Post by Trehmar on Mar 8, 2010 19:44:27 GMT -5
Contents
IC Information
OOC Information
Rankings
Rituals/Events
Patron Spirits
IC and OOC Information must be read and understood before you can be promoted above Tribe-Seeker.
In-Character Information
The Banepaw Fellowship is a group of nomadic tauren seeking a more traditional, shamanic, natural lifestyle.Through preserving the oral tradition, eating and drinking of the land, respecting and protecting nature and living among family, the tribe retains traditional tauren ways.
Tribe's Characteristics:
* Heavily Story-driven
* Ritualistic/Tribal
* Lore-based
* A tribe member is loyal first to the land, second to the tribe, and third to the race.
* All legends are strictly told through oral tradition. This means OOC too. All Tribal legends are 'sacred' and to be told only IC by characters who know them.
* The Fellowship's ultimate purpose is to honor the will of the Earth Mother and the ancestors.
*Joining the guild does not mean you have joined the Tribe. You keep your previous surname/tribe name. The Tribe is an entity within the Fellowship. To join the Banepaw Tribe, speak to an elder or Leader.
Out-of-Character Information
The <Banepaw Fellowship> is a long-running guild that has always had the same goal: improving RP on Moon Guard and giving roleplayers a home. Recently, the guild as a whole found that the quality of the roleplay wasn't what it used to be. They felt the guild had lost much of its luster. So, several old and new members have gotten together to reorganize and re-imagine the Fellowship IC and OOC.
((OOC Guidelines))
Rankings
Promotion is based mostly on IC merit. OOC devotion to the guild will also be considered.
* Tribe-seeker - Those individuals who do not belong to a tribe or are seeking a new home. Tribe-seekers should spend a good deal of time among the tribe getting to know everyone and helping out however they can with tribal dealings. If the tribe has decided to accept him/her, the tribe-seeker will undergo the rites of the tribe to join the nomad rank. If the tribe has decided not to accept him/her, the tribe-seeker will be told the tribe does not have a place for him/her and be removed from the guild.
* Nomad - Nomads are newer members of the guild without many responsibilities who do not play as important a role as Fellows. Nomads should work to find their niche and prove themselves worthy of shouldering more responsibility within the tribe.
* Fellow - The heart of the tribe is in the commoners and fellows. Healers, craftsman, hunters, braves and simple people make up the Banepaw Tribe and Fellowship. They shoulder the responsibilities of the guild.
Possible Roles
(Note: A single fellow could fulfill any number of these roles)
-> Guildie: A tauren who has not chosen to leave her tribe but join the efforts of the Banepaw. Guildies are full members of the Banepaw Fellowship and equally as important as devoted tribesmen.
-> Tribesman: Full members of the Banepaw Tribe as well as the Fellowship. These tauren where either born with Banepaw blood in their veins or have cut their ties to their birth tribe to join the legendary Banepaw Tribe. Tribesmen are recognized as brothers and sisters of the Banepaw Raptors, and are linked to the soul of the Tribe as well as the Fellowship.
-> The Parent: Younglings come to us as seasons pass. While no parent assumes full control and responsibility of their child (the tribe as a whole raises children) it is important that a child learns all their parent has to teach them.
-> The Craftsman: These are the leather-workers, jewelcrafters, inscriptionists and crafters of the tribe. They build our huts, clothing and weapons.
-> Farmer: Those who sow life into the ground and toil to bring us the Earthmother's blessings through crops.
-> The Elder: The wisest and most vulnerable of the tribe, elders are those who have lived long and seen more than any of us. They are who we go to for advice concerning the physical realm.
-> The Brave: While the Warders are the military force of the tribe, Braves are the militia; volunteering to make patrols and always be ready to defend home. Normally, a tauren must serve as a brave before becoming a warder.
-> The Hunter: Those who track and hunt the kodo. They feed the tribe and guide us as we roam Kalimdor.
--> The Spirit Hunter: While shaman focus on all five of the elements, Spirit Hunters commune almost entirely with the Element of the Wild. Drawing their power from nature, these deeply spiritual hunters serve as the connection between beast and tauren.
-> The Healer: Shamans, Alchemists and Druids who have learned the ways of healing are necessary to create a diverse healing environment for all types of ailments; physical and otherwise.
-> The Shaman: Shamans are the spiritual leaders of the tribe. They are in touch with the ancestors, elements and spirit wilds. They are who we go to for advice concerning the spiritual realm.
* Ambassador - Ambassadors are non-tauren who have joined the community. While the Fellowship remains open to orcs, blood elves, trolls, goblins, and (tentatively) Forsaken they do not recognize them as fellow tauren. There are those who feel they do not belong in the guild at all, but the raptors do not (usually) make the distinction. Respecting the Earth Mother's decision through the raptors, the Banepaw leadership allows the Ambassador rank to exist.
* Warder - Only the hardest of warriors will be accepted as warders. These tauren are the most powerful and devoted defenders of the the tribe. Not to be mistaken with a simple hunter or brave, a Warder is dedicated entirely to the defense of the Banepaw Fellowship. Bound tightly to the raptors and the land, Warders are the emissaries of the Earth Mother's will within the tribe. They have sacrificed everything else in their life to focus entirely on their duty as the embodiment of Nature's Will within the Banepaw Fellowship. They serve the tribe by fulfilling the wishes of the shaman who commune with the Earth Mother. When an impossible task is necessary, the Warder charges forward unquestioningly.
Legends within the tribe speak of Warders who have transcended their bodies after death and returned to the tribe in the bodies of newborn calves. Though these calves show no sign of being a future Warder, the reincarnated tauren will again find his place as the Earth Mother's spear when the time comes.
The Warder's Creed:
I am Banepaw first, last and beyond death. I am but a shield of the tribe and a spear of the Earth Mother. Those who would harm the tribe are enemies and will be defeated by my hand. May the land where my hoof falls be pure and clean. May I have no goals or ambitions of my own. May I be a vessel for the will of the spirits. May I strike down any who wish to do ill to the Earth Mother and the Tribe.
I will never know defeat; not even in death.
I am Banepaw. I am the Warder.
* Leader - Those who have earned the respect of the entire tribe and those who were called by the Banepaw ancestors into their roles.
* Ancestor - The honored dead.
Rituals
Information regarding the sacred rituals of the tribe. Note that some rituals are not included because they are too 'sacred' to be told through any means but the oral tradition.
* Rites of the Earthmother - The rites into adulthood. Once a tauren comes of age s/he is sent to Red Cloud Mesa in Mulgore to undergo the rites to become an adult and walk in Thunder Bluff unattended.
Note that the all tribes and tauren adhere to the Rites of the Earthmother, and they are supervised outside of the Banepaw Tribe.
* Rites of Banepaw - Once a young tauren has completed the Rites of the Earthmother, or a newcomer has been accepted by the tribe, they will undergo the Rites of Banepaw.
The Rites are too sacred to be written on parchment or stone, and can only be spoken of among those who have completed or are currently undergoing them.
* Rites of the Warder - Those determined and loyal enough to sacrifice their entire lives to the tribe can undergo the rites of the Warder. These rites take significantly more time than the other rites. The result, however, is the rank of Warder and great respect from all tauren and tribe members.
Events
These are reoccurring events/traditions which the tribe honors. All are welcome to join.
* Thunder Drum Gathering - Started by the first Banepaw Fellowship, the Thunder Drum is a gathering of all people in Bloodhoof Village to eat and drink and be merry. A great time to meet new friends. This event serves to remind the tauren of their tradition of hospitality to all who seek it in peace.
[[Pending]]
Patron Spirits
The following are the spirits venerated by the Banepaw Fellowship. They hold the tribe together and empower us with their blessings.
* Kgragassil, The Spirit Tree The most highly honored spirit of the Banepaw Tribe, Kgragassil is the ancient spirit of a great tree which stands above the Banepaw Raptor grounds. Many legends about the tree have proliferated within the tribe since its discovery. The most notable being that infant spirits are born from its limbs, and these spirits either become part of the world or tauren infants at their birth.
Kgragassil has guided the shaman of the tribe for as long as anyone can remember. More recently, it has chosen to open up to the druids as well. The Spirit Tree's blessing is that of life itself, and the community of the Fellowship.
* Telhak the Endless Alpha
In the physical, mortal realm, Telhak is the alpha raptor of the Banepaw raptors. Massive, dark-scaled and adorned in skulls, thorns, feathers and bones the creature's many horns and intense glare intimidate even the most stalwart. He seems to have complete control over the pack, even to the point of staying the hungry raptors from attacking the Banepaw... though anyone else is not so lucky.
Telhak is called endless because it is believed that either he is immortal or is reincarnated continuously through time to rule his pack. The spirit of this raptor is cold, calculated and quick-witted. He asks to be venerated by being granted the blood or skulls of the tribe's enemies. Though the Shu'halo are not normally so barbaric, the Banepaw Tribe must honor the requests of this holy spirit.
In return, Telhak blessed the tribe with the power to think quickly and allows some to take his pack members and hatch lings out into the world as companions in battle and survival. Most importantly, Telhak's blessing is that of the (mostly) symbolic raptor horns. He grants the horn of a fallen raptor to each new member of the Fellowship, even if they do not join the tribe. This is a symbol that the dead are not forgotten, and bind the allies of the raptors together.
* Shezesh, The Wind The tribal patron of Wind, Shezesh has only recently been reclaimed by the tribe. This furious tornado of emotion and power grants the raptor horns the ability to send the voices of the nomads across many great distances to reach the ears of their fellows. Shezesh asks, in return, that pleasing aromas and voices be blessed to the winds for him to wallow in and spread across the world.
More to come as we free and rediscover them!
IC Information
OOC Information
Rankings
Rituals/Events
Patron Spirits
IC and OOC Information must be read and understood before you can be promoted above Tribe-Seeker.
In-Character Information
The Banepaw Fellowship is a group of nomadic tauren seeking a more traditional, shamanic, natural lifestyle.Through preserving the oral tradition, eating and drinking of the land, respecting and protecting nature and living among family, the tribe retains traditional tauren ways.
Tribe's Characteristics:
* Heavily Story-driven
* Ritualistic/Tribal
* Lore-based
* A tribe member is loyal first to the land, second to the tribe, and third to the race.
* All legends are strictly told through oral tradition. This means OOC too. All Tribal legends are 'sacred' and to be told only IC by characters who know them.
* The Fellowship's ultimate purpose is to honor the will of the Earth Mother and the ancestors.
*Joining the guild does not mean you have joined the Tribe. You keep your previous surname/tribe name. The Tribe is an entity within the Fellowship. To join the Banepaw Tribe, speak to an elder or Leader.
Out-of-Character Information
The <Banepaw Fellowship> is a long-running guild that has always had the same goal: improving RP on Moon Guard and giving roleplayers a home. Recently, the guild as a whole found that the quality of the roleplay wasn't what it used to be. They felt the guild had lost much of its luster. So, several old and new members have gotten together to reorganize and re-imagine the Fellowship IC and OOC.
((OOC Guidelines))
Rankings
Promotion is based mostly on IC merit. OOC devotion to the guild will also be considered.
* Tribe-seeker - Those individuals who do not belong to a tribe or are seeking a new home. Tribe-seekers should spend a good deal of time among the tribe getting to know everyone and helping out however they can with tribal dealings. If the tribe has decided to accept him/her, the tribe-seeker will undergo the rites of the tribe to join the nomad rank. If the tribe has decided not to accept him/her, the tribe-seeker will be told the tribe does not have a place for him/her and be removed from the guild.
* Nomad - Nomads are newer members of the guild without many responsibilities who do not play as important a role as Fellows. Nomads should work to find their niche and prove themselves worthy of shouldering more responsibility within the tribe.
* Fellow - The heart of the tribe is in the commoners and fellows. Healers, craftsman, hunters, braves and simple people make up the Banepaw Tribe and Fellowship. They shoulder the responsibilities of the guild.
Possible Roles
(Note: A single fellow could fulfill any number of these roles)
-> Guildie: A tauren who has not chosen to leave her tribe but join the efforts of the Banepaw. Guildies are full members of the Banepaw Fellowship and equally as important as devoted tribesmen.
-> Tribesman: Full members of the Banepaw Tribe as well as the Fellowship. These tauren where either born with Banepaw blood in their veins or have cut their ties to their birth tribe to join the legendary Banepaw Tribe. Tribesmen are recognized as brothers and sisters of the Banepaw Raptors, and are linked to the soul of the Tribe as well as the Fellowship.
-> The Parent: Younglings come to us as seasons pass. While no parent assumes full control and responsibility of their child (the tribe as a whole raises children) it is important that a child learns all their parent has to teach them.
-> The Craftsman: These are the leather-workers, jewelcrafters, inscriptionists and crafters of the tribe. They build our huts, clothing and weapons.
-> Farmer: Those who sow life into the ground and toil to bring us the Earthmother's blessings through crops.
-> The Elder: The wisest and most vulnerable of the tribe, elders are those who have lived long and seen more than any of us. They are who we go to for advice concerning the physical realm.
-> The Brave: While the Warders are the military force of the tribe, Braves are the militia; volunteering to make patrols and always be ready to defend home. Normally, a tauren must serve as a brave before becoming a warder.
-> The Hunter: Those who track and hunt the kodo. They feed the tribe and guide us as we roam Kalimdor.
--> The Spirit Hunter: While shaman focus on all five of the elements, Spirit Hunters commune almost entirely with the Element of the Wild. Drawing their power from nature, these deeply spiritual hunters serve as the connection between beast and tauren.
-> The Healer: Shamans, Alchemists and Druids who have learned the ways of healing are necessary to create a diverse healing environment for all types of ailments; physical and otherwise.
-> The Shaman: Shamans are the spiritual leaders of the tribe. They are in touch with the ancestors, elements and spirit wilds. They are who we go to for advice concerning the spiritual realm.
* Ambassador - Ambassadors are non-tauren who have joined the community. While the Fellowship remains open to orcs, blood elves, trolls, goblins, and (tentatively) Forsaken they do not recognize them as fellow tauren. There are those who feel they do not belong in the guild at all, but the raptors do not (usually) make the distinction. Respecting the Earth Mother's decision through the raptors, the Banepaw leadership allows the Ambassador rank to exist.
* Warder - Only the hardest of warriors will be accepted as warders. These tauren are the most powerful and devoted defenders of the the tribe. Not to be mistaken with a simple hunter or brave, a Warder is dedicated entirely to the defense of the Banepaw Fellowship. Bound tightly to the raptors and the land, Warders are the emissaries of the Earth Mother's will within the tribe. They have sacrificed everything else in their life to focus entirely on their duty as the embodiment of Nature's Will within the Banepaw Fellowship. They serve the tribe by fulfilling the wishes of the shaman who commune with the Earth Mother. When an impossible task is necessary, the Warder charges forward unquestioningly.
Legends within the tribe speak of Warders who have transcended their bodies after death and returned to the tribe in the bodies of newborn calves. Though these calves show no sign of being a future Warder, the reincarnated tauren will again find his place as the Earth Mother's spear when the time comes.
The Warder's Creed:
I am Banepaw first, last and beyond death. I am but a shield of the tribe and a spear of the Earth Mother. Those who would harm the tribe are enemies and will be defeated by my hand. May the land where my hoof falls be pure and clean. May I have no goals or ambitions of my own. May I be a vessel for the will of the spirits. May I strike down any who wish to do ill to the Earth Mother and the Tribe.
I will never know defeat; not even in death.
I am Banepaw. I am the Warder.
* Leader - Those who have earned the respect of the entire tribe and those who were called by the Banepaw ancestors into their roles.
* Ancestor - The honored dead.
Rituals
Information regarding the sacred rituals of the tribe. Note that some rituals are not included because they are too 'sacred' to be told through any means but the oral tradition.
* Rites of the Earthmother - The rites into adulthood. Once a tauren comes of age s/he is sent to Red Cloud Mesa in Mulgore to undergo the rites to become an adult and walk in Thunder Bluff unattended.
Note that the all tribes and tauren adhere to the Rites of the Earthmother, and they are supervised outside of the Banepaw Tribe.
* Rites of Banepaw - Once a young tauren has completed the Rites of the Earthmother, or a newcomer has been accepted by the tribe, they will undergo the Rites of Banepaw.
The Rites are too sacred to be written on parchment or stone, and can only be spoken of among those who have completed or are currently undergoing them.
* Rites of the Warder - Those determined and loyal enough to sacrifice their entire lives to the tribe can undergo the rites of the Warder. These rites take significantly more time than the other rites. The result, however, is the rank of Warder and great respect from all tauren and tribe members.
Events
These are reoccurring events/traditions which the tribe honors. All are welcome to join.
* Thunder Drum Gathering - Started by the first Banepaw Fellowship, the Thunder Drum is a gathering of all people in Bloodhoof Village to eat and drink and be merry. A great time to meet new friends. This event serves to remind the tauren of their tradition of hospitality to all who seek it in peace.
[[Pending]]
Patron Spirits
The following are the spirits venerated by the Banepaw Fellowship. They hold the tribe together and empower us with their blessings.
* Kgragassil, The Spirit Tree The most highly honored spirit of the Banepaw Tribe, Kgragassil is the ancient spirit of a great tree which stands above the Banepaw Raptor grounds. Many legends about the tree have proliferated within the tribe since its discovery. The most notable being that infant spirits are born from its limbs, and these spirits either become part of the world or tauren infants at their birth.
Kgragassil has guided the shaman of the tribe for as long as anyone can remember. More recently, it has chosen to open up to the druids as well. The Spirit Tree's blessing is that of life itself, and the community of the Fellowship.
* Telhak the Endless Alpha
In the physical, mortal realm, Telhak is the alpha raptor of the Banepaw raptors. Massive, dark-scaled and adorned in skulls, thorns, feathers and bones the creature's many horns and intense glare intimidate even the most stalwart. He seems to have complete control over the pack, even to the point of staying the hungry raptors from attacking the Banepaw... though anyone else is not so lucky.
Telhak is called endless because it is believed that either he is immortal or is reincarnated continuously through time to rule his pack. The spirit of this raptor is cold, calculated and quick-witted. He asks to be venerated by being granted the blood or skulls of the tribe's enemies. Though the Shu'halo are not normally so barbaric, the Banepaw Tribe must honor the requests of this holy spirit.
In return, Telhak blessed the tribe with the power to think quickly and allows some to take his pack members and hatch lings out into the world as companions in battle and survival. Most importantly, Telhak's blessing is that of the (mostly) symbolic raptor horns. He grants the horn of a fallen raptor to each new member of the Fellowship, even if they do not join the tribe. This is a symbol that the dead are not forgotten, and bind the allies of the raptors together.
* Shezesh, The Wind The tribal patron of Wind, Shezesh has only recently been reclaimed by the tribe. This furious tornado of emotion and power grants the raptor horns the ability to send the voices of the nomads across many great distances to reach the ears of their fellows. Shezesh asks, in return, that pleasing aromas and voices be blessed to the winds for him to wallow in and spread across the world.
More to come as we free and rediscover them!