Court of Ivory
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Overview

The members of the Court of Ivory have existed far longer than any other organised court (with the possible exception of the Court of Waves), and in this time they have developed a complex relationship with the citizens they live among. At various times throughout history, they have acted as tribal leaders and gods, but in recent millennia they have claimed to move beyond the notion of deities and pantheons. Instead the court of Ivory prefers to work behind the scenes in the cultures they inspire, those still attached to their mortal forms often taking the role of shamans among the citizens of their people, while those who have transcended this state are responsible for the legends of Voodoo Loa and guardian spirits.

History

Appearance

Traditionally of African descent, it is rare to find an Asian, Caucasian or other genetic ancestry among the Court of Ivory. This is true whether the member is from their native Africa, or in one of the many ghettoes across the world. Ritual scarring and body paint often mark those who maintain the strongest links to the court, this applies no matter whether the individual is the weakest half-blood or the strongest members of the divine. Members of the Court of Ivory tend to wear bright colours no matter where they go. They also seem to have a love of jewellery; especially natural pieces of carved wood, shells and the ivory for which they are known.

Homeland

Since the dawn of time, the heartland of Africa has been the home to the oldest of all courts. While its most significant sites lie hidden in the great rift valley of eastern Africa, its influence has spread across the entire continent. Despite having a strong base of power in the African continent, recent centuries have seen a spread of this influence to far off lands. Exploration in the New World and decades of slavery have seen the court gain considerable influence in Western Europe and North America, and it seems that wherever the Negro race can be found, an element of the Ivory court follows them. The strongest groups of Outsiders beyond Africa who still claim membership of the Court of Ivory remain in the Islands of the Caribbean.

Court Culture

The members of the Court of Ivory have a strong belief in the natural order of things. Each believes they have a place in a world created by a great overseeing spirit; some believe they have been called on to create, while others bring changes to the land or even destroy. They don’t question their place in that order, they simply are. Some of the more powerful spirits manage vast realms of the African heartland, or concepts such as the seasons or the very powers of life and death themselves. Those who are weaker act as intermediaries between the greater powers and the citizens, ensuring the needs of the mortal world are not overlooked in the overwhelming cycle of ages. Unlike most groups, the members of the Court of Ivory are generally not ambitious and accept their roles in the great cycle thankfully.

Court Operations

The origins of the Court of Ivory have long faded into the mists. The sheer magnitude of time has been cruel to most of the beings that were present at this tumultuous occasion. Many have been killed, some have transcended to other planes of awareness, others have simply been forgotten. This was the first group of organised Outsiders, and they had no established patterns to follow. They did not choose to define a rigid structure among their people, because when they conceived the idea of united group, there were no hierarchies, kingdoms or empires; there was only family and tribe. In the time since, other courts have arisen and the eldest members of Ivory look to these courts as their children and grandchildren. Numerous factions have developed within the Court of Ivory, some dedicated to some specific cause like ridding the homeland of outside influences, others focusing on a certain tribe of the African nation. Occasionally a faction will attempt to unify the Court of Ivory into something more than just an extended family, though the majority of members choose not to follow such ideas. After all, they have survived this long; why should they change now?

Common Court Powers

Common Court Havens

Those who belong to the Court of Ivory believe in living in harmony with nature. They understand that the citizens around them have a desire to control the environment through farming, hunting and mining, but this is not their place in the world. Whether they live in the homeland of Africa, or among the Africans who have settled in foreign lands, the members of this court try to live with as little impact on the world around them as possible. They tend to live in rural environments, where they will have no more than a simple hut surrounded by an area that is known to locals as a wild-life preserve or mzimu (meaning “spirit worship place”). Those with more earthly power will not have more elaborate homes, but instead will have larger territories that they call home. Any groups of citizens who live on or near the lands of the Outsider will be considered flock to be tended by them.

Court Agenda

Intercourt Relations

Blood Court

Chrysanthemum Court

Gold Court

Ivory Court

Jade Court

Ochre Court

Peyote Court

Rose Court

Sand Court

Sapphire Court

Wave Court

Lesser Courts

The Court of Marble
The Court of the Sea
The Court of Ice
The Court of Runes
The Court of Grass
The Court of Greenstone

Significant Court Members

Baron Samedi

Erzulie Ge Rouge

Significant Court Rogues

Divine (Mungu – “god”) –
Demigods (Jinikuu – “great spirit”) –
Supernaturals (Jini – “spirit”) –
Half-Bloods (Pepo – “fairy”) –

Court Elements: Earth, Wood, Fire
Members:
Air –
Darkness –
Earth –
Fire –
Light –
Metal –
Water –
Wood –

Image Credits
1st Image: Bushman Village [MH Water] public domain image from wikipedia

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