Pride (Garou/Kin)

[Casper]

Casper waits until he sees the two Philodox he needs to see -the Eldest and the Truthcatcher- and then he steps forward to address those gathered. His voice carries clearly as he speaks and his bearing begins as one of propriety. "Pride is a driving force behind many people, many Garou's actions; we push ourselves often out of a pride for our role as the Warriors of Gaia, we ask our Galliards to regale us with the deeds of our Ancestors out of pride for our heritage, we stand to be recognized out of pride for our deeds. Pride in our roles, pride in our crafts, pride in our skills; this pride -or the pursuit of such pride- leads us to do better, to be better so that the Nation in turn is better."

He takes a step back and then raises his shoulders. "But pride is something we as a people have learned is best in moderation." Cas tips his head in the direction of the nearest Galliard and adds, "After all, I do not doubt our Galliards could spend nights on end telling us about times where pride led to folly." His shoulders go up again, ".....Or even longer if we were to ask them to recall for us times in which pride led to strife or failure, or of roads made longer and more difficult than they should have been because of stubborn, angry, haughty pride."

Casper spreads his hands in a genial gesture and his voice drawls with a Southern accent, "But since ya'll are already here, I think we can rustle up a few examples, eh Bosslady?" He looks to Dani at the latter, and then his smile broadens subtly, "I mean, all we really have to do is ask The-Scarred-Wrath-of-Fenris how he spent his day, yeah?"

His weight shifts in a forward direction as he looks back to listeners and explains, "Pride in excess has a few side effects, you see, and one of them is a sense of superiority." He turns and holds his hands out low, palms down and waist high as he poses the rhetorical and not-serious question, "And how better for a Garou to demonstrate such superiority than by indecently exposing a kin while simultaneously telling her that she is beneath him and could never be his mate?" His whole posture relaxes into something casual as he shrugs and adopts a facetious nature to mock, "'Oh sure, we could totally make like rabbits, but you're not worthy of me because I'm a high and mighty Fenrir and you're not'." Then he shakes his head and looks to Haakon, "I mean, damn son; you didn't even have the decency to not ruin her clothes in the process?" He tsks. "Pride."

However, then he holds his hands out slightly in an absently stilling gesture. "I should be truthful and say he didn't actually say that; it was more literally, 'you could never be my mate; my lineage is long and has been kept true. I would not break that line now; it would be taboo'. Crock of bullshit, if you ask me." Then his brows raise and his eyes widen slightly as though he has realized something, and he pats his chest with his hands. "Oh wait! I'm Fenrir!" This seems exciting. He turns to Dani. "Please ask me if that's a crock of bullshit." He stills and pauses just long enough to let the request settle before he straightens again and drops his hands. "It is a crock of bullshit. Our Tribe values strength of all forms; the quality of your blood means nothing if you can't stand for yourself without it, nor does it factor into the equation if you can." He scoffs. "Pride."

Then the Rotagar brightens with energy again and takes a few steps forward and to the side as he asks, "But wait, wait, wait, let's rewind really quick. Did you catch that? Not even a kin of his own Tribe!" He sounds way too happy about this. He points to someone blindly and inquires, "Would you be happy to hear someone was degrading a kin of your Tribe?" But the question is clearly rhetorical as he shakes his head while he continues, "I know I wouldn't, especially if the one degrading people is of my Tribe. My pride is a little too strong for that." Then he drops his hands and slowly pockets them, his verbal tempo slowing as well with a sigh, "Still, he said not a word to the kin's Tribal Elder or any Garou of her Tribe." Sadly or with disappointment, he adds, "Frankly, he didn't even seem to understand he was supposed to when the matter was brought up in a different conversation." A subtle tilt to one side accompanies a question that might be posed to the other Ragabash, "Then again, wolves don't lose sleep over the opinions of sheep, isn't that how the saying goes?" He shakes his head slowly, and this time the word is a sad sigh, "Pride."

The Rotagar begins an idle walk around the area, bumping his shoulder against Dani lightly. "And that's not even the only time his Pride has coaxed him to try to demonstrate superiority over a kin not of his Tribe. When this sept found a little dove who had been abused into meekness, he tried to insist that she should stay with him, like she needed to have his form of structure, because clearly that little bug called Pride was whispering into his ear that his way is the best way and is the only way things could be done." He tsks again, shaking his head slowly.

"Not of his Tribe, submissive and meek, clearly she was easy pickings for him, and he wasn't willing to let her go without a fight either -when his superior by Rank and Position in the form of the Sept Alpha insisted otherwise, he didn't back down." Those shoulders go up but his hands don't leave his pockets. "Not from a stance of logic, mind, but Pride can make anything in favor of what you want seem logical." Casper moves around Dani. "I mean really, someone who had been abused by men clearly needed another man's guidance and structure as she tried to find a path for recovery, right? It didn't matter that he is a man who made her appear visibly uncomfortable, right?"

He sighs. "An outside force had to remind him of his place, as he had apparently forgotten he was arguing with someone of higher station over a kin who he had absolutely no connection to or claim over, and even then he only abandoned the subject and area to avoid losing more face through a frenzy, and that was his first sign of Wisdom, the only time he swallowed his Pride."

Now he pauses, looking at the Alpha. His hands leave his pockets, and he starts counting things on his fingers, apparently doing some math, but then he returns to 'one' and considers Dani. "Well, let's see.....two counts of failing to respect those beneath him....." Two fingers go up to match this. Then two more go up for, "And failing to respect the territory of another....." And a fifth, "With a dash of failing to submit to one of higher station?" He smiles and drops his hand. "That's just the first course, and the pill is bitterer to swallow the farther down it goes."

[Dani]

"And down and down it goes." she cut in.

"We are social creatures. Pack creatures. There is no bond quite like the one we share when we have chosen those who will be our Pack. When we work together..." she smiled "...we succeed. Each of us fulfilling the role Gaia has chosen for us. We complement one another. We become a force stronger than any individual could ever hope to be."

The smile faded, replaced by a calm neutrality. "But Pride tells us this is not so. Pride tells us that we will be fine on our own."

"The-Scarred-Wrath-of-Fenris is the Alpha of his Pack. A Pack that has been fractured, damaged by Pride. Instead of working together they go off on their own in search of trouble." she began to pace back and forth like a caged animal looking for escape. "And as we all know, when you go looking for trouble, it's bound to find you.”

“It was Justice-of-the-Meek who found that trouble first, though most would not know this as the tale of her death has not been told."

"You heard me right. A warrior of the Nation fell in battle. A member of this Sept was slain months ago, and her song has yet to be sung. Even his last remaining Packmate, Thrice-Bound, remained unaware of her death until well after it had been discovered."

"Why you ask?"

"Pride."

“The very same Pride that led the Scarred-Wrath-of-Fenris to the place where his Packmate had perished – though he was a bit luckier in his dealings with the Fallen who had torn her limb from limb leaving her broken body to rot in the dark and deserted halls of an abandoned asylum. He, strong and proud warrior that he is, was only wounded by those who have forsaken our ways. They were kind enough to bring him home, to deliver him personally to the edge of the Bawn, with a message carved into his chest. “ as she paced she let her gaze sweep over all who had gathered. “They came here…to our home…to our sacred place. They were unafraid. They saw our Pride, not once but twice, and they threw it in our face by returning one of ours damaged and unclean leaving him on our doorstep. Violating our home.”

“Our Laws say to Respect Those Beneath Us, but respect was not given to Justice-of-the-Meek by honoring her death, or more importantly, her life. Respect was not shown to Thrice-Bound who was left in the dark, only to find out about his fallen Packmate from another member of the Sept who heard the tale from The Scarred-Wrath-of-Fenris himself.” her gaze lingered on Conall for a long moment. There was sorrow there. Sorrow for the loss she knew he was still dealing with.

“Our Laws say to Take No Action That Shall Cause a Caern to be Violated.” her Rage blossomed as she focused on Haakon. “The Fallen were here. The sound of Whippoorwill’s call echoed across this Caern. This place, OUR place, was violated by their presence. They may have delivered him to us, but it was his Pride that allowed them to do so.”

[Casper]

He steps forward as Dani concludes, his hands raising slightly. "It seems like such a small word, pride, but you have heard now what kind of troubles it can cause."

"And what troubles they are! Four instances of failing to respect those beneath him, two of failing to respect the territory of another, and one count of each of the following: take no action that shall cause a Caern to be violated and failing to submit to one of higher station." Casper focuses on the Modi. "Those are some pretty hefty troubles for a thing like Pride."

"You have claimed yourself to be the Scarred-Wrath-of-Fenris, but I don't see it. Fenris is great and powerful, ferocious in spirit and in battle but even one as fearsome as Fenris has defended the weak, has run with his pack, has not taken advantage of an abused victim's submission, and while I can't speak for a spirit such as he, I'm inclined to like to think he would not take kindly to someone allowing a caern to be violated by the presence of Dancers on the Bawn."

He rocks back on his heels and then takes a step forward. "Pride begins as such a small thing but it can swell out of proportion very quickly, and we all need a reminder of this. So, if you would like to be the center of attention, let's make it so; you will be our warning. For the trouble your Pride has created for the Garou and kin of this sept, for those of your own pack both present and past and even for yourself, you are Pride-Before-the-Fall." Then he glances over to Dani and then the Philodox. "Anything more is for the Philodox to decide, but this is your new name, Pride-Before-the-Fall. Heed its warning well."

[Dani]

"I am amending the Scandal because he has for the fourth?...fifth?...sixth? time decided that my personal and very private business is open for him to comment on in both one on one and in public. After the situation at the pub where he got it in his head that I was behaving in a sexual manner in front of the abused Kin I confronted him and told him in no uncertain terms that he needed to keep his nose out of my business when it came to things that did not involve him, particularly my sex life. Bringing it up again here, in front of everyone, as if he is letting them in on some dirty little secret shows a complete lack of submission. I could also argue that he is not respecting the territory of another as my sex life is certainly my territory and belongs to no one else." that last one might not stick, but it was exactly the kind of thing she was known for tossing into Scandals when someone screwed with her personal life.

[Hanan Nagi]

"In this matter of Scandal brought against Pride-Before-the-Fall, Full Moon Cliath of the Get of Fenris Tribe, let it be known that we of the Half Moon who have heard the claims of both sides have considered the information provided by both sides of these issues carefully and stand now as one in agreement over the conclusions drawn." Her voice is clear and her tone does not waver in the slightest.

The Truthcatcher alters her stance to turn to face Haakon slightly more than Dani or Casper, as though to direct the conclusions to Haakon even though her volume does not change. "These Dark Moons have voiced questions of your respect toward those beneath you in station, Pride-Before-the-Fall, and have named four specific instances for evaluation."

"In the circumstance of the dinner with a kin woman, during which her clothing had been torn and her heritage derided, we have concluded that you did indeed fail to respect her. Intent matters little when one's actions and words speak so loudly, and Rage is not a shield to excuse one's actions, for this tenet exists so that we remember to moderate ourselves and observe the charge given to us by Gaia as guardians." Her tone does not imply a lecture, merely an elaboration on the conclusion so that he might understand why it has been made.

"However, in the circumstance described concerning a battered kin woman needing a safe place, we have concluded that disrespect had not been shown to the kin in question through the suggestion that she stay with you." She does not elaborate on this immediately and likely will when she reaches the other related points.

"Our Dark Moons have expressed the question of whether or not you failed to respect Justice-of-the-Meek through your silence over her demise and your inaction toward honoring her memory. And we conclude that you have failed to respect her. As her alpha, you were responsible for acknowledging her death to the caern and for seeking to have her properly tended to with a Gathering for the Departed."

"That so much time passed without any acknowledgement is alarming and upsetting." Her attention broadens again. "Especially here, where there are countless Ancestors in our own Garden of the Fallen who are trapped because their stories have gone untold. It is a duty among the Nation to remember those who came before and those who have since been lost, a duty that bears more weight here." Hanan's serious tone and roaming gaze implies this is something to impart among the witnesses as well, for Haakon had not been the only one to remain silent about this loss.

"However, your packmate Thrice-Bound is a Cliath of the Nation and possesses autonomy and accountability, and as such his ignorance of the whereabouts of your remaining packmate is not solely a fault of your silence, silence spawned by strickenness instead of deceitful intent, and thus we concluded that you did not fail to respect Thrice-Bound."

"Sun-Within-the-Storm and Many-Faces have also questioned your intent toward the territory of others. As has been mentioned, you had dinner with a kin not of your Tribe, but that is no crime or violation. However, during this dinner you tore this kin's clothing, her property, which is very much a failure to respect her territory. This kin has also noted that you later sought to pursue her as a mate briefly, but never once did you consult with the Elder of her Tribe for permission to do so. In regard to this kin, you did fail to respect the territory of another."

"As for the matter of the battered kin, you insisted that she stay with you in your home, despite her not being a part of your own Tribe and not speaking with her Elder. However, at that stage of the situation, there had been no need, for the kin never fell under your care and you have left the matter to others, and thus you did not fail to respect the territory of another in that situation."

"While you ultimately left that situation to others, however, it had been only after arguing heatedly with one of higher station, the Alpha of our sept. Opinions and options may certainly be expressed, but the manner of such should be respectful, and when one of higher station makes a firm decision it is to be followed, unless it is challenged on the mound. You persisted when submission was called for, and in doing so you failed to submit to one of higher station."

"Furthermore, the Scandal brought against you had been amended to acknowledge that you had been given a direct order to remain out of the Alpha's personal business, an order that has been verified and that had been undeniably breached as you stood on trial here. Airing private business in a scandalous fashion is the realm of the Ragabash Auspice, when it is needed, and so if you had any concerns toward the Alpha's personal business, a No Moon could have been sought, but you yourself had been ordered to remain out of it and had no conflicting duty to do otherwise. Thus, you failed to submit to one of higher station here as well."

"Lastly, our Dark Moons have questioned whether or not you took action that caused our caern to be under threat of violation when you recklessly pursued danger on your own and were returned to our bawn by the enemy." Her volume softens slightly and her tone is grave. "A caern is a rare and precious thing, a place of great and holy power that must be protected at all costs. This is inarguable and one area where there are no gray zones between the Tribes of the Nation."

"This tenet is explicit. One must take no action that would cause a caern to be violated. You ignored the nature of the wolf, the nature of cooperation and strength in numbers, to pursue danger alone, and you were defeated by the foe and dropped at our border. There is little reason and no evidence to believe you informed them of where the sept is, but we cannot give ground; your recklessness gave them the excuse they needed or wanted to show us they are aware of our location. Your recklessness brought them here. We cannot deny that in going alone, in combating a pack alone, you took action that placed this caern at risk."

She is quiet briefly to allow this to hang overhead and settle, and when she begins to speak again it is slowly. "Traditionally, there is no quarter given where this tenet is involved, but in light of the circumstances overall and the lack of damage to the caern, we have found it best that we stray from tradition in this aspect."

"With the evidence presented, by the Dark Moons, the witnesses spoken with, and by yourself, we have come to the conclusion that this behavior as a whole illustrates a poor education in the ways of the Nation, or a poor execution of education."

"And this is something we have decided should be remedied."

"For your transgressions, one and all, you will be subjected to the Satire Rite, which will strip you of your standing and your rank within the Nation. It is our hope that returning you to Cubhood will provide you with the opportunity to learn how this behavior you have been found guilty of contradicts the expectations of a warrior of Gaia and guardian of Her creations, as well as how to correct such behavior and methods through which you may practice self-control so that you may be a productive, honorable member of the Nation instead of a source of tension and communal disharmony."

[+] OOC

(Summarized Conclusion: Haakon failed to respect those beneath him in regard to the 'date' with a kin and to Justice-of-the-Meek. He is found to have not failed to respect those beneath him in regard to the battered kin or to Thrice-Bound.

Haakon failed to respect the territory of another in regard to the 'date' with a kin, but he is found to have not failed to respect the territory of another in regard to the battered kin.

Haakon failed to submit to one of higher station on both instances.

Haakon took action that put the caern at risk of violation.

For the above transgressions, Haakon will be subjected to the Satire Rite, thus stripped of all temporary Renown and of his Cliath Rank to return him to Cubhood.)