[hider=Calliope is a tropical Island.] -Geology- The islands rocks are of volcanic origin. The middle of the island is home to the sacred volcanic land, The base of this enormous volcanic formation. The Volcano is called mount Ellery and is the highest point of the island. There are many lagoons, lakes, waterfalls. rivers, creeks, and hot springs throughout the island. - -Flora- The island is covered in tropical forests. And surrounded by beautiful reefs. - Fauna - Home to you typical tropical bird, fish and other animals. Dragons can be seen flying over the island, they come in all colors, and live up on mount Ellery. - Climate - The climate is tropical, with two well-defined seasons for rainfall, if not temperature. The rainy season lasts from March to August, the rest of the year sees little rain. Their is also a short hurricane season in the middle of the rainy seasons. warm year round with minimal extremes. The warm season is from November to April and the cooler season lasts from May to October. Winds are moderate. [/hider] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [hider=Some Information on the tribal people] -Physical characteristics- Hair – Colors typically ranges from white to light blonde and light shades of brown, green, pink, blue, and grey. Very rarely shades of reds, black, and dark brown. Eyes - Come in all colors of the rainbow. Many have vertical [url=http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5303/5562610379_6e4212f2db_z.jpg]slit pupils[/url], or [url=http://missmabelstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/lula-green-eyes-1024x680.jpg]no pupils[/url] at all. [url=http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/341/f/d/bald_by_knibitz-d6x5k1u.jpg]Heterochromia[/url] is not very rare to see in the island race. Skin - Skin colors range from white, Ivory, pale, alabaster, peaches, light tans, and in some of the old noble families darker beige. Under moonlight they have a slight glow to their skin. Other: Some have with fangs, pointy ears, small horns, or even webbed feet. [/hider] -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- [hider=Basic Info ] They are not affected by any natural poisons. Typical life span is to age 85-110 They can understand and speak to dragons. (this is done telepathically) They are known for being fast, agile, and very flexible, with quick reflexes and abilities to see in the dark. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Foods - Animal Foods - Dove, quail, snake, weasel, Deer, turtle, rabbit, squirrel, Sheep, cow, All kinds of seafood, and fish. Bird/turtle eggs, and Goats/cow milk are other Animal foods. Fruits - Pomegranates, wild berries, cherry, figs, dates, wild grapes, coconut, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangoes, and other tropical fruits. Vegetables - Corn, tomatoes, wild plants, potato, mushrooms, carrots, Garlic, beans, and other tropical/island veggies. Bread - Is made from ground corn/nuts. tortilla, Corn meal breads are the main breads eaten. Other - Nuts, seeds, coffee, chocolate, honey, ginger, mint, lavender, vanilla, cinnamon, and other growing herbs. Poison plants & animals are very typical foods eaten by the natives. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Housing - The housing the tribe lives in com in many different forms, mainly grass huts, yurts, and tree houses. A yurt - is a portable, bent dwelling structure. The frame consists of one or more expanding lattice wall-sections, a door-frame, bent roof poles and a crown. The self-supporting wood frame is covered with pieces of woven grass/straw fabric, animal hide, and a felt like fabric made from sheep and goat fur, after all that it is then covered with canvas, for water proofing. The frame is held together with one or more ropes or ribbons. The structure is kept under compression by the weight of the covers, sometimes supplemented by a heavy weight hung from the center of the roof. A yurt is designed to be dismantled and the parts carried compactly on camels, yaks, or atop caravans, to be rebuilt on another site. Complete construction takes around 2-4 hours. [/hider] -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- [hider=Traditions, Ceremonies, Religion, and beliefs] Coming of Age traditions and ceremonies - Age of Maturity is considered age 16. It is a time when a Teen is considered spiritually and physically mature. On their 16th birthday, the child undergoes a ceremony called Masha, where they are initiated into the Tribe as an adult. They adopt a second name which is added onto their Birth name. example: John Smith, Becomes, John William Smith. This second name is only used in ceremonies, spells, and when inside the temples, and on sacred ground, and is typically only told to close family members, spouses, and infants. The ritual for the young male involves shaving his head, and for the young female to receive their first haircut. Both genders take off their Nicco, an amulet worn to mark and protect underage youth, which one then burns in dedication to the gods, they then bath in the sacred hot spring, which the sacred temple is built next to. They dress in the traditional formal garment, and walk the steps to the top of the temple with, chosen family members and priestess/priest behind them holding candles. Once at the top they pray to the Gods for an hour or more, and then they ring the bell to signify they are no longer a child. They leave the temple, the family and friends gather for a celebration feast and dance that last all night. They are given a small blessed stone called a Caffa, it is used like a worry/pray stone, and is kept in their pocket/bag from then on. Marriage traditions and ceremony - Brides wedding dress, are embroidered, with shells, bead, gems, and silk yarn dyed beautiful colors. Its worn during the ceremony, festivities, dances, and feast. After the wedding the dress repurposed into a marriage/fertility tapestry that normally hangs over the couple’s bed. Hair is typically worn in braids and pinned with flowers. Henna is also a tradition for the bride to have on her hands, feet, and sometimes back. Grooms wear a traditional wedding tunic and cape. Worn into the temple for the ceremony and vows with his bride, and then to the festivities, dances, and feast. Normally the Wedding tunic is passed down from father to son, or is borrowed from good friends, many mothers of the groom like to make new unique capes for their sons, with fancy embroidery, and stitching. The Vow Ceremony is held in the temple. The groom and the bride each walk down separate paths that form into one, where they clasp hands and walk to the alter together as family and friends stand on both sides of the path, holding flowers/candles, and humming the marriage song. When the couple reaches the alter they kneel down in front of a priestess who then places her hands on each of their heads. The humming stops, and the priestess begins chanting the scared marriage prayer to the gods, and then she goes on to give the couple their unique blessing (fertility, longevity, protection, luck, prosperity, happiness, harmony, friendship, vitality, honesty, hope, etc...). Then the priestess asks them to rise to their feet, which they do, and she ties a rope around their grasp hands. She then pours wine over their bound hands, and asked the bride to say her Vows, and then the Groom. They then kiss, and all of the family members and friends cheer, and whistle. The newlyweds then each take apart the bound rope around their hands, and kiss again. More cheering. The bride and groom followed by their closest relative leave the temple and head to the village center were the wedding festivities, dances, and feast is held. Joining everyone in the celebration feast, they sit next to one another. After the feast there is dancing, and such to be had. This goes on until midnight, when the music and dancing slows, and lanterns are lit and left to float into the night sky. Family, Relatives, and good friends, give gifts and blessings to the couple as the leave to their homes. The couple then spends there first night together in their new home. - Funerals - After the death the funeral begins, the body is laid out in the temple on woven blankets made from dried vines and left for two day and two nights, for people to mourn and pray over. In the morning on the third day, the body is cradled in the woven blanket and carried by four men to the spiritual ground behind the temple. Family and Friends dress in black and grays as they follow behind. The priests place the blanket & body in the large hallowed stone table full of dry woods and herbs. The spouse/parents/next of kin have sewn together the deceased old clothes into a quilt which is stuffed with dry grass and leaves. The quilt is placed over the body by the family. The priest/ priestess chants the departing prayer as they poor blessed oil over the body. The body is then cremated, the oils and herbs turning the flame blue. After, the ashes are collected and mixed with clay, and are made into beads, then painted by family members and hung in a tree, thrown in the volcano, or left to drift at sea. - Temple - Priest & Priestess - They live in the temple and dedicate their lives to the gods. They hold/preside all of the ceremonies in the temple. Are keeper of ancient artifacts, sacred items, Historic scrolls, forbidden spells, and written prophecies. The spend most of their day praying, blessing, and making fancy bound books for the people to write family trees, stories, Information, legends, and history in. They wear plain white robes though many embroider on them. Dragons - are considered to be earthly gods, and are sacred beasts. They believe that dragons are there ancient ancestors. Afterlife - they believe that when they die their soul goes to live with the gods in the sky Kingdom, unless the gods decided they are not ready, and then they are instead reborn. Most believe one has to go throw life a least a dozen times before they are accepted by the gods. Temple - The temple is at the foot of the sacred volcanic land. It is large, tall, made from black stone, and always built around the sacred hot springs. [/hider] -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- [hider=Magic] There are many different abilities unique to the tribal people. People born during the night of a full moon, new moon, or half moon, are born with a connection to a spirit animal, that grants them powers such as: - Wolf spirit: Enhanced Endurance, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Hearing and Sight), Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Tracking, Tracking Evasion, Temperature Regulation , Predator Instinct, Stealth Tactics, and Claw Retraction. -Monkey Spirit: Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Balance, Enhanced Climbing, Enhanced Combat, Enhanced Dexterity, Enhanced Durability, Enhanced Endurance, Enhanced Strength and In some cases Adoptive Muscle Memory. - Rabbit Spirit: Camouflage, Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Dexterity, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Jump, Enhanced Speed, Prey Instinct, Stealth Tactics and Luck. In some cases Earth Manipulation. - Aquatic Spirit: Dermal Armor, Enhanced Endurance, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision, Enhanced Strength, Speed Swimming, able to breath underwater, In some cases Water Manipulation, or Healing Water abilities. - Feline Spirit: Claw Retraction, Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Balance, Enhanced Climbing, Enhanced Flexibility, Enhanced Jump, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Speed, Darkness Adaptation, Luck Bestowal, and nine lives. -reptile spirit: Camouflage, Crushing strength, Scale Armor Manifestation, Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Flexibility, Elasticity, Enhanced Lung Capacity, Enhanced Regeneration, Speed Swimming, In some cases Clairvoyance, or fire manipulation. - Bat spirit: Aerial Adaptation, Atmospheric Adaptation, Enhanced Balance, Echolocation, Enhanced Climbing, Wall-crawling, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Sonic Scream, and In some cases Vampire like blood lust. -Avian Spirit: Aerial Adaptation, Aerial Combat Mastery, Atmospheric Adaptation, flight, Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Endurance, Enhanced Equilibrium, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Speed. In some cases Air Manipulation. A spirit animal, guides, helps, and protects the individual. Their are also magic people such as shamans, oracle, and the witch doctor. Magic like tarot card reading, potions brewing, spells, palm reading, and blessings are considered normal, being just part of the culture.- [/hider] - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Village News and rumors bulletin. - As of late the village oracle has proclaimed in a cryptic riddle way that basically "A huge boat caring many dead and only a handful of living will come to the north shores, and bring with them change to the island. Good or bad depends on the future paths." (a boat will soon dock on the north shores, with only five living men, and many dead bodies. They are from Europe, lost at sea for many week, practically everyone died from starvation and illness. Five living men left see Calliope Island, and dock the ship hoping to find food, knowing nothing of the natives of the island.) -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Always open for more tribe people [hider= Tribe member Character Sheet] Appearence: Photo. No anime. I'm a fan of digital art [url=http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/270533567/digitalart]like this.[/url] Name: Age: Gender: Eye Color: Hair Color: Height: Weight: Job/Profession: Weapons/Possessions: Family/Relationships: Skills/Abilities: Background:[/hider] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- There are only three more open crew spots. 1. Sven 2. William James Parker 3. 4. 5. [hider= Ship Crew Member Character Sheet] Appearence: Photo. No anime. I'm a fan of digital art [url=http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/270533567/digitalart]like this.[/url] Name: Age: Gender: Eye Color: Hair Color: Height: Weight: Job/Profession on ship: Weapons/Possessions: Family/Relationships: (optional) Skills: Background:[/hider] --------------------------------------------- [hider=The Ship Info] The captain owner of the Ship "Valacia", and his crew were hired by explorers/traders/merchants to transport and give passage, so they could conduct and establish trade in Asia. Sadly the ship got caught in a bad storm only three days into the journey. They expected to only be off course a bit, The ships Navigator man seemed flustered, and a bit spooked. The compasses would only spin around and around, and the stars all seemed to be in the wrong place in the sky. No land to be seen anywhere. The Ship has been lost at sea for two months. Dehydration, starvation, and illness set in, taking half the crew with it. In the end there were only five survivors. All who completely lost hope, and then they spotted land in the distance. [/hider] [hider=Language bearer help] Italicize = Europe English Embolden = Tribal Language - Sounds somewhat like Japaneses to an English speaker. 500 years ago people from Europe landed on their shores so the tribe people know basic/choppy English, having books, and scroll written in English from 500 years ago for study. The Temple priest/priestesses are more versed in the language. [/hider]