»» Ranks ««
»» Royal ««
»» Sovereigns ««
Title for the two leaders of Shoulder's Bastion. May or may not be a pair. Normally given to the Lead and Breeding Male but not always, at least one wolf in this position must have blood relation to Marrow or Muketsu the founding Sovereigns. This is the most highly regarded and respected rank in the pack. Most Sovereigns are chosen from candidates designated at birth. The Sovereigns must always protect and guide the pack before all other duties.
»» Reigning Candidates ««
Usually younger members of the pack, Reigning Candidates are pups chosen and raised as potential future Sovereigns. They are also known as high standing members of the pack, recognized for their skill, potential, and beauty.
»» Highborn ««
The most elite of the pack. Singled out for their excellent stats, gorgeous markings, or great lineage they are the top of the pack. Many of these wolves will be chosen to continue their own lineages for generations to come.
»» Official ««
»» Scouts ««
Often a rank reserved for Reigning Candidates, it may also be held by males when no candidates are available. Scouts are expected to explore dangerous territory for expansion, as well as to bring back offerings for the pack, as well as to honor the pack's ancestors. It is considered an honor for someone outside of the Highborn to receive this rank.
»» Herbalist & Priest ««
This role is considered sacred and MUST be held by a male wolf in the pack. Because females are considered so valuable, it was decided that only males could become Herbalists to increase their standing in the pack. The Herbalist is responsible for the health and well-being of the pack including foraging, diagnosing, and medicine making. A Herbalist apprentice is called a Priest. The Priest learns the duties of the Herbalist while also tending to the minds of his packmates. The Priest may also use bones to predict prophecies for both the future of the pack and it's members.
»» Hunters ««
Hunters are the flesh and blood of the pack, without which it would crumble. This rank is mostly held by females, but males without a rank to apprentice in may be found in the ranks as well. The hunters travel out in teams to hunt and provide. Despite being a rank of lower status no one would dare disrupt them. Hunter's must also have a suitable personality for working as a group to be considered for this rank.
»» Pupsitters ««
Pupsitters are relied on to help with the birthing, rearing, and protection of pups. This rank may be held by Highborn and regular pack members alike, and in times where birth is high one can also find temporary wolves accepted into the pack with the sole intent of being pupsitters for a season or so. Because of the variety of statuses accepted in this rank it is known as the most common in the pack. This rank is almost exclusively held by females, except in emergency situations.
»» Lore ««
»» Origins ««
Though some might think the beliefs of Shoulder's Bastion to be quite unusual and even perhaps frightening, the origins of their way of life is linked to long forgotten traditions of packs long lost to time. Rather than living strictly to a code of honor and battle as his father had Marrow chose to search out his own answers. Leaving the very beginnings of his new family in Muketsu's hands he searched across the lands, asking wolves he came across until he arrived at a humble hollowed out stump, surrounded by bones. And inside the stump lived a little old lady wolf. He spent many days with her, curious over why she seemed to care for the bones so. Always scolding him if he touched them, and declaring he must leave one outside after every meal. One day she took him on a short journey to the bottom of a giant looming cliff face, and to his amazement what lay embedded in the reddish dirt above his head were bones. Massive, unrecognizable as any creature he'd ever seen, but they were indeed bones. The little old wolf told him a story, of a pack that took refuge under these bones and respected them well until they too disappeared to the sands of time. Marrow, for perhaps the first time in his life, was so in awe that he had no words. And so he decided to learn all he could, and brought these customs and traditions back to his home. He would build a pack that held every life in their jaws with the highest honor.
»» Traditions ««
»» Honoring Meals ««
Because the pack must hunt to survive, they take great pride in their skills but they must also remember the life being given to sustain their own. After every meal it is common practice to take a leftover bone and place it somewhere bordering the walls of the packs quarters. In this way it is believed that the prey that sustained you will become part of the foundation and protect your pack from harm. It also makes a ominous deterrent for unwanted guests. In times of famine, this practice may be skipped by some.
»» Prophecies ««
One of the first duties learned by the Priest while studying under the herbalist is the art of predicting prophecies. By striking flint the Priest will start a small fire. The requester of the prophecy will present a bone to the Priest, which is thrown into the fire. The cracks and breaks left in the bone by the flames will be read carefully, depending on the guidance the other party requests the Priest will interpret these messages and present the wolf with warnings or advice to help with the answers they seek.
»» Weapons & Armor ««
Life in the Bastion is meant to focus on respect for life and stands for strong defense rather than aggression. However, pack life and travel means that some skirmishes will be unavoidable. Bones are a plentiful resource, and with the right tools can be sharpened into points and wielded in the jaws of an experienced scout make for a deadly weapon. Hides can also be used to protect the body or vital points and make it difficult for an enemy to grasp. Some weapons or armor are decorated with symbols of protection, or with care from loved ones wishing for their safety. Pack members take great pride in their weapons, and will often choose to craft them from trophies or unusual creatures they've defeated as a symbol of pride.
»» Death ««
Although it is a solemn time, when a member of the Bastion is lost to time the whole pack will come together to honor their life. Typically, a bone will be chosen from their last meal for this ceremony, but if this is not possible due to un-forseen circumstances then a mate, family member, or friend will hunt for them one final time and choose a bone to use. The bone is cleaned and each pack member present in turn will gnaw a tooth mark into the bone. With this, the lost pack member will carry the presence of everyone along with them on their next journey. At the end of the day they and the bone will be moved to a final resting place and a wolf will be chosen to stand vigil with them for the night.
»» The Ceremony of Beginnings ««
When a new litter is born into the pack everyone takes great joy in their blessing. When the pups are weaned and begin to eat meat instead of milk, a ceremony will be held to give them names. Naming pups before this point is considered to bring bad fortune, as this is when their lives are most fragile. Most pups will be given names based on their physical features, their individual traits, and sometimes rarely for body parts such as hair or bone. Names are given by the Sovereigns, with input from the Priest and parents. With this the pups are old enough to learn the traditions of the pack and when they become adolescents, will be chosen to apprentice in a pack rank.
»» The Festival of Bonds ««
This festival is held twice a year, in the mid spring and early fall. Young members of the pack will spend the night before carving decorative bones for the festival day following. It is considered rude to look upon the bone of another before the festival day. On the day of the festival the wolves will present these bones as a token of affection to one they wish to partner with, or to their betrothed. These tokens are usually designed to be worn or to provide a useful purpose. Some may also be made with extra materials such as feathers. Sometimes mates will take part as well, and can often be seen giving advice to the youngsters (or teasing). If one accepts their token of affection it is considered as reciprocating their feelings and they will proceed to play and "dance" together for the remainder of the festival. If your target also has made a token for you, it is seen as a sign of great fortune for their future. Likewise, gifting more than one token will be largely frowned upon if one is caught...
»» The Festival of New Sun ««
After surviving the harsh winter, the bones collected throughout the season will be brought to a large open space, and piled in a large dug out pit surrounded by stones. The Priest and Herbalist will light a ceremonial fire to burn these bones away and usher in a new spring. It is believed that this fire calls for new life to be born in the spring, both new pups and prey so that the following year may be one of plenty. It's considered a welcome time of merriment after enduring the stress of winter. To protect against the fire escaping or growing out of control, scouts will be positioned to keep an eye on the flames and bury it with dirt if a problem arises. It is considered a great honor to be chosen for this task.
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