[PRIDE] Voodoo (OPEN)

[[Eskimo]]

THE VOODOO


Welcome to the Voodoo pride interest thread!
While technically a redux of the original Voodoo pride (the Pepo'porojo),
ICly this pride came before and has existed since.

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DISCLAIMER - This pride's info is inspired by existing religions and cultures, but it is in no way meant to represent any one religion or culture, or to be taken seriously as such. Even the name "Voodoo" is considered to be an incorrect spelling with negative connotations due to its being tied to "the sensationalized, exaggerated and much misaligned representation of Vodou through American popular media." As such, I've decided to keep the name "Voodoo" on purpose to reflect that this pride is really just a fictitious mish-mash! All that being said, if anyone takes issue with anything in this thread, please feel free to PM me on Gaia or DM me on Discord at Eski#1366.

 

[[Eskimo]]

OUR HISTORY

Once upon a time, there were four young siblings. They belonged to an ancient and close-knit pride nestled in the jungle that practiced a wide array of what some would call magic. They called it Voodoo, and they were its servants--the servants of the spirits they called Loa. The four siblings were just cubs--far too small and too young to make much of a difference. And then they grew. One of the siblings, the last born girl, decided to make her own way in the world--to split off and start her own pride. Selfishly. Said pride was born of her own ridiculous beliefs. And then she bastardized their faith. And then she took a filthy cheetah mate. And then hopefully she DIED.

...Ehem.

Once upon a time, there were three siblings--two lions and a hyena. They were the Doyens--the leaders of the Voodoo pride. They lead their brethren in unity, just like their forefathers, and their forefathers, and so on and so on into the pride's ancient beginnings. No one knows quite how the lions and hyenas came together in the pride. Some say they were together since birth--born to the same mother. Some say the lions and hyenas owed each other a great debt through the Loa, and so chose to join forces and live together in harmony. Others say they saw opportunity--to join with one's enemies and thus gain an advantage over all other prides and packs. At the end of the day, that bit of history was lost. Lions and hyenas simply live together in peace and are quite content with their circumstances. In fact, they look down on other lions and hyenas who don't share their views! One thing they do know for certain: their ancestors were once enslaved by Wild Dogs. At some point in time, their ancestors overthrew their oppressors, and now the tables have turned. While the details have been lost to the ages, Wild Dogs are slaves of the pride to this very day.  

[[Eskimo]]

SPECIES:

LIONS & HYENAS

That's right, lions and hyenas work and live together in this pride. While both species see each other as equals and can hold equal rank, they don't truly see each other as equal--they are different. There are lions and hyenas. They're different, but they're on the same page, and there is no mistreatment between the two. Both species may have some different cultural needs or preferences from one another, but that's perfectly acceptable. Everyone gets along and they respect one another. Of course if your lion happens to hate this one hyena who's always picking his teeth with bones literally right outside his den every fricking morning, that's fine. Individual likes/dislikes can happen, but as a whole there's no racism between the two species. If your lion or hyena was raised outside the pride and isn't used to this, that's cool, but they'll be expected to adapt quickly. We're all friends here, Brethren!

HYBRIDS

Lion hybrids (Leopons and Cheetons) are welcome to join as long as they renounce their non-lion blood lineage and pledge themselves to the pride and spirits. They may choose to identify more as lions or even hyenas. It's not unheard of for a lion or hyena family to adopt a joining hybrid as their kid regardless of the hybrid's age.

WILD DOGS

Hi, slaves. Good doggy! Go get the food. Go hunt. Stop complaining. Hush.
Wild dogs are the grunts of the pride, doing odd jobs and most of the hunting (if they can be trusted). If they leave on a hunt, they are always chaperoned by at least one lion or hyena. Some are seen more like pets (but below familiars), others are worked to the bone and treated as no better than dirt. Some are abused, others are treated ok, and some are borderline pampered. It all depends on the individual owner. Absolutely no one sees wild dogs as being equal or worth sympathy, however. They're just dogs. Anyone who sympathized with them would be seen as crazy and most likely exiled from the pride.
Some dogs may be bitter about their fate, especially if they were captured and forced into slavery (so yes, captures do happen). Dogs born into the pride as slaves usually feel differently from their captured kin. If a dog wants to leave the pride, they can talk to their owner about it. Some owners may be open-minded and only want slaves who want to be there. It all depends. You've got nothing to lose by asking! Except your life, which sometimes might be ended as a result of your asking, it all depends, soooo...good luck!

CHEETAHS

We HATE CHEETAHS. If you're a cheetah and you get near this border, you'd better run like hell and hope you don't get caught. If you do, you're taken prisoner for questioning, sometimes experimented on (we gotta test new potions and poisons somehow, ok), and then promptly sacrificed (*see Religion).
While their ancestors never affiliated with other feline species and were neutral towards them, Samedi and Ayida hate cheetahs the most since learning their sister took one for a mate after she let her "version" of their ancestors' pride fall to ruin (not that there was much left to ruin since it was already a disgrace).
Time will tell if Samedi and Ayida's hatred for cheetahs will wane, but for now you'd best spread the word to all your cheetah friends to stay as far away from this pride as possible unless you've got a death wish. But hey, if you do, come on down!

FAMILIARS

All familiars are welcome except Waterbucks, Gazelles, Klipspringers, and Hares. Those are snacks, friends.
All other familiars are used for practical purposes such as hunting, scavenging, gathering useful items or materials, help with chores, company, scouting, assassination, and so on. They can be revered and prized, or they can be more like floofy pets. They're definitely not seen as equals, but they are above Slaves. They have their roles and they serve their purpose. Some pride members like them more than others do, it all depends on the individual.
Slaves are allowed to keep familiars as long as they don't interfere with their jobs. Some familiars commiserate with their bonded Slaves, others might bully them, and vice versa!  

[[Eskimo]]

BELIEFS

IN A NUTSHELL - This pride is selfish at its core. It's all about reciprocity (although however selfish or selfless your individual SoA is is completely up to you). It's about what you can do for the Loa, and what the Loa can do for you in return. We serve the Loa , but we serve ourselves. The spirits serve us. Offerings and sacrifices aren't meant to appease a Loa, they're meant as part of a contract--payment for services rendered. "Here, you like this, right? Since I did this for you, I want you to do something for me." This often spills over into pridal culture in terms of how they deal with one another, as well as outsiders (*see Culture). Outsiders may be quite leery about this pride, because let's face it--they are creepy. So be warned: if you enter into a deal with the Voodoo pride, you'd best be prepared to pay the proper price...

GOD - There is only one God who is called Mkodi. They are the divine maker of all things, unknown and unseen by mortals. They do not intercede in mortal affairs--that's what the Loa are for. Your SoA doesn't have to be praising Mkodi every five seconds--levels of worship are completely subjective. But every member believes in Mkodi and the Loa regardless of how they show it.

LOA - This is the interchangeable term for spirits. Some prefer to say Loa, some just say spirits, some say both--it's all understood. The gods and goddesses of SoA are considered Loa by this pride, as are all mortals who have died. Loa are the servants of Mkodi, and mortals can go to the Loa if they need anything--good health, a family reunion, a safe trip, a new necklace, the brutal and unholy murder of an enemy, and so on. There is no such thing as a "good" Loa or "evil" Loa in this pride. Some Loa are more dangerous than others is all. If one takes the right precautions, everything should be fine. Commune responsibly, friends.

SHRINES - There are shrines to the Loa all over the pride. They can be built by families to honor their ancestors or even friends who've passed away, and they're also for what you and I would call the "true" Loa--the gods and goddesses of SoA. Everyone can honor the spirits with gifts and offerings, pray to them, or try and commune with them directly with medicinal and spiritual assistance. Clairvoyants frequently help with this (*see Ranks).

OFFERINGS - Some pride members leave offerings when they go to pray. Offerings are typically the spirits' favorite foods or items, whether these are known or assumed. For example, your grandma's favorite femur chew is something you know, but something you assume would be like a rotting mouse corpse for the Goddess of Decay (assuming you've never met her). Or maybe for whatever reason it's become common knowledge that the Loa of Hazards' favorite food is roasted mushrooms, so you offer some to her shrine sometimes. Anything that could be associated with a particular domain would make for a feasible offering, but so would anything else you believe that Loa likes, whether it's fact or not. It doesn't really matter as long as you're trying to get on the Loa's good side! The point is to try and communicate with the Loa, foster a good relationship, and then hopefully have them answer your prayers.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNE - However you want to pray is up to you. Whether you give frequent offerings or none at all is up to you. Faith is always subjective. There are those who wish to pray beyond their "normal" capabilities, and these are the pride members who are more interested in medicinal herbs. Using a variety of potions, salves, and smokes in a variety of ways helps to open one's mind and body to the Loa. This helps to bridge the gap between the living and the spiritual, thereby giving the user more intense insight, potential answers, visions, and so on. Not all of these experiences are pleasant, but something can be gleaned from every use, so many consider it worth the price. The efficacy and potency of each method can be backed or dismissed depending on who you ask, but everyone would agree that each method does something. They are all ways to help communicate with the Loa and achieve a deeper understanding of life--both this one and the next.
One important thing to keep in mind is that we don't do possessions here, friends. Anyone deliberately attempting to get possessed would be seen as a danger to the rest of the pride and potentially exiled. Anyone accidentally possessed would be a different story, but as this has never happened before, it's not much of a concern. Remember, we want to have a relationship with a Loa, not to become a Loa. If you let yourself be ruled or dominated by a Loa and their wishes, you lose yourself--they become your master and you become their slave. Then you're not better than a dog!

SACRIFICES - Life and death will always be connected--mortals in the earthly realm, and Loa in the spiritual one. Sacrifices help to bridge the living with the dead, thereby connecting mortals with Loa. Some Loa enjoy death, murder, devastation, chaos. These Loa are considered very dangerous and not communed with lightly. If one understands the risks and still wishes to appeal to such Loa, one needs the proper offering. That's where sacrifices come in. Sacrifices aren't offered lightly. One must go before the Doyens (*see Ranks) with an appeal for a sacrificial offering to be made for their particular purpose. If approved, an offering is selected, a gathering is held, and the offering is sacrificed. Please note that lions and hyenas are never sacrificed.
(While this won't be a frequent affair, some SoA will definitely die this way. If you'd like your SoA to become a sacrifice, feel free to apply and we'll work out the details together. RIP)  

[[Eskimo]]

RANKS

DOYEN (RP required/Closed) - These are the leaders of the pride. There is always more than one Doyen at a time. They're the most experienced members of the pride, and therefore usually oldest in terms of age, although this is not always the case. While the pride is quite democratic, the Doyens will always have the final say. A Doyen can of course be either a lion or a hyena.

REGENT (Born-in or RP required/Currently open for potentially backplotted members!*) - Regents are sort of like the next-in-line to be Doyens, but they don't always become Doyens. The child of a Doyen is always a Regent. That's because they're closest to the Doyen in terms of blood, so they're seen as being closer to being a Doyen than someone else. It's common for a Regent to be spoiled or treated a bit differently by members of the pride, sort of like being a prince or a princess. Regents who aren't blood-related to Doyens are given the title to show acknowledgement towards their experience, wisdom, and potential. So if you're a Regent, basically keep up the good work! Doyens will often consult Regents for help with decision-making.
(*If your SoA hasn't done anything recently, or is a blank slate, they may be able to be a Regent! Feel free to post if you're interested in this rank for a particular lion or hyena and we can discuss!)

LOA (Open/gods only) - This rank is reserved for the gods and goddesses of SoA--Loa who have manifested themselves and chosen to walk among us humble mortals. Only gods who have appeared in their true forms (i.e. not disguised as mortals) are called Loa and allowed to take this rank. If you're a god and you decide to join this pride, you are about to live a sweet, sweet life, let me tell you. True celebrity awaits you here. Of course, when dozens of lions and hyenas keep asking you for things each time they give you something, and constantly kiss-up, or fight over you, or leer if you do something for someone else and not them, or doubt your authenticity because you won't turn their annoying cousin inside-out, or keep giving you roasted mushrooms (seriously, who the hell keeps saying you like roasted mushrooms), you might change your mind. Regardless, you are more than welcome here, and you will be loved and adored and respected like no other.

CLAIRVOYANT (Open/seers only) - These are the true seers of the pride. They are known through hard evidence to have real, true visions of all sorts. They are greatly respected and seen as being incredibly in touch with the Loa (though whether they actually are super spiritual depends on the individual). Some Clairvoyants may offer their "services" as part of a deal with someone. Others just try to be as helpful as possible, while others may feel incredibly burdened. Regardless, they are all a bit more respected and admired than most. (You must provide proof your SoA is a seer to take this rank.)

BRETHREN (Open) - This is the main rank for the rest of the pride members. Your SoA can do most anything you can think of as long as it makes sense for this pride. If you're not sure, feel free to ask! You can have your SoA be good at a variety of things, or you can get as specialized as you like. Some ideas are as follows:
-Hunter (hunt alone, hunt in a group, chaperone slaves on a hunt, capture new slaves)
-Artisan (make accessories, make dolls/charms/amulets/tokens, make potion/poison vessels, fix broken things, build shrines)
-Nanny (teacher, cub/pup-sitter, storyteller, midwife's assistant)
-Medic (make potions and/or poisons, herbal remedies, herb baths to commune with spirits, dress wounds, psychological health, midwife, bless or curse someone's dolls/charms/amulets/tokens)
-Military (soldiers, border guards, slave guards, prison guards, cub guards, combat teachers, military tacticians, executioners)
-Shrine keeper (tend to the shrines, keep offerings fresh or tidy, teach others about Loa)

SLAVE (Open) - These are the Wild Dogs of the pride. Some are like pets, but most are made to do work the rest of the pride doesn't feel like doing. As a result, wild dogs can possess an array of skills and complete a wide variety of tasks, many on par or in some cases better than the Brethren. Some are even hardcore soldiers who fight to defend the pride. You don't have to be a meek little thing to be a Slave! Of course, if your owner doesn't put up with sass, then you should probably learn to hold your tongue...
A Slave can do or assist with many things that the Brethren can do--it just depends on what they're taught or what their owners allow. Regardless of skill or talent, they're still seen as less-than. Now go lie down. Good dog!

SACRIFICE (Open/any species except lion and hyena) - There aren't usually many of these at a time, as those with this rank never last long. Lately the majority of these are cheetahs (Samedi and Ayida are still pretty angry at Simbi for the whole cheetah mate thing). Typically Sacrifices are prisoners who are kept in a remote and well-guarded holding area until they're ultimately sent to the afterlife. Depending on the prisoner, they may be interrogated or experimented on beforehand. Has a Sacrifice ever escaped? Has one ever talked their way into becoming a Slave instead? Maybe, maybe not. Good luck trying! After all, you've got nothing to lose.  

[[Eskimo]]

CULTURE

THE GIST: While other prides might value strength and prowess in battle, this pride values spirituality and cleverness. Consider us the dark and creepy chemistry nerds scheming to get the better of all the all-brawn-no-brains out there. That's not to say we don't have adept warriors here with very physical preferences, or that we don't know how to defend ourselves in a fight. Quite the contrary. There is a lot of room for individuality and freedom in this pride. We just generally prefer to do things as paws-off as possible. Now, would you like to try thus, uhh...refreshing fruit drink...? It's totally healthy, just took a sip of it this morning myself...totally safe...cough...

FAMILY - Family is central to this pride and has a very broad definition. We are all family here, friends. Connections are the most important things in this life and the next. It's the bonds we create and maintain with mortals and Loa alike that shape us into who we are. We can never achieve anything in this life without help from others. Loyalty and honor are extremely important to this pride, and any backstabbing would be harshly frowned upon, even to outsiders (we have to have a decent reputation to maintain good business, after all). That being said, bad deals can happen. You might end up with the short end of the stick, but as long as neither party deliberately lied about what was at stake, then you just have to live with it. And maybe you end up hating someone as a result. You don't have to love every single one of your fellow Brethren, and you may even try to put curses on one another from time to time (all families quarrel, after all), but at the end of the day we have each others' backs because we're family. Except you dogs. Go back to your dens. Go on, go night-night.

DEALS - Just like we have that I-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine philosophy with the Loa, we also have that with each other and outsiders alike. If your neighbor isn't going to do something for you out of the goodness of their heart, you might want to offer them something they like, be it an item or a favor--make a deal! And if outsiders come along and they need something from us, make sure you don't get the short end of the stick. Outsiders should never be as trusted as your fellow pride members. Feel free to amp up with stakes when it comes to outsiders. If they want something so badly that they've come to us for help, then they should agree to any terms, right? As noted above, backstabbing shouldn't happen. Never make a deal with someone and then hold back on your end of the bargain. All deals should be final. We have an infamous enough reputation as it is, we don't need the added shade! It's bad for business.

OUTSIDE TRADE - As previously explained, this pride enjoys dabbling in deal-making. It takes a lot to run this pride. We need a lot of varied types of supplies for a lot of various reasons, and a lot of those things come from outside sources. We also have a lot of things that you might need. We're willing to trade quite a bit--potions, poisons, slaves, trinkets, jewelry, potential protection from the unholy wrath of a Loa, the assassination of your worst enemy--many things are on the table. Feel free to discuss! I'm sure we can come to agreeable terms...

MARRIAGE - Marriage can consist of any type of bond, gender, or grouping so long as it's lions with lions or hyenas with hyenas. Heck, even a lion and hyena might fall in love, you never know. While there is no official ceremony, that doesn't mean you can't choose to make one up or have a big, crazy party to celebrate your matrimony! Some Loa like huge parties, so there's an added bonus for you.

CUISINE - This pride is not picky. They will eat just about anything they can catch and kill. They do enjoy occasionally boiling meat in the hot springs, as well as toasting some crispy dried lizards in the sun. If your lion or hyena can catch and eat it, then chances are they will. Wild dogs do most of the hunting, but lions and hyenas can work together or separately to bring down large prey animals as well. Generally everyone knows how to hunt and scavenge here. BUT if you prefer to be completely lazy and let the Wild dogs take care of all the hunting, then sit back and relax, friend, 'cause no one really cares.

FASHION - Typical accessories are things that tie you to the spirits, i.e. your mother's favorite necklace, a piece of your grandfather's pelt (or the entire thing, who cares), feathers from your favorite bird, the teeth of your worst enemy who finally died (thank the Loa). You might also have more practical items on your person, such as dried herbs if you're a medic on the go, or maybe you have toys and chewy bones tied to your arms or hanging from your neck for cubs and pups 'cause you're more of a nanny, or you can wear the toasty lizard snack you were saving for later...whatever floats your boat!
Some items are blessed and worn as charms, meant to protect the wearer or benefit them in some specified way. Other items may be cursed and gifted to another in hopes of causing them bad luck, or worse...  

[[Eskimo]]

THE LANDS

The pride's lands are nestled in a a tropical lowland rainforest known as Semuliki forest, which is a part of the lush and great Ituri forest. Two boiling hot springs (so no bathing here, friends)--the Sempaya hot springs--flow at its center, both of which are surrounded by humid swamplands, and one of which is a mini geyser. The Semuliki river is located at the upper edge of the pride and divides the pride from the rest of the Ituri forest above it. The pride is bordered by the distant Rwenzori Mountains, and Lake Albert is located to the northeast. (link images). This area gets a lot of rainfall, and many areas are known to flood and become swampy during the rainy season.

The flora and fauna here are extremely diverse. The lands are home to hundreds of types of birds, most notably hornbills, which the Brethren prize. Many different mammals make their home around this area, including many types of monkeys, forest buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, forest elephants, flying squirrels, bats, antelopes, fanged deer, as well as hundreds of species of butterfly. (Remember, you can play any unlined species of animal here as your SoA's familiar! As long as they fit the pridal guidelines for what's practical--no snacks allowed. Feel free to check with me about it!)

[More detailed explanation on pride set-up, where they sleep, general areas of living, etc....]

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[[Eskimo]]

MEMBER LIST

Can I rip the member list format from some existing pride plz loool...

DOYENS -

Samedi ([Eskimo]) + familiar

Ayida ([Eskimo]) + familiar


REGENTS -

Teko (Pandorus Sphinx) <-- Is she a Regent??

Kalfu (AstoriaFallen)


LOA -

Xibalba (Pandorus Sphinx)


BRETHREN -

Ainion ([Eskimo])

Mani ([Eskimo])

Zahir ([Eskimo])

Sukaruburū (Alpaca Chobi)



SLAVES -

Amanga ([Eskimo])

??? (???)  

[[Eskimo]]

PRIDE APPLICATION FORM

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[size=9][b]Pack/Pride Name:[/b]
[b]Current IC Owner(s):[/b] [Eskimo], Pandorus Sphinx
[b]Current OOC Owner(s):[/b] [Eskimo],
[b]Default ranks:[/b] Brethren
[b]Current Pride/Pack Members, and Rankings of Each:[/b]
[b]Links to at least five [i]current[/i] RPs: (These RPs must have been done in the last month. At least one must have included the current ruler.)
[b]Brief Description of your Pride/Pack: [/b] (Do not exceed 175 words, it has to fit in our layout!)
[b]Familiar Rules:[/b] Does you Pride/Pack allow familiars? If so, which ones? Are there any specific rank restrictions or is bonding to a regular member necessary? Be as specific as you want!
[b]Cert Background Large Image:[/b] (Cert colors are now ultimately up to the cert maker, but please try to make it rectangular in shape.)
[b]Pride Symbol for Cert:[/b] Transparent PNG, please, and not already on a cert!circle. Please keep it square-like in shape, not rectangular.
[b]Any Extra Information:[/b] If you want to include a place for alternate names or clans, please say so here - we will not allow you to change the cert afterward.
[b]Pride/Pack History:[/b]
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[[Eskimo]]

reserved  

[[Eskimo]]

reserved  

[[Eskimo]]

GIVEAWAY COMING SOON...

 

[[Eskimo]]

SHOPPING LIST

cert bg (something spoopy like the humid hot springs or the deep jungle...)

cert symbol (veve? something like veve of Ayizan?)

Pride map

RP contest/raffle (set up)

plots/ideas/questions/feedback from people--AM I MISSING ANYTHING??

pride name??? Is "Voodoo" acceptable?  

[[Eskimo]]

OPEN FOR JOINING

There is no joining form because I couldn't figure out what I wanted, so just do you, its all good.

What I for sure need from you joiners: the IMAGE (cert preferred to show proof of ownership) and your chosen RANK.

If you wanna discuss plots for your SoA, potential backplotting or future plots, their personality, any ideas you might have for their specialty, feedback on pride info or ideas for additional info, outside prides who might want to make a deal and any resulting plots, etc. etc. Anything you wanna post, go for it!