[Pride Concept] Makono-epesi - We've moved threads!

[Andranis]

Check out our new thread here, now hosted by the pride mule! heart

In the heart of the savannah, a strange pride lives. The pride is a mix of lions and cheetahs... And the cheetahs don't appear to do actual work, instead running all day. What could possibly be going on here? It would seem there's some agreement amid the lions and cheetahs...

[Cert image here]

Name: Makono-epesi - Swift paws
Pride symbol: [X] - If anybody cares to propose one, I'd love to hear it heart
Location: [X]
Owner(s), OOC: Andranis
Owner(s), IC: Makoto (Andranis), Lala (Saint Sergio)

[size=9]
[b]Pack/Pride Name:[/b] Makono-epesi
[b]Current IC Owner(s):[/b] Makoto(Andranis), Lala(Saint Sergio)
[b]Current OOC Owner(s):[/b] Andranis
[b]Default ranks:[/b] Lion - Hunter/Huntress
Cheetah - Racer
Leopard - Draft Leopard
Hyena - Guard Hyena
Wild Dog - Guard Dog
Hybrids - Mule
[b]Current Pride/Pack Members, and Rankings of Each:[/b]
[b]Links to at least five [i]current[/i] RPs:[/b] [url=][1][/url] [url=][2][/url] [url=][3][/url] [url=][4][/url] [url=][5][/url]
[b]Brief Description of your Pride/Pack: [/b] A pride made up of mixed species, the Makono-epesi has one major draw to it - They race cheetahs. Bred for many generations, these cheetahs have an insatiable desire for speed and running, but are still very welcoming of new blood. After all, impeccable breeding doesn't always make for the fastest! Are YOU the fastest cheetah?
[b]Cert Background Large Image:[/b] [url=]Cert image[/url]
[b]Pride Symbol for Cert:[/b] [img]x[/img]
[b]Where is this pride located on the SoA map?[/b]
[b]Any Extra Information:[/b] Extra info: Race Name (Only cheetahs will have this filled in)
[b]Pride/Pack History:[/b]
[/size]

 

[Andranis]

History

Many generations ago, so many that nobody remembers how long it was, there was a small family of cheetahs. It was simply a mother and her five cubs - By some miracle, her cubs had all made it to adolescence, which normally meant she'd send them off. But not only did she particularly love her children, they loved her and wanted to give her a good life. After all, they weren't her first litter - In fact, the three boys and two girls were her sixth litter. This meant they were her last, for old age had by then tinged her dusky coat with white points. While two hunted, the rest would stay and race in front of her, one on one, to keep her entertained. They didn't want their mother, who'd taught them everything she knew, to have to hunt again.

It was during one of these days, while the oldest brother and sister were off hunting, that a pride of lions, currently displaced and seeking a new territory, happened upon the mother and her three younger children. From a distance, they saw the two brothers that had stayed behind race each other, reach a tree... And the winner proudly held his head high as they returned to the starting point. The pride laid out, watching these activities in amusement and amazement.

Soon, the oldest two returned with no kill between them. The lionesses rose to their paws and left at that point, while the males and cubs of the pride remained to watch the cheetahs. The cheetahs, in the mean time, didn't notice their admirers, up on a hill.

Finally, the lionesses returned with not one, but two kills, proving their skill once again. One of the oldest lionesses, a female who had a horribly mangled front paw, took part of the kill and acted as an ambassador, taking it to the cheetahs.

Rather naturally, the cheetahs were fearful, the two older brothers and the oldest sister standing in front of their mother and youngest siblings, hackles up. It was the youngest brother, the runt of the litter, who made the first move for peace as he pointed out that the lioness not only couldn't hurt them with her paw mangled as it was, but she came with meat - How many lions came with meat up to cheetahs? His brothers and sister relented, and though skeptical, they accepted the meal from the lioness. It was then they realized they'd had an audience this whole time to their little race games.

The following day, while the oldest sister and middle brother went out to hunt, the youngest brother raced the oldest. For the first time, the youngest brother won, being the one to proudly prance back with his head high. And up on the hill, the lions roared their cheers of encouragement.

This continued for first many days, and then many weeks. Every few days, the lions moved closer, until they had amassed the family of cheetahs amid their number. For the first time, they were very well fed, and found they could spend much of their time racing one another instead of hunting. More food meant more energy, and they began to go faster.

But soon the young cheetahs were adults, and like all adults wanted certain things they were sure the lions couldn't provide. The youngest brother was the first to head out to find himself a mate, and the lions found they missed his sweet manners. He returned soon enough, though, and brought with him a female who was curious about this pride that accepted cheetahs. Soon the other siblings went out to find mates, and the mates joined the races.

In those days, a quiet pact was made between lion and cheetah that soon drew in other cheetahs simply because they wanted in. So long as the cheetahs raced each other, and in some cases bred with who was thought to possibly create the more superior offspring with the fasted and steadiest paws, the lions would shelter the cheetahs from other predators, protecting them from poaching by hyenas, and feed them so they didn't have to hunt. Many generations passed, and the race mentality became incredibly ingrained into the local cheetahs of the pride, while the hyenas and wild dogs were added as extra protection, and leopards to help move things for races.

Another year has come, and with it, new races.

Are you the fastest cheetah?  

[Andranis]

Territory

The Makono-epesi live just south of the Motoujamii Desert and within almost spitting distance of the nearest river to the desert(I totally don't remember the name). Here's a map of where:

(The color choice is me being lazy for the dot)

The landscape is dominated mostly by grasses, with trees here and there, and ample hills. The races take place in the more flat areas, closer to the river. Near the river is an older bed, showing the ancient path of the river or a stream - Nobody's sure which it was - that's used for the Stone Track, as it's fairly straight and easy to get in and out of.

To the south of the lands sits the river, the source of water used to dampen tracks for 'wet' races, as well as the source of water for drinking. Cheetahs are brought here daily so they don't get thirsty, herded by the hyenas and wild dogs who also take turns drinking their fill.

To the west of the lands is where the sands start to take over the land, spreading further and further north. Parts of the north is still dominated by grassland, but after about four to ten days of travel, one will reach the full desert. It's the western desert reaches, though, that sands are collected from to bring back for the Sand Track, as they're far closer.

To the east can be found vast expanses of grassland. Lots and lots of grassland, with eventually the delta of the river and the ocean. Nobody generally goes this way because it's so far, more than several months' travel.  

[Andranis]

Beliefs etc.

Gods and the After

The Makono, as a whole, don't worship any specific gods. Many lions DO pay homage to Luck, while cheetahs pray that Speed and Flight will carry them across the finish line first. In the end, though, it's an intensely private matter, and it's best kept to oneself in crowds. This is, of course, only to keep the peace.

Breeding

Breeding must be between two consenting adults! Be it mates or a fling, regardless of if that fling was accidental or on purpose to improve race stock, they must be adults. This goes for ALL species in the pride! Adolescence is a time of learning and training, not baby-making! Adolescents found to be breeding will be kicked out of the pride while their cubs are taken care of by a foster family. If they feel responsible enough to breed as adolescents, then they can be responsible out in the big wide world alone. The only exception to this is perma-adols - If it's become clear that an animal is not growing past adolescence, then a curse is assumed on them and the usual age bans are lifted off that individual.

They have no qualms about hybrids - After all, when between felines, love is love. The only requirement is that if a lion pairs up with a cheetah, they must find another couple like them - One lion, one cheetah, of the opposite genders of the first couple - So that the cheetahs may produce a litter of possible winners.

Also on the matter of breeding, the Makono doesn't mind new blood entering the pride - It's encouraged, actually. Why should they have to worry about inbreeding, when new stock could be added in from outside? It also provides for some wonderful-looking show cheetahs if they have rogue blood in them.

Because the name of the game is speed, now and then two race-winning cheetahs will be asked by their lion owners to breed with each other, in hopes of creating new winners. (You can go about this however you want, as long as everybody agrees OOCly xd ; )

Coats

Coat coloration also isn't something they worry about, except maybe for Show Cheetahs, but then they only work with what's already available. Cheetahs can be literally any color and patterning, all the better to distinguish them on the track. Lions also don't particularly care about coat coloring. So to put it simple... Your SoA can be neon pink with fuchsia leopard spots over ice blue stripes for all we care(Though why would you want something so blinding to begin with...?), if it can run or work, it's okay!

Racing, showing, retirement

Things have evolved a lot since the first family of cheetahs was welcomed into the pride - Numbers fluctuated to the point where cheetahs began to be owned by lions, and because of the need for the cheetahs to be in top shape, they became like prized pets. There is a current limit of 1:3 - One lion to three cheetahs.

When a cheetah becomes too old to race, or is crippled, they are effectively retired. While their racing days are over, they're still expected to be treated well, and if not... They will be reassigned to another lion or family who WILL look after their needs. Don't think the cheetahs are slaves, they're given a pampered life for the simple price of racing one another!

Only adult cheetahs may race - Adolescents are considered too immature yet to run at such fast paces. The only exception to this is perma-adols - If it's become clear that an animal is not growing past adolescence, then a curse is assumed on them and the usual age bans are lifted off that individual.

Names

Names are very important, especially for the cheetahs. That's why the cheetahs get two - Their common name, and their show/race name(For purpose of simplicity, the cert will only say Race Name). The Race Name is the only part of the name that can be English - Their common name can be anything, so long as it fits shop rules. Often, the Race Name may pertain to the PARENTS' names. As an example, if Turuhani and Njozi had a litter, their cubs would have Race Names like... Another Chance, Believe in Myself, I'll Believe... You get the idea!

Lions, on the other hand, tend to have names of Middle East or Asian origin, as if to say "We're high-born and know it, and this is the only way many of us may show it". Hyenas, leopards, wild dogs, and hybrids have no name restrictions beyond shop rules.

Seers

Seers are considered invaluable to the pride. They're the only creatures treated as well as royalty and cheetahs, as they can tell why something in the past failed, see past wrongs or rights others didn't witness, tell of what's happening far away here and now, and/or predict the future. While many don't know how it works, it's strongly believed that a well-treated seer will See the outcomes of races(This, of course, is not always true, and even the best-treated seer may see little to do with races while a seer hiding their abilities may see it all).

Treatment of cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, hybrids

Cheetah abuse is NOT tolerated within the pride! Violating lions will be stripped of every cheetah they own and penalized with ration reductions. If they repeat offend, they'll be evicted from the pride.

Just because their ranks are limited to one each doesn't mean leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, and hybrids are thought less of! Because everybody plays an important part in the pride, all are treated well. Normally, the lions will feed the leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs, but that doesn't stop the three groups from forming their own hunting parties if they wish to - They just need to play nice with one another!

Hybrids in particular are treated well - Either they're half lion, or they're half cheetah, thus they get the good treatment of both worlds. While they're not considered racing or show quality, they're still treated like pampered pets. If they so choose, they may either join the leopards in moving things(Such as sand, rocks, and branches), or they may join the lions in working society.  

[Andranis]

Racing and Showing information

OOC racing information

This is how races work. When somebody wants a race to be held, they'll post in the Race Sign-Up thread, and others wanting to join will reply, everybody rolling a 4-sided die - The number rolled the most will be which of the four tracks will be used. When enough cheetahs sign up OOCly for a race to be held[8], the pride mule will make a new thread for that race - The race will be an anagram of the names of the participants. So the title would be something like this:

[RACE] -Anagram- Race - OPEN/CLOSED

Each cheetah will need to make no more than 5 posts(And no less!), in the order they signed up in, with the last one containing a random number between 1 and 8 to determine who comes in first - And then once the last cheetah posts, you may make the appropriate extra post. In the event of a tie for first, a new thread will be made for a head-to-head race, with the fifth post being a roll of one 6-sided die - The highest number wins, and the appropriate posts will be made after.

So what about prizes? For the random races, I'll show how nice I am here - The first place winner will get (OOC) 100k gold, the second 50k gold, and the third will get a drawing of their cheetah. Pretty sweet incentive for RP, right? wink There's a limit of only one race every 2-4 weeks, though xd ; The time frame for 'open races' is between the end of September through the beginning of June, when the big races are held.

There is a pretty big rule, though, for that - A single person cannot own more than ONE cheetah per race! No unfair OOC advantages and all! wink

And the big races? Well... We'll see wink

IC racing information

As often as any cheetah cares to, there are races. They're always on the same sets of tracks, each track has its own 'bleachers' built up around them. It's been so long, nobody knows how they were even actually BUILT(Though rumor has it gods helped), but almost all look generally the same - The seats form a U-shape around the track, with one end open to allow not only the cheetahs but the viewers to come and go with ease.

In total, there are four main tracks:

The stone track is the only one in a really naturally occurring setting and the only one not a U shape, in a shallow canyon-like ravine that stretches for five miles. Because it's shallow enough, it's also the only one that doesn't actually have seats around it - Spectators stand, sit, or lay along the edges of the ravine to watch as the cheetahs run from one end to the other. Only the royalty and certain other lions get to relax at the end point to see who wins.

The grass track is one of the ones that was 'made'. One end of the field is dominated by a long-dead baobab tree's stump(Though that's kind of a loose name considering how big it still is) that's been carved to create the perfect place for the king and his mate to relax and watch the race. Flanking the sides are built-up stone benches, allowing up to four levels of spectators to watch the race. The track itself is carefully grazed down weekly by waterbucks and klipspringers, so that it's in good condition. This one is one of the three oval-shaped tracks, with the entire course additionally marked off by carefully placed rocks and boulders. Like the other two, the center is the other ideal place to view, but few get to watch the race from the center of the track.

The dirt track is exactly what it sounds like - The whole thing has been laid out in a part of the savannah that's been so over-grazed that it's grass-free. When it rains, this track also becomes the mud track, making it all the more challenging to run for the cheetahs. Because of this, it can be the most dangerous track, having claimed a number of cheetahs during the raining season and ending a racing career(While creating a show career). The seats at this one are made from a combination of massive boulders and parts of trees. The end the royalty resides at is dominated by their platform - And indeed, that's what it actually is, made from carefully shaping trees as they grew up on a carefully piled series of boulders and rocks so that they cast shade during the day.

The sand track is actually a curious one - It's set in the middle of grassland, with the track itself having been periodically grazed down to dirt by the waterbucks and klipspringers, and then layer upon layer of sand brought in from the desert laid out on it by the draft leopards. Even if it rains, this track remains viable and, in fact, is actually one of the safer tracks even when wet. To keep the sand from spreading into the grasses, rocks and branches have actually been used over the years to create a buffer between sand and grass. Also unlike the other fields, while the royalty still sit atop a platform at one end(This time made from amassed elephant bones, mostly skulls, that have been packed together with clay and rocks and the like), the rest of the spectators crowd around the track to cheer their choice of cheetah on.

The Grand Races

Every year, the cheetahs will gather to see who is the best of the best in a series of special races, culminating in one final big-scale race of the year. The total is six races leading to the final seventh - Each race contains, at minimum, six cheetahs, and ten at maximum, with no second or third place winners until the Grand Race. They are as such:

Buffalo Race - The first race of the Grand Races, the Buffalo Race takes place on the Dirt Track. This race takes place the third week of June.

Gnu Race - The second race of the Grand Races, the Gnu Race takes place on the Mud Track. If it hasn't rained, then the leopards and hybrids will bring in water to MAKE it a mud track. Because of how dangerous this makes the track, the chosen racers are actually those of steadier paw than the other races. This race takes place the first week of July.

Zebra Race - The third race of the Grand Races is the Zebra Race, being held on a wet Grass Track. Don't worry, injury risk isn't high. If it hasn't rained yet, then the grass is made wet by water being tracked in from the river by the leopards and hybrids. This race takes place the third week of July.

Acacia Race - The fourth race of the Grand Races is the Acacia Race, held on a dry Grass Track. This race takes place the first week of August.

Ficus Race - The fifth race of the Grand Races is the Ficus Race, held on a dry Sand Track. Besides the Gnu Race, this is considered one of the hardest races because of how sand shifts. The cheetahs of this race have trained not just on the track, but have gone out to the desert to practice their running to perfect the ability to run on it. This race takes place the third week of August.

Mimosa Race - The sixth race of the Grand Races, the Mimosa Race takes place on a wet Sand Track. Because of this, it's considered one of the absolute easiest due to how easy it is to grip wet sand. If it hasn't rained, water is brought in from the river by the leopards and hybrids to dampen the track. This race takes place the first week of September.

Grand Race - The top race, this one comes once a year and determines just who the fastest cheetah is in the whole pride. The runners of this race aren't actually chosen - The roster is made up of the winners of the previous six preplanned races, already the fastest cheetahs in the pride. This final Grand Race takes place the third week of September.  

[Andranis]

Ranks

There are two main rank sets in the Makono - The lions and the cheetahs, with a stand-alone rank for hybrids.

Lions

King - The ruler of the pride, the king declares the start of each racing season, as well as crowns the champion of each race and the Champions and Grand Champions. Every generation, the new king is passed on a sort of crown from his father, made from the antlers of a deer some long-ago ancestor caught far, far away.
Queen - The mate of the king, she helps declare the winners of the shows that cheetahs show off their coats in. She can often be seen decked out in some form of high fashion.
Heir - The oldest son of the king, he simply stands by his father in all ceremonies. The heir wears a cape made from the pelt either a random enemy lion or random prey, decorated in gold baubles.
Prince/ss - The non-heir children of the king and queen. They take to a life of leisure quite often, enjoying being as fashionable as their mother. This is a for-life position.

Captain - The leader of the whole of the guards. Most often, the Captain is male, but a female's been Captain now and then. They only become Captain after a careful selection process of applications and interviews(The former is an OOC must, the latter can be implied). The only formal requirement is that they must have been an Elite Guard.
Elite Guard - The toughest of the guards, the Elite Guard is charged with directly protecting the royalty of the pride - Especially the king and the heir. They're only selected through careful interviews. (OOCly, this requires an application). There is a limit of 10 at a time, only increasing as the need arises.
Guard - The lions who protect the borders of the pride's lands. This rank is unlimited.

Breeder - This rank isn't what it sounds like initially - It's actually for those who specialise in matching cheetahs for hopefully the best litter possible with great genes, having the ultimate goal of a faster cheetah with better stamina.
Elder - Simply put, the oldest lions in the pride. They have retired from their jobs and enjoy spending their days entertaining and watching the youth of the pride.
Analyzer - This is actually a curious rank because even though it's amid the lion ranks... ANY Seer in the pride will hold this rank. They perform multiple functions, depending on how their seer powers work out - They may analyze what about a cheetah made them lose a past race, or predict what cheetah may finish which race first, or if they'll even finish A race first. Present Seers are used by those who can't attend the races as a sort of radio. Of course, this is assuming that a seer's fully harnessed their powers and can bring the visions forth on their own. The less trained individuals and more random-Seeing animals are still utilized in other every-day functions.
Healer - With so many cheetahs racing, as well as hyenas and wild dogs prone to fighting possible intruders, injuries are a constant issue. In come the healers, ready to take care of injuries. They're often skilled at what they do, from treating scrapes to setting bones.

Head Hunter/Huntress - The best lion or lioness out of the hunters. (OOCly, this rank must be applied for)
Hunter/Huntress - The lions and lionesses who go out and catch the food. This is a default rank and unlimited.

Apprentice - The adolescents of the pride, they spend this whole time learning to either be a hunter/ess, guard, or, rarely, breeder. This rank is unlimited.
Youth - The cubs and juveniles of the pride, their entire job is to play and grow. This rank is unlimited.


Cheetahs

Grand Champion - There is only one new grand champion a year, whichever cheetah has won the Grand Race. Their genes are the most desirable to have in a lineage, as they're the fastest of the fast. This is a for-life rank.
Champion - Any cheetah who finishes first in at least four races is considered a champion. Their genes are considered highly desirable to have in a lineage, due to the fast paces they've reached to achieve their status. This is a for-life rank.
Racer - Any cheetah who races. This is actually the default rank of cheetahs, and they can either rise to Champion or Grand Champion, or they can retire after enough races(Depending on owner, OOCly) to be a Show Cheetah.

Show Champion - A cheetah who's been in and won 5 or more shows. This is a for-life rank.
Show Cheetah - Simply a cheetah who's retired from racing and simply enjoys looking pretty. Some even breed simply for looks.

Yearling - Any adolescent cheetah is considered a yearling
Youth - Any cheetah cub

Hybrids, leopards, and the odd hyenas or wild dogs

Guard Hyena/Dog - Hyenas and/or wild dogs that join the pride. Their whole job that they're fed to do is protect the cheetahs - Hyenas provide the brute strength behind it and wild dogs to raise alarms with their loud barks.

Draft Leopard - Leopards who join the pride are simply kept around to carry things. They are still treated well, though, and encouraged to befriend anyone and everyone like everybody else in the pride.

Mule - All hybrids get the title of Mule. If they prove fertile, they're encouraged to breed with a member of either one of their parent species, especially cheetah hybrids with cheetahs. The belief here is that the lion or leopard genes in a cheetah hybrid, while they might slow the resultant cheetahs down, they'll provide for stronger bones. Even the cubs are given the rank of mule.

Youth - Any young hyena, dog, or leopard  

[Andranis]

Members

Lions

Makoto - Andranis - King - [x]
Lala - Saint Sergio - Queen - [x]

Maliki - Andranis - Captain - [x]
Ramani - Andranis - Elite Guard - [x]
Grinsen - SilverLutz - Breeder - [x]
Uyoga - Blu Chalk - Guard - [x]
Nul - TanuKyle - Healer - [x]
Mapenzi - The Aurrie - Analyzer - [x]
Name - Owner - Rank - [x]

Cheetahs

Turuhani - I'll Have Another - Andranis - Champion - [x]
Njozi - Believe You Can - Andranis - Champion - [x]
Bodemeister - Race Name - wooga Paes - Champion - [x]
Neneka - Fancy Flight - [x]Natty-Chan[x] - Racer - [x]
Dayanasora - Fields of Glory - ShinosBee - Yearling - [x]
Per'roth - Cloud Turbulence - magnadearel - Racer - [x]
Siena - Eat My Dust - Syrius Lionwing - Grand Champion - [x]
Baabar- Rush King - Syrius Lionwing - Racer - [x]
Epona - Lucky Break - Annchen - Racer - [x]
Hoshi - Stardust - TanuKyle - Champion - [x]
Name - Race Name - Owner - Rank - [x]

Hyenas, Dogs, Leopards, Hybrids

Sumu - Andranis - Guard Hyena - [x]
Boudica - Andranis - Guard Dog - [x]
Binzari - Andranis - Guard Dog - [x]
Name - Owner - Rank - [x]  

[Andranis]

Joining

Do you think you have the fastest cheetah? Or simply another SoA who wants to join? Then fill out a form!

[url=][img]x[/img][/url]
[color=goldenrod][b][size=15]name would like to join![/size][/b][/color]
[b]Rank desired:[/b]
[b]Race name:[/b] Cheetahs only for this one!
[b]Old member or new member?:[/b]

Yeah, that's fairly simple xd heart  

[wooga Paes]

Bodemeister would like to join!
Rank desired: Good question! I guess Racer, or Champion, if we want to pretend he's been around and racing for a while. xD
Old member or new member?: Old  

[Andranis]

Updated heart I also forgot one thing in my info and forms xd ;; -Fixes this- Race names for the cheetahs ~ heart  

[[X]Natty-Chan[X]]

Neneka would like to join!
Rank desired: Racer
Race name: Fancy Flight
Old member or new member?: New member  

[Chi Sohma]

Pride alliances y/y?
Placing bids and gambling can be a new start  

[Andranis]

Woo, another cheetah! heart -Updates-

Ooooh, will have to toss that around in my head, Chi >o> ~ heart  

[ShinosBee]

Dayanasora would like to join!
Rank desired: Yearling/Racer.
Race name: Fields of Glory
Old member or new member?: New.

I'd like her to have joined as an adol, but if that's not okay, adult's fine.  

[Andranis]

PERFECTLY okay heart And updated 4laugh