Pineclan
Pineclan is a clan primarily guided by by ZZZ.
They have no appointed 'leader' due to being a socialist-type society.
The clan was founded by independent wild cats who had to retreat from the main clan area due to high rains causing flooding of the Sky Pool, Quiet Lake and the Barrier River, leading these cats to flee to higher ground. They are one of the oldest clans, and except for those undertaking magic pilgrimage to study under the boon of their Landmark, Pineclan is fairly solitary and self-contained.
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Occupies the part of the map outlined in purple, home to the Landmark called the Mountain Grove.
The Mountain Grove is peculiar in that it's more of an area than a specific localized landmark like others of its kind, but the entire grove is charged with atypically high magic content. Storkatten born in the Mountain Grove have naturally higher magical aptitudes than other Storkatten born elsewhere, and cats who learn magic in the mountains have reported having an easier time doing so. As such, many cats retire to the mountains for the purposes of refining their magic further. Magical pilgrimage to the Mountain Grove Landmark is an accepted part of life within Pineclan.
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Pineclan is a small socialist-type community which is home to many hardy, survivalist types. Living in the harsh mountains means Pineclan cats must be adept and resourceful beyond what's expected of cats living on the mainland, and as such you're more likely to find cats who are rougher around the edges in Pineclan and the surrounding regions. Pineclan cats tend to be ice, earth, plant, blood, or faunal mages-- though those are only the most common types of magic. Pineclan has not been known to exclude any cat on the merits of their magic, only on their ability to survive in harsh conditions-- if a cat is deemed by the clan as liable to die in the mountains, they are banished from the clan and returned to the mainland for their own safety. That being said, Pineclan does tend to be wary of water mages due to their origin as a clan that formed to avoid flooding. They partially blame water mages for this flooding, thus the uneasiness around them. Pineclan values strength, constitution, magical prowess, and resourcefulness above all else. Every cat in the clan is expected to provide what they are able to based on their circumstances and ability, and will receive an equal share for those circumstances for doing so. Because they believe strongly in the equality of all cats, the "leader" at any given time varies-- though there are figures who are considered more knowledgable and respected within the community. They are as a group vigilant against anyone trying to govern too strongly or exclusively, since it's their opinion that no one cat should be elevated over any other. Their community is one based on trust and mutual respect amongst fellow warriors, so any attempts to exploit this trust for personal gain is seen as the most cardinal sin within the clan.
Pineclan has most of its strong beliefs rooted in the area its located in. The Mountain Grove Landmark is integral to Pineclan culture, and it is in large part the Grove that allowed Pineclan cats to survive in the mountains during the transitional period when they first fled to the mountain's peaks before they had adjusted to the new, less forgiving environment. The Mountain Grove provides a sort of magical boon to all within it, and enabled the first Pineclan cats to cultivate vegetables and hunt with their plant, faunal and blood magic despite the adverse climate. It enabled them to use earth magic to make dens and other structures, and permitted the use of ice magic to thaw the frost in some areas for clan activities. When the original group fled the mainland, there were not many water mages amongst them, so signs of water magic in the area are fairly minimal-- but most other magic types have some sort of mark in the land. Pineclan is known for being a clan that utilizes magic in versatile new ways, in large part this is due to having extra magical energy from the boon and a harsher environment to survive in as encouragement.
Pineclan has reverence for its warriors and celebrates tough fighters as clan heroes. Old legends primarily circulate around cats who survived harsh battles with large wild beasts in the woods, or who survived particularly harrowing storms. Pineclan puts a lot of value in overcoming adversity and believes strongly that everything happens for a reason, each hardship bringing with it an opportunity to overcome it and gain strength through doing so. Scars are seen as commendable, and Pineclan cats would never cover their scars. In fact, many Pineclan cats go out of their way to accentuate their scars with specific armor, jewelry, or other accessories. Pineclan cats are quite fond of piercings as well and often have access to many rare jewels and metals due to the mountain's cave systems, and their talented earth and metal magic cats. Pineclan does value strength in other forms though. Despite having a strong warrior/valor culture, Pineclan also has deep respect for resourcefulness-- for mages who utilize their skills in unexpected ways to get by. Pineclan values ingenuity just as well as physical hardiness and sees this kind of strength as just as valid.
Pineclan doesn't have many rituals, but the ones it does have involve paying honor to their ancestors and their sacrifice to move up into the mountains, abandoning all they knew before to forge a new future for their descendants. This is done by a clan-wide pilgrimage up to the highest point of the Mountain Grove. This pilgrimage is undertaken by every able-bodied adult cat once a year as part of a large group. The idea is that it mimics the pilgrimage that their ancestors took up from the mainlands into the Mountain Grove to begin with, ascending the steep slopes and surviving in the bitter cold. The journey is often said to be one that brings one closer to the spirits of their ancestors, sometimes even in the form of visions or dream visits. Additionally, Pineclan has one more notable ritual in which the young hunters who come of age will be sent out independently into the wilds in the heartwood, a place in the Mountain Grove known for the harsh fog that disorients those who enter. The young hunters are left in the heartwood to survive on their own for a week's time before they are retrieved. This ritual serves as a right of passage in the clan to ensure that the young warriors are ready to set out of the nursery and become respected members of the clan proper.
Overall, Pineclan is a hardy group of cats who value strength and perseverance above all else. Gifted with the magical Landmark called the Mountain Grove, they are often in a position to utilize their magic in new and interesting ways. They are accepting of outsiders as guests, but more skeptical of those who wish to join their community unless they undergo rituals to prove their strength and dedication, so as to prevent any usurpers from upsetting their communal ruling style. They're very accepting of pilgrims, and are known to help those struggling in the mountains to persevere. Pineclan is known for their particularly strong conviction, incredible resourcefulness, and their focus on warrior/valor culture.