The Cetra - They whom serve the Planet - Join us!

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The Cetra

We have not died out.

Owner: NovaCracker | CoOwner: Seeking! PM! | IC Elder: Laif

 

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History

Legends say long ago, the Planet was void of life. No plants, no animals, only rocks, and water. Still yet, from the Planet, came a stir. A pulse; as the planet began to live, early in infancy. It drew of it's own essence the life that grew - plants, on the lands, to feed the birds and preybeasts; to maintain the preybeasts came predators, and finally, the Cetra. The Cetra were the first lions, lions believed to share a special link to the Planet they roamed as they did the planet's bidding, spreading plants for the herds to continue the circle of life; ensuring the survival of the creatures on the Planet, and the lifeforce binding all creatures, the Lifestream. From the Cetra were born many more species; some now far more distant than others. It was the Cetra, however, whom remained in the pride, roaming and spreading the Planet's will as they could. The pride remained, sometimes dwindling, sometimes booming, and when fires broke, they journeyed to the site, seeking to heal the wound to the Planet. Eventually, one day, there came a danger far more than wounds.

A second pride, violent and ruthless, came and seized them, the ruler taking a Cetra female to bear his cubs and giving choice Cetra to his subordinates as mates. Those not taken were reduced to the rank of his pride's women; slaves. Still, they practiced in secret, teaching the females of their lore, until one day a young male born of a cetra and a male turned on their captors. Blind with fury at his pride's abuse, he set to slaughtering the complacent and the slave-takers. The enemy ruler's heir stole into the night with his sister, and when the bloodshed ended, the General seized his own siblings to seek survivors.

Seasons passed and the pride seemed lost to the wind, but the Planet found a way, guiding lost, wandering paws towards a wounded place to rejoin as a pride once more; of old blood and new, to resume their Ancient duty. Only one thing changed. They would never be taken again.  

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Members of the Cetra

Most old blooded Cetra, or those whom have substantial old blood, are small lions with soft silky coats. While their colours range all across the spectrum and may include the spectrum, the biggest identifier is the flowers most Cetra wear, or feathers, and other small, found treasures. Cetra enjoy pretty things, especially flowers, which are commonly given to newborns, for mating gifts, A secondary enjoyed gift is feathers of all sizes and colours, which are often tied up in manes and fur, or used in jewelry. String and sometimes small beads are rarities but often used, especially round, polished looking stones which are believed to offer protective qualities. Exceotung Soldiers, Cetra usually look very soft and friendly, lean, and petite.  

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Cetra Traditions and Beliefs

The Planet and the Lifestream

Every creature before birth is given the essence of life from the lifeblood of the Planet known as the Lifestream. It is both the source of all life and the final resting place of all life when they die. Cetra believe they can feel the voice of the Planet but it has grown weakened, bar for seers, whom are believed to peer into the Lifestream to see past and future events. Because of this, the Cetra worship the Planet directly, and spread gathered seeds and carefully transferred seedlings to offer more land for the Herds. When an area is found to suffer from fire or flood or famine, they try to restore plant life that herds may return, and leave. While the Cetra do not believe in a Promised Land, they do believe when outsiders speak of a Heaven or Promised Land or any other afterlife, they mean the Lifestream. Similarly, Gods are viewed as Avatars of the Planet and may come and go provided they bear no ill will - as God Cubs are seers, seers are considered gifted by the Planet directly.

Species, Mating, and Breeding

The Cetra believe that lions are the original forms of life on the Planet, and their 'child' races are all others, from wild dog to serval to birds. While the Cetra are a lion pride, they do not turn out lion hybrids born in-pride and accept them as a consistant risk of being nomadic and encountering other species. In-pride, there is little taboo on mating - all forms of relationship is welcome, however while non-lions may travel with them, only lions or lion hybrids may hold a rank above Hunter due to the belief non-lions and lion-hybrids lack a connection to the Planet like Lions do. The exception is, of course, Seers.

Seers and Gods

In the Cetra, seers are believed to be capable of tapping into the Lifestream of the planet, where the gods are Avatars of the Planet - messengers from the Planet itself. To this extent, seers and gods are respected, but not worshipped. While the pride firmly believes lions are capable of communing with the Planet so long as the follow the path of the Cetra, the do acknowledge other soecies seers as those Chosen by the Planet to speak to the Cetra for their kind - only Seers may hold a rank other than Hunter, if they so wish. To that end, gods are welcome, and may come and go as they will, but the pride will hold no celebration or recieve them as 'gods', instead asking after the god's will as if it were the Planet. If multiple gods were to appear, then they will believe the Planet bears some critical message. Cubs begat with gods, being seers, are always treatyed well and with respect - as any other seer, however, they are still the Planet's Chosen.

Birth

Life is a gift of the Planet. When a lioness gives birth, she is carefully watched by Healers to ensure her birth is smooth, as the nomadic Cetra life is difficult on mothers. When the cubs are born, after their first feed and a grooming, they are named, commonly short, easily remembered names with meanings tied to Life, the Planet, Flowers, and similar, and usually no more than four syllables. The cubs will then be removed from the birthing den and presented t the pride, where they will be anointed by water, and given a flower for their fur.

Appeasement of the Planet

As the Planet gave life, the Cetra believe it could be taken away if the Planet deems need by. As such to soothe wounds missed by the Cetra, they hold a yearly appeasement of the Planet. At this time the Cetra will gather by a larger body of water, like a lake or the ocean with flowers, and set them adrift with tales of the past, wishes for the future, or more. One Cetra will remain up all night to ensure the flowers drift safely, and the next day the pride, minus cubs, will fast in respect for the life given by the Planet. The following day, the Ceremony is over, and the Cetra return to wandering until the following year.

Invocation of Holy

In times of great need or great trouble, when the pride believes the land they have travelled is in some cataclysmic danger, be it drought, a meteorshower, eclipse, or other natural phenomena they see as threatening, the eldest Cetra with a round white stone will be called upon to pray to the Planet directly in an act known only as Holy. This lion will be left alone to the wild for prayer while the pride journeys far enough away to neither see nor hear them, and trusts their safety to the Planet. If the Cetra dies, the pride will leave the body after they check on them exactly one day later. However if they survive one full day, they will rejoin the pride, and the pride will remain vigilent for signs of restoration or healing.

Death

When a Cetra dies, outside of the Invocation of Holy, they will be returned to the Planet by the pride. To this effect, they will carry the boddy to a crevasse of deep body of water and deposit the body, where it will fall from sight of the pride. By returning the body, they symbolize the soul that has already returned to the Lifestream.  

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Roaming - The Road of a Cetra

The Cetra do not bear any specific pride territory. As they roam, they instead spread seeds of plants preybeasts are seen to graze. The pride roams loosely together and those whom fall behind must work to catch up eventually. The Cetra strive to avoid conflict, as they are not naturally aggressive, but, an occasional Soldier sometimes appears if trouble arises. While the pride attempts to mind cubs, sometimes, cubnapping does happen. If the cubnapper is sighted with the cub trying to take or run with them, a Soldier may then attack to kill; however, at this point the Cetra often accept it as a risk. The pride also often runs across rogues, and tries encouraging them to take up the path they walk, however will not fight if rejected.  

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Ranks

Elder

The leaders of the pride. The Cetra will commonly elect leaders whom express wisdom, and whom display deep knowledge of pridal ways. This rank is rarely inherited - commonly, the election is made by an Elder when they are dying, or if they step down for any reason.

General

The General is the only Cetra to lead the soldiers. Commonly the General will be trained by the previous general, making the choice of a successor when the General begins to feel need to step down, or need to pass the rank for other reasons, or before death. If a General is not trained, the Elders choose the most skilled soldier to take their place.

Soldier

While the Cetra are naturally more peaceful, favoring pacifism and peaceful discussion, a small group, many fearful of another rogue conquest, or perhaps rogues seeking to protect the gentle pride, became a newer rank, called a Soldier. Soldiers are the guards and warriors of the pride, standing between the pride and the outside when migrating, and the fighting off attackers or battling enemies if they are attacked. A cohesive, small, powerful force, the Soldiers are considered a sad necessity for the pride's survival.

Chosen

The Chosen are seers whom become the Cetra priests. Due to frequent visions these creatures are the only rank a non-lion seer can attain aside a Hunter. The Chosen interpret one another's visions as coming from the Lifestream, or Planet, and are considered almost sacred by the pride, closest to the Planet's original plan for life. Chosen are treated well, with respect, despite their risks of bearing bad news at times, as their visions, good or bad, are all considered a gift from the Planet.

Healer

Healers know living beings exceptionally well and use plants and other bits for wounds and illness. They know good plants for illnesses, how to use dried bones to create poultices to draw infection from wounds, and how to tend pregnant females during cub birth. Healers often seed more medicinal and normal plants during migrationary paths than many others, and some hold them elevated in respect next to the Chosen. Healers tend the pride as their name implies, but many also often tend lone strangers as well, out of goodness, or perhaps to help draw in new blood should the patient decide to roam with them.

Hunter/Huntress

The bulk of the Cetra are Hunters and Huntresses. This is because these are Lions, and the non-Lions admitted into the pride, whom provide for the pride. Hunters mind cubs, may sing or craft, and simply bring in food. It's a broad rank with vast flexibility simply for the sake of recognizing the pride as a whole, instead of in fractured parts. Most creatures will, generally, become these members.  

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Existing Members

Elders - 1/3
Laif - NovaCracker - X

General
Sefirot - NovaCracker - Questing!

Soldier
Rufus - NovaCracker - X

Chosen
??? - ??? - X


Healer
Seito - NovaCracker - X

Hunter/Huntress
??? - ??? - X  

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Joining

Want to join the Cetra? Here's the form. They can be old or new blood, and non-lions are Hunters, though Non-Lion Seers may be chosen. Leopons and Cheetons will qualify for any rank, being lion hybrids, as well. c: Old or new blood doesn't wholly matter, but if you want to be old blood, go for it!

[color=green][size=18][b]The Path to the Promised Land![/b][/size][/color]
[b]SOA Name:[/b]
[b]Owner:[/b]
[b]Old or new Cetra?:[/b]
[b]Personality, if you like:[/b]

[code](Name) - (Owner) - [url=IMAGEURLHERE]X[/url]

 

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Posting can happen now, it is a thing!  

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It's not dead yet.  

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This is still a think. It is an awesum thing I forget to bump.