Cult of Bones
In the midst of the worst famine in the pride's recent history, some within the Ithambo'hlabathi have fallen back on rites and superstitions, thinking it bad luck, a curse placed on the pride. Some have even begun to practice the worship and reverence of gods, remnants of past lives brought to the Bonelands by the Busisa over the years. Now, the Cult of Bones, or Umlandeli (“Followers”, pl. Umlandeli) has begun to spring up.
Led by Umama Zobuhle, a relative newcomer in the eyes of the pride, the pride seeks to remedy the ailing pride by way of returning the god of herds to the lands. Their belief is that the god of herds is missing or lost and that one of the primary duties of this god is to lead the migration of the herds. Their holy duty is to find or somehow lead the god back to the Bonelands, thus returning the herds.
Cult Information
All information pertaining to the Umlandeli can be found in this Google document: Cult of Bones.
How does the pride view the cult?
The cult as a whole is barely tolerated, seeing their practices as a waste of time and resources when they could be more actively helping aid in finding a solution. Most elders within the Bonelands look down on this reliance on the divine as something only the weak would do, while the busisa of the pride, especially those from more religious prides, see the merit in it if it helps lift their spirits.
The Abaholi are especially skepical about the whole affair, but the other Omama have shown no inclination to chase out the Umlandeli and so they stay, for now, as a salve for the pride in these desperate times.
How do I join the cult?
There is no formal joining of the cult. Simply stating your belief is enough. Right now there is no limitation for joining, but we ask you to take into account your character's personality and upbringing when deciding who to join.
I thought the Bonelands wasn't religious?
On a pride level, the Bonelands is best described as agnostic, neither believing nor disbelieving in the gods. However, lions within the pride may have their own personal beliefs. The Umlandeli is a by-product of these personal beliefs still holding true and rising to the surface during times of great pressure.
Is there a rank associated with the cult?
No. There is no rank for or associated with the Umlandeli.