This layout is (c) to xoalligatoxo
The thread is only slightly edited by me.
A lot of the wording is her's as well.
This Species is for now, ONLY for the Najuru Pride. If you make a Najurean Lion. You MUST apply them to The Najuru Pride! Najuru!!
Driven Away.
Torn and Broken.
We Evolved.
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This is the official thread for Najuru Pride's species, the Najureans. The species and pride is (c) to me, Bladeliger. Voodoo is (c) to xoalligatoxo. The map, Ayona, is (c) to xoalligatoxo AND me, as it has been altered by me. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"As far as the species goes, some of you might have remembered this species from before, when I originally created this pride.
However, I gave the pride to a good friend because I temporarily quit. That friend created her own pride and created a new species, so I am bringing back Voodoo to conquer the world! muahahah!
.. no, i'm kidding -- seriously. I'm just bringing back Voodoo because I absolutely love this pride & species, and everyone who used to be in this pride loves it to! So feel free to make a character & sign up! 8D"
Well... I'm that friend. I felt bad for doing what I did but.. I had my reasons.. Anyway, I have sorted things out and now have permission for this! The Najureans are a branch of the Voodanian species--a sister species. After living in a rain forest, the Voodanians began to change and adapt to their new home. Some females started growing manes and tufts to adapt to cooler weather. Their colors, while they can still be of original Voodanian looks, have changed due to their more lush homes. They are VERY similar to Voodanians, having only newly evolved and thus, retain a lot of their Voodanian traits. Over time, breeding and further climate changes caused the jungle Najurean to go extinct. Some of their traits DID become bred into the Savannah Najurean however. Like Voodoo has developed a subspecies of Voodanian wolves, the Najureans have developed Najurean hyenas. These hyenas are bitter enemies to both Najurean lions and Voodanians!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Breakdown!!
Savannah Najureans
Savannah Najureans are the closest to a Voodanian. They can actually live in both desert and savannah climates. They take after lions the most. Their pride and social life is structured much like a feral lion and they look most like them. This is the most common and well known branch of Najurean out there!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rules. Obey them or feel thy wrath!!! >.>
Nah.. but please follow them.
((Btw.. these rules are xoalligatoxo's... Why change rules that are already good? XD
--FJ: Okay so I went through and cleaned up the grammar/spelling. >w> DON'T KILL ME, BLADEH <3))one.!
-Please please please do not create a character of this species if you do not plan to be active with them. I don't mind if you make a species character and don't want to sign up for the pride, but if you make a species character, could you please post here showing a picture so I know who has characters and I can make sure the species is being correctly put together?Thanks!
two.!
-Please make sure your character is properly put together and really is a Najurean. I don't want purple critters running around calling themselves Najureans. Clearly, that's never going to happen. If you're unsure about your design, please post here asking if it's okay or not.
three.!
- Should you breed your Najurean, please let me know who you are breeding with. For NOW*, crossbreeding is forbidden unless it is with a Voodanian. No crossbreeding with Voodanian wolves or Najurean hyenas.
*This may change in the future when the species and pride have a decent amount of members.
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What can we do?!!
There are many benefits of making a Najurean lion as far as roleplay is concerned.
Abilities of this species include:- One is the ability to control bloodflow on both another creature or on yourself. *This was originally intended as a life-saving technique. since Najureans derived from Voodanians who needed this ability to withstand their climate.* Najureans may use this in battle if they so desire. ALL Najureans can do this.
- Both female and male Najureans can detect even the slightest movement with extreme precision for up to two miles with their whiskers. They can detect how fast it's moving, where it is, and how far. However, they cannot detect who it is from their whiskers. ALL Najueans have this ability.
- Savannah Najureans still have the ability to spit venom through their fangs, as their claws are too precious to be hollowed; the fangs are not quite as hollow as Voodanian fangs. Much like a cobra, the Savannah Najurean developed the ability to spit venom at prey and attackers to blind them or even to burn their nose and mouth to get an opponent to back down; they can only spit venom--they lost the ability to inject it as it requires such force that anything obstructing the flow would cause nothing to occur. A Savannah Najurean's venom is exactly the same as a Voodanians. They can still opt to spit or withhold their venom.
- Savannah Najureans have strong claws, like Voodanians. They are able to easily dig into the hardest of Savannah sands to cultivate, sculpt, and dig out dens, hiding places, birthing dens, cool offs, even dig deep enough to unearth hidden water or dig out tunnels big enough to travel in. Their claws are still thick, but their quick, a natural vein in ALL animal claws has hardened to allow injection of venom through the claws without breaking them when they dig.
- The Savannah Najurean is able to climb trees. Like leopards and jungle cats, they are extremely good climbers.
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How do we Act?!!
Behavior!
All Najureans act the same, no matter what sub group you get into. Their base behavior is the same. Najureans act as most big cats would. They take after lions though and live in groups called prides. Prides are ruled by a king and queen, although in some cases they can have no leader, an advising council, or a singular leader. Male Najureans, like male lions, have a feral instinct to kill cubs that don't belong to them or the pride. It is a strong instinct and they struggle with it every day. Even pride cubs can fall victim to a male unable to control his instincts. Males also have instinct to kill cubs to gain breeding rights with a female. This is a more primitive instinct and easier suppressed.
Female Najureans hunt for the pride as the adult male's mane prevents him from doing such. They often hunt in groups. Females also care for cubs, even if they aren't their own, as long as they are part of the pride. Rogue cubs would be killed or chased away, especially non-Najurean cubs. Despite their feral instincts and tendencies, Najureans are intelligent creatures capable of reason, thought, emotion, and speech. While they seem to have a dislike of non-Najureans joining their pride or living on their homelands, the Voodanians are always welcomed.Diet!
Najureans are carnivorous! This means they eat meat to sustain themselves. While they do ingest plants and herbs, it is strictly for medicinal purposes and even sweet berries taste bitter to the meat eaters. The hunt anything that moves, from the smallest insect--which are ingested for their high vitamin and protein--to large or larger felines/canines. While felines or canines aren't usually on the menu, if the Najurean is desperate enough, it will hunt and consume them, even resorting to cannibalism, though this is highly frowned upon and is merit for exile from the pride. Najureans DO NOT survive on plants or blood. Even Vampiric Najureans must still consume meat every now and then, as well as blood to satiate their hungers.Breeding and Cubs!
Basics
When it comes to mating, Najureans have a wide range of behaviors. Most choose a life partner or mate that they love. However, some remain single and breed with whoever they choose. Others will choose a mate but also willingly breed with someone other than their partner. This is rare. Males can have tendencies to force breed or rape, though this is against the pride rules. Homosexuality is RARE among Najureans. Should a male or female be homosexual, they would also willingly breed with the opposite sex for cubs to benefit the pride. THERE WILL BE NO SAME SEX COUPLES HAVING CUBS PERIOD. I.E NO MAN CUBS! Najureans may have abilities, but their anatomy can not manipulate or change their genders. Males can't get pregnant. End of story. Females can't magically impregnate other females.
As of right now, crossbreeding is not allowed unless it is with a Voodanian. Savannah Najurean and Voodanian crosses will be fit and healthy and have no problems.Males
Males enter sexual maturity when they reach the stages of young adults. Males will mate with a female at least six times within their life time; whether with the same female or not, it is their choice. It is not a sin to mate with more then one female in the pride, though it is strongly suggested not to. They often wait for their mate to be in heat or a female to initiate a mating courtship before they even show interest in mating. However, some males can be pushy and go so far as to even commit rape. Males usually get very tense when the Najurean breeding season begins. Some males that have no mates will challenge each other for females. However, if the king is single, most allow him his given right to breed with who he chooses. Although, some younger males do challenge even the king.
When it comes to cubs, males have a tendency to avoid them if they are not their own. Some are very caring toward pride cubs. Some hate them. Others only care about their own. It varies depending on the specific male. ALL males, however, are very protective of pride cubs should a stranger be present.
As stated before, males have a lion-like instinct to kill cubs. Usually their intelligence blocks these urges and all is well. However, every now and then a male comes along who can't block these feral instincts. Be weary around these males as they will kill cubs to force a mother back into heat. Some may even attack pregnant females out of jealousy to kill their cubs and breed them. When these males are found by the royalty, they WILL be exiled. Keep that in mind If you plan to have this type of male.***Please remember that this is built as like a 'realistic species guide'. You don't have to follow these breeding habits. They are simply suggestions to help give you ideas on how your Najurean should act. Play them however you want but DO try to keep their species behavior in mind.Females
Females will reach sexual maturity in their teens. This means they can get pregnant as teens but this is RARE as they will not hit their first TRUE heat until young adults! You must ask me first to get your teen pregnant! Most females will breed at least six times in their life time; whether with the same male or not, it is their choice. It is not a sin to mate with more then one male in the pride, though it is strongly suggested not to. They will come into their first estrus (heat) at the stage of young adult. Most females do this in the months of late winter through early summer. Most females are able to time their estrus with their pride sisters, like lions do in the wild. This makes cub survival rate heighten. Not all females will do this however.
During pregnancy, females will often wander away from the pride and search or birthing dens. When one is found, they will mark it as their by urinating near the site. They will then return to the pride. Pregnant females tend to be very territorial and will even chase others away from food. When they are close to birth, they will leave the pride and seek out their den. They will birth the cubs alone and then for two months after that, they will live and care for the cubs. After two months, the mothers will begin to introduce the young to the pride. By this time, the cubs, though still only cubs, will be old enough to withstand some of the male's harsher treatments. If multiple females get pregnant around the same time, they will create a kresh--a communal birthing site that will act as a nursery for the cubs. In this system, a female can always watch the young while others hunt. This is the safest method of cub rearing as stray Najurean males, Voodanian males, feral males and females, water buffalo, and enemies of the pride may be in the area.
The queen will usually opt to birth in the pride but will be VERY territorial around her den. A queen will usually chase her king out of their den and keep him and the others away. She can still seek out a new den site if she so chooses.
A female Najurean will defend her cubs with her life. They a good mothers and try hard to make sure their cubs make it to adulthood. They will even defend their cubs from males, other species, buffalo and any other threat. If the king or queen came to a female to kill their cubs, a right they have as leaders, the mother would attack even them. Should a mother lose a cub, she will frantically chirp and chuff until she finds the lost cub. If a cub is killed, a mother will often eat the cub as a way to regain the lost one. It is not seen as a sick act. It is their funeral ritual for young cubs. It is partially how the mother mourns.***Please remember; this is built as like a 'realistic species guide'. You don't have to follow these breeding habits. They are simply suggestions to help give you ideas on how your Najurean should act. Play them however you want but DO try to keep their species behavior in mind.Cubs
Cubs are usually born into litters of four but may come in litters from two to five. Not all cubs from a litter survive the hardships of their homes. All cubs are born with cub spots. These spots are usually darker shades of their pelt or shades of black or brown. When the cubs reach their teens, they begin to show their true markings and the color begins to change into the color that they are meant to have for the rest of their lives. The spots help hide them from enemies that wish to do them harm. Cubs are always trying to get into trouble. They give their mothers hell. The Najurean cub is naturally very curious and adventurous and will wander away if given the chance!
