Storkatten

The storkatten in this folder ascended to paragonhood long enough ago
that their immortality and power is known to all around them.
 
As such, they are heralded as gods and are respected as such. These cats have no clan affiliation, and are often unseen by the likes of mortal cats altogether. They don't tend to meddle in the affairs of the common cat... usually.

In this folder are the cats who guard this region's magical Landmark sites.

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The land these Storkatten inhabit is graced with several Landmark artifacts. There are many of these points of significance, and their importance goes beyond their unnaturally unique appearance. The Landmarks are each places of high magical convergence-- magic congregates and pools there, allowing for any manner of odd happenstance. 

Cats may be able to communicate with those who've passed at Landmarks, see visions or prophecies of the future, or otherwise gain power or knowledge they otherwise would not have access to. Because the Landmarks are so powerful and significant, each has a guardian who is not affiliated with any clan-- a cat who's been overseeing the Landmark for as long as anyone can remember. It is the cosmic purpose of these cats to protect the Landmarks from falling into the wrong paws, and preventing them from being exploited by any one cat. 

The Guardians occupy space in clan territory, but operate outside each clan's rules and leadership. Their presence must be permitted unless the clan seeks to war with the Guardians for sole possession of the Landmark they protect-- a feat which to present day has no record of having been attempted.

The Aether Group, sometimes just called Aether,
is a cult-like clan organized around the process of paying reverence to XXX.
XXX is a cherub cat storkatten hybrid who fell from the sky like a shooting star, crashing at the base of the Moon Tree. XXX was discovered by Flauros, who founded the Aether in tandem with XXX. XXX is believed to be a deity by its clan as well as itself, and as such Aether is centered around honoring it appropriately. Flauros is its' second in command.

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Occupies the territory outlined in dark blue/iris on the map, home to the Landmark called The Moon Tree.
The Moon Tree is revered for its ability to let cats experience visions or prophecies of the future, regardless of their magic type. The Moon Tree is also said to connect cats to the spirits of those long passed.

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The Aether Group is permeated by an air of pseudo-religiosity. The cats of Aether circle around XXX as the god of their religion, and their faith strongly resembles a sort of rudimentary Christian dualism, with XXX positioned as the ultimate good and the abstract notion of lies as the ultimate evil thus far not personified. The dualism comes from the fact that the Aether cats believe in two equal and opposite gods, absolute truth and absolute falsehood, with XXX being heralded as the embodiment of the god of truth and the god of lies not yet being embodied. It is believed within Aether that this god of lies, called the devil, is not embodied at this time because the worship Aether provides to XXX gives it power, tipping the scales of the gods' war in XXX's favor and making it impossible for the devil to materialize. Generally speaking, Aether sees its importance as preserving XXX's power over the liar god, and as serving XXX in the pursuit of truth, which they view as the ultimate good above all else. The pseudo-Christian rhetoric the clan adopted comes from some Christian texts that Aether was given by XXX itself. They used their arcane and runic mages, as well as XXX's word of mouth, to decipher these texts with varying levels of success, leading to the use of biblical text and names within the clan becoming commonplace. Within the clan XXX's word is considered gospel due to them being both of holy descent and a light mage-- the prevailing idea is that XXX is not capable of telling anything but the truth.

Because of Aether's stringent value system with truth being seen as all-good and lies/deception being seen as all-evil, obviously they do not permit membership to cats with magic that has roots in deception, manipulation/coercion or sleight of paw such as trickster magic, bardic magic or shadow magic.  They also do not permit membership to cats with magics that are considered 'impure', 'unholy' or as honoring to their devil of lies. These magics include blood magic, fungal magic, poison magic, fire magic, faunal magic, and earth magic. They have made exceptions in the past for some cats with the impure magics in their alternate coloration-- but they have not made any exceptions in admitting in the liar magics of trickster, bardic and shadow. Within the clan yellow-eyed magics are revered over all others and are considered holiest-- especially light magic itself-- due to XXX baring yellow eyes and light magic itself. Any qualities that make a cat visibly or superficially similar to XXX are considered valuable and put some cats over others in the social hierarchy of the group. Other than light mages, arcane and runic mages are also highly honored due to their ability to decipher scripture, and life and healing mages are highly respected due to their connections to the energy of creating and maintaining life.

Aether has several eccentric practices and integral rituals. One such ritual is the naming ceremony, on which kits from the nursery are brought before the Moon Tree and XXX to receive their names. Kits who are revealed to have impure magics are denied a name and are cast out to fend for themselves. Additionally, kits who XXX sees to be unworthy are also cast away. XXX determines a kit's character and intention by asking them questions and using its' light magic to determine whether they are telling the truth. Cats who are named are often given either a name from scripture texts (examples: Jonah, Cassiel, Hark), a term from scripture (examples: Angel, Cherub, Seraph), or a more traditional warrior cat name with an emphasis on light or religious terms (examples: Lightstar, Dovefall, Starshine). The names given at the naming ceremony are thought to reflect a cat's destiny and are considered extremely significant. If a cat ever leaves the clan, they have their name revoked. Names within the clan very seldom change due to this. Other significant clan rituals involve coming to the Moon Tree on nights of new or full moons for a special worship where XXX ascends the tree to meet with the moon and brings back a vision for the clan. Most significant clan rituals occur at the Moon Tree due to its connection to the sky, where XXX originated, and due to its significance as a magical Landmark.

Cats within Aether often wear robes with a spiral symbol upon them-- similar to the swirls on XXX's cheeks due to their cherub cat blood. They also wear headdresses with false horns to mimic the headdress XXX itself wears, and there's much significance to earning one of these false horn sets. False horns are often worn by religious authorities and leaders to mark their importance, and are a tool enjoyed by warriors because they work well as a weapon in combat in addition to their use as a status symbol. Cats within Aether are proud of their membership and often find ways to mark themselves as such. Some advanced rituals within Aether require cats to endure a scarring or branding process to mark them either with spiral marks or eye marks to tie them to XXX. Cats who are exiled from Aether after being accepted members have their eyes and paws scarred so they cannot endure these rituals nor be accepted back into the clan. Dark is one such cat who has been exiled and subsequently scarred to prevent re-entry. These particular areas are scarred both because they are very visible and because they are the most common locations for ritual scarring or branding within Aether.

Overall, Aether is a clan that is driven by knowledge and the pursuit of truth. They value magics that can help them get closer to the truth and disavow those that would thwart these endeavors. They are very warm and sociable to those in their group, but are notoriously cold and militaristic to outsiders. Their drive for knowledge has led to many cats within their clan becoming advanced or even master mages, which has helped them in preserving their large territory. They are generally speaking hostile to outsiders and tend to only gain new members from within their clan as a result.

Cottageclan is led by AAA.
Cottageclan is a group of current and ex-kittypets who are either still under the care of twolegs living in the mountainside cottages, or who were under the care of twolegs from the cottages prior to their owners moving out or otherwise disappearing. Cottageclan more or less refers to the local kittypet community of the mountainside cottages, who caught wind of warrior culture from across the lake and adapted it into their day-to-day lives. Cottageclan exists as a sort of kittypet union meant to help ex-kittypets survive.

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Occupies the territory outlined in red on the map, home to the twoleg settlement.
This territory is cut off from the mainland of the cat clan settlements by the Barrier River, which while not a Landmark in the magical sense, is still a point of intrigue. As such the cats of Cottageclan usually have very little interaction with the cats on the other side of the river, and are much more akin to a kittypet civilization than a warirorcat one.

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Cottageclan isn't a traditional warriorcat clan-- they're more or less a group of kittypets who just so happened to catch wind of warriorcat culture due to their proximity to the mainland clans across the river. They quickly adapted the clan language into their own common dialogue, appointing a ruler and a structure akin to a clan rather quickly. Cottageclan is populated both by current and ex-kittypets, and those without twolegs are meant to team up with those who do in order to pool resources and get by, though it doesn't always work out that way.

Irisclan is a clan centered around its' leader YYY,
a strong bardic mage with a fervent desire to enjoy life thoroughly.
It was founded by YYY's ancestor in an endeavor to rediscover the enjoyment for life YYY lost long ago.

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Occupies the territory outlined in pale blue on the map, home of the Landmark called The Threestones.
The Threestones is said to enhance the magical power of any performance, speech, or song given at its top. It is rumored that once a bardic storkatten sung a forest fire into peaceably stopping from the top of the Threestones, saving the forest from annihilation.

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Irisclan is a clan founded upon hedonism and the belief that one's life is meant for enjoyment in the moment with little consideration for the future tense. The mantra "I'm here for a good time, not a long time" applies readily to this group. As such, the clan puts a high value on magics with the ability to create spectacle and entertainment. The most valuable magics within the clan are bardic magic, trickster magic, and love magic, though plant magic is also considered of high importance due to its ability to cultivate grapes and other fruits to be used in making wines. Irisclan does not deny membership to any magic type and is thus considered to be a great refuge for cats who were turned away by other clans prior, particularly The Aether Group, with whom they have a longstanding rivalry. The clan is very accepting of others and celebrates differences, so long as members are comfortable with their lethargic lifestyle of parties and relaxation, they'll fit right in! Irisclan puts a lot of emphasis on having fun and enjoying oneself, whether that be with feasting, drinking wines, participating in romantic affairs, pursuing the arts-- or any other way! They're a very loving and affectionate group who will cultivate the talents of those within without pushing them particularly hard. What's important to them is enjoyment over progress. They do not believe in censorship and celebrate free speech, making them particularly popular with arcane and runic mages, artists of many kinds, philosophers, politicians, and other such free-thinkers.

Irisclan is not a particularly militaristic clan. Most of their combat strategy revolves around tricking their opponents into leaving them well enough alone with sleight of hand spells, illusions and songs. Irisclan excels in persuasion and charisma, so its members can usually swindle their way out of a confrontation-- and if they can't get out of a spat, then they can disorient their enemies with their magics until they leave them be. That being said, there is a reason why Irisclan has one of the smaller territories on the map. They've lost several spats with bordering clans, particularly Aether, and tend to be pacifists who avoid conflict altogether.

Irisclan is permeated by an air of feasting and party culture, and is notorious for being a clan where cats constantly fall into and out of love with hobbies, passions, and one another. Some cats see this nebulousness as a flaw, but cats within the clan consider trying many things to be the mark of a good cat not a weak-willed one. They're classic humanitarians in their belief that to experience and appreciate life appropriately, one has to try many different things. They also believe strongly in appreciating and being connected with nature. Their clan is home to many beautiful gardens due to this fact. They celebrate life both in the traditional hedonistic self-centered sense, but also in honoring and preserving the life that exists in the world around them.

That being said, irisclan's leadership structure is somewhat lineage-based. YYY is the descendent of the original founder, but that's not the only factor that goes into being selected as the leader of Irisclan. Irisclan is more or less a cult of personality, and the leader of this clan of performers and charismatics tends to be the one with the most alluring voice. YYY had to really work to refine his craft in order to get the clan leadership back to his lineage. The clan's leader is usually advised as well by the body of the clan, and so the leadership structure functions more like a democracy than anything else. Irisclan's leader is usually seen as an object of adoration and desire for the clan's members, and is more often than not coveted by many suitors.

Many of Irisclan's rituals involve song, dance, and spectacle, and involve gathering around the Threestones for a performance. The most important rituals to the clan are those nights on which the red moon shines, because under the red stars the whole clan gathers around the Threestones and sings a song that brings the clan in the stars closer for one night, allowing cats to mingle with those who have departed before them. They also have ceremonies on which they retell stories of their clan's great historical heroes in song and dance. One common misconception about the clan is that they do not value the past because they live so intently for the present moment. Irisclan doesn't believe this kind of present-tense mindset necessitates ignoring the past, though it does place less importance on the future. Irisclan actually places a lot of value in the stories of the past and Irisclan cats take deep pride in their clan's extensive oral history. Bardic tales involving old clan heroes or the storyteller's own ancestors are common subjects of reverence. Irisclan also has a big celebration for welcoming in the summer months that focuses both on the budding harvest and on the season of love! When the Summer Festival comes around, Irisclan cats are known to put together a massive feast for its residents to enjoy. The main event of the festival though is in the exchange of flower crowns with one's date or dates of the afternoon. Each cat makes up flower crowns to trade with others in a display of affection, and the cat(s) with whom one shares their flower crown with is said to share with them in a boon of love for the coming year. Many relationships are blessed on this fateful day, and it's a time of great mirth for all who attend.

Overall, Irisclan is a clan that lives for the here and now. They are a passionate and revelrous group who value art, performance, and the lived experience. They're a free-thinking clan that love nature and loathe fighting. Pacifistic and open-minded by nature, the Irisclan cats are very kind and accepting of others. Their laid back attitude often gets them into trouble, and their lack of belief in a binary right or wrong has gotten them in trouble with Aether clan more than once. Despite this, Irisclan continues to be friendly and peaceable, continuing on in their mirthful ways.

Moonclan is a clan ruled by XXX

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Occupies the territory outlined in orange on the map, home to the Landmark called the Skypool.
The Skypool Landmark has the ability to unlock a cat's magical potential, enabling them to learn their second or third magics. It is the only known location on the map where a cat is able to learn magic other than the domain they were born with. Utilizing the Skypool's ability looks different for each cat who does it, and as such it is believed that the Skypool resonates with each mage differently as a reflection of their different magical presence. Some cats merely meditate at its water's edge, while other cats chase the reflection of the moon into the Skypool's depths only to emerge with new knowledge. However the Skypool does it, though, it enables cats to bypass the nature of their magic eyes, letting them transcend to learn additional magic domains. Because of the Skypool's versatility and importance, all clans require access to it, and are as a result are at least neutral towards Moonclan.

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Moonclan is more of a shrine settlement than a traditional clan. It originated from a group of cats who realized the Skypool's importance and formed a group around it, protecting it from those who would abuse it. From there, the descendants of these cats continued the tradition, and new cats dedicated themselves to the cause after their own experiences with the Skypool. Moonclan is one of the few clans who share a positive relationship with the cat who's Landmark they hold, and it is rumored that at the clan's origin the cats who came originally to guard the Skypool were joined by the Landmark Guardian in disguise. Some say the Guardian was the founder of the clan, the secret leader whom all other cats subconsciously gravitated towards, and therefore the clan's founding leader, but this is purely speculation. Regardless, it is true that, in some unknown way, Moonclan is protected by the Skypool's Guardian, a fact that has prevented other clans from infringing and claiming the Landmark for themselves, necessitating the clans have peaceful relations with Moonclan if they would like to enjoy access to the Skypool. It is because of the Skypool Guardian's defensiveness of the clan that other cats speculate a personal involvement of some kind.

Moonclan is composed primarily of cats who have dedicated themselves to the Skypool. Some are warriors who fight to protect it from those who would infringe upon it, though most are spiritualists and scholars. 

XXX

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.

The Clan of the Falling Rain, also known as Rain Clan
is a clan founded and led by the water magic paragon Tuxxie.
This clan is based upon the idea that all cats should have a place to belong.

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Occupies the territory outlined in green on the map, home of the magical Landmark called The Meeting Rock.
The Threestones is a Landmark that is seldom understood. Its Guardian has thus far remained hidden to observe Rainclan and its activities.

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Rainclan is composed of rag-tag cats who would've otherwise been without a place. This includes but isn't limited to former kittypets, cats exiled from prior clans, or loner cats. Tuxxie, the founder of this clan, was himself a kittypet who was left to die in the woods and went on to thrive, founding his clan to help cats like him find their way in the challenging and often isolating wilds. Tuxxie's open heart and kind disposition led him to favor with many cats, earning love and trust wherever he went. Rainclan cats tend to have come from other clans in the area, leading to them having a hodgepodge of knowledge and belief systems. RaInclan cats also tend to be seen as 'defective' or 'undesirable' cats, either for magic, personality, or physical conditions-- but Tuxxie sees the value in everyone and Rainclan is all about utilizing the strengths of the cats in the team to benefit and support the whole.

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Rainclan isn't particularly spiritual, but has vague beliefs about higher magic cats called paragons. Their knowledge of paragons is derivative of the clans in the area, and as all have somewhat different belief systems, their knowledge is somewhat murky. Rainclan cats believe that some cats can, through hard work and dedication, ascend to paragon status making them functionally immortal-- and the only known paragon they acknowledge is Tuxxie himself as a water clan paragon. Through Tuxxie's interactions with the spiritual, they also believe there may be higher, almost godly paragons out there somewhere... but they're not certain how many there are. Rainclan puts a large focus on finding one's own way, so practicing magic is considered optional, but is encouraged. Many water magic cats will come to Rainclan to apprentice or study under Tuxxie due to his paragonhood in that magical domain.

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This clan's territory is bordering the human/twoleg settlement and is separated from the other primary clans of the area by a strong, rushing river.

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This clan is often finding itself amidst trickster magic, though the source is currently unknown. Often kits are born with odd mutations to magic or physical appearance, and other cats have spontaneously developed traits or other such things. Some more spiritual members of the clan believe they are being tested by a trickster paragon.

The Clan of the High Skies, also known as Skyclan, is a clan led by XXX.

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Occupies the territory outlined in sky blue on the map, home to the top of the Landmark called the Highriver.
The Highriver is a waterfall, the top of which resides in Skyclan's domain and the bottom of which is in the Sunclan territory. This has been a constant point of contention and strife between the two clans over the years. Despite only presiding over half of the Landmark, Skyclan still enjoys some of its magical benefit. The Highriver is a Landmark that boasts magical abundance. Fishing trips to its banks always have a heightened return, and any crops cultivated near its banks experience a heightened yield. Any magic performed near its banks for purposes of hunting or cultivating food is boosted. Those provided for by the Highriver will never go hungry, making control of the Landmark vital to survival for Skyclan, as its mountainous territory is harsh and resources are otherwise scarce. However, recognizing its value, Sunclan is also intent on controlling the entire Landmark for themselves, and so conflict ensues.

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Skyclan was once a part of Sunclan, however due to a multitude of factors the two factions split and become dire enemies. The original clan was merely called Mountainclan, and after its reigning leader Highstar was killed, the clan broke into two factions over the successor and the disagreement quickly devolved into war. Sunclan was the name for the faction in favor of Highstar's eldest kit and heir apparent, Apex, to ascend to leadership-- while Skyclan was the name for the faction in favor of the most qualified cat, Highstar's right hand and deputy, Zenith. The two factions developed names for their opponents during the fighting, each believing themselves to be the true Mountainclan-- but when the conflict reached its climax and the clans formally split, they both admitted their defeat, harrowed by the reality of the conflict, and adapted their new names-- Skyclan and Sunclan. During the height of this conflict, Zenith and their followers were forced to flee into the mountains to avoid certain death, causing the formation of Skyclan. Being forced farther into the mountains of the territory's far reaches than they ever had been before, Zenith and Skyclan discovered something new-- an ancient twoleg village left abandoned in the mountains. The newly exiled cats quickly settled into this ruined village, using the buildings for shelter from the harsh chill and cruel elements. They decided to settled in this place as their new home, high in the mountains and close to the sky, and adopted the name they use today.

Many decades have passed since the turbulent formation of Skyclan, but they are still at odds with Sunclan to this day over their tense background and their constant fighting over the Highriver Landmark. The two clans have what is considered a rivalry by some and an ongoing war by others. Regardless of what you'd like to call it, the two clans flagrantly do not like one another, and spend a fair deal of their time butting heads and otherwise engaging in conflict with their other half.

Stormclan is XXX

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Occupies the territory outlined in yellow on the clan map, home to the Landmark called the Quiet Lake.

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X X X

The Clan of the Rising Sun, also known as Sunclan, is a clan led by XXX.

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Occupies the territory outlined in sky blue on the map, home to the bottom of the Landmark called the Highriver.
The Highriver is a waterfall, the top of which resides in Skyclan's domain and the bottom of which is in the Sunclan territory. This has been a constant point of contention and strife between the two clans over the years. Despite only presiding over half of the Landmark, Skyclan still enjoys some of its magical benefit. The Highriver is a Landmark that boasts magical abundance. Fishing trips to its banks always have a heightened return, and any crops cultivated near its banks experience a heightened yield. Any magic performed near its banks for purposes of hunting or cultivating food is boosted. Those provided for by the Highriver will never go hungry. Sunclan is constantly defending the Highriver from Skyclan, who hopes to take the Highriver entirely for themselves. Members of Sunclan view their fierce possessiveness of the Landmark as not only completely justified, but also as a defensive action rather than an offensive one.

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Once upon a time Sunclan and Skyclan were a single clan, however due to a multitude of factors the two factions split and become dire enemies. The original clan was merely called Mountainclan, and after its reigning leader Highstar was killed, the clan broke into two factions over Highstar's would-be successor and the disagreement quickly devolved into war. Sunclan was the name for the faction in favor of Highstar's eldest kit and heir apparent, Apex, to ascend to leadership-- while Skyclan was the name for the faction in favor of the most qualified cat, Highstar's right hand and deputy, Zenith. The two factions developed names for their opponents during the fighting, each believing themselves to be the true Mountainclan-- but when the conflict reached its climax and the clans formally split, they both admitted their defeat, harrowed by the reality of the conflict, and adapted their new names-- Skyclan and Sunclan. During the height of this conflict, Apex and his followers forced Zenith and theirs up into the mountains, and watching their ex-clanmates flee for their lives, they were harrowed by the realization that they had divided their clan, that this was more than a small faction disagreement. About half the clan ascended the mountains, leaving Mountainclan and becoming Skyclan-- those who remained deemed themselves Sunclan, and adopted Apex as their uncontested ruler and rising sun.

Many decades have passed since the turbulent formation of Sunclan, but they are still at odds with Skyclan to this day over their tense background and their constant fighting over the Highriver Landmark. The two clans have what is considered a rivalry by some and an ongoing war by others. Regardless of what you'd like to call it, the two clans flagrantly do not like one another, and spend a fair deal of their time butting heads and otherwise engaging in conflict with their other half.

The cats who have no clan allegiance.
Some are travelling merchants, others lone warriors, or local cryptids.

These cats are currently unsorted!
Please do not draw these cats with other cats from my established clans until the are grouped, thank you!