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 Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:09 pm
Once, long ago, the Ghurubu were warriors. They were the well-kept secret of an ancient and regal pride; hunters who worked in secret, doing whatever the royal family bid them. In return for their service, the warriors were treated as family- tended to and groomed, they lived well within the pride.
The system worked as thus; when a royal was born, one of the highest ranked pack members was bonded to them in a blood ceremony. They would act as that royal’s shadow, traveling everywhere with them- you could not find a royal without their shadow close behind. The shadow would speak to no one but the royal family; even then, it was rare to hear one speak to someone who was not their bonded. A royal’s friendship with their shadow was seamless and unwavering; the shadow would give their life for their bonded, if needed, and the bonded would look after all of the shadow’s needs.
For a time, it was perfect.
But nothing good lasts.
The pride, at the king’s bidding, descended into war with a neighboring territory. Their enemies were strong, and large, and fierce- notably tougher than the delicate and regal lions of the king’s pride. But fortunately, the king had a secret weapon.
The Ghurubu.
In the dark of the night, the warriors took off into the enemy’s pride. They waited, and stalked, and one by one, the great warriors of the enemy pride fell by their jaws. The Ghurubu were fierce and silent, and rumors of their horrors spread like the plague through the unsuspecting pride. With no idea how to combat these monsters, the failing pride’s queen surrendered- she gave her lands to the King, and accepted the fate that awaited her.
Amazingly, the two prides found peace under the new King’s rule. For the most part. The conquered lions greatly feared the shadows of the Royal Family, and lived in horror and paranoia. They pled to the king to get rid of the beasts, to send them out of these lands and rid them of the curse that plagued them. Their presence bred distrust, and fear, and the King could not survive another war on his pride.
So away from the listening ears of his shadow, the king made a plan.
On a beautiful morning in Spring, the pride was roused by the horrified screams of the Queen. In the night, her newborn son- the one surviving heir to throne- had been murdered. While the royal family was in a panic, the pride recognized the claw and teeth marks that had marred the poor son of the royal family.
It was the work of the shadows.
Enraged, the King demanded retribution for the death of his son- the Shadows were to leave their lands in shame, or die in battle. The pride, banded together in their hatred of the dogs, echoed the king’s request, lusting for the blood of the ones who had wronged them.
But the shadows had not killed their heir.
In their desperate attempts to defend themselves, the shadows realized they had been framed- the teeth marks were far too sloppy to have been one of their own, as precise and well-trained as they were. With sudden clarity, they realized they had been betrayed- they would be vilified for a murder they had not committed, and exiled in disgrace.
With nothing else to do, the pack fled, unwilling to risk their own for the lions who had betrayed them. But it was not the end of their bloody history.
Disgusted that she had been so betrayed, the pack’s Sheikah passed rule onto her daughter, and remained in the lands of the Royal Family. With her mate by her side, and her most loyal servant, she waited- and just as they had been framed for, they massacred the royal family, leaving the red-furred lions for dead.
The Sheikah and her party were presumed lost, and have not been found.
With a bloody history behind them, the Ghurubu- under the new Sheikah’s rule- vowed to live only for themselves from then on. Lions were the enemy, and they would not be made into servants again.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:09 pm
Beliefs
The Blood Taint- The Ghurubu believe that any creature whose coat is red is marked by their God as evil. Be they feline or canine, no creature with red fur is allowed within the pride’s territory. While they are cautious towards outsiders, erring on the side of rudeness, any poor soul with red fur who crosses into the Ghurubu’s territory is in danger of death. Any scout that finds a red creature will raise the alarm, and the pack’s warriors will rush to attack the “Apizo.”
Pups born within the Ghurubu border who have red on their fur are not killed, but they are looked down upon as diseased and filthy. They will be raised until they are old enough to fend for themselves, then taken to the border and abandoned. Should they try to re-enter the lands, they will be treated much the same as outsiders- if not more harshly, since they dare to challenge the Ghurubu’s laws.
If a mother gives birth to red pups, she is considered “Maluuni”- she will not be kicked out of the pack, but it brings a great shame upon her, and she is forbidden from breeding again, at fear of spreading the taint further.
The Oppressors- Because of the Ghurubu’s history, any lions (and typically other felines) are seen as vile and the enemy. Should a feline enter the Ghurubu’s territory, they will be treated coldly- not helped, but not harmed, so long as they respect the pack’s ways. Cheetahs and Leopards tend to receive a slightly friendlier welcome, whereas lions themselves will be outright ignored, if not referred to as “Utando”
The Eye of Truth- The Ghurubu, despite their prejudices and biases, do believe in forgiveness and redemption- something that was not offered to them, in their exile. A pack member may offer this once, and ONLY ONCE, in their lifetime. Should a feline enter their territory that proves its heart and worth, a pack member may appeal to the Sheikah for Radhi, or Forgiveness. The Sheikah will deliberate with the Nasiha, and if they find the Utando worthy, they will receive the Mark of the Radhi. Typically, this is a red eye painted onto the shoulder, though it may be placed in other locations.
Any creature who bears the Mark of the Radhi is seen as a brother or sister to the pack, and will be treated as such. They gain the pack’s friendship and loyalty, and will be protected from danger if needed.
Red-furred creatures and gods may not seek Radhi, and may not be appealed on this matter.
Ahali Above All- While there are ranks and titles within the Ghurubu, they still hold the belief that any pack member is family, and is to be treated as such. Most pack members, of similar ages, refer to one another as “Brother” or “Sister”, even if they are not from the same birth family. To the Ghurubu, birth families are simply the canines you sleep with.
The entirety of the pack raises the young together- pups refer to their birth-mother as Mamangu, and the rest of the pack as Mother and Father. When they reach adolescence, this switches over to Brother and Sister, just like the rest of their packmates. The birth mother will always be the Mamangu, however.
When a pack member is with pups, or has become a Mamangu , the Uvuli will become her personal guards. Since pups are the future of the pack, they are seen as some of its most important members, and will be tended to as such.
The Blessed Markings- Any canine born to the pack with tribal stripes/markings, especially ones that glow, is seen to have favor with the pack’s God. These canines are more inclined to take advisory positions, or priestess roles, since the pack believes these marks show great intelligence and bravery. A light-furred canine with these markings is seen as more worthy than a simply light-furred canine.
Pack Colors- The Ghurubu attempt to recruit mostly dark-furred canines, for the sake of stealth at night and continuing the pack’s colors. While light-furred dogs are not automatically rejected, they are thought to have a disadvantage over the rest of the pack, and typically take up scouting, hunting, or messenger roles. Darker colors are highly favored, with lighter colors frowned upon the lighter they get. A white-furred canine would be utterly unheard of, and likely seen as a bit of a freak. The closer a creature’s fur gets to red (pinks, reddish purples, oranges), the less likely the pack is to accept them.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:12 pm
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:12 pm
The Pack's Current Story...
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:18 pm
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:19 pm
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:32 pm
BLUH Gonna shift everything down and add a few more info posts...
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:34 pm
One more should be good, I think
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