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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:33 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:36 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:39 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:41 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:43 am
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TRADITIONS
- The title of Alpha is hereditary, being passed down the royal blood line from one generation to the next. Alphas can be either male or female- whichever is firstborn.
- When a new Alpha ascends, there is a week long festival held in their honor. On the last day of the festival, as the sun rises from the horizon, the stallion or mare officially takes on the mantle of Alpha.
- The title of Alpha cannot be given until the stallion or mare is of age. In most cases, the current Alpha chooses to abdicate to their heir at this time. For the occasional instance where an Alpha has passed and their heir is not of age, an advisor will take on the role until such time as the heir is able to ascend.
- The death of an Alpha, whether current or retired, is held in the highest of regards. Upon their death, the entire herd will gather at the center of their lands. There, the body will have been placed upon a sled of timber and leather, in preparation for its journey to the afterlife. Once everyone is gathered, a unique song created for that individual is raised to the heavens. The body is drawn by the Honor Guard towards the Veil with the herd in procession behind, still singing. Only when they reach the pedestal for the Veil do the mourners halt. The Honor Guard passes the departed to the Priests who, with great care, propel the former leader into the underworld via the Veil.
- Deaths of others are treated with the same dignity and respect as the Alpha, but a vast majority are not sent to the underworld in the same manner. They receive the blessing of a song and a procession, though their path to the underworld is elsewhere. There are very few exceptions to this, with only a handful being noted in the herd's history.
- Honor, loyalty, and trustworthiness are important to the herd. If someone's honor is tainted, then the only way for it to be restored is through the Holmgang. The Holmgang is in essence a series of duels. In these matches, either the individual accused of dishonoring another or an individual needing their honor restored must face off against the raven guard. The duels are 1 on 1 and end when either party submits. Killing is not unheard of in the matches, but it must be considered a clean kill in order to be acknowledged. This means dirty tricks and stabbing in the back are highly frowned upon. If an individual accused of dishonoring another makes it through all matches, then they are acquitted of their sin. If a person trying to reclaim honor makes it through, then their honor is restored. If they fail, then death is certain.
- Twice a year, the herd gathers together for the Jul and Ostara Festivals. The Jul Festival occurs during winter solstice and Ostara during the spring equinox. Each festival means something different to the herd. With Jul, families are able to gather together and spend time with one another. It is also a way for all the families to introduce their newest members to the herd. Ostara is a renewal festival. It is when the herd gives its thanks to the spirits for guiding them through the year. Additionally, this festival is used as another time to honor all of those who have died throughout the year and ask the spirits' blessings for them.
- Names are important to the herd. A name denotes the lineage of any given member, allowing for easier tracking of ancestors and descendants. As such, each family has a set naming scheme, and names should coincide with it. For example, the Alpha line utilizes names that are both heaven-related and winter-related. There are exceptions to the rule though. Those born outside the herd have been known to have altered naming schemes where the second part of a herd parent's name is used as the last name for the child (i.e. Polaris Frost's son, Lupin Nunki Frost).
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:46 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:49 am
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RANKS
Alpha/King/Queen- the leader of the Guardians of the Crystal Veil. Must be of age to take on title and can be either stallion or mare. Only those of the royal bloodline can inherit
High Priest- the one seen for advice on all things religious. Works in tandem with the Seer. Can be male or female. One of the duties of the high priest, alongside the Alpha and seer, is to oversee the Holmgang when one occurs
Seer- the one seen for advice on all things personal and strategical. Works in tandem with the High Priest. Can be male or female. One of the duties of the seer, alongside the Alpha and high priest, is to oversee the Holmgang when one occurs
Priests- the ones who conduct the day to day rituals and affairs of the herd. There are a variety of specialties within the priesthood, and each priest can follow their own path within them. Most priests have a set of 2 specialties they master, though some have been known to master up to 3 maximum
Maidens- mostly symbolic in their status. They are perceived as the personification of the Veil's beauty, power, and grace. As such, they must remain pure and cannot have romantic relations. As with the veil brigade, this position is rare in the sense that only females can become maidens
Raven Guard- those that are considered the elite of the elite within the guardians. They are the ones who partake in the Holmgang when the need for one arises. There can be an unlimited number of them, but typically there are around 20 at any given time
Veil Brigade- those that defend the Veil. They are a group of 10 warriors chosen from the guardians. The criteria to be chosen is kept secret for the most part, though one key factor is the conviction of the warrior in question. This position is rare in the sense that only males are chosen
Dragoons- those that oversee the training and development of the guardians. These are generally retired raven guards who have dedicated themselves to bringing up the next generation of warriors. Dragoons are mostly male but there are females as well. Their numbers vary depending on the number of guardians needing to be trained
Honor Guard- those in charge of the planning and execution of the funeral for an Alpha. There are a total of 10, with each one having a specific task given. They can be male or female and are chosen for their roles; typically, they are picked in young adulthood and must immediately start shadowing an Honor Guard veteran
Guardians- the warriors who defend the herd. Their numbers vary but all are formidable. Can be male or female
Entertainers- those who provide entertainment to the herd. They can be story tellers, artists, craftsmen, singers, actors, and many other things. Entertainers can have one profession or a multitude. It's whatever they desire to be and enjoy. Most practice their trades throughout the year; however, twice a year, they come together to perform in the Jul (winter solstice) and Ostara (spring equinox) Festivals
Seekers- those who gather the information from the Scouts and present it to the Alpha. There are 2 in total- one male and one female- and they answer only to the Alpha
Scouts- those who go beyond the herd's territory in search of land, allies, and hunting grounds. They can be gone differing lengths of time, depending on what it is they've been sent out for. They report directly to the Seekers
Caretakers- those who care for and teach young foals. They can specialize in a field of knowledge or be more generalized
Farmers- those who grow the many vegetables, herbs, and miscellaneous plants for the herd. Due to the harsher environment, Farmers must be precise, diligent, and ever vigilant so that the crops can be protected and flourish
Hunters/trappers- those who gather meat for the herd. They are trained to honor the animals of the forest, showing gratitude for the sacrifice, and to never kill for pleasure or sport. Training can begin as young as a few months old or start as late as a year old
Wards- those who are not born into the herd but come to call it home. They do not necessarily have to subscribe to all of the herd's beliefs, so long as they adhere to the main principles and values
Companions- familiars who have bonded with members of the herd. They generally take on the same roles as their bonded but can take on different ones if they prefer
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 11:52 am
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 12:00 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 12:05 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 12:09 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 12:12 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 12:13 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 12:14 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 12:15 pm
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