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Selmaski

Credit: Brian (myprontopup) @ Flikr

Listen to the Birdsong

Located within a stretch of land in what was once Jay Cooke State Park, Selmaski is home to a tribe of coydogs whose survival, lifestyle, and spirituality is intricately connected to the St. Louis River and the surrounding forest that it lies within.

A simple people, Selmaskians are hunter-gatherers and rely solely on the land for food, materials, and weapons. Though individuals may occasionally have contact with outsiders, Selmaski as a whole is largely private and fairly xenophobic. They rarely accept new members into the tribe.

However, in the spring of 2019 with the addition of a of new council member, this old line of thing is being challenged and some members – primarily of the younger generation – are becoming more accustomed to branching out.

1.  Geography

Credit: -Deb- @ Flikr

Consisting of a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest biome, the region that Selmaski's expansive territory resides within is heavily wooded, with a diverse herbaceous layer at ground level scaling upwards to a tall canopy of mature broadleaf and coniferous trees. Many narrow, root-lined trails can be found both within and without the territory. These are used frequently enough by both Selmaskians and prey animals that the trails are kept well-worn and free from overgrowth.

Credit: Sharon Mollerus @ Flikr

Along the St. Louis River, the tree-growth becomes sparse and outcrops of slanted, uneven bedrock erupt up from the ground and border the length of the tributary.

This area has a humid continental climate, providing Selmaskians with warm, occasionally humid, summers ranging from about late-May to mid-September and cold, snowy winters. Winters here can be exceptionally brutal, with many consecutive days of subzero temperatures or several feet of snowfall within a short span of time.

Once part of a state park in the time of man, Selmaski's territory still retains distant memories of humanity's prowess in architecture. Though many of these structures and buildings have long since been reclaimed by nature, some cabins and lodges remain standing. The most prominent among those is the River Inn, which Selmaski uses as their communal denning site.

• Flora: The area within which Selmaski resides is a broadleaf and mixed forest biome. Not all of these plants can be found within Selmaski's territory, but each of these should be detectable within the surrounding forest.

• Fauna: Depending on the territory, feeding habits, and other behaviors of certain species, many of these birds and mammals will not reliably be found within Selmaski's borders. However, these are the kinds of fauna that reside in and around the forest.

1.1  Whisker River (St. Louis River)

Credit: Sharon Mollerus @ Flikr

Running along a generous stretch of Selmaski's border is the St. Louis River. Spanning nearly 200 miles, the river cuts through the forests that the tribe's territory is situated within and ends in a freshwater estuary at the nose of Lake Superior.

An important resource for Selmaskians, the St. Louis River provides the tribe with food, fresh water, transportation, and safety. As young tribesmen grow, learning the ways of the river is one of the first lessons that they're taught; they are quick to learn to respect the river or suffer grave consequences. These lessons stick firmly in the minds of Selmaskians, and, with many years of careful practice, older members tend to navigate the river and the treacherous bedrock surrounding it with relative ease.

Though traditionally known as the St. Louis River, Selmaskians refer to this tributary as Whisker River, so named because of its connection to Lake Superior, which has long been thought of to resemble the head of a wolf. In more recent times, however, younger generations have taken to calling it Whisky River for the way it more easily rolls off the tongue when spoken.

• Fish: rusty crayfish, white sucker, bluegill, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, channel catfish, walleye, Northern pike

2.  Culture

Credit: -Deb- @ Flikr

Though Selmaskians are a simple people, without much in the way of technology or agriculture, their culture remains colorful and varied. Hunter-gatherers, these people live off the land and nurture a very intimate relationship with the flora and fauna that make up their home. All members of the tribe are expected to know basic hunting, trapping, fishing, and foraging skills, though individuals oftentimes take on specific jobs within their denning site to keep the community happy and healthy. These specific jobs can range from cooking to healing to storytelling and beyond.

A tight-knit community, it is rare to find a Selmaskian alone and the community as a whole will help to raise and teach its children. A favorite pastime among Selmaskians is to sit on the jagged rocks along Whisker River, fishing, gathering crawfish, telling stories, and mending their tools together.

By and large, Selmaski is a peaceful community and prefers to keep to themselves, though its people can, and will, fight if it is necessary to protect the tribe.

2.1  Birds

Birds are revered by Selmaskians and it is considered a crime to hunt or intentionally cause harm to any species, be it songbirds, waterfowl, game birds, corvids, or raptors -- all are protected under this law. Feathers are frequently adorned by tribesmen, but these are expected to be gathered from already-deceased birds or otherwise found among the forest.

Occasionally, individual members may form a particularly strong bond with a type or specific bird, though it is considered unlawful to keep birds as "pets" or to hold them against their will. Birds represent pure freedom, and should only be found with individual members if it is the bird's decision to do so.

Council heads may attempt to learn the low-speech of their given owl and/or attempt to develop connections with their species of bird.

2.2  Tribe Structure

Selmaski is lead by a council of elders (Strigines) with each council head representing a different owl. Below the council are those respected individuals (Accipitrines) who are considered most proficient hunter-gatherers. Accipitrines are represented by different species of hawk. Regular members (Falconines) make up the largest group of ranks and are represented by falcons, followed by puppies (Passerines) of non-shifting age, who are represented by songbirds.

2.3  Beliefs and Laws

Selmaskians believe that they were descended from the First Coyote, rather than from the First Wolf (as they believe other dogs and hybrids that don't resemble their own physical structure descended from). As a result, they hold coyotes with more reverence and trust them more readily than they do wolves or wolf hybrids.

It is forbidden for any Selmaskian to have sexual relations with wolves, hybrids, or other dogs that do not appear to have been descended from the First Coyote. To preserve their pure bloodlines, individuals who break this law will be prohibited from bearing children, exiled, or possibly even executed.

Similarly, if parents are deemed unfit to raise their young or otherwise fail as parents in the eyes of the elders, the council may prohibit these individual from bearing children in the future.

3.  Notable Members

4.  History

Winter 2016

In the winter of 2016 a troupe of traveling musicians established camp near Selmaski. Inara met a young ocarina player from Scandinavia named Tarina Skadi and told the woman about Vinátta. Her interest piqued, Tarina later joined Vinátta in March of 2016. Following Vinátta's disbandment, Tarina eventually ended up in Krokar and, later, Cour des Miracles. When the father of her child died, she left Nova Scotia to the Court's Portland outpost, where she currently resides.

Spring 2019

For her progressive wisdom, her accepting nature, and her dedication to the tribe, Inara Naira was welcomed into the Strigines ranks in the spring of 2019 as a Barred Owl. In the wake of her promotion as a council elder, she has come to advocate for more inclusive practices with outsiders and openly encourages Selmaskians to associate with neighboring packs in order to explore potential benefits to their tribe. Though her ideas have been disagreeable to many within the older population, much of the younger generations have taken her teachings to heart and appear more accepting of outsiders and "lesser" (non-coyote) beings.

5.  OOC Information