Post by Aphelyon on Feb 15, 2018 17:24:28 GMT -5
S p r i n g C l a n
S p i r i t e d & S w i f t
History of the Clans
The origins of the four Clans of the Seasons is lost to history, though there are many stories revolving around their founders, four sisters named Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Some cats say that there used to be no seasons, or else that the seasons had no order and were in constant chaos. Legend has it that the four sisters created the Clans to bring order and balance to the seasons, so that things could grow and die in the proper cycle that keeps life flowing.
Of course, most cats know that these are likely just stories, though it is generally accepted that Winterstar, Springstar, Summerstar, and Autumnstar did exist. Many cats also hold the superstition that if the Clans are thrown out of balance, so will be the seasons; or, perhaps the opposite, and the Clans rely on their respective seasons to survive. Regardless, the cats of the Season Clans hold much respect for the power of the seasons, and the cycle of life that they uphold and represent.
Still.... not every cat has the same respect for tradition. A darkness has been growing in the hearts of some of the Clan cats, cats who look to expand their territory and power, to throw the Clans and seasons out of balance. Will these cats be stopped, and tradition upheld, or will the cycle, and the fate of the Clans, be changed forever?
Of course, most cats know that these are likely just stories, though it is generally accepted that Winterstar, Springstar, Summerstar, and Autumnstar did exist. Many cats also hold the superstition that if the Clans are thrown out of balance, so will be the seasons; or, perhaps the opposite, and the Clans rely on their respective seasons to survive. Regardless, the cats of the Season Clans hold much respect for the power of the seasons, and the cycle of life that they uphold and represent.
Still.... not every cat has the same respect for tradition. A darkness has been growing in the hearts of some of the Clan cats, cats who look to expand their territory and power, to throw the Clans and seasons out of balance. Will these cats be stopped, and tradition upheld, or will the cycle, and the fate of the Clans, be changed forever?
About SpringClan
SpringClan is the Clan which represents the season of spring. They are often seen as being overly enthusiastic, flippant, and fickle by the other Clans. They tend to be energetic and excitable, often compared to sparrows in the way that they flit from thing to thing on a whim, and they are often viewed as being silly and ditsy by the other Clans. Of course, this is little more than stereotype- while it's true that SpringClan cats tend to have a short attention span, this is less due to an inability to focus on one thing, and more due to an understanding that life is short and cats should do what makes them happy while they can. They understand that good times are fleeting, and thus seek to enjoy them to their fullest while they can. They see no point in lingering on things that don't either serve the Clan or make them happy, whether that be hobbies or relationships or anything else.
In appearance, SpringClan cats are fairly small, lithe cats with long, nimble limbs and long tails that help them to balance when running or climbing. Their fur tends to be shorter and thinner than that of the other Clans, and for one reason or another they are known to have larger ears than other cats. They are most commonly bright, sunny colors- fiery ginger, russet, white, tawny, and so on. They are rarely dull, dark, or muted colors like black, gray, or dusty brown, though cats in these colors do occur on occasion. Because of their small stature and nimble bodies, SpringClan cats find it easiest to catch birds, and thus birds make up most of their prey. Because of their relationship with the spring season, almost all cats of SpringClan are named after flowers, berries, or some kind of blooming plant; or, if they're not named after a flower, they're probably named after a bird. Another thing to note about SpringClan is their tendency to switch mates with relative frequency, compared to most cats. While many cats will choose one cat to be their mate for most of their life (or for very long periods, at least), SpringClan romances tend to be short (a few moons to a year or so long) but extremely passionate. This lends to the SpringClan stereotype of being fickle, but really it's just another example of the ways that they focus on things that make them happy, and let go when the interest has run its course.
In appearance, SpringClan cats are fairly small, lithe cats with long, nimble limbs and long tails that help them to balance when running or climbing. Their fur tends to be shorter and thinner than that of the other Clans, and for one reason or another they are known to have larger ears than other cats. They are most commonly bright, sunny colors- fiery ginger, russet, white, tawny, and so on. They are rarely dull, dark, or muted colors like black, gray, or dusty brown, though cats in these colors do occur on occasion. Because of their small stature and nimble bodies, SpringClan cats find it easiest to catch birds, and thus birds make up most of their prey. Because of their relationship with the spring season, almost all cats of SpringClan are named after flowers, berries, or some kind of blooming plant; or, if they're not named after a flower, they're probably named after a bird. Another thing to note about SpringClan is their tendency to switch mates with relative frequency, compared to most cats. While many cats will choose one cat to be their mate for most of their life (or for very long periods, at least), SpringClan romances tend to be short (a few moons to a year or so long) but extremely passionate. This lends to the SpringClan stereotype of being fickle, but really it's just another example of the ways that they focus on things that make them happy, and let go when the interest has run its course.
Roleplay Rules
The rules in this roleplay are pretty straightforward, and mainly common sense. Still, I would appreciate it if you would at least skim through in case there's anything you missed/might not have thought about.
First, use common sense, as always. Don't spam, don't be rude, don't troll, don't use mary-sues, don't kit-steal, don't control/place/trap other peoples' characters (without permission), don't spotlight (ie, causing drama revolving around your character for the sake of causing drama/drawing unnecessary attention to them), don't powerplay (essentially, refusing to lose/fail even if you reasonably should), etc. The normal stuff. If you need clarification on any of those rules, feel free to ask either on this thread, or to PM me.
Next is literacy. I'm not usually super strict about literacy in Clan roleplays, but there is a certain basic standard which has to be met or the roleplay will fall apart. My rules on this are pretty simple.
- First of all, make sure your posts are coherent. This means good spelling and grammar at the very least- doesn't have to be perfect (I really don't care that much if you use the wrong than/then as long as we know what you're saying) but it has to be easily legible. On the other hand, this also means using words/phrasings/structure that a regular person can be reasonably expected to understand, and you should be able to say it fairly concisely. We don't need 2 sentences of big words to tell us that your character's eyes are blue. When you try too hard to be Shakespeare/Tolkien, it means that everyone has to take time and mental effort to to decipher what you're trying to say, which is the opposite of relaxing, which is what roleplaying should be.
- Secondly, post length should be reasonable. Your average should fall somewhere in the 1-5 decently-sized paragraphs range, in this case a "decent paragraph" being like, 3-5 sentences. You can certainly have outliers that are longer or shorter than this depending on the situation; however, if you normally write less than 3 or 4 sentences, or you generally write more than 4 or 5 paragraphs, you might need to adjust your style slightly for this roleplay.
- Finally, literacy also means knowing how to contribute to the roleplay. I don't care if you're not the most eloquent person in the universe, if you can't use the right your, or if you write a minimum one paragraph every post, as long as your characters are well thought-out and contribute to the plot in an interesting, engaging, and meaningful way. Inversely, you could be actual Shakespeare in terms of verbage but if your characters don't actually do anything, develop, or go anywhere, if you don't contribute to the plot and the story and the world, then you are not going to be enjoyable to roleplay with.
And of course, there's the ever-present issue of activity. I don't like to give a strict "you have to be on this much within this time period" rule because, well, stuff happens. You get busy, I get busy, the roleplay lags, it happens. So as long as you post enough for your characters to remain appropriately relevant for their ranks and role in the rp, that's good enough for me. So, obviously, characters like leaders and medicine cats should be pretty available, while kits and apprentices might not need to be on as much. If the roleplay is going slow but steady, you don't need to be on as much; if it's going fast, you should try to make enough time to be on so as not to become lost or irrelevant. Use your best judgement, and if I feel like your activity is a problem, I'll say something to you directly, and give you a chance to explain things or fix it, before deleting you.
First, use common sense, as always. Don't spam, don't be rude, don't troll, don't use mary-sues, don't kit-steal, don't control/place/trap other peoples' characters (without permission), don't spotlight (ie, causing drama revolving around your character for the sake of causing drama/drawing unnecessary attention to them), don't powerplay (essentially, refusing to lose/fail even if you reasonably should), etc. The normal stuff. If you need clarification on any of those rules, feel free to ask either on this thread, or to PM me.
Next is literacy. I'm not usually super strict about literacy in Clan roleplays, but there is a certain basic standard which has to be met or the roleplay will fall apart. My rules on this are pretty simple.
- First of all, make sure your posts are coherent. This means good spelling and grammar at the very least- doesn't have to be perfect (I really don't care that much if you use the wrong than/then as long as we know what you're saying) but it has to be easily legible. On the other hand, this also means using words/phrasings/structure that a regular person can be reasonably expected to understand, and you should be able to say it fairly concisely. We don't need 2 sentences of big words to tell us that your character's eyes are blue. When you try too hard to be Shakespeare/Tolkien, it means that everyone has to take time and mental effort to to decipher what you're trying to say, which is the opposite of relaxing, which is what roleplaying should be.
- Secondly, post length should be reasonable. Your average should fall somewhere in the 1-5 decently-sized paragraphs range, in this case a "decent paragraph" being like, 3-5 sentences. You can certainly have outliers that are longer or shorter than this depending on the situation; however, if you normally write less than 3 or 4 sentences, or you generally write more than 4 or 5 paragraphs, you might need to adjust your style slightly for this roleplay.
- Finally, literacy also means knowing how to contribute to the roleplay. I don't care if you're not the most eloquent person in the universe, if you can't use the right your, or if you write a minimum one paragraph every post, as long as your characters are well thought-out and contribute to the plot in an interesting, engaging, and meaningful way. Inversely, you could be actual Shakespeare in terms of verbage but if your characters don't actually do anything, develop, or go anywhere, if you don't contribute to the plot and the story and the world, then you are not going to be enjoyable to roleplay with.
And of course, there's the ever-present issue of activity. I don't like to give a strict "you have to be on this much within this time period" rule because, well, stuff happens. You get busy, I get busy, the roleplay lags, it happens. So as long as you post enough for your characters to remain appropriately relevant for their ranks and role in the rp, that's good enough for me. So, obviously, characters like leaders and medicine cats should be pretty available, while kits and apprentices might not need to be on as much. If the roleplay is going slow but steady, you don't need to be on as much; if it's going fast, you should try to make enough time to be on so as not to become lost or irrelevant. Use your best judgement, and if I feel like your activity is a problem, I'll say something to you directly, and give you a chance to explain things or fix it, before deleting you.
The Warrior Code
Defend your Clan, even with your life. You may have friendships with cats from other Clans, but your loyalty must remain to your Clan, as one day you may meet them in battle.
Do not hunt or trespass on another Clan's territory.
Elders, queens, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders. If any warrior or apprentice is sick or injured, they may eat while the elders, queens, and kits are eating.
Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to StarClan for its life.
A kit must be at least six moons old to become an apprentice.
Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name.
A cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at least one apprentice.
The deputy will become Clan leader when the leader dies, retires or is exiled.
After the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh.
A Gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night. There shall be no fighting among Clans at this time.
Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.
No warrior can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is from a different Clan.
The word of the Clan leader is the warrior code.
An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win their battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or if it is necessary for self-defense.
A warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet.
Each Clan has the right to be proud and independent, but in times of trouble they must forget their boundaries and fight side by side to protect the four. Each Clan must help the others so that no Clan will fall.
Do not hunt or trespass on another Clan's territory.
Elders, queens, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders. If any warrior or apprentice is sick or injured, they may eat while the elders, queens, and kits are eating.
Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to StarClan for its life.
A kit must be at least six moons old to become an apprentice.
Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name.
A cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at least one apprentice.
The deputy will become Clan leader when the leader dies, retires or is exiled.
After the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh.
A Gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night. There shall be no fighting among Clans at this time.
Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.
No warrior can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is from a different Clan.
The word of the Clan leader is the warrior code.
An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win their battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or if it is necessary for self-defense.
A warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet.
Each Clan has the right to be proud and independent, but in times of trouble they must forget their boundaries and fight side by side to protect the four. Each Clan must help the others so that no Clan will fall.
Territory & Camp
SpringClan's territory is in the northwest, bordering SummerClan to the south and WinterClan to the east. In the east along the lake shore, they are separated from AutumnClan by the Star Hollow. To the west is the Twolegplace. A stream flows through SpringClan territory, where most of the Clan's water comes from. The territory is mostly flat in the south, but turns to rolling hills as it nears WinterClan territory. It is covered in open, grassy forests with little undergrowth besides the grasses, flowers, and ferns that grow there. The territory is also dappled with wide meadows, but SpringClan cats typically prefer to hunt among the trees. The territory is considered exceptionally beautiful, especially in the spring when most of the flowers are in full bloom. There are quite a few landmarks to be found here, all with different levels of significance to the Clan.
- landmark
- landmark
- landmark
SpringClan's camp is located roughly in the middle of their territory, in a copse of trees next to an open meadow that sits in a bend of the creek. The camp is somewhat hidden by a few bushes and the trees themselves, but is still fairly exposed. Thus, the dens themselves are well-protected. Most SpringClan cat's don't actually live in regular dens, but instead make nests in the crooks of branches in the trees, though a few prefer burrows between the roots. There are, however, a few "real" dens in the camp. Locations in the camp are as follows:
- the leader makes announcements from the overhanging branches of the tree where they make their nest, an old oak with very sturdy branches and a wide fork where the leader can nest, as well as hold meetings with two or three other cats. The overhanging branch from which the leader makes announcements is called the Sky Branch.
- the nursery is located in the hollow stump of what used to be an oak tree, the sister to the one which houses the leader's den. What's left of the trunk is about a fox-length high and three or so wide, and the interior is entirely hollowed out. There are a few openings in the roof, but these have mostly been patched with moss and stones.
- the medicine den is located in a large burrow beneath the roots of another tree. The den is divided into sections by the roots, so that contagious patients can be separated from one another. There is a small burrow leading off from the main section where the medicine cats store their herbs.
- the elders' den is another burrow, under the roots of a different tree. The ground outside is bare and sunny, so that the elders can easily lay in the sun, and the burrow itself is fairly shallow so that they don't have to walk up and down a steep incline to get to their nests.
- landmark
- landmark
- landmark
SpringClan's camp is located roughly in the middle of their territory, in a copse of trees next to an open meadow that sits in a bend of the creek. The camp is somewhat hidden by a few bushes and the trees themselves, but is still fairly exposed. Thus, the dens themselves are well-protected. Most SpringClan cat's don't actually live in regular dens, but instead make nests in the crooks of branches in the trees, though a few prefer burrows between the roots. There are, however, a few "real" dens in the camp. Locations in the camp are as follows:
- the leader makes announcements from the overhanging branches of the tree where they make their nest, an old oak with very sturdy branches and a wide fork where the leader can nest, as well as hold meetings with two or three other cats. The overhanging branch from which the leader makes announcements is called the Sky Branch.
- the nursery is located in the hollow stump of what used to be an oak tree, the sister to the one which houses the leader's den. What's left of the trunk is about a fox-length high and three or so wide, and the interior is entirely hollowed out. There are a few openings in the roof, but these have mostly been patched with moss and stones.
- the medicine den is located in a large burrow beneath the roots of another tree. The den is divided into sections by the roots, so that contagious patients can be separated from one another. There is a small burrow leading off from the main section where the medicine cats store their herbs.
- the elders' den is another burrow, under the roots of a different tree. The ground outside is bare and sunny, so that the elders can easily lay in the sun, and the burrow itself is fairly shallow so that they don't have to walk up and down a steep incline to get to their nests.
Joining
Name:
Gender:
Age:
Rank:
Virtues: (excluding kits & apprentices)
Kin:
Appearance: (1-2 decent sentences)
Personality: (1-3 decent sentences)
History: (no more than 4 sentences)
Other:
Pic: (required; please choose clear photos with no clearly visible man-made objects, and make sure the image is a cat of appropriate age. If you don't want to find an image, I can find one for you.)
Gender:
Age:
Rank:
Virtues: (excluding kits & apprentices)
Kin:
Appearance: (1-2 decent sentences)
Personality: (1-3 decent sentences)
History: (no more than 4 sentences)
Other:
Pic: (required; please choose clear photos with no clearly visible man-made objects, and make sure the image is a cat of appropriate age. If you don't want to find an image, I can find one for you.)