The Skyrunner Tribe
Structure
Ranks within the Tribe are straightforward ways to progress your character through an arc involving command though we also recognize that not all characters, and players, are compatible with Ranking systems. This is why our Ranks are not tied into the Dice System that we use in terms of raw powerups. They are designed for RP elements and increases in standing. You can find details on each rank below in order of lowest rank to highest.
Rites of Rank-Each rank has a set of Rites that must be completed. These are specifically tailored to each character and are heavily focused on character progression. Below you will find each movement in rank listed with their specific Rite and any tools or items necessary for that Rite. The Rites include OOC instructions on what must be done for each step while the items and tools used for each rite are there for context.
Chieftain
- The Chieftain is the sole leader of the Skyrunner Tribe. They are both the military commander and the peacetime decision-maker.
- Spirit Council- Those among the Spirit Council are dedicated to the spiritual preservation of the Tribe and maintaining the Chieftain's, and the Tribe's link with the Ancestral Spirits.
- War Council- The War Council is specifically skilled in matters of war, battle, military strategy, scouting, and military action around the world.
- Where all the other ranks may include individuals more skilled in other tasks such as crafting or farming or communing with the Ancestral Spirits, Sky-Reavers are highly skilled and highly trained warriors.
- The title of Towateke is an honorific title among the Tribe. It simply refers to those among the tribe that has earned the respect and honor of their people though skill and deed.
- Windwarriors among the tribe exemplify the nature of the Skyrunner Tribe and their history. By bonding with a wild wyvern of the Pridewing or Highperch prides an individual honors a pact that is generations old.
- Tribesman are the lifeblood of the Tribe. They make up the vast majority of members and are the most diverse as far as skill and contribution to the stability of the Tribe.
- Unblooded- Unblooded are individuals that have made it known to the Tribe that they intend to take the Rites required to become a full member of the Tribe.
- Ally- Those who are considered known friends among the tribe but have no wish to become part of it.
Culture
A culture of honor exists for many in the Horde. That culture takes on very different looks when you start to put orcs and Tauren side by side, or trolls and Sindorei.
CompetitionAchievement is a prerequisite to respect and influence. Status-seeking among the Skyrunner Tribe is not frowned upon or discouraged as they believe that the world is full of natural rivalry. Competition is considered essential in inspiring members of the tribe to develop and maintain vital components of their self-worth. Contests are greatly encouraged from young to old within the tribe and take on many forms. Sports and games are the most common which include wrestling, races, games of catch or hide and seek. These sports and games develop not only strong bonds within the tribe and that necessary competition but they also hone critical skills when it comes to warfare and the Great Hunt. Other examples include memory games, sharing of riddles, and story-continuation. Additionally among those in the tribe that craft and build there exists another kind of competition that is only natural when presenting something made by your own hand. Crafters will often, when time permits, challenge one another to create in new ways. A baker may challenge the smith to make their next ax with the patterns of the twisted bread loaf, or a smith might challenge the tanner to create a lifelike statue of the beast that it came from. Such challenges are considered a point of pride and joy among the crafters as their own type of game.
RecognitionWhat makes honor such an effective cultural binding and system for shaping behavior is the fact that failures and successes are done in the public eye. They bring public consequences. Shame comes from the failures and praise for the triumphs. Individuals want to be recognized and they crave admiration for something done well. Being kept in the eye of the tribe inspires individuals to perform well in their pursuits and to learn and grow.
Skin in the gameHonor must be earned. The only way to do that is by those who have skin in the game, those that take on risk to gain status. The Skyrunner Tribe offers different levels of honor for deeds done and the highest is the Honor Feather. These feathers are blessed by the Spirit Council and offered for deeds and actions that exemplify the tribe's virtues. While other feathers and trinkets can be worn for simple style an Honor Feather is decorated and worn only for the sake of showing status. These deeds must be witnessed and then recognized by the Chieftain and the Council. No one can simply claim they had done something and then be rewarded without proof. And no one can wear this honorable insignia of another and they cannot be passed down in bloodline. Each Honor Feather is unique among the tribe, gathered from different sources and painted to reflect the deed for which it is being presented.
The 6 Virtues of Skyrunner Culture
Among the Tribe, in addition to the general foundation of honor with which they operate, there are six virtues which they prize above all others.
BalanceBalance is a key component in most Tauren cultures. Over the years the idea has morphed and changed depending on the tribe you speak to but to the Skyrunner Blanace is about finding the natural golden mean in life and situationally. Just as one must balance the powers of Mu'sha and An'she so too should one recognize that there must be death for there to be life, warmth for cold. Balance is about finding that key middle ground and recognizing where on the path it lands because stepping to the left or right too far can cause deadly consequences.
ReverenceSpirituality is inextricably tied into the awareness of the natural world for the Tauren people. Showing respect and honor to the natural world is a part of life for the Skyrunner Tribe. It is what has caused them to endeavor for so long to restore Desolace, just as it is the catalyst to send them now into the open world. But it is not simply the natural world which the Skyrunner are encouraged to hold reverence for. Elders, Spiritguids, their common tribe members, the Ancestor Spirits and even the stories told of great heroes are all things that the Skyrunner holds to their souls.
CourageThe importance of courage among the tribe is fundamental to its nature. Courage to the Skyrunner Tribe is the ability to forget oneself in the pursuit of duty and the desire to serve and protect others. While aggression and self-assertion are part of Courage it is the idea of self-control that governs this virtue in the eyes of the Tribe. The courage to act is as important as the courage to stay your hand. The self-control to uphold the tribe's virtues when things are not easy can be considered just as courageous and honorable as standing before a charge of Centaur in defense of your people.
PurposefulnessAll words and actions taken by members of the tribe should have a purpose. Never should anything be done without reason which makes the Skyrunner Tribe a very thoughtful and introspective people. When action is taken it is usually one that has been considered and has true meaning. Words are spoken with the intention of follow-through and action upon their meaning and everything is carefully orchestrated to reach an end goal. It is not uncommon for Elders to ask youngsters why they are doing something just as often as asking what they are doing.
PassionPassion is considered a life-giving force among the Skyrunners. From righteous anger to love to the feelings of sorrow. These deep-rooted emotions are powerful among the tribe which often can cause disputes or disagreements but in the end, it brings life to the Tribe in ways that the other virtues do not. Without passion there is no will to act, no reason to have reverence or seek balance or even give of their own items. Skyrunners are known for their passionate views of the world. They love unendingly, their hate burns with fire, their sorrow cuts deeply into the soul.
GenerosityTo overcome the sometimes crippling attachment to Possessions and maintain a minimal lifestyle the Skyrunner openly shares among one another. Gift giving is a prominent part of cultural milestones such as weddings, completion of Rites, at funerals and births, and any given occasion. Gift-giving is one of their forms of cultural respect. As a tribe, they must share to survive just as much as they share to show affection and respect.
Public Agenda
While once consumed with the restoration of Desolace to earn the forgiveness of the Earthmother for their ancestors' sins the Skyrunner has now broadened that scope to include the whole of Azeroth. It is not simply a matter of it being the Earthmother's will though that is the base motivation for the Tauren among the tribe, but also a simple matter of survival. A great deal has happened to Azeroth as a world in the last generation and it only seems to become more and more strenuous on the land. To ensure that there is a land for future generations the tribe has struck out among the world to ensure that it is protected and healed on all fronts.
Forgien RelationsComing out of their cultural seclusion after so many generations the Tribe may find it difficult to work with outsiders. Though their chieftain has spent more time out in the world than at home, or so some of the members might think, he is only one individual. Those who find themselves in the middle of a Tuanka camp for the first time or sipping from a Pandaren teacup may feel massively out of place at first. Still, the tribe's new goals encourage a policy of cooperation to get tasks done and compromise.
Assets
The Tribe is able to maintain itself through many means. Primarily through their ability to consistently hatch, raise, train and sell a breed of large wyverns to the Horde for the use of carrying heavy loads, fully armored Tauren, and carry out specially trained military tactical maneuvers.
History
Demography and Population
Territories
The Skyrunner has only one main point of operation within the world. They hold lands in Desolace known as the Skyrunner Village which is their ancestral village. This is the place that they have held for generations even before the formation of the tribe officially in the eyes of the other Tauren people. Set high on a rocky plateau over the barren wastes of the land the village has few points of entry from the ground making it perfectly defensible from their ancestral enemies, the marauding centaur. Other than this location the tribe does travel to different locations around Kalimdor and the wider world in their quest to maintain balance and protection of Azeroth as a whole. On wyvern back and through the utilization of The Skyship they are able to travel efficiently and swiftly if not a bit lightly.
The land around the village is slowly returning to life thanks to the druids and shaman in the area that have been working for generations to heal the deadlands. Still, the area is harsh, windy, and covered in hard dry soil and rocks. Close by is the ancient Kodo graveyard where aging Kodo migrate to near the end of their life. All around Desolace are barren mountains and trenches where water once flowed. It is an inhospitable land by all accounts.
The village is built with more permanent structures in the style of the Tauren people. Wood is used to construct and hold up large structures that are covered in cured and painted hides. Bones can also be seen used in building many of these structures.
Military
Agriculture & Industry
The Skyrunner tribe has few prominent farms or herded animals to rely on for food. Instead, they revel in the Great Hunt and will hunt near-daily either in groups or as individuals to feed the Tribe. While they are out hunters are also trained in the recognition of plants and herbs that can be used for food or medical purposes within the Tribe. The main source of the industry within the tribe is the maintenance and selling of their wyverns. While Windwarriors and other members of the tribe bond with wild wyverns on Kalimdor the tribe does maintain the pride of wyverns known as The Cloudlord Pride. These more domesticated wyverns are still strong and fearsome beasts but they more willing to take any rider. The Tribe maintains their population and sells their eggs, cubs, poison, and pelts when they pass away to bring in large amounts of coin to maintain the desperate Horde's needs to keep the skies open to their allies.
Trade & Transport
Education
- Catechism- Younger individuals or new individuals among the tribe are constantly asked questions. Natural, magical, and social phenomena that they observe on a day to day basis. When these questions are presented is simply a matter of the asker's timing and the situation and can often be used not only to instruct the one being asked but anyone around them. It is not uncommon for questions to focus on a specific thing such as birds, or how a smith works the forge, or how a shaman might go about their ritual. It is expected that in time the individual cultivates a heightened awareness of the world, their place in it, how it can be changed, and the natural balance of things.
- Storytelling-As an oral culture, Tauren knowledge and traditions were passed down through stories, which young calves have to both listen to, and then be prepared to recite themselves. It is a highly effective method of “schooling,” as it strengthened an individual's power of memorization, requires them to exercise courage in facing the risk of public performance, sinks the tribe’s philosophy down into their marrow, and inspires them to live up to the heroes of the past: This is true of all Tauren tribes and the Skyrunner are no different. It is common that lessons are told through stories and myths and stories are considered one of the highest forms of praise when shared about a particular individual and their deeds.
- Mentorship- There is no better way to learn a task, skill, or culture, than through mentorship. It is through the close observation and emulation of the others in the tribe that a young calf, or a new member may truly understand the Tribe or any task they aspire to learn. Mentorship begins at the most basic level of life within the Tribe and does not end. Even the Chieftain finds mentorship in others so that they may never lose sight of what really matters.
From the Earth to the Skies
Tales and Histories of the Tribe
Click the image below to find a collective group of stories told by the tribe members about its history.
Cultural Rituals
The Skyrunner Crest
While not a true heraldric crest of the middle ages this website may help in understanding some of the wording expressed in the following page: Heraldry
Color Meanings
Orangish-brown
The orangish-brown coloring of the crest field is used to represent the earth, the Earthmother, and the deep connection the Tribe has with both aspects of the color's meaning. It may also be seen as a representation of the ambition and inherent pride the tribe holds.
White
The white color of the symbol is often a color related to purity, death, and goodness in many cultures. Here it also relates to the connection the tribe has with the sky, air, and clouds. A people of the winds the Skyrunner Tribe holds the sky close to their hearts and spirituality.
Symbology
Sejant Wyverns:
Flanked on either side of the crest are they wyverns, sitting at their perch and awaiting the chance to fly. The Wyvern is a noble and mystic creature to the Skyrunners and has long been a source of their safety, means of coin, and trusted brethren and companions. Their placement in the upper part of the crest signifies their placement in the hearts of the tribe as well as their remembrance for the fact that without the wyvern they would remain flightless and weak.
Wolves:
Wolves have long been celebrated as spirit guides among the Tauren people. To the Skyrunner, they also represent a higher form of being. Surrounded by creatures such as hyena the wolf is seen as superior and nobler of spirit which the Sklyrunner tries to emulate.
Bull's Head:
The Bull's head decorated with the paints and symbols of the current chieftain represents the nobility, pride, strength, and honor of the Tauren people, and of the Skyrunner Tribe.
Honor Feathers:
The various feathers found on the crest are an indication that the tribe is accomplished and has a number of great deeds to their name. The feather on the head specifically indicates that the current chieftain has Honor Feathers to their name.
Moon and Sun:
The relationship with An'she and Mu'sha with the Tribe is one of deep symbology and culture. The stories of how the two orbs came to the skies of the world as well as their depiction of balance and cycles is deeply ingrained into the Skyrunner way of life and remembrance.
Mountains:
Another representation of earth the mountains also depict great strength, overcoming of challenges, fortitude, and as well as the Tribe's ability to ignore the limitations that mountains provide land-based travelers.
Wings:
The separate wings positioned under the nose of the bullhead indicate the foundation of the tribe's history and ancestral roots. Bound to the traditions of the past in the form of their ancestral totem but also the pact with the Wyverns of Kalimdor.
Weaponry:
Two throwing spears are shown alongside the Wyverns as a poisoned tipped spear is one of the favored weapons of the Skyrunner Tribe where long halberd type axes are shown below as many individuals prefer the long reach of such weapons. It is also a demonstration of their skill in combat and their general love for war and competition.
Banners:
The three banners at the base of the crest tell short snippets of information relevant to the current standing of the tribe. In this case, the two flanking banners show a recent tragedy within the Tribe including the loss of their Chieftain. The center banner describes the transition the tribe is about to make into nomadic tendencies, the story of their most recent heroic, and lastly the strength of the tribe which is shown with the long patterned stripes showing that the tribe is growing in strength.
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