Grading System

How it Works

The Grading System has been around for ages, even before the "Graders" were in power. Back before pendragons became more "civilized" and space travel hadn't been invented, the pendragon race depended soley on hunting and catching their food. The Grading System was devised in order to determine who was in charge of the hunt. The individual with four stripes on his/her face (usually two short & thin stripes on each cheek) was the one that was in charge of the hunt. So whether the hunt was a failure or a success depended upon them fully. Pendragons with one stripe were usually beginner hunters and pendragons with two or three stripes were usually the more experienced hunters.

How it has Evolved

Like many things, the Grading System has evolved over time. Some see it now as just a waste, others seek hard to "attain their stripes". Instead of the leader of the hunt bearing four stripes, stripes are now given out according to either heroic acts or useful deeds performed by the pendragon. Each stripe represents on formidable feat. The "stripes" are often given out by the ruling family.

The Process

Just like pendragon tattoos, the stripes are carved into the flesh with a sharp tool or someone's handy tail blade. The stripe is then infused with a sealing sort of dye and then a tail flame is used to burn the flesh so that it won't heal back. Flinching during this process has been known to cause some family shame.