to lead them and perform their duties of protection and whatnot. Skipping ahead many many years, Herne was pleased with Ennis and the Hy Breasail (I like that name <3) herd...but one day Herna visited Ennis and told him of a strong and evil force that was coming (man) and told the leader that he must protect the island from harm. Ennis agreed to do this, but when the time came to protect the island from "invaders", Ennis became cowardly, and even though the herd wanted to stay and fight and do what they were supposed to, Ennis tricked them into leaving by saying they had to (uh...insert someting here. collect something from the mainland to defeat the "evil"? not sure yet) and the herd fled across the waters (how, I have no clue. it's MAJIK) to the mainland, leaving the island to ruin behind the mist.

Herne had followed and one night her confronted Ennis, asking why he had fled, broken his vow, and why he had tricked others to save himself. Ennis couldn't really answer. He was a coward, and even though a leader, selfish and deep down only believed in self preservation. Herne knew this, and so to punish Ennis, he cursed him AND his herd, and their desendents (and what have you) with a blindness and to forever stay in the clutches of the thing he ran away from; man.

DUNDUNDUN. it sucks, but it popped into my head and I had to get it down for who knows why.

I love your idea azumi! It's awsome!!
yay^^ I'm so happy this is coming together so well.

And then those who believed in the curse would be terrified of leaving, and doing all they could to appease Herne and make him revoke the curse (insert interesting rituals/methods/ideas and such), while some of the deer who weren't blind would think the curse was nonsense, and want to leave or something.

I think that's brilliant guys ^^

So are we agreed on the name of the herd being Hy Breasail?

I agree with the name <3.

That makes sense, since it's really man's fault for the deer going blind. That'd then start more commotion within the herd, right? Since any new comers are now freaked or something and want to leave? The deer who want to stay and try to justify themselves could also maybe act like uhh...guard ish people who're trying to keep everyone from leaving? I dunno.

yeah, I like that.
It also ties in very nicely for some of the herd wanting to split off. Because not all of them will be blind, and some of the outriders who aren't blind might feel useless because they live so clsoe to the humans, that they aren't really needed to protect the herd. So I guess some who wanted to leave would be trying to arrange other unblind deer, while those who believed in the curse would be guarding the herd not from outisde threat, but from those within their own ranks who are trying to split up the herd. And then those trying to leave would think the curse is just a tale to scare fawns, and that the only reason for the blindness is the humans. Seems kind of cult-like, it's cool xd