welcome to your new hell, Welcome to the Menagerie. Or as we like to call it, Dome Sweet Dome! We are an eight-year strong futuristic shapeshifter and sci-fi creature roleplay, dedicated to bringing you a world unlike any other; a world in which your character has become an experiment and must fight for survival in a domed city, cut off from the rest of the world. Choose to be any animal in your fight for survival in an artificial world built by the Keepers as they subject you to experiments beyond your control. Choose to wander the world inside the walls alone, as a Rogue, or find safety in numbers in one of the groups known as Rings. How will you survive?
60 - 65 ºF
blustery with scattered showers spotty sunshine
YEAR 2309
shift bans.
» Cougars (aka Puma, Mountain Lion, Panther)
» All Tiger Species
» All Lion Species
» All Wolf Species
» African Leopards
group bans.
none.
encouraged !
FEMALE CHARACTERS! create a RETRO or ANTHRO and get 250 CP + a free skill! read me for more info!
last updated: april 19th, 2016
Click on each Ring or Retro group image to view their ranks!
GROUP UPDATES
CARNARING
Jocelyn Edelwolfe is the new Alpha! Seija Mulviene is the new Beta, and Grey is the new Delta. Lead Hunter is now Boone Haywood, Head of Border Patrol is now Noelle Ndango!
FALLENRING
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FULSIRING
Fulsi has a standing treaty with the Nakoma, granting limited access to their fresh water.
NAKOMA TRIBE
-
ANALOYA PRIDE
a while back, the Analoya suffered a suspicious poisoning of their river, luckily with few casualties; the Bellator are suspected of having taken part in it, and there are whispers that Pride leader Wanderer is talking alliance with the Nilda for access to their clean water.
BELLATOR HERD
As new leader of the Bellator, Loril has instituted some rank changes. See this thread for more information!
LAWAII FLOCK
no updates!
NILDA PACK
no updates!
CARNARING QUICK STATS
ALPHA -- Jocelyn Edelwolfe, Clouded Leopard, played by IronChild
BETA -- Seija Mulviene, Spotted Hyena, played by Seija-chan
DELTA --Grey, Mackenzie Valley Wolf, played by Kriss
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Dawn’s cool stillness was broken by a figure striding purposefully through the quiet streets. She moved with singleminded intent, long strides covering the distance tirelessly as skyscrapers folded away to simple high rises, and then to dilapidated homes and storefronts. A taller figure shambled along several paces behind her, shivering in the chilly fall air and scowling at the lingering, dusky shadows. Finally, as warm colors of rose and peach leached out of the sky, replaced by crisp, pale blue, Charm came to a halt. She planted her feet on the cracked, weedy pavement, and surveyed the area.
“This will do.” Satisfied, she folded her arms across her chest, and settled in to wait. Jared, who had come up beside her, stared. “Wouldn’t it have done at a reasonable hour, as well?” She turned a mild frown on him. “You know as well as I do that the watch probably changes at dawn, or there will be a patrol.”
“So you’re just going to stand here and wait?”
“Yep.”
Jared sighed, running a hand through his hair, and dropped down to sit at her feet. She would have liked to join him, but Alphas had impressions to make, and sprawling on the ground didn’t make for a good one when trespassing on a rival’s territory, even when as close to the border as they were. Still, after nearly an hour of standing around, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she was reconsidering her decision. Before she could make up her mind, however, an anthromorph appeared.
He was a classic anthro, a tall creature with a humanoid body, completely furred in gray, his face vaguely human, but for the blunt muzzle that replaced his mouth. For a moment she watched him, wondering if he would speak, as Jared rose warily to his feet. When the Nakoma was not forthcoming, only watching them steadily with wolfish eyes, Charm lifted her chin. “I would speak with Zephyr.” He did not respond, other than to stare for a moment more before turning and slipping back into the alley from which he came.
The clear water of the river was refreshing in the cool fall morning as Zephyr splashed it onto her face. She’d been up all night with the patrols, and now that the sun was rising, there was more work to do. Sleep would have to wait! It was grueling work to keep their borders safe all on their own, but the rest of the Nakoma were as dedicated to the tribe as she was, and many more of the anthros shared the dark circles under their eyes that the Chief carried. Those whose faces weren’t covered in fur, of course. The poor souls who had the worst lot in the menagerie. There was no shortage of hatred for anthros in the dome, and those who were fully mutated often took the brunt of the abuse.
As if on cue, she heard pawsteps behind her and turned to see Reginald, a gray wolf anthro approaching.“Ah, Reg! Fancy meeting you here,” She spoke, her smiling lighting up her face and erasing most of the hints that she was bone-tired. “Come to wash up too?” But Reginald shook his head, and pointed back in the direction he’d come from. “Fulsi at the border, a man and woman. She says she wants to speak with you,” He spoke, his voice a strange mixture of animal growls and human tones that Zephyr had grown used to hearing.
Zephyr stood up and remained silent, taking a moment to mull it over. It didn’t seem too dangerous to meet only two Fulsi, but Zephyr knew that they could never be completely trusted. The Fulsi had a long history of doing only what was in their best interest, even flipping alliances on a dime if it meant a little more food or water from someone else. If the Carna had finally gotten to them again, even despite their long-standing grudge, Zephyr knew that she might be walking into a trap. But if that wasn’t the case, and the Fulsi were out looking for allies instead, she could be passing up an opportunity that had the potential to save her tribe. And alliance with such a large Ring would definitely be a game-changer indeed.
“Hm, alright,” She finally agreed, “You’ll accompany me then, Reg. One moment, though.” Zephyr turned to the trickling stream of water in the middle of the riverbed and glanced down at her reflection. It brought out tiny gasp as she realized how horrible she looked, and she quickly ran her clawed fingers through her long white hair, getting rid of most of the tangles and frizz. She turned to her tail then, picking out twigs, leaves, and other small debris that had gotten caught in her fur as it sometimes trailed along the ground. until she finally looked presentable again. “Have to make the right impression, you know!”
With that, she motioned for Reginald to lead the way, and they made their way back out into the district streets. They walked for a few minutes until the duo finally came into sight. Zephyr’s bright green gaze fell upon the woman, who she immediately recognized as the superior of the two. The man looked to be her safeguard, just as Reginald was to her. Zephyr paused a few feet away from the pair, and gave them a soft nod in greeting.“Hello, I am Zephyr Woodwind, leader of the Nakoma tribe. Who, may I ask, are you two, and what would the Fulsi have of me today?” Her words and expression were amiable enough, but she kept her guard up, snow leopard ears often flicking to one side or another, listening for any hidden dangers.
This time, both of them were ready for the sudden appearance of the anthros as they rounded a corner some distance away. Jared immediately growled. “Just the one? If she’s the alpha, and this is her turf, she should have brought an honor guard. Statement of power and all that.” Charm sent him a sharp, silencing look. “Not everyone thinks like you. Relax. Maybe it’s not the alpha, or maybe she’s trying to start off some friendly relations. Shocking, I know, but hey, look who’s talking.” She fell quiet then, gaze turning back to the approaching strangers, appraising the new one.
She had heard whispers and rumors about the anthros’ leader, but had yet to acquire any specific information. The group had formed about the same time that she ousted Adam, and the turn over had created some chaos. It hadn’t helped that Adam had been rather... uncooperative about the whole thing. The man had been stubborn about taking only limited notes or written reports, and hadn’t been willing to share information stored in his head. Most things were relatively common knowledge, at least among the other ringleaders, but he had been highly singleminded about his spies. It made sorting out who was where, who had what cover, and who was doing what a trying, thankless task.
When the woman stopped a few yards away and openly announced not only her name, but her position and the name of the group, the wry thought crossed her mind that she should forget spies and just send an ambassador.
She inclined her head in response. “Charmeia Antoni, alpha of the Fulsi.” There was little point in skirting the topic she had come to address, and the anthro woman had asked, so she forged ahead. “I seek an alliance. Protection in exchange for water rights. Fulsi will fight beside you if you are attacked. However,” she cautioned, lifting a finger, “only if you are attacked first.” It wouldn’t do to let them take advantage of her people to start wars they couldn’t win on their own.
“I will promise not to drain your water supply to the point where your people will go without, and if you want, we can discuss the limits in detail. So many gallons per day, or per week, et cetera.” She paused for a moment to let her consider that, then added, “You should also know that I intend to propose a cessation of hostilities with the Fallen.” As for the Carna, well, she’d work something out. Either way, they would be staying the hell off her land. If reason didn’t work, she’d beat them bloody until they got the point.
ooc; gah, lots of dialogue. not much choice, though XD
Zephyr did her best to control her expression when the woman revealed that she was the Fulsi’s new Alpha; So, they’d gotten rid of that crazy little Frenchman after all! Zephyr had most definitely ruled him out of any alliance possibilities from the start. She’d kept track of the Ring’s activities while she’d been rogue, trying to get the Nakoma together, and he had made it perfectly clear that there was something seriously unstable about him.
But this was great news! Her face lit up with excitement at the prospects before her now that Charm was leading them. Of course, she still had her reservations. This woman was still a Fulsi, and Zephyr feared that she might follow in the footsteps of her predecessors. Adam would be the worst case of course, but she also feared another leader like Legend. True, the Fulsi Alpha had sided with her and tried to save her Bestia group, but it was his sudden flip on the Carna that had worried her. Though it had been to her advantage, she knew that it would have been just as easy for him to flip sides again and leave her totally vulnerable.
The threat still lingered, but Charm didn’t seem to be asking for too much. It was a chance Zephyr was willing to take. “You make an interesting offer,” She began, as not to sound over-excited about the prospect of protection from the largest Ring in the Menagerie. She didn’t want to seem desperate of course, though that was really the case. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, not even Ptah, but they had been losing Tribemembers to the Carna and bands of Rogues for months now. It would help tremendously to have the nearby Ring on call in case of a major raid.
“It sounds fair to me. The Nakoma Tribe has enough water to share. You are welcome to fetch some from our riverbed, but of course, I won’t have your patrols wandering around my territory whenever and wherever they’d like,” She added. “Perhaps I could map out an appropriate route with you, Charm. Would you like to come and see the river, and talk more on the way?” the Chief offered, motioning in the direction she’d come from. Their forming alliance was still new and shaky, but Zephyr hoped they could cement some sort of trust by showing the leader through her territory, to the resource she desired.
“Come, this way would be the most direct route for your Fulsi to take,” She motioned for Charm and her escort to follow, a sincere smile on her face. “Shall we, Reginald?” The wolf-anthro turned and followed, as silent as usual. It must have seemed strange to the Fulsi, to call such a mutated creature by such a normal, unfitting name, but Zephyr hoped that this alliance would be the start of a new attitude toward her people. After all, that’s what they were! Not monsters and abominations as some of the shifters believed.
“As for the Fallen, I think that’s a marvelous idea! Alpha Skye has always been a friend to the Anthros, and I hope that the three of us can help all of our people grow stronger together.”
[/b]
Ooc: hope that’s alright! 8D I didn’t think Charm would have too much of a problem following into her territory?? Lemme know if I have to edit, Rumor!
Pleased with the response, she nodded her agreement with the anthro’s statement - it was, of course, reasonable that her people would go straight to the river and back, without any detours. At the offer to show them the route, she inclined her head. “That is considerate of you, thank you.” As she fell in beside Zephyr, a low, distressed whine sounded behind her, and Jared caught the back of her shirt. She could feel his anxiety like a pressure on the back of her neck - he trusted strangers about as far as he could throw them, anthros or not, but he was risking offense to their hosts. They might misconstrue his paranoia. “Jared.” If they wanted to ambush them, they could do it at any time. Wandering deeper into their territory wouldn’t make any difference.
He clearly understood her tone, because he sighed, but released her shirt and fell in line, trailing behind her. In response to Zephyr’s comment, she added, “It’s not like we don’t have enough problems, without fighting amongst ourselves.” She hesitated, then continued, a hint of regret coloring her tone. “Speaking of which, you must realize that not all of mine will be happy with this decision. You have my word that they will behave, and we will be cautious in choosing those who will fetch the water, but we should be prepared for some tension.”
On some level, it was tempting to say that there might be those who would disobey her. But that was not what leaders did. Either they could control those under their command, or they couldn’t. Announcing to a rival - even an allied one - that there might be rebellion in your territory was never a good idea, even though most leaders were familiar with minor opposition and misbehavior. She had to trust that Zephyr was realize that no rule was absolute, and that she, in turn, would trust that Charm would deal with her in good faith. And the reverse had to hold true, because no doubt there were anthros who had a grudge against shifters.
“We have been working to reduce the prejudice against your kind, but you know how stubborn people can be. To be blunt? Anthromorphs represent the cruelty and power of the Keepers, and that scares the hell out of them, even if they don’t realize it.” She cast a long look at the other woman out of the corner of her eye. Until today, she had never met an anthro in person. They had been shifters once, like the rest of them. It was bad luck that had landed them in the Keeper’s experiments, and they had been ostracized because of it.
ooc; sorry, I ttly didn't realize that you'd posted -dies-
Zephyr’s feline ears flicked in Jared’s direction at his whine, and though she didn’t shoot a glance in his direction, she knew it was obvious that she’d heard him. She took no offense from it, realizing that there was a lot of trust involved, following her deep into the heart of her territory, where the Fulsi would be severely outnumbered and out of place. They had only known each other for a few minutes, but Zephyr trusted Charm as a leader to ease her anxious Ringmembers, just as she trusted that Zephyr would keep her tribemates in check when patrols would come to fetch water. When Charm did respond, Zephyr nodded and continued on her way, the two Fulsi and Reginald in tow.
The single story houses that lined the streets were all part of the same neighborhood, built to the same model, and there were few landmarks to distinguish them. “The streets and alleys here can sometimes be confusing,” She began, before she remembered the Fulsi’s city territory. No doubt they were used to many places looking exactly the same. “I’m sure it won’t be much trouble, but we can mark the path for your scouts at first if you’d like,”
[/b]Zephyr added, hoping not to offend.
As they walked through the deserted neighborhood, Zephyr listened to Charm and nodded, considering. “I understand. There are those among my group who will not be pleased either, but we as leaders must help them see why this is the best decision for us all. I appreciate and trust your judgment when picking your patrols, Charm. And you can rest assured that any Nakoma who shows any considerable backlash toward our agreement will be under strict surveillance when your Fulsi are here.” [/b]There was no way Zephyr would risk an incident, not now when they were finally being seen as equals. She hoped more than anything that there wouldn’t even be the threat of an incident. Some anthros were bitter and jealous of shifters, but most remembered what it was like to be them, and knew best of all that they were not that different really.
“Ah, yes, the Keepers. That is what I believe as well,”[/b] Zephyr answered. “I only wish that they would see that we’re still the brothers and sisters and friends that they knew as shifters. Some do, but some are so blinded by the fear that they just can’t. Even we’re scared sometimes, seeing the extent of what they can do, but we all must realize that fearing them just gives them more power over us.” Zephyr reached out and placed a hand on Reginald’s shoulder, and the wolf anthro gave her a pointy-toothed smile. Full anthros like him often faced the most abuse and discrimination, sometimes even at the hands of other anthros.
They continued walking until the houses disappeared behind them, and the patchy asphalt turned to concrete. In front of them, the concrete sloped down to a shallow river, which flowed only a couple feet deep. The walls were covered in centuries old graffiti, with a few new additions from the Nakoma. “Here we are! Now watch your step.” Zephyr walked down the steep slope with ease, her long tail extended out behind her for balance. Reginald had a slower time of it, carefully picking his way down the slope.
“The river is usually about this high, but please tell your scouts to be careful after storms, when there could be flash flooding.”
ooc: Rumor is a beautiful and patient creature. ;A;
Charm nodded thoughtfully as they walked along. They could certainly mark the trail, but it might be beneficial to encourage some direct interaction. It would help reduce the prejudice, and it would likely make everyone more comfortable. The Fulsi wouldn’t have to worry if they were being watched without their knowledge, and the Nakoma wouldn’t have to worry over where the Fulsi were or what they were up to. “Perhaps would could agree on a set time, say, twice a week? I could send a couple omegas, with a small guard, and one or two of your people could meet them to escort them to the river.”
She cast a sideways look at the anthro. “Would you be amendable with me sending a bird shifter along with the group?” The flat expanse of housing made it difficult to see out any distance from the ground, and made a person vulnerable to ambush, either from the Nakoma or invaders, such as the Carna. Having eyes above would greatly reduce that risk, but it would also make it easier to watch the activities of the Nakoma, if that was their intention. It was up to Zephyr, really. Charm wasn’t going to let such a thing prevent her from establishing the alliance, it was simply a question as to what the other leader was comfortable with.
Upon reaching the river, she and Jared half slid, half scrambled down after the two anthros. They would have to devise an easier system for fetching the water. Perhaps something semipermanent, that they could leave in place for the Nakoma to use as well, as a gesture of good faith. She’d have Tarrik discuss possibilities with the omegas.
Crouching beside the water, Charm dipped her fingers in. The water was gritty, but didn’t appear to have algae and other live growth in it. The current seemed to keep it sanitary, if not clean. That wasn’t a problem, considering they had to filter most of their water anyway. The rainwater they collected was about the only source they had that was safe to drink straight.
“I’ll make sure to pass on the warning,” she assured, straightening to shake water from her fingertips. “This is a valuable resource you have, but the access is a little hazardous. If you like, we could help you build something to make it a little more user friendly,” she offered. She had some skilled engineers in her ring, and if they came up short on ideas, she could always pick the brain of her very special German friend.
ooc; we both fail so hard at the prompt posting /death XD
