Apr 25, 2018 16:36:22 GMT
Post by Nobody on Apr 25, 2018 16:36:22 GMT
Pard (Leopards)
The Pard, is generally a tightly knit group of shifters, to touch and to be touched is often a part of their being. The female leader of the Pard is traditionally called the Nimir-Ra and the male leader, the Nimir-Raj. They can rule together and have significant power, or they can rule as a single entity, with a significantly weaker powerbase. Either and both work as Leopards tend to be far more laisezz-faire about how power is wielded.
As with every other lycanthropic clan or any other support group, there is no real method for "tradition" to be passed down from old shifter to new shifter other than word of mouth and peer-pressure. As such, it is not unheard of for some clans to eschew the "traditional setup" and go with their own method of organization. As with all shifter clans, whatever is "right" and whatever is "wrong" is purely based on what the Pard's leader decrees, up until the leader is deposed for their unpopular views.
Although Leopards are the most common of the Feline lycanthropes, it is not unheard of for there to be other lesser known cat types.
Clouded Leopards and Show Leopards aren't the same species as standard Leopards. They gather n groups called Leaps. As such, it is only a common practice and not assured that shifters that turn into such animals will be adopted into a Pard. Most non-leopard lycanthropes do not realize there is a difference and most Leopards simply ignoring the laymen understanding as to the difference between a Leap and a Pard.
Generally, a were-leopard has to be of quite dark human skin coloration to turn into a 'panther'. There are rare exceptions of a pale person being cursed to turn into "a panther", and we'd generally like to keep that rare.
Some facts about wereleopards (from the Anita Blake Wiki):
The cat lycanthropy virus is difficult to catch. That is one of the reasons that the groups are so small.
Silver is very harmful to them and can cause permanent injury and death.
When in full leopard form, they are considerably larger than their feline counterpart in nature.
Fur colors in shifted form match those of the animal their strain is from with a slight adjustment relative to their natural human hair-coloration (EG: Someone of African descent will turn into a panther, while an albino will turn into an albino leopard).
They can talk when in ‘hybrid’ form.
The principle social characteristic of the pard members is a common use of physical contact as a source of emotional reassurance.
Cat lycanthropies are typically the type they use in the anti-lycanthrope treatment.
NOTE: Technically, a Pard is comprised of just leopards. Snow leopards, clouded leopards, etc... are not actually leopards. Never the less, much like how were-wolf packs have been known to 'adopt' were-dogs and other were-canines into their pack, some were-leopard Pards have been known to break from tradition and allow were-things that aren't leopards (like snow leopards) into their clan.
A non-local wereleopard entering the city limits should introduce themselves as soon as feasibly possible to the Nimir Raj/Ra. The urgency of this meeting and what transpires after is dependent on your current situation as follows.
Newly made local wereleopard
A brand new wereleopard is in a very dangerous situation. They do not have control of their shifting, and they need to be taught control and the rules and traditions of the Pard. They need to contact the Pard as soon as possible for help and training.
Visiting wereleopard
Any visiting leopard must report to the Nimir for proper acceptance into the city under their order. They will be given any rules they must follow while in the city. Any discovered individuals that are avoiding introducing themselves to the Nimir are subject to punishment which will be decided upon at the Nimir's discretion.
New Arrivals Moving Permanently
Any new arrivals are expected to pay a visit to the Nimir as soon as possible and are required by order to ask for full admittance to the Pard. They either need to be accepted by the Pard forthright or seek acceptance in the Indy pack. If neither are met, they are subject to the Nimir's punishment.
Here are some things which all leopards would be trained in over the first 6 months to a year of being infected. Training is handled by Alphas or any experienced leopard otherwise. In most cases.
First Shift (First Moon) - If a newly infected leopard comes to the Pard before their first moon, an Alpha will assist them in their first few shifts. They will call the new leopard's beast forth to make the change smoother for them the first few times. Please note a new leopard will not remember anything about their initial shifts. This will improve over time.
Stress Shifting (After First Moon until control is established) - Newly infected leopards have very little control to resist shifting when under stress. The scent of fresh blood tends to trigger stress shifts in new shifters as well. Training will begin to learn to control these shifts after the new leopard's first moon. An Alpha or strong enough Beta is required to help keep someone from shifting uncontrollably. There are NPCs available to teach these things.
Pleasure Shifting (After First Moon until control is established) - The stress caused by extreme pleasure is vastly different from that caused by pain, fear, or anger. This is a tricky situation which the AB books expressed training was necessary in to prevent mauling/infecting/or killing a lover during sexual intimacy. In one instance in the books, a shifter refusing training with an Eros/Eranthe (because he was engaged to be married) ended up shifting during his honeymoon night and killing his new bride. Due to the intimate nature of this sort of thing, a player should feel free to handwave it and just note to their faction leader that they would be taking the training with an NPC or appropriate PC without needing to play it out. Basically, an Alpha leopard with a compatible sexual preference and ability will have intercourse with the new leopard until they are able to reach sexual fulfillment under different sorts of duress without shifting during it. If, for some reason, your character would NOT agree to this training, there will be consequences. This may require the Pard to banish you from their protection and declare you rogue in order to protect the group from your future actions. So, think carefully about this.
Physiology (Within first 2 weeks) - New leopards learn the following about their new selves.
Boosts - The first thing you will learn on your own is that your muscle, fitness, reflexes, willpower, and senses all leap in power. This will likely cause some initial disorientation, recalibrating, and instances of being fascinated by mundane things. When your senses are superhuman, imagine how detailed food tastes or how many fine details you can suddenly notice in the world. Further, those nice insulated walls might no longer keep you from hearing your neighbors conversing while you're trying to sleep. If you are a physical combatant (martial artist, bouncer) you may have to take some time off until you learn to gauge and curb your own strength or else you might end up seriously injuring or killing someone by accident.
Healing - You will heal extremely quickly and can handle a lot more damage than you did as a human being. Some lucky leopards might also be able to actively regenerate lost limbs, and all leopards are immune to diseases. Things you had before being turned (such as poor eyesight or balding) will remain afterwards, but they will not get any worse.
Forms - Your leopard form, depending on species, will be a very large version of the natural animal, and your size will increase by a the weight of the animal. Your hybrid form if attainable will be about 1/3 taller than your human size (so I 5’5’’ man will become a 7’2’’ hybrid) and will increase in weight by ½ the weight of your animal. You can speak in your hybrid form, though it will be filtered through a mouth not meant for it which alters some annunciation.
Hunger - After Shifting you will be ravenously hungry and must eat. Also, you will eat more as your metabolism will be higher. Ignoring this need will contribute to uncontrolled shifts.
Temperature - All shifters have a body temperature notably higher than a human's. It may seem like they are constantly running a low-grade fever. They also are not as sharply affected by cooler temperatures. You might find a wereleopard walking around in winter with no coat on if they aren't hiding what they are. In general, consider them to feel as if the air is 10-20 degrees warmer than it is. They are not immune to the effects of extreme cold though, you can still die of hypothermia.
Danger (Within first 2 weeks) - New leopards learn the following about what can and cannot do them harm.
Silver - You will be instructed about how silver is very harmful to you, can kill you if ingested or used as a weapon, and is uncomfortable even when skin comes in contact with it. If injured by silver, you will heal at a human rate.
Fire - You will learn that fire is bad. It can cause permanent injury and, in all ways, will harm you the same as it does a standard human, and you will heal it as if you were human.
Holy Objects - You will learn that holy objects do not negatively affect you and church foundations don't shake if you attend mass.
Vampires - The claws and fangs of vampires heal at a normal human rate instead of with accelerated healing. There are vampires with the ability to call specific types of animals and their shifter counterparts. If you encounter any that are not known allies of the Pard, the Nimir Raj/Ra should be immediately notified.
The Beast (Within first week) - Even before your first shift, you will feel like there is a secondary presence inside your body, a sort of metaphysical version of a leopard. In the AB books, Anita could feel her individual animals as themselves and could visualize them vividly, so you will likely be able to "see" the metaphysical leopard inside of you. When rising to the surface it has been described as running up a dark tunnel and trying to leap out of you, often through your mouth, or trying to claw its way out if you are resisting. It is also described a few times as being a metaphysical, almost ghostly energy rising outside of you and mingling with that of other shifters, even in forms of or to comfort.
NOTE: In-Game, 'the beast' is considered a metaphorical.
Protocols (Within first week) - Your leopard will be instructed on the following common protocols.
Nudity - Nudity is not a sexual thing with shifters. Looking upon another naked leopard with sexual intent is not welcome without prior invitation. The modesty may not drop instantly, but over time it should become comfortable.
Comfort Touching - All shifters often physical touch as a source of comfort and bonding. This is not a sexual thing. Again, sexual contact is not welcome without prior invitation.
The Pard, is generally a tightly knit group of shifters, to touch and to be touched is often a part of their being. The female leader of the Pard is traditionally called the Nimir-Ra and the male leader, the Nimir-Raj. They can rule together and have significant power, or they can rule as a single entity, with a significantly weaker powerbase. Either and both work as Leopards tend to be far more laisezz-faire about how power is wielded.
As with every other lycanthropic clan or any other support group, there is no real method for "tradition" to be passed down from old shifter to new shifter other than word of mouth and peer-pressure. As such, it is not unheard of for some clans to eschew the "traditional setup" and go with their own method of organization. As with all shifter clans, whatever is "right" and whatever is "wrong" is purely based on what the Pard's leader decrees, up until the leader is deposed for their unpopular views.
Although Leopards are the most common of the Feline lycanthropes, it is not unheard of for there to be other lesser known cat types.
Clouded Leopards and Show Leopards aren't the same species as standard Leopards. They gather n groups called Leaps. As such, it is only a common practice and not assured that shifters that turn into such animals will be adopted into a Pard. Most non-leopard lycanthropes do not realize there is a difference and most Leopards simply ignoring the laymen understanding as to the difference between a Leap and a Pard.
Generally, a were-leopard has to be of quite dark human skin coloration to turn into a 'panther'. There are rare exceptions of a pale person being cursed to turn into "a panther", and we'd generally like to keep that rare.
Some facts about wereleopards (from the Anita Blake Wiki):
The cat lycanthropy virus is difficult to catch. That is one of the reasons that the groups are so small.
Silver is very harmful to them and can cause permanent injury and death.
When in full leopard form, they are considerably larger than their feline counterpart in nature.
Fur colors in shifted form match those of the animal their strain is from with a slight adjustment relative to their natural human hair-coloration (EG: Someone of African descent will turn into a panther, while an albino will turn into an albino leopard).
They can talk when in ‘hybrid’ form.
The principle social characteristic of the pard members is a common use of physical contact as a source of emotional reassurance.
Cat lycanthropies are typically the type they use in the anti-lycanthrope treatment.
NOTE: Technically, a Pard is comprised of just leopards. Snow leopards, clouded leopards, etc... are not actually leopards. Never the less, much like how were-wolf packs have been known to 'adopt' were-dogs and other were-canines into their pack, some were-leopard Pards have been known to break from tradition and allow were-things that aren't leopards (like snow leopards) into their clan.
A non-local wereleopard entering the city limits should introduce themselves as soon as feasibly possible to the Nimir Raj/Ra. The urgency of this meeting and what transpires after is dependent on your current situation as follows.
Newly made local wereleopard
A brand new wereleopard is in a very dangerous situation. They do not have control of their shifting, and they need to be taught control and the rules and traditions of the Pard. They need to contact the Pard as soon as possible for help and training.
Visiting wereleopard
Any visiting leopard must report to the Nimir for proper acceptance into the city under their order. They will be given any rules they must follow while in the city. Any discovered individuals that are avoiding introducing themselves to the Nimir are subject to punishment which will be decided upon at the Nimir's discretion.
New Arrivals Moving Permanently
Any new arrivals are expected to pay a visit to the Nimir as soon as possible and are required by order to ask for full admittance to the Pard. They either need to be accepted by the Pard forthright or seek acceptance in the Indy pack. If neither are met, they are subject to the Nimir's punishment.
Here are some things which all leopards would be trained in over the first 6 months to a year of being infected. Training is handled by Alphas or any experienced leopard otherwise. In most cases.
First Shift (First Moon) - If a newly infected leopard comes to the Pard before their first moon, an Alpha will assist them in their first few shifts. They will call the new leopard's beast forth to make the change smoother for them the first few times. Please note a new leopard will not remember anything about their initial shifts. This will improve over time.
Stress Shifting (After First Moon until control is established) - Newly infected leopards have very little control to resist shifting when under stress. The scent of fresh blood tends to trigger stress shifts in new shifters as well. Training will begin to learn to control these shifts after the new leopard's first moon. An Alpha or strong enough Beta is required to help keep someone from shifting uncontrollably. There are NPCs available to teach these things.
Pleasure Shifting (After First Moon until control is established) - The stress caused by extreme pleasure is vastly different from that caused by pain, fear, or anger. This is a tricky situation which the AB books expressed training was necessary in to prevent mauling/infecting/or killing a lover during sexual intimacy. In one instance in the books, a shifter refusing training with an Eros/Eranthe (because he was engaged to be married) ended up shifting during his honeymoon night and killing his new bride. Due to the intimate nature of this sort of thing, a player should feel free to handwave it and just note to their faction leader that they would be taking the training with an NPC or appropriate PC without needing to play it out. Basically, an Alpha leopard with a compatible sexual preference and ability will have intercourse with the new leopard until they are able to reach sexual fulfillment under different sorts of duress without shifting during it. If, for some reason, your character would NOT agree to this training, there will be consequences. This may require the Pard to banish you from their protection and declare you rogue in order to protect the group from your future actions. So, think carefully about this.
Physiology (Within first 2 weeks) - New leopards learn the following about their new selves.
Boosts - The first thing you will learn on your own is that your muscle, fitness, reflexes, willpower, and senses all leap in power. This will likely cause some initial disorientation, recalibrating, and instances of being fascinated by mundane things. When your senses are superhuman, imagine how detailed food tastes or how many fine details you can suddenly notice in the world. Further, those nice insulated walls might no longer keep you from hearing your neighbors conversing while you're trying to sleep. If you are a physical combatant (martial artist, bouncer) you may have to take some time off until you learn to gauge and curb your own strength or else you might end up seriously injuring or killing someone by accident.
Healing - You will heal extremely quickly and can handle a lot more damage than you did as a human being. Some lucky leopards might also be able to actively regenerate lost limbs, and all leopards are immune to diseases. Things you had before being turned (such as poor eyesight or balding) will remain afterwards, but they will not get any worse.
Forms - Your leopard form, depending on species, will be a very large version of the natural animal, and your size will increase by a the weight of the animal. Your hybrid form if attainable will be about 1/3 taller than your human size (so I 5’5’’ man will become a 7’2’’ hybrid) and will increase in weight by ½ the weight of your animal. You can speak in your hybrid form, though it will be filtered through a mouth not meant for it which alters some annunciation.
Hunger - After Shifting you will be ravenously hungry and must eat. Also, you will eat more as your metabolism will be higher. Ignoring this need will contribute to uncontrolled shifts.
Temperature - All shifters have a body temperature notably higher than a human's. It may seem like they are constantly running a low-grade fever. They also are not as sharply affected by cooler temperatures. You might find a wereleopard walking around in winter with no coat on if they aren't hiding what they are. In general, consider them to feel as if the air is 10-20 degrees warmer than it is. They are not immune to the effects of extreme cold though, you can still die of hypothermia.
Danger (Within first 2 weeks) - New leopards learn the following about what can and cannot do them harm.
Silver - You will be instructed about how silver is very harmful to you, can kill you if ingested or used as a weapon, and is uncomfortable even when skin comes in contact with it. If injured by silver, you will heal at a human rate.
Fire - You will learn that fire is bad. It can cause permanent injury and, in all ways, will harm you the same as it does a standard human, and you will heal it as if you were human.
Holy Objects - You will learn that holy objects do not negatively affect you and church foundations don't shake if you attend mass.
Vampires - The claws and fangs of vampires heal at a normal human rate instead of with accelerated healing. There are vampires with the ability to call specific types of animals and their shifter counterparts. If you encounter any that are not known allies of the Pard, the Nimir Raj/Ra should be immediately notified.
The Beast (Within first week) - Even before your first shift, you will feel like there is a secondary presence inside your body, a sort of metaphysical version of a leopard. In the AB books, Anita could feel her individual animals as themselves and could visualize them vividly, so you will likely be able to "see" the metaphysical leopard inside of you. When rising to the surface it has been described as running up a dark tunnel and trying to leap out of you, often through your mouth, or trying to claw its way out if you are resisting. It is also described a few times as being a metaphysical, almost ghostly energy rising outside of you and mingling with that of other shifters, even in forms of or to comfort.
NOTE: In-Game, 'the beast' is considered a metaphorical.
Protocols (Within first week) - Your leopard will be instructed on the following common protocols.
Nudity - Nudity is not a sexual thing with shifters. Looking upon another naked leopard with sexual intent is not welcome without prior invitation. The modesty may not drop instantly, but over time it should become comfortable.
Comfort Touching - All shifters often physical touch as a source of comfort and bonding. This is not a sexual thing. Again, sexual contact is not welcome without prior invitation.
