Ruina
01-09-2017, 07:47 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-09-2017, 07:58 AM by Elias.)
...so, I want a pack. :O
This pack isn't 100% the same as the one I've ran in the past on Elias, but it's really close and I'm wanting to have it structured this way. :) Sooo. I WAS THINKING. That since Acere and Pyralis (Elias' siblings) are being brought into Ardent, they could bring the pack with them. Unofficially at first, of course, but yeah. I need to work on the rules and creed, but here are the ranks so far? :S
Acere would return as the Mortem, thinking he can see some sort of prophecies... and want Elias to either step up as alpha (since he was previously heir under their father's rule) or die, since the only thing that releases Ruina wolves from the pack is death itself. Eliana would be given the position as Mammon, and Pyralis probably the Commander if she could come to reason with serving under her brother. :O
I WANT THIS PACK TO BE A HOT MESS. We'll keep it interesting and exciting, but I want all the higher ranking characters to 100% believe in what it means to be a part of Ruina, which translates from Latin to "Fallen".
Please go reply here if you're interested in playing either of them.
I would also like to fill some positions with new characters (brought into Ardent). So if you got some designs laying around that you want to use, please throw them in this pack to help make up a solid backstory before they arrive.
Ruina's Culture
"Wash the sorrow from off my skin,
And show me how to be whole again."
Ruina is a home to many who had been outcasts to society prior, but within these hallowed halls they have found family and something that gives them direction. They understand that they are never alone, united with not only the living within Ruina but with the spirits that have passed on to the afterlife. Death is never far away, but they embrace it's presence within their lives and even celebrate it. It is a pack that is undeniably clouded by darkness; it is easy for newcomers to find enemies within these borders, but for those that have found sanctum within- it is a lifestyle they wouldn't trade for the world. Their festivals, rituals and customs all keep them a closely knit family and have become a large part of every day living for this group of misfits.
Ruina Festivals
Amare Teda: Held in early spring, the Amare Teda is the celebration of the beginning to Ruina's mating season. Rewriting this, but it is a festival where couples are granted permission to breed through ceremony.
"I pledge my heart, as I pledge my soul, eternally to your aid and protection.
All glory that is mine becomes yours, and through this union it shall forever be nourished."
Impar Vita: Usually held mid-summer, it is a festival held off-territory beside a big lake or ocean. Chosen and Elites come to watch over the imps as they are guided to likely their first exposure to the world outside of Ruina's territory. It is a day for play and activities for children, full of mud painting, fish catching, log pushing competitions and many other games. Impar Vita celebrates young life and allows the pack to come together during a day free of their duties, regardless of age.
Cibus Sacor: Coming soon.
Servus Meti: Coming soon.
Servus Rituals
Capture: Upon capture, the Servus are marked by a deep wound extending from from the corner of their lips to the base of their ear. They are told the following and informed of those who are in charge of them. If they attempt to challenge dominance, they are disabled until they may longer do so.. as their compliance is necessary for their survival, it is important that they are informed of their status within the pack as quickly as possible.
"You are now a part of Ruina's Servus, you are now bound to our service eternally. You are to obey the command of Belial or fear the calling of the Mortem, Death, where you will meet the wrath of those that came before you. Do not struggle, or you will not be fed. Comply, and you will be rewarded. Your own actions will decide your fate, so choose wisely."
Ascension: Rarely do Servus ever get to outlive their title, but for exceptional slaves, it is possible. To be granted ascension to Ruina's ranks, the slave is first suggested to Belial by a member of the pack. Once permission by Belial is granted, a ceremony is held where a second scar is added to the slave to cross over the first and show their freedom. Then, the blood that was once spilled is returned; after the cross is made, the member of the pack that recommended the slave bites themselves and applies their blood over the now freed slave's face, where it will remain for the remainder of the week to boldly flag their freedom to the pack.
Umbra Customs
In order for an Umbra to be saved from ever become a Servus, they must quickly reap their first soul to show their worthiness to be among the strong that live within Ruina. The way that they reap likely determines the rank they become. These methods apply to Imps as well, though Imps may be spared the trust tests of the Dommiel and Dagon, as well as given extensive training to prepare them for what is to come.
Dommiel: Dommiel is achieved by besting an outsider in a fight and killing them, then bringing the body back to the pack as proof. The Umbra is then given time to heal from their wounds, and then once they are considered healed- the rest of the Dommiel wait until the Umbra is sleeping to to drag them into the hall between the mountains. No blood should have to be shed, as the umbra should accept and respect the dominance of the Dommiel in order to gain their trust. Once this has been established, the Umbra is told of their new position among Ruina's warriors and congratulated. If the Umbra fails during this test of trust, the Dommiel decide whether to let them try to reap another soul or add them to the Servus.
Dagon: The path of Dagon is chosen for those that bring back a considerable meal for the pack, any prey over 100 lbs. Once they have, the meal is taken and not shared with the Umbra that caught it. If an elite is present, the highest ranking elite should take the meal- if one is not present, the meal is stored to be later shown to an elite as proof. Nothing is explained to the Umbra, but if they allow the meal to be taken without a fight, they will be informed that they have passed the test of Dagon's trust in unity and are honored their new title.
Zepar: The path of Zepar is chosen when an Umbra managed to bring back a living soul to the territory, by deception or free-will. Since newcomers aren't welcome within the borders, this is iffy. The strategy should be predetermined and given permission beforehand, or they should be met off-territory by a member of rank. After the soul has been brought on the premises, the Umbra that brought them should not leave their company. If the pack decides to attack the newcomer and make them a member of the Servus, the Umbra responsible is granted the title of Zepar and given the responsibility to watch over their capture. Umbra that manage to bring back souls that turn into other Umbras as opposed to slaves are also given the rank of Zepar, but they receive more recognition and often ascend to Ruina's Chosen faster than other members of Ruina's Notable.
Ruina's Ranks
Wolves of Ruina will be awarded ranks as they ascend the hierarchy, titled in honor of the appropriate demons in the Underworld that are responsible for similar duties. Ranks are awarded through completed rites for the appropriate title, through challenge, through hard work, proven dedication, or training.
Ruina's Elites
The Unholy Trinity: (3) These three make up the alpha male positions within the pack, they are the center of the Ruina and their word is law. These positions and the Demon Mother are the only that may not be challenged for, as they are direct vessels to the afterlife. Apollyon leads the three as the unholy father, and directly beside him are the empowering Nefas and Mortem. Nefas is sin incarnate, usually apt for reading the intentions of the living and being aware of behavioural patterns within the pack. Nefas is usually a son of the Apollyon and direct heir to the top of the trinity should something happen to him. Mortem is probably the most in touch with the Underworld out of the three, thought to have three heads- one in each plane of existence: Life, Purgatory, and Death. They act as the packs executioner so that they may guide their soul through purgatory and safely deliver them to Ruina's reign in death.
Lamia: (1) The Demon Mother. Her womb acts as a gateway for the souls of Ruina's ancestors, blessing them with life once again. She should be strong, but also nurturing with an affinity to cure the sick and wounded. If she, out of all the pack, decides a wound to grave to heal- her call is what sends the injured to the Mortem for reaping. She is strongly bound to Apollyon through union, making her Ruina's alpha female. Her oath to him is not to be taken lightly, for if he is to die before her she has promised to follow him into the afterlife so that a new demon mother may take her place.
Lilitu: (2) The women who have oathed themselves to either Nefas or Mortem, they are granted permission to breed regaurdless if breeding season is open or not. They, like the Demon Mother, should have an affinity for curing the wounded or at least a desire to learn from the Lamia herself, as one day they may inherit her title and responsibilities. Unlike the Demon Mother, these ranks may be challenged for by other females within the pack if they feel themselves more fit for the title. Unlike most challenges, they will be tested through their ability to heal and care for wounded Servus (should there not be any, injuries will be made).
Mammon: (1) The Judge. Arguably the most dedicated to Ruina's culture, they are to be called upon in the event that laws are broken or festivals are to be arranged. They officialize unions and passing rites, they also decides if Servus are too disobedient to be kept. They should have a very neutral personality, often very level-headed and emotionally distant. Because of this, they also hold the power to ascend others to other ranks beneath him within the elite, as well. To challenge this rank is also different from most challenges, they must both be presented with both deceptive and truthful stories from other members of the pack and be able to decide which is true and which is false.
Adramelech: (1) The Commander. All warrior rites are to be controlled by them, for ultimately they are Ruina's frontline, and need to know who they can trust beside them in battle. They are the strongest and most dominant out of warriors, their strategy and orders are to be obeyed by all other warriors without question. To disobey is treason and will result in immediate death if the Adramelech desires, free of punishment for the Adramelech. They are vigilant, trustworthy, and honorable, should they be challenged they are required to honor it. Their challenges are mini civil wars. With their Leviathans, they will fight off the challenger and their chosen two aids.
Astaroth: (1) The leading Herdsman, he coordinates tactic and strategy within pack hunts. They are to be obeyed by all Dagon, as the result of disobedience could be injury. They should excel especially in tracking, so to challenge him would require the freeing of two Servus. Three hours after they have passed, Astaroth and their challenger will be required to find them within an alotted time frame and bring them back to Ruina.
Belial: (1) The Shepherd of the Servus. They are the watchtower of Ruina and directly in charge of ensuring that none of the Servus escape. They also have the ability to recommend a Servus that they see fit for becoming a full member of Ruina, which will ultimately be ruled by the Trinity with Mammon's insight. Belial's personality should not be outright cruel, but rather disciplinary and dominant. Their goal should be to gain the trust of each Servus and make sure their flock is well kept, protected, and cared for.
Ruina's Chosen
Leviathan: (2) The Adramelech's most trusted soldiers, they are essentially generals. They are in charge of training the Dommiel and ensuring that they remean at peak fitness at all times. Challenging them comes with the risk of infuriating the Adramelech, and should be planned out carefully.
Charon: (2) Chosen by the Astaroth, they are harvesters. Capable of taking down most any prey, but they are given a specific target. Wolves. Their duty is to track and capture souls to be added to the flock, to capture Servus or possibly even Umbra providing their prey shows interest. The importance of a plentiful amount of Servus is not something to be taken lightly, so the Charon's focus is solely on their harvesting.
Succuba/Incuba: (3/3) Gifted in the art of seduction, these chosen do not oath themselves in a union but rather use their charismatic nature as means of gaining souls for the reaping. They should be especially careful to keep themselves from breeding out of season, and failure to do so will result in the revoking of their rank. They are encouraged to use their gift to keep up morale within the pack, so they may be asked to use their gift for certain celebrations or for rewarding the Servus. They are free to love as many as they want with protection from ever being outright claimed, and are actually encouraged to use their gift to upkeep morale. To challenge this is to challenge Ruina's culture, so to claim a Succuba/Incuba against his or her own will is forbidden and punishable by death. To challenge a Succuba/Incuba for their position is done so by gaining fresh souls for the reaping within an alotted time through deceitful use of seduction.
Forcas: (∞) The Teachers. Their duty is to study Ruina's creed, culture and hierarchy and pass their knowledge on to the young. They act as mentors for Imps above four months; before the child reaches a year, it is a Forcas' duty to decide what role the Imp's gifts are fit for best and place them among the rank of Dagon, Dommiel, Zepar or even a fellow Forcas for exceptional pupils.
Ruina's Noteable
Dommiel: (∞) The Warriors. To be a Dommiel is to dedicate one's self to the every day, and sometimes mundane, training of their body so that they are always in the peak of the fitness, aware of their capabilities, and ready for combat. Sparring is encouraged as training among Dommiel though they should refrain from doing any actual harm to one another, as they are needed to be ready for war at all times. Recklessness too much too often may result in severe punishment by the Adramelech, or even demotion to the Servus.
Dagon: (∞) The Hunters. Although a common placement for Imps, the honor of being of the Dagon should not be taken lightly. Training includes lessons on tracking, the studying of the stars, clouds, and weather patterns, or even the effects of certain plants encounterable in yellowstone. The should remain built for speed and running, practice the art of herding with one another often, and keep Ruina's food cache full. As hunting alone could result in injury, it is discouraged among Dagon; instead parties of three should be the minimum for a hunt.
Zepar: (∞) Ruina's sentries. It is also common placement for defeated members during their challenge, as well as umbra that have shown their dedication. They answer to Belial and are not to take his work lightly. They experience first hand what the life of the Servus entails, they are responsible for keeping the Servus healthy and in their sights. They overwatch the Servus during their tasks, such as keeping the courtyard clean, bringing water to the citadel on collection leaves, or acting as test dummies when needed for members of Ruina.
Purgatory
Umbra: (∞) Not a rank for weak hearts, it is a title given to those that show interest in having an honorable place among Ruina. They are the omegas of the pack, but are treated significantly better than the Servus, as they have come of free will. They only have a short time frame to prove that they are dedicated to learning Ruina's culture and finding their place within, idling in this position might lead to punishment.
Imp: (∞) All children of Ruina that are still under a year in age, regardless of the rank of their parents. It is encouraged that children find their own hierarchy, which is why breeding out of season can result in such severe punishment. Parents raise their children until they are four months old, responsible for grooming them to begin training. At four months, the children are given a mentor and begin their path to ascension.
Ruina's Damned
Servus: (∞) Slaves, captives, etc. Marked by a deep and terrible scar from the corner of their muzzle to the base of their ear. Servus that have escaped and been returned have a mark on each side, which means their next crime will result in death. They are collected as souls for the reaping, which empowers the demons of the afterlife. To be rich in Servus is to be strong as a pack, and although they get little say in the fate and happenings of their own lives, they are highly valuable. Mistreating them is discouraged unless they must be used as pawns or for training, and repeated abuse of Servus may result in severe punishment.
Disclaimer: Elias suffers from schizophrenia and occasionally has violent outbursts.
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