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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 12, 2021 16:18:43 GMT -5
oops I originally put this in the wrong board
Hi, my name is Briar, I make layouts and write posts are too long, and I want you to help me build a clan. I don't need anyone to help me write anything out, or do layout things - I've got that covered, no worries. What I do need is plot ideas.
I want to create a clan with a structured story-line, rather than simply a sandbox where interests is lost after a few pages. Something that's like, different than every other generic clan out there - not in the Cats Have Special Powers, or Traditions, or Live In Some Weird Place (tho that would be cool) but a Clan with active antagonists and interweaving subplots. Maybe a prophecy to make it spicy. It's difficult to plot out all these things on my own, because it takes power away from some of the rpers, but it's also hard to get a clan going without these things in place. So -
What kind of large-scale plots would you want to rp or see?
Plotting this sort of thing out ahead of time also let's us create relationships between our characters (e.g., kin, rivalries, history) before the rp starts, which can expand on their personal investments + drama.
Also - I wanted to add - I'm always open for help! No matter how far we get into plotting, feel free to jump in and be like "this sounds interesting!"
Ideas I've been bouncing around:
(Mostly) NPC border clan currently engaged in a terf war
Evil medicine cat
Conflict between the leader and a sect of the clan, perhaps sort of coup?
l o ve tri angles ,,,,
StarClan uprising
Prophecies
K-kit... kit-stealing?
The Clan itself:
I want the clan to be very similar to the actual canon clans - traditions are similar, code is similar, it's very intuitive and easy to join
I love the idea of them living behind a waterfall or in a grotto, in a forest sort of akin to the pacific North West. Water-oriented oriented territory near a mountain range
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Post by ☾ ᴡᴏʟғ ☆ on Jan 12, 2021 16:34:48 GMT -5
i love this idea, personally. c:
it can be so difficult to get into clans right away or to connect with characters in the same plot because everyone has their own ideas.
communication goes a long way i think. ^^
i love the idea of a neighboring clan causing issues, simply because those were some of my favorite scenes to read in the books! the battle scenes where you were rooting for your clan to pull through. <3 a starclan uprising or evil medicine cat could also be fun though, no lie. prophecies are super interesting when pulled off well and i would love to see one actually play through? if that makes sense? cx
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 12, 2021 16:57:57 GMT -5
Evil Medicine Cat that simply murders clanmates that are already close to death..(Injured with lots of blood loss. Kits being sickly. Sickness.) No one would ever suspect it. Maybe he/she doesn't ever let anyone around when they are trying to "Heal" their clanmates, but really they are just murdering them and then pretending to be devastated when they announce another clanmate has died.
This could go on for some time before some one figures it out. Maybe an apprentice sees and it can be like a tiger/raven situation where the medicine cat turns everyone on the cat and even convinces everyone that he/she murdered a set of..KITS possibly.? After they were born to early and the medicine cat "tried to save them"(but let them die) and then tells everyone he saw ___paw killing the kits. So the tom/molly is exiled and must figure out a way to unravel the secrets the medicine cat has and all the deaths that have happened at their paws.?
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 12, 2021 17:09:45 GMT -5
Wolf - Thanks! c: Yeah, I love roleplays with neighboring clans but it's difficult to coordinate rps with multiple actually role-played clans, because then everyone's attention is split between the two clans and often one or both die out relatively quickly. By having a NPC second clan, we can control the interactions while having a reliable rival that can have their own lore/history that corresponds with the main clan. My thought was that RPers could claim cats in that clan to RP so that we could do things like forbidden romances, clan-hoppers, rivalries, etc. between clans but strictly from the point of view of the main clan.
That makes sense! I feel the same way with prophecies, they're great when they're pulled off well! which rarely happens because RPs die out early or the prophecy isn't fully worked out from the beginning. i'm currently trying to decide whether to have the prophecy be an over-arching 'future of the clan' sort of thing (like a warning) or specifically indict a couple characters (which would have to be planned out ahead of time)
Frost - Murderous medicine cat is an interesting idea! :0 I feel like they would need motivation for it, too. Like, why are they killing their clanmates? To add on, I was thinking of a medicine cat that may fake prophecies from StarClan in order to subtly manipulate the way the clan goes in their favor - to gain power, start battles, or maybe just to sew chaos if they're like really nasty.
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 12, 2021 17:24:28 GMT -5
Well. I have this idea that maybe the medicine cat had fallen in love with the deputy.
Deputy was also evil, had tried to take out the leader to become leader himself/herself(Ambition got the best of him/her)Unknown to the Deputy, the leader had lied about how many lives they had. So when he/she killed their leader, they actually had two more lives to live. In turn the deputy was exiled/killed(exiled if wanting the deputy to play a roll in helping the medicine cat taking out their clanmates in revenge or killed, causing the medicine cat to go on a rampage of murders and lies out of heartbreak) No one knows how much the medicine cat loves the deputy, to the fact that they would do anything for them. So in turn, they never suspect the medicine cat of such a thing.
Or, Maybe they share dreams with a dark forest cat, train with them and no one knows. And like you said, they kill, lie and fake prophecies in order to manipulate the way they want the clan to go about things. And they could also have one or two others within the clan that are with the dark forest/with the medicine cat as well. And assist with things like this. Maybe one is the deputy as well. Or a warrior that becomes deputy after the current deputy is named leader or something.? Maybe they were just born with bad blood.
So many possibilites.
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 12, 2021 17:33:40 GMT -5
Well. I have this idea that maybe the medicine cat had fallen in love with the deputy.
Deputy was also evil, had tried to take out the leader to become leader himself/herself(Ambition got the best of him/her)Unknown to the Deputy, the leader had lied about how many lives they had. So when he/she killed their leader, they actually had two more lives to live. In turn the deputy was exiled/killed(exiled if wanting the deputy to play a roll in helping the medicine cat taking out their clanmates in revenge or killed, causing the medicine cat to go on a rampage of murders and lies out of heartbreak) No one knows how much the medicine cat loves the deputy, to the fact that they would do anything for them. So in turn, they never suspect the medicine cat of such a thing.
Or, Maybe they share dreams with a dark forest cat, train with them and no one knows. And like you said, they kill, lie and fake prophecies in order to manipulate the way they want the clan to go about things. And they could also have one or two others within the clan that are with the dark forest/with the medicine cat as well. And assist with things like this. Maybe one is the deputy as well. Or a warrior that becomes deputy after the current deputy is named leader or something.? Maybe they were just born with bad blood.
So many possibilites.
OH! I like this! Let me combine these things a bit. What if the clan is recovering from a failed rebellion where the former deputy tried to overtake the leader (ala. Tigerstar 1.0 style), but like you said, the leader lied about how many lives they had left and the deputy was caught. Except, instead of being exiled, they were killed. What if the medicine cat was in love with the deputy, like said, but didn't know really what they were plotting so they were uninvolved with the original coup attempt. Now the medicine cat is grief-stricken and has cut off contact with StarClan and is instead communing with their dead beloved in the Dark Forest, and coming up with the fake prophecies, lying, trying to kill people, because they want revenge. The deputy who was killed may have had sympathizers who were exiled or who are still in the clan, so maybe the medicine cat could have, like you said, teamed up with one or two other cats in the clan who were loyal to the deputy to basically help them get away with this.
Maybe the medicine cat also receives a prophecy from StarClan about a couple kits/cats who are destined to take them down (or, they think will take them down) and they lie about or hide the prophecy and are trying to figure out who the prophecy refers to and keep it from happening (but ya know eventually the cats will catch them, but that can be the culmination of the plot).
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Post by ☾ ᴡᴏʟғ ☆ on Jan 12, 2021 17:43:29 GMT -5
while i liked the idea of the npc border clan, because i completely agree that most multi-clans die out pretty quickly - which is unfortunate because it's a cool idea, it seems like we're focusing on the evil medicine cat idea. which is cool, i like the direction you all are taking it - it's really unique and includes a lot of potential for drama and fun. c:
sorry, i'm eating and have full hands at the moment so i can't type very much rn, i can help out more in a little bit. ^^
hopefully anyway ~
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 12, 2021 17:56:30 GMT -5
No worries Wolf! Doing the evil medicine cat plot does not mean we aren't doing the NPC border clan c: The idea's aren't mutually exclusive, and I'm pretty set on having an NPC border clan. I actually think that the two plots could actually play into each other! No rush on helping out right now, dinner is way more important (!!!), it's still the early stages of planning. I don't even have a clan name come up with yet or a page in drafts, haha
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 12, 2021 18:06:49 GMT -5
Ohhhhh. I absolutely love that! Everything has such a twist and so much potential.
And I agree that having the border clan could help evolve and strengthen the evil medicine cat plot.
Plus there is so much more potential to side plots and such.
Just because there would be an evil medicine cat on the loose, doesn't mean there isn't room for other drama and fun!
Also. Idea. So with the clan being at war having issues with said border clan..
Maybe the medicine cat has some friends on the other side. And maybe when they think they have figured out which kits might take her down, she convinces the friends in the border clan to steal said kits.?
OR. Maybe she can "Get rid of the kits" and toss them over the border in the night(Thinking they would have died or something in the night.) and the other clan finds them and simply thinks they are abandoned kits from a rogue or something.
And this could cause more of a drift between the clans. They could be accused of kit stealing and such.?
There are so many ways to twist everything.
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 12, 2021 18:18:14 GMT -5
OOO. I like the idea of the medicine cat abandoning the kits in the other clans territory and the other clan finding them, and only a while later learning the kits belong to the other clan at like a gathering or something. The people who RP the kits would have to be ok with taking like, a hiatus from RPing them (or we do a time skip) - or! They could find out right away and accuse the other clan of kit-stealing and that causes a war and the kits are either too young or too afraid to implicate the medicine cat.
Twists are so much fun to RP, and it gives all of the people in the clan things to do. Even people who don't rp the kits or the medicine cat can have characters involved in the drama, either catching on to the medicine cat being evil or by playing cats who sympathize with the dead deputy/strong advocates for the current leader. I'm imaging that the current leader may be a sort of war-mongering hothead (maybe they're young and managed to have lost a ton of lives by just getting into fights) and maybe the deputy's failed coup started out of good intent - trying to keep the clan from getting involved in so many fights - and turned violent out of necessity. So the medicine cat's revenge plot could be like a cancer growing out of what was originally a movement with good intentions that ended up corrupt and morally wrong.
Having the border clan also would let us throw in like... half-clan cats and a forbidden love or two which is always fun!
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 12, 2021 18:35:46 GMT -5
I like both ideas for the kits. Either one would create a lot of fun and drama!
And I really love the idea of it starting out as good intentions and ending badly!
And maybe..
Maybe these kits are the results of a forbidden romance between the two clans and the mother is apart of the main clan. But no one knows these kits are half-clan kits(Mother could just not state who the father is/have a tom who keeps her secret(like with Bluestar) The clan could possibly find out when her kits go missing and she spills about the father being from the other clan and thats why they assume they stole the kits.?
And these half-clan kits are actually going to be the thing that unravels the medicine cat and everything they've done and maybe even helps take out both the blood-hungry, war-crazy leader and the medicine cat.(Could be well after they are warriors.)
Just ideas!
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 12, 2021 18:45:55 GMT -5
OH I'm so here for the half-clan kits! That makes their being thrown over the border so much more interesting. Maybe there's another forbidden love going on (like GraySilver) that the mother of the half-clan kits is overly invested in, or something.
Clan-wise, what do you guys think about setting/territory/possible landmarks? I want to have at least part of a territory in a dense pine forest with a mountain backdrop but the mountains aren't part of either clan's territory. I'm also thinking there's multiple waterfalls in the territory. I'd like to have the cats live around a waterfall, maybe with the camp being in the cave behind it? Maybe have a big lake? I also need idea's for the other clan's territory + names of the clans + landmarks...
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 12, 2021 19:07:07 GMT -5
Ohhhh!! Double kits! I love it!
What if the mountain wraps around the back half of both clans territories.? And then there is pine forest for the main clan and then maybe a lake after the pine forest that also runs through both territories. And a river coming off the mountain and running into the lake that separates the two clans. The other clan can be moorland or some other kind of forest.?
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 12, 2021 22:23:55 GMT -5
Oh I like that! I'll start working on a page in public drafts tonight, I'll link it here once I have it up. Any input is appreciated c:
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 12, 2021 23:57:17 GMT -5
Updates:
So I've decided to name the clans CreekClan and RidgeClan, CreekClan being the protagonist clan (because their territory is water focused, and CreekClan is more unique than RiverClan 2.0 or LakeClan, and WaterfallClan is a mouthful) and RidgeClan because their territory is going to be more rocky and harsh.
My idea for the territories is generally like this picture that I stole off the internet, which I think is of Russia.
CreekClan has a more fertile territory whereas RidgeClan is stuck with some pretty forests but a lot more barren rocky areas, and some more meadowy areas bordering their rock hellscapes, than their counterpart, which earns them their reputation of having crass, difficult personalities. CreekClan has a more RiverClan-like reputation, where they're portrayed as soft and lazy because food basically runs into their paws. It doesn't, but it's a reputation. I love Frost's idea for the clans being split in half around a lake, with a few tributary streams flowing off the mountains being what feeds it. The lake also has a few streams out of it which break, mostly, into CreekClan territory and feed their many creeks and waterfalls of varying heights. Both RidgeClan and CreekClan fish, which leads to some squabbling over their shared commons.
I haven't decided on the leader for CreekClan's name or... much of her personality besides being a war-monger and having something to prove... but I think the leader of RidgeClan will be a NPC called Sloestar (NPC in the sense that we can use him as a political tool, I'll probably write for him when he's needed but imho any trusted member can use him to do whatever) and he's much more serious and reserved and really would rather not be fighting with CreekClan, like he really wants to avoid fighting. Think exasperated dad energy. And the CreekClan leader is poking him with a stick to try and get him to start a war because she wants to prove that CreekClan is cool too.
Totally open to idea's for the medicine cat(s)/deputy for RidgeClan (who will also be anyone can use NPC's, and then people can create background characters for RidgeClan who can like, be mentioned in passing and used at gatherings or for drama).
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 13, 2021 18:37:41 GMT -5
I love it! You've done some work!
I do like the idea that the medicine cat for for Ridgeclan being like the polar opposite of the medicine cat of Creekclan.
Soft. Gentle. Never sees anything wrong with another. Never gets mad. Loving to all. Wants to heal the entire world. With a gentle name like Breezefeather or something.
And the deputy being a bit ambitious and battle-hungry. Which is a result of a lot of battles between the clan. Because he's a bit hot headed. But he has mad respect and loyalty for his leader and will stick by his side, even if he believes they should go to war with Creekclan.
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 13, 2021 19:42:34 GMT -5
I love those personality ideas! I made names + basic personality sketches for the leadership of RidgeClan. The leader is as said above going to be rather serious and contemplative, the deputy extremely loyal to the leader and the de facto strongest cat in the clan, the medicine cat a big softy, and the medicine apprentice also a big softy and also kind of a doof. i like the idea of the two medicine cats being totally the opposite of RidgeClan's reputation and foils to the CreekClan MC's
Sloestar - lean black tom with amber eyes
Thistlejaw - Long-furred cream and silver tortoiseshell-tabby she-cat
Feathersky - Stocky gray she-cat with bright yellow eyes
Boragepaw - Silver tabby tom with bright blue eyes and a feathered black tail
I've been doing a bit of writing for the front page on and off today; I'm trying to decide whether to do a more simple layout or something fancy so I haven't actually added anything to the front page.
I was wondering if I could get ya'll's thoughts on that? When looking at a front page, what makes you want to read more?
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Post by ☾ ᴡᴏʟғ ☆ on Jan 13, 2021 19:48:10 GMT -5
okay, i'm back. sorry about that. i've been writing a lot as a coping thing and i finally finished a project i've been working on today but now that it's all posted and such, i am here and ready to work. xD trading out one project for another lol. let me read through everything and catch up!
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 13, 2021 20:00:49 GMT -5
I definitely find myself drawn to pages with fancier layout. But most of all, I just like it to be neat and thought out. Which is being worked out right now.
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 13, 2021 20:01:09 GMT -5
Also! Love the names and descriptions!
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 13, 2021 22:32:01 GMT -5
Thanks guys! I have a very very WIP version of the layout in drafts rn, located here c: It's not going to be my fanciest layout, but it'll be clear and neat.
I'm thinking I'll set it up generally like -
post 1. table of contents
post 2. about (basically explain the point of the rp, existence of the npc clan) and plots (the current over-arching plots) post 3. history
post 4. territory and camp post 5. ridgeclan post 6. members + relationships + mentors/apprentices
post 7. allegiences (leadership)
post 8. allegiences (warriors - elders)
post 9. rules
joining page link will be on the top of every post but the allegiences
important plot characters that are open rn, that i can think of. feel free to add more or claim one.
current deputy
current evil medicine cat
medicine cat apprentice (optional)
dark forest ghost of the former deputy
one or two exiled cats who sided with the former deputy who are now rouges
one or two cats who are helping the medicine cat be evil
mother of the half-clan prophecy kits
father of the half-clan prophecy kits (either background character in ridgeclan or a clan-hopper now living in creekclan)
2 half-clan prophecy kits (I'm thinking there's three... and I want one LOL. we can maybe bump it up to four depending on interest)
maybe more i'm forgetting?
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 13, 2021 22:37:22 GMT -5
I wanna claim evil medicine cat. 
That all sounds wonderful. And there are so many characters involved in this that are important. I think you covered them all. I think this will draw a lot of interest.
And you can have people have the choice to make characters for both Creekclan and Ridgeclan.
Creekclan have in depth descriptions..While Ridgeclan only have like a name and short description.
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 13, 2021 23:11:15 GMT -5
I was hoping you'd claim the evil medicine cat! Yeah - I'm thinking joining is going to be like, RidgeClan cat's get the obv name and short description and CreekClan cats you give a name and short description (think allegiances in the warriors books) and then there's a second part of the form where you can flesh out their description c:
sick! i'm trying to come up with other possible subplots while coming up with character ideas. i think the leaders name is going to be minkstar, and she's open for a mate/siblings/parents because she's pretty young. i'm thinking i'll probably have her, two warriors, and apprentice, and an elder to start out with. maybe an exiled warrior who got kicked out roaming around to cause trouble.
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 13, 2021 23:13:00 GMT -5
I'm also open for location ideas if anyone has some! i've got a couple worked out (where the apprentices train, what the border looks like) but I need a place the medicine cats go to meet with starclan and maybe some other cool landmarks that have lore
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 13, 2021 23:16:20 GMT -5
I feel like the medicine cat would be so very fun to rp. And I could do a good job of it.
Also, we need to have people make characters that they want killed off. Like when they join, tell them to make a character or two that will be killed by the medicine cat.
I think I'll have the medicine cat. Maybe a warrior and apprentice and elder. Possibly a rogue.
And then I'll make up some cats to be killed and some cats for Ridgeclan.
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Post by ♥𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢♥ on Jan 13, 2021 23:21:12 GMT -5
I wont be on much longer. And I won't be on much tomorrow. But I'll be on Friday. So I can try to get more together on characters and such then.
I believe that the medicine cats should meet somewhere in the mountains. Maybe since its territory that wraps around both clans.
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 14, 2021 11:17:07 GMT -5
No worries about activity, Frost! Contribute when you're able to c: I like the idea of them meeting in the mountains. I can work with that!
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Post by ☾ ᴡᴏʟғ ☆ on Jan 14, 2021 15:03:57 GMT -5
okay, i think i'm all caught up! i love the ideas you all have come up with so far, especially the idea of our war-hungry leader trying to provoke poor exasperated Sloestar into battle when he would honestly rather do anything else.... meanwhile his deputy is like... but... what if?
i also love the layout, it's very neat and pretty! i love the red!
i need another cup of coffee to get my creative juices flowing lol, but then i should be able to try and help with territory if you still need ideas? or anything else you need? i feel like i've done crap-all so far, sorry about that!
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Post by 𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ on Jan 14, 2021 19:03:36 GMT -5
Thanks Wolf!
Yeah, I'd love your input on the territory! Or maybe some small interpersonal drama plots that people could jump into from the beginning of the rp, just so we don't start with a bunch of characters just kind of meandering around.
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Post by Copperstar☂ on Jan 14, 2021 19:14:18 GMT -5
𝓑𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 ♥ I just read through this all, and I'm in love with the plot! Could I be the Med. cat apprentice?(if there is one)
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