Wereleopards

[Zombie Administrator]

LEOPARD, KEY TERMS

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(evenly divided Queen&King)[/center]



PARD ; what the group is called.

NIMIR-RA ; the queen of the leopards, equally positioned alongside the Nimir-Raj.

NIMIR-RAJ ; the king of the leopards, equally positioned alongside the Nimir-Ra.

KARKADANN ; second in command, and the pard's most recognized protector.

RAKSITR ; third in command, and the pard's most recognized defender of the Nimir-Raj/Ra.

PAALANA ; the Nimir-Ra's personal guard.

YOGINII ; the witch or wise-woman of the pard.

NIZAACARA ; the enforcer, or the one who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty, with tasks supplied by the pard's leaders.

CHIDRA ; the weakest member of the pard, and one who needs protection of the entire pard.

SKANDA ; the challenger, rival who has the intention to overthrow the leaders of the pard.

LEOPARDE LIONNE ; term used to describe an alpha who is a brave protector and/or avenger.

LION PASSANT ; a term used to describe an alpha that leads, but does not properly lead.


The Leopard is the smallest member[/b][/i] of the "four big cats" that include tiger, lion, and jaguar. In the earlier centuries, it was believed that the Leopard, itself, was derived from being a hybrid of a lion and a panther. The term "Leopard" is often compared to the Indo-Iranian word for, "whitish-yellow, pale," while in Sanskrit and Greece, it is refered to as, "tiger." There are about twenty-seven different subspecies of the Leopard, the closest cousin to the generic lesson, is that of the Snow Leopard. The different species are founded across the globe, marginally present in Africa and Southwestern Asian provinces.

In lycan communities, the Leopards form a group known as a Pard. The Pard is often ruled by either a Nimir-Ra, the Leopard Queen, or a Nimir-Raj, the Leopard King. If the Pard establishes two forms of leaderships, the Nimir-Ra and Nimir-Raj consider each other as equals, and will run the Pard together. The Pard exercises solely on the comfort of being together, as the Pard stems outward the experience of a close-related family. While not all the Leopards will live together, and many decide to live away from the Pard, the familial presence is always close.

Amongst the Pard, the need for a comforting touch of another is extremely important and always used. Contact is important to the Leopards, as those in the Pard will often rub up against one another, or touch each other in some aspect. Touching is not seen as sexual, only casual. New Leopards that enter the city are always reached out to with invitation to seek the leader and request to join. Leopards need the to be together, in a closeknit group like a Pard. Those that are found to wonder alone are very submissive, and are easily influenced and manipulated by others.

There are only a few dominant Leopards present in a Pard at a time. Those dominant alpha Leopards help to watch over the Betas and Omegas, that need the protection. There are three different distinctive types of leaders, in a Pard. It does not have separate functions, but only describes what the leaders are like. The Nimir-Ra and Raj, the established King and Queen. Leopard Lionne describes an alpha who is brave and avenging. A Lion Passant, notablly meaning a "sleeping lion," describes an alpha leader who leads, but does not offer protection.

Challenges are handled much the same as the Jaguars, when an opposing Jaguar makes an attempt to overwhelm the King or Queen of the Pard. A fight will occur between the opposing males or females, and whoever succeeds takes the victory of claiming the Pard as their own, and themselves established in title. Death, does not always have to occur for another to win, the worst possible loss is through humiliation of the other Leopard. The losing Leopard is either exiled or banished from the Pard's initial territory.


Leopards are smaller in size[/i] compared to the Jaguar, and are quite capable of taking out larger prey. Their coat comes in two distinctive colors: tawny gold coat with the black spots, or black coat with light spots for camouflage. They are an agile and stealthy predator, with large jaws used to strangle their prey. The Leopard is primarily known for it's ability to climb trees, and a very powerful swimmer, like the Jaguar. Leopards and break speeds up to sixty miles an hour and leap over six meters high. Always a nocturnal hunter, hunting at twilight and predawn hours, it spends the majority of it's day resting in the trees. Leopards are also very opportunistic hunters, with a full ranged diet.

The lycanthrope strain of Leopard is one of the less contagion, unlike Rats and Wolves. Any human coming in contact with the Leopard lycanthrope receive a fifty percent chance of infection.

Leopards stalk through prey silently, and at the very last second, do they strike. Like most big cats, they go right to the throat, to crush the prey's throat and strangle the animal to death.

The Pard, itself, is shaped solely on the leader(s) themselves. Harsh leaders, the Lion Passant, who crave leadership roles but do not assist in protecting their Pard, can often have a negative effect on the Leopards involved. Dominance is used to force the Leopard members into submission, giving others free reign in manipulating the shapeshifter in however one pleases. A good leader, Nimir-Ra or Nimir-Raj, who brings a sense of order and sensibility, nurture, and responsibility, tend to promote the confidence in the rest of the Pard and the reassurance they are being taken care of.


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[Zombie Administrator]

-- A Lycan must have all the powers according to their rank, Omega, Beta, Alpha, in order for them to move to the next rank: Omega to Beta, Beta to Alpha. An Omega buying Beta, once they have all Beta powers, they are considered a Beta. Once the Alpha has collected all of the necessary abilities for a Titled position, they will have enough to possibly forge their own group, depending if the group does not already have a leader. If the group does not have a leader, the leadership gain must occur in in-character play.

GENERAL LYCAN ABILITIES

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[ INCREASED STRENGTH ] ; All lycans have the incredible natural strength that comes when one is infected with lycanthropy. Increased strength is three times of that of a human being, which means bench pressing a car.

[ HEIGHTENED SENSES ] ; A lycan is better equipped with stronger senses that give them the ability of sight, hearing, and most importantly smell. All in which is to help them track their prey, if it were.

[ INCREASED SPEED ] ; Much like strength, lycans have the natural ability to be faster twice of that of a human being.

[ SELF HEALING ] ; Lycans that are injured, heal faster than a normal person. However, the speed of healing can differ from one rank to the other. Lycans that are in the Omega ranking range are generally the weakest member of any group. Alphas will heal the quickest out of all ranks. Healing can come normally or exceptionally when the lycan changes form to mend broken limbs, even amputated limbs. Any damage from silver or vampire bites will heal humanly slow.

ALPHA ABILITIES

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( the alphas of the group hold a portion of responsibility, that includes
protecting, mentoring, guiding the other members. alphas can often stand in
when a leader is not around. alphas often are the
"second/third in command" holding higher titles,
that are beneath a leader. )[/center]


[ PARTIAL SHIFT ] ; Alphas can partially change without a full shapeshift. The Partial Shift means the lycan can extend claws, fangs, or change any other body part into the animal form without having to go through the entire process.

[ SUMMON ] ; An Alpha ability that allows the shapeshifter to force another of their same species to shapeshift. There is also the possibility, the Alpha if powerful enough, can force others to shapeshift, as well. This is a process that brings the animal to the surface of a less powerful member, this includes betas and omegas, if they are acting outwardly or if they are injured. This can also be used in a challenge between to lycanthropes, that want to prove who is the more powerful.

[ LIFT BURDEN ] ; The Alphas have the beginning ability to soothe another's beast of their own specie of lycan. If a weaker member has come under stress or emotional turmoil, this gives the Alpha the ability to calm that member into a small form of "submission." If the weak member, which includes Betas and Omegas, are in their animal form, the Alpha can force them back into being human.

[ DEMAND LOYALTY ] ; Alphas now can demand a weaker member, including Betas and Omegas to loyalty. The Alphas, directly underneath the Titled lycan, carries certain responsibilities that include leading, guiding, mentoring, and protecting the other members. If a member acts out against the group, in the absense of a leader, the Alpha can step in and take certain matters into their own hands in place of the leader.

[ SWIFT SHIFT (HUMAN) ] ; This is the follow up to the power Swift Shift (Beast) that gives the Alpha the ability to quickly change from one form to another, without potentially reaching an exhaustion point and collapsing. The Alpha can go from human to animal form, and back to human form without much of the pain involved, and without lacking energy.

TITLED ABILITIES

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( only 1-2 titled shapeshifters can be present in a group. even while the alpha ascends to a "title" ranking member of the group, they will still be considered only alpha, if there is a leader already present. most often, through in-character play, the alpha can challenge the leader. titled does not automatically make a lycan the head of any group, it means simply they have that capability. ) [/center]



[ SILENCE ] ; Silence is the opposite of Summon, where it allows the leader to calm and soothe another's beast of their own species. If powerful enough, the leader can also calm others of a different race. This silencing enables the leader to bring settle lycans down if they are stressed or riled. If the lycan is in their animal form, the leader can force them back to being human.

[ PARTIAL SILVER IMMUNITY ] ; Powerful dominant lycans who have been lycans for years, have been known to gain a small partial immunity against silver. They tend to heal quicker with silver-inflicted wounds.

[ DIVINE CONTROL ] ; The Titled, or the Leader, of the specific group have the incredible control over their beast. This gives the lycan the dominant ability to control and manage the community of their own beast. This provides them the easy transition from animal to human form without pain, without collapsing, or having to feed immediately afterward.

[ GOD'S RIGHT HAND ] ; Lycans at this point are very powerful and the power coming from them alerts shapeshifters they are near of their presence. The aura of the lycan leader is just a tad bit shinier and brighter than that of one in not a leadership role.

[ SHIELD THE CALL ] ; Shield the Call is the hightest form of shielding against any outside source. The dominant leader of any group can ignore a vampire's call, this also includes keeping the entire group in the shield, as well; this prevents the master vampire's call in being effective. Dominants with Shield the Call cannot be forced into a shift.

[ CORRELATION ] ; A very powerful dominant lycanthrope is known to have complete conversion with their beast. At times, when the human and beast side blend together, the characteristics tend to surface when the leader is in either form. This is a kind of social interaction with the animal. This is a very powerful connection, one that can never be broken.

LEOPARD RACIAL ABILITIES

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[ CARPE DIEM ] ; Leopards are one of those predators that perfer to stalk-and-ambush their prey rather than give chase. Carpe Diem is a skill all leopards are equipped with, and can use to their advantage when stalking prey or someone in particular. Leopards are known to be very silent in the throes of a hunt, and attack at the very last second, snatching the prey by the throat or by any other means to take their victim down.


[ CAPTIVATE ] ; Leopards have different sets of vocal cries, both in shifted form and in their human form. These various growls have been recorded to have different meanings, and have different effects on their focused target. Certain growls, purrs, and roars can stimulate a variety of emotions within an enemy, a friend, and acquaintances. The higher in rank a Leopard is, the better they can use these vocal sounds to sway and manipulate someone else's opinion.


[ ACROBATIC ] ; The signature attribute to a Leopard, is there incredible ability to climb. Leopards in the wild spend the majority of their time in the trees, sleeping or eating, hiding their prey in the branches where other predators cannot get it. The agile Leopard uses this skill, which enables them to jump 20-45 ft effortlessly in either human or Leopard form. Leopards might be small, but they are also agile, and powerful swimmers. They can also haul prey twice their size as they scale the tree.


[ ANASE ] ; Like all shapeshifters, one of the most important needs is the quality of touch and contact. It is a casual touch, not always seen as sexual. Leopards are well-known to sleep in groups rather than independently. Betas and Alphas who carry the skill of Anase, can project a sense of calm and serenity through their touch. This can even be prevalent when Leopards come in contact with other lycanthropes and vampires, and especially vampires who call Leopards. Anase, or the comforting touch, can be the simplest of gestures, such as a hug, holding hands, or a rub of cheek against cheek.


[ MASTER OF SURVIVAL ] ; Alpha Leopards with this ability have become known as opportunistic hunters. They are elusive, agile, stealthy; an all around master of what they do best. It gives off a slight err that surrounds them, making the Alpha Leopard a commanding presence. Alphas who achieve this skill are more than capable of taking care of themselves, and those that are weaker than them. They can offer protection to Omegas, and take any challenges that befall the Omega or Beta, and fight for them. *ALPHA POWER ONLY


[ ALTER EGO ] ; Alter Ego comes from the African legend or ritual, where men in a Tribe perform rituals of wearing Leopard skins that offer them the strength of the large cat. This same tradition can hold true, as Alpha Leopards are able to efficiently project strength onto a human, or offer strength to another lycan in a time of need. There is some speculation, that Alphas who possess this skill are even able to transfer it onto a vampire, and depending on the age and power of the vampire, can increase their power structure temporarily. This power administered to anyone is temporarily, lasting for minutes to hours, per the exposure the Leopard wishes to share. The more the Leopard deals out, the weaker they potentially become. *ALPHA POWER ONLY


[ TABULA RASA ] ; Tabula Rasa is found in Leopard who have ascended to the Titled position in the Pard. This skill enables the Leopard to staring at a fixated target and influencing a type of silence over them. This silence is roughly what a lycan uses to project a certain ebb around them, the Titled Leopard can qualm this feeling and/or projection that is being forced upon them. Tabula Rasa also becomes the natural ability that commands respect for the Leopard, this essence rolls off their body in a non-evasive manner. The only ones that are uneffected by Tabula Rasa are other lycan leaders and master vampires. Younger vampires and different lycan Alpha/Betas are easily susceptible to this.
*TITLED POWER ONLY