Catfolk Ceremony of the Chosen
Catfolk has a matriarchal society, and each pride is led by an elder female called a “speaker.” Most female pride members will stay within the pride they were born into, while the males will wander and marry into other prides. Most Leonin live among the plains of Oreskos, an area of great golden fields and savannas nestled in between the foothills of the Katathon and the Oraniad Mountains. Most prides live in either tent villages or dens dug into the foothills. While this may sound primitive, the Leonin are no savages, and their homes are often decorated with woven textiles, bone sculptures, and intricate pottery. Most non-Leonin rarely get to see all that.
Prides consist of primarily Tabaxi, led by the speaker, and a small party of The Imperforate. The coming-of-age cubs of the tribe go through rigorous training throughout the final months leading to the picking of the Chosen. The Chosen are picked from the brightest and the best of the young. Those who retain the teachings of battle and positioning. Those who master their weapons and embrace their lessons. The few who come out on top go through the Ceremony of the Chosen.. They are the only Tabaxi that are believed to live through the rigorous trial. The day before departure, the Elder puts the Chosen into a deep rest. During this time, they go through a deep spiritual cleansing in which their mind is matured, and their brain's cognitive ability is enhanced to perform at an optimal level. Additionally, the fur is dyed with tribal markings and is fed the ancient fruit, a bitter fruit that produces only one seed. The consumption of the fruit has a magical effect on the cubs that advances their senses and hyper-accelerates their growth. Their body begins to change almost immediately. When the process is complete, they are sent out not to return until they experience the Five Lessons of Glory.
The young cubs are sent off and placed unconscious deep into the mountains miles from civilization. They are all separated and are given nothing but their wits and survival skills to survive their journey. If they come across one another, they can choose to leave them alone or fight them and eliminate them. They are not to help or aid each other in any way. They can use anything they find or make to defend themselves, provided it is not stolen.
Five Lessons of Glory:[be]
- Embrace and respect the savage nature of the world. Exist in harmony with it.
- Help relieve the punishing and suffering of the Innocent.
- Death is the natural end of life. There is no pity to those who have fallen.
- Fear is your ally. Conquer your fears and inspire them into your foes.
- Always strive to reach your highest potential.
As the Chosen embraces the lessons, their power enhances, and their appearance evolves. They grow in build rapidly over the coming days. Their bones lengthen and become much more robust, their tail becomes long and complete, and they grow and dense mane around their neck. As the ritual completes, the lessons they learned develop into a magical presence within the young adults. Their fighting ability is honed into a perfect skill with deadly precision. They learn how to use magic alongside their martial training to maximize their capabilities in battle.
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