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 Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:08 pm
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 .[ Mlima Tuokoa].
"The mountain saved us."
.[Basic Information].
IC Owners ; Heinrich (Quaji), Pinot (Mia Sharra)
OOC Owners ; Quaji
allowed species ; Leopards and leopard hybrids (leotah & leopon) (main), allows cheetahs, lions, & familiars
colony symbol ;
colony cert background ;
default rank ; hunter
.[Currently].
The colony is under the rule of Heinrich's father, who will die of old age before his return, instilling fear that the colony will fall to ruins without the royal line there. The crown prince was sent away at adolescence when a plot to kill the royal family was uncovered and has been away since, though Heinrich was not told the truth of why his father cast him out. What the young leopard was told was that he wasn't ready for the throne yet and to return only when he had a decent amount of followers. The time of his return is nigh.
.[Their History].
They were peaceful before. They had little protection, thinking their goddess was enough to keep them safe from any harm. Heinrich's great-grandfather was the founder of the colony. A colony that used to reside in a thick forest, away from the world. Their trees had always protected them when they needed it the most. Their life was fine. They had plenty to eat and their children grew up safe. What more could they ask for?
Help.
It was sudden. In the night, as the hunters were getting ready to leave, the roars of dozens of lions could be heard throughout their jungle. They barely had time to even panic before their larger African cousins were upon them. Blood and fur, along with rage and fear entered the air, spurring both sides on, though one was for destruction and the other was for survival. Some tried to escape to the trees, hoping to lose the lions with their expert climbing but were shocked to have their larger cousins come after them, though not as gracefully, and pull them to the ground where they gasped their last breath. They fled the only way they could: up and out.
Out of the forests they ran.
Up the mountains they climbed.
They escaped the jaws of the lions only to come face to face with the bone-chilling cold of higher elevation. With only death behind them, they pressed forward, pushing through the slopes even though the chilled rain began to fall, hoping to find something other than death. Many left, thinking it foolhardy that their leader continually told them that their goddess would not have guided their paws that way if there wasn't some kind of hope. Others just died along the way, left to be buried in the snow, while others were left to either join them through stopping to mourn or trek on, hoping for the chance to go back and bury the bones. No one was left unaffected by that day. No one.
Then they found it.
Two caves, large enough that it is not common belief that their goddess' family lived in the caverns but in truth it was what others know as the lion gods of Africa most likely inhabited them. Exploration uncovered not only the two, but the further one led to a higher cavern with a cavern opening of it's own. Along the passageway to the third was a smaller den to the side and up, looking to be a sort of storage area or what they could make into a birthing den. From the third, continuing upward, were two more den areas, connecting by a ledge outside.
This was their home.
Thanks was given to their goddess for bringing them to safety and providing for them. A celebration was preformed as soon as they were able and all has been well since, or at least that is what it would seem.
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:09 pm
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.[Beliefs].
Gods;
Shan Furen
Shan Furen is the one and only goddess for the colony. She is the creator of all and the equivalent to what many others know Mkodi to be. A kind goddess, she had always shown mercy and protection to the colony in return for their loyalty. It is also said that she was there at the founding and is the one that blessed Heinrich's grandfather as the leader, solidifying the family's reign. Whether it is true is another matter though.
Ceremonies;
-Birthing ; Working on this part.
-Marriage ; Working on this part.
-Death ; Working on this part.
Common Beliefs
-Arranged Marriages ; A common practice among the royal family. Typically they are arranged with outside families rather then inside ones to bring in new blood and strengthen ties outside. While usually the previous statement holds true, it is not unheard of for the royal family to look inside their own borders for a suitable mate for the heir. Arranged marriages are uncommon for any royal rank lower then crown prince or princess.
-Non-Leopards ; Any feline species is permitted to join assuming they have a leopard, leotah or leopon mate, even if they cannot produce children (ex. infertile leotah x cheetah or a same sex pair). They are only allowed the rank of consort, but are not looked down upon in any way. If they produce non-leopard children in-colony (fertile leotah x lion = leopon / cheeton) the children with no leopard blood will assume the rank of hunter until they find a mate and will then take the rank of consort while those of leopard blood will be allowed to take any normal rank within the colony.
-Familiars ; Familiars hold no special rank in the colony, but are allowed assuming they are in the company of a leopard or a consort. They are expected to pull their weight though since they are allowed the protection of the colony.
-Pelt colors ; All colors are permitted in the colony as well as patterns. They accept any due to the fact their numbers are so low and they need any body they can get. Old blood usually range from black, grey, white, steel blue, reds, brown and combinations in-between.
.[Culture].
Seers
Seers are highly respected in the colony as it is believed their gifts come from Shan Furen herself. While treated a little better, in society and ranking there is no difference between a seer and non-seer. However in older days it would have been expected they become a priest. Present day, they have more choice what rank they would like to take.
Mating
Bloodlines are extremely important to the mountain leopards. Strong lines are expected to breed with strong lines, while weaker are normally expected to die out or become even larger as they try to become stronger. Mating among the common ranks is far from serious, though weddings and courting among the royal family is usually the talk of the colony when they occur. Not only that, but celebrations are held the higher the rank the pair to be wed hold.
• Marriages are fairly rare due to how long courting another can be, but they looked upon highly, especially among the royal family and those that command attention (high priest, grand master, captain of the guard and head hunter, as well as nobles, lords and ladies). Celebrations are larger for the leaders of the four major ranks then for nobility usually just because of how rare the occasion is.
• Adults flinging outside of the colony is allowed so long as some of the cubs born from the partnership return to strengthen their number.
• Adults flinging inside the colony is allowed so long as the pair commit to raise the cubs together until they reach the age they can become an apprentice. Then they are allowed to go their separate ways. Should one or both of the pair not wish to raise the cubs, they may forfeit it but at the price of public shame and the chance of gossip being started about them. The cubs in such case would be raised by the remaining parent and the colony's nannies. Should neither parent want them, they forfeit all ties to the children, they go to the nannies and be raised not knowing their parents until adolescent.
• Adolescent breeding for both genders is allowed, but looked down upon as they are believed to be far too young to hold a family and the lack of inexperience or worldly know-how would result in a poor litter.
xxxxAdolescent females are expected to live among the nannies so they can aid with caring for her children. This is also so she can learn how to care for future litters since she made the mistake of having them so young.
xxxxAdolescent males are expected to do something similar to the teen females. While the cubs are to be raised with the nannies alongside the male responsible, the male is expected to try and make amends to the female's family (especially in-colony) through gifts and favors.
Sexuality
Bottom line is any sexuality is allowed in the colony.
Male/Female pairs are preferred as they help solidify a line within the colony and strengthen the family. The crown prince or princess as well as the king or queen are to take an opposite sex partner to continue their line. Whether they take a master or mistress on the side is another matter, but such things are unheard of as there's such a large chance for shame.
Male/Male or Female/Female are often considered out of the norm, but not looked down upon in any way, especially if they are willing to fling outside of the pair to continue their bloodline. This includes a fertile mixing with an infertile. |
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:10 pm
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Ranks
Royal Ranks
King or Queen (1)
The leader of the mountain leopards. Their word is law. All four of the main heads of the colony's ranking system receive their orders from him. He or she knows the entire known history for the colony, helping aid them with decisions.
Queen (~1)
The high rank given to the mate of the king. The reasoning ranges from love to lust to just a good diplomatic move for the well-being of the colony. Regardless she is respected and is typically viewed as a sort of example for young females to behave. This is not always true as some queens have been hated in the past, though most leopards do not outwardly express their anger out of respect for the position she holds.
Prince Consort (~1)
In the event that a queen takes the throne, the Crown Prince that was set to be her mate will assume this rank.
Crown Prince or Princess (1)
They are current heir to the throne should anything happen to the ruler. They are a direct child of the current king or queen ruler. The heir is not gender specific, just no female heir has been chosen in their recalled history.
Betrothed (1)
This is the rank given to the to-be mate for the current heir to the throne. There is only one at a time and while the betrothal may be broken, he or she may not wed or mate with another before their arranged marriage. To do so would be a shame upon themselves and forfeit their right to wed into the royal family.
Prince or Princess (unlimited)
The children of the current king and queen or queen and prince consort. Princes and princesses will become lords or ladies if their parents are no longer the ruling power and a sibling comes to power. Should their mother (or father in the event of a prince consort) no longer be in power they will retain this rank until a sibling takes the throne, then they will be bumped down to either a lord or a lady until their death or exile.
Lord/Lady (unlimited)
Sibling of the current king (with queen mate) or queen (with prince consort rank). They are the ears of the royal family as well as advisers to the king (prince consort) & queen.
Noble (unlimited)
The child of a lord or lady as well as a prince or princess, this includes adopted children. Should a noble produce children, they will obtain a non-royal rank. While they are not required to work, not pulling their own weight is seen as laziness and wishing ill-will towards the colony. They, like consorts, may assume many roles under this rank, usually specializing in one (priesthood is the most common due to the lack of roughness in it) instead of many.
* It is possible for a non-leopard to obtain this rank due to actions that benefit the royal family. This is a granted rank and can only be given. Their children would become hunters or consorts should they have any non-leopard children. Leopard and leopard hybrids resulting from a breeding would follow the normal rank progression.
------
Common Ranks
Captain of the Guard (1)
This leopard only reports to the king when summoned and offer council to the royal family when asked.They oversee all of the guards and ensures the inner safety of the colony while the templars ensure the outer safety of the colony.
Guard (unlimited)
Patrol the colony and it's borders, ensuring peace is kept and trouble is relatively non-existent. They are also the ones who try to keep the snow off of the pathways between the dens. A dangerous job, but highly respected among the colony.
Head Hunter (1)
This leopard is in charge of organizing the hunts that are preformed almost daily. He or she report to the king when summoned and offer council to the royal family when asked.
Hunter (unlimited)
The default rank for the colony, but by no far the least respected. They are the lifeblood of the colony, keeping their bellies relatively full during hard times and pushing themselves to keep up with the thin hunting game.
* This is the only rank non-leopards can obtain. Should they get a leopard or leopard hybrid mate, they are expected to take the rank of consort. If they get a mate other then a leopard or leopard hybrid, this is the rank they will stay.
Grand Master (1)
The head of the Templars. They report to the king when summoned and offer council to the royal family when asked. Templars answer to this one leopard. He or she is given the task of ensuring the safety of the colony from the outside looking in. They organize parties to go out and search for potential outside threads and eliminate them before they can pose any real threat.
Templar (unlimited)
Holy warriors that fight in the name of their goddess. They frequently leave the colony borders to help ensure the safety of their home from foreign threats. While not on-duty, they usually act as either priests or guards, though not all do. Some are known to join the hunting parties or even help raise cubs while not away.
High Priest or Priestess (1)
Always a seer, they are the head of the religious side of the colony. They receive their visions supposedly from Shan Furen herself. This rank holds quite a bit of power as they speak the will of the colony's goddess and many are easily swayed due to their goddess having saved them before. They report to the king when summoned and offer council to the royal family when asked. Priests answer to this one leopard.
Priest or Priestess (unlimited)
These leopards tend to the high priest or priestess, aiding in daily ceremonies and rituals. They also tend to any visiting gods that represent Shan Furen and make sure they are well cared for during their visit. They are often an intermediary for the pride between Shan Furen and the common member.
Lady-in-Waiting (3~5)
Assistants for the queen and (crown) princess(es). They aid in daily things such as bathing any royal litters, hunting, tasting food (as there were some attempts of poison in the past), cleaning dens and changing sleeping furs. Some even carry things upon their backs for them.
Storyteller (5)
The historians for the colony. It is their duty to not only recall the tales of old and pass them along to the new generations but also to entertain the members on harsh nights with fabulous tales.
Merchant (5)
While the colony strives to be self-sufficient, the furs from mountain goats and hare are hardly sufficient to warm their dens. They travel down the paths with whatever goods they have on them and try to trade for thicker, warmers furs. They are also the members that primarily bring back new blood.
Nanny (5)
The colony helps their own but these members go above and beyond with helping tend cubs of all kinds to ease the burden on the parents who may need to tend to other duties.
Medic (5)
They typically have the thickest fur due to the fact they are also search and rescue because of their knowledge of helping others in various situations. These are the healers to the colony though their jobs vary from aiding another medic and acting solo.
Consort (unlimited)
This is the rank given to any non-leopard mate that is paired to a leopard. While not truly part of the colony, they are still respected due to their strengths and are permitted to live within their borders. Usually they take on rolls similar to other members: cub-sitting, hunting, storytelling and crafting are the main ones, usually specializing in one instead of tending to all of the tasks.
Apprentice (unlimited)
The adolescents of the colony. They must go and seek out a member of the rank they wish to join and apprentice under them, assisting in daily tasks until they are 1) old enough, adult, and 2) deemed worth enough by the one teaching them that they may obtain their desired rank.
Cub (unlimited)
All cubs assume this rank unless born from a lord/lady (in which case they obtain the rank noble) or the king and queen (in which case they obtain the rank prince, princess, crown prince or crown princess). This is also the rank for the juveniles of the colony (nobles keep their rank until death of exile, and [crown] prince/princess keep their rank until demoted). |
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:12 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:13 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:14 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:44 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:57 pm
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.Up to the Mountain Top.
Name Avani and Pumilio
Rank I was hoping for Lady in Waiting or Nanny for Avani, and Guard for Pumi? O:
Original or Joining Joining; ICCly, they'd be joining once they've officially decided to make a family. OCCly, Po is trying very hard with her rps. ;3;
[Optional]
Personality Avani is very kind and soft-hearted, whereas Pumi is willful and opinionated. He has a shorter temper than most, especially when it comes to Avani. That's them in a bubble. c:
History Avani and Pumilio have been together for as long as either of them care to remember. Pumilio found Avani when she was young, wandering alone on the Savannah. They grew up together and fell in love, and Pumilio became more and more possessive of Avani as the days went by. Avani, of course, has never minded this, and usually follows Pumilio's orders to the 't', unless she really needs to get away for a little while. As with joining this colony, it was Pumi's idea, as he desperately wants to start a family.
Other UHM. Yeah. xD They come as a pair? |
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:16 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:47 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:57 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:38 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:40 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:06 pm
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