[OOC] Discussions and FAQ

[Ctrl F Greenie]

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Frequently Asked Questions

This is a very good place to post for in-pride plots and that sort of thing, whether you are looking for general RP or something specific to fill part of a plot, here is a good place to post. This is also a good place to arrange for joining RPs, challenge RPs, and just to discuss things about the pride. It's basically our own little OOC thread.

If you have a question about the pride, this is also a good place to ask it.

The OOC Discussion thread from the previous guild can be found here.

Example
Q: Why is the sky blue?
A: Something about reflection.

Questions/Concerns

Q: Do we post males that have been previously posted in the Fathers Day breeding or CC breeding thread?
A: Nope! Posting and approval is for going forward only. Please post from now on, but there is no need to post past requests again.

Q: What does the hierarchy look like for the pride now that it includes the Valkyries and the Shield Maidens?
A: Please click the link to see a small diagram, females are ranked much lower than males, but still hold a place among the men. Often times they will be sent out to hunt, deal with small issues or tasked with guarding the camp. On the odd occasion the females will also fight along side them, but perhaps not as frequently as they had before.

Q: What is prowling in the woods?
A: The woods are filled with a number of things, most pleasant and used to fill our bellies, but we assume what you're asking about are the Skadi. These creatures are outsiders of their own home, cast aside to live in an impoverished life style. They won't soon be seen as allies, but shouldn't be killed on sight. They aren't to be taken lightly as they're quick, and clever. Leave them alone with your goods or turn your back and you may find yourself missing an item or two.

Q: Family claims - how do these work or do they?
A: With the recent changes to the hierarchy and strict rules surrounding who may be born freeborn, etc. Family claims may no longer happen. To become Stormborn they must be captured or duel their way into the pride. There is no other way for them to join at this time.

Q: Females - RE: cubs ranks?
A: Please see below list of possible scenarios and their outcomes.
- Thrall? The female, unmarried, and has cubs then those cubs will be thralls.
- Freeborn? The female, unmarried, and has cubs then those cubs will be freeborn.
- Priestess? The female, unmarried, and has cubs then those cubs will be freeborn.
- High Priestess? The female, unmarried, and has cubs then those cubs will be freeborn.
- Shield Maiden? The female, unmarried, and has cubs then those cubs will be freeborn.
- Valkyrie? The female, unmarried, and has cubs then those cubs will be freeborn.
- Married? The females cubs will take on the rank of freeborn. The reason behind this is that her husband will claim any cubs she produces whether he is the father or not.

Q: Females - RE: rank requirements?
A: Please see below for possible scenarios.
- Requirements met for Reaver/certed as Reaver before the update? If you had met the requirements for the rank AND posted prior to the rules coming into effect then you are able to apply for Shield Maiden when the thread is created to do so. Posting in this thread will allow the owner to post for recerting.
- Requirements NOT met for Reaver? If your lioness is currently completing a viking, but did not have it completed by the time of the ORP then she will not be eligible to immediately move into the position of Shield Maiden. Once that RP is completed she will be required to accompany two more vikings to apply for the position.
- Requirements met for Captain/certed as Captain before the update? If you had met the requirements for the rank AND posted prior to the rules coming into effect then you are able to apply for Valkyrie when the thread is created to do so. Posting in this thread will allow the owner to post for recerting.
- Requirements NOT met for Captain? If your Reaver was in the process of becoming eligible for Captaincy, but did not meet the requirements before the ORP then they will be required to complete the full extent of a Valkyrie's requirements.

Q: Familiars - RE: rank of thrall?
A: Familiars have been and will always be Thralls. The Myrsky Syntynyt is a lion pride and any other species will hold the rank of Thrall. [Just to make matters perfectly clear.]

Q: Gods - RE: joining the pride?
A: If a God wants to call the Myrsky Syntynyt home they are expected to abide by the prides rules. If they plan to hang out and just putter around mortals than there isn't much they can or would do. The Famine has taught them that God, although powerful, are not almighty.

Q: Capture - RE: can family capture family as a thrall?
A: Want to capture your mother? Sure. Your father? Sure. That distant god relative, give it your best shot! The pride does not discriminate against the capturing of anyone. If you choose to capture your mother and make her do those chores you hated to do growing up? Not a soul will stop you.

Q: Females - RE: thralls, having them specifically?
A: Yes! A female is absolutely entitled to receiving and keeping thralls. In fact thralls can be given as a gift by the Reavers. This act happens more often when a Reaver is courting a potential wife to be. Wives families would also offer a thrall to a Reaver as a form of dowry along side some of their own bounty.

Q: Marriage - RE: I now pronounce you thrall and thrall?
A: The purpose of marriage is to gain status in the pride. To marry two thralls would be purposeless in a pride that isn't about love. Two thralls are welcome to love one another, breed with one another, and (with permission from their masters) live with one another in a nearly traditional lifestyle, but won't likely be married by a lawspeaker or the first speaker.

Q: Sexuality?
A: *Copied from the Pride Information* This is a pride of fierce fighting lions. Everyone wants to be on top, as it were. The prevailing attitude is that of derision toward lions and lionesses who are same-sex oriented, but this can turn to violent derision if the lion in question is not well-liked. If a lion is homosexual, it is safest to pretend otherwise, or else be very, very discreet. If a lion is discovered to be homosexual, he or she will not actually be driven from the pride, but their quality of life will almost certainly decrease. So if you want to put a homosexual lion in for plot purposes, go ahead, but know there may be IC difficulties ranging from mockery to beatings. That said, a male lion buggering another male just to show dominance is considered the height of manliness. The lion in the submissive position in that situation may as well castrate himself, because no one will ever take him seriously again.

Currently: The above is still in effect, but has long since been neglected. Homosexuality is not a plague, but it also provides a purposeless relationship. Again, the relationship is entirely up to the two characters and OOCly the owners, but will likely not be recognized by marriage. If the concern lies with having cubs the rank of the mother will prevail.

Freeborn and higher will produce freeborns.
Thralls will produce thralls.

Q: Will there be a position for seers? Or like mystics/oracles?
A: They would hold no special rank. Theyre just special people with special talents. Though they'd make great priestesses if they're female, since their sacrifices (and foretellings) would probably be more effective than a non-seer's would be. Priestesses do perform a certain number of predictive rituals, as well as providing talismans and charms for protection.

Q: How much ceremony there is to Stormborn marriages?
A: The groom gives a plait of his mane to the bride so that if he dies while viking she may give some part of his body to the gods in a proper ceremony. The bride also give the groom a plait of her fur so that she, too, may be properly given to the gods should she die in battle or in birthing. Following the formal exchange of gifts, the couple exchanges personal gifts. Then the couple drinks water mixed with honey together to signify that they are bound to each other, as with honey, and a priest speaks words over them to that effect while a Lawspeaker records their marriage. Finally there is a sacrifice for good luck and then feasting. Wedding celebrations often last all week.

Q: Does coat color/pattern matter at all?
A: It makes no difference. It's just fur, as far as the Stormborn are concerned. What's important is the warrior spirit beneath the fur.

Q: Would a lion hybrid be able to join as a Reaver?
A: Nope. The Stormborn are lions. Anything else is fit only to be a Thrall, no matter how talented they are, or if they're born into the pride. Any hybrid who tried to challenge in would be laughed away at the gate.

Q: Can a cub automatically rise to Captain?
A: Not without doing the requisite RPs. No viking band would elect an inexperienced adolescent as a Captain, even if there was a death. However, you can let it be known that you intend to aim for making your cub a Captain one day. In other words, there are virtually no adolescent Captains.

Q: I know a hybrid or non-lion is considered a thrall, but do the Stormborn frown on creating a hybrid via breeding to a non-lion? Since the offspring can only ever be thralls.
A: They don't frown on it as long as the dad's a lion. For a female Stormborn to lower herself by being impregnated by a non-lion would be kind of horrifying for them. For a guy, though, it's really whatever. The pride understands that a man has needs and that sometimes there're no lionesses around to satisfy them.

Q: Would a Freeborn be allowed to keep a personal Thrall let alone capture one?
A: Freeborn are absolutely allowed to keep personal thralls, though as has been stated elsewhere they are not encouraged to leave the pride to capture them. Most of the time if they have specific requests, they have to be made to whatever reavers are going viking.

Q: Do Thralls HAVE to be captured on a Viking, or can they be caught in other circumstances (Like a lion accidentally crossing into the territory and meeting the wrong Reaver)?
A: This can and often does happen.

Q: Can a Captain who is currently home for it be the one to do a joining duel, or does it have to be a Reaver?
A: Absolutely.

Q: To go on a viking/become a reaver, do you need to arrange OOCly with an actual captain about a viking? Have them "officially" join a band? Or can you just say that your character (freeborn) went on a viking with random-McRandomface captain (who doesn't exist or isn't specified/NPC) and have some out-of-pride RPs? (With a completely NPC band?)
A: Latter is true, yes. You can make up NPC bands and captains for your viking RPs if you need to.

Q: Can a lioness who wouldn't ordinarily be allowed to leave the pride still have cubs with a god?
A: Yes. Gods do what they want and are above mortal rules. Though it's up to that lioness to explain IC how they got knocked up, and accept that people will probably be skeptical if she claims a god did it.

Q: Are thralls able to be taken on vikings? As assistants or, essentially, pack mules?
A: Thralls can certainly be taken along on vikings as assistants and pack mules and suchlike. Reavers don't carry their own stuff if they don't have to, after all. Or do their own hunting, for that matter.

Q: A Reaver, Freeborn, and a Shield-Maiden go-av-viking...
A: Let me stop you there (even if it's a good line up for a joke, there is no punch line). If a Reaver or Freeborn (male) go out a-viking then an NPC Captain can be used for the purposes of completing the RP requirements for rank updates. However, the Shield-Maiden is stuck, she must have a Captain (actually player controlled character or PC) to accompany her out for a viking. The purposes of this is to have that same (or other) Captain vouch for her when she chooses to become a Valkyrie.

Q:
A:  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Open for Posting

 

[In Good Faith]

Is SRP available for joining challenges/duels?  

[Zingling]

Could we implement a RP exchange for addition dueling dice? Just because sometimes I feel silly having a higher ranked character completely get wrecked by someone's character based solely on the fact that everyone is on the same playing field. This could also be great for those trying to win the spot as warlord or something similar?  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

In Good Faith

Is SRP available for joining challenges/duels?

Yes, but only where you are attempting to join the pride. Otherwise the duels should be completed with others users. (Ex. Duels to complete the necessary requirements to become a Shield-Maiden.)  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Zingling

Could we implement a RP exchange for addition dueling dice? Just because sometimes I feel silly having a higher ranked character completely get wrecked by someone's character based solely on the fact that everyone is on the same playing field. This could also be great for those trying to win the spot as warlord or something similar?

Implementing bonuses to the system is absolutely possible, but will require some trial and error. Due to the amount of work required to ensure it isn't over powered this may take some time.  

[Zingling]

That would be so sweet and I definitely understand the need to test and time it would take. If you need assistance in just testing feel free to let me know. I would gladly offer any help I can give.  

[Zingling]

So I think I messed something up, Freeborn females can't join a viking and help the group like thralls can, or can they join a viking group if under supervision?  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Zingling

So I think I messed something up, Freeborn females can't join a viking and help the group like thralls can, or can they join a viking group if under supervision?

Freeborn females would not leave the pride. They must prove themselves capable of caring for themselves in the event that the viking goes sideways. Thralls are disposable to most Stormborn, but the Freeborn are valuable assets that aid in maintaining the Stronghold, producing the next generation, and tending to the various herds. Only if a female proves herself and becomes a Shield-Maiden or Valkyrie can she leave and even then she must be accompanied by a viking band made up of predominately males.  

[RuIerr]

How many Lawspeakers are there currently/how many Lawspeaker spots are open?

Thanks!  

[In Good Faith]

Dear Greenie aka WARLORD,

Are stormborn (or rather, any of the lions) literate in written word? Are there letters or alphabets, etc. that can be utilized in RP?

YOUR MOST OBEDIENT,


In Good Faith

p.s. ilu thx

 

[KasaiLoki]

For the Valkyrie rank:

Does each Viking have to have a captain present in the actual rp, or can it be assumed that once the shield maiden has asked a Captain to sponsor her that they are there while on the viking? [Similar to how male freeborns/vikings work?]

If a captain must be present in the rp, can SRPs work for it, or does the Captain need to be owned by another player?  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Ruler of Everything

I've just updated the lists based on the current and active CYO memberslist posts. This brings the tally up to 4 / 9 slots taken for Lawspeakers, be sure to check there before applying - if necessary.

In Good Faith

Unfortunately they wouldn't have a formal written form. They may use different scratches to identify certain things? Or portay partial images with fruit juices, but they were be images depicting forms, not a written language. Imagine native murals.

AstoriaFallen

I believe you already addressed this in the way you've written the giveaway for the cubs you are talking about here. (I think.)

To answer your question though, this would be situational. Discussions for these plots can be held in order to determine what may happen.

KasaiLoki

Short answer: No. The Captain will only have to be present for one of the RPs in order to meet the requirements. It would be assumed that the Captain wouldn't be involved in every interaction, but instead would be somewhere in the background. Especially since the ladies brought along could be off hunting, etc etc.

Long answer: Will come shortly as I continue to flesh out the requirements.