The Stolen Herd

In a quiet place in the middle of nowhere, two herds reside. A harmonious relationship between them, ruled by two stallions who are well-known to one another. The herds spend time together, play together, graze together. The lead mares were like sisters, the lead stallions perhaps even closer--often backing each other up in fights, or sending herd stallions to round up run-away foals from both sides.

And then life decided that harmony wasn't an option.

A stranger stallion, large and brutish, chose the smaller of the two lead stallions and fought him. The stranger won, sending the lead and whatever herd stallions he had away. The stranger, then, did a most horrendous thing. He killed the foals of the herd, and removed all ranks except herd mares and the lead stallion. There is no more lead mare, there are no more yearlings nor foals. The life that the herd had known and loved was gone.

The stallions that had been sent away managed to make their way to the other herd, the lead being battered and bruised. They were welcomed into their neighboring herd with open arms, and a promise of protection. It was then that they found out that the stranger was moving the stolen herd away. Through plains, forests, canyons--any terrain you can think of, the stolen herd would travel. In its wake, an influx of bachelor and lone stallions was forcing the other herd to move, too.

Travelling through treacherous terrain, challenges beyond their imagination, predators wishing to make a snack out of them, exhaustion, anxiety and the added stress of having to fight of stranger stallions at every turn, life has turned into a game of luck.

Now, the question is, will they follow the stolen herd and risk a game of all-or-nothing, or go the opposite way and abandon the mares they had grown to love like family?

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My co-owners of this RP are Imperial Sands and Tenebris Umbra! They hold the same amount of authority as I do, and are to be treated as such!

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Rules

Explanation of Roles

Lead Stallion

The male leader of the herd--he defends it against outside threats of other stallions, and chases away other stallions as well as predatory threats. The foals of the herd may be his, or that of a herd stallion. His main responsability is the safety of the herd, making sure there are no dangers in the area and eliminating the threat if there is one. He is often brutish, or capable of defending the herd against outside attackers. The leads are not mates, as he often impregnates multiple mares in the herd.

Former Lead Stallion

The Previous Lead Stallion of the stolen herd--a relative or foal-hood friend of the lead stallion. If the Lead Stallion and this stallion decide it, they may have a conjoined leadership, or he may be treated as a second-in-charge of the stallions. His roles are generally the same as the Lead Stallion, even if he is injured.

New Lead Stallion

This is a large, brutish stallion who fought visciously to gain control over the Stolen Herd. He will have injuries, but not as many as the previous lead stallion. He will, preferably, be domineering and purely wish to carry on his bloodline, having little care for the mares at first. His other duties/roles are a mixture of the lead mare and the lead stallion.

Lead Mare

Generally called the true leader of the herd, this mare has complete control over the mares, perhaps even more control over them than the Lead Stallion. She directs them, usually leading them to new areas. She settles disputes between mares and foals, aiding the Lead Stallion in correcting behaviour.

Former Lead Mare

This is the former lead mare of the Stolen Herd. She will have some form of control over the mares, and be the unspoken leader of them, but her rank and control will not be recognized as an existing thing by the new lead stallion. To him, she will just be another snarky herd mare. She will still settle disputes and correct some behaviour before the new lead stallion notices it, but she will no longer have the ability to lead them. Some herd mares may take this chance to undermine her and her now unofficial authority.

Lieutenant

The Lieutenant is the current second in command for the Naxar Herd. He exists to even out fights if it looks like it will be two against one, and to carry out the Lead Stallion's orders to the stallions. He is to be listened to, and the only ones that can overrule his words are the Lead Mare and the Lead Stallion. He often is related or has an extensive history with the Lead Stallion, or has expressed himself to be trustworthy enough to be chosen for the Lieutenant position. This position cannot be challenged for, as it is chosen by the Lead Stallion.

Former Lieutenant

The Former Lieutenant is the stallion that is the second in command to the Previous Lead Stallion, and lost his position when he was chased out of the herd. He may end up as a normal herd stallion, or he may end up on a level playing field with the current Lieutenant if the two Lead Stallions decide to lead together.

Deputy Mare

This mare acts as a second in command to the Lead Mare. She is not the Lead Mare's successor, but she is the one who helps the Lead Mare in leading the mares. She is to be listened to, just as the Lieutenant and the two leads are. This position cannot be challenged for, as it is chosen by the Lead Mare.

Former Deputy Mare

This mare is still in the Stolen Herd, and has no official rank or power, but she is still influental, just as the Former Lead Mare is. The New Lead Stallion does not acknowledge her as having a rank, but among the mares, she may be widely considered their deputy still. Some herd mares may take this chance to undermine her and her now unofficial authority.

The adult stallions who are in a lesser rank than the Lead Stallion and Lieutenant. They aid in protecting the herd from outside threats such as predators, or chasing away stallions attempting to steal some mares. Challenges for power over the herd are generally left to the Lead Stallion and Lieutenant, but they may stand beside them if the challengers outnumber the two stallions.

These are the adult males that came with the Former Lead Stallion from the Stolen Herd. They were welcomed into society, but may have sustained injuries when being chased away from the Stolen Herd. They did not, however, participate in the battle between the Previous Lead Stallion and the New Lead Stallion.

Herd Mares

They make up the bulk of both herds. Their main duties are to birth and raise foals, and do everything they can to keep them safe and alive. They listen to the lead mare, or the former lead mare, and often have an unspoken hierarchy between them.

Yearlings

They are too old to be foals, but too young to be considered a functioning member of the herd. They are between the ages of one and two years old, and once they become two years old, they join the adults in their ranks, or, in the case of colts that are too much to handle, they get chased out.

Foals

The young of the herd--to be protected at all costs, and are the most recent offspring. The herd will have foals and yearlings of various ages within their age groups.

Bachelor Stallions

Stallions that are not part of the herd. They might try and contest for the lead position, or simply steal some mares from underneath the Lead Stallions nose. They may stay in their vacant grazing grounds, or trail either herd in hope of stealing some mares.

Bachelor Bands

A group, typically small, of stallions that have come together to further protect themselves from outside threats such as predators. They rarely, if at all, fight a Lead Stallion together or rule a herd together.

The Roles are require a RP Sample are:

Lead Stallion, Previous Lead Stallion, Lieutenant, Former Lieutenant, New Lead Stallion, Lead Mare, Deputy Mare, Former Lead Mare, Former Deputy Mare

The Stolen Herd

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Anaru is a stallion who demands respect, even with his gentle behaviour. He may be calm and kind, but if you don't give him the respect he knows that he deserves, he'll make you give him that respect. This won't be violent, but he'll have a way of proving to you that he deserves that respect. He's not overly ambitious or stubborn, his biggest ambition is to protect his herd and sire more children and his opinion tends to be easily swayed if you can give him proper reasoning, but he is one that, if he's very serious about a decision, he's not going to be easily swayed from that decision.

Just because he is gentle and kind doesn't mean that Anaru isn't an intelligent creature. He knows how to make words sting, even if he rarely does it, and he knows when others are trying to make their words sting, even if he doesn't show if they've met their mark or not. He knows when enough is enough, and can even be a bit forceful when he tells someone that they've done enough of whatever they're doing. He's not dumb--he's a good leader, and he's not the pushover that he might present himself as.

After that, she'll just refer them to their father. He can deal with it, too.