Post by Fallenleaves on Sept 28, 2021 21:09:15 GMT -5
Fallenclan
✩
☆☆☆☆
Introduction
Long ago the four great cats lived as mortals...
☀︎︎Lion, god of the sun, with his roar of rage and power...
𑁍Tiger, god of the earth, with his silent, shifting stripes...
𒊹︎Leopard, goddess of the moon, with her claws and fangs of ice...
And ༄Cheetah, goddess of the sky, with her far reaching gaze.
Each of them crafted descendants and formed clans, gifting the cats they'd made with their own extraordinary powers. Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing remembered by their descendants, the feuds of the first ancestors soon became the grounds for all out war after their departures.
For moons beyond counting the clans waged battle after battle against one another. Spilling so much of the blood they held sacred, all in an attempt to prove their bloodlines superiority.
It seemed the great bloodshed would never stop till every descendant was dead, every clan lost, and every bloodline extinct. Finally though, the great cats saw fit to intervene.
The keepers of the time say that a great flash lit up the night sky during a battle of great blood-letting. The clans all looked up to watch as a star fell and crashed into the earth at the center of the battle with a mighty boom. It is said that when the star, who would later simply be known as Fallenstar, climbed out of her crater that all the clans bowed before her might, which was beyond reckoning.
This is how Fallenclan came to be and how a time of peace and learning reigned where war once had.
For fifty moons Fallenstar led her clan, teaching them new gifts and ways. Such as how to commune with the dead, how to access even more powers hidden in their blood, but the most important thing she taught was what awaited then in the afterlife.
They could rise into the ranks of Risenclan and join their brethren in the sky or they could be cast into the Abyss, a place where no soul could join the cycle of life or death ever again.
The clan cats flourished under Fallenstar but alas nothing lasts forever. You see Fallenstar had given her heart to a mortal tom cat by the name of Nightwind and after his passing Fallenstar was overcome by a great sorrow. Though she was outside of mortal bounds and could not die Fallenstar believed her work on earth done and rose into the heavens to join her mate.
Echostar, her successor, has done his best to keep the peace after the turmoil they faced upon Fallenstar's depature. For thirty moons he has done so but shadows gather at the edge of sight and foul whsipering can be heard on the wind... will Fallenclan survive the coming storm?
Rules
1) One-liners: Please do your best to give me something to respond to, it doesn't have to be long but it does need to be detailed.
2) No God-moding: This includes controlling others characters, having perfect characters and having your characters know things they shouldn't such as things discussed out of character.
3) No Spam: Don't spam with out-of-character discussions on this board, just message me for that, you may add out-of-character stuff under your in-character writing if you have to but keep it to a minimum and keep it in parenthesis.
4) This World Is Not The Book World: Things are very different in this world in comparison to the books, so please keep an open mind and don't belittle others for the choices they make on character design or when things are different than you expect.
5) Activity: Please do your best!
Customs & Ceremonies
War Games:
The war games are held at the beginning of summer when prey is the most abundant. It imitates the wars that raged between the old clans, four generals strategize all morning while the clan eats and share tongues before those who are participating gather in The Green Valley at sun-high. The "clans" are made and then the generals break down their plans. Whoever wins gets the next moon off and their pick of outpost when they return. Finally the clan pay their respects to Lion, god of the sun.
Budding Celebration:
When the first buds of new-leaf show themselves the clan beings preparing for the budding celebration. This celebration is one of life, joy, and hope. The center focus during the celebration is The Wishing Tree, the oldest oak tree in the thicket. Keepers carve wishes of their clanmates onto small planks of would which are then taken to Momo the raccoon who binds them with thread. Momo creates a loop for the planks to hang off the branches of the wishing tree, it is considered more likely to come true if you allow Momo to pull a whisker form the wisher and bind it that way. The plank is then hung from the highest branch the wisher can reach in the hopes that Risenclan will see it and answer. It is also said that on rare occasions the tree takes on a will of its own and blesses one wisher with their desire. That is purely a rumor of course... right?
Common Activites: Flower Giving (As weavers powers are strongest this day the spend most of it weaving flower crowns which cats give to each other to show their affection.), The Claw-Bark Game (Cats stand three tail-lengths from the base of a narrow tree and leap at it. Using dyes on their claws they score the tree with their mark which their competitors try to one up.) Weavers Dance (Halfway through the celebration Weavers gather around the wishing tree and begin to dance, their powers course through the earth and all around the flora reacts. Trees let loose their leaves and bushes shiver in delight), Flame Leaping (Though frowned upon it isn't punished when night comes and cats begin to test their bravery, daring each other to jump over the fire at the center of the celebration. Apprentices though are strictly banned from partaking) Finally the clan all thank Cheetah, goddess of the sky. THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: No Killing! Even Prey! it is seen as an affront on a day meant to give glory to life.
Redleaf Festival:
When leaf-fall comes and after all the hard work the clan has down to build up their stores for winter, the clan holds a small festival where everyone gets to relax for the day and spread time with their love ones. It gets its name from the game held near the end of the day where the weavers encourage trees to let go of all their colorful leaves, apprentices then race through the leaf-liter or just try and catch leaves right out of the air. The goal being to end the game (which is when the last leaf lands) with the most red leaves in their maws. The winner gets a prize from the clan's leader. Finally all pay respects to Tiger, god of the earth, and thank him for the bounty the clan had during his season.
Snowy Dance:
On the longest night of the year, in the heart of winter, the clan all gathers in camp to dance and sing. This celebration is in thanks that even in the darkest times the clan is still alive and thriving. Cats often pair up and show off, so that when the time comes for the clan to vote the best dancers and singers, they are more likely to win. It is seen as a good omen if snow begins to fall, it is seen as Leopard's approval. Finally the clan all give thanks to Leopard.
Leopard's Star:
A flower that grows on the peak of the lonesome mountain. If a cat scales the peak, returns alive, and has the flower accepted by their crush, the two shall stay together forever. Blessed by Leopard herself. The flower is a large petaled, white flower in the shape of a five-pointed star.
Baubles:
A very important part of Fallenclan's culture that is a point of disagreement in the clan. Though the old four clans all used baubles to express themselves and were a source of pride, the clans each went about them differently. In Leopardclan carved stone spikes were used to denote a cats standing in the clan, their accomplishments, and who their mate was. These stone spikes would be peirced through the cats ear and only by killing them could another cat remove them. Tigerclan was very similar in that they carved wood and slid it into holes they'd made with their claws. Lionclan often claimed those practices to be barbaric and instead wore prizes from their kills around their necks (ironic i know) on a necklace made of twine. Cheetahclan had a similar practice by tying a feather to their tails, usually denoting their station. Now as one clan the lines have blurred and some of mixed blood have merged their parents cultures or even abandoned them entirely. Either way, its the quickest path to getting clanmates riled and arguing.
The war games are held at the beginning of summer when prey is the most abundant. It imitates the wars that raged between the old clans, four generals strategize all morning while the clan eats and share tongues before those who are participating gather in The Green Valley at sun-high. The "clans" are made and then the generals break down their plans. Whoever wins gets the next moon off and their pick of outpost when they return. Finally the clan pay their respects to Lion, god of the sun.
Budding Celebration:
When the first buds of new-leaf show themselves the clan beings preparing for the budding celebration. This celebration is one of life, joy, and hope. The center focus during the celebration is The Wishing Tree, the oldest oak tree in the thicket. Keepers carve wishes of their clanmates onto small planks of would which are then taken to Momo the raccoon who binds them with thread. Momo creates a loop for the planks to hang off the branches of the wishing tree, it is considered more likely to come true if you allow Momo to pull a whisker form the wisher and bind it that way. The plank is then hung from the highest branch the wisher can reach in the hopes that Risenclan will see it and answer. It is also said that on rare occasions the tree takes on a will of its own and blesses one wisher with their desire. That is purely a rumor of course... right?
Common Activites: Flower Giving (As weavers powers are strongest this day the spend most of it weaving flower crowns which cats give to each other to show their affection.), The Claw-Bark Game (Cats stand three tail-lengths from the base of a narrow tree and leap at it. Using dyes on their claws they score the tree with their mark which their competitors try to one up.) Weavers Dance (Halfway through the celebration Weavers gather around the wishing tree and begin to dance, their powers course through the earth and all around the flora reacts. Trees let loose their leaves and bushes shiver in delight), Flame Leaping (Though frowned upon it isn't punished when night comes and cats begin to test their bravery, daring each other to jump over the fire at the center of the celebration. Apprentices though are strictly banned from partaking) Finally the clan all thank Cheetah, goddess of the sky. THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: No Killing! Even Prey! it is seen as an affront on a day meant to give glory to life.
Redleaf Festival:
When leaf-fall comes and after all the hard work the clan has down to build up their stores for winter, the clan holds a small festival where everyone gets to relax for the day and spread time with their love ones. It gets its name from the game held near the end of the day where the weavers encourage trees to let go of all their colorful leaves, apprentices then race through the leaf-liter or just try and catch leaves right out of the air. The goal being to end the game (which is when the last leaf lands) with the most red leaves in their maws. The winner gets a prize from the clan's leader. Finally all pay respects to Tiger, god of the earth, and thank him for the bounty the clan had during his season.
Snowy Dance:
On the longest night of the year, in the heart of winter, the clan all gathers in camp to dance and sing. This celebration is in thanks that even in the darkest times the clan is still alive and thriving. Cats often pair up and show off, so that when the time comes for the clan to vote the best dancers and singers, they are more likely to win. It is seen as a good omen if snow begins to fall, it is seen as Leopard's approval. Finally the clan all give thanks to Leopard.
Leopard's Star:
A flower that grows on the peak of the lonesome mountain. If a cat scales the peak, returns alive, and has the flower accepted by their crush, the two shall stay together forever. Blessed by Leopard herself. The flower is a large petaled, white flower in the shape of a five-pointed star.
Baubles:
A very important part of Fallenclan's culture that is a point of disagreement in the clan. Though the old four clans all used baubles to express themselves and were a source of pride, the clans each went about them differently. In Leopardclan carved stone spikes were used to denote a cats standing in the clan, their accomplishments, and who their mate was. These stone spikes would be peirced through the cats ear and only by killing them could another cat remove them. Tigerclan was very similar in that they carved wood and slid it into holes they'd made with their claws. Lionclan often claimed those practices to be barbaric and instead wore prizes from their kills around their necks (ironic i know) on a necklace made of twine. Cheetahclan had a similar practice by tying a feather to their tails, usually denoting their station. Now as one clan the lines have blurred and some of mixed blood have merged their parents cultures or even abandoned them entirely. Either way, its the quickest path to getting clanmates riled and arguing.
Camp
~The Crater Basin~
The same crater Fallenstar made when she fell to earth has been shaped into the camp of Fallenclan. Here many cats call the sharply sloped walls and woven canopy above home. In the center of camp, at the lowest point of the basin, rests a clear shallow pool of water that the clan drinks from. If a cat peers into its depths and the light is right, they can seen into the chamber below where the Star Crystal rests. As for food, the fresh-kill pile rest under the shadow of the leaders ledge. The crater basin is where cats gather to eat, share tongues, and have meetings.
~Leaders Alcove~
The Leaders Alcove is a deep indentation in the crater wall halfway up its slopes, it acts as the leaders den and sanctuary. Small rounded stairs lead up to the high ledge which juts out of the base of the leaders den. The alcove is just wide enough for two cats to lay side by side and is two fox-lengths deep.
~The Warriors Hollow~
A tear-shaped cave that can hold about fifty cats and is where the warriors make their nests. Three small stone knubs act as stairs to the warriors den, most warriors however ignore these and leap the short height into the cave mouth. The domed ceiling is home to glow worms, providing a nice soft light at night.
~The Apprentice Cave~
A jagged crack in the craters side which they apprentices sleep in. This narrow den has rough hewn walls that slope toward each other, meeting somewhere in the gloom above. The width of the cave only allows for single file nests wit a wall on one side and a slim path on the other. The eldest apprentices usually get the nests nearest to the mouth of the cave and love to terrify the younger ones with stories of a monster that lives deep within the cave.
~The Healers Grotto~
A cave carefully made by the paws of many shapers. The care here is clear, swirling patterns decorate the cave walls and the stone is smooth as a riverbed pebble. The antechamber is large enough to handle ten cats lying side by side but usually only six nests line the walls for any ill and injured. At the back of the antechamber a cat can find a narrow passage that leads into the true healer's dens. Here a shorter but wider chamber rests with even more care shown its walls. Divots stuffed with herbs decorate the walls and a stalagmite of many different colors rises up from the center of the floor to meet with the stalactite above. The stalagmite has deep set shelves which holds any remaining herbs. At the back of the den a shallow stream cuts through the stone, half exposed by past shapers work. The healers each have their own private alcoves for their nests, as do their apprentices.
~Keepers Nook~
A den crafted by both weavers and shapers for the keepers and their carvings to reside in. Roots from the canopy above the camp have grown all the way down the crater to tangle with support stones to create a den made half of wood and stone and the back half being the crater wall. The roots have all been carved by countless Keepers into stories told through art. It is customary that a warrior carve their name into this wood after their naming ceremony.
~Nursery~
The weavers have woven branch over branch, root over root, and pine needle over palm frond to create the turtleshell like nursery. In case of flooding this den will float, the bottom neatly woven so that not even a mouses whisker could pass through. The entrance is a hole halfway up its side which makes it difficult for kits to get out and water to get in.
~The Star Chamber~
Under the crater basin Fallenstar's last mark on the world can be found, a huge crystal shaped like a star rests in a circlar room of pale stone. The divot in its center allows for a cat to rest inside, this is how the leader and healers commune with Risenclan. This can onl be done however when the moon or sun is directly above the crystal and the light unobstructed.
Northern Territory
~The Foothills~
Residing at the base of The Lonesome Mountain, the foothills sprawl for miles, stretching like roots from a tree. This land was once where Leopardclan did most of their hunting, to this day it is still a very popular spot for that exact reason. The sparse flora beyond short grasses allow for easy spotting of prey and is often used to train new apprentices in hunting. Yet just as easy as it is for the clan cats to spot rodents across the hills, it even easier for birds of prey to spot cats. When training apprentices here warriors are often vigilant for eagles or owls that might see young apprentices as easy prey. Foxes and stoats are also a concern.
~Sleeping Stream~
The gurgling of this stream has reminded many a cat of a snoring den-mate and thus earned its name. The slow moving waters have yet to reach the drain off from the marshes and become the raging beast that is The Roaring River. Instead this stream offers a safe place for new apprentices to learn how to swim and fish. It is fed from the Misty Falls.
~The Misty Falls~
A collection of slim waterfalls that slip from a jagged cliff ledge into a small stone basin below. The water here is always icy but never freezes but in the coldest of winters.
~Leopard's Outpost~
The old Leopardclan camp has now been repurposed as an outpost that border patrols use as a safe place to rest. The Leopard's Outpost is a cavern thats been shaper by countless shapers over many generations. The pale stone walls here are smoother than ice and tell the stories of Leopardclan. From the great Leopard herself all the way to the final leader Opalstar who can be seen bowing to Fallenstar and giving up her title. The cavern is lit by glow worms just like the ones found in the warriors den back at camp. An underground lake stretches from the back of Leopard's Outpost into darkness. Stalagmites act as dens all around the center of the outpost, the nests within lined with snowy fox fur to keep out the cold. This Outpost sits halfway up the side of the mountian, facing The Green Valley.
~The Northern Border~
This border is the worst for many cats, as the further up the mountain the more treacherous it becomes, the cold becomes unbearable for those for don't have the thickest of pelts, and finally because of an old legend that one of Leopardstar's betrayer and killer still stalks the mountains peak. Many of the leopard blood have sworn they've heard the banshee's shrieks of rage on the darkest of nights. This outpost takes the longest to get to from camp.
Eastern Territory
~The Oak Thicket~
The thicket takes up most of old Lionclan territory. Though not made completely of oaks, the oaks dominate the area. Thick brambles and other herbaceous plants grapple for purchase between the trees and many herbs that prefer dry and shaded locations, can be found here.
~The Roaring River~
The Roaring River is exactly what it sounds like, the misty falls, ice-melt from the mountain and springs of the jungle all filter down into this one river. It is because of this that the river is so violent and powerful. Many have lost their lives to the wild torrent of water and not even the best of swimmers would dare it in the spring when it is at its wildest.
~Lion's Outpost~
The Lion Outpost is at the very back of the old Lionclan territory, literally sitting on the edge of a cliff, over looking the canyon that surrounds three-fourths of Fallenclan territory. A large stone wall cradles the outpost from the shear drop into the canyon and walls of paw woven brambles protect the old camp from wind and predators.
~Eastern Border~
The Eastern Border is outlined by a huge canyon with sheer walls that no cat has been able to descend down. It continues past the southern grasslands and no cat from Fallenclan has ever seen its end. A popular old tale from Lionclan is that the canyon is actually the Abyss that Risenclan throws wicked cats into, never to be born again. It is for this reason that many Lions feel that falling into the canyon is the worst way to die.
Western Territory
~The Still Jungle~
A place of wonderous mystery and hidden peril. Silence permeates the air here and any patrol or hunter would be wise to leave it undisturbed. Though the tigers flourished here, many other bloodlines find hunting here both difficult and unnerving. Many clan cats dislike its aura and steer well clear.
~Abyssal Spring~
While Lionclan believed the canyon surrounding the territories to be the Abyss Risenclan warned them of, Tigerclan always believed this quiet pool of water to be the place of that cursed afterlife. It's surface is always eeriely calm but even worse the water is completely black. None who have dared to enter its waters have ever been able to touch its bottom. All of said cats claiming they felt as though something was in the water with them though they were unable to see anything. Apprentices like to scare each other with tales of shadow cats dragging unsuspecting victims to their deaths in the dark water.
~Tiger's Outpost~
The Tiger's outpost is hard to find without a trained eye or a good memory. The ancient Weavers wove the old Tigerclan camp in a camouflage of the ferns that are so common on the jungle floor. The true walls of the outpost are the thorny barberry bushes which have been nurtured so that they are thicker than a fox-length. The already brutal barberry was made even worse in the paws of the old weavers, who sharpened the bushes thorns and made them more frequent. Overkill some would say, but not by those who have spent the night in the jungle. Only then do the walls make sense as strange cries fill the night.
~Western Border~
Much like the Eastern border the territory ends abruptly, cut off by the canyon. It's bottom just as unseeable as the Abyssal Spring and it's walls just as sheer as the cliff face the Misty Falls tumble from.
Sourthern Territory
~The Tall Grasses~
A seemingly endless sea of grass that dominates the southern end of Fallenclan's territory and stretches well beyond its border, past the sentinel stones. Few trees grow here and if the do they are straggly and stunted. Instead of trees the sentinel stones break up the horizion and are a godsend to navigating the non-descript landscape. It is said that Cheetahstar placed these stones and marked them herself, using them as a perch to use her gift. A popular if eerie tale told amongst the cheetahs is that Cheetahstar's last sentinel stone, the tallest of all which stands in the center of the pool at the Oasis, is cursed. As soon as Cheetahstar used it she hoped down, claimed she'd seen the ends of the earth and never set a paw on one again.
~The Oasis~
One of the few and certianly the largest body of water to be found in the grasslands. The sparse trees in the southern territory are mostly here, standing gaurd over the shallow pool, though they are dwarfed by the tall, narrow sentinel stone which rises from the water. The sandy shore is a good place to scent and trac prey from as nearly ever animal on the grasslands travels here at least once a day.
~Cheetah's Outpost~
The Cheetah's outpost is stationed near to the Oasis to allow for easy access to the water, while being far enough away not to attract predators to the clan's dens. It is a former rabbit warren that has been dug out and expanded upon. The cool, sandy tunnels offer a nice relief from the heat on the grassland. The camp is marked by a sentinel stone that has toppled over.
~Southern Border~
The southern border is marked by short sentinel stones that form a cresent moon, stretching from the eastern canyon to the western one. It is strickly forbade that any cat leave the holy land by stepping outside these stones. It is said that if one does so, Risenclan and the gods shall no longer heed that cats soul.
