Salsolan Culture
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Salsolan Culture, Traditions, and Laws
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What is a pack without a culture? For Salsola, this question unravels beneath the overabundance of culture it has; A burden of culture, almost, enough to fill a whole book, enough to make an individual's eyes roll back into their heads just for contemplating it. Sounds grim? Never fear! This handy page is here to help make things a little easier to comprehend. If the vastness of this page is intimidating to you, you're not alone! But don't fret it - This is the culmination of almost a decade of existence on 'Souls, with huge influences from a number of IC events, characters, and players that have helped make Salsola all it is today. It's a lot, that much is given. But if Salsola is the right fit for you, you'll come to love it all in time. If you think that there is something missing from this page, or that some of the information we have provided below is incorrect/outdated, get in contact with one of our friendly Leaders, and we will take care of it. Please do not make updates to this content without approval from Leadership first. Other aspects of Salsola's culture not included on this page are: Familial Houses, Pauson Horse |
Fun Fact! |
Did you know that, in the beginning, Salsola was roughly themed off of a mix of Mafia-like ideas and concepts? Over the many years since its foundation, however, the pack has adopted quite a few Kingdom-esque influences. Even still, the Mafia undertone can still be seen in much of Salsola's culture! |
1. Founding Principles
Salsola vs. Outsiders |
The term ‘Outsider’ is used to describe any Luperci who is not a present member of the Thistle Kingdom, and is used in a derogatory nature. Members should strive for wariness and disdain of all Outsiders. Spying is a highly valued skill, and knowledge regarding Outsider packs or groups is an important commodity. Frequent or close association with Outsiders can be considered suspicious — those suspected of retaining close ties to someone unaffiliated with Salsola may be spied upon by their own packmates, in turn. Click for more...Salsola is not at all forthcoming regarding its own activities and inclinations to those who are not within their flock. As such, close sentimental relations with other packs are purposefully avoided. Nearby lurkers are frequently dispatched, and the pack has no tolerance whatsoever for trespassers. Salsola is generally wary of inciting trouble against other strong groups, as it does not seek warmongering so much as it is power-hungry. Weak groups are perceived as potential prey, and may be treated (and persecuted) as such. Loners are openly derided as having no power — they have no group protection and no structure, and those who willfully choose a prolonged life as a Loner may be regarded as strange and distasteful to the typical Salsolan. Individuals should avoid causing issue with other packs without the blessing of the leaders — retaliation would be most unpleasant! Of course, if a member's actions throw no suspicion on Salsola (an individual's secrets can be kept secret by use of an alias, after all), the leaders are typically indifferent.
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2. Culture
Note that some culture aspects and traditions are followed with greater devotion than others, and all characters (and their players) are free to chose the degree in which they follow or participate in these norms. |
The technology of ‘those who came before’ (humans), civilization and Luperci-designed primitive technological methods are respected and desired within Salsola — artifacts, hunting/farming techniques, and other remnants of the distant past generally facilitate this new and grandly civil survival. Spying, fighting, and "survivalist" skill-sets are also well regarded within the Thistle Kingdom. Philosophical, scholarly, religious, and spiritual pursuits are respected and increasingly sought-after as the size and prosperity of the kingdom allows for greater specification in interests. |
2.1 Salsolan Behavior |
Respect |
Superiors should demand respect; Subordinates should display it, especially in public. Salsolans traditionally refer each other by their rank. A first-name basis is often reserved for familiars and close others. To the wrong Salsolan, using one's given name without their permission can be seen as disrespectful or presumptuous. Click for more...Canine dominance and submission should be enforced, and failure to do so may give off the image of weakness. Not surprisingly, public humiliation of another canine can be used as a punishment by higher-ranked subjects to keep those beneath them "in line," however, such acts should be handled with care, as they can also backfire. Example of Discipline — A light slap on the cheek is a prominent display of discipline, as it leaves no permanent damage but has a significant impact on one’s dignity. The slap is never violent or even forceful enough to hurt - a subtle, light tap on the cheek in the public eye from a higher-ranked member is incredibly shaming and is likely to result in temporary pack shunning of the slapped individual. |
Introductions |
Salsolans should be rather particular about introducing an Outsider to fellow packmates. If, for example, Jackal decides to introduce Wolf, a Loner, to his fellow Salsolan Coyote, the introduction differs depending on its purpose. (Show Examples)
If Jackal is simply seeking to make Wolf known to Coyote (i.e., Wolf is a personal friend), Wolf is introduced as "a friend of mine" by Jackal. This places responsibility for Wolf's behavior on Jackal, and lets Coyote know that Wolf will not be recruited.
If Jackal is seeking to recruit Wolf (i.e., Wolf is a potential new member), Wolf would be introduced as "a friend of ours." This informs Coyote that Wolf is a prospective recruit and is responsible for his or her own behavior.
There is lingo befitting of usage of the Highroad. For example, should a Salsolan say to the sentries posted at the garrison: "This is our friend, I wish to take them along the Highroad", then the soldiers will know that the Outsider is worthy of the Marketplace. Should a Salsolan say to the sentries: "This is my friend, I wish to take them along the Lowroad", then the soldiers will know that the Outsider is to be robbed and/or accosted the moment they set foot on Salsolan soil.
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2.2 Prejudices and Predispositions |
Salsola is most often egalitarian with regards to species, age, and most other factors, but it does have some biases. Do note, however, individual members may not possess or engage in any/some of these prejudices.
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The Coven |
Operating under no organised or recognized structure is Salsola’s very own coven of witches. The witches involved practice a great myriad of separate ideologies and pray to often-familial deities. There is no set religion that guides them, nor any governing body that controls their worship. However, the coven often comes together to form a cohesive collective of devotees, practitioners of the ‘Craft’ (the Craft being the term for magic, or magic-related works). |
2.5 Mateship |
Mateship is a sacramental rite, requiring "approval" as achieved via the wedding ceremony, in which the couple is blessed by the pack’s Crone (or in the absence of a Crone, one of the Mafiosi). While most mateships are the result of genuine, mutual attraction and romantic feelings towards one another, it is not unheard of for one to have a mateship of convenience, for a mateship to be forced upon someone, or, to have a mateship born out of political reasons, dealings, or desires to save face. Mateships can also be later dissolved, although, this is rather rare. Salsolans must be of shifting age to be wedded, and, therefore, have a mateship with another.
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Betrothal |
Highly uncommon, a betrothal is the planned mateship of two individuals as ordained by a member of the Mafiosi, a guardian or parent, or, even the Head of one's House. There are a number of reasons a betrothal may take place — it can be a useful tool for securing political alliances, to maintain control over unruly subjects, etc.. Betrothals are not a common occurrence, as it is not broadly liked by all members of the pack. |
Divorce |
A rare phenomenon, Salsolans may choose to dissolve their mateship via a divorce, and may do so for a variety of reasons. In general, the act may often be seen as dishonorable and disrespectful to one's partner, and may result in a negative public outcome for those involved — especially so if the mateship ends childless. Ending a mateship must be cleared by the Mafiosi ranks if the individual(s) in the prior mateship desire to save face (they may even blame their mate(s) for the separation, resulting in singular demotion or further punishment). |
OOC Notes |
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3. Special Events & Rituals
3.1 A Salsolan Wedding |
↠ Event (Mateship)
Generally solemn, private affairs, mateships in Salsola are equally as often used as a means to bolster rank position or political standing within the Family as they are a traditionally romantic gesture between individuals. Following the wedding ceremony, couples usually publicize their mateship by hosting a celebratory reception. It is entirely up to participants as to how large or how small they want the wedding ceremony itself to be, with some couples opting for only themselves, Mafiosi, and the Crone to attend. Generally, there is a large amount of pressure for the entire pack to be invited to the reception held thereafter, however. It is encouraged to give gifts to a newly mated pair, to help them begin amassing their shared wealth (which in turn will be profitable for all Salsola). A wedding cannot take place until both members are at least of shifting age.
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Attire |
The participating members may wear whatever they choose, though, this is an ideal time to show wealth, rank, or family connections through the use of expensive materials and craftsmanship. Family bloodlines may have their own ancestral traditions as to what is worn. |
The Ceremony |
The wedding ceremony is generally a small and private event, comprising of the ceremony overseer/proctor (either the Boss or the Crone), the intended newlyweds, and a member of the Mafiosi. While family and friends may be allowed to witness the ceremony, only those that are very close or highly important to the intended newlyweds may be invited (the rest can attend the reception thereafter!). (Example Wedding Ceremony)
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The Reception |
Following the ceremony, a large and informal feast occurs in the Ruins proper, most commonly held at the Feasting Hall for convenience and size. This is generally something provided for by the family and friends of those participating. Some may choose to extensively decorate the area, intending to bolster the appearance of their household and names. Attendees are encouraged to bestow well-wishes and sometimes gifts upon the participants, for as in many things, gift-giving (i.e. bribery) is an essential part of Salsolan culture. Receptions are optional, and can be as large (with the entire pack) or as small (with only family and friends) as the newlyweds desire, to include the newlyweds not having one at all. Having been converted to a matriarchal rule under the reign of the First Queen, Salvia Eternity, Salsola does not adhere to some of the more archaic patriarchal traditions associated with primitive post-wedding receptions; Consummation is a private affair, and no proof of it is ever required to ensure the validity of the union. However, with plenty of drink often provided at the reception, well-meaning advice-givers and jokesters may use the opportunity to be as baudy and lewd as they dare, much to the embarrassment of the newlyweds. (Example Wedding Reception)
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OOC Notes |
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3.2 Cotona |
↠ Ritual (Loyalty to the Pack)
The Cotona ritual is a popular and common ritual by which members are marked with the Hand of Eris to prove their everlasting devotion to Salsola. The symbol is an old one with roots back to the foundation of the pack, and began with Eris Eternity. The mark stands for Salsola's protection and guidance in the individual member's actions. It acts as a visible reminder of their loyalty and the duty that comes with being in the Family. Members should desire to bear this pack symbol - it is an important part of becoming "Salsolan" through and through.
Individuals are free to choose the location of their marking, though it is often placed in a concealable area so that Salsolans can continue to disguise themselves and become anonymous outside of kingdom territory. Any experienced canine may perform the ritual, but it is the Segno's specific responsibility to do so (and one can only expect the neatest scarification when done by the Segno). Perfecting the mark through scarification may take up to six weeks, and the Cotona ritual refers to the entirety of this painful, repetitive process.
Branding is an acceptable alternative to carving for scarification purposes, and some choose to apply color via tattooing; this is also acceptable, and a much less painful option.
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3.3 Cueponi |
↠ Ritual (Coming of Age)
This ceremony graduates children from the Bambino rank into an adulthood rank, thus accepting them as a contributing member of Salsola. The ceremony can only be undertaken once the youth in question has reached shifting age. A child taking longer to ask for their Cueponi riddle may be seen as a sign of weakness or poor nature, so most children are excited to undertake their Cueponi as soon as possible.
After expressing their eagerness to complete their Cueponi rite, a youth is summoned by the Boss, who oversees this ceremony. This is intended to form a bond between the two, and ensure loyalty to both Salsola and its Mafiosi. The Boss must bodily inspect the Bambino, and ascertain their ability to shift into Optime form (which is associated with adulthood and capability). Should they find the youth acceptable, the leader grants them with a task to prove their worth. The Cueponi ceremony itself is given in the form of a riddle, and requires the hopeful-adult to deduce the meaning of the request before attempting the task itself. The riddles may have multiple answers and may be solvable in multiple ways.
Failure to complete one's Cueponi successfully (or at all) results in their relegation to the Associate ranks. Successful completion of the task results in their promotion to the Family ranks.
Click for more...Bambinos that fail their Cueponi typically do so because one of the following IC reasons:
In terms of how the coming-of-age ritual is completed:
Leadership and Player discuss if the Bambino passed or failed. Confirm any loose OOC assumptions to assume in regards to the ritual process. The Bambino is promoted to Family or demoted to Associate.
Player/Leadership availability permitting, the ritual process can take place over as few or as many threads as the Bambino Player wishes. Some players like to have a played-out thread of their Bambino receiving their Riddle from the Boss. Some like to have their Bambino returning to the Boss with their Riddle answer in physical form. Some like to have both. Some even have threads where their character tries to solve the Riddle's answer, or, go about obtaining/making their Riddle's answer.
The total in-game/IC process can be as long (within reason) or as short as the Player wishes, though, exceedingly long or short turnaround times might be cause for IC suspicion or doubt. OOCly, the Bambino would be promoted/demoted after which they ICly return to the Boss with their Riddle answer (be it via an actual played-out thread or OOCly assumed).
OOC Note: Members of Salsola should PM the OOC Account to discuss the Cueponi ceremony for their Bambino characters whenever they choose to advance into Salsola’s adult ranks. NPC Bambinos may be automatically promoted into the Family rank (and presumed ICly to have successfully completed their Cueponi) at the age of one year. The Cueponi ceremony needn't necessarily be played out in its entirety: in the event that leadership or member are unavailable for threads, OOC assumptions are permitted.
Example Riddles (Show)
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Supper Hall |
The Last Supper always occurs in the ruined Feasting Hall located within the heart of the the Ruins proper. A mix of different logs, stools, and other assorted furniture makes up the seating, which are often arranged to form one long formal table. As the supper typically occurs at night, torches, braziers, and candles provide lighting for the feasting pack. Servitori members can sometimes begin preparing for the feast a full week prior to the event if it is especially large and splendorous. Their tasks often involve curing meats and cooking or salting delicious banquet food, as well as assembling the necessary chairs, tables, fire-pits and cookery necessary for a smooth-running Last Supper. |
Seating |
The Boss sits at the head of the gathering, flanked by the Sotto Capo. Directly to their right side sits their second-in-command, a seat of honor that is significantly positioned as “the right hand of the Boss”. High ranks sit nearer to the leadership, and low ranks sit further away down the long table. If permissible by rank, mates often choose to sit across from each other at the table. Bambino are permitted to attend the Supper at any age, depending on their parents' wishes. Typically, children are separated from their parents, given their own small space. Some parents choose to keep their children close. Servitori in attendance are not allowed to be seated, nor to partake of the feast. Some meals require servants to serve wine, hot spit-roasts or delicacies; Other times, servants are not permitted to enter the dining hall at all, and can only listen to the festivities from beyond the stone walls of the Feasting Hall. They are allowed to partake of the scraps left over to be cleaned up. |
News & Procession |
Business matters are never spoken while eating, as it is seen as disrespectful to the hunter/cook and the Mafiosi. Usually, before the feasting begins, the Mafiosi will share any relevant news and announcements with the pack, and, occasionally, they will offer a speech. Once the leadership has spoken, the rest of the pack may share personal news; And only after the Mafiosi has sampled the food, may the rest of the pack begin eating. |
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Gifts |
Saturnalia often begins with the ritual of gift-gifting. Though the gifts may be of a lavish nature, the object of Saturnalia gift-giving is to deliver the present anonymously. Various methods may be employed for this end — some canines may simply give their gifts as "the gift of a friend," refusing to verbally acknowledge themselves as the giver, whilst other canines simply drop the gift on a doorstep and scurry away. In more recent years, use of the festively decorated, Bojangles the Yuletide Yak, has been used to pull a sleigh of anonymous gifts to be delivered throughout the Kingdom. All in all, however, the method of the gift's delivery is up to the individual, but the intent is normally to remain anonymous and secretive! Servitori Gifts – Saturnalia often coincides with Servitori receiving gifts: members of the pack may feel more comfortable giving anonymously to a servant. Servitori gifts are intended to thank the servant for their service to the pack, and may be of a practical nature (e.g., giving a carpentry-inclined servant some tools) or of a more generous nature (e.g., giving a servant some small new freedom they were not previously permitted).
Yuletide Yak — An alternative gift-giving method that features Bojangles the Yak. It was a tradition that was started in the Saturnalia of 2020 when the couple, Blanche Briarhart and Flint Gaumond, arrived in Salsola.
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Sacrifice |
Saturnalia Eve is celebrated with a sacrifice. In archaic days of old, the sacrifice would have been Luperci in nature, and of virile age - e.g., not an old man and not a young boy, but of reproducing age and an adult. The ritual killing was performed in the usual public manner at the Stone Ship by the loch. In more modern ages, the Mafiosi have used superior livestock in place of a Luperci tribute. A crucial aspect to the Saturnalia sacrifice is the importance of spilling life's blood over holy ground. The sacrifice's throat is generally cut, and they are bled out over a stone altar. Unlike other sacrifices, this body is later buried in the bog and marsh of Salsola - 'given back' to the land. |
Banquet |
Following Satrunalia Eve is the Saturnalia banquet! While held in the same hall as the Last Supper, this feast differs greatly from the "usual" celebration of Salsola. Displays of behavior normally unacceptable in public — overeating, sloppiness, and overeager drunkenness — are not only accepted, but, are encouraged during the Saturnalia banquet, which is a wild and free-spirited event. Salsolans are encouraged to have fun and revel in their membership within a strong, enviable pack. Canines of Salsola become more lax in their strict hierarchy roles during Saturnalia. Dominance and submission are minimized, and the canines feast together as friends and Familia, entirely forgoing any discussion of business or political-related topics. Servants are permitted to dine with the ranked members of Salsola, an event occurring only once a year. Despite the event's lax nature, serious offenses committed during the festival are still treated as such - e.g., if someone attempted assassination of The Boss, the feast would halt, the killer would be strung up to die, and then the revelry would likely continue.
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Post-Saturnalia |
The next day, the usual Salsolan roles resume, and anyone unable to leave festival mode behind is promptly snapped out of their revelry with a slap or two. Though Salsolans are encouraged to take everything said and done during the festival lightly, serious complaints may be brought to the Capo ranks over festival behavior. More often than not, though, it is simply a case of: What happens in Saturnalia, STAYS in Saturnalia! |
4. Laws
Salsola's morality has always been rather flexible. Each situation is approached differently, according to context and value. While the pack preaches strictness and total adherence to law, in truth, there are always exceptions. Essentially, Salsola has no true moral code: members have the appearance of individual freedom. So long as they overtly adhere to the social mores and contribute to the pack, the well-kept secrets of their individual lives are of little concern. There are few, if any, firm "laws." The Mafiosi is generally indifferent to transgressions against Outsiders; However, when possible, Salsola prefers to stand apart from conflict with other groups. Actions which cause or may cause group retaliation are frowned upon unless planned with Salsolan Leadership ahead of time. Basically: if you're going to act out, make sure you leave no connection to draw blame back to the pack! |
4.1 PunishmentsWhile there are varying ways for members to be punished (e.g. public humiliation like a slap to the cheek, demotion in rank, etc.), those below — while rare and/or very infrequently used — are some of the more severe. Salsolan members who have been accused of especially significant crimes may be brought before the pack in the form of a public trial.
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4.2 Leaving Salsola |
Peaceably |
Members are expected to retain membership for life. Leaving without notice is a major offense and considered a betrayal of the pack. Nevertheless, leaves of absence are sometimes granted - should a member feel a need to return to their homeland, they are sometimes permitted to do so. This is done with the understanding that they are to remain Salsolan at heart and someday return. Rarely, the leadership allows canines to permanently leave - this is typically done via exile. |
Destructively |
Members are sometimes expelled for disobeying the cultural codes and stipulations. Dismissal may be violent and members ejected from the pack are treated poorly when encountered in the neutral territories. However, Salsola does not often bother seek vengeance on these former members, except in the event that they are on the run after committing a grievous crime, or are declared a Pentiti. |
This all being said, OOCly, Salsola Leadership has no intention to hold your character hostage! If you are wanting for your character to leave Salsola entirely (especially if you desire a peaceful separation), simply send a PM to the OOC Account so we can discuss potential options for your character! |
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