Clans: What are they?
Ikrouk society is centered around one's family, and the respect and honour of their name. When someone carries a name, they carry the honour of all those who carry the same name. Despite cultural differences between subspecies and regions around the globe, honour and representing your clan right always finds its way at the heart of the people's will. Those who become Nameless are those who have left their original homes and have abandoned their clan name, for many reasons, from the wish to start anew to being banished (which is most often the case with criminals).
When a new clan settles down to form their new settlement, it is common to plant a tree at the center of their home, and grow their home along with the tree; this main home is called the hometree, and is often considered the representation of a clan settlement. The healthier the tree, the healthier the clan; the sicker the tree, the more broken the clan.
Each clan has many roles to fulfill, as the bigger a clan gets the more it starts acting like a small village. In large cities, it is common that entire districts are reserved to a specific clan, especially if the clan in question is big. Each clan is represented by a unique Rune, a Rune that is usually worn in some way by its members; either through clothing, jewelry, or even tattoos or carvings on the skin.
The roles in a clan are very important for it to function; see more about those roles and social tiers down below.
When a new clan settles down to form their new settlement, it is common to plant a tree at the center of their home, and grow their home along with the tree; this main home is called the hometree, and is often considered the representation of a clan settlement. The healthier the tree, the healthier the clan; the sicker the tree, the more broken the clan.
Each clan has many roles to fulfill, as the bigger a clan gets the more it starts acting like a small village. In large cities, it is common that entire districts are reserved to a specific clan, especially if the clan in question is big. Each clan is represented by a unique Rune, a Rune that is usually worn in some way by its members; either through clothing, jewelry, or even tattoos or carvings on the skin.
The roles in a clan are very important for it to function; see more about those roles and social tiers down below.
Can My Ikrouk join one? Can I make one of my own?
The short answer to both of these questions is yes!
Ikrouks that possess the suffix "the Nameless" (which means they are not part of an existing clan and tend to be wanderers), may settle down somewhere they like and build their own settlement, with the clan name of their choice. Players of the Bound Fates game may get together with friends and build a clan together to represent one another in group activities against other clans or players, or single players that wish to play by themselves may use their own Ikrouks to fill up a clan. The clan may grow large, it may stick to a few individuals, it doesn't matter; as is the goal of any clan, the point is to represent it with honour. Display your Clan Runes proudly, and grow your hometree well!
Ikrouks that possess the suffix "the Nameless" (which means they are not part of an existing clan and tend to be wanderers), may settle down somewhere they like and build their own settlement, with the clan name of their choice. Players of the Bound Fates game may get together with friends and build a clan together to represent one another in group activities against other clans or players, or single players that wish to play by themselves may use their own Ikrouks to fill up a clan. The clan may grow large, it may stick to a few individuals, it doesn't matter; as is the goal of any clan, the point is to represent it with honour. Display your Clan Runes proudly, and grow your hometree well!
Roles, the working cells of the clan
In any clan, there is a social hierarchy that all must follow in order to avoid chaos in a flock. They are viewed as tiers, like a ladder that one must climb to reach the top of the hierarchy tree.
The Children: At the very bottom, we usually have the children; at a very young age, they are dependant on their caretakers and usually never stray too far from them, but when they grow they will start doing more menial tasks, like simple farm and garden work, collecting farm produce like vegetables, fruits, milk and eggs. The tasks are kept simple so they can focus on learning.
A bit farther up, we have more important jobs, and those can be grouped into two different groups; the farmers and the hunters.
The Farmers: Farmers are those who will do work close to their home, and relating to the insides of the clan. A common job for this tier, and one viewed with respect usually, is the Tree Keeper; those are the people who will take care of the hometree and keep the house clean and solid. One can choose to focus on keeping the tree healthy, or to learn how to build things to keep the house's foundations solid. Farmers can also refer to those who do the farm work, like taking care of Ryoogas, Muhjas or Mi'hes, or taking care of the crops and the gardens.
The Hunters: Hunters will refer to those who choose the way of the hunt. Those usually set their sights on becoming a warrior for their clan, either to defend it or feed it. From a young age, every Ikrouk is shown how to wield a bow, the hunters are those who choose to go farther with this training. Any hunter in any clan is considered part of the local army. Any Elder can call upon their usage should the need arise, so they must be prepared to not only defend their own, but their land as well.
The Stable Masters: Higher on the ladder, we have the Stable Masters; those are the members who raise and care for the clan's Ruk'ts, which ties directly into any other job required for the clan since Ruk'ts are used for many purposes.
The Teachers: Next, we have the Teachers; those are responsible for teaching everything to the young generations, reading, writing, singing, flying, they can teach multiple categories or focus on one. This important role is often claimed by one of the chieftains or both, since they can form bonds with the younger members of their flocks by teaching all that they know. Teachers will often take care of the clan's internal affairs as well, such as marriages, trading, alliances, important things like that. For that, though, they have to engage with the most important role in the clan...
The Chieftain: The Chieftain will hold the clan together and make sure that the cogs are turning in their flock. They must assure the safety and success of all of their members. Being a Chieftain does not mean you get to live easily; it means you'll get to have the hardest and most straining job there is in your clan. The Chieftain is often the one who will engage with the country's Elders and engage with other clans. They can be male, female, or a mating pair can share the role, just like the Elders. Usually, a Chieftain will be chosen by a previous Chieftain, so one must fit multiple criteria in order to obtain this important role. One may also become Chieftain by being the very first to start a clan and being the one bringing all the others together as a family.
I want to join a clan/start my own! How do I do that?
It's simple! Simply follow this link -Clan Creation- to the official Clan Creation guide, and see which clan is accepting members, or request to start one of your own in the comments following the template and instructions given on the journal. Be aware that some public clans are ran by NPC characters; there is at least one in each of the three currently available countries. These clans are open to all players at all times, and are there to offer a starting point should you not know where to start with your Ikrouk. Explore what's offered, and don't be afraid to get in touch with clans you'd be interested in joining!