Caterre

 
 

Herd Information

Laws

These are laws set forth by the Father of Fire. To oppose these laws is treason, and is punishable to the fullest extent of his imagination. 1. The Herd comes before all others. 2. Fawns are to join one of the three training ranks at the age of six months. At the age of two years, they will either decide to stay in their chosen house or return to the House of Souls. 3. Members new to the herd are granted two months to decide which house they will join. They may also decide to stay within the House of Souls. 4. Any challenges held during Mating Season are to be non-lethal. Any fatalities brought about due to these challenges are considered a severe act of treason in accordance with Law 5. 5. No member of Caterre is to kill another member of the Herd. This is the most egregious act of treason known to the deer of Caterre and is punishable by death.

Constellations

These are our beliefs, our mothers, our fathers, our birthright... Our gods. The Constellations hold secrets from lives that we do not remember. They are what is left of our kind, stars that will one day fall to join us. Stars that show us what we need to do before they join us. The Mother A vision of beauty made up of seven stars, the crown of her head being the brightest. She is our goddess, the truest Cerulis. It is under her gaze that we thrive. She is lost to us during the winter months, only returning during the warmer seasons when she raises the grasses from their earthly prison. The Father Made up of 11 stars, he is a warrior and intricately tied with the Mother. He is her protector, guiding her through the sky and ensuring her safety. The Bear A great beast, the Bear is made up of 14 stars. He is a gentle spirit, though his visage is formidable, frightening. When the Mother leaves us, the bear enters the sky with his large body and warm fats. It is his hibernation that helps us live safely through the winter. The Fawn Made up of only five stars, the fawn is the smallest constellation of all. It is visible in the summer, just on the edge of the horizon right before the sun rises. The fawn is our beginning, our sunrise, the mark of a new day to come. The Crow Disgusting carrion beast, the Crow follows us through winter, picking off of the corpses of our dead. She soars above the clouds, her bodice and wings made up of almost 20 stars. When spring comes forth, the Father drives her away until he must follow the Mother to green pastures when snows cover the land, leaving us open to the Crow's wrath once again.

Events

The Awakening When the Mother and Father enter the heavens and chase away the Crow, we celebrate their success with a feast of sweet spring buds and grasses gathered by Spirit Keepers. The Arrival The first fawn of the late spring/early summer signals the Awakening, often followed closely by the arrival of the Fawn in the early morning hours. The Arrival is a celebration of birth. The first fawn of the season is seen as a blessing and is blessed by all members of the herd. The newly birthed member of Caterre is decorated in the colourful paints made by crushing early-blooming fruit and small flowers. Their mother is brought the most delicate of clovers from the glades to aid in their overall health. The Great Battle When the first doe of the herd reaches estrus in any given year, this spurs the Great Battle. It is a tournament held for those who wish to battle for the right to a doe. No doe is forced to take a partner that she does not wish, ensuring that those who wish to win her affections must also do their best to be in her good graces through the rest of the year in the event that they actually win such battles. The Sleep In the beginning of the winter, when the Mother and Father leave our sight and the Crow overtakes the night sky, we lament. Does and fawns cry out as bucks stand stoically, knowing that the time of ice and snow and predators is upon us and that some of us will not make it to see the next Awakening.