The Guardians of the Crystal Veil- OPEN to Post (Still U/C)

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

This may be changed or altered some but posting for now...

Welcome to the Guardians of the Crystal Veil. Primarily a herd of warriors and kings, outside members and passersby are welcome should they prove themselves hearty enough to brave the harsh domain.

Please be sure to read all information. In order to keep this thread neat and tidy please only post in this thread if you are filling out one of the forms/replying to quotes relating to said forms. An official chat discord channel will be created as soon as possible.

OOC Rules:
1. Follow shop rules and Gaia ToS .
2. Be polite and courteous to each other.
3. Please no drama! Unless it's for plots. Then drama it up!  

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

NAVIGATION

• Introduction
  
• Navigation
  
• Lore
  
• Beliefs
  
• Traditions
  
• Lands
  
• Ranks
  
• Members
  
• Customing In
  
• Plot Submission
  
• Joining the Herd
  
• Important Links
  

 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

LORE

Far to the reaches of the northern lands, within the furthest recesses of the mountains, resides a herd built of great warriors and kings. Theirs is a storied history, vast and immense as time itself. They are known as the Guardians of the Crystal Veil. A herd whose dedication, faith and loyalty knows no bounds. It is within this herd where Polaris’s life began…and where it nearly ended.
 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

BELIEFS

- The Guardians of the Crystal Veil are a herd that protect travelers from wandering into the "underworld." No one goes in except for their high priests and no one comes out save for said priests. To enter the veil means instant death to any other.

- The maidens of the Veil are to remain pure. They cannot mate but can develop platonic relationships. Maidens can be anyone, but are typically the daughters of the priests.

- The only way to restore honor, whether personal or on behalf of another, is to battle the raven guard in a set of duels.

- Honor, loyalty, and trustworthiness are among the most valued traits of the herd. To disregard, disparage, or otherwise betray them is tantamount to heresy and grounds for a Holmgang.

- Love is viewed as fluid and open. It can be whatever the individual feels it should be. As such, there are no true rules on lifemating or flings. Love is simply love.
 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

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).
 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

LANDS

They reside far to the reaches of the northern lands, within the recesses of the mountains.

 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

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
 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

MEMBERS

Current Alpha- Boreal Dust
Current Queen- Aura Neve

Rank: Heir
Name: Polaris Frost
Owner: Kaya Wolf Moon
Misc: Currently in exile but still maintains his rank.


Rank: Prince
Name: Sigma Rime
Owner: Kaya Wolf Moon
Misc: Second born son

MEMBERS BORN OUTSIDE OF HERD

Rank: Unknown
Name: Lupin Nunki Frost
Owner: Kaya Wolf Moon
Misc: Eldest of the children; currently the only son; next in line for Alpha


Rank: Unknown
Name: Triteleia Alkaid Frost
Owner: oo DeD
Misc: First born daughter


Rank: Unknown
Name: Morganite Alcyone Frost
Owner: HoneyTeaTree
Misc: Second born daughter


Rank: Unknown
Name: Topaz Eridani Frost
Owner: Kaya Wolf Moon
Misc: Third born daughter
 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

CUSTOMING IN

Anyone can custom into the herd.

Family: If you wish to custom in a family member for a specific Soq already established within the herd, please contact the person who owns said Soq directly. Please do not assume it is okay and try for a relative, either directly or indirectly, without permission.

Breeds: All breeds are accepted within the herd. The only exceptions to this are breeds automatically considered evil such as uncharmed Shifters. Pure Kalona and charmed Pure/Cursed Shifters are welcomed as long as they abide by the herd's beliefs.

Naming: Names can be from any language and generally consist of a first and a last (i.e. Polaris Frost, Sigma Rime, etc). Just be aware that the herd tracks lineage through names. So, if you pick a certain naming scheme, then it is preferred that it is passed on to the children. Exceptions are those born outside of the herd. In that instance, the second name of the parent is used as the last name of the child (i.e. Polaris Frost's son is named Lupin Nunki Frost). Joining members are able to retain their given names unless they wish to adopt the naming scheme of the herd.

Quests: If you are customing in, please be sure to update the herd on any wins so that the necessary sections can be updated.  

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

PLOT SUBMISSION

THE PLOT THICKENS!
What is the plot? Info here
Who is participating? Who does the plot center around? Is it an individual plot or herd-wide plot.
Do you require a specific player? Do you need a specific soquili in this plot? i.e. the Alpha or a guardian. If so, list them here.
Anything else?

Kaya Wolf Moon

 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

JOINING THE HERD

This is information for joining the herd if you are not a member. Please also use this form for signing up newly received members too!

WELCOME TO THE GUARDIANS.
Name & image of soquili joining. Cert is fine!
Reason for joining? Are they a member born into the herd? Future mate of a herd member? Or just a soq who wants to join?
Role? Please note that there are some restrictions. If there are any problems, I will let you know.
Do you agree to follow the herd rules and beliefs unless there is a good reason, and it has been discussed & approved by me?
Anything else?

Kaya Wolf Moon

[size=18][b][color=#8A2BE2]WELCOME TO THE GUARDIANS.[/color][/b][/size]
[size=9][b]Name & image of soquili joining.[/b] Cert is fine!
[b]Reason for joining?[/b] Are they a member born into the herd? Future mate of a herd member? Or just a soq who wants to join?
[b]Role?[/b] Please note that there are some restrictions. If there are any problems, I will let you know.
[b]Do you agree to follow the herd rules and beliefs unless there is a good reason, and it has been discussed & approved by me?[/b]
[b]Anything else?[/b][/size]
[quote="Kaya Wolf Moon"][/quote]

 

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

IMPORTANT LINKS

WILL BE UPDATED  

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

Reserving heart  

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

Reserving heart  

[Kaya Wolf Moon]

Reserving heart