Post by Rolo on May 13, 2011 7:26:06 GMT -10
Surroundings
Pineclan live in the most northern part of the forest with the majority of their territory being covered with coniferous trees. The british plant life within the place they called their home, and the fact that the floor is constantly covered in a bed of pine needles, earnt the clan their name.
Abundant in wildlife, the bushes and low lying plants are the perfect hiding places for small creatures such as mice and voles, providing the staple of their diet. Birds sometimes forage upon the leaf-littered ground in search of insects and other morsels, providing a tasty snack. A small amount of rabbits can be found in the small amount of grassy clearings in the forest, providing a welcome change in diet for the Pineclan cats.
The Pineclan Way
Pineclan cats are known for their stealth and their tracking skills, the crowded forest providing a challenging area to hunt and fight. However, Pineclan cats tend to lack in speed, often being more powerful than swift.
Despite spending much of their life in the shade, the Pineclan cats are not dark in the slightest when it comes to their mood. However, despite this, the other clans are wary of them.
Pineclan differ very much to the other three clans in the way that it is set up. Why?
They have no belief in Starclan
Pineclan was started by a group of cats who never possessed a belief in Starclan. Unlike the other clans, they scoffed at the idea of 'mystical cats in the sky that controlled their fate', banding together in a wish to make a way of life where they lived peacefully. They believe that their paws are firmly on the ground, and that Starclan is a load of kit's tales. They are not unknown to mock other clans for their beliefs in Starclan. However, if there is a Starclan follower within the clan, other then discouraging the belief they will do little to stop them.
The other 3 clans believed from the moment that Pineclan formed that it would never work. How ever could a clan work if it was not based on a common goal? They believed that without Starclan, no matter how much the elected leader did, the clan would fall apart or become corrupt. Yet, somehow, against all odds, the clan flourished. The clans, though some more than most, still believe that the clan could still fall apart at any time.
Despite what some clans think, Pineclan's rules are just as strict as any clans. Due to their realisation that a clan cannot survive with a leader and rules alone, the clan decided that making a happy, safe place to live would be their ultimate goal. They came to appreciate that it wasn't only good to band together as there were safety in numbers but because living in a clan meant there was always help at hand. For this reason, Pineclan cats are fiercely loyal. This loyalty, a brotherhood which binds them together, causes them to be very proud of the society, appreciating their way of life.
They follow the warrior code just as well as other clans, and they fight fair in clan vs. clan battles. The leader of the clan, who still takes the suffix -star as any other leader despite not having 9 lives, demands loyalty from all of the clan.
They are NOT at all devious, evil or plotting. Unlike some Starclan-less clans, they believe that there is honour in living within the rules and coexisting with other clans. Just because they do not have a 'religious' belief, it does not mean that the cats do not have morals.
Other than their disbelief in Starclan, the clan works much the same way that the others do. They use the same code, naming patterns and hierarchy. They do NOT stand out against the other clans, nor do they wish to pass on their way of living to unwilling clans. They are accepting of Starclan believers within the clan, their pact of loyalty to eachother making them feel that those with different beliefs have as valid a place there as any other cats. However, if any outsider or Pineclan Starclan believers mock their ways, they will have their ear bitten off. Pineclan have NO desire to change their ways into that of Starclan's.
Pineclan ceremonies are different and are not done under the ways of Starclan. Ceremonies involve pledging loyalty to the clan and promising to keep to the ways of the forest with the best of their judgement.
Higher roles in detail:
Medicine cats
- Treat cats with herbs rather than prayer.
- There can be more than one medicine cat in Pineclan as, once qualified in the way of herbs, they are given their medicine cat names by the leader. (Medicine cats WILL still be limited massively. It's not a 'Shall I be a warrior or a med. cat?' decision when you make the cat.)
- They do not have dreams from Starclan, or if they do they keep VERY quiet about it.
- They do not battle, focusing their energies on healing the wounded in battle.
Leaders:
- Take the suffix -star.
- They do NOT have nine lives.
- Unlike in the other clans, the leader is leader not due to Starclan-elected power but from the power the rest of the clan give them.
- Realising the need for a strict regime, the main body of the clan agreed that the leader would have absolute power BUT must listen to the requests of the clan.
- They must NOT work independantly but must rely on the help of senior warriors, the deputy and elders to make decisions, but in the end the ultimate decision is theirs.
- If a leader steps out of line, becomes corrupt, or is not doing things in the best interest of the clan, there are special procedures which the clans will follow.
- The leaders tend to have to leave battle earlier than most cats, but they still direct their cats from the sidelines. They have one life so cannot do as much as a Starclan clan leader battlewise, but this is accepted by the rest of the clan as normal. They are protective of their leader, so don't mind.
Summary:
- They do not believe in Starclan. They mock believers but do not preach their ways.
- They ACCEPT Starclan believers within the clan AS LONG AS they do not try to change the clan way.
- They are run like a normal clan. Naming patterns, hierarchy and clan code is the same as any other clan's.
- They are FIERCELY loyal to one another. It is like a brotherhood, it is hard to fall out of favour with your clanmates if you are loyal and follow clan guidelines (and aren't evil).
- Their loyalty and belief in their way of life, which they deem to be greater than that of a Starclan clan's, is what binds them together.
- They are NOT evil, devious or plotting. They are like ANY normal clan. (If you make a cat who is evil just because they don't believe in Starclan, Rolo will eat j00 >.<)
- They believe that there is honour in living by the rules. They battle fairly and try to co-exist with the other clans. They are respectful of their ways
- They occationally mock Starclan believers, but not as a clan.
- Just because they do not have a 'religious' belief, it does not mean that the cats do not have morals.
- They bite back if you speak badly of their clan way.
- They have NO desire to become Starclan believers. (It might be amusing if some try to convert them though ;P)
- There ceremonies are DIFFERENT and involve them pledging to be loyal to the clan and to do their best to co-exist with other clans.
Don'ts
- Please post on the Plot board if you wish to be a Starclan believer from WITHIN Pineclan who wants to convert Pineclan to Starclan's way. It counts as a plot.
- Never make a Pineclan cat that is evil just because they doesn't believe in Starclan. Ever. If it is part of the reason, that is fine, but Pineclan cats by nature are NOT evil.
