Welcoming Story spinners, Legacy keepers.

[Tayelikel 193]

      Word would pass by Elvenesse that the Puerokar's would be welcoming new members into there seed. The Story spinners seen about the city speaking about there mani, and there purpose to bring forth works of art through story, dance, drawings, paintings. To record and help preserve the legacy of Elves who feel a calling to such pursuits. 
        One member, Fillianore, would be out in the city, speaking to any interested, eagerly sharing the stories and history of her seed. A keen eagerness lit in her eyes as she spoke on the puerokars with pride. 

[ooc: If anyone is looking for a  seed and feels there character would fit, feel free to msg me on Discord or IG {Tayelikel}
 

Spoiler

Original lore

 

The Puerokars 

Spinners of Stories

 

The Puerokars are a seed centered around the worship of the Rabbit Mani Bilobooz, and the celebration of the individual legacies of its members. Formally a matriarchal society on the fringes of other larger wood elven groups, The Puerokars have recently been reintroduced to society by the new generation of Puerokars. Whether through murals, totems, journals, or through their Ilmyumier itself, the Puerokars celebrate the events that make an individual who they are.

 

History

 

The Puerokar’s were once a group of eight households that lived in a village called Tsisduwi. Each worshiped Bilobooz, the Rabbit Mani, but many of the other houses also worshiped other mani along with her. The Clans of Molimo, Dyanitir, Tala, Larigne, Vallei’ahern, Mongwau, and Dyami eventually all fell under the leadership of the Peurokar house. This task was achieved through the hard work of Aenwyn Puerokar, the founder of the Clan. Aenwyn won the respect of all of the clans with her leadership after years of unrest both within the settlement and outside of it. She maintained a positive relationship with several caravans, as well as other settlements, and established a clan culture that, despite being lost for ages, still lives on through the surviving clan members. Through the clan’s infancy, unrest between each branch of the newly formed clan dissipated. Traditions that celebrated the individual branch’s unique attributes were formed and a strong sense of pride was formed among them. This pride however separated the Puerokars from the rest of the world; their elitism being one of their downfalls. Their growing hostility towards outsiders, poor leadership from the last Winema, Deu’lara Dyami Puerokar, and a bandit raid on the settlement of Tsisduwi, caused what remained of the clan branches to scatter to the winds. Now, those that remain alive are the new generation of Puerokar that wish to integrate into Elvenesse.While they all wish to continue to honor the old ways of their branches and clans, changes have been made to operate more like a seed. The Seed name will be Puerokar, as that is what every branch had in common, and the individual cultures will be honored but no longer necessary. For most, being a Puerokar will be enough, but for those that are interested in learning about the nearly forgotten sub cultures it is highly suggested that one should subscribe to that particular subculture.

 

Clans

As stated, the Puerokars are a group of several clans that joined into one house. Below is a summary of each of the clans, their worship, and their role in the settlement of Tsisduwi.
 

 

Spoiler

Puerokar 

Main branch, worships only Rabbit mani; area of focus is the bloodline, matriarchs are always born of this line. 

 

Molimo

Worships the bear and rabbit; their name means ‘ Bear walking into shade’; they are the caretakers of shrines, oftentimes priests and priestesses. 

 

Dyanitir

Worship the stag and rabbit; their name means ‘Dear Law’; area of focus is government. Women holding positions on the council and men taking on stewardship roles and judicial type roles. They are often called upon to play devil’s advocate when an argument starts up.

 

Tala

Worshipers of the wolf and rabbit; their name means ‘Stalking Wolf’; The most accomplished of hunters in the clan, often hunting in packs as wolves do. Judge others on the size of the game they kill. 

 

Larigne

Worshipers of the boar and rabbit; their name means ‘Steadfast flame’; known for their confidence and their strong desire to protect the legacy of the clan. More information may be found here. 

 

Vallei’ahern 

Worshipers of the dolphin and rabbit; their name means ‘Water and Blessing’; Clan healers, providing for the bloodline by making sure it lives healthily. Doctors and midwives come from this branch. Fishing aspects of Hamatsa have been lost to this seed due to Dyami’s monopoly on the trade. More information can be found here.

 

Mongwau 

Worshipers of the owl and rabbit; Their name means Owl; The clan teachers, providing for the family legacy through education. Protectors of the great library while it was still around. Tasked with ensuring that the stories of each Puerokar were recorded and kept safe. 

 

Dyami

 Worshipers of the thunderbird and rabbit; name meaning Eagle; Fisherman and free spirits, are often rebellious and lean more towards worshipping Nemglan than Bilobooz. You can find more information here.

 

 

Culture

In what could be considered ‘Puerokar Culture’, worship of the Rabbit Mani has always been the cornerstone. Over time, Bilobooz's defense of bloodlines became the clan's fixation on legacy and personal life stories. As the idea of sharing personal legacies became more popular among the clan branches, a library was constructed to house the diaries of every individual in the settlement, showcasing years of legacy. The Mongwau branch was its caretaker, and ensured that basic information on the clan branches was recorded. Things like births, deaths, coming of age ceremonies and the like.  All was lost upon the raid that destroyed Tsisduwi. The following will be examples of the overall clan’s culture, but each branch has their own subculture and traditions that are unique to them. 

 

Totem Tales

Written word wasn’t the only form of story telling the Puerokars became known for. They developed a form of mural known as Totem Tales. These murals were elaborate depictions of the artist's story. In the example to the left, the subject was love. Each addition to the piece symbolizes a part of the artist's love life or overall story. These totems can be done for any subject, but for it to be considered a Totem Tale, it must be a vertical mural with the story starting at the bottom of the medium and read up. These storytelling methods inspired the seed’s Ilmyumier. 

 

Festivals 

The Puerokar’s celebrated several events throughout the year while they were their own settlement. These events have become a strong part of the modern seed’s culture. There was the Night of Spinners, a small event where members of each branch of the clan would ‘spin’ a tale in an attempt to outdo the other branches. The Winema  would listen to each story over the night’s feast, and would choose her favorite by the night’s end. Though a small event, it was done several times throughout the year, and often used as a way to settle petty disputes, making the jobs of the Dyanitir a bit easier. Another smaller event that took place in the spring was the Festival of Flowers, a matchmaking festival. It was the best way to ensure the bloodline was secure. In the years girls from the main branch came of age, the event was massive. The festival of flowers was a showcase for young adults to demonstrate not only to the other branches what they were capable of, but also show their own branch how far they had come. Most of the youth are free to choose who they wish, but it is the main branch women who have their partner chosen for them by the Winema. Another example of the clan protecting their legacy. Not every youngling would agree with the decision, but for the branches as a whole, having a member chosen to marry into the main house was the greatest honor. Finally there was the Festival of Rabbits, an event held in the highest regard by the Puerokar house. It was the one day of the year where the branches competed against each other in various events to see which of the families have improved the most. Events included physical activities, as well as challenges of creativity and mental capability. The winners would be decided, again, by the Winema. The prize was usually bragging rites, and a special creation from the Chieftess herself. 

 

Trials and Ilmyumier

The trial for the Puerokar seed is simple: without explicitly stating it, those who wished to join would have to tell the story of their legacy. Prospective Puerokars are given three elven days to think it through and present it to the Winema. If the individual displays an understanding of the Puerokar way of storytelling, then they will be allowed into the seed, and the story they have presented becomes the story of their Ilmyumier. Though easy upon first glance, the general lack of guidance in the instructions can be a bit daunting for those that don’t know what they are getting into. 

The Puerokar Ilmyumier is a unique one. The top and the bottom of the tattoo is always the same for every member. It always begins with the rabbit mani framed by two bands, representing their addition to the seed. The last bands represent the future actions the barrer will take, and how the legacy will thrive within the seed. It is one thick band followed by a band shaped into a triangle or an arrow. Between the first and last bands is different for each individual. It depicts the wearer's legacy as displayed in their trial. The design will be done by another member of the seed if the individual is lacking in artistic prowess. 

 

Leadership

The Puerokar’s have always been matriarchal. The Chieftess, or Winema (wi-nay-mah),  always being passed down from mother to daughter throughout the decades. If there were more than one daughter in a family, the current Winema chooses from them who she feels is most deserving of the position. If no daughter is born to the acting Chieftess, she may choose another female within the seed that honors their values. Oftentimes this would be a priestess, or Meda, from the Molimo or a council woman from the Dyanitir. If there is no blood-related woman in the family at all, then a male can take the position, but is extremely unlikely due to the size of the clan. Though the original reason for Winema’s position was due to women being in charge of domestic matters, it became a way to honor the work of Aenwyn. 

Though decisions pertaining to the outside world were reserved to the Winema, smaller decisions were made by the council. Often filled out with members of the Dyanitir branch, they took care of general governing, such as collecting taxes and solving small disputes that aren’t worth the Winema’s time. There were seven seats on the council, and each member was chosen by the Winema herself. 

Another tradition passed down from one Matriarch to another is the ceremonial staff. The Winema’s staff is a symbol of the family’s legacy and blessings from Bilobooz. It is a carved, 4ft long staff made of stained pine. The length is carved with tribal depictions of Rabbits, and initials of former Cheftesses that have come before. Records have shown that the staff was a gift to Aenwyn Puerokar by another clan leader shortly before their disbandment. When it is time for a new Winema to be appointed, a short ceremony is conducted where the staff is passed onto the new leader by the former. The former Matriarch then adds her initials to the staff in honor of her service. The successor is chosen and the ceremony is done while the Winema is still of a right mind, typically once she has turned 500. 

 

Genetic Mutations 

When the former clans inhabiting slowly began to interbreed with the Puerokars, it led to bizarre-looking relations among them. There are a few rare genetic mutations that the family passes down that show up sporadically, giving their claims of being the ancestors of the rabbit mani some ground. The most common of the mutations found within the line come in the form of strange eye colors. Eye colors such as blue and red are common within Puerokar’s, at least more common than the rest on this list. These traits suggest that at some point in the history of the family, there was an introduction of high elven and dark elven genes into the family line, though the family would be considered mostly wood elf now. Another mutation of the family are large, down angled ears. These ears are similar to those found on Oar Lop-Eared Rabbits. It is uncertain how this mutation actually came about, but the legends suggest that the ears come from Bilobooz taking pity on a childless family. The rabbit mani was said to have transformed one of her leverets into a baby elf with the ears of a rabbit. Unfortunately, there is no answer as to what caused the “Oar Lop” ears (or oar ears) among the family, but it is a rare trait that only around 10% of the Puerokar’s possess. 

 

Conclusion

The Puerokar seed is one steeped in tradition. It takes the worship of Bilobooz and her ideas of protecting legacy very seriously through their stories. The seed is welcoming and open to all storytellers, artists, and interested parties alike.