***BLACKBLOOD PACK RULES***
1) Ranks---Becoming RankedThe best and most efficient way to become ranked is to work hard and often. Trying to brown nose your way to a rank is frowned upon very much, and can result in demotion instead. Once you are chosen to become a ranked member of the pack, a ranking ritual will take place.
---DutiesAll members of the pack have duties, not just ranked members. Members who are ranked are simply more specialized. Ranked members are expected to follow through with their specific duties, but subordinates must still contribute to the pack. Those who fail to do so can be demoted if it is severe enough. Pack life is difficult in the outlands, and there is no room for lazy subordinates if you do nothing you will be chased from the land, we can not carry free loaders.
---Multiple RanksAll counsel members have their counsel rank, and a second specialized rank. A counsel member can be both gamma and head warrior. Subordinates and non-counsel members generally only have one rank. However, if a wolf is identified as a hard worker, there is the possibility of being double ranked. It isn't very uncommon, and subordinates should not expect this to be possible. To maximize your chances at being double ranked though, you should be extremely active in the pack and be willing to become a rank that is severely lacking in members. Request an audience with a counsel member, and ask to become double ranked.
2) Consent---No Consent PackThe Blackblood Pack is a no consent pack. The act of killing a character does not require forward permission in this pack.
---What This Means for YouIf a character breaks a set rule of the pack and a death battle is initiated, no permission is required to deal the final blow. All rules of fighting still apply. No consent does not mean that any character can be killed at any time, nor does it mean that god modding a character's death is okay.
---Rules of EngagementWhen confronted by another character in battle, forum wide fighting rules apply. There are only two ways a battle can be initiated: either through a battle over honor, or a battle for the general protection of the pack. Attacking a wolf without sufficient reason, whether a member of the pack or not, is an offense of honor and the criminal wolf can be called out for punishment. A counsel member will decide the final penalty in such a case.
3) Mating---MatesMating
IS restricted in the Blackblood pack. In times past, only the strongest were allowed to mate through a traditional ritual. This is no longer a requirement to mating. However, this does not mean that having pups is encouraged or allowed. You must now only ask the alpha before mating.
---PermissionNo permission is needed to mate with another wolf. However, permission is needed to have pups together. Any mated pair wishing to have pups needs to contact an alpha and ask for permission. The alphas have the final say in who gets to have pups and who does not. Higher ranked members are generally free to have pups, but must still inform an alpha of their decision.
---ChildrenDue to the small numbers of pups conceived per year, all pups are the responsibility of the entire pack. Though the parents and pup sitters are specifically responsible for taking care of pups, all pack members are encouraged to take part in raising the new blood of the pack. Pups are considered children until one year old. At which point, they go through a coming of age ritual and are considered in nearly all respects adult. The only exception is any laws broken between the ages one and two years are also the responsibility of the parents.
---RapeRape is a capital offense and a crime against the honor of both parties. All instances of rape are taken on a case-by-case basis, though generally the male is considered at fault in such instances. Punishments are decided by the entire counsel and can range from demotion to death. A non-mated pair that has pups is, for all intents and purposes, considered rape.
---Outside the PackAlthough generally frowned upon, there is no set rule against mating with a non-pack member. In such cases, the non-pack member is often encouraged to join the pack, for the sake of pack unity. However, if the borders are closed, the non-pack member cannot join or visit his or her mate within the borders. Members can take leave to meet their lover outside the pack, but the reverse is not allowed when borders are closed.
---PunishmentsThe entire counsel decides the punishments for crimes of mating and pups. There is a wide range of penalties, including but not limited to demotion, exile, and death. The pups born of such crimes are not considered at fault in these cases, but will generally not be allowed to stay with their biological parents. All cases are treated separately, and it is not uncommon for one offender to only be demoted while another is killed and the pup taken away. In times of great food shortage newborns are sometimes left to die, this is a semi realistic pack and the leaders act accordingly.
4) The Oasis---RulesThe Oasis is literally the life force of the pack. Without it, the entire pack would perish. Therefore, keeping it secret and protected from outsiders is of the utmost importance. No precaution can be spared. Under no circumstances is an outsider allowed inside the Oasis at any time, only pack members.
---PunishmentsAll intruders in the Oasis will be killed or blinded. No exceptions. Leading an outsider into the Oasis is a capital offense, punishable by demotion to omega, exile, or death.
5) Leaving the Pack---Rule and PunishmentsThis rule is fairly self-explanatory. No member of the pack may leave pack borders without first informing an alpha or beta of his or her decision. The member should have a good reason for leaving the pack lands. A few examples of good reasons include visiting a mate, embarking to receive tattoos, spying on an enemy pack, or meeting with a pack ally. This rule is just a precaution to make sure members don't suddenly leave without warning. Those who fail to follow this rule can be demoted to omega, depending on the severity of the offense.
6) Honor (Section Written by Sunrush)---Killing during BattleWhen engaging in battle, killing is not permitted unless overseen by a member of the council and stated before hand/agreed upon by both members.
---PermissionTo initiate a death battle with another member you must supply a suitable reason. Some examples are: laying with more than one mate if you are life mates, hurting a child, disgracing someone's name, breaking the alpha's word, breaking set rules. Alphas and council withhold the right to intervene and end any death match if they see fit.
---ChallengingIf someone disgraces your family name you may challenge him or her to battle by asking the alphas. If allowed, you must then mark your challenge in urine outside your opponent's den or on them while they are lying down.
---After BattleIf you kill your opponent in a fair fight you must drop all feuds toward their family and honor them with one elk to support them through their loss. If you fail to do so, you will be called on charges of dishonor.
---TeenagersBattles to the death cannot take place between two teens or an adult and a teen.
---Teenage OffencesYou are responsible for your children's actions until they are considered adults. If a teen has dishonored your family, their parents by default must defend them in battle.
7) Rituals---Mating (Majority Written by Fable)During the fall when Inarians opened the mating season for the Guard (now called Blackbloods), male and female Guard members challenged one another to duels to test their skills. For every male a female defeated, and every female a male defeated, the winner moved on to battle another opponent while the loser dropped out of the competition. When neither wolf could beat the other, they paired up for the season. Few wolves could match the top fighters, so while only two or three pairs were made each year, every season produced heartier and healthier pups. However, since the strongest wolves were often closely related (cousins or half-siblings), inbreeding happened semi-regularly. Fertility rates are low among Guard wolves, resulting in only two or three pups each season. Tragically, many die from complications before they complete their trials. Thus puppies are precious to the Guard with the entire division caring for the young, not just the mother and father. Growing up with friends and cousins as close as siblings, depending on one another for support in battle or during the trials, makes for an impressive fighting force. Yet to keep producing top-notch pups, Inarian Royalty discouraged long term relationships. Males and females paired only for the season, they would not be true mates. The next year, they'd duel again and usually mated with different wolves. To prevent weak pups from being born and ensure the extended-family feel of the Guard continued, life-mates were disallowed. Everyone was everyone's family; no one was special emotionally (love), only physically (strength). When the Guard was exiled and became the Blackbloods, dueling continued according to custom. Many are unused to their new freedom, torn between maintaining tradition and bloodlines and following their natural instincts (to find a mate and be with them always). Some uphold the old ways, but many younger wolves question the practice and often rebel. Even Swiftkill and Rhinjin had trouble deciding between the choices, though they eventually decided to become mates. As a result, new social traditions were formed. Any pack member wishing to take part in the ancient tradition may do so. It will be set up during the mating season and high ranked counsel members (alphas, betas, gammas, deltas, and advisors) will determine wins, loses, and ties. Only the strongest participants will be allowed to mate. This ritual is not compulsory however, so if you wish to mate with someone anyway, you can.
---TattoosOne of the most ancient of Blackblood traditions, the pack looks with respect and admiration upon all who complete this task. The Blackblood lives with a human partner in the man villages, generally for no longer than a month and a half: two weeks travel one way, stay for one week to rest, hunt the mammoth, spend the remaining few days resting and getting marked, and then two weeks trip back. During their time together, human and Blackblood will train in preparation for a mammoth hunt, though very little actual training is needed on either side. Together, they and the rest of the Blackbloods in the village will hunt and kill a mammoth. With a successful kill comes the reward of tattoos. The number and color of tattoos given to each Blackblood reflects their strength and personality. The tattoos become visual indicators of what rank can be given; those with three tattoos could become captain of the guard, while those with only two or one tattoo were destined for lower ranks. Also, the newly tattooed Blackblood will receive a new name. This name, given to them by their human partners, is a mixture of two words, usually one syllable each. The Blackblood's former name is considered crude by this point and he or she will no longer be known by it. In fact, it is a great insult to be called by your pup name as an adult. After the tattooing process and healing period, the Blackblood returns to the pack, now considered a true warrior and proper member. Those who never receive their tattoos are not considered real adults and are often looked down upon by the pack. (As a note, this ritual is considered a birthright to all Blackbloods
of the pack. You have to be a member of the pack to take part in gaining your tattoos. You also don't have to be a Blackblood by species to recieve tattoos so long as you are born and raised in the pack, because Blackblood also refers to all members of the pack. When in doubt, PM a counsel member for clarification.)
8) Borders---Closed or OpenWhen the pack borders are open, any acceptable species may join. When they are closed, no wolf may be permitted to become a member.
---Scouts and GuardsScouts and guards are the ranks responsible for protecting the borders from outsiders. Their judgment upon an outsider is final. They have complete permission to chase out or kill those they deem dangerous to the pack, and are the wolves that generally accept new members. If a scout or guard kills an outsider, he or she must immediately report to their superior and explain his or her actions. Failure to do so will result in loss of rank, exile, or similar punishment as determined by their specific superior.
---OutsidersHumans and Alteron members are to be chased out or killed on sight. The only exceptions are messengers wolves during times of war. Creatures are allowed to pass through the pack lands as messengers during times of war with the escort of a scout or guard but are not allowed in the hidden oasis. Pups unless in a life threatening situation will no longer be auto accepted, they will however be housed in a cave outside of the oasis and helped until they can take care of themselves, then they have the option to join like anyone else.
---Those Allowed to JoinAll species are allowed to join besides Human's
---When Borders Are ClosedNo non-pack characters are allowed to cross the borders when they are closed. The only exception is if you've received permission from an outside source (ex: messenger from another pack). If this exception does not apply to your character, you may PM Sunrush's account to receive permission OOCly. If you do not recieve OOC permission to cross the borders when they are closed, it will be considered sufficient reason to chase out and/or kill your character. REMEMBER: this is a no-consent pack. Keep this in mind before you decide to cross the borders without permission, even if it's for a plot.
---Fan Characters (Section Written by Sunrush)We do not allow fan characters under the grounds that they are rarely complex characters and often ill thought out, people tend to have less of an emotional attachment from these characters as they where not of their own creation. With these characters we run the risk of the rp'ers losing interest in the fad or place that the original character is drawn from and thus losing interest in the character as well. We have had the problem in the past during different fads where we will get an influx of fan characters into the pack, a staggering amount of which have gone inactive and had to be removed. This floods acceptance threads and overwhelms the scouts and council. We gave it a chance but sadly fan-characters have proven to be a drain on the packs energy, there are a few pre-existing examples that are fine and safe within the pack. [We do not in any way believe that fan characters are bad, some people do them in great taste and appeal giving some real thought and heart to the characters. It is sadly the overwhelming amount of time and energy that went into the less thought out ones that forces us to have to do this]
What this means? Fan characters will not be accepted in any future acceptance rounds, pre-existing ones however are in the clear as they've had to have been active for a long time already.
We don't do this to be mean but number wise this has happened each time there has been an influx of fan characters and the boarders have been opened at the same time. This was a rule on the old forum and is being reinstated now due to the mass making of fan characters. (Note-There is a difference between characters inspired by a source and characters taken directly from a source.)
Influenced-
The character is well rounded and usually feeds off the genre of whatever the source is, it is not a reworked version of a character into an animal but a character that may take traits from some form of inspiration. These characters do not share names with the source, they do not have the clothing design or colors of the source with the species switched and they are not copies.
Fan-Character-
A character taken from something and changed to comply with forum standards. In a fan character a human has been made into an animal or a pre-existing animal character has had it's species changed to avoid copy-write violations. These characters vary little from the source and usually share a name, a personality or sometimes barely changed.
---The Joining processJoining the pack is a mild process, you are met at some point by a guard, scout or higher up in the pack and 'accepted'. However this acceptance DOES NOT mean you are in the pack. Your character lives in the outer wall where there is a linked underground supply of water and where there are caves for dens. Your character stays there until they are met by the alpha and deemed worthy to come into the Oasis and live among the pack. People who fail to join the alpha's thread and go right to rping inside of the oasis will be removed from the pack for failure to follow our rules. Depending on the severity of your intrusion your character might be attacked. Existing members are asked to keep an eye out for these occurrences and inform new members NOT to rp in the oasis but in the outlands, those who fail to do so and interact with or accept an unaccepted character into a rank will be penalized and possibly demoted.
This list of rules and punishments is not meant to be all-inclusive. When in doubt about the legality of an action, never act on intuition. Always ask an alpha or beta first.
