The Sinclair Family
Thread/Herd/OOC Rules
1. Follow Gaia ToS, and Soquili shop rules
2. If you are posting IC, please somehow indicate that you are doing so.
3. No spam
4. Please ask permission to custom into the herd prior to entering for customs.
5. Stuff. I dunno, I reserve the right to add more rules as the need arises or they occur to me.
Totem
- Picture coming eventually -
A fine sculpture carved out of wood, Vincent had it created by a wood-working human upon arriving in the Kawani lands. (Let's assume that he drew a picture of what he wanted and there was some awkward attempts at sign language before a bargain was struck) It looks like...to be determined.
Territory
Up in mountains, more specific thing to come soon.
Herd Details
History
The Sinclair bloodline began in a far away land, within an old range of mountains that have been known by many names. The Kalona herd that called those peaks home, called them simply, the Black mountains, because the soil is rich and bountiful, and because only the highest peaks are snow-capped in any season but winter.
Vincento Sinclair was the eldest son and heir of the herd's leader. And old and powerful Kalona elder who prized purity of blood and therefore, purity of magic above all else within his followers. Breedings that resulted in 'impure' and therefore 'weaker' bloodlines were forbidden upon penalty of death. Vincent was not swayed by his father's prejudices, he was a foreword thinker and didn't view crossbreeds as abominable. He approached his father with an example, whenever a member was seriously injured, a unicorn or kirin was captured and forced to perform the healing. Vincent explained that if they could breed healing magic into the herd, they would have a healer they could trust available at all times. The herd leader was horrified, to him, Kalona were the ultimate predator, and every other breed was there to serve them in one way or another, breeding with a unicorn was like mating with your dinner, unimaginable. Despite the main herd's beliefs, Vincento accumulated followers within the herd who agreed with what he had to say.
Eventually, Vincento's father arranged a suitable pairing for his son with the daughter of a neighboring herd. She was a petty, whiny, spoiled brat, but her bloodlines were pure. That was enough for his father, but Vincent was disgusted at the idea. Behind his father's back, he had been having an affair with a half Kalona by the name of Jacqueline (To be customed). Upon her he had already sired three healthy, strong children; Evangeline, Morphia, and Maeve (to be customed), and around the time that his political marriage was made public, she had become pregnant again with Jessamine and Giovanni. Jacqueline was no angel, she was manipulative, vindictive, and vicious. She loved Vincento, but she was also using him, as he was using her. They suited each other perfectly. Theirs was not a monogamous relationship but Jacqueline was too proud to be reduced to Vincent's secret mistress, she demanded that he choose her or she would disappear with all of their foals.
Vincento has many negative characteristics, but he has always been loyal to his blood. It hurt him dearly to betray his father, but his own children held more of a hold on him than his parent. Vincent left the herd that very night along with those of the herd that agreed with him. Vincent and Jacqueline took these new soquili away into new territory and formed a new herd. For a while, they were quite happy.
Jacqueline and Vincent's youngest children, Jessamine and Giovanni, were spirited and adventurous. Tired of being cooped up on the same land, they snuck out to explore and ended up crossing paths with Vincent's father, who knew upon seeing them that his bloodline had been corrupted. He attacked what he saw as embarrassing abominations, and easily overpowered them, thinking them dead he disposed of the bodies. He followed their trail back to the caves where his son's herd had been living and then went back to his own followers to hatch a plan. Capturing a skinwalker took the strength and lives of many of his own, but they managed it and unleashed it in the same area that the foals had been discovered. The skinwalker easily followed the foal's trail back to Vincento's herd and attacked, slaughtering many and forcing the survivors to scatter in all directions, such was the violence of the attack that each group of survivors were sure that they were the only ones who had escaped. Vincent and Evangeline had been out searching for Jessamine and Giovanni when the rest of their herd had been attacked. They found evidence of Jess and Giovanni's blood and the skinwalker's presence and were forced to conclude that the foals had been killed. Vincent and Eva followed the walker in search of vengeance, and were horrified when they realized its' trail led back to their own home. When they reached the caves, they found them in ruins, blood and bodies were everywhere, and although they could find no sign of the rest of their family, they were sure they were now alone. Heartbroken, the two searched in vain for months but eventually gave up and migrated to Kawani to start over.
Jessamine and Giovanni survived but had been separated. Jessamine had no memory of anything before waking up after the attack, she also ended up in Kawani and grew up not knowing that she was part Kalona, because of the damage to her mind and her strange cravings she grew up a twisted and damaged shadow of her former self and remains so to this day. Giovanni still remains lost (Nyx is customing him)
Vincento and Eva survived on their own for a long time, but eventually, they began establishing a new herd. Early on, they were attacked by a rival herd that felt threatened by their growing power and then, when they were still recovering, they were attacked again by local soquili who were frightened of a Kalona herd gaining power in the area. The two were left alone again and left to find a new place to settle. To her astonishment, Eva found Jessamine on one of her scouting trips. She immediately recognized her younger sister and convinced her to accompany her back to Vincent. Through her stories, they realized that this land was not nearly as tolerant of the darker sides of the heart which had been cherished as much as the light in their old home. Slowly but surely, they have tracked down Jess's descendents and invited them into the herd to build their ranks. Vincent is viciously protective of his family now that he has found them again, and intends to become too powerful for anyone to risk harming any of them. Together, Vincento and his family are building a new mountain sanctuary to protect their own and teach those who had been damaged by a hard life of rejection that they were worthy and beautiful, to embrace their darkest urges and feel pride in their heritage.
Herd Structure
The Sinclair Herd is more of a small society than a structured hierarchy as Vincento requires no help to rule over his family. It was created to provide a protective sanctuary for those of the Sinclair family to come together to learn about and embrace their darker impulses, but as more soquili are born or inducted into the herd it is becoming more of a structured society. While most members make their home in the sanctuary and guard it from outsiders, including Vincento himself, some simply come and go as they please, or as necessary (Mostly mates, or family that was not born within the herd or left it later on)
Family members may be a part of this herd as well as others. Members are not expected to remain within the herd lands at all times. They are, however, expected to honor the family and not leak its' secrets in their travels upon penalty of death.
Although Vincent's original intent was simply to reunite his own blood descendents and provide them a safe sanctuary, he has begun adopting young soquili into the herd to swell their ranks as well as accepting adult soquili who have suffered as his family has and request sanctuary. All must have strengths and skills he wants brought or bred into the herd. All outsiders who wish to join must prove their loyalty beyond doubt as Vincent will not gamble with his family's safety.
Values and Traditions
Under construction
Having come from a herd of blood-purist Kalona that tried to kill Vincento and his children, Vincento decided to make new herd policies. If you spill the blood of a family member (with malicious, premeditated intent), your life is forfeit whether you are family or not. If a member of the family is caught plotting against the family (this could range from selling family secrets to plotting to kill someone within the family), they are thrown out and declared a blood traitor, maimed, or even killed depending on the severity of the plot.
While the tenets of the herd are only one generation strong, all of the 1st generation of soq who abide by these rules will teach them as divine law to their descendents because of the crap they dealt with from blood purist family members. The things that were important to the old herd were more along the lines of blood purity and influence, with a dash of blood worship since it is their sustenance. From them Vincento has taken bloodletting ceremonies, baptisms for new members adapted to include some kind of blood play (ie; you have to bleed on their totem as a part of induction into the family), some kind of animal sacrifice during festivals, etc.
There are four festivals throughout the year on the solstices/equinoxes. Herd members are required to attend at least one of these every year, to check in and renew their blood oaths. Herd allies are welcome to attend but are not required to participate. The festivals are basically big parties where the herd gets together to renew family bonds and have a good time. There is a ceremonial killing of the first food-animal, blood oaths are renewed in front of/on the totem, new members of the family are baptized by blood and depending on their age required to swear a blood oath, and Vincento usually makes some kind of speech. Otherwise there are games and activities and the family pretty much parties until the sun comes up.
Roles:
Patriarch: Vincento Sinclair is the patriarch of the Sinclair clan, he acts as Alpha and protector and has the final say in all herd decisions. He does take advice, but it is understood that his word is final.
Heir: Evangeline is Vincent's eldest child. She has been with him since the original attack on their family and helped form the herd. She is his acting second in command.
Advisors: Jezabelle acts as an advisor to Vincento and Evangeline. As the herd is composed mostly of her siblings and their descendents, she is helpful in helping her aunt and grandfather understand some of the quirks that have been passed down through Jessamine's bloodline. She found and brought in many of the herd members and thus carries a lot of influence with them.
Watch Commander: Coquette Sinclair is her grandfather's protege, thoroughly trained in combat, she has been entrusted with commanding the warriors and scouts that patrol the herdland. She also assists Evangeline and Vincent in the training of new warriors.
Guards/Scouts: These are soquili dedicated to the defense of the herd, they may leave the herd at times, but never while on duty. They are trained in combat and make their home with the herd, patrol its' lands, and protect it from outside dangers.
Healers/Shamans: These soquili treat injuries and sickness within the herd, they may have powers that aide them, or simply skill with herbs and other medical techniques. These soquili also make their home with the herd.
Caregivers: Watch over and protect young foals while their parents are busy. Must make their home with the herd.
Artisans/Entertainers/Craftsmen: Pretty self explanatory xD. They do not need to make their home with the herd at all times, although they usually do.
Members: Open to anyone. Members can be soquili that live in the herdlands but don't really desire to hold a particular position. They can also be mates or Sinclair descendents that do not live with the herd but are still a part of the family.
Note: Members of the Sinclair family can also be involved in other herds, but they cannot be more than just a member or some sort of craftsmen. This is mostly intended to help out those who own soquili that are descended from Vincento and want to be affiliated but have families elsewhere, also mates or lovers who don't wish to live with the herd, and that sort of thing. Unrelated soquili wanting to join but not stay and contribute to the herd would likely not be trusted with membership.
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