nirvana concept

[Akante]

Akante said:

ee-yup.
So we'd most likely be attempting to claim the Unclaimd Island territory, if it's still unclaimed by the time we're up and ready to initiate this pack. But I'd love to hear other people's opinions and standing on this concept before I throw my character in there.
Sooo, I'd be creating this pack with my character, Kali, as the leader. I'm more than willing to listen and possibly accept anyone else who'd be willing to help out, ICly or OOCly. Any and all help is appreciated!

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This pack is called Nirvana. A hidden paradise away from the horrors and damnation that pollutes the outside. With the Dark Mother at the reigns, she tries to keep her pack as safe as possible. They're all family, to her, every last one. Children, to be precise, no matter what age or species. However, some children have the spirit, and some do not. Some will have more respect, more rights, more easy-living. And how does one become more powerful in this pack? While other packs say, "work work work", Nirvana has a slightly different angle. Yes, work may get you to your goal, but where you're born into is much more important.

There is a loose Caste System within Nirvana, and certain castes hold certain ranks, and the creatures within those ranks will maintain a certain amount of honor and respect, depending on the caste. There are only a few ways to make your way into a caste: Birth, Apprenticeship, and Mating.
BIRTH: Whatever caste your parents are in when you are born, that's the caste you will most likely be in for the rest of your life. It's unfair, but it helps to ensure that the bloodlines stay as clean as possible. There's already enough contamination in the outside world, we don't need any more within our own borders. There are only two ways to get out of your birth caste: apprenticeship and mating.
APPRENTICESHIP: This is most common with new recruits, as it helps place them into their first caste. When a new member joins, they are in limbo until someone from another rank, almost always a working rank, chooses them as an apprentice. Once you are chosen as an apprentice, as long as you prove your worth with that specific rank, you will stay in the caste that your mentor is in. Obviously, since you would want to get into the highest caste possible, it's best to make yourself more appealing to the higher-ups. However, if you fail to prove yourself worthy in your apprentice stage, you will be demoted back into limbo, most likely with a scar to show your failure, where you can hope to appeal to someone else. Other than this, there is only one way to gain your way up in castes: Mating.
MATING: To gain your way up in the caste system through this method is very rare. Mating almost always takes place within castes, and the only exception is when the Dark Mother or Shadow request (aka demand) that two creatures of different castes mate. If this happens, the creature in the lower caste will be moved up to the higher caste, hopefully with the best-fitting rank for them.

Aside from the Caste System, there are a few customs that are strictly followed - some of them actual processes and others simple lifestyle quirks.
TREK FOR ENLIGHTENMENT: When new litters are born, they are tended to by their birth mother (if she is of a low caste) or the Midwives (if they are of the Roots caste or higher). However, when the pups reach the age of 5 months, they must go out on a journey, accompanied by a Midwife and Warrior, into the outside world. The purpose of this trek is to initially give the pups the 'right to leave' if they want, however the system is manipulated (only the Dark Mother, Shadow, and Sniper are aware of this), as the Sniper is sent out to wreck havoc on the group, frightening and attacking them until they eventually turn around and head back home. This instills a fear of the outside world, and the reassurance of safety back home.
LITTERS: Any member, of the The Roots or higher, has the right to mate. They do not need to verify it through The Dark Mother nor anyone else. Members from The Lowly are not allowed to mate unless commanded to by The Dark Mother. Once a litter is born, the mates must report it to the The Shadow and The Dark Mother. If they do not, and the litter is found, the litter will be slain. If, for some reason, the litter is not reported nor found until the litter is more than three weeks old, they are not slain on the spot. They are dragged to the Blood Grounds, by the Banyans, for the Banyans and Kikars to use as target practice. When the mates go to report their litter to The Shadow and The Dark Mother, they are to lead them into the den. They will then inspect the litter, and can make the desicion on who lives and who dies. Once the litter is reported in, The Shadow is to frequent the den, watching the litter's progression, and decide if any extra pups need to be put down. Should there be too many litters at one time, The Dark Mother can put a ban on all Mating Rights. Under a Mating Rights ban, any member of The Abyss or The Blades has to right kill any litter found to be born. Any attempt to defend them from the mother or father will result in an "eye for an eye" injury law.
ILLEGAL MATING: If you have a litter and are not in The Roots or higher, or you were not supposed to have the litter, you will most likely be beaten and moved to Limbo (if you aren't already there). If The Dark Mother is angry enough, she may even have the father castrated. HOWEVER, the pups will live and go through the normal observations and such that any other litter goes through. But the mother is to tend to the pups herself, and since this usually means that she'll be preoccupied with them the majority of the day, she'll obviously be hungry, thirsty, etc. As punishment, no one may assist her. At all. Not even the father. If she and the pups survive, good for them, though they may not be in good condition afterwards. This may seem cruel, but it's all to ensure that rules are obeyed.
RAPE: When a male rapes the female, that is one of the worst crimes in Nirvana. It is chaos within the paradise, caused by its very own members. When/if the father is revealed, he is to be castrated and demoted, or even sentenced to death if he rapes someone of a higher Caste. If the mother is impregnated, she may choose whether or not to raise the pups herself when they are born. Either way, when they're born, she will have the assistance of the Midwives.
TITLES: When you are talking or referring to anyone in The Abyss, you must refer to them by their rank title. You may not call them by their name, or even something like "The Shadow lolnamehere". The only exception to this rule is if you are on extremely friendly terms with the member, and you are talking to them one on one (if they approve of you using their name, that is). Simple respect and discipline, is all.
THE CHAUST: You want to be The Shadow? Well, here you go. The Dark Mother hosts annual fight for The Shadow rank, called the Chaust. The actual 'crowning' of the rank is called the Chausery, and always happens at night. The Chaust is conducted in a series of rounds. Depending on how many males show interest in the fight, it is usually a few rounds of one on one fighting between the males. During the fight, the males are not to kill or fatally harm another male. For their own protection, once a male participating in the Chaust feels like they cannot go any further, they should back out themselves. Although it can sometimes be considered honorable to keep fighting even under a weakened state, fighting and fighting when you know you won't make it is idiotic. When all of the rounds are completed, and it has come down to the final two wolves that are fighting for The Shadow, it is now up to The Dark Mother on who she may chose. The two are to fight until The Dark Mother tells them to stop. Then she is to make a desicion on who will become The Shadow. Even if the strongest wolf wins, she may chose the other male because of some qualities that he presented during the duration of the fight. This is uncommon, but still possible. Usually The Dark Mother will only choose the strongest, but sometimes the strongest doesn't always win.
RANKS/DEMOTIONS/ETC: So, when you're born you're labelled in the Caste your parents were in. And when you mature and finally get a rank, your only choices are either the rank your mother has, or the rank your father has. Hopefully you'll be able to adjust to this. If you find yourself incapable of working in either of those ranks, then suck it up. The only way out of these ranks is to really slack off and be demoted to Limbo. One there, your only chance of rising back up in the ranks/castes is by appealing to a potential mentor. This 'demotion' process has also been used by various other members as well. And as convenient as it may seem, it's very damaging. When you are demoted, you arm branded with a scar across your back. Every scar shows dishonor, laziness, and worthlessness. It is extremely hard to appeal to someone who's looking for an apprentice to bring honor to their name when you (the apprentice) is lathered with scars that show incompetence. So, you may want to rethink your methods, or at least prepare yourself.
SCARS: Scars are a very important form of communication. All scars not gained in fights that are distributed in Nirvana are X's. Scars on the back show disgrace, ususally from demotions or petty crimes. Scars on the throat show that the person was involved in a more serious crime, but not worthy of death. Scars on the wrists show that the creature is under suspicion of lacking sufficient loyalty. And the maiming/dismembering of the lower tail shows that the creature was brought in a Heathen.


[[will finish this tomorrow when i'm not dying. XP]]


The Ranks:

CASTE: The Abyss

THE DARK MOTHER: The high ruler of Nirvana. She is a goddess, honoring her people by descending from ultimate paradise to live amongst them and directly aid them. Her word is never to be questioned, or you will be charged with blasphemy and thrown off the cliffs. She has the divine right to choose her heir, whether she is of her bloodline or not. She also has the right to deny someone their rank, to promote/demote, condemn to death, permit mating/mates, approve apprenticeships, and oversee the Trek of Enlightenment.
THE SHADOW: The right-hand man for the Dark Mother - not necessarily her mate, though this is usually the case. He has diplomatic powers, and should always be turned to for anything. He has all of the responsibilities as an alpha, though The Dark Mother has the right to overrule his actions. The Shadow's only loyalty should be to The Dark Mother, but as far as the public is concerned, it is also for the well-being of the pack.
THE PHANTOM: The chosen heir to The Dark Mother. She will be hand-picked, and does not necessarily have to be a blood relative to her. The Phantom is to be considered touched by a goddess, and therefore has supernatural and holy qualities. To soil her name, or to disrespect her in any way, is just as bad as disrespecting The Dark Mother. Punishments could be severe. If The Phantom so chooses, she can either join a rank or oversee one of them.
THE GHOSTS: The bloodline of The Dark Mother. Her spawn, touched by her holy essence, though not necessarily as blessed as The Phantom. They should be respected, but how much respect they receive will depend on what The Dark Mother thinks of them. If she doesn't like one of her children that much, she probably won't mind so much when someone else mildly disrespects him/her.

CASTE: The Blades

GOLDEN ARROWS: The most trusted of The Abyss. Each member of The Abyss has their own Golden Arrow, as sort of a personal agent. They may specialize in one on one combat, guerilla tactics, strategy, herbal medicines, or even poisons - it all depends on what their master wants. These members should show the highest loyalty of anyone else, for they can easily be demoted to the rank they were originally at if someone else shows more potential. If the master wants, s/he can host periodical competitions to find their Golden Arrow, to ensure they have the best of the best.
SNIPER: The hidden assassin of Nirvana. Only The Dark Mother and The Shadow know of its existance - to everyone else this rank does not exist. This creature is to remain out of sight, hidden in the certain terrains that require either the status of The Abyss, or perhaps terrains that are too treacherous for others. When a nasty job needs to be completed, and no one can know who did it or why it happened, The Dark Mother and The Shadow send in the Sniper. The Dark Mother has ultimate control over the Sniper, as The Shadow needs to run his requests through her before going to the Sniper. The creature in this rank also fulfills the task of attacking the group that journeys out on the Trek for Enlightenment. The Sniper should be the best fighter, and should be able to kill quickly, preferably with only one blow that silences the victim immediately. If the current Sniper shows weakness or needs to be replaced, they must go through an acceptance 'back' into the pack, since they technically weren't a part of the pack as far as anyone knew. When someone is promoted into this rank, they are framed for a horrible crime that results in their 'death'. However, instead of actually dying, they are moved into this rank, where they roam almost as if a spook through the shadows of the denser part of the pack territory, never to be seen by anyone else.
TALWARS: The heads of the military. There are most often three Talwars, one usually specializing in strategies in warfare, and another in the actual fighting that takes place. The third specifically deals with assassin work. They must be able to cooperate with each other, manage and maintain their underlings, and should even be strong enough to keep their underlings under control should their partner(s) be absent. Ruthless and brutal, the creatures who fill in this rank most often use actions instead of words to win.
KIRPAN: Nirvana's link to the outside world. This individual creature is the one who ventures to the dangers of the outside world to set up the rare alliances, and gather intelligence. This creature must be entirely trustworthy, and will most likely be a close friend or ally of The Dark Mother. If ever captured, the Kirpan must do whatever it takes to escape and return home. If this seems impossible, they are to consume a posion conjured up specifically for suicide - every Kirpan is given one around the neck. Nirvana would rather lose one of its family than the very core and secrets that keep the pack strong. A very risky but rewarding rank, the Kirpan holds plenty of honor. Only under the approval of The Dark Mother may there be more than one Kirpan.

CASTE: The Roots

BANYANS: The warriors of Nirvana. Their loyalty should be unfailing, and their fangs should never miss. There should always be at least three Banyans by the borders at any given time, to ensure ultimate protection from the uncertainty outside. Creatures on the heavier, bulkier, and more vicious side will be favored.
KIKARS: The assassins of Nirvana. There will only be a maximum of four Kikars at any given time in Nirvana. If someone seems to be faltering within this rank, they are swiftly demoted into Limbo, while one of the Kikars can take on a new apprentice when ready. Kikars are to be swift, stealthy, silent, and above all, deadly. They are expected to be able to kill in one quick blow - their victim never given the chance to utter a yelp. They are also to be intimately familiar with anatomy, and may often converse with the Rosewoods for poisoning techniques.
ROSEWOODS: The healers and poisoners of the pack. They should be familiar with all plants on Nirvana's island, and knowing of some outside of the terrain couldn't hurt. They should know canine and feline anatomy, and kudos to those who know of other creatures' anatomies. Not run by a higher power, there may or may not be a group-elected leader to manage this rank, though this is not necessary. As long as they are able to function and do their work, it doesn't matter if the Rosewoods have a rank leader.
TEAKS The border guards of Nirvana. They must be able to read expressions and tones, and be able to build a character profile from anyone they encounter at the borders. Expected to have a somewhat level head and a great judge of character, only the most qualified will get into this rank. There will only be six border guards at a time in Nirvana. Three will be at the borders, and the other three will alternate the next day. They alternate shifts every other day.

CASTE: The Lowly

SEEDS: The young of the pack. Even though they are low on the ranking and caste system, it is a horrible crime to kill a pup unless The Dark Mother sees it necessary. They are the future of the pack, the very core to the survival of Nirvana. Depending on the bloodline, some pups will receive more attention and respect than others. At the age of eight months, pups are booted from this rank and are moved into the rank that either their mother or father was in (their choice).
MIDWIVES: These wolves are almost always female, though there may be a male in the rank. Their sole duty is to feed and tend to new litters. They will care for the pups until they are eight months old, when they are considered adults. When they are tending to the pups, if the mother demands that they treat the pups a certain way, they must obey. The Midwives are in no position to deny anyone's command. The most devout Midwife is chosen to go on the Trek for Enlightenment, so it may not be the same every time around.
LIMBO: The rank where anyone without a rank goes, and new recruits. Here, you are dirt. You have no status, no rights (except to live, unless you do something stupid), and your only hope to ascend is by appealing to the higher-ups. You have to prove yourself worthy to the pack, otherwise you're seen as nothing but a deadweight. If you remain at this rank longer than a year (six months or so, OOCly), you are executed.
HEATHENS: Those captured at the borders, or past them, as slaves and brought into the pack. They literally have no rights at all, and can easily be killed off if they anger anyone higher than them (save for Limbo). The only rank they can move up to is Limbo - it is not allowed for a Heathen to move straight to any other rank. And, the only way they can move into Limbo is if their captor or The Dark Mother sees them fit to.








blech. it's late.
i'll finish this up tomorrow. XP