Venus Verticordia's Den

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Mutations and their Divine Attributes

X- Obtained, in pride or dynasty
K- Kinged, or previously kinged
/-No longer in pride (died, traded, etc.)
S - Being sold, traded, or in raffle
I- Immortal, or will be
Blank- Not obtained
(Not counting ones no longer in pride IF they had no significance to the plot.)

Achromia- [X] [/] (Theluji, Carmen Avis)
Blind- [X] (Asha)
Bobbed Tail- [X] (Reika)
Clawless- []
Deaf- []
Double Uterus- []
Dwarfism- [I] (Evanescent)
Eyeless- [X] (Nayru)
Folded Ears- [/] (Rhonda)
Maneless- []
Mane Feathery- []
Mane Fluffy- [/] (Canticum Hiberno Alba (('Song of the Winter White')))
Mane Frizzy- [X] (Uzume)
Mane Fuzzy- []
Mane Imperial- []
Mane Ruffled- []
Mane Shaggy- []
Mane Silky- [X] (Silika)
Mane Villous- []
Mane Whiskered- []
Melanism- [X] (Marion)
Overgrown Claws- []
Overgrown Teeth- []
Overgrown Fur- [I] (Alkmene)
Tailless- []
Toothless- []

Patches and Piebalds- Collectively, gods of seasons, winds, weather, moon cycles/months, the harvest, etc.

Patches- Croupe- [X] (Reshef)
Patches-Dense- [X] (Hecate)
Patches-Frontal- [X] (Nemoralia)
Piebald- Bisected- []
Piebald- Broken- []
Piebald- Clouded- []
Piebald- Harlequin- []
Piebald- Heavy- []
Piebald- Light[]
Piebald- Mosiac []
Piebald- Mottled- []
Piebald- Slender- [K] (Icarus)
Piebald- Symmetrical- []
Polycadual- [X] (Upendi)
Primal- [K] (Aether)
Primal Felis- [X] (Irene)
Primal Smilus- [X] (Aquilo)

Lethal Mutations + Hybrids-

Conjoined Cubs- [] (when obtained: gods of heart and mind)
Cyclopia- [I] (Ahtahka, god of sky)
Extra Limbs- [/] (when re-obtained: god of trade and wealth)
Harlequin Itchyosis- [S] (get dunked on, in raffle) (when re-obtained: god of chaos)
Lipomatosis- [] (when obtained: god of ground and mountains ((more accurately, tectonic plates)))
Sirenomelia- [] (when obtained: god of space and sea)
Two Heads- [] (when obtained: god of the soul)
Cleft Palate- [] (when obtained: god of fuel/nutrients)
Deaf- [I] (Ptah, god of art)

Leopon- []
Tigon- []
(when both obtained, they are essentially the gods of felidae, and the united force of felines)

Ranks + Law

Following the coronation of Venus Verticordia, many ranks in the pride were abolished- with only one new rank, the Blood Carriers, and the complete rehaul of subordinates into Shrine Maids + Shrine Servants. Many ranks were also renamed.

Ascended Deities - Gods who are currently in the celestial plane, or somewhere in the great ocean beyond. May have previously been a Higher Vessel (clarified below), or have not yet visited Lavi.

Monarch - The leader of the pride. May also be a Vessel, but not always.
|= Venus Verticordia
|Past Notable = Thoth, Atlas, Icarus (the names of the rest have been scratched out)

Monarch's Bride(s)/Groom(s) (MB/GxF/M) - The closest partner(s) of the current monarch. While the monarch of the pride may court many, their heart belongs to their bride/groom. Often second in command.
|= N/A

Heir(HxITM/F) - Heir to the throne, they are taught by the monarch of the pride to take their place, usually subject to great responsibility and training at a young age.
|= N/A

Deputy(DxM)- Though uncommon to have a male in the pride that's not a king, heir, mutation or shrine servant, should there be one, they're known as deputies. King/Queen/Heir's right hand man. May leave the pride for days at a time to escort pride members or find necessary items. Often work with Alkmene, the goddess of time, to escort lions into being time-frozen.
|=Ivory's Blessing

Vessels (VxF/M) - Lions whose bodies are a vessel for the divine spirits who can carry messages through them. There's two classes of vessels:
- High Vessel - A god born into the body of a mutated lion, to join the pride either temporarily or for eternity.
|= Ahtahka, Ptah, Alkmene, Neferusobek, Hatshepshut
- Lesser Vessel - The closest to the gods, considered basically "demigods" themselves. Lions that may be given a mutation in life, or were born with a passable mutation without the need for additional items, such as piebald or primal. (Or a common mutation). They help lionesses birth new mutations through herbs and diet, and guide the Shrine Maids + Servants to care for High Vessels and Ascended Deities. May reveal themselves to be High Vessels upon ascension.
|= Merlene, Castle, Melon, Snow Ruins, Firosa

Lead Warrior (LWxF/M) - A lion who's devoted themselves to the art of fighting above any other skill. Teaches the young and adolescent to fight, and leads alongside the Monarch into battle
|=N/A
|Past Notable = Tanakataa Kifo ("Tana Kifo")

Lead Hunter (LHxF/M) - A lion who's devoted themselves to the art of the hunt above any other skill. Teaches the young and adolescent to hunt, and assigns hunting teams and plans.
|=N/A

Seer (SxF)- The seers heal the sick and injured. They tend to those in need in any way they can. While some extend this courtesy to those outside the pride, they are under no obligation to... if not warned otherwise by the Vessel or Monarch, that is.
Expected to solve disagreements and problems within the pride, and be unbiased, calm, and clever after the eradication of the unnecessary Mediator rank... but they don't have to be.
|=Angelic Light

Broodmother (BMxF) or Grandpaw(GxM) - The broodmother watches over all new cubs born, even her own. Grandpaws are retired males that aid in this duty (by letting the cubs climb on them).
|= Adeline

Branch Keeper (BKxF/M) - In charge of trading items, lions, etc. Despite the lower rank, the lioness must be trusted by the monarch. Unlike before, the Branch Keeper also makes most of the trades herself under the watch of the Monarch. Very familiar with the Trading Centre and The Branches, and makes treks to both at least daily. In charge of making the Monarch more money.
|=N/A


Novitiate - The young and/or learning of the pride, they work under the mentorship of the rank they wish to achieve- or, simply, are the adolescents who will grow into the pridelions of the pride.
(Temporary role, no tag)


Pridelion - The average lion of the pride. Hunt, fight and defend the pride as needed. Often breeds as well. Under Venus Verticordia's new rulership, these lions tend to have little connection to their heritage; and what is known of it is clean-lined.
(No tag, not specifically listed)

Blood Carrier (BC|#) - Consist of families that existed through the pride's history; often dirty-lined. Venus Verticordia falls into the category of BC lion herself, so she is the only one that may still breed with them. Discouraged to breed after the clean-line revolution; of no insult to them, Venus just wants to keep them safe. Also, she can't sell their kids easily, so. Most notable, the Duva and Imara lines. Usually have another role that's not just blood carrier.
|=N/A

Shrine Maid (ShMxF) + Shrine Servant (ShSxM) - Once considered subordinates, these are lions that are now given a chance to work their way up the ranks by caring for the shrine. In return, the Vessel may cure whatever made them end up a shrine keeper in the first place- usually a hidden marking.
|=N/A

RULES

Following the coronation of Venus Verticordia, the rules of the pride were overhauled. Strict, but simplified.

1. Your loyalty belongs to the pride, and to our gods. You must defend both with your life, and the Vessels always take utmost priority.

2. Do not needlessly take action to cause enemies; this may endanger the pride. This includes avoiding hunts that cross into another's territory or fighting lions that did not enter our territory.

3. Use as many parts of the prey as you can, and do not waste it. Use the bones for tools and toys, and the meat for eating. If you cannot do that, give the spare parts away. Give thanks to the deities for its life.

4. Cubs and novitiates must be accompanied at all times beyond the territory.

5. Boundaries must be checked and marked daily.

6. Word of the Vessel and Word of the Monarch is law; if conflicting, obey the Vessel.

7. For the sake of the pride, new blood is needed. Mating with those outside of the pride is now an expected duty, as opposed to the control from kings of the past. Do not senselessly soil a bloodline. Do not mate a new blood with a Blood Carrier.

8. Every lion shall defend the land of poachers; you may not take advantage of a lion trapped by a poacher, for under the threat of humans, we are all united.

9. If a monarch is weak, cruel, or unaccepted by the Vessels, their leadership may be challenged. If a monarch's leadership threatens the pride, the pride is expected to resist and challenge them.

10. Hidden markings are a bad omen, said to be symbolic of a trait 'hidden' from the gods. These lions must serve the shrines of the gods and Vessels until they are freed from this trait. However; let lions once shrine keepers not be discriminated, for they may even take the rule of Monarch, or even be a Vessel themselves in need of reunitement with the gods.

11. Every breeding must be done through the aid of a CRB or any other item affecting the rate of mutation, to give the Vessels a chance to join our pride, and call them to us.

12.

Lore of Mkali Nyota

Before even the beginning of time, there was nothing... but the endless dark ocean of space. This was the birth home of the gods. There were many different deities, and many took favour over different lifeforms across the eras. Of course, the lions who tell this story will endlessly claim that the highest above all were the lion gods. Well, they're not too far off, certainly.

The gods of life came together, swirling a great claw of their combined form, shifting and swirling the dark ocean until a bubble-like form appeared. And another, and another, and another. While all planets shared the lives of the creatures favoured by gods, one in particular was favoured by the felidae goddess. The planet that would be come to be known as Lavi. Of course, right beside her was the canid goddess, who had claimed home to the planet of Ulv.

The two goddesses began silly competition, to create ideal worlds for their respective lifeforms- the nature of this rivalry long unclear to the lions who tell the tale. Some akin the competition to sisters playing a game. Some believe it was a brutal, bloody battle between territorial gods, fighting each other for territory in the ocean of space. Others believe they were lovers, creating their ideal lifeforms with one another's support. Regardless of the truth, the great goddess of felidae split into the planet's first gods.

---(Yet Undiscovered)--- was the goddess of space, sea, and the water of the womb. A lioness whose back legs sown together like a fish's tail, gratefully mirror the god of fish; and a great wing protruding out of her back, a call to the god of birds, allowing both flight and the ability to swim. Stepping a paw through the bubble of the neonatal, hollow planet, she tore open the sac like the one of a newborn kit. A deafening crack broke through the sky, and the planet breathed its first breath; into its lungs, water poured in, filling the planet until it coughed wildly.

Ahtahka was the god of the sky and the great barrier. A single-eyed god, he stopped the quenched planet from engulfing anymore of space by creating a barrier, made of glass, great thick clouds, and a great pressure life forms cannot nakedly pass by. The planet was now half water, half sky.

The planet needed, now, a place for the lifeforms to put their paws. Such came the goddess ---(Yet Undiscovered)--- , a heavy lion like the land, spreading and cracking their body to fill the ground. Pushed and shoved by the wild ocean, this great landform contorted itself into mountains, valleys, and volcanoes. However, unlike Earth, the goddess of the ocean did not pursue a cruel end to break her sibling's body, thus the great landmass forever remained akin to Earth's Pangea Ultima. Such was born Lavi, a twisted, mutated, mashed together world like a mirror of Earth to house the reign of lions.

This new world began to fill with animals, plants, and life, catching the attention of smaller gods. Some of which, such as Bast and Seth, were forgotten gods of Earth who chose to inhabit Lavi instead, only to sleep there for many years. Others, like Apedemak, were much smaller gods- demigods, even, that found their calling in Lavi, where they were praised as greater than they probably were.

The planet of Lavi itself circled a stunning red star, that is believed to only show it's true face at sunset, sunrise, shining through smoke, or other such situations that would make the sun appear red, dim enough to look at for even a moment longer. The lions of this pride never look at the sun when it's bright and yellow, they say the gods make it painful, as they do not want to be seen when they're not at their purest form. Shamans often create heavy smoke for a chance to glimpse at the 'true sun'.

Speaking of this pride, this pride was born from the cry of the sun itself, birthing a new deity who deemed Lavi worthy, falling from his place in the stars to birth a pride favoured most among this particular group of gods, birthing the Mkali Nyota pride- the pride of truth and fire.

This king, named Fallen Sun (or Ruinosus Sole), grew his pride carefully, with much help from his queen, Aureum Ignis, the light of the golden sun and the heat of the sun's flames, the pride flourished. The two were greatly aided by Dove, a lioness who, while not a deity herself, was a hard worker, establishing many ranks within the pride and doing much of the work herself, all the while growing the pride and praising the red sun. Eventually, the two lovers, king and queen, died and from the ashes they returned back to their place in the brightly shining sun.

Throughout the years, even after Ruinosus Sole's reign, some deities chose to check out the prides themselves, being reborn on the planet Lavi with physical lion bodies (though often mutated) in a similar manner to Ruinosus Sole's experience. Some stay immortal, while others retire to the dynasty. But, still, the pride lives on.

Upon the end of his reign, Ruinosus Sole appointed Orion as his heir, a prince born of his achromatic submale (Theluji). The flower-loving prince had a peaceful rule with his queen, Nostrum Locum ('Our Place'), by his side.

Then, Orion adopted a son, who he adored far more than any of his cubs by birth. The handsome little boy grew into a powerful, and cruel leader known as Thoth. A dark time for the pride began. "Breeders" were introduced. Innocent lions were killed. The lions of the pride began to beg to their gods, wondering if they could hear their cries.

Their answer would not come yet.

To protect the mutations and lions dear to the pride, a lioness named Alkmene, born under the halo of a solar eclipse and blessed by the gods to have control over time, collected all the lions she could and trapped them in time, including herself.... waiting for many moons. Yet, she could not save every pride member, and some willingly stayed behind to try and defeat their king. One of these lionesses was the head of the guard, a powerful lioness known as Tanakataa Kifo.

This was their answer.

Hoping to finally end the chaos, Tanakataa killed Thoth in a fit of rage during a riot, finally giving hope to the dying pride. A young prince, unfit for ruling a pride, was thrown into rule as leader. A male with a pelt like the sunset, known as Aether. A primal lioness, known as Error, one of the lions frozen in time (though had been released by Alkmene, as she believed Error would help Aether) stepped up to help him rule. The two ruled together, until Aether's untimely death. Upon Aether's death, Error used her moonstone necklace to hold his Whisper. The gods fused the two souls into one body- the primal mutation of Error, Aether's beautiful pelt, their shared moonstone necklace, and together, they were Aether, the ruling queen, with two souls. In this, she became a god. The two souls in her body loved each other, yet they were both young, inexperienced, and could not work together. Thus, the powerful two-souled queen was named the goddess of indecision. Not peace, not war... stuck in limbo.

Nothing was really changed. Many died or left the pride, lions weren't being given ranks, and Breeders kept their dishonorable rank. It was time for lions to step up against their frankly useless leader. And they did.

From the ashes, arose the next king. A kind and humble soul, he did not bother for a huge riot or outcry- he merely spoke to Aether, demanding she give up her crown for the sake of the pride. Aether, knowing that this decision would be for the good of the pride, peacefully gave up her throne to the true king, Atlas, and ascended to the dynasty where gods and noble lions are laid to rest and watch over the pride.

Atlas proved himself to be a great king, working hard to fight a brutal famine, all the while balancing his duties as king and attempting to restore order. A hard worker, the pride soon grew to adore him. On the tail-end of the famine, the Red Star Pride witnessed something that must surely be the work of the gods. A super blue blood moon (a super moon, being 14% larger than normal, a 'blue moon', which is 2 full moons in a month, and a blood moon/lunar eclipse) arose in the night sky in the dead of night.

Taking it as a sign, Atlas called for the mutations (and a few others) to be freed from being frozen in time. As thanks to Alkmene, born on a solar eclipse and given power over the flow of time, they granted her the Overgrown Fur mutation, and gifted her immortality- in exchange the lioness would watch over her pride for eternity to come. And thus, the goddess of time showed herself to be Alkmene.

Atlas ruled for many great years, but no great king can last forever. Old and tired, he raised a new cub, Icarus, to the throne. Icarus was an amazing little cub, having a heavenly sunrise base, gorgeous markings, impressive stats and a piebald mutation. Icarus was adored by his pride (and ladies from other prides...) and, thankfully, the new king was just as kind, if not even more kind than Atlas who came before.

Icarus was proud of his pride, and fought often to protect it, but in his heart he was still a cub, chasing the sun. The pride can only hope he won't crash and burn.