Seven - OPEN

[Baneful]

Gluttony

Overview

Hunger is a constant concern of all wild creatures, but this particular band of kin takes it a step beyond even that, they revel in the very concept of gluttony, of consuming without limitations. The interpretation of this varies on the individual, some enjoy the sensation of hunger and therefore eat little, living on an edge, others prefer to partake in every single delight the world has to offer.

They are a herd of gourmands, revellers and - in some cases - inventors. They provide a constant drive to bring food into the tribe and have saved everyone from starvation more than once in the tribe’s past.

Like all of the different herds, the tone of the interpretation of their totem attribute depends upon the leadership at any given time. At present Gluttony is a herd of great revelry but a party that values quality over quantity.

There is no taboo against eating meat or the type of meat consumed by the tribe.

Visitors are always welcome, but they never leave.

Leadership and Ranks

Generic Title - Herd Title

Council - Grand Glutton
Master - Gourmand
Rebel - Head Chef
Initiate - Chef
Outsider - Lunch

Leadership of Gluttony is defined by a process of elimination, the strong consume the weak and therefore changing of the ranks is typically through cunning and strength. They still adhere to the rules of the tribe and this means that in order to challenge an individual you must be a Gourmand to challenge the Grand Glutton of the tribe. In spite of this deadly means of succession the ranks are fairly stable, so long as the going is good, and the turnover of herd members is low.

Territory

In spite of the rest of the territory being decimated by sinweed, Gluttony has a beautiful grove, almost always laid with tables of rich food and decorated with fresh plants and animal skins which adorn the trees. The grove has a heady combination of rich scents and is an enticing tableau of flavours, cared for by the herd’s dedicated chefs and supplied by the hunters and boars of the tribe. It is essentially a giant trap, intended to invite in far more delicious game, as well as giving a social place for the herd to hang out.

Beyond the central grove are various lavish bowers where the inhabitants of gluttony live, decorated to their tastes. They have a central storehouse rivalled only by Greed for its sheer quantity.

Values

Gluttony values excessive consumption above all else, either in themselves or in others, this is the key focus of the herd and any scheme, invention or idea that furthers this end will be favoured over the alternative.

There are no food related taboos and anyone objecting to what others eat can risk discipline or at least a good argument.

Hoarding personal supplies of food is considered greed. It is all stored centrally to the herd’s area.

Traditions

Birth
The birth of a new kin in this particular herd is of little import, you are considered little more than a snack until you prove yourself worthy of survival. Parents need to pay close attention to their wards and many choose to leave for a time until their offspring are grown enough to outrun another kin’s hooves.
Death
The dead are consumed with the solitary exception being if they died of some kind of illness that might otherwise taint the meat. In these cases, their remains can be traded off to the unwary elsewhere or given to the other herds. Every part of the body is used and nothing is wasted. Burial is considered an aberration.
Bonding
Two or more kin who wish to state their bonding before the herd as a whole do so through a ritual where they each take a vertebrae each from the same carcass and wear it on a horn, or a tail or a scale. Monogamy is completely optional as some individuals take the concept of Gluttony much further than others.
Pets
The dominant familiar species in this particular herd are boars and pigs, which perform trained tasks for the rest of the herd and provide a ready food source in a crisis. Any beast not coloured black and red is considered fair game for snacks or pets. Owned beasts are marked with pigment to denote them as inedible.

[Baneful]

Pride

Overview

Pride is an excess of love in oneself, the very opposite of humility and it is this totem affinity which this herd exemplifies the most. They interpret this in different ways, with some possessing almost boundless vanity and obsession with appearance while others simply ooze confidence. Some seek to build pride in others and at first glance might appear quite humble until they strike. Still others act as verbal librarians, storing away stories and information until it is required later. In general the manifestation of this particular affinity is as varied as they come, but they are all united by it.

Many also value their surroundings and help keep the tribe’s lands somewhat acceptable in appearance. They are also the diplomats and on occasion swindlers of the tribe with many of them possessing varying degrees of charm.

The leadership at the present time of the tribe passes down a strong sense of pride as interpreted to mean knowledge,purity, minimalism and control.

Visitors are not permitted within the sanctum, they just aren’t worthy.

Leadership and Ranks

Generic Title - Herd Title
Council - The Perfect One
Master - Pure
Rebel - Aspiring
Initiate - Inclined
Outsider - Worthless

Leadership is defined by a vote across the entire herd, once this is passed it is difficult to challenge unless the leader makes a grave error of judgement. Tribe laws are respected, wheeling and dealing is considered a legitimate way of gaining influence for a future election and careful gifting is encouraged to grease the wheels. Self confidence is a boon in all things.

It is incredibly difficult to get Pride to vote on anything, so leadership changes are infrequent.

Territory

As might be expected, Pride take great pride in their slice of the territory and have meticulously ripped up every inch of Sinweed that they can find, packing down the earth and clearing the trees. Their central meeting area has access to a large stone, hollowed out through decades of kin living on and in it, with its smooth rock creating a natural shelter. Everything is tidy and clean and here and there there are turtle shells filled with fertile soil which grow plants exotic to the area.

Pride value strange or pretty objects and artwork created from these can also be found dotting their pristine domain. They value knowledge a great deal, and stories are told frequently about great deeds or strange events.

As a rule they tend to live apart and each kin carefully marks out their sleeping quarters as seperate from the others, even if they sometimes hop over to visit one another for recreation, they are not very communally minded.

Values
Pride values the self above all else, and if a kin is seen to be lacking in their attitude towards themselves, they are apt to be disciplined. They are not a good herd to be part of if one is prone to self-consciousness or doubt.

Traditions
Birth
Birthdays are celebrated, because there is no day as wonderful as the day another self comes into the world. Children are encouraged to be spoiled from the very beginning and discipline is required only in regards to the overarching rules of the tribe as these pertain to survival.
Death
Death is not mourned a great deal, with the cessation of the self comes the cessation of pride. Simple burial is given and a monument of some description erected proportionate to the influence of the individual. The kin in question is no longer considered to be present in the body, so what happens to it at that point is not as relevant as it might be elsewhere.
Bonding
Monogamy is higher than usual in its incidence in pride as for some individuals a sense of purity can also be tied to a sense of exclusivity. This is not across the board but in some individuals it is considered common to be pride-bound, a lifemating declaration between either two pride kin or a pride kin and one of another herd. They are marked by identical plumes that both wear in their fur, behind an ear or in their tail.
Pets
Pride exults in birds of all shapes and sizes, the more exclusive the plumage the better. They strongly value hunter breeds also such as hounds, wolves and eagles for their symbolism of plenty and power.

[Baneful]

Envy

Overview

Envy is wanting what someone else has, a fundamental state of discomfort or longing. These kin generally are never happy or content with what they have, always needing something else or always pursuing another fix of something new. They specialise in theft and con artistry but like all of the herds encompass individuals from all sorts of background. All of them fundamentally feel as though they are missing something and that is why they end up in this particular herd. Overall this one is one of the less glamorous herds to be in, but the skills they possess and can teach are formidable and they present formidable companions to any group venturing out into the swamp.

Leadership and Ranks

Generic Title - Herd Title
Council - Master of Wanting
Master - Jealous One
Rebel - More
Initiate - Covetous
Outsider - The Supply

Leadership is defined by a process of overtaking existing rulers and supplanting heirs. It is a system less dependent on brute strength and more on subterfuge and plotting, closer to a system of royalty in other worlds than the traditional process of leadership in the swamp. The leader typically has an array of family supporting their claim and if someone else wants the role then they would need to exert significant effort to overthrow it. Everyone wants something in Envy.

Territory

The territory itself is not in a fantastic state, having been left to overgrow significantly in places. There is a central tavern type area where the various kin who call Envy their reluctant herd gather to plan new ventures. They don't take tremendous pride in their land, always wanting what someone else has instead of what they possess. There is not a great deal of food in this herd's area and what they have is often gained through bartering with the other herds or stealing from outside their own borders. When all else fails, it is possible to eke out a rail-thin existence with the sinweed which flourishes everywhere across this particular land. They have a lot more water than elsewhere and many of the kin in Envy are proficient swimmers. Some of them even fish.

Values

Someone veering too kin, too soft and too gentle might be evicted from the herd by force, most likely though a kin lacking in the traits that define this ruthless herd will either starve or leave of their own volition.

Traditions
Birth
There are no real cultural traditions for birth and survival rates for offspring can be very low indeed, it is difficult to gain a footing in Envy's lands and life is hard.
Death
On death kin are given to the grave pool, which feeds the surrounding plant life and of course, their possessions are taken and distributed between the rest of the tribe.
Bonding
Bonds in envy are loose at best and any bonds that are expected to last any great amount of time are typically done via the central vow system.
Pets
Caiman, fish and flying insects thrive best in this wet environment.

[Baneful]

Lust

Overview

Lust is exactly what it says, lust for others or lust for a thing. These kin indulge in no end of affection in all its shapes and forms and thrive on sensuous pursuits. They value physical beauty and treat their body as a work of art. They are highly critical of others who do not care as deeply for appearances and indulgences and can be very sharp tongued. They have a strong love of new experiences and novel encounters are given great weight.

They consider themselves the most beautiful in all the land and in some cases, might well be close to justified in that assumption. They set the trends, they define what is in fashion and what is not. They tend to have a high number of offspring over time and are part of bolstering the ranks of the other herds.

Leadership and Ranks

Generic Title - Herd Title
Council - Most Beautiful
Master - Supreme Champion
Rebel - Grand Champion
Initiate - Grand Premier
Outsider - Unfortunates

Leadership in Lust is defined by beauty and there is a yearly contest where the next leader is chosen by the rest of the tribe. This results in a constantly shifting leadership position which results in an interesting flux in trends, opinions and ideas which can be conveyed throughout the tribe. Lust are the trendsetters.

Each new leader is overseen by a consistent individual known as the matron or madam who sees that they are facilitated in their leadership.

Territory

Their territory is as beautiful as the location allows rather than functional and has plenty of private places, with bowers to spend time in and pleasant pools to recline by or bathe in.

Values

Lust is about wanting, about sensuality. They value ambition, but they value looking absolutely wonderful and being good at intimacies far more.

Traditions

Lust specialise in mixtures which heighten experiences and physical sensations.

Birth

Birth is common in a herd so focused on the physical and children are often sent off to the other herds to be raised there. Some stay on in Lust and enjoy a childhood free of discipline and rules, left to run free as they wish through the territory.

Death

Death in Lust is seen as just another facet of one's journey. The dead are mourned and in cases of great beauty, sometimes facets of their being are retained, such as horns, shiny scales or other items which can be incorporated into attire.

Bonding

In spite of the fleeting nature of trysts, Lust are not averse to bonding, and many form lasting lifelong bonds with one another, unafraid to show affection or intimacy. They don't place much weight upon ritual and there is no formal process for this sort of bonding.

Pets

Birds are most valued in Lust, for what better kind of pet is there than one that can provide decoration?

[Baneful]

Greed

Overview
Greed is all about hoarding what others might otherwise have, more than one could ever need and that is what this particular herd specialises in. These kin are a gathering of theives, scavengers, con artists and traders, focused on resource management and always keen to make a quick gain. It doesn't matter to them one bit if those gains come at someone else's expense. They thrive on games, especially gambling and games of chance. Outsiders from beyond the tribe are seen as very handy suckers and marks to be taken advantage of.

Greed has a close relationship with Wrath as they will often hire thugs from there to help guard them and their ill-gotten gains.

Leadership and Ranks

Generic Title - Herd Title
Council -
Master -
Rebel -
Initiate -
Outsider -

Leadership is defined by that same quickness of mind that exemplifies this particular herd and they often find themselves with a less conventional leader than most tribes might, with forward thinking greed placing someone on the council position.

Territory

Greed's territory is bountiful and well fortified, with plenty of well guarded stashes of possessions found across their lands. Venturing into the "bank" area, the area north of the river bank is considered absolute folly for those without business to be there.

The central area of the territory is a busy and bustling marker where everything that can possibly be bought and sold is traded.

Values

Greed value a large hoard of possessions and a quick mind. A kin with quick eye, hooves and a quick tongue is considered to be the epitome of their kind.

Traditions
Greed are very big on plants with some sort of stimulating effect, they have a lot of work to do and apocotheries in the tribe find themselves helping facilitate this trait.

Birth
Death
Bonding
Pets

[Baneful]

Sloth

Overview
Sloth is a reluctance to work or make any sort of effort, and if there one thing this particular band of ne'er do wells excel at it is that. They are the tribe's diplomats, politicians, artisans and creatives and have a tremendous ability to talk themselves in circles for ever without reaching any specific conclusions. They specialise in unique blends of plant which compliment the creative process and encourage sleep and rest.

Leadership and Ranks

Generic Title - Herd Title
Council -
Master -
Rebel -
Initiate -
Outsider -

Leadership is defined by intelligence and leadership turnover is very low, there isn't a lot of ambition to go around when no one is very inclined to do anything. Being the leader is seen as an unfortunate role to have, as it means more work than usual.

Territory

Sloth's territory is comfortable and bedded with explosions of flowers. Sinweed doesn't seem to have found the same stranglehold here as elsewhere and instead it feels like every other kind of plant thrives here, overgrown and untended.

Values

Necessity is the mother of invention and in Sloth the necessity is to find the most effortless way to do anything. There is a great deal of emphasis placed upon creativity towards practical advancements to make daily life easier for everyone. Those who work too hard are frowned upon but being what they are, Sloth aren't inclined to evict anyone without good reason, taking action agains someone for not being lazy enough is still fundamentally taking action.

Traditions
Birth

Death

Bonding

Pets

[Baneful]

Wrath

Overview

Wrath is about extreme anger in all its forms, a lack of control over one's temper, and if there was ever a group of kin who specialised in this best of all, it was Wrath. They are the most aggressive in the tribe and represent more of less the military of the group, or on the inside the strong arm of law and order. They are mercenary and work for whoever is paying them the most where they provide protection for the tribe as a whole in exchange for what is more or less a tithing system from the others.

They are found throughout the tribe working in tandem with the other herds and as such have become bound up with information trading and messenger functions, carrying information between one herd and the next. Interestingly this has resulted in a subset of wrath who are focused more on the news than on fighting with others.

Leadership and Ranks

Generic Title - Herd Title
Council -
Master -
Rebel -
Initiate -
Outsider -

Leadership is defined by strength in Wrath and these kin will fight for leadership. The leader of this herd is considered the strongest fighter in the herd and anyone willing to challenge them does so at their own risk.

Territory

Wrath's territory is completely untended due to their business primarily being elsewhere and is simply the raw swamp, overrun with Sinweed and in steep decline.

Values

They value anger and strenght above all else. A kin lacking in physical strength and combat capibilities might struggle with some degree of hassle from their fellow herd members, though some do thrive in adversity.

Traditions

Wrath prefer plant and herb mixtures that aid in the growth of muscle mass and agitation and this only compliments their status further in the tribe as some of the largest and strongest kin with the shortest tempers.

Birth

Death

Bonding

Pets

[Baneful]

[Baneful]

[Baneful]

[Baneful]

[Baneful]

[Baneful]

[Baneful]

[Baneful]

Open for posting, either for membership or if anyone has any questions at all about anything!