Post by leda / carolina on Jun 5, 2019 18:06:48 GMT
This is the basic information for RPing as an El Estrago. Should you want to continue reading their other lore threads, that's simply up to you. You may notice El Estrago has less information/lore threads available, this is because they are new and some of their lore is being created by your own role play sessions. Los Sabuesos may be mentioned in this thread a few times to provide background and a good contrast on differences between the two.
El Estrago is a younger pack, less than a year old, that formed over various disputes arising in Los Sabuesos. Many dogs believed there was a weakness growing in Los Sabuesos that would get them killed. The final straw that lead to it's formation, however, was the Sabuesos' shared distrust and sometimes even hatred for wolf-dogs and coy-dogs. A wolf-dog known as Aster had a call to arms and a small group of wolf-dogs, coy-dogs, and any mutts who shared their ideals gathered and they were exiled by Los Sabuesos to Rabid Ridge.
El Estrago isn't vastly different than Los Sabuesos, but they believe that all pack members must be the strongest, even if it's in their own special way. Strong for a great dane may be killing coyotes who get too close. Strong for a chihuahua with three legs may be bringing mice back for pups or guarding the den entrance... it doesn't matter what an Estrago does, as long as their will to survive remains in tact, and their willingness to follow the new code.
Imagine a family dynamic, generally a caring one, but imagine that any disgrace or rulebreaking in the family could result in being killed. That is El Estrago. Desperate to survive, El Estrago does not exile; they believe wanderers with Estrago ties are a threat to Estrago future, and so those who scorn, betray, or fail to serve the pack are swiftly killed... one can only hope they can run fast enough to survive. Fortunately, the pack is young, and hasn't had to do anything rash as of late...
The pack clings to a pecking order in the same way Los Sabuesos does, and they can be more brutal about it; Los Sabuesos doesn't permit bloodshed outside of the corral, whereas El Estrago allows dominance challenges to happen anywhere, at any time, as long as they don't compromise a hunt or something of the sort. They believe this helps in maintaining the order of the pack, and truthfully, it does.
Several dogs in El Estrago may have some prejudice against smaller dogs, thinking things like "A useless mouth to feed," "Why are they here? I thought we were supposed to be stronger." Regardless, the pack, especially it's founders, allow any dog who is willing to complete their trials and learn of pack way. They believe that trials will weed out the weakness in a dog, and if it still shines through after that, then they can act accordingly.
They are similar to their mother pack of Los Sabuesos, but they go more into their will to survive and their want to be only the strongest. This want has lead them to form two more rather rash behaviors, that are also enforced because of the pack's new law.
For one, a mother may not have more than two pups at a time. She may have multiple litters, but her previous litter must be serving the pack before she can have another litter. Any other pups in a litter are abandoned far away, and some pups have to be forcibly taken from the mother. If a pup somehow survives, he or she may come back to the pack, but this hasn't and likely never will happen as they're dropped off when they're merely hours old.
Their second rash behavior, the pack is not Los Sabuesos in the way they are disgusted with half-breeds and wild canines. Rather, they welcome and even encourage the mixing of wolf or coyote blood with dog. The goal? To create a stronger dog, a true Estrago.
Lastly, it's worth noting that the pack does in fact believe in the stories of El Viejo (el vee ay ho); this was a great hunting hound who was betrayed by lobos and his own Upwalkers (humans) alike. He was forced to wonder the desert alone, but he persevered and created a means of life that all dogs still follow today. He gathered other dogs by wandering further into the nearest civilization, and he convinced several strays to come with him. Some didn't stay, but they spread his stories and tales, helping the pack greatly in it's expanding... El Estrago looks up to his legends just as Los Sabuesos does, but they believe only an Estrago can truly walk with El Viejo in death, only an Estrago truly follows the pawsteps of El Viejo.
So, the pack is a family, but one of occasional chaos and questionable decisions. In order to truly be an Estrago, you don't need wolf or coyote blood, but only an understanding of what they stand for; to survive and thrive as the great El Viejo once intended, and to do so through any means possible.
The pack holds a leader rank with a second in command serving the leader. The Second takes the rank if the leader suddenly dies, leaves, or is ill or injured. Despite there being a second who can take the leader rank, the leader rank can still always be challenged for, and having the second in command rank doesn't really guarantee one that they are next in line.
Like Los Sabuesos, there is a simple rank system. They do hold more titles, but the pack mostly depends on the previously mentioned pecking order and established dominance to determine who resides in what place among the pack.
We'll start with the starting rank, a tenderfoot as many call it, or a trainee. As soon as a pup is weaned and can eat meat, they are given a mentor to teach them ways of pack life and how to survive. The mentor has an important job; not only must they teach this dog, but it is like their pup. They are responsible for their well being and future, how they train, and they're responsible with giving them an appropriate trial.
A trainee can also be a new dog of any age. All tenderfoots train for at least one year.
On their sixth moon of training, a mentor will assign a tenderfoot their first trial. The trial is a test of strength or will, and usually simple. It can vary between mentors; a test where the young one must take a bone from the cougar's cave without being attacked. A test where the young or new one must compete in a river fight with another trainee. Mentors organize trials and some are more brutal about it.
After the completion of their first trial, a dog is given their ranking. Some are less than a year old when they get their rank, in fact most are. Their skill demonstrated in the trial determines their place, bringing us to our two ranks in the pack;
A scout. Every young dog dreams about running with the scouts. The scouts hunt, and are often away from camp from dusk until dawn. Soldiers, hunters, the skilled.
And a den-guard. Most dogs don't want to be a den-guard. Plenty don't mind it, but it's not necessarily the dream of a pup to be guarding dens, changing nests, or watching pups. Regardless, a den-guard is still extremely important because watching over camp is needed. In times of food shortage or predator overpopulation they can still leave camp to hunt.
They will continue training, but when not training, they now have a duty to do, a rank to fulfill and learn in on the side. Most aren't good at it at first, many scouts especially grow annoyed with new trainees entering their hunts and patrols. But everyones gotta learn their place.
After another six moons, it is time for their Prueba (proo-ay-bah), their second and final trial. It will be harder than the last, and their mentor must brainstorm or organize it. Maybe they must defeat their mentor in a fight, maybe they must lead a small hunting party to take down larger game, maybe they must defend the border for a full day. Different trials are given to different dogs; a small dog may not be given the test of fighting their large mentor or defending the border all alone. Maybe they just need to hunt a certain amount of small prey or try to take down a young javelina alone, or to fight a dog slightly bigger than them. Difficulty on trials varies between dogs and mentors, as long as all demonstrate they have strength and use to their pack.
They don't up a rank, but they have proved themselves now. Some dogs can get out of their den-guard rank to be a scout if they do well, while some scouts may fail and be forced to be a den-guard forever... but hey, it's still a vital rank in the pack's function!
The pack's mark of passing one's trials/Prueba is a third to a half of their ear bitten off. Once their trials are completed, the dog must come to the leader and tell them they are ready, and the leader will then give them the mark of El Estrago, a bitten ear.
The last rank may be an Elder, who remains in the mines and may give advice to their pack members and help watch pups. If one even manages to make it to old age, it is celebrated, and they are looked up to.
So you see, the pack has few rankings; the leader, the second, the elders, the scout, the den-guard, and the tenderfoot. All of them are important. But if you fail to fulfill your place in the pack, remember what the Estrago does to those who don't provide or serve their pack as El Viejo intended...
The rankings are also described here, if you want to read each individual description.
With no where else to go, the pack was forced to settle in the long-feared Rabid Ridge. To the dwellers of Rabid Ridge such as the pack of lobos, it is often called Red Ridge instead. The name was coined by Los Sabuesos after it was believed the territory is riddled with rabid coyotes and other animals. To some extent, this is true. Rabies is prevalent in the area, but not to a point that it's inhabitable.
It's a far larger territory, with a great river running through it. Only those of strong immune systems can drink the water for extended time periods, surviving in this area takes adaption and perseverance, something El Estrago prides themselves on having a lot of.
Larger game runs in the territory, but there are still mice and hares to be had. Rabid Ridge is a difficult land to raise a pack in, but El Estrago sees this as just another test of their skill, another trial to overcome for greatness.
Long ago, Los Sabuesos sent out a scout party to look for more land. The scout party was attacked by rabid coyotes, and so they became infected. When they tried to return to Los Sabuesos, they were exiled. They went back to the territory of Rabid Ridge as a small lonesome group, deciding to find shelter while they figured out a course of action. They settled in an abandoned mine at the end of the Rabid Ridge territories. In the early morning, one of the members went out to look for food. They found themselves quite far, near the Station. A family of Upwalkers was there, taking a short stop after a long trip most likely. The dog's hunger grew, and he attempted to attack one of the children... the Upwalkers fled, but called animal control immediately, who sought to track the dogs. Fearful of rabies spreading in the desert population, they were determined, and cornered all of the dogs in the mine. The dogs starved, and grew weary. The upwalkers left poisoned treats outside of the mine, that the dogs so desperately ate. One by one, each dog died in the mine that day. They didn't die as great Sabuesos explorers and defenders, they died as lonesome rabid mutts, perishing on the cold mine floor alone...
The mine is known as Dead Dog's Mine for this horrendous tale told to scare young pups into bed. Even to Upwalkers, this mine holds the same name. No one is sure if it's true or not, but you can probably judge it's legitimacy by the bones sprawled out throughout the mine. Present day, El Estrago lives in this mine and defends it with their life, some unknowing of the horrors that lay in the rubble, and some knowing but not caring for them.
Flanks are used in both Los Sabuesos and El Estrago tradition. A flank is a battle to settle a dispute or establish dominance between a pair struggling to find even ground. The fight ends when a dog gives in and submits to the other, or when one is no longer to fight (unconscious or even dead). Flanks also decide who is the leader, and it establishes the previously mentioned pecking order in the pack. A dog can be challenged at any time, but if they are fearful of being beaten to death, they're welcome to immediately give in or submit; their opponent may not touch them after their submission.
However, El Estrago flanks are different from Los Sabuesos in one way. Los Sabuesos has theirs quite regulated, allowing them to only take place in a certain area. El Estrago however, allows pack members to seek challenge at any given time as long as it doesn't interfere with an assigned duty or a hunt. If you get in a scrap with your patrol partner after a hunt, then so be it; the law will not hurt you. The issue with this is, if one so desired they could kill a pack member and simply say they lost a flank... but El Estrago pays no mind to such a possibility.
OOC note: interested in flanking other estrago's? See the 'flanks' channel in the discord and read pinned messages, and/or see this thread on flanks.
***
"Welcome to Rabid Ridge. If yer lookin' to be vulture prey you should head back on to the highway where Sabuesos can find ya. I'm 'fraid ya came too far. But... you look like a strong one, eh? If ya want to know what it's like to be a true hound, a true survivor, maybe you can come with us. The coyotes will be out soon anyways, let's hurry on to camp..."
El Estrago is a younger pack, less than a year old, that formed over various disputes arising in Los Sabuesos. Many dogs believed there was a weakness growing in Los Sabuesos that would get them killed. The final straw that lead to it's formation, however, was the Sabuesos' shared distrust and sometimes even hatred for wolf-dogs and coy-dogs. A wolf-dog known as Aster had a call to arms and a small group of wolf-dogs, coy-dogs, and any mutts who shared their ideals gathered and they were exiled by Los Sabuesos to Rabid Ridge.
El Estrago isn't vastly different than Los Sabuesos, but they believe that all pack members must be the strongest, even if it's in their own special way. Strong for a great dane may be killing coyotes who get too close. Strong for a chihuahua with three legs may be bringing mice back for pups or guarding the den entrance... it doesn't matter what an Estrago does, as long as their will to survive remains in tact, and their willingness to follow the new code.
GENERAL BEHAVIORS / INTRODUCTORY NOTES
Imagine a family dynamic, generally a caring one, but imagine that any disgrace or rulebreaking in the family could result in being killed. That is El Estrago. Desperate to survive, El Estrago does not exile; they believe wanderers with Estrago ties are a threat to Estrago future, and so those who scorn, betray, or fail to serve the pack are swiftly killed... one can only hope they can run fast enough to survive. Fortunately, the pack is young, and hasn't had to do anything rash as of late...
The pack clings to a pecking order in the same way Los Sabuesos does, and they can be more brutal about it; Los Sabuesos doesn't permit bloodshed outside of the corral, whereas El Estrago allows dominance challenges to happen anywhere, at any time, as long as they don't compromise a hunt or something of the sort. They believe this helps in maintaining the order of the pack, and truthfully, it does.
Several dogs in El Estrago may have some prejudice against smaller dogs, thinking things like "A useless mouth to feed," "Why are they here? I thought we were supposed to be stronger." Regardless, the pack, especially it's founders, allow any dog who is willing to complete their trials and learn of pack way. They believe that trials will weed out the weakness in a dog, and if it still shines through after that, then they can act accordingly.
They are similar to their mother pack of Los Sabuesos, but they go more into their will to survive and their want to be only the strongest. This want has lead them to form two more rather rash behaviors, that are also enforced because of the pack's new law.
For one, a mother may not have more than two pups at a time. She may have multiple litters, but her previous litter must be serving the pack before she can have another litter. Any other pups in a litter are abandoned far away, and some pups have to be forcibly taken from the mother. If a pup somehow survives, he or she may come back to the pack, but this hasn't and likely never will happen as they're dropped off when they're merely hours old.
Their second rash behavior, the pack is not Los Sabuesos in the way they are disgusted with half-breeds and wild canines. Rather, they welcome and even encourage the mixing of wolf or coyote blood with dog. The goal? To create a stronger dog, a true Estrago.
Lastly, it's worth noting that the pack does in fact believe in the stories of El Viejo (el vee ay ho); this was a great hunting hound who was betrayed by lobos and his own Upwalkers (humans) alike. He was forced to wonder the desert alone, but he persevered and created a means of life that all dogs still follow today. He gathered other dogs by wandering further into the nearest civilization, and he convinced several strays to come with him. Some didn't stay, but they spread his stories and tales, helping the pack greatly in it's expanding... El Estrago looks up to his legends just as Los Sabuesos does, but they believe only an Estrago can truly walk with El Viejo in death, only an Estrago truly follows the pawsteps of El Viejo.
So, the pack is a family, but one of occasional chaos and questionable decisions. In order to truly be an Estrago, you don't need wolf or coyote blood, but only an understanding of what they stand for; to survive and thrive as the great El Viejo once intended, and to do so through any means possible.
RANKINGS/HIERARCHY
The pack holds a leader rank with a second in command serving the leader. The Second takes the rank if the leader suddenly dies, leaves, or is ill or injured. Despite there being a second who can take the leader rank, the leader rank can still always be challenged for, and having the second in command rank doesn't really guarantee one that they are next in line.
Like Los Sabuesos, there is a simple rank system. They do hold more titles, but the pack mostly depends on the previously mentioned pecking order and established dominance to determine who resides in what place among the pack.
We'll start with the starting rank, a tenderfoot as many call it, or a trainee. As soon as a pup is weaned and can eat meat, they are given a mentor to teach them ways of pack life and how to survive. The mentor has an important job; not only must they teach this dog, but it is like their pup. They are responsible for their well being and future, how they train, and they're responsible with giving them an appropriate trial.
A trainee can also be a new dog of any age. All tenderfoots train for at least one year.
On their sixth moon of training, a mentor will assign a tenderfoot their first trial. The trial is a test of strength or will, and usually simple. It can vary between mentors; a test where the young one must take a bone from the cougar's cave without being attacked. A test where the young or new one must compete in a river fight with another trainee. Mentors organize trials and some are more brutal about it.
After the completion of their first trial, a dog is given their ranking. Some are less than a year old when they get their rank, in fact most are. Their skill demonstrated in the trial determines their place, bringing us to our two ranks in the pack;
A scout. Every young dog dreams about running with the scouts. The scouts hunt, and are often away from camp from dusk until dawn. Soldiers, hunters, the skilled.
And a den-guard. Most dogs don't want to be a den-guard. Plenty don't mind it, but it's not necessarily the dream of a pup to be guarding dens, changing nests, or watching pups. Regardless, a den-guard is still extremely important because watching over camp is needed. In times of food shortage or predator overpopulation they can still leave camp to hunt.
They will continue training, but when not training, they now have a duty to do, a rank to fulfill and learn in on the side. Most aren't good at it at first, many scouts especially grow annoyed with new trainees entering their hunts and patrols. But everyones gotta learn their place.
After another six moons, it is time for their Prueba (proo-ay-bah), their second and final trial. It will be harder than the last, and their mentor must brainstorm or organize it. Maybe they must defeat their mentor in a fight, maybe they must lead a small hunting party to take down larger game, maybe they must defend the border for a full day. Different trials are given to different dogs; a small dog may not be given the test of fighting their large mentor or defending the border all alone. Maybe they just need to hunt a certain amount of small prey or try to take down a young javelina alone, or to fight a dog slightly bigger than them. Difficulty on trials varies between dogs and mentors, as long as all demonstrate they have strength and use to their pack.
They don't up a rank, but they have proved themselves now. Some dogs can get out of their den-guard rank to be a scout if they do well, while some scouts may fail and be forced to be a den-guard forever... but hey, it's still a vital rank in the pack's function!
The pack's mark of passing one's trials/Prueba is a third to a half of their ear bitten off. Once their trials are completed, the dog must come to the leader and tell them they are ready, and the leader will then give them the mark of El Estrago, a bitten ear.
The last rank may be an Elder, who remains in the mines and may give advice to their pack members and help watch pups. If one even manages to make it to old age, it is celebrated, and they are looked up to.
So you see, the pack has few rankings; the leader, the second, the elders, the scout, the den-guard, and the tenderfoot. All of them are important. But if you fail to fulfill your place in the pack, remember what the Estrago does to those who don't provide or serve their pack as El Viejo intended...
The rankings are also described here, if you want to read each individual description.
TERRITORY
With no where else to go, the pack was forced to settle in the long-feared Rabid Ridge. To the dwellers of Rabid Ridge such as the pack of lobos, it is often called Red Ridge instead. The name was coined by Los Sabuesos after it was believed the territory is riddled with rabid coyotes and other animals. To some extent, this is true. Rabies is prevalent in the area, but not to a point that it's inhabitable.
It's a far larger territory, with a great river running through it. Only those of strong immune systems can drink the water for extended time periods, surviving in this area takes adaption and perseverance, something El Estrago prides themselves on having a lot of.
Larger game runs in the territory, but there are still mice and hares to be had. Rabid Ridge is a difficult land to raise a pack in, but El Estrago sees this as just another test of their skill, another trial to overcome for greatness.
CAMP
Long ago, Los Sabuesos sent out a scout party to look for more land. The scout party was attacked by rabid coyotes, and so they became infected. When they tried to return to Los Sabuesos, they were exiled. They went back to the territory of Rabid Ridge as a small lonesome group, deciding to find shelter while they figured out a course of action. They settled in an abandoned mine at the end of the Rabid Ridge territories. In the early morning, one of the members went out to look for food. They found themselves quite far, near the Station. A family of Upwalkers was there, taking a short stop after a long trip most likely. The dog's hunger grew, and he attempted to attack one of the children... the Upwalkers fled, but called animal control immediately, who sought to track the dogs. Fearful of rabies spreading in the desert population, they were determined, and cornered all of the dogs in the mine. The dogs starved, and grew weary. The upwalkers left poisoned treats outside of the mine, that the dogs so desperately ate. One by one, each dog died in the mine that day. They didn't die as great Sabuesos explorers and defenders, they died as lonesome rabid mutts, perishing on the cold mine floor alone...
The mine is known as Dead Dog's Mine for this horrendous tale told to scare young pups into bed. Even to Upwalkers, this mine holds the same name. No one is sure if it's true or not, but you can probably judge it's legitimacy by the bones sprawled out throughout the mine. Present day, El Estrago lives in this mine and defends it with their life, some unknowing of the horrors that lay in the rubble, and some knowing but not caring for them.
FLANKS
Flanks are used in both Los Sabuesos and El Estrago tradition. A flank is a battle to settle a dispute or establish dominance between a pair struggling to find even ground. The fight ends when a dog gives in and submits to the other, or when one is no longer to fight (unconscious or even dead). Flanks also decide who is the leader, and it establishes the previously mentioned pecking order in the pack. A dog can be challenged at any time, but if they are fearful of being beaten to death, they're welcome to immediately give in or submit; their opponent may not touch them after their submission.
However, El Estrago flanks are different from Los Sabuesos in one way. Los Sabuesos has theirs quite regulated, allowing them to only take place in a certain area. El Estrago however, allows pack members to seek challenge at any given time as long as it doesn't interfere with an assigned duty or a hunt. If you get in a scrap with your patrol partner after a hunt, then so be it; the law will not hurt you. The issue with this is, if one so desired they could kill a pack member and simply say they lost a flank... but El Estrago pays no mind to such a possibility.
OOC note: interested in flanking other estrago's? See the 'flanks' channel in the discord and read pinned messages, and/or see this thread on flanks.
NOTABLE TRADITIONS