HERDS

[Benjio]

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THE HERDS

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Within this board you will find any and everything needed about the four herds. If by chance we did leave something out, please send a message to a staff member and we can get it added here!

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Bhumi - Herd of Earth[break]
Agni - Herd of Fire[break]
Paniya - Herd of Water[break]
Pavana - Herd of Wind

[attr="class","trinCredits"]TABLE BY TRINITY @ ADOXOGRAPHY

[Benjio]

Traits of the Bhumi
- "Down-to-earth"
- Steady, stoic, reliable, practical
- Not prone to expression of emotion, though they feel everything keenly. This may sometimes give rise to miscommunication.
- React calmly to threats. Sometimes too calmly - may be viewed by others as being lazy.
- However, they also have a limit. If pushed beyond their limit (whether in terms of emotional arousal, or danger of threat), they tend to react explosively, as everything that had been bottled up comes out (think earthquakes)
- Not always very quick to accept new ideas. Prefer to work with old, tested methods and ideas.

Discription of the Bhumi
The earth has always been there, firm and solid beneath our feet. It was around long before we existed, and will remain long after we are gone. The Maori named her Papatuanuku, the Mesopotamians called her Kishar, the Norse named her Jörð. But to the Azvalokan horses, mention the earth and it will bring to mind the Bhumi herd.


For the Bhumi is constant and steadfast - as old, perhaps, as the earth itself, and as unchanging. The herd is filled with ancient traditions and customs, such as requiring each horse to stamp the ground three times to welcome each sunrise. The ways of the old are the ways of the wise - that is a saying that is taught to young foals from the time they are weaned.


And, as far the ways of the old go, the foals are also taught this: everything is fleeting, nothing remains forever. Should they stumble and fall, they are helped up briskly, for pain is fleeting and does not remain forever. Should they be gifted a tasty carrot, their smiles meet only shrugs, for happiness is fleeting and does not remain forever. Should they fall out with a friend, their complaints are cast aside, for friends - even friends - are fleeting and do not remain forever.


Perhaps this is why the Bhumi is always stoic and stolid. Lacking any outward display of even the strongest emotions - sublime joy, or absolute devastation, or boiling fury - their keen gray eyes reveal only cool apathy, at all times and in all seasons. Even in the face of danger, a Bhumi appears calm and unhurried, even to the point of seeming laziness. Danger is fleeting; it does not remain forever. They refuse to be agitated, for distress and alarm offer little succour. It matters not whether their life is on the line. Death, to them, is in the natural order of things - for life is fleeting and does not remain forever.


Yet, even cool apathy may not last forever. It takes a while, but their pent-up emotions, whether rage or sorrow or despair, may slowly build up, like rumbles and tremors, until all hell breaks loose, as sudden as an earthquake - and even more destructive.


And they go anywhere, indeed, with no fear of retribution and no care for boundaries. For, as the old ones say, as long as their hooves fall on solid earth, they are where they belong.

NAME is the current queen/king of Bhumi, played by auditions open.

^{by ♛befera}

[Benjio]

Traits of the Agni
- "Fiery passion"
- Very idealistic, very strong beliefs
- Will fight to the death for what they believe in
- Hot tempers. May be impulsive. But once they make a decision, they stick to it, even if it was a decision made on impulse.
- When threats appear, they tend to confront it head-on. They never run away.
- They always seek to protect those who are more vulnerable.
- Because they are so passionate in their beliefs, they are always the "heroes" who fight for justice. On the flip side, if corrupted, they can be the worst villains, for they may fight equally strongly for misplaced ideals.

Description of the Agni
Fire has neither form nor substance. It comes not in a flowing liquid or sturdy solid, but as a blaze. A relentless, merciless blaze. Incinerating everything in its path, rendering them to nought but cinders and ashes.


The Agni is perhaps best described, too, as a blaze. They burn, startlingly bright, with such idealistic passion that none can ever hope to match. Woe betide anyone who stands in their path - to justice, or equality, or freedom. They will be struck down and razed to the ground; no pity given or excuses accepted. No one is able to withstand the heat of an Agni’s fury. The coldest, strongest glacier melts; the tallest, proudest oak tree is scorched.


Yet, the true terror comes when their intense passion is instead fueled by darker flames. Rarely does it happen, but it does happen indeed. That an Agni is slowly convinced, by some insidious force, of the virtue of some loathsome ideal. And then, just as the angels who fall become the most hated demons, so does a corrupted Agni become the scourge of all Azvalokans. For the wretched soul who encounters them will have to contend with the fierce blaze that is an Agni, but burning in the name of all that is vile.


And the Agni, indeed, is a fearsome warrior. One you would rather have at your side as a companion - for if they were facing you in battle, you would be quaking, and if they were behind you, you would be dead. They are not ones to shy away from danger, even if their lives are at risk of being snuffed out like a candle. Any threat is stared straight in the eye, with a gaze as smoldering as their anger. Yes, their first instinct when in peril is not distress, but anger. And not just anger, not just plain anger, but wrath. A searing wrath that consumes the Agni, and, if left unchecked, may even consume the whole world.


It is of no surprise, then, that even the mightiest warriors tremble when an Agni passes. And when they do pass by, they make no effort in silence or obscurity. They trot by proudly with their heads in the air - and anyone who looks closely will notice the trail of sparks and flames left behind each time their hooves strike the ground. Their powerful muscles ripple gently beneath their skin, a formidable display of might.


For what makes the Agni all the more fearsome, is that they are no different from a raging inferno - except in this: that they have form, and they have substance. And they are always - tangibly, palpably, physically - blazing.

NAME is the current queen/king of Agni, played by auditions open.

^{by ♛befera}

[Benjio]

Traits of the Panyia
- "Go with the flow"
- Very spontaneous and creative. Artistic.
- Tend to change their minds a lot, sometimes rather flighty
- But very steadfast and loyal to those they hold dear. Trouble is, you're not always very sure if you're their friend or enemy, because they are easily offended but quick to forgive
- When threats appear, they tend to come up with wild, unorthodox solutions. Sometimes, they are overconfident and overestimate their abilities, or sometimes their solution itself places themselves in danger.

Description of the Paniya
The thing about water is that it flows. It could be a river, rushing down the mountain side, leaping over boulders and slithering down crevices. Or it could be the ocean, rolling to the shore in huge waves, crashing against the sand and rocks. Perhaps it was that which inspired Heraclitus’ famous line: no man ever steps in the same river twice.


And the Azvalokan horses say: no horse ever meets the same Paniya twice. At one moment, they may be surging towards one direction; the next moment, they would be rushing headlong in the opposite way. They change their minds and alter their course easily, without doubt or deliberation, and with neither hesitation nor remorse.


That said, there are some occasions on which water stays as still and as stagnant as the sun in the sky. Lakes, perhaps, or ponds - where the water is calm and pleasant. And so may the Paniya be equally unwavering in their loyalties. Friends and allies need never fear betrayal or treachery. What they do need to concern themselves with, however, is whether they are still a friend or have become a foe. The Paniya are as quick to anger as they are to forgiveness. One may slip nimbly from ally to enemy and back again within the span of a day.


Yet, while their flightiness and indecision may spell trouble for interpersonal relationships, one would be well-served by having a Paniya by their side in the face of danger. For the Paniya are often creative and spontaneous, forming new innovative solutions on the spur of the moment. A familiar threat will always receive an unfamiliar response. Because of that, anyone who wishes them ill will never be able to fully predict their reactions, and will often be taken by surprise. With that said, however, surprise may go both ways. The Paniya may sometimes find that their solution placed them in more danger than before, or their elaborate plans may have failed equally elaborately. Life is always a guessing game for the Paniya, but that is what they enjoy - and what they need to feel truly alive.

NAME is the current queen/king of Paniya, played by auditions open.

^{by ♛befera}

[Benjio]

Traits of the Pavana
- "Which way the wind blows"
- Cautious, always test things out before fully committing
- Will weigh the pros and cons before deciding
- When threats appear, always find the smartest way to meet it, whether it involves fighting or escaping
- Always well-prepared for any situation. Likes planning ahead.
- On the flip side, because they rely on planning so much, they may not be the best at tackling unexpected situations. Also, because they may be too hesitant, may not react in a timely manner.


Description of the Pavana
The wind may come in powerful gusts and gales, sweeping away everything in its path, a force of destruction and chaos. Or it could come in a gentle breeze, cooling and refreshing, setting the scene for beautiful summer days and romantic night-time kisses. It can come from all four corners of the earth, or as a swirling hurricane with just a center. It takes something as simple and as fundamental as the very air we breathe - and turns it into either something that will kill us, or something that makes our lives just a little more richer.


With such power in their grasp, it is little wonder that the Paniya is the very model of care and caution. Always considering all possibilities, always weighing the pros and cons of everything. They like to see which way the wind blows, so to speak, before reaching a decision. Because of this, in the face of imminent danger, it can be rest assured that the Paniya will only proceed with the best, reasoned, course of action. Whether that may involve an active confrontation with an assailant, or a quiet escape, the Paniya will always be able to provide a logical explanation for their choice.


That may, at times, be their undoing. In an unexpected attack, a quick decision may be wiser than a good one. In such cases, one just needs to act first and think later. The Paniya, however, can never put aside the cogs and whirrs of their thinking processes. Their minds are always working, always acting - trying to find the best solution, while mentally beating themselves up for not foreseeing this. A decision that is not well-thought out, is not one that they will trust. It is rationality that they prize above all - even if that in itself is irrational.


Thankfully, it is not often that such a situation would arise. For the Paniya always plans ahead meticulously for everything. It matters not if they are merely taking a minute’s stroll to the nearest meadow, or setting off on a week-long journey across the plains. Every Paniya will have come up with a detailed plan and a list of all foreseeable events, right in their ever-active minds.


It is not an easy sight to behold. And no one, after a single glance into those hard eyes, will ever underestimate a Paniya. Not unless they wish to throw caution to the winds.

NAME is the current king/queen of Pavana, played by auditions open.

^{by ♛befera}