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Pride Guidelines: The Pridelands

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Pride Name: Royal Pride
Ruling Type: Monarchy
Succession Laws: The Pridelands' throne is passed to the eldest male child of the current ruler; legitimate children (those born to the ruler's official mate) are given preference over those born to concubines or mistresses. Should no male child be born, the Crown will pass to the eldest female child, and should there be no children at all, the Crown will be passed to the closest male relative of the current ruler – most likely a brother, nephew, or male cousin – who will then pass the throne down through their line. In the event of the entire royal line becoming defunct, the head female of the pride will be allowed to instate herself as the new 'Queen', and her line would then become the new royal family.

Naming Tradition: (Swahili) Cubs are typically named at birth, unless a foreign parent insists otherwise. Likewise, most names follow their native traditions.
Mating: Outside blood is typically accepted in most cases, although outside of the seasonal opening of the boarders, the males must prove themselves trustworthy to stay longer than a tryst if they wish to become permanent mates.

With royalty, betrothals are prearranged for their children, although they do sometimes choose a mate for their child within the pride. Often, though, marriages are arranged with other prides. It is in practice to arrange a betrothal when both participants are young, though the outcome depends one the ones making it. Consummation of the mateship can be put off at any time by the ruling body.

Other Traditions:
Birth – For the Royal Family, the birth of a new heir is a much celebrated thing. And because of their unique home, all can see the presentation once the cub(s) are a week old. Due to their long alliance with the Grass Walls mandrills, the prince or princess is always presented by the bipedal shaman.

For those of lesser rank, as well as higher, post-birthing tradition immediately dictates giving the mother a prey animal's liver as it seems to speed along healing.

Death – The death of royalty is accompanied by the entire pride remaining awake all night, often at the cusp of Pride Rock, while searching for their star. It is considered an ill omen from their spirit if there is cloud-cover that doesn't clear after the body has grown cold, and it is seen as a blessing for the next generation if the night is as clear as the midst of winter.

Mateship Ceremony – The mateship ceremony for the joining of royalty and simple pridemembers alike always involves a shaman (be it lion or mandrill), and is seen as illegitimate without. The ceremony itself involves paint made by the crushing of thin stone chips to give further color to wet clay, the design painted on the mated pair's bodies varies from couple to couple, but always has certain markings: Three dots up the middle of the forehead, a stripe down the back and to the base of the tail, and a four pointed star on each shoulder.

Oaths of joint featly and loyalty are taken, and that evening – rather than sleeping in the den with the rest of the pride – it is spent atop Pride Rock's highest point. And following that for royalty, three days are spent beneath the branches of the region's only boab tree – also known as the "Tree of Life".

Rite of Adulthood (Male/Female Versions)
Female = For lionesses, the Rite of Adulthood occurs at late adolescence; around the time when a male's chest fur would finish filling in blank patches. After having accompanied the hunting party at least three times, and likely having had numerous theoretical lessons, they are set to the task of making a solo kill. As this task also determines their rank in the pride for what is likely to be the majority of their life, great pains are taken to ensure that a coming adult has the best chances.

Just prior to the hunt, they are told to choose a prey animal. While it is acceptable to change their mind before they make the first move at their target, once the species is decided, withdrawing will put a damper on their adult rank. The traits of the felled prey are also taken into account when it is judged – strong and healthy, old, sick, lean, large, male, or female. Finally, failing to bring back prey at all will cause their rank to plummet.

Male = They are given a trial rather like their lioness companions, excepting that it is a full moon's time. Providing that the ruling body allows the males to return, rather than exiling them at the time of their mane growing in, they are expected to survive on their own. Depending on the ruler, the lion in question may either just live outside of the territory, or they are tasked to visit an entirely different pride for the duration of their Rite.

Deities & Guardians: The Great Kings and the Great Spirit are the most widely accepted beliefs in the Pridelands.
Oral tradition says that the rulers that do good for their kingdom are granted a star bright in the sky. Even the commonfolk are given a place in their death, using the inky darkness to hold everything together. While there is belief that eventually lions and lionesses are reborn, sometimes sooner than others, it is also said that a creature that does evil is chained to the land they die until their rebirth.

Traits: Being one of the first established and truly flourishing pride after the Great Purge, they have seen much fresh blood pass through for a chance at prosperity. Although the long-standing bloodlines within the pride are often stocky and well built, felines that can endure much of nature's torment, the constant flow of new blood continues to bring in different traits. The large and well built rogues are often favored, though, so as to keep their traditional image to some degree.

Coat colors range from neutral beige shades to golds and oranges, and browns to varying shades of gray. Tail tufts and manes are also across the spectrum. Eyes are often shades of brown, orange, or green; but it isn't unheard of for others to crop up with each new litter. Their paws are known to be equally divided – some have the digits the same color as their subpelt, others have them the color of the rest of their body.

It isn't often that the Pridelanders are especially scruffy, though, as their smooth frames have become dominate traits. Still, sometimes thin or wispy additions show through, and get thicker with each successive generation that continues to breed along those lines. Their "eye-rims" are often of similar shades to their subpelt as whole, although sometimes they do grow darker. Black ear rims, that circle the outside edge of each ear, crop up in about half of the cubs and adults. Sometimes males lose them as they mature.

Hunting Laws:
1. Hunting at the waterhole, as of Mohatu's reign, has been permanently disallowed.
2. Pregnant or newborn prey is equally forbidden, as it gives the herds a sense of security and a reason to stay – as well as ensuring that future generations will have something to eat.
3. Males that choose to hunt with the lionesses (should they not be in line of succession, part of the pride or not) are allowed to pick out something to hunt, but taking on an excessive risk simply for the thrill of it is openly allowed to be forbidden by the lead huntress.
4. Food is divided by rank and the output in bringing it in, regardless of gender. Royalty and cubs – unless the parents are near being exiled – eat first. Then it goes down from there in rank. When prey is plentiful, standards are more relaxed, allowing the hunters to have their fill before dragging it back. Visiting wanderers or rogues hanging about for the breeding season are expected to hunt for their own food, and to share it with their mate of choice.

Ruling Bodies:
TBA
Like what will be done with each and every pride, this explains the inner workings of the pride. If you have any questions, feel free to ask - I'll do my best to answer. ^^

NOTE: The function of the monarchy simply follows real life layouts, sexist though it may be. {Seeing as :iconrinjapine:'s monarchy summary is correct down to the letter, she said to just use it instead of trying to reword it just so it'd be different, XD.}

EDIT: I realized after I had already finished this that :iconnala15: also uses a "Tree of Life" for her royalty, though the timespan is different. So, while I originally got the idea from one of the comics/6NA books, I suppose partial credit goes to her as well?
© 2012 - 2024 Kina1994
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Nichers's avatar
A very nice read! I love to hear about their traditions and such.

I know i have read about the tree of life somewhere else... Was this idea based on an existing comic, or does this tree come up in the 6 new adventures or so?