[OOC] Tutaamka-jivu Pride Information

[Meepfur]

BANNER

Tutaamka-jivu
we will rise [from] ash

[x] Territory
The Tutaamka-jivu have taken up residence in the swamplands once again, although they're far from the lush wetland they once were. While the area near the Heart of the Swamp is growing and green, the rest is still struggling to recover from the wildfire that all but destroyed the lands, and the farther one gets from the Heart, the more obvious that is. Though the drought has finally ended, and thus there is plenty of water, few of the great trees that once formed a dark canopy over the swamp still live. Most are dead and charred, some fallen or falling, and at best are now little more than unsteady structures for new plants to cling to. In short, it is a desolate, unwelcoming place.

It is made even less inviting by the 'decorations' that litter the border, placed there deliberately to warn all comers away: bones of all shapes and sizes. The most disconcerting, the skulls, are placed prominently atop rocks, charred stumps, or in the branches of what trees still stand. They are not exclusively of prey animals, either; the bones of large predators adorn the scene as well. The message is very, very clear: stay away.

[x] History
Long is the history of the pride from which the Tutaamka-jivu sprang, but that history has ended. They were the Jini-misemi once, the Spirit-talkers, an old pride who worshipped spirits and the gods who could command them to do their will. More highly revered than any other was the Goddess of Swamps, Mama Bwawa, who according to stories had created their swampland home as a safe haven for her favored children. There they remained largely isolated, save for when they would send out their children on coming-of-age quests to find themselves and return with knowledge and a new name. For generation after generation there was peace in the small pride, until for reasons lost to time, their patron became their destruction: with the help of the God of Water, she unleashed a flood upon her chosen. Almost to a one, they were wiped from the earth for whatever offense had been given.

Two daughters and granddaughters of the King survived, however, and one of those granddaughters eventually returned to the swamp to take up her birthright and rebuild. Asali'jua brought with her a handful of rogues, and in time, as others joined them, the pride's numbers swelled and flourished. Asali guided them until her death of old age, the first of a parade of misfortunes that would visit the new Jini-misemi. During the reign of her son, Narindima'moyo, a murderer slipped into the pride, killing several before he was caught and brought to justice. Hope was kindled when, at Mysmyr's execution, their lost Queen reappeared: Asali'jua returned to them a goddess, having risen to the domain that once belonged to Mama Bwawa.

Soon after the appearance of Mama Asali, Narindima'moyo abdicated the throne in favor of his son, Jhonki-sahna, who had returned from his quest with a mate, Be-khatra, and together they had a healthy litter of cubs. before long, though, their happiness was dashed when a younger sister of Jhonki-sahna returned from her own quest with a stunning accusation: Be-khatra was unclean, not of full lion blood, the daughter of a hybrid abomination. The King, his Consort, and their children were banished, and the sister who had revealed the truth became the new Queen. Within months of taking the throne, La'u Khara'i had a litter of her own, and it seemed a hopeful start...but her reign would be no less troubled.

Drought came to the swamp, and then, in the midst of a celebration, lightning struck and started a wildfire that burned the lands and drove out the Jini-misemi. They fled through the lands of the neighboring Ela'wadiyi to reach a new home: The Great Mountain. For a time, all seemed well again - more and more litters were born, and life went on. Something about La'u Khara'i wasn't quite right, though...illness had taken hold in her lungs, perhaps caused or aided by smoke inhalation from the fire, and she collapsed during a ceremony. She lived, but acknowledged that she was no longer fit enough to rule, and passed the title of Queen to one of her daughters, Samudranta.

This did not sit well with one of Samudranta's younger sisters, Siyarin, who was on her quest at the time and believed that if she had not been, she would have been chosen to succeed. She bided her time, got close to her sister, and convinced her that enough time had passed that an attempt should be made to scout and re-settle the swamp. Samudranta agreed, and Siyarin, of course, was chosen to select and lead the group. She was very discerning in her selection, choosing devout believers in the spirits who also happened to bear certain colors, and together they ventured back to their homeland.

Thus began the rise of the Tutaamka-jivu, even as the Jini-misemi fell.
 

[Meepfur]

The Heart of the Swamp

About a year after the fire that ravaged the swamp and the Jini-misemi relocated to the mountain, Mama Asali disappeared without a word. Unbeknownst to anyone, she returned to the swamp to begin an effort to restore it, using her abilities as a goddess to help speed the process. This is an overextension of her powers, however, and as a result she has gone into a state of stagnation, a sort of hibernation in which she is largely unaware of the world around her. Her abilities are still active, but she is not, slumbering as the swamp very slowly begins to heal around her.

When Siyarin arrived with her contingent of Seekers to resettle the swamp, she and a small group came upon the sleeping deity, who by then was half-covered in swamp vegetation herself. This small group was sworn to secrecy, and became the first Wanakesha. They would keep the secret of the swamp, and just as importantly, they would protect it.

In the months since that discovery, the stagnant goddess has been completely covered over by plantlife and fungi. There is very clearly something supernatural or magical there, given the abundance and lushness of the area, but it is no longer apparent that the goddess is there. It is referred to as the Heart of the Swamp, and only a select few are trusted with the truth of what keeps it beating.
 

[Meepfur]

Beliefs

[x] Spirits
The Tutaamka-jivu believe that there are spirits, called 'vijini' ('jini' is singular), all around them. They are everywhere, in everything; they do many things. They encourage the wind, stir the currents; they are the dance in the flames and the life in the growing things. According to their beliefs, when the gods perform their works, it is the vijini they command to accomplish it. If a god commands vijini to do something, if it is in that particular god's domain to give that command and have it be heeded, the vijini must do it; it is not a choice. It is simply the natural order of things. Most vijini are capricious, unorganized beings, who lack the conviction and power to do truly powerful things. When a god directs them, it gives them purpose, and given that purpose by a greater being, they have no choice but to follow.

...so they believe, anyway. Just as they believe that they can and do communicate with spirits, and they hold them in great respect, believing in their power. They offer sacrifices of blood both to appease them and earn their favor, though they rarely make requests when doing so. Sacrifices are seen as a necessary means to keep the spirits happy and the pride alive. In the Jini-misemi, occasional sacrifices were taken for granted and, the Tutaamka-jivu believe, too insignificant and too few and far between. As the first incarnation of the Jini-msemi was destroyed by flood, then the second displaced by fire and now earth, it seems crystal clear that the Jini-misemi disappointed the spirits, and the Tutaamka-jivu cannot afford to make that mistake.

[x] Reincarnation
Also stronger in the Tutaamka-jivu is the belief in reincarnation. They believe that the soul is eternal and stems from the earth, and after death returns there for a time to rest before beginning a new life. They see the rebirth of the lioness Asali'jua as the goddess Mama Asali as the ultimate proof of reincarnation. Gods are viewed as the rarely-achieved pinnacle of reincarnation; below that are lions (the species that gods most resemble) and predatory species of birds (who have been blessed with flight, as the gods have); below that are other large felines, then hyenas, then wild dogs and their kin, then crocodiles and venomous snakes, and so on. They have seen no need to make an exact order for all species, as what's important is that they are near the apex.

Carnivores and omnivores that consume flesh are thought to occupy a separate cycle than herbivores and insectivores, their souls being, in most cases, fundamentally different. It is thought that souls usually reincarnate into the same species they were previously, but in exceptional cases where the vijini are especially pleased with them for whatever reason, they may move on into a higher form, and so it is possible - albeit very rare - for a soul that was previously housed in the form of an herbivore to move on to the form of a low-ranking carnivore and thus begin to work their way up that hierarchy. The opposite is also possible: a soul with whom the vijini are displeased may be forced into a lower form.

In most cases, reincarnated souls do not remember their past lives, though some exceptions do exist. Sometimes, latent memories may manifest in an individual's dreams, which they may or may not recall upon waking.

(Note: As reincarnation isn't actually a thing in SoA, no one has real memories of past lives, since they haven't had any. They are, however, more than welcome to believe that they have.)

[x] Color
The Tutaamka-jivu only accept lions of certain colors. All natural colors are accepted, as well as diluted and/or dark greens: basically, they like lions who look like they belong in a swamp. They also like lions who look like ghosts: white and pale grays and some pale blues. Very bright colors of any kind - even green or blue - are also considered undesirable. Some accent color - covering no more than 25% of the coat - is not ideal, but acceptable.
-Ideal Examples
-Acceptable Examples
-Unacceptable Examples
-Borderline Examples
Acceptance of 'borderline' individuals will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and will be influenced by the overall look of the lion; the female in the middle, for instance, has fairly pale blues and a more ghostly look than the female at the bottom, who has more and darker blues. The pink of the lioness at the top, while not a desirable color, is not particularly bright and makes up less than 25% of her coat, and so she would likely be accepted.

If a cub of unacceptable color is born, it cannot remain in the pride. After it is named, the mother must take it away from the lands, at which point what she does with it is her choice. She may simply leave it to die, or find someone else to care for it, so long as that someone isn't told anything about the pride or where it is.
 

[Meepfur]

Traditions

[x] Sacrifice
Sacrifices now occur regularly, under the darkness of every new moon, and they are not mere prey animals. The sacrifice of choice is now a large predator, be it a hyena, wild dog, cheetah, leopard, or lion. This sacrifice is usually someone who was foolish enough to ignore the grisly warnings at the border and trespass on the pride's lands, though if there have been no such trespassers, a band of Wanatisha will be sent out to find and bring back a suitable sacrifice. Sometimes, a sacrifice may be willing, perhaps an older or injured member who wishes the dignity and honor of being a willing gift in death, or to improve the standing of their soul as they move on to the next life. Whatever the reason given, nearly all willing sacrifices will be accepted.

[x] Gender, Sexuality, and Mating
The Tutaamka-jivu have an open view on gender: each individual is whatever they say they are, regardless of what they look like. A soul of one gender (or no or fluid gender, etc.) in the body of another is thought to be an occasional happenstance of reincarnation, and no one really thinks anything of it or makes any kind of fuss about it. Similarly, sexuality is no big deal, either. You are what you are, and no one has a right to give you any trouble over it.

Beliefs on mating are essentially the same as they were among the Jini-misemi: all unions within one's species are valid and permissible, and they follow SoA rules on breeding (second cousin and beyond is perfectly acceptable). Same-gender relationships, poly relationships, rogue breeding, everything is fine as long everyone involved is of the same species and of consenting age. Pride members may not be involved in relationships until they have undergone their rebirth and discovered their true name.

For a female to venture off and breed with an outsider is permissible, but only with suitably-colored lions. In this case, the male is considered nothing more than a means to an end, and is not invited to visit the offspring, much less take any of them. If the female thinks he would be a suitable pride member, she may bring him back to be tested and, if he passes, he will go through the process of rebirth.

Hybrid breeding is still forbidden, regardless of the circumstances, and will result in the deaths of both mother and cubs.

[x] Birth
Childbirth, as it was in the old pride, is viewed as an exclusively female matter. A female may choose to tell her fellow lionesses where this den is, but she will keep it a carefully-guarded secret from any males - and this is something the males will respect. Males are strictly prohibited from witnessing the birth, and thereby profaning the sacred purity of the event. Other lionesses, however, may be present to assist, if necessary; but they must keep their mouths carefully shut once any cubs have entered the world. Children are to hear no words in the delicate, crucial time before they are given names, although humming and wordless songs do no harm, and are permitted.

Cubs remain in the den with their mother until the dawn after their eyes open, at which time they are shepherded outside into the light, where their mother will give them their first, simple names.

[x] Rebirth
The essence of the old Jini-msemi tradition of embarking on a quest to find one's true self and name remains, but the process has been fundamentally altered. Adolescents are not sent away from the swamp, as so many never returned, whether by choice or unfortunate circumstance, and also because the pride became very well-known as a result. The Tutaamka-jivu are far more insular, and are careful to keep their children and knowledge safe within their lands.

Rather than being sent away physically, adolescents are brought to the Heart of the Swamp and given a measured dose of a fungus that grows there. It has hallucinogenic properties, and will send them into a dream-state that lasts about a day. What they see in the course of their visions will inform the new name they choose upon waking. What is seen differs wildly from one individual to another: they may have an experience akin to a vivid dream or nightmare, or it could all be a vague, confusing jumble with one or two points that stick out, or somewhere in between. While they may move a bit or even thrash at times, at no point will they be ambulatory, nor are they aware of the real world around them. Wanakesha will watch over them until they wake, and will provide water and food when they do.

Once the adolescent wakes, they will remain in relative isolation (under the watch of the Wanakesha, who will not speak to them) in the Heart of the Swamp for a day, giving them time to reflect on their experiences before choosing their name. The Wanakesha present at the time will witness, and one will escort the dreamer back to the pride to be welcomed as an adult.

(Important Note: Unless your SoA is a seer, they will not receive visions that are actually TRUE. Though they can believe they're true or prophetic, they're really just dreams.)

[x] Joining
Joining the Tutaamka-jivu is difficult, to say the least. One must first be a lion of appropriate color to even be considered. Those under consideration will be extensively interviewed by the Anaamrisha to ensure that they are a worthy addition to the pride. If they pass, they will undergo a process identical to that of adolescents, and be reborn into the pride with a new name. Former Jini-misemi, if they were not a part of the initial group who came to the swamp with Siyarin, must also undergo the ritual, though they don't have to choose another new name unless they want to.

[x] Names
The names given to cubs are simple, one-word names: Nyoe (grasshopper), for example. Names chosen after rebirth may also be simple, or they may be longer and more elaborate, but they must be different. Nyoe later became Narindima'moyo (roaring heart), while Jhulsa (charred) became Siyarin (female jackal). They can be in any non-English language, but they must have a meaning! They can't just be a bastardized version of a name or word (Ree'bekuh, Dok'tor, etc.).
 

[Meepfur]

Ranks

Anaamrisha
s/he commands

Anakesha (pl. Wanakesha)
s/he keeps vigil
guardians of the Heart of the Swamp; limited availability

Anaanga (pl. Wanaanga)
s/he bewitches
herbalists; limited availability
The Wanaanga craft potions and tonics, mostly using ingredients found in the swamp, though they may leave the lands to forage for ingredients that are not readily available (they may also ask the Wanatisha to look for what they need). They are responsible for preparing the hallucinogenic mixture given to adolescents and new members for their rebirth trial, and also for the paralytic in which the Wanatisha dip their claws.

Anabashiri (pl. Wanabashiri)
s/he foretells
seers; open, any seer may claim this rank

Anatisha: (pl. Wanatisha)
s/he terrifies
border guards/scouts, open rank
Responsible for the safety of the pride, they frighten and drive away - or kill - those who would trespass on the lands, and are charged with capturing sacrifices for every new moon. Wanatisha dip their claws in a mild paralytic supplied by the Wanaanga, which aids them in their duties. The Wanatisha themselves are given increasing doses of the paralytic during their training, so that by the time they officially assume the rank, they have developed a resistance to it.

Anadumu (pl. Wanadumu)
s/he endures
default rank; no formal division for hunters, cub-sitters, etc.

Inaota (pl. Inaota)
it grows (as a plant)
all cubs  

[Meepfur]

spare post  

[Meepfur]

There are updates pending to reflect what happened in the meta, but I am...obviously way behind. orz