#wc clantember

[wc-fourfates]

Clantember

Cutting it close here, but here is one question for each day of September! For the most part these should work for AUs, fanclans, or other clan-adjacent groups. Could also be done as an ask game.

If you don't have anything for the daily question, you can sub out the bonuses at the bottom!

If you want, you can tag as #wc clantember!

What are the groups’ territories like?

What is the most definitive thing about the mindset/philosophy of each group?

What does a typical cat of each group look like? What are the most common pelt colors/patterns?

Are there any unusual genes or traits floating around? Where are they most common?

Do any of the groups have special ranks, official or unofficial?

What are your groups’ camps like?

Have you made any edits to the warrior code?

Are there any cats who committed crimes in recent memory?

How is time tracked? Include as much detail as you like, from times of day up through months or years.

At what times of day is each group most active? What does a typical schedule look like for each one?

How do your cats age? What age do they typically live to, and what’s the longest a cat in your groups has lived?

How long is the average apprenticeship? What is taught and what is tested for graduation?

How long have your clans/groups existed? What are the major eras?

Does the naming system differ from canon? Are there name parts in canon that you ban, or parts that you use that canon doesn’t?

How did the naming system evolve?

Do your cats use legacy naming, in any form?

What’s the group religion like? Does it differ between groups at all?

Do your cats have a creation myth?

Do the groups have methods of divination? If there are omens, how are they given/read?

Do your leaders have nine lives? Are there any other notable powers, traditions, etc that come with being leader?

To what degree do your cats use herbs/medicine?

How do the groups feel about each other and outsiders?

What is the cats’ relationships to humans?

What is the cats’ relationship to other non-prey species?

Are there any animals the cats could hunt but do not?

How do your cats track bloodlines? What kinds of kinship terms do they use?

Tell us about cat language, if you have it developed at all.

Do the groups have differing accents and/or slang?

What do romantic relationships look like in the groups? Are multiple partners normal?

Is the “don’t ask queens about the sire of their litter” rule in effect? How is a situation like this received culturally?

Bonuses (sub out for any day):

One background character who may not get much spotlight in the actual story.

A tradition.

A myth.

[wc-fourfates]

Clantember Day 5: Special Ranks

The Clans did have some specialized ranks in the early days! Eventually they all got folded into the “Warrior” rank, but there is still a sense that a warrior may have any combination of several roles, and no warrior is required to fill all of them. In that sense, while it is not very common, it is perfectly fine and allowed for a cat to choose to specialize, becoming a full-time caretaker or a patroller but not a hunter, as long as the clan’s needs are met.

Lorekeeper

The lorekeeper is a role that’s existed at times both officially and unofficially, but is always present among the Clans. The Clans take their oral history quite seriously, and so although every cat will partake in storytelling at one time or another, a few cats will tend to take particular interest in telling the Clan’s stories engagingly and accurately. These cats are instructed on how to do this well, and may devote large amounts of time to memorizing and reciting the tales. Often, secrets not known to any other Clan cats live on with the lorekeepers, should that knowledge ever be needed again.

Senior Caretaker

The senior caretaker, also called the matriarch when that language applies, is a role present in almost every group of cats, not just the Clans. Usually, this cat is the most experienced caretaker, having had multiple litters of their own, but occasionally they are a cat who has gained experience through helping others with their kittens. They may be an older warrior or even an elder. The senior caretaker often aids in births and keeps an eye on the nursery, acting in concert with the healers.

Healer Archetypes

Healers come in all sorts, but there are two particular types that pop up again and again, after which the two medicine cat suffixes are made. Herbalist type healers (-leaf), are very clever healers. Their encyclopedic knowledge of herbs allows them to work seamlessly and intuitively, and they are even prone to experimentation when they feel it is safe. Oracle type healers (-berry) are faithful and highly empathetic. They tend to be more focused on the spiritual aspects, but their deep empathy for their clanmates grants them their own skill at caring for their patients.

Tunnelers and Moor Runners

Though there isn’t a rank distinction between these in modern WindClan, there is a sense that a warrior will tend to be best either at running down prey on the moors, or following it down the tunnels. These of course correlate with the “deer” and “rabbit” body types. There was some minor work on the tunnels a long time ago to expand them a bit, but in modern times they are left quite well alone except for clearing out debris at the entrances.

[clowderofclans]

18. Do your cats have a creation myth?

If you mean anything like canon, with tigers, lions, and leopards, then no. There are stories about the founders & how they each formed their clans, but those are a bit more historical than fantastical

[clowderofclans]

17. What’s the group religion like? Does it differ between groups at all?

As said previously, Spirits, Patrons, and Ancestors are all a significant part of the belief system. Each group favours/is favoured by specific Spirits, etc. (ex.- StreamClan = Patrons of Wind, Water, Storms) but they all believe more or less in all of them.

[clowderofclans]

16. Do your cats use legacy naming, in any form?

Legacy naming doesn’t happen very often. Most of the time it happens, a kit may be named after a particularly beloved member of the family or clan. Much of the time, though, it’s coincidental.

[clowderofclans]

15. How did the naming system evolve?

As more cats joined and collective knowledge grew, so too did their vocabulary. Over time, this made its way into names, and only grew from there.

[clowderofclans]

14. Does the naming system differ from canon? Are there name parts in canon that you ban, or parts that you use that canon doesn’t?

The naming system is largely similar to canon. I wouldn’t say particular names are banned, really, so much as not used.* One difference, though, is that the names of the canon clans (Thunder, River, Wind, Shadow, & Sky) are perfectly fine to use.

*Cats don’t usually name their children after the clans they live in, though they may use similar names.

[clowderofclans]

13. How long have your groups existed? What are the major eras?

The four lake clowders have been around for quite a while- at least 6-7 generations. As such, there are several significant periods in their history. Every clan has at least one memorable era, something that made history.

Some notable ones include: the Ancestors + their founding of the Clans; a period of intense rain, sleet, + other precipitation called the Great Storms. This lasted for several moons, and the damage was great, especially to StreamClan.

Another, more recent tragedy happened early in Phoenixstar’s leadership. EarthClan was beset by sickness, wild dogs, and the hedge protecting their camp was nearly torn to pieces.* The sickness spread to the other clans and all but OrchardClan were greatly affected. As a result, EarthClan became extremely wary and and cautious, and the hedge was built up to be stronger than ever.

*There are suspicions spirits also had a paw in the misfortune.