Aloha

***Mau Loa 'Ohana***---------------------------------------"Forever Family."-------------------------------------

---------------------------------------"Forever Family."-------------------------------------

↺ Introduction ↻

"And scram!" a big, black dog with a blue collar snapped at your heels, driving you out of the streets. Yelping, you scampered away, light on your paws. For months after you'd been thrown away by your owners, you had been travelling the cities and their streets, lingering and digging into trash bins for food. This was the last city you knew of around the island, and you were in no shape to fight for your food. Practically skin and bones, there was no chance of survival. No stray dogs in the same position would be welcoming to a Malihini (1).

Finally, you skid to a halt at the edge of the crystal blue water. The scent of salt stung your nose and eyes, taking you aback. Remembering your mother's tales of the Moana (2) brought you back in time. The water was serene, and seemed to make your mind drift away from starvation.

That was, until you heard a bird squawking and its feathers flapping. Turning around in a split second, you froze when you saw it. In between two rocks lodged by the edge of the forest was a Pisonia plant trap. In the sticky trap was a bright yellow Palila bird, doing its best to escape.

Thanking the gods, your heart sped up as you raced to the trap. Without even wondering whose trap it was, you carefully placed a paw under the trap.

"Manini Malihini! (3)" A loud bark made you freeze. On the edge of the coast, on top of sandy rocks were three short-furred dogs. At the head of them was a black and brown mottled dog. It took only seconds for you to realize that all three of the dogs had feathers stuck to the back of their necks. The feathers were blues, greens, yellows and reds, and the dog at the head of the group bore the most of them. He was tall, and intimidated you as he came closer.

Instinctively, you bowed down and backed away from the bird, your eyes locked on the dogs before you. Only a foot away, the one you assumed to be the Alpha stopped, glancing down at you and then at the trapped bird. "Who are you?" He asked, quickly and simply.

"I.. i'm..." you were at a loss for words.

"Nevermind. I am Manuahi Manu (4), Chief of the Aloha dogs. You seem awful skinny. Where do you come from?" He asked. You lifted yourself and began to explain your story, of how your owners had abandoned you and now you were a starving stray.

Smiling, the Chief nodded. "I see. The Island can be cruel- or, should I say the humans?"

"Tell me, (name), would you be interested in joining our tribe? We will give you safety, food, and a home, if you are willing," Manuahi Manu glanced down at you.

***What will you decide?***

***(1) New-comer, visitor (2) Ocean (3) Stingy new-comer! (4) Free bird***

↺ Information ↻

**- Setting :**Aloha takes place in Hawaii, deep in the jungles it hosts. On the edge of a far shore is where the pack roams, catching birds for themselves and fishing.

**- Current Roleplay Plot :**The dogs go on the search for a yellow bird that lives near the volcano, when the volcano erupts. The pack retreats, running for their lives as the lava chases them to the shores. When they reach safety, they must find eachother and regroup.

**- Idea :**Aloha is based around the dogs in Hawaii's overpopulation. They were all previously owned by a human or were born strays on the island and joined the pack.

**- Pack Character :** Usually, Aloha's pack members are kind souls who are typically very understanding. However, they are very strict when it comes to their lands and traditions, and would risk their lives to protect each-other.

↺ Regulations ↻

**- 1) Naming your character :**To keep your names unique, it is required that your character's name is a tribe name and it is in Hawaiin. The names need to be related to the island, things in it, or things in the ocean. Please do not name your character after any character from Moana for obvious reasons. If you do not have free chat, don't worry- in game we will say our names by their English translations. For example, a character's name could be "Moku Nalu" which translates to Island Wave. Your tribe names need to have at *least* two words in each of them.

**- 2) Roleplay Style :**Please do not use Advanced Vocabulary, Anatomy, etc. in your roleplay on Animal Jam. It doesn't make you look any more powerful than your character already is. We practice traditional roleplay here in Aloha, and we'd like to keep it that way.

**- 3) Joining the pack :**When you first join Aloha, you will be placed with a "buddy" who has been in the pack longer than you and will help to guide you around to familiarize yourself with the group. After a week (if you're still in the pack) you won't have to have the buddy anymore, but you'll move on to a 1-week-trial to prove your loyalty to the pack. If you leave during this time or more than once, you will never be able to come back to Aloha.

**- 4) Drama :** While drama in roleplay to an extent is allowed, excessive drama will not be tolerated. If you are told by a Chief or a Makoa to bring the drama down, please follow recomendation. Outside roleplay, drama will not be tolerated to any extent.

**- 5) Ranks :**Try to remember to never ask for a high-rank at any time whatsoever. Ranks in Aloha are earned and the members are specially placed in their ranks according to their abilities.

**- 6) Dog Breeds :**Please make sure your characters are realistic. Remember that the setting takes place in Hawaii and that it's quite hot there. Dogs with longer fur are not likely to survive wild, so it's most likely that your character would have short fur unless he was recently brought to hawaii and then abandoned by his/her owner.

**- 7) Hybrids :**Your character can not be a cross of a domestic dog and a coyote or wolf. It's very rare and usually an owner won't give one of them away so easily.

**- 8) Blacklist :** While you are roleplaying, we do not associate with ANY all-server owning groups such as Hounds of Salem. We don't associate with any groups that do not live in Hawaii with us because it is unrealistic. Outside of roleplay, you are free to talk with anyone.

↺ Traditions ↻

**- 1) Hiapo Hōkū :**Meaning "First Born Star," this tale refers to the Aloha dogs' Akua, or "God." He is said to have made the island with his own paws, and is the spirit of the sky and earth. He is said to be the heart of the islands, Hawaii's Volcano. They call him Hiapo Hōkū, or sometimes just Hōkū. Legend has it that he used his own, giant paws to create the smaller islands around him. He is the very spirit of the island, and creator of all.

**- 2) Leilani :**Meaning "Heavenly Flower," this Spirit lives within nature of the island. Daughter of Hiapo Hōkū, she guards the lands, rewarding good souls with good things and bad souls with curses. She brings life to the lands, creating the rivers with her powerful paws and keen eyes. She is the wind and the weather.

**- 3) Manu Moku :**Meaning "Bird Island," this tradition is a special one for the pack. For centuries, the Aloha dogs have captured birds by using the Pisonia plant and creating traps. After thanking Leilani for her gifts, the Alpha will take the bird to camp and have the Spirit-walkers strip the bird of their colorful feathers, which come in blues, greens, yellows, reds, etc. The Alpha will retrieve these feathers and keep them in his/her den, rewarding them to Dogs who do good deeds and who deem worthy to have them. When the Alpha decides what color or feather to give a dog, he will call the Spirit-walker to use the Pisonia plant's paste to stick the feather(s) onto his/her fur, just behind the ears and on the back of his neck. Each color represents something different:

Red feather: The red feather symbolizes strength and bravery. A red feather is rewarded to a dog for doing a deed such as saving a pack member's life or doing something that requires a lot of effort, such as leading a patrol that was successful and bringing back prey to his/her camp.

Blue feather: The blue feather symbolizes leadership. Usually, only elders and leaders will have these, but there is a chance that the Alpha would give one out to someone who proved themselves a worthy leader, typically in organizing a patrol or helping to guard camp, etc.

White feather: The white feather symbolizes parenthood. When a mother-dog or sire-dog's pups are finally born, both parents are rewarded a feather for each pup, signifying that they have given the pack new lives.

Black feather: The black feather signifies grieving and loss. When a pack member loses a relative, the related canines each recieve a black feather for their loss(es) as a memory.

Brown feather: The brown feather signifies loyalty. If a pack member has proven themselves to be loyal, the Alpha will call him/her out and give him/her a brown feather.

Green feather: The green feather signifies teaching. If a canine has successfully trained a canine, he/she will be rewarded a green feather. For each dog trained, he recieves another.

Yellow feather: The yellow feather signifies that he/she has lead the pack. This feather is only given to leaders or past leaders, and usually are the most respected canines in the pack.

Orange feather: The orange feather signifies that he/she has graduated from being a Novice.

**- 4) Nui Nalu (Big Wave):** Once every sixth months, this event occurs. The moon up above will cover the sun, and the whole pack will travel to the shore. When darkness comes over the land, a tide picks up and a big wave is sent towards the island. It is said that in the dim light there are the glowing figures of their ancestors. Seconds after, the tide will recede and leave shells for each member in the sand. The pack members will collect the shells sent by their ancestors and keep them.

**- 5) Luna Ceremony :**Also known as the Novice ceremony, the Alpha will call a pup who is six months old to the meeting rock. The following ceremony occurs:

"(Name), step forward. You have reached the age of 6 tides and it is time for you to choose a name you will live with for the rest of your life. So turn your faces to the tide. She will show you who you are." The Alpha will wait until the pup glances back up, and then will nod.

"What name have you chosen?"

The pup will respond, "I am (New name)."

The Alpha will choose a Luna for the pup. "(Name), you will be (Name)'s Luna. I know you will train him/her to his/her best ability. Step forward, and recieve your green feather."

The Alpha will give the Luna their feather, and have them touch noses with their Novice.

"(Name), (Name), (Name)!" The Ceremony will draw to a close.

**- : The Kahu Ceremony : -**

When it is time for a new Chief to step up to the plate, they will take one of the two Spirit-walkers and they will travel to the Whispering Caves. Here, they will press their noses to the crystals and fall into a deep sleep. They will both wake up in a new realm that they call the spirit realm. Four ancestors of the pack will approach, and one by one, they will place their paws to the future Chief's forehead. After describing the gift they are giving the new Chief, an excruciating pain will spread through his/her body. When the other three give the new Chief his other three lives, the ceremony is concluded. After returning to the earth realm, the Alpha's front left paw will have four stars - one on eah toe pad - etched into the skin and scarred to signify his four lives granted to him by the ancestors. When the Chief loses a life, one of the ancestors will appear and take the granted life away from him, leaving only three toe-pads with the star scars on them. The same goes for every other lost life.

↺ Territory ↻

**- : THE BAY : -**

**Crystal Sands | Gila | Atlas**

The Bay is the coast of Hawaii, where the dogs usually hunt and catch their birds for their ceremonies. It is home to many life forms and the edge of the ocean. This is a training arena, hunting area, and place where the pack can perform ceremonies.

**- : WHISPERING CAVES : -**

**Epic Wonders | Gila | Atlas**

The Whispering Caves are located behind a Waterfall just inside the forest outside the Bay. They are a sacred place. Behind the waterfall is the cave which is filled with quartz. Legend has it that the quartz was formed by lava that seeped through cracks in the walls. When the lava met the water, it formed quarts and crystals and now at even the slightest ray of light they all glow. This is where canines can recieve omens from their ancestors.

↺ Rank Glossary ↻

**- CHIEFS (x2) :**The Chiefs are the leaders of the tribe/pack and both of them have four lives granted to them by their ancestors (see the Kahu Ceremony). The Chiefs were specially chosen by their former Chiefs to become the Chief, and lead the pack with nobility and gratitude. They usually have the most feathers in the pack, ranging from all colors and especially to the unique yellows. They decide most things for the pack and each have their own Makoa.

**- MAKOAS (x2) :**Placed in their rank by their own Chief, the Makoas are the "betas" of the tribe, and are second in command when it comes to ruling. They are destined to be the next Chiefs of the tribe and are hand-picked to rule. A Makoa is highly respected and takes the place of a Chief when he/she is not available. Together, they work side-by-side as one.

**- SPIRIT-WALKERS (x2) :**When you first join Aloha, you will be placed with a "buddy" who has been in the pack longer than you and will help to guide you around to familiarize yourself with the group. After a week (if you're still in the pack) you won't have to have the buddy anymore, but you'll move on to a 1-week-trial to prove your loyalty to the pack. If you leave during this time or more than once, you will never be able to come back to Aloha.

**- KAIKOAS (xUnlimited) :** Warriors, or Kaikoas, are the bulk of the pack. They are the hunters and fighters for the pack, and spend their time patrolling, hunting, and protecting their pack. They train Kaoli'ls to become Kaikoas like themselves.

**- KAOLI'LS (xUnlimited) :**Training to become Kaikoas, the Kaoli'ls are the Novices of the pack. They are canines above the age of 6 months who are assigned a Kaikoa as their mentor so that one day they can become a Kaikoa or even a Spirit-Walker.

**- RIPPLES (x3 per litter) :**Pups of the pack are called Ripples. These are canines who are under the age of 6 months and are still young. They will grow up to one day become Kaoli'ls of the pack, and are being taken care of their mothers.

**- KOAMALU (xUnlimited) :**Your Elders are known as Koamalus. They are the oldest canines in the pack and are usually the wisest. They tell pups tales of their lives.

***// Full hierarchy is listed on the Full Hierarchy page. \\***

↺ Applications ↻