rules of the clan
General
Rules
1.) The words of the Oba are law, to question or disobey these words are to
challenge the Oba for leadership.
2.) In the absence of the Oba, Ogun and Shango wear the beads of
leadership and speak for the Oba. To question their words is to question the
Oba.
3.) All challenges for leadership must be made in the presence
of the clan, challenges made outside of the clan’s presence will neither be
recognized or honored. Once a challenge has been made the death of the Oba by
any means results in the succession of the challenger.
4.) An Oba may abrogate the throne to a named heir and become
Oka, devoid of power but due the clan’s respect.
5.) The clan is first, all others are second, and member shall
behave in manner that maintains the clan at all costs.
6.) Anyone who has not undergone Ikose w'aye is Shokpona and
shall not hear clan words nor know clan secrets.
7.) Any combat not proceeded by a declaration of dominance by one
of the combatants will have no bearing on the clan and be regarded as “play”.
8.) All mates shall have no name and no standing as anything
other than what they have been able to establish through their own skills.
9.) Deception of the clan regarding matters other than
challenges of leadership and dominance is grounds for a member to be declared
Eshu.
10.) Clan members who have become Eshu are dead to the clan and
shall be mourned as dead and forgotten.
Vocalizations:
Hyena’s have a wide range of vocalizations in animal form, the most common
being the trademark laugh. These vocalizations have clear meanings.
Groans and soft squeals- Often exchanged during greeting
Whoop- Contact call, rising o-o-o.
Fast whoop- Rallying call given by excited hyenas; brings clan members
to the spot.
Lowing- Expresses rising impatience and often leads into fast whooping;
voiced by hyenas kept waiting at a kill.
Grunting- Quiet, very low growl with mouth closed; accompanies
aggressive behavior.
Giggling- High, cackling laugh, typically emitted by hyena being chased;
expresses intense fear or excitement. The call of the "laughing
hyena."
Growling- Deep, loud rumble, often with staccato vibration: defensive
threat voiced by hyena under attack threatening to bite.
Yelling- Starts as scream, changing to a roar, voiced by hyena
attempting to escape attackers; alternates with growling.
Rattling growl- Low-pitched, soft staccato grunts; given as an alarm
call.
Other Behaviors:
To declare someone dominate to you: In private, you kneel in front of
the dominate head bowed with both hand on your chest, in public placing your
hands on your chest is sufficient.
To declare yourself dominant: You must be standing and you tense all
your muscles, and lightly barring your teeth accompanied by a low growl (this
is the gesture to force your dominance, if you are recognizing someone else as
submissive while they are in the submissive posture you cuff the lightly on the
jaw line).
Clan greetings: Always initiated by the less dominant, gently sniffing
the nose and mouth of the greeted (can resemble a kiss in public). In private
it is accompanied by groans and soft squeals and may continue to include
sniffing of neck and other body parts. This greeting is symbolic as it brings
the greeter into close proximity with the teeth of the greeted.
While physical contact maybe neutral among other lycanthropes, this is not the
case in a hyena clan, as there is a definitely sexual nature to most clan
interactions. As a result the sex takes on a casual feel while at the same time
bonding the clan. Interactions include both genders generally.