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Njaa Burudani

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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:27 pm


	--A Hunger Games Themed Pride-- Welcome, everyone, to the Njaa Burudani. Get out while you can. No, seriously. There are many prides out there, but few quite so terrible to live in as this one. Unless you're one of the lucky few, anyway. Then you get to watch the rest of us shed our blood for your amusement. If that's the case, though, beware. You're not going to be enjoying yourself at our expense for much longer.

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:38 pm


	A long time ago, a time that no-one now living remembers, the Njaa Burudani was a whole pride, one that represented equality and freedom, where lions and hybrids alike were treated equally. But those days are long-since over. A heavy snow melt in the mountains above the pride lands led to heavier flooding, which lead to flooding that took many lives and just as much territory for the nameless pride. But even in the face of disaster, like goes on, and the remaining pride members gathered together and built anew. Concerned that their previous relaxed way of life angered the gods somehow, the surviving pride members set up a system of thirteen districts, calledmkoa surrounding the mountain-based capital (the kati – the only area which had been spared the effects of the harsh flooding and retained a relatively large prey-base) swearing their loyalty to the Rais, newly-created hereditary leader of the kati, in exchange for refuge should the floods come again. But this was no benevolent government. A series of corrupt leaders, determined to make life better for those in the kati, sacrificed the well-being of the mkoa, consolidating the power of the pride within the kati until what had been a mostly united pride became a dictatorship. The mkoa, displeased with the cruelty of the Rais and the lack of freedom for the lower classes, rebelled against the capital. None did quite so well as the thirteenth mkoa. Located at the very base of the mountain in a small network of caves, the thirteenth mkoa nearly managed to bring down the Rais and the kati before the ruling class - better fed, healthier, and better trained than any of the mkoa - finally took them down. A landslide occurred around the time of the kati’s victory over the thirteenth mkoa, sealing off the cave system and rendering it inaccessible by anyone from either the kati or the other twelve mkoa. The Rais ruling at the time was a quick-witted lion, and quicker to seize the opportunity this landslide presented to him. He claimed that the gods had sent the landslide as a sign of disfavor towards the rebellion, and that they had wiped out the entirety of the thirteenth mkoa as a way to ensure victory for the kati. Along with this announcement to all the mkoa came the thinly-veiled threat that the gods would do as much to any other mkoa that dared to raise a paw against their rightful rulers. The remaining twelve mkoa surrendered within the week. However, the kati could not trust that the mkoa would not rebel again. After all, they had done so once. What was to stop them from trying it again? And so they instituted the Njaa Michezo, the ritual they took the name of their pride from. Every season, the twelve mkoa would have to send two of their young – one male, one female – to the kati, where they would be briefly trained and then set to fight against one another until only one remained victorious. At first, many of the juveniles and adolescents sent would die, causing the already-declining population to spiral into a downfall that threatened the existence of the entire pride. By the time a contingency plan was thought up, the pride was down to three mkoa and the kati. In an effort to mitigate total population loss, the young taken to fight in the Njaa Michezo (now four to a mkoa rather than the initial two) were no longer allowed to kill one another. Instead the losers were to live their lives out as slaves to the higher classes. The lone winner, however, would become a part of the upper class, allowed to hunt for themselves and their immediate family within the lands of the kati, and permitted to live in a choice den reserved within each mkoa for the Michezo winner. Now that the number of deaths have begun to decrease, there has been talk about reinstating a fourth mkoa and beginning to branch out again, but this is little more than a consideration at the moment. More concerning are the whispers of rebellion, fueled in part by the rumor that the thirteenth mkoa wasn’t actually wiped out, but rather simply hidden from the remainder of the pride. Only the members of that district knew how deep the tunnels ran, after all, and no-one was allowed to brave the sealed-off caverns to search for survivors. These rumors have just begun to reach the ears of the current Rais, and he is keeping a very careful eye on each of the mkoa for signs of rebellious behavior. Either way, rumors or no rumors, the cycle of the Njaa Michezo goes on, and the games draw near once again…

Njaa Burudani

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Njaa Burudani

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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:39 pm


	This is a rough map of the Njaa Burudani pride lands. Now I'm the first to admit I'm a terrible artist, but I think this is easy enough to understand. Kati - This is the seat of the pride, where the power is, where the Njaa Michezo ceremonies are held, and - most importantly - where the best game is. The mountain top is lightly forested and home mostly to smaller game, but for all of its smaller size it makes up for it in abundance. This area is inhabited only by those of the upper class, and TEMPORARILY by the kodi - the tributes chosen for the Njaa Michezo. The Mkoa - There are three of these as of this point in time. Crossing between mkoa is expressly forbidden in the lower classes, and there are guards in place to prevent border-crossing. Each mkoa is artificially isolated from the others and the middle-upper classes need permission in order to cross. This has led to a dangerous amount of inbreeding in the past, and a measure to reduce inbreeding without compromising the security of the mkoa is being deliberated upon in the Kati. Entrance to Mkoa 13 - Sealed at this time and inaccessible, the side of the mountain once held the entrances to the tunnels of Mkoa 13. Sealed over seasons okay, the area has been left untouched as a monument to the Kati's power and favor with the gods. It is here that the pride members gather for the Kuchora ceremony - the selection of that season's tributes. Again, the entrance to the caverns is sealed off and inaccessible - no curious cubs will ever wander in here. Despite the impassibility of the old landslide, there are always at least two guards stationed here. The recent placement of a third guard has increased the rumors about the district's possible survival. Mkoa 1 - The largest Mkoa of the three remaining, Mkoa 1 is also the most prosperous. With access to both of the streams that run down the mountainside and the lake edge, it has a slightly larger game base than its neighboring districts, but also a larger population. This area is where a large majority of your base pride members live and work, and also produces the occasional mafuzo - a youth who has shown such promise in fighting that he or she has been given special training for the Michezo. While this is theoretically considered an unfair advantage, there has been little done by the Rais to interfere with this training. Mkoa 2 - With a stream running right through the middle of it, Mkoa 2 has a fair amount of pebbles and grasses to work with. Because of this and the colorful bird that can often be found near the stream, it is considered the artisan's area, and has the largest proportion of creative workers outside of the kati itself. They produce many luxuries for the kati, such as jewelry, small stone carvings, and the like. As they have the smallest territory of the thee mkoa, they have the most limited hunting range and many of their crafters are traded food for their work. Mkoa 3 This is the mkoa that no-one wants to be a part of. Though it has comparitively the longest stretch of shoreline compared to the other mkoas, its land area is low-lying and spends part of the year as a wetland. Flamingos often flock to the pride lands and they tend to congregate here, but as the pinkish feathers are prized by the upper class, hunting them for food is strictly forbidden. Members of mkoa 3 mostly fish or attempt to catch small game for their food,and when the flamingos arrive they are the feather-gatherers, assigned to hunt and pluck the birds for their plumage. Eating a flamingo, however, is considered an act of rebellion, and rebels are punished very harshly in this pride. The streams - two small streams run down the mountainside towards the lake; however during the spring, snow melt from the mountain's peak causes them to dramatically increase in size, gorging them with water and making them comparable to small rivers. Safe for most of the year, during the melting season crossing the streams isstrictly prohibited to everyone, even those with the right to cross between the mkoa. The lake - once a much smaller lake than it is today, a flood in ages past combined with many sequential years of high rainfall ans snow melts caused the lake to dramatically increase insize, swallowing up much of the pride's original territory and leading to the pride's current make-up. Deserted areas - these places used to be a part of the larger, expanded districts of the pride, though that was long enough ago that no-one knows just which mkoa had which area. These areas are inhabited by no-one but are still considered a part of the pridal lands, and are patrolled by guards. Still, many a young pride member will sneak out here to hunt for their family, and many of the guards will turn a blind eye to such behavior, especially if they are given a share of the kill.

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:41 pm


	Political positions - No pride can run without a government, and the Njaa Burudani is no exception. The following positions are for lions only, although male and female are represented equally. Rais [1/1] - Running a pride is a difficult job, but someone has to do it. This position is roughly equatable to that of a president or a king. It is a heredditary position, much like a king, but the position can and will go to whichever of the current Rais' heirs - male or female - is chosen by the council as the most worthy. While it is often the firstborn son, this has been known to change. Lion only. Council [0/5] - The five members of the Rais' council primarily serve to elect the next Rais from the small pool of candidates. There is a council member to represent each of the pride's areas, including the kati, mkoa 1, 2, and 3, and a ceremonial council position for the long-dissolved mkoa of the past. All five council members hail from the kati, however, and have never actually seen the districts they represent - though they are expected to rely heavily upon the word of the meya in their decision-making. Lions only. Meya - [0/3] The direct overseer of each of the three districts. The mayor is usually a member of the middle class, and serves as a bridge between the inhabitants of the mkoa and their council members. The meya is expected to carry out the council's orders and communicate with guards and peacekeepers to maintain order and control in his or her district. Usually lions, but can be a non-lion. Never a hybrid. Michezo Ranks - the pride's livelihood centers aroun the Njaa Michezo, and because of this the ranks associated with running it are some of the most important - and public - in the pride. Kujenga [0/3] - these are the game-makers. Often members of the Rais' family who are not up for consideration as the heir, they also hail from other upper-class families. The Kujenga organize each season's game, planning the location, the traps, and the betting odds. Lions only. Mshindi [0/12 max]- The previous winners of the Njaa Michezo are expected to prepare the next generations for their upcoming battles. Strategizing with them, advising them, and most importantly of all - getting the upper class to provide them with gifts of food or medicine during the Michezo. Generally, the ideal is to have one Mshindi for each participant, but there are usually only one or two per mkoa each season, meaning they have to split their focus among their temporary charges. Mshindi normally live in the nicest dens in their birth mkoa, though they are expected to spend time in the kati for the duration of the Michezo. As these are former kodi, they can be any species. Msanii - [0/12 max] - A msanii is essentially a personal assistant, makeup artist, and costumer for each of the tributes. They prepare the tributes for their presentation before the population of the kati at the beginning of the games.The msanii who works for the winner again prepares them before the victory ceremony and any ensuing public appearances, while those who worked with the losers prepare them for their reassignment as slaves. Many a msanii has taken their assigned tribute as their own slave, as a way to look out for the youngsters they grew fond of. Some have even started a relationship with them, but as this kind of class-mingling is forbidden, it's better for both to keep such a relationship quiet. Lions only. Kodi [0/12, special rank] - These young, juvenile to adolescent-aged pride members are the chosen few, made to battle each other in this season's Njaa Michezo. Some are more prepared than others for this grueling ritual - generally those that are more prepared are those who were selected for special training, and are also the ones who hope to be picked for the games to that they can bring glory to their mkoa. Most, however, are frightened youngsters whose future hangs in the balance, and would give anything to be anywhere else.Any species. General Ranks - Every pride needs its basic rankings, those who do the more mundane work of the pride, and those who do not work at all. These are the Njaa Burudani's general ranks. Noble - [Unlimited 1/5 ratio] - These upper class pride members come in all shapes and colors, but are always, always lions. They occasionally take up another job, but for the most part they don't really have to do anything other than make bets on the next Michezo. Lions only. Healer [Unlimited] - Primarily an upper class position, healers can actually come from any class and are found throughout the pride. Healers located in the kati, however, have access to more and better herbs along with superior training to those in the mkoa. Those who aren't busy with an immediate problem often serve as the pride's nannies, looking after the young who don't have older siblings around to watch them. Lions only. Peacekeeper - [Unlimited] - Found in the kati and mkoa, the peacekeepers are the law enforcers of the pride. While guards patrol the borders, peacekeepers keep order. They have the authority to go into anyone's den at any time if they suspect that pride member of rebellion. Most of the lower classes are wary of them, though there is an occasional peacekeeper who earns their trust. Lions only. Artisan [Unlimited] - Located primarily in Mkoa 2 though also found in the Kati, artisans are the crafters of the pride. They make shell, bone, stone, grass and feather jewelry which they trade to the nobles, usually in exchange for food. Mkoa 3 often transports flamingo feathers to Mkoa 2 for the artisans to work with. Open to all species. Hunter [Unlimited] - Found in the kati and the mkoa, hunters are the backbone of the pride. They will hunt anything remotely edible, from small animals to large prey animals down to the fish in the lake and the streams. Occasionally they will sneak out to the deserted areas where the larger prey animals can be found, though they have to be careful not to be caught and confused with a runaway! Open to all species. Guard [Unlimited] - Found in every mkoa and the kati, these pride members are responsible for protecting the borders of the pride and ensuring the separation of the mkoa. Generally a middle-class position but open to all species. Youth [Unlimited] - All cubs are this rank by default. Juveniles and adolescents not selected as Kodi or Mafuzo stay this rank until adulthood, where they take on their future position. Note: Cubs born to nobles will never be Kodi or Mafuzo, and stay a youth until they reach maturity. All species start out as youths. Older youths who avoid being drawn as a kodi are expected to watch and care for the younger cubs. When there are no older youths available, a healer will work as a nanny in a pinch. Mafuzo [Special rank/ case-by-case basis] - A rank for juveniles and adolescents who have yet to be chosen as Kodi, but who show great promise in fighting. They are given specialized training, usually by off-duty Mshindi. They are few in number and are only selected if they show great potential. Any species can be a mafuso provided they show the potential. Slave [Unlimited] - The losers of the Michezo are all given this rank upon recovering from their injuries. They lose their right to a proper career and are often taken as servants to the nobles who were fondest of them during their battles. They are allowed to mate within their rank, but their offspring will be slaves as well as eligible to become kodi. When a slave's child wins the Michezo, they have the option to free their parents and give them housing in their den. This is highly frowned upon, however, so it doesn't happen as often as you might think. Any species may be a slave. Waasi [Unlimited] - The waasi are the lowest of the low. These are the criminals of the pride: the troublemakers, the rebels, and the runaways. Anyone who is caught rebelling against the authority of the Rais and the Kati, be it in subverting the government, trying to interfere with the Michezo in any way, or simply attempting to leave the pride will be branded a wwasi and taken to the kati as this special kind of slave. Waasi are taken through a ceremony and have the end of their tongue torn off, symbolically rendering them entirely mute. No-one of any rank is allowed to speak to a waasi unless they are giving them an order, and waasi are forbidden from having a mate or reproducing. Should a waasi be found with cubs, the cubs will be killed or abandoned in the rogue lands to die. Any species may become a waasi.

Njaa Burudani

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Njaa Burudani

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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:52 pm


	Religion Notes As a pride whose structure rests heavily on the belief of favor with the gods, it's not surprising that the Njaa Burudani have a fair number of deities that they worship, and a number of ceremonies and rituals dedicated to those gods. Most gods are acceptable to worship in the Njaa Burudani, but a few are given special precedence. Famine - Famine is always close at the heels of the members of the Njaa Burudani, and because of this worship of the God of Famine is of the utmost importance to the pride. Their most important ceremonies, the Kuchora and the Njaa Michezo are dedicated primarily to him. Courage - While not as important to the pride as famine, courage is still highly revered among most members of the pride as they wish for his blessing upon the youngsters chosen as tributes. There is no special celebration in his honor, but the families of those selected will often pray to him or honor him with a small portion of their meals, hoping that he will bless their offspring with the courage they need to face their trial. Indulgence - This god is worshipped exclusively by the nobles of the pride. As they are allowed to indulge in nearly any frivolity that their heart desires, many thank him for the fortune to be born into a life where they can indulge in whatever they please, however they please. Blood - This goddess is the favorite deity of the Kujenga. As the primary purpose of the Michezo is that of bloodshed, they feel that praying to her and honoring her with their bloodsport will bring her blessing upon the pride. Revolution - This god has the dubious honor of being the only deity that no-one is allowed to worship. Fearing that devotion to him is what led the mkoa to rebel the first time, the kati outlawed worship of this god the same season they instituted the Njaa Michezo. Nonetheless, many members of the mkoa continue to worship him secretly, and with the rumored suvival of mkoa 13, many believe that the so-called 'lost' district has his favor and are simply preparing for a second, more effective strike against the kati. Ceremonies Kuchora - The drawing of sticks. This ceremony is second only to the Njaa Michezo in importance, as it is the ceremony that decides the kodi for that season's games. All citizens of the mkoa are called to assemble at the sealed-over entrance to Mkoa 13. Once there, the youth of each mkoa form two lines, one for males, and one for females, starting at juvenile and going through adolescent. Each youngster is escorted, one at a time, to a bushel of sticks prearranged for each mkoa. Within the bundle are four short sticks with a white bottom end, which mark out the ones selected as kodi. Females go first, with juveniles drawing one stick and adolescents drawing three(), until both female slots have been picked. Then the process is repeated with the male youth. Once the kodi are chosen, they are allowed to say a brief goodbye to their family and are led by a peacekeeper over to meet their mshindi, and then escorted up the mountain. They will not see their families up close or speak to them again unless they win the Njaa Michezi. The ceremony only ends when the kodi can no longer be glimpse, whereupon all of the members of the mkoa are permitted to return to their dens and have a day of rest. Kuonyesha* - The show. Two days after the Kuchora ceremony, the season's kodi are presented to the residents of the kati. during the interim time, they have had their needs tended to, been given the best game to eat, and have been thoroughly groomed and adorned by their msanii. The kodi form up in groups of their mkoa, four youth to a group, and march around the nobles' dens. This ceremony is used to draw initial support from the kadi residents, as those who have the best presentation usually have better initial favor in the betting pools. Tabia'Mbaya - The odds. This ceremony is not so much a ceremony as an audtion. Each of the kodi performs before the kujenga, attempting to show off their skills and their strong points. Following these performances, the kujenga create the odds estimating each kodi's chance of victory, which is then sent to the nobles so that they may place their bets on those they feel have the best chance at winning. Bets usually consist of trinkets or food, but on occasion a particularly saucy noble will bet a night out on the outcome. Njaa Michezo - The games. This is by far the most important event for the Njaa Burudani. Twelve youngsters ranging from late juvenile to late adolescent, four kodi from each mkoa, are pitted against each other in an arena of the kujenga's design, forced to fight until all but one are incapacitated. The winner receives hunting rights in the kati, a special rank upon adulthood, and the nicest dens in their mkoa. The losers are made into slaves and have to serve the upper class for the rest of their natural lives. Little can be said about the Michezo as it changes every season, but each kodi is blindfolded and given a special herb to knock them out before they are taken to that season's arena, so they have no idea what conditions they are going into. Often, the kujenga set up traps to either harm the kodi or send them at one another so they have to fight sooner.These traps can range anywhere from simple tripwires to planned rockfalls to even - on one remarkable occasion in the high mountain area, an avalanche. Though the outcome is not meant to be fatal, many kodi do still die during the games. Kifo - the mourning. Officially, members of the mkoa are not allowed to mourn those lost to the Michezo, as they are no longer intended to die. However, on the occasion that a kodi does die during the games, the body is prepared with great care by the msanii who assisted them in life, and they are carried back to their mkoa in their Kuonyesha finery, to be disposed of as the family sees fit. Those who die outside of the games are given very different treatment - nobles are granted a month-long mourning period, and the body is laid to rest in a pit dug for that purpose. Middle and lower class pride members often have no mourning period granted to them, and have to send the bodies of their loved ones out to the rogue lands to be devoured by scavengers. No special ceremonies are done for births or for coming of age, though nobles often invite the Rais and the council members to see their new young, while the Rais' offspring are thoroughly inspected by a healer for any health complications. Middle, lower-class, and slave members simply take care of their young and continue on with life to the best of their ability. When hybrids are born to a member of the nobility - as sometimes happens, despite all atempts at control - or when a noble cub is born with a disability of some kind, these cubs are not killed or sent out to die, but they are sent down to the mkoa to be raised among the pride members there. Hybrids and disables cubs are still eligible to be chosen as kodi - no youth is exempt. Reaching the age where they no longer have to worry about being considered as kodi is something of a small celebration for members of the mkoa, and while there is no official ritual for such a coming of age, the lucky youth is given many well-wishes by their pride members and often gets a larger share of a kill than they usually do.

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:54 pm


	IC Joining: This isn't something to be done lightly, as it is a permanent decision on the behalf of the potential pride member. Any rogue who wishes to join the pride will likely meet and speak with a guard in the deserted areas. They will be asked to leave unless they wish to join, in which case they are brought to the border of the nearest mkoa, where they are then met by a peacekeeper and escorted to the kadi. Once there, they are taken before the council and the Rais, and thoroughly questioned as to their skills. Once they have sworn loyalty to the kati and the Rais, they are then escorted to the mkoa that their abilities are best suited for - or in the case of a potential healer, guard, or peacekeeper, to whichever council member claims them. Should the Rais step forwar dto claim the individual, he or she will stay in the kadi, often as a noble. However this only happens on very rare occasions. OOC Joining: Joining the pride will be quite simple. Simply submit your SoA with the rank you want and the desired area (kadi or mkoa), and wait to be approved. If something needs modified or if you can't have your SoA join a particular rank or location within the pridelands, you'll be contacted and we'll see if we can still work something out. Note, however, that joining the pride as a rogue and trying to earn a noble position is rather difficult, as you would have to present a case for why that SoA is best suited for such a position - and please remember that nobles are lions only. Leaving the pride: While not impossible, the is extremely difficult to do ICly. There are guards and peacekeepers everywhere, and they will nearly always turn in a runaway - there is no such thing as leaving the pride with permission; all pride members are required to stay pride members. Most will be caught and either killed or made into waasi. OOCly, just talk to me and come up with a good way to explain your SoA getting past the guards and peacekeepers. I promise I don't bite, I'd just like to keep track of who's coming and going.

Njaa Burudani

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Njaa Burudani

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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:00 pm


	F.A.Q. What's this pride about, anyway?: This pride is loosely based on the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. It's not a perfect copy due to the differences in setting and species, but it uses many of the core concepts. Why only three districts? Why not all of them? Because managing thirteen microprides would be too much work! No, really, keeping them all separated and organized would be too much of a challenge for one (or even two) people to do. Besides, keeping the mkoa down to a smaller number allows people to interact more. It would be no fun if everybody had an SoA in a different mkoa, now, would it? If the pride ends up having a large enough turnout, more mkoa can be added on in the future. There's a spot already set up for a fourth one if it becomes necessary. What about the thirteenth mkoa? How does it play into this? Well, if you've read the books you already have something of an idea. But any exact details are going to stay a secret for now. It may just become important in metaplot proceedings down the road, however! This will be built upon as the I/T thread goes and I get an idea of what people are most likely to be asking. And now for what you've been hoping for - the forms! [b]Your name:[/b] [b]Name of SoA:[/b] [b]Link to an image of SoA[/b]: (Or, if this is a quest, provide a description/reference image!) [b]Preexisting member or joining rogue:[/b] [b]Desired Rank:[/b] [b]Personality:[/b] [b]Biography:[/b] [b]Anything else you can think of?:[/b] Also, if you don't have an SoA you want to enter into the pride but hope to quest for one, just let me know in the 'anything else' section. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to ask me/make them. Believe me, I don't mind answering or being given a few pointers.

Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 10:27 pm


	Rais - [1/1] Theluji'Mfalme Council - [0/5] Meya - [0/3] Kujenga - [0/3] Mshindi - [1/12] Asyria - Epine de Rose Msanii - [0/12] Kodi - [0/12] Noble - [Unlimited 1/5 Ratio] Healer - [Unlimited] Peacekeeper - [Unlimited] Artisan - [Unlimited] Hunter - [Unlimited] Guard - [Unlimited] Youth - [Unlimited] Mafuzo - [Special Rank] Slave - [Unlimited] Waasi - [Unlimited]