Prydaen Claws

The Claw of Eu

For those so called into service this was of the highest honor, certainly not to be ignored, nor taken lightly as though a whim or passing urge. Though its beginnings were prosaic enough, only a select few ever feel the subtle whisperings of Eu's guidance, and while this is a prideful thing, it is also a deepening of humility. One does not lose one's self in this undertaking, but one does experience a sense of submergence to the greater good, and the rightness of this estate.
The Claw of Eu was formed shortly after Demrris mostly left his kits on their own, within the first few generations. This is the oldest recognized Claw of the Prydaen; it also has the most influence of any claw in existence. As history tells it, after our awakening, the first Pride realized they needed those to preserve the history of the people, as not all had the best of memories or were unable to relate such stories of their time with Demrris, and we did not have a written language as such. Their kits and their kit's kits, however, must know of their heritage complete from the time of awakening.
Some few of the people, those with memories as sharp as our own claws, who retained information and experiences with a clarity that was startling, began to notice a subtle change within themselves. The turning of the seasons, the ebb and flow of the tides, and the invisible currents of air that shifted the clouds across the sky all became seen, or heard, or felt -- for each it was different -- much like the encompassing sensation of another's heartbeat when held closely.
In time, they began to realize that this was Eu speaking to their hearts and minds, exerting gentle influence, and making more definitive their command of deliberate recall. Of these few, it was Ra'trel Starcatcher who first understood, and who in turn guided his fellows to that same end. Now the Priests of Eu, otherwise known as Eu's Claws, they took it upon themselves to carry with them the knowledge of their ancestors so that they might pass this to the generations that followed.
When the first pride had gone to Tenemlor and several generations had followed, Ra'trel still walked the lands of Eu, gathering history and waiting for one to come to him, one that he might groom to be his successor among the Priests. It should be noted that Ra'trel was blessed by the touch of Demrris, his life span extended well beyond normal boundaries, so that he might accomplish this momentous task that had been laid before him. Now, it is from Ra'trel that we Prydaen use Ra' in the naming, to denote one's duty, affiliation and honor. However, one endures much before such a naming, as it is not an honor lightly given nor bestowed. Any not of the Claw of Eu who dare pretend to this honor, either in name or in vestments, are exiled from the Hubs of our people -- declared to be Cemsiat.

The Claw of Demrris

The first Pride lived well within the influence of our Gods, watched over and protected until such time as we had learned to fend for ourselves without direct intercession from above. Demrris appeared less and less frequently, but we always knew that he was with us. We were not what one might call organized, however, and this became more and more apparent as time and generations had gone by. It was not very long after Eu's Claws came into being that we began to realize that more was necessary for our survival. Our numbers were ever increasing, and what was once a manageable group was now beginning to spiral out of control.
Shortly thereafter, Demrris appeared to us, with fur the color of the morning sun, and a mane like fire. We gathered at his feet, the oldest drawing closer when he motioned to us. As we watched, the hand of Demrris circled in the air thrice, leaving behind a faintly glowing spiral of light that faded quickly. His voice was like a summer breeze through a field of grass, rippling and sure, as he spoke to us of the need for some method by which we could continue on. We would need places to care for our kits, our priests and our elderly. Places that were not the open fields or mountains where we spent most of our time. We needed a place where we could gather together, away from the uncertainty that Tenemlor might be calling our names at any moment.
It was thus that Demrris instructed us in the creation of the Hubs, guiding us through their initial organization and placement. A loose system of leadership was established, centering around the Elders, to whom he gestured. From those the first Council of Elders was formed, to govern and lead the Hub. They were charged with the maintenance and wellbeing of all those who lived within, ensuring the heritage of our species. The Elders oversaw the dispensation of supplies for the Hub, and also prepared for the gatherings of our people, both in the coldest months, and during the times of warmth when we met for more instinctual reasons.
They assured that any kit brought in by its parents would have a place to safely grow and learn the ways of our people. When a kit believed itself ready to venture forth into the world on its own, the Elders were there for the rituals and rites, ensuring that the kit was indeed prepared for what was to come, and to acknowledge the ascension from kit to adult when the proving was complete.
Once the Council of Elders was established, and our race was awakening to a newfound sense of security amidst the Hubs, Demrris appeared once again amongst us. He spoke at length with Soru Krotaya, the eldest of our kind, and much venerated by us for his wisdom, patience, and unfailing ability to know exactly that which must be done, regardless of the situation. Soru had witnessed many turnings of the seasons, and watched many a mewling kit grow into a mature adult Prydaen. It was to him that our great patron gifted the knowledge of Cizayu (or rites of passage in the common tongue) and the authority to oversee them. Many more seasons passed, and our species thrived under the watchful gaze of Soru, but time began to weigh heavily upon his shoulders. He knew he would soon return to the Great Wheel, and it was thus that Soru, eldest amongst us, gathered together a select few who exhibited certain traits and characteristics. Those who gathered before him became known as the Claws of Demrris, those who would ensure our traditions and heritage continued, even after the passage of Soru from the lands of Eu.

The Claw of Tenemlor

Cloaked in the guise of an albino, Tenemlor walked the lands of Eu infrequently, but always to a purpose in those days not long after our awakening. Often regarded with trepidation for her unique coloration (or lack thereof, depending on one's point of view), she nonetheless appeared to teach and succor at varying points in our lives, and make us aware of our best (responses) to the infrequent influxes of undead. With the coming of the Lyras, however, the people were at a loss. We were unused to fighting such creatures, those that wore the faces of our kin and walked in a mockery of life. With the increased amount of undead kin appearing in the lands of Eu, a small group of the people became concerned at their lack of strength against this blasphemy. Tiatra Moonstalker, together with this like-minded group, decided to dedicate themselves to hunting the Undead. In order to do so, she decided one must first learn of them to defeat them. For months, she and her small group watched the undead as they went with their vile unlives, watching their habits. As they watched, they also prayed to Tenemlor seeking the wisdom of the Goddess on how to properly hunt these unholy creatures.
Tenemlor listened to Tiatra's pleas for assistance, and decided to take this group as her own. Tenemlor whispered the ways of the undead to Tiatra, and presented to Tiatra's group several weapons to defeat the undead. These weapons were blessed by Tenemlor herself and were bound to Tiatra and her group. All this Tenemlor gave to the group, but with only one request in return. Those of this newly formed Claw must worship Tenemlor and no other. Only with unquestionable faith in Tenemlor would such gifts be granted for the knowledge of the undead. Tiatra and her newly formed Claws readily agreed to the request of the goddess. From that time, the Claws of Tenemlor have fought against the undead with uncanny success, but their numbers were too small to decimate the hoards of undead before the raising of the Barrier. At last count, there were only approximately twenty of this claw still alive, fifteen on this side of the barrier, and five that were left behind to obverse the armies of Lyras.

The Claw of Azca

After time, the people found that they were not the only race in the world. They had neighbors, the Rakash. Several fights had broken out between our two races, mainly over hunting territories and food. Eventually, we settled our differences and co-existed with each other, territories marked by each.
At that time, when things had settled down for our two races, a Prydaen by the name of Azca Fauran believed that she could deal with the Rakash, especially if food was scarce. Those of her pride thought she was becoming senile, since what she proposed would have her come into closer contact with those below them like the Rakash.
She spoke to them of what good may come of this, especially if she could set up some kind of understanding between her and the Rakash. A way to trade goods, food, herbs, and other items to benefit all involved. She argued that this would be good for the people as a whole, bringing new items to their hubs that they might otherwise not obtain. They responded by snubbing her ideas and plans, and so she left the hub to wander, as she was wont to do.
Her first encounters with the Rakash were tentative, as the Rakash were unsure of the Prydaen. The language barrier was the first hurdle she had to overcome, as neither she nor the Rakash could understand each other. Azca prayed to the triquetra, seeking some measure of divine guidance in this, and was heard by Demrris. To her he gifted an artifact of his making which would, he informed her, tune her into the languages of those she met. Azca offered her thanks in the form of sacrificing a weeks worth of kills to him, and went on her way back to the Rakash. Their numbers are few, though they exist. The Claw of Azca, as it came to be known, still survives among us, though its members are looked upon with some reluctance owing to the belief that they may be tainted by the ways of the furless through long association. They are a close-mouthed lot, never sharing exactly the how of what they do for us. Rumor has it that the artifact was never lost in time as many believe, but preserved and even shared somehow among their number. Rumor is, however, often nothing more than a sundream.

The above information taken from Triquetra Chronicles Vol 1