Post by whitecrow on Mar 28, 2007 10:42:31 GMT -5
Thanks for showing interest in the Flame Dancers Gypsy Caravan.
The Caravan was created by Jialing to house her two Fire Bending Twins and has since grown into a official group of Feng Shui. The Caravan offers many unique openings. You see.. you can play Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom and Water tribe within the Caravan without being tied to your nation, or to your nation ideals.
You see, the Flame Dancers were created about 400 years ago when the Royal Warrant Issued by the Fire Lord officially formed them. Infact, they still display the Royal Coat of Arms. However, the group had been together for many years before hand. They started out of course as a small family like group of performers who preformed for Fire Nation Citizens but this was during an age of peace around the four nations and the group traveled all over, from Shai City and Shun City to the walls of Ba Seng Sei and to the Hills of Omashu. Along the way, they gathered some other performers from the other nations who were energetic to preform for the Royal Courts of the world.
During the Reign of Fire Lord Sozin, who notoriously found the Flame Dancers an annoyance (which, by this time they had become..), the Flame Dancers were commissioned to preform for the soldiers and colonies in the newly annexed areas of the Earth Kingdom. Despite this, the Flame Dancers try not to hold a prejudice based on the war, but it's multi-national members all recognize that they are a Fire Nation group and that their loyalty, as a group is to the Fire Lord. However, no one is kept in the group against their will, and even though they do preform for troops, they also preform for villages and towns and have surpassed their original duty and now travel the entire Earth Kingdom. The War is really not spoken of, and the group observes holidays and traditions of all the nations. Infact, the last time the Flame Dancers were in the Fire Nation was over 10 years ago.
The majority of members are Fire Nation, with the second largest group being Earth Kingdom. The Water Tribe members are the smallest group, consisting of just a few families. Despite this mixing of cultures and people, inter-group marriage is still something that is very rare in the Caravan. Sadly, this part of the cultures has held on, especially through the war and may prove difficult for the newest generations.
Demographics
Includes Original Characters and NPC characters who are considered members of the Flame Dancers. The NPCs are mostly parents. I'm willing to accept up to 50(NPC and PCs).
Fire Nation - 10
Original, played characters - 5
Non-Player Characters - 5
Earth Kingdom- 8
Original, Played Characters - 2
Non-Player Characters - 6
Water Tribes-4
Original, played characters - 3
Non-Player Characters - 1
Homes
About half the Flame Dancers, mostly the families and the elderly, have wagons. These structures, are basically rooms on wheels and are very small. They can house three comfortably usually. Most have two beds along the side, with storage and cupboards under them. Nearly every wall is covered with cupboards, or hung with shelves where clothing and items can be secured. They sit on strong axises, and are walled, and roofed in wooden slates.
They often have two windows on either side, with a window in the rear door. Due to the rough terrain, they don't have glass panes, but rather shutters that are hooked onto the wall when open. Each wagon has a driver's seat, similar to a stage coach's up in the front that can hold 2-3 people. Each Wagon is pulled by typically 2 Ostrich Horses, depending on the weight and the family.
The other half of the flame dancers, those not living with Family, or families without the means to have a wagon, or those who simply like it: camp out in tents. They often have Ostrich horses to ride and carry their equipment. The tents stay pitched the entire time around a central fire, with the wagons circling around the tents for protection. There is almost always a communal meal and lots of evenings are spent in song and dance.
People
The people of the Flame Dancers are best described as a large family. Everyone shares in the work around the Caravan.
The Children are cared for not only by their mothers and fathers, but by the entire Caravan. "It takes a Caravan to raise a child." Children are taught and educated by their parents and also formally by a few dedicated women of the Caravan. The children learn how to read and write and learn their history, geography and some mathematics. Most children also learn some sort of trade that's not related to any entertainment. There is always PLENTY of time for a game or two.
Women and Men both carry their own weight throughout the caravan. There are very few tasks that are exclusive to one gender. Many women like to form sewing circles, mending flags and clothing for everyone in the tribe. The sewing circles are NOTORIOUS FOR THE THEIR GOSSIP. Some women like to tend to the Ostrich horses and the few cows, donkeys and other animals the the Caravan has. Others help with the children or the cooking. A few gather wood and help the men repair the wagons, instruments, etc. etc.
Men on the other hand like to dabble in the manlier arts. Many do the hunting and gathering of food (as the Caravan lives off the land as well as restocking in towns). Then there are the handy men, those who make repairs to the wagons, carts and other means of the Caravan. Some specialize in repairing the instruments or fine tuning them. There's always something needing built or hit with a mallet.
Also, envoys are also sent into towns often to buy supplies and run letters and messages.
Caution with the War
Despite their status as a Fire Nation group, the Caravan is very sensitive to their surroundings. When preforming for a Earth Kingdom Village or Town, they often tend to redecorate the caravan in more greens and golds; blues and whites than normal. They all have sets of clothing that are in other colors than the Fire Nation and are more nation-neutral. So far, they have been received luke-warmly in the Earth Kingdom and the Flame Dancers make sure to play down any Fire Nation Fanfare and make sure that their Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe members are more prominent than other times.
When the Flame Dancers Travel to the Fire Nation, they must be EXTREMELY cautious. Everything is switched to Fire Nation Regalia due to the Fire Lord's extreme dominance. The acts of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe are somewhat downplayed, though Huang refuses to get rid of them completely.
Making a Living
The Flame Dancers have to scrounge for cash. The majority of clothing, wagons, blankets, cooking wear, have been passed down and fixed numerous times. Being a gypsy isn't exactly all glamor. Often times during Performances, the gypsies who aren't preforming or setting up are often times walking the crowd (Ritika most often on her hands) casually putting on little acts and asking for coins. Either Blatantly or subtly. The Flame Dancers have found that Girls are often the best at this, able to loosen the pockets of the money controlling men. However, every once in a while, Fukurou-kun can charm a lady into a few copper with that flute of his.
Notable Members
Huang Wu (NPC): Huang is the current leader of the Caravan (although many say Juning wears the pants). He's a very proud old man whose body is beginning to fail him. His back curves and he walks bent over most of the time, sometimes straightening to give a speech. He is still very active in the Caravan despite his crippling arthritis. He adores his two boys and in general, loves all the members of the Caravan. He greatly misses his homeland of the Fire Nation and has requested to be buried in Fire Nation soil.
Juning Wu (NPC): The Queen of Frying Pans. Juning is both loved and feared by members of the Caravan. She is a large woman, with a larger heart. She adores little children and babies, but can be very strict with the older children and teenagers. She is infamous for waving her pan around and also dealing out discipline with the pan, most commonly to her twin boys. She also handles most of the meals. Juning was not born into the Flame Dancers, but rather was charmed by Huang on one of his visits to the Fire Nation and eloped with him.
The Caravan was created by Jialing to house her two Fire Bending Twins and has since grown into a official group of Feng Shui. The Caravan offers many unique openings. You see.. you can play Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom and Water tribe within the Caravan without being tied to your nation, or to your nation ideals.
You see, the Flame Dancers were created about 400 years ago when the Royal Warrant Issued by the Fire Lord officially formed them. Infact, they still display the Royal Coat of Arms. However, the group had been together for many years before hand. They started out of course as a small family like group of performers who preformed for Fire Nation Citizens but this was during an age of peace around the four nations and the group traveled all over, from Shai City and Shun City to the walls of Ba Seng Sei and to the Hills of Omashu. Along the way, they gathered some other performers from the other nations who were energetic to preform for the Royal Courts of the world.
During the Reign of Fire Lord Sozin, who notoriously found the Flame Dancers an annoyance (which, by this time they had become..), the Flame Dancers were commissioned to preform for the soldiers and colonies in the newly annexed areas of the Earth Kingdom. Despite this, the Flame Dancers try not to hold a prejudice based on the war, but it's multi-national members all recognize that they are a Fire Nation group and that their loyalty, as a group is to the Fire Lord. However, no one is kept in the group against their will, and even though they do preform for troops, they also preform for villages and towns and have surpassed their original duty and now travel the entire Earth Kingdom. The War is really not spoken of, and the group observes holidays and traditions of all the nations. Infact, the last time the Flame Dancers were in the Fire Nation was over 10 years ago.
The majority of members are Fire Nation, with the second largest group being Earth Kingdom. The Water Tribe members are the smallest group, consisting of just a few families. Despite this mixing of cultures and people, inter-group marriage is still something that is very rare in the Caravan. Sadly, this part of the cultures has held on, especially through the war and may prove difficult for the newest generations.
Demographics
Includes Original Characters and NPC characters who are considered members of the Flame Dancers. The NPCs are mostly parents. I'm willing to accept up to 50(NPC and PCs).
Fire Nation - 10
Original, played characters - 5
Non-Player Characters - 5
Earth Kingdom- 8
Original, Played Characters - 2
Non-Player Characters - 6
Water Tribes-4
Original, played characters - 3
Non-Player Characters - 1
Homes
About half the Flame Dancers, mostly the families and the elderly, have wagons. These structures, are basically rooms on wheels and are very small. They can house three comfortably usually. Most have two beds along the side, with storage and cupboards under them. Nearly every wall is covered with cupboards, or hung with shelves where clothing and items can be secured. They sit on strong axises, and are walled, and roofed in wooden slates.
They often have two windows on either side, with a window in the rear door. Due to the rough terrain, they don't have glass panes, but rather shutters that are hooked onto the wall when open. Each wagon has a driver's seat, similar to a stage coach's up in the front that can hold 2-3 people. Each Wagon is pulled by typically 2 Ostrich Horses, depending on the weight and the family.
The other half of the flame dancers, those not living with Family, or families without the means to have a wagon, or those who simply like it: camp out in tents. They often have Ostrich horses to ride and carry their equipment. The tents stay pitched the entire time around a central fire, with the wagons circling around the tents for protection. There is almost always a communal meal and lots of evenings are spent in song and dance.
People
The people of the Flame Dancers are best described as a large family. Everyone shares in the work around the Caravan.
The Children are cared for not only by their mothers and fathers, but by the entire Caravan. "It takes a Caravan to raise a child." Children are taught and educated by their parents and also formally by a few dedicated women of the Caravan. The children learn how to read and write and learn their history, geography and some mathematics. Most children also learn some sort of trade that's not related to any entertainment. There is always PLENTY of time for a game or two.
Women and Men both carry their own weight throughout the caravan. There are very few tasks that are exclusive to one gender. Many women like to form sewing circles, mending flags and clothing for everyone in the tribe. The sewing circles are NOTORIOUS FOR THE THEIR GOSSIP. Some women like to tend to the Ostrich horses and the few cows, donkeys and other animals the the Caravan has. Others help with the children or the cooking. A few gather wood and help the men repair the wagons, instruments, etc. etc.
Men on the other hand like to dabble in the manlier arts. Many do the hunting and gathering of food (as the Caravan lives off the land as well as restocking in towns). Then there are the handy men, those who make repairs to the wagons, carts and other means of the Caravan. Some specialize in repairing the instruments or fine tuning them. There's always something needing built or hit with a mallet.
Also, envoys are also sent into towns often to buy supplies and run letters and messages.
Caution with the War
Despite their status as a Fire Nation group, the Caravan is very sensitive to their surroundings. When preforming for a Earth Kingdom Village or Town, they often tend to redecorate the caravan in more greens and golds; blues and whites than normal. They all have sets of clothing that are in other colors than the Fire Nation and are more nation-neutral. So far, they have been received luke-warmly in the Earth Kingdom and the Flame Dancers make sure to play down any Fire Nation Fanfare and make sure that their Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe members are more prominent than other times.
When the Flame Dancers Travel to the Fire Nation, they must be EXTREMELY cautious. Everything is switched to Fire Nation Regalia due to the Fire Lord's extreme dominance. The acts of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe are somewhat downplayed, though Huang refuses to get rid of them completely.
Making a Living
The Flame Dancers have to scrounge for cash. The majority of clothing, wagons, blankets, cooking wear, have been passed down and fixed numerous times. Being a gypsy isn't exactly all glamor. Often times during Performances, the gypsies who aren't preforming or setting up are often times walking the crowd (Ritika most often on her hands) casually putting on little acts and asking for coins. Either Blatantly or subtly. The Flame Dancers have found that Girls are often the best at this, able to loosen the pockets of the money controlling men. However, every once in a while, Fukurou-kun can charm a lady into a few copper with that flute of his.
Notable Members
Huang Wu (NPC): Huang is the current leader of the Caravan (although many say Juning wears the pants). He's a very proud old man whose body is beginning to fail him. His back curves and he walks bent over most of the time, sometimes straightening to give a speech. He is still very active in the Caravan despite his crippling arthritis. He adores his two boys and in general, loves all the members of the Caravan. He greatly misses his homeland of the Fire Nation and has requested to be buried in Fire Nation soil.
Juning Wu (NPC): The Queen of Frying Pans. Juning is both loved and feared by members of the Caravan. She is a large woman, with a larger heart. She adores little children and babies, but can be very strict with the older children and teenagers. She is infamous for waving her pan around and also dealing out discipline with the pan, most commonly to her twin boys. She also handles most of the meals. Juning was not born into the Flame Dancers, but rather was charmed by Huang on one of his visits to the Fire Nation and eloped with him.