Overseers-
Each tribe's leader will sit upon the lowest, most sturdy looking branch of the Great Blossom. Only the Overseer is allowed to speak up here unless another on their Council is speaking for their behalf. Regent- Directly under the Overseer's upon the roots the Regents for each tribe will sit neatly in a line. Shaman- On the opposite side of the Regent's place is where the Shaman sit. They too sit together upon the large roots of the tree. Decorations and AdornmentsFor this tradition it's customary to wear paints and various adornments. It's those on the various tribe's Council who will wear paint with the Overseer being the most ornately dressed among them all. Other ranks within the tribe's are encouraged to wear jewelry and various decorations, but it's disrespectful to wear more than those on their tribe's Council.
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Terms specific for this tradition Noise Stomper - A cat chosen to wear the turtle shells and help create the rhythm the clan dances to. Tiny Shells - What the baby turtles used for making the instruments are called out of respect for their sacrifice. |
The CeremonyUpon arriving at The Undercroft, the medicine cats will push forward to stand closest to the entrance. From this time forward, all attendees must fall under a vow of silence and bow their heads in respect. The medicine cats will then begin to lead a prayer in order to send the deceased leader on their way to the Celestial Meadows or the Shadowlands.
The prayer goes as follows: Celestials/Seekers, We ask of you to guide the fallen to the distant shore. See them safely to where they will never tire, and will never starve. Allow them to join you among the stars, so that they may continue to watch over the living. Until the day we are fated to meet again. Once the prayer has been concluded, those carrying the deceased as well as loved ones will come forward towards the herbalists. They will bless them with a mark that grants them access into the catacombs. The group will travel down into the cavern where they will find a small, casket-like stone. They are lined within columns, organized neatly into shelves. They will lay the Overseer into an empty tomb. Then, loved ones will bring forth items of tribute to place inside. Note: These items may consist of (pelts, flowers, food, toys from their youth, slabs of hardened clay with paw prints either from the deceased or family, etc.) Afterwards, a stone will be pushed over the tomb to seal it completely as the ceremony comes to a close. |
SuperstitionsDue to superstitions, arrival at the tomb without following a set of laws is treason. These trespassers will be shunned upon by their tribe-mates. The tribes also believe that a multitude of misfortune will befall this interloper.
Upon arrival, one must:
Those who fail to meet these requirements must be wary of the following:
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Sharing ClawsSharing Claws is a simple game the cats play. They will spar, but rather than individual it will be made up of small teams. Serious injuries are not allowed to occur during this. The winner is determined by who forfeits or is unable to get up after ten seconds of having their belly on the ground.
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Splinter TossingThis game can be played with any number of individuals. The whole goal is to throw a sharpened stick across the river and see how far it lands into the bank. It's not uncommon for cats to place bids when playing this game for various goods or sevices.
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The CeremonyOnce the trainees return, their arrival will be announced by someone on the tribe's council. The Overseer will call forth a meeting for the tribe to assemble. Silence is encouraged as the Overseer does a prayer.
"Ancestors, thank you for watching over these/this young cat(s) as they took their first steps into growing up. It is a honor to present them to you and gift them their Naming Rights." The Overseer will then call up each trainee individually and give them their suffix or prefix. It is now that the trainee will be granted their full name in it's entirety. They will then be asked which path in life they've decided to follow for their rank. "The Tribe of ___ welcomes you in as a a fully recognized ___. May you serve the tribe well." |
TitlesTrainees in each tribe have a different name for the rank.
Tadpoles - Tribe of Ripples Fledglings - Tribe of Breeze Sparks - Tribe of Cinders Seedlings - Tribe of Heather |
RulesBreaking any of these rules will forfeit the right of participating in and completing the tradition.
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