Quasi BloodClan

[Lionstar]

Heya, guys! I'd make this thread pretty but I want to cough up all my ideas first, so... yeah, it probably won't get pretty because yeah.

ANYWAY.

So, I was thinking. Back on this thread, I made a comment about a sort of BloodClan kind of Clan that SkyClan encounters. There'll be some dramadramadramdamdam, and I'm sure cats will die and stuff, but at least a few of the cats from this totally strange Tribe/Clan/Gang/Band/Whatever with its unique culture, including naming traditions, stories, ancestors, political & social systems, and history.

My idea for what is going on with them is that there is some sort of upheaval, probably political, probably having to do with being kicked out of there territory for some reason or another. For ease and because of the fact that we only have so many members and don't want to take away from the main setting of the lake territories, I think this Clan-Thing should come somewhat later in SkyClan's journey (and also that will give us more time to work on it!~) and should be a singular Clan-Thing, alone in wherever it is (probably a Twoleg place?).

In addition, this group, and its gradual yet steady decline, could be the reason for so many groups of loners and rogues that appear to have been plaguing all five Clans (from reading the histories, there certainly is an inordinate amount of them xD).

I have some ideas, but I want to hear all of yours! So, some categories we have to fill (because we are creating a new society, if we like this idea -- we don't have to like this idea, however!) are:

History

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Societal Structure (Classes? Ranks? Political system?)

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Morality/Ethics

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Traditions

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Ancestors

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Naming Conventions

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Myths/Stories

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Vocabulary/Slang/Sayings

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And of course, I'm sure there are other things to be considered, such as territory and religion and prey and typical struggles and so forth. Again, this is only if you guys like the idea in the first place! It'd be a lot of work, but I think it could be extremely rewarding to have a fully made culture/society under the site's belt in cats among the Clans; the culture clash would mean a lot more, I believe, with these cats interspersed throughout the lake territories and among the Clans (even just in SkyClan, which also will probably have a bit of a culture shock because it has been a bunch of generations since its re-foundation). 


So! Yay or nay? And if yay, ideas? <3 <3 <3
Y'all are the best.

[Darkfang]

I love your idea, Rabid, and love your attention to the development of this BloodClan-esque group. ^-^
Before we start jumping in with random ideas, though, it might be best to consider it all from a history standpoint.
History is the reason for everything else: societal structure, morality/ethics, traditions, naming conventions... basically everything on the list. (Although I complain/am lazy about writing histories in my bios, I will admit it's the most important element)

Questions for devising an origin story:

• Why did the Clan form in the first place?
• Who was its founder? (Or were there several founders?)
• How did the Clan function in its beginnings? Does it still function this way today?

Just as an example...
The distribution of food among stray cats is largely unequal and unorganized. Many struggle to get by -- in fact, it's survival of the fittest. Led by a vision of equality and compassion, a small family of cats begin to secure a "territory" (there's strength in numbers, after all!) They never turn a hungry cat away and gain many allies in the process. Eventually, their numbers have grown to a small Clan of cats. The revered members of the Clan are those who regulate food distribution: those who make sure everyone has enough and that no one takes more than they need. There isn't much order to the ranks other than that (leaders regulators, and then everyone else) -- you do as you please, but do not try to be greedy because you are a hellion and make the other kitties sad :c

^ A silly example, but hopefully you get what I'm getting at! xD

- Problem
- Solution to problem (by banding together)
- Function of Clan reflects needs and values

I actually have no ideas for a history but I just thought I'd add some stuff to consider. c: I'll add more when it comes to me.

[Lionstar]

Ceru got at exactly what I was trying to get at!

Another point to consider is that (I believe) setting/territory is the place to start. After all, it is from the setting that the group arises, after all. It's the territories that make the Tribe(s) and Clans what they are. What are they known for? Their Clan personalities and subcultures, of course, but where do those come from? ShadowClan would hardly be so sneaky if they didn't have to move around stealthily in the dark to get their food. WindClan would not be so dedicated and loyal if they didn't know from experience the true worth of a friend, since their territory is so harsh. The Tribe of Rushing Water is split the way it is because the territory is so harsh and rugged that the cats need to be completely specialized in what they're doing to be successful, BloodClan is so cruel and ambitious because it comes from a place with little to nothing and everyone needed to scavenge and battle for every last scrap, and mercy allowed your food to be taken from you and your family.

So, I guess we should have some territory options?
I mean, sticking within our particular biome at least cuts out several (such as deserts, savannahs, and arctic plains.)
Hills, Twolegplace, marshes, forest, beach, mountains, underground, plains, cliffs, any type of setting you can imagine!

(Should we have a poll for the territory Clan-Thingy should be in? I feel that much of it will fall into place after that.)

I think the only things set in stone about this Clan-Thingy are that there currently is only one and it is going through trouble that will cause at least some of its cats to leave with SkyClan. I believe that is all we have so far.

HERE is a list of fairly simple adjectives for inspiration regarding Ceru's post below (I was too lazy to post a reply >_>)

[Darkfang]

Rabid, you make a very good point. The Clan's environment will dictate everything about them.
I agree, we should definitely have a poll after some suggestions have been tossed around.

To expand/reiterate your idea:
Before we decide on a territory, we could think up some general ideas for how the Clan will be. We've pointed out that history and environment are the most important factors, but it'll be great to set all of that up around a central idea. History, territory, and everything else will support this central idea or "theme" that we want for this Clan. The other Clans have this characteristic (like you've stated); it's been both blatantly stated and established through canon. From right off the Warriors website we find:

"ThunderClan: Fierce and Brave
Clan Character: In peace, respectful of other Clans. In battle, fierce, courageous, and loyal. ThunderClan cats speak out for what is right and are not afraid to challenge the warrior code."

WindClan: Swift and Loyal
Clan Character: Fiercely loyal, tough, fast-running, and easily offended cats. They are nervous and quick to flee, due to the lack of cover on the open moor.

ShadowClan: Wily and Proud
Clan Character: Battle-hungry, aggressive, ambitious, and greedy for territory. It is said that the cold wind that blows across the ShadowClan territory chills their hearts and makes them suspicious and untrusting.

RiverClan:
Clever and Strong
Clan Character: Contented, sleek, well fed. Long fur and glossy coats. They love beautiful things and often collect rocks, shells, and feathers for their dens. They do not fear water.

SkyClan: Agile and Determined
Clan Character: Private, thoughtful and unlikely to initiate hostility against other cats or Clans. When SkyClan lived in the forest, they were the most likely to seek a peaceful solution to interClan disputes, and consequently were often accused of cowardice by the other Clans."

And of course, it doesn't have to be clear cut! ^-^ Just a few adjectives can inspire an image of this Clan, like these...

Mysterious
Tough
Valiant
Paranoid

We could base it off one trait or several, but basically it gives us a direction and goal to work with in creating this Clan. For example, what kind of environment would produce a tough Clan? A paranoid one? A mysterious one?

Although it might be good to mention that everyone perceives things differently. A paranoid character may not view himself as paranoid -- in fact, he might think of himself as the most rational character around! On the flipside, "toughness" can also be an ideal that a Clan actively strives for. They'll have their own idea of what "toughness" is. What they think is "tough" can be viewed differently by an outsider, such as mistaking their "toughness" for "indifference". This is an important detail, because I feel like we want this Clan to standout from the others and be a bit of a culture shock to SkyClan. It would be interesting to consider what kind of Clan we'd like to have that contrasts with the standard Clan life we are used to seeing. ;D

I think I might have a few more ideas but it's late, so I'll probably add them tomorrow. c:

[Deleted]

I like this idea! It would be very interesting. I just don't think it should be a permanent Clan like the other five. When the SkyClan cats get there, the other cats can join if they want to, but if they don't, then can just be NPCs. So only a select few would be of this former Clan. They also don't have to be called a Clan, either- a name similar would fit fine, since they didn't even know the Clans existed (most likely) before running into SkyClan. I don't think we should use Tribe. I'm going to look up some names that could be used that are similar!

[Lionstar]

I think that the group should dissolve after SkyClan has passed through and its territory moved to the Scraps so that the focus can truly be on the main five Clans.

For a name, I've found some words that are kind of synonymous with clan or tribe.

• Band
• Confederation (or just Federation)
• Coterie
• Faction
• Fellowship
• Gang
• Guild
• League
• Mob
• Sect
• Sodality

They each mean something slightly different and have different feels, and I think that's important.

I was thinking maybe the cats were founded because fishermen who founded the village brought some cats with them, and then maybe it became a bit bigger for sailors/ship construction (thus there once were/are forests around them, and could make some territory transition easier for SkyClan on their journey to go from forest to town or town to forest) and they brought cats with them, who ended up joining together based on ship, and even though there aren't really any ships needing cats leaving from this place anymore, the groups remained, until over time they all merged into one, or one became dominant, or something. (These are all just ideas, remember!~)

[Snowfire]

SkyClan could disband the group, like kill the leader or something. If it was like a dictatorship, the cats within this clan could be forced to follow said leader, but are too scared to leave the group because it might resolve in death. Then SkyClan comes along, sees the hardships of the innocent and may decide to help them out by throwing the leader out of power.

The group could've started out as a democracy, then went to a dictatorship? Sort of like with the Nazis; Hitler helped bring Germany out of debt from World War I, made all these promises, etc., but after elected he went crazy with power hungry, broke many promises, etc.