[Pride I/T] Yafuatayo'Damu (Vampires)(open for posting!)

[Manda]

Yafuatayo'Damu
Those Who Follow Blood

Hello, and welcome! I have been thinking for a while now about trying to make a new vampire-based pride. I still fondly remember the Mwana-a'Lela, and I think it's a good concept for a pride. The main ideas will be that blood is a very big part of pride members' lives - both in the sense of drinking blood and also in the sense of family lines and ties to others. At this point, I'm not even sure how to go about finding any of the old pride info from Mwana... so everything here is new. If anyone can find that old info or remembers it and wants to make suggestions, please do! Feel free to make any suggestions, in fact. I'd love for this to be an active pride and be a home to any lions who wish to follow the path of blood.

The current working pride name is Swahili and means "those who follow blood". This will fit with the main concepts and beliefs of the pride.

This will be a lion dominant pride. Any other species is considered not to have pure enough blood to be a true vampire. There may be very small numbers of SoA of other species who join as "food" - for whatever reason they are there only to be fed upon. This isn't something that kills them (usually) as the pride members are only drinking their blood in fairly small amounts. Usually pride members will simply find rogues for this purpose, but it is possible (though rare) for a rogue of another species to join in the lowest rank.

Unlike the original vampire pride, the pride lands are not in a forest of sheltering trees. However, many members are still light blind or light sensitive - owing to various factors. For original pride members, this is likely due to spending most of their time under the tree cover, out of direct sunlight. New members are not required to be light blind or sensitive, but the pride is still mostly nocturnal.

The new pride lands consist of plains with a few copses of trees that back up to a small mountain range. Pride members roam the plains and lower slopes of the mountains for prey. In the mountainous areas are several scattered cave systems, where most members take shelter and sleep during the day.

 

[Manda]

Legacy of Blood
Pride History

Many seasons ago, there was a pride of lions who revered blood - a pride that mainly lived within sheltering tress and ventured out only in darkness. It was not necessarily an evil place, but also not necessarily a good place. It just... was. the members of the pride lived, loved, raised cubs, and held their lands in trust for the next generations.

However, at some point, the pride simply ... dissolved. There was no real reason for it - no huge disaster, no in-fighting. It just broke apart, and its members scattered to the winds. Some found their way to nearby prides, some have continued wandering to this day.

One of those wanderers, Morwa'Shetani, has decided he's had enough of wandering without somewhere to belong. He has been traveling for some time with his son Caradhras and his daughter Meka'fu, whos original pride also broke apart. The three of them also recently found a lioness named Kiergan who was also part of the old pride, and has found that she misses the traditions and reverence of blood.

The small group of four discovered an unclaimed land one day, and decided to attempt to reform the pride that three of them remembered fondly. Though Meka'fu had not been a part of the original blood pride, she had listened to many tales told by the others during their travels and decided she would like to be a part of it as well.

 

[Manda]

Followers of Blood
Pride Traditions

Blood Follows Blood
For the most part, pride members can trace their lineage back to a specific ancestor within the pride. This can happen in two ways - through actual blood relatives, and/or through the pride member who brought them or their ancestor into the pride. Usually this is patriarchal, with female mates claiming their male partner to be their ancestor - but not always. It is perfectly normal (though less common) for females to be considered ancestors as well. These ancestors are revered and listened to like an elder would be by their "descendants", even though some of them may be fairly young. The amount of influence a particular pride member has socially is directly related to the number of Followers they have. Some lions may even be related to a different blood relative than the member who brought them in. This has the potential to cause conflict both outwardly and inwardly and usually each lion will choose which of their ancestors they wish to owe allegiance to when they come of age and publicly declare this in some way. This is an important choice in a pride members life and usually ancestors and their followers will vie for the attention of younger pride members in an attempt to have the young lion choose them.

Blood Colored
All pelt colors are allowed in the pride, however, lions with pelts that are predominantly red are looked up to more often. There is no specific rule that says a lion with another pelt color cannot hold a higher rank - but more often than not, red-pelted lions tend to hold these positions. Any shade of red is accepted to be "blood colored" whether it is bright or dark.

Blood Gives Strength
The lions of this pride believe that strength and honor flow through the blood. For this reason, they participate in ritualistic blood drinking. Whenever cubs are born, their parents will cut themselves and encourage their offspring to drink their blood along with milk. Outsiders who join the pride are also expected to drink the blood of the one who brings them in. Each prey animal caught by pride members is also bled first and the blood is drunk before any meat is eaten. The most skilled hunters are those who can kill a prey animal with the least amount of tissue damage - but allow blood to flow freely. Also following this concept, any outsiders that are found by seekers may be attacked and have their blood drunk as a ritual - whether they agree to it or not is their own choice. Some seekers will try to convince the others to willingly allow this while others will simply attack and try to take blood by force. Usually there is some assessment of strength done, since the pride wants strong blood.

Blood Never Dries
Anytime a pride member dies, any other pride members in the area will cut the body to drink the blood as long as it is warm. This ritual keeps the pride member's blood flowing within the pride. They do not eat the flesh, only drink the blood until the body is cold.

Blood Will Tell
Any dispute in the pride may be settled by a duel. Members can set their own rules for these duels and no judging is necessary - though they can ask a third party to do so if they wish. Usually the rules have something to do with blood (first blood, a certain amount of bleeding wounds, etc).

Blood Bonds
If lions wish to mate for life within the pride, they may participate in a ritual overseen by the pride leader(s). Bonds may be between any genders, and even between groups. During this ritual, each lion will cut themselves and share their blood with their partner(s), along with making vows to each other. Bonding is not required to have cubs, but Bonded pairs are celebrated within the pride. A Bonded pair may only have cubs with each other. Group Bonds may have cubs with any in the group. Same gender Bonds may use surrogates to have cubs with the permission of the other partner. A Bonded pair or group cannot break their Bond to have cubs with anyone else, unless in extreme circumstances (PM Pride leader to discuss).

Celebrate Your Blood
Twice a year, there is a large festival in the pride where all members travel to the center of the pride lands to celebrate their home and traditions. Ritual sharing of blood between members is common at this time, though not a requirement. Most participate, however, as it cements bonds between members.

Gods Worshiped
Blood, Connections, Darkness, Night, Remembrance, Shadows
 

[Manda]

Structure of Blood
Pride Ranks

High Ranks (RP required)

Maliki (1)
(ruler, king)
A male leader of the pride. Usually this is one with many many followers or descendants from his bloodline. He has the authority to override almost any other pride member in disputes and can make decisions for the entire pride in a crisis. However, he usually stays out of the day to day details of pride life. There may be up to 2 pride rulers at a time, of any gender; often they are Bonded, but not always.

Malkia (1)
(queen)
A female leader of the pride. Performs the same duties as the male leader, as well as blessing new births. She does not have to attend every birth, but usually performs a small blessing each month that covers all cubs born during that month. There may be up to 2 pride rulers at a time, of any gender; often they are Bonded, but not always.

Asili (unlimited; must be applied for OOCly and ICly)
(origin, source, ancestor)
These pride members are the most respected and honored after the rulers. They usually have very large family lines and many followers. They are basically treated as Elders within the pride and looked up to for advice and as leaders by those who follow them.

Tutaona (unlimited; must be applied for OOCly and ICly)
(we will see, we will believe)
The priests and Seers of the pride. Even if a member in this rank is not officially a Seer, they are afforded the same respect. Most religion is kept on a personal level, but these pride members may lead ceremonies to whatever god(s) they wish and other members can attend. They are also trusted to be impartial judges of disputes, as Tutaona are not supposed to follow any particular bloodline, or Asili.

Middle Ranks (RP required)

Yamini (unlimited; must be applied for OOCly and ICly)
(right hand)
These pride members have been chosen to help and serve the Asili with anything they may need.

Msaka-kuu (3)
(great hunter)
These members are the head hunters of the pride. They lead hunts, make sure rituals are followed for prey, and distribute meat if needed.

Tafuta-kuu (3)
(great seeker)
These members are the head seekers of the pride. They lead large search parties and oversee training for new seekers.

Common Ranks (no requirements)

Msaka (unlimited)
(hunter)
The hunters of the pride, tasked with finding and bringing back prey.

Tafuta (unlimited)
(seeker)
The seeker is a bit more complicated rank - these pride members go outside the pride lands to seek other two things; other vampires, and outsiders with strong blood. They bring potential other vampires back to the pride to be evaluated and possibly brought in, without sharing their own blood with them. New pride members are taught about the pride and given a choice of which bloodline they want to follow before any blood sharing occurs. They may still choose to share with the Tafuta who found them, but only after some time has passed. If a Tafuta finds an outsider with strong blood, they can try to take some of their blood by convincing them to give it up, or attempting to take it by force. After returning to the pride, the Tafuta will share their blood (now mingled with strong outsider blood) with others.

Ondiso (unlimited)
(teacher)
These pride members teach cubs and new members the traditions and beliefs of the pride. They also babysit and train cubs for their ranks later in life. They mostly look up to the Asili and Tutaona for any questions they may have about what they teach.

Ujana (unlimited)
(youth)
The young of the pride. All vampire cubs and adolescents hold this rank by default.

Special

Siku (unlimited)
(day)
A prefix or suffix that may be added to any rank to indicate the pride member is a daywalker - a lion who is more comfortable being awake and active during the day. This rank addition is unlimited, but should not be super common. Even if a lion is not necessarily light blind or sensitive, most still follow the nocturnal habits of the rest of the pride. Whether it is used as a prefix or suffix is up to individual members, it's just known by the pride that if "siku" is in a rank, this is what it means.
Ex: Msaka-kuu'siku, Siku'ondiso

Low Ranks (no requirement)

Chakula (unlimited)
(food)
Those pride members who are not considered vampires for one reason or another. This could be because they personally don't consider themselves a vampire, or because they have committed some wrong against the pride and were demoted to this rank. Cubs of Chakula are also Chakula by default. They can try to become a vampire when they grow to adult - this should be supported by RP. Any other species brought in (RARE) will also hold this rank and cannot move out of it. Chakula are basically treated as slaves (some more kindly than others) and may be asked to give their blood at any time. This does not have to be willingly, but they are likely punished if they don't submit. Pride members may claim Chakula as their own if they wish, or a Chakula can remain unclaimed for their entire life.

 

[Manda]

Members go here  

[Tanakako]

I have a couple of vampires (from Seòrsa-fala) who may be interested in this place. X3