Post by The Forsaken Subtle Sin Saint on Nov 29, 2005 23:52:26 GMT -8
The hierarchy of all Avian clutches is as follows; Queen, King, Second clutch Queen, Second clutch King, Namesake of the clutch, Mouthpieces to the Queen and King, Lawgiver, Hunter, Royal Consort, and common members of the clutch. To play any of these charas, there are no age requirements except for Hunters, which will be noted in the section describing them. Some charas can be played by anyone, such as a Royal Consort or a common clutch member. Others, like Mouthpiece, clutch Namesake and Hunters are selected by the royalty of individual clutches. New Lawgivers are selected by their predecessors in advance, unless the clutch doesn’t have one, then ask me and we’ll see about hooking you up. Second clutch royalty are selected by the individual Avian who claims them, and you can not be a second clutch Queen/King unless someone asks you to. More on the selection details within each caste description. Please note that some charas are forbidden to have mates and/or to engage in physical mating, if you catch my meaning.
The King and Queen are hatched in special Ceremonies when it is time for the former King and Queen to die, or one or the other was slain in battle. Usually, they are cared for by the former royalty's children or grandchildren until they mature enough to rule on their own. Avians live in a matriarchal society, so the Queen is the real power in the ruling of the clutches, the King being second in command. The King is more like a vice president, having duties of his own, but not the commander in chief. The Queen gives her flight feathers to Hunters and other archers of the clutch in order to fletch Jet arrows (more on this under the Weapons section). When the Queen dies, all the Jet arrows lose power, and become common arrows. When the new Queen is mature, she replaces the Jet arrows with her flight feathers. Also, only the King is allowed to consume the Queen when she dies (see Laws for more on this). If you're interested in playing a King or Queen, let me know which clutch, and I will help you learn what it takes to do so as far as rituals, Laws and behaviours are concerned. Please make certain that you're available frequently to rp though; if you don't plan on posting much, pick a different chara, because much of the rp relies on the royalty being available. Also, for obvious reasons, the King and Queen are a mated pair, so if you want to be royalty and someone is already one or the other, make sure it’s someone you don’t mind your chara being mated to, or find another clutch to rule. There are only three available Queen charas currently, and two King charas, so those positions will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.
The King and Queen don't remain humanoid their entire lives, although they are hatched like any other Avian. After a few hundred years, they become a Roc. Only other Avians can understand what they say once this happens, so the royalty rely on a Mouthpiece to speak with non-Avians verbally. Usually, the Namesake of the clutch tends also to be the Mouthpiece for the King or Queen, depending on gender; females for the Queen, males for the King. The Namesake is always the second eldest child of the Queen, regardless of gender. It is possible to be a Mouthpiece and not be a child of the King or Queen; for instance, the current Mouthpiece to the King of the Crow clutch is actually his grandson, James. (The Queen does not have a Mouthpiece, but she is not yet a Roc - see Subtle's history ) If you are interested in becoming Mouthpiece to the Queen of the Crow clutch, let me know; she won't require your services for awhile, but you can still play that chara, a nd when you're called upon as the Mouthpiece, it'll already feel natural to you. The other clutches don't have any players yet, so Mouthpiece to their Kings and Queens are available for selection. Only Avians may be Mouthpieces, sorry, no non-Avians. I’ll let you know what their duties include and how they go about serving. In addition, the Mouthpiece is chosen individually by the King and Queen of each clutch. If they don’t have children yet, there can be no Namesake, and if you want to be the Namesake, you have to be the second born.
I realize that I spoke out of order by mentioning the Mouthpiece and Namesake before the second clutch Queen and King, but that's because those two are so closely involved with the original royalty. Second clutch royalty are not true royalty, and do not have to be Avian by birth. Any Avian who is living away from Murder Cliffs may run across a time of dire need where they need a leader or a parental figure. If someone steps up and helps them out, the Avian ususally asks if that person would honor him or her by becoming a second King or Queen. It's basically like a surrogate parent, or a teacher. They are revered like the regular royalty, but may not make Laws or preside over Ceremonies. Think godparents. As the title infers, it's a high honor for someone to ask you to become their second clutch King or Queen, so don't take the responsibility lightly. By the same token, you who play Avians, do have a care when selecting your second clutch royalty, and make sure it's someone worthy. Not every Avian has second clutch royalty, few do, in fact. Although Subtle is not strictly Avian anymore, she still has a second clutch King, and her second clutch Queen has been missing and presumed dead for years (in real time- I think her player quit rp). The second clutch King and Queen do not have to be mates, and are seldom acquainted, actually. Some Avians only have one or the other. It's really a case by case scenario.
There aren't many creatures in existence who are immune to the magic of a Lawgiver, even if they are able to withstand the magic of an ordinary Avian. Lawgivers not only have their own formidable power to call upon, but the magic of all Avians who belonged the the Crow clutch who had passed on before them. It made for nearly god-like abilities, as someone from another realm would put it. They are avatars for the souls of every deceased Avian of their particular clutch, from the very first Crows to the most recently departed. Avians have no deities; the Lawgiver are as close as they come. In order to use the souls within them, they set themselves Aside, which was a sort of Limbo in Beyond that Avians use to exchange bodies temporarily with injured fellow members of the clutch or when needing to communicate directly with another person on another plane or realm. Then a soul comes forth, usually quite ancient and powerful, to perform the act the Lawgiver must do, then returns to the collective souls within, and the Lawgiver returns to his or her own body. There is a gold scroll that they keep on them at all times that someone must read if the Lawgiver dies. If the Lawgiver dies and the scroll isn't read, the souls within will scatter and become Raiders (more on Raiders in Enemies) unless the new Lawgiver is present to receive the transfer of souls. Whatever happens to the Lawgiver’s body while being used by a soul affects his or her body when she comes back from Aside. A soul not only takes possession of the Lawgiver’s body, but the body actually transforms shape until the body looks like the Avian using it. For example, Cacaphony of Souls, the former Lawgiver of the Crow clutch, had to call upon Corben, a Hunter, in order to spar with a dog demon at one point. The demon slashed her side, and when Corben set himself Aside and let Souls resume her body, she had to tend wounds she did not directly incur. When she allowed a Hunter named Jarren use her body, he got stone cold drunk, but she can not handle alcohol well, so when she resumed her body, she became very ill. Being a Lawgiver is almost a larger responsibility than being royalty, since they are the deciding voice in Contests of Law, the one who performs all Ceremonies, and the host of all of the clutch’s ancestors. More about their particular duties can be found in Law. If you’d like to be a Lawgiver, let me know, and we can figure out which clutch you’d like to preside over. All clutches except Crow are currently available. Do bear in mind that Lawgivers are forbidden to take or be taken as mates. They are also forbidden to engage in physical mating, must remain chaste. If you want a chara that has a mate or plans to look for one, pick a different caste.
Hunters gather food for the entire clutch, and are also sent on missions by the clutch royalty. They are similar to samurai, in that failure only has one outcome; death at their own hands. They are disciplined, and show no mercy to enemies, are deaf to pleading against the command of their King and Queen. They stop at nothing to fulfilling their duties. If for some reason they failed their duties but a loved one simply can’t bear to let them die, they can call a Contest of Law (more on this in Law). Hunters are also forbidden to take mates, but are not forbidden to mate physically, though it is frowned on if they produce get out of wedlock. Any illegitimate offspring they should happen to sire become wards of the clutch, and it is considered a disgrace. Hunters are selected by the Queen and King, males at the time of Choosing (male rite of passage, more on this in Law), females when old enough to sing their First Song (female rite of passage, more on this also in Law). If you want to be a Hunter, ask the Queen and King of the clutch you’re interested in, and they will call a Ceremony. Although the whole clutch is allowed to vote, the Queen and King have final say (so please don’t abuse this power, you who play royalty, let’s keep this fun). If you haven’t reached the time of Choosing or are not old enough to sing your First Song, you may not be a Hunter, so don’t ask. (those ages are 20, btw) There are two Hunters so far, Dementia, Raven Hunter, and Nadezhdha
Anyone can become a Royal Consort, it’s sort of a lady in waiting to the Queen, and a majordomo to the King. The Royal Consort Tien e is the eldest child of the King and Queen of the Crow clutch, and she is also the only Avian in Murder Cliffs who knows how to scry. She is the watcher of the clutch, and keeps tabs on all off world Avians and Dragons, monitors Ceremonies for those who are unable to attend, and assists the Lawgivers and Ormrland royalty when off world as needed. Most Consorts do not have that much responsibilities, and a few are not Consorts by choice. By Law, if an Avian female is abandoned by her mate, she must become a Consort, and is forbidden to take another mate, unless a Contest of Law is called and won in her favor (more on this in Law). Also, if she is breeding, or has eggs that have not hatched, she will be forced to become a Consort and the children become ward of the clutch if she is abandoned. Widows and widowers who are uninteresting in seeking new mates tend to become Consorts. If a natural (as in not forced) Consort wishes to seek a mate or engage in physical mating, they may do so, but they become common clutch members and are no longer Consorts. You don’t have to be chosen to become a Consort of your own free will, but be aware of the Laws concerning Consorts if you’re a mated female who’s been abandoned by her mate. If you are widowed while breeding or have unhatched offspring, you may seek protection of your second clutch King or Queen through a Contest of Law, but more on this in the Law section.
Common members are, as the name suggests, regular Avians of any clutch who are not any of the above mentioned figures. They participate in daily life, may become Consorts or Hunters, or even Lawgivers and Mouthpieces. They may of course take mates, mate physically, and are only required to become Consorts under the above mentioned conditions. A non-Avian may become a member of any clutch with permission of the King and Queen. For instance, Steele, King of Ormrland, is a Dragon, but is also an honorary member of the Crow clutch. Viper, a hybrid of several races, was also made member of the Crow clutch when he was handfasted to Subtle (who was then an Avian, Namesake of the Crow clutch and Mouthpiece to the Queen, under the name Madrecuerva; see Subtle's history for details). If you are not an Avian but would like to be a member of a certain clutch, ask the King and Queen of that clutch, and they should be delighted to make you a member. Non-Avians enjoy all the rights and priviledges of Avian members except the fact that they may not become Mouthpieces or Namesakes. They are also exempt from the Law concerning abandoned mates. Other than that, they must obey all Laws or face execution. Avians who wish to marry outside their species must seek permission from the King and Queen, and bear in mind that certain species will not be compatible with Avians for reproduction (for instance, a Neko could never mate with an Avian, much less produce viable offspring). Nekos, btw, are welcome in Beyond as any other chara, but will be viewed with high suspicion and probably assigned a personal guard of no less than three Hunters for the duration of their stay. (I mean come on, a cat/human hybrid in a bird/human hybrid world?)
The King and Queen are hatched in special Ceremonies when it is time for the former King and Queen to die, or one or the other was slain in battle. Usually, they are cared for by the former royalty's children or grandchildren until they mature enough to rule on their own. Avians live in a matriarchal society, so the Queen is the real power in the ruling of the clutches, the King being second in command. The King is more like a vice president, having duties of his own, but not the commander in chief. The Queen gives her flight feathers to Hunters and other archers of the clutch in order to fletch Jet arrows (more on this under the Weapons section). When the Queen dies, all the Jet arrows lose power, and become common arrows. When the new Queen is mature, she replaces the Jet arrows with her flight feathers. Also, only the King is allowed to consume the Queen when she dies (see Laws for more on this). If you're interested in playing a King or Queen, let me know which clutch, and I will help you learn what it takes to do so as far as rituals, Laws and behaviours are concerned. Please make certain that you're available frequently to rp though; if you don't plan on posting much, pick a different chara, because much of the rp relies on the royalty being available. Also, for obvious reasons, the King and Queen are a mated pair, so if you want to be royalty and someone is already one or the other, make sure it’s someone you don’t mind your chara being mated to, or find another clutch to rule. There are only three available Queen charas currently, and two King charas, so those positions will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.
The King and Queen don't remain humanoid their entire lives, although they are hatched like any other Avian. After a few hundred years, they become a Roc. Only other Avians can understand what they say once this happens, so the royalty rely on a Mouthpiece to speak with non-Avians verbally. Usually, the Namesake of the clutch tends also to be the Mouthpiece for the King or Queen, depending on gender; females for the Queen, males for the King. The Namesake is always the second eldest child of the Queen, regardless of gender. It is possible to be a Mouthpiece and not be a child of the King or Queen; for instance, the current Mouthpiece to the King of the Crow clutch is actually his grandson, James. (The Queen does not have a Mouthpiece, but she is not yet a Roc - see Subtle's history ) If you are interested in becoming Mouthpiece to the Queen of the Crow clutch, let me know; she won't require your services for awhile, but you can still play that chara, a nd when you're called upon as the Mouthpiece, it'll already feel natural to you. The other clutches don't have any players yet, so Mouthpiece to their Kings and Queens are available for selection. Only Avians may be Mouthpieces, sorry, no non-Avians. I’ll let you know what their duties include and how they go about serving. In addition, the Mouthpiece is chosen individually by the King and Queen of each clutch. If they don’t have children yet, there can be no Namesake, and if you want to be the Namesake, you have to be the second born.
I realize that I spoke out of order by mentioning the Mouthpiece and Namesake before the second clutch Queen and King, but that's because those two are so closely involved with the original royalty. Second clutch royalty are not true royalty, and do not have to be Avian by birth. Any Avian who is living away from Murder Cliffs may run across a time of dire need where they need a leader or a parental figure. If someone steps up and helps them out, the Avian ususally asks if that person would honor him or her by becoming a second King or Queen. It's basically like a surrogate parent, or a teacher. They are revered like the regular royalty, but may not make Laws or preside over Ceremonies. Think godparents. As the title infers, it's a high honor for someone to ask you to become their second clutch King or Queen, so don't take the responsibility lightly. By the same token, you who play Avians, do have a care when selecting your second clutch royalty, and make sure it's someone worthy. Not every Avian has second clutch royalty, few do, in fact. Although Subtle is not strictly Avian anymore, she still has a second clutch King, and her second clutch Queen has been missing and presumed dead for years (in real time- I think her player quit rp). The second clutch King and Queen do not have to be mates, and are seldom acquainted, actually. Some Avians only have one or the other. It's really a case by case scenario.
There aren't many creatures in existence who are immune to the magic of a Lawgiver, even if they are able to withstand the magic of an ordinary Avian. Lawgivers not only have their own formidable power to call upon, but the magic of all Avians who belonged the the Crow clutch who had passed on before them. It made for nearly god-like abilities, as someone from another realm would put it. They are avatars for the souls of every deceased Avian of their particular clutch, from the very first Crows to the most recently departed. Avians have no deities; the Lawgiver are as close as they come. In order to use the souls within them, they set themselves Aside, which was a sort of Limbo in Beyond that Avians use to exchange bodies temporarily with injured fellow members of the clutch or when needing to communicate directly with another person on another plane or realm. Then a soul comes forth, usually quite ancient and powerful, to perform the act the Lawgiver must do, then returns to the collective souls within, and the Lawgiver returns to his or her own body. There is a gold scroll that they keep on them at all times that someone must read if the Lawgiver dies. If the Lawgiver dies and the scroll isn't read, the souls within will scatter and become Raiders (more on Raiders in Enemies) unless the new Lawgiver is present to receive the transfer of souls. Whatever happens to the Lawgiver’s body while being used by a soul affects his or her body when she comes back from Aside. A soul not only takes possession of the Lawgiver’s body, but the body actually transforms shape until the body looks like the Avian using it. For example, Cacaphony of Souls, the former Lawgiver of the Crow clutch, had to call upon Corben, a Hunter, in order to spar with a dog demon at one point. The demon slashed her side, and when Corben set himself Aside and let Souls resume her body, she had to tend wounds she did not directly incur. When she allowed a Hunter named Jarren use her body, he got stone cold drunk, but she can not handle alcohol well, so when she resumed her body, she became very ill. Being a Lawgiver is almost a larger responsibility than being royalty, since they are the deciding voice in Contests of Law, the one who performs all Ceremonies, and the host of all of the clutch’s ancestors. More about their particular duties can be found in Law. If you’d like to be a Lawgiver, let me know, and we can figure out which clutch you’d like to preside over. All clutches except Crow are currently available. Do bear in mind that Lawgivers are forbidden to take or be taken as mates. They are also forbidden to engage in physical mating, must remain chaste. If you want a chara that has a mate or plans to look for one, pick a different caste.
Hunters gather food for the entire clutch, and are also sent on missions by the clutch royalty. They are similar to samurai, in that failure only has one outcome; death at their own hands. They are disciplined, and show no mercy to enemies, are deaf to pleading against the command of their King and Queen. They stop at nothing to fulfilling their duties. If for some reason they failed their duties but a loved one simply can’t bear to let them die, they can call a Contest of Law (more on this in Law). Hunters are also forbidden to take mates, but are not forbidden to mate physically, though it is frowned on if they produce get out of wedlock. Any illegitimate offspring they should happen to sire become wards of the clutch, and it is considered a disgrace. Hunters are selected by the Queen and King, males at the time of Choosing (male rite of passage, more on this in Law), females when old enough to sing their First Song (female rite of passage, more on this also in Law). If you want to be a Hunter, ask the Queen and King of the clutch you’re interested in, and they will call a Ceremony. Although the whole clutch is allowed to vote, the Queen and King have final say (so please don’t abuse this power, you who play royalty, let’s keep this fun). If you haven’t reached the time of Choosing or are not old enough to sing your First Song, you may not be a Hunter, so don’t ask. (those ages are 20, btw) There are two Hunters so far, Dementia, Raven Hunter, and Nadezhdha
Anyone can become a Royal Consort, it’s sort of a lady in waiting to the Queen, and a majordomo to the King. The Royal Consort Tien e is the eldest child of the King and Queen of the Crow clutch, and she is also the only Avian in Murder Cliffs who knows how to scry. She is the watcher of the clutch, and keeps tabs on all off world Avians and Dragons, monitors Ceremonies for those who are unable to attend, and assists the Lawgivers and Ormrland royalty when off world as needed. Most Consorts do not have that much responsibilities, and a few are not Consorts by choice. By Law, if an Avian female is abandoned by her mate, she must become a Consort, and is forbidden to take another mate, unless a Contest of Law is called and won in her favor (more on this in Law). Also, if she is breeding, or has eggs that have not hatched, she will be forced to become a Consort and the children become ward of the clutch if she is abandoned. Widows and widowers who are uninteresting in seeking new mates tend to become Consorts. If a natural (as in not forced) Consort wishes to seek a mate or engage in physical mating, they may do so, but they become common clutch members and are no longer Consorts. You don’t have to be chosen to become a Consort of your own free will, but be aware of the Laws concerning Consorts if you’re a mated female who’s been abandoned by her mate. If you are widowed while breeding or have unhatched offspring, you may seek protection of your second clutch King or Queen through a Contest of Law, but more on this in the Law section.
Common members are, as the name suggests, regular Avians of any clutch who are not any of the above mentioned figures. They participate in daily life, may become Consorts or Hunters, or even Lawgivers and Mouthpieces. They may of course take mates, mate physically, and are only required to become Consorts under the above mentioned conditions. A non-Avian may become a member of any clutch with permission of the King and Queen. For instance, Steele, King of Ormrland, is a Dragon, but is also an honorary member of the Crow clutch. Viper, a hybrid of several races, was also made member of the Crow clutch when he was handfasted to Subtle (who was then an Avian, Namesake of the Crow clutch and Mouthpiece to the Queen, under the name Madrecuerva; see Subtle's history for details). If you are not an Avian but would like to be a member of a certain clutch, ask the King and Queen of that clutch, and they should be delighted to make you a member. Non-Avians enjoy all the rights and priviledges of Avian members except the fact that they may not become Mouthpieces or Namesakes. They are also exempt from the Law concerning abandoned mates. Other than that, they must obey all Laws or face execution. Avians who wish to marry outside their species must seek permission from the King and Queen, and bear in mind that certain species will not be compatible with Avians for reproduction (for instance, a Neko could never mate with an Avian, much less produce viable offspring). Nekos, btw, are welcome in Beyond as any other chara, but will be viewed with high suspicion and probably assigned a personal guard of no less than three Hunters for the duration of their stay. (I mean come on, a cat/human hybrid in a bird/human hybrid world?)