twsister2361

A Rabbit's Night in the Woods The story of Kardem Vallei'ahern Puerokar's Final Trial Slowly the powder began to distort the forest around her, and Kardem’s teacher faded into the swirling colors that were once the foliage. She would rub at her eyes, attempting to clear the blurriness from her vision, but it was to no avail. Kardem was once again cast into a blurry world bursting with color. She falls to her back, and takes in the world for a moment. The swirling colors would take on the patterns of her tapestries and totems in the Puerokar manor. Tribal rabbits chasing each other through the pale blue of the evening sky as a gradient of purple and pink began to encroach on the scene. She would giggle, reaching up to attempt to touch the visions, but her movement would cause them to scatter about the edges of her vision. “Kardem.” A firm, but warm voice came from all around her, and the young elfess shot up. “Haelun.” Puerokar would stumble to her feet, calling out to the voice of her mother, only to get no answer. The forest was difficult to navigate, her vision still blurry, but she pressed on into a random direction. In her search, Kardem would come across the coastline and in the water would be a figure kneeling in the water. The light of the setting sun would make it impossible to see the figure clearly, but there would be a chanting coming from her, as if she was praying. Kardem’s eyes welled up with tears as she attempted to get closer to the woman, but with each step she took the woman went deeper into the sea. “Haelun! Come back! Don’t go!” she would plead with the figure, but her childish pleading was only met with the figure disappearing into the water and appearing on the far shore. “Vallei’ahern are of the sea Little Bunny.” The voice boomed around her, surrounding the sobbing elf with a familiar motherly warmth she had missed for so long, “Test your mantle once again, and I promise I will be here through your trial.” The Child Winema of the Puerokar swallowed hard, forcing her tears into determination as she plunged herself into the sea. The cold water caused the young woman to gasp and panic upon her first few strokes, swirling visions of creatures below her feet making her flail in place. Fear crept in and began to absorb her. “Kardem,” came the voice of her mother once again, encouraging her to continue. She looked to the phantom on the shore, determination finding her once more. The girl was so desperate to return to her family that it drove her forward. Tribal images of dolphins followed Kardem as she fought the waves, the Vallei’ahern patron Hamatsa supporting her the rest of the way. As she crawled her way onto the shore, her mother was once again nowhere to be found. “Haelun!” she screamed, her heart beginning to falter once more as the moon rose in the sky. The girl doubled over in the sand, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed. Before her the moonlight reflected off the waves and began to pool before her. The light, calming and faintly shining with the silver glow of the moon took the form of a rabbit before her. Kardem would stare in shock at the figure, rubbing her eyes once more as she tried to make sense of what was before her. The rabbit climbed onto her lap and reached up, placing its nose on hers before moving to hop away. It would turn back to her and stare as if waiting for her to follow. So she did. The forest filled with brightly colored flowers, each one bursting with orbs of light from the moon, each becoming a leverette as Kardem approached. The rabbit led the girl to the familiar lake near the city, the one with the willow she loved more than anything. From the cave beside it came another creature. A bear made of weaved willow branches, with leaves for fur and teeth of sharpened twigs. It barred the path ahead of her, standing on its hind legs and roaring. Kardem would stumble back in terror, the voice of her mother echoing in the valley. “The first Winema was of the Molimo Kardem. Of the Bear and Rabbit. The blessings of Bolomormaa are required to continue your path.” The bear would roar again, taking a step closer to Kardem. She would swallow hard once again and stand, roaring back at the creature. It would step back, dropping down to all fours and roaring again. Once again Kardem would roar back, her voice carrying across the lake and through the cliffs of Elvenesse. The bear made of willow collapsed into twigs, and the Rabbit made of moonlight showed her the path forward. Her journey ended in the garden she grew upon her first trial, the rabbit hopping into the field of Black Cohosh and Helonia’s Root that she herself planted. Kardem entered her garden, and upon the blanket she left in the cave sat a figure. The familiar smell of her Haelun’s perfume drifted through the air as she approached the hazy figure. She sat there, along with an old owl that watched her with glowing yellow eyes. “Kar. You have done well to get here my child. My legacy.” The young elf would collapse onto the ground beside the woman, hugging her tightly as she cried. “I miss you too much Haelun.” she would sob, “Why did the Father have to take you so soon? Out of everyone else you healed, out of all of the disgusting creatures that crawl this earth, why couldn’t you have gotten to live?” Her mother would pet her head, cooing in a soft voice, “Because it was to make you strong Little Bunny. Everything you have done, all the hardships you have endured, they have made you stronger. We do not learn by having easy lives.” Kardem would only nod, unable to actually speak through her tears. “Sleep now Kardem. You have been deemed worthy by our patron. You have earned your title as Winema, and you have made me more proud than I could possibly express.” As her mothers parting words echoed through her mind, she would find herself falling fast asleep in her garden. In the morning she realized, unfortunately, it was all just a wild dream.

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. 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. Art and words by Twsister2361

Name: Tulin Altraza Age: near 100 I think (haven't been on lot in a while) Race: high elf Allegiance (Current nation of residence): wife of Edric Altraza Past Military Experience: Settlement leader Orc clan war goth Orc warmistress None-Military Experience/Skills: Blacksmith (vet I think) Mining (masterful I think) OOC Information: MC Name: Twsister2361 Skype Name (Used for updates, news and information): same as Mc name Have you been in the Order before?: no Do you plan to make this character one of your primary?: yes