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Their Goal (G3 - 150 EXP towards Level 2)
When Lyra reworked the Heart of Decay's philosophies after receiving the title of leader, she had one intention - to invite outcasts to a home. As a cub, Lyra was abandoned due to being the runt of the litter. She wasn't "fit to survive". Fortunately, the founders of the Heart of Decay came across her, and gave her a second chance at life. With this second chance, Lyra took the chance to learn more and grow stronger, in order to complete her personal mission of redeeming herself. She wanted to prove those who shunned her wrong, and in a way, make them fear her and regret abandoning her.
Lyra wanted to be the home for outcasts. The Heart of Decay's main goal is to make everyone feel like they have a purpose in life, and if they can, aid in finding it. They don't want cats wandering around questioning what exactly they should be doing in life. The Heart of Decay has always wanted, and continues to want every cat to feel like they have a purpose. They offer a place for wanderers to seek refuge, and while doing so, to find their purpose. Essentially, the Heart of Decay serves as a neutral protector, and just desires for everyone to find harmony within themselves.
Their Symbol (G5 - 50 EXP towards Level 2)
Though the Heart of Decay doesn't have many symbols or traditions exclusive to them, they have a very heavy affiliation to the stars. Because one of their most unique aspects are a blessing from the stars themselves, a shooting star could easily represent these strong fighters. The scarce nature of a shooting star, and the honor of being able to see one easily shows off the beliefs and exclusivity of the cats of this clan.
The Outsiders (G6 - 100 EXP + 50 EXP towards Level 3)
To the Heart of Decay, outsiders are an absolute blessing - in fact, they are actually what keeps the Heart of Decay alive. Outsiders are a sign of potential new members, and the Heart of Decay actually endorses outsiders coming and visiting their territory. The Heart of Decay views it as a recruiting ability, and they absolutely adore when an outsider comes in wanting to join or improve their current life. Even if they don't end up joining the clan, Heart of Decay will usually let outsiders reside on their territory as long as they don't interfere with hunting or border patrols.
The Heart of Decay's disposition towards outsiders doesn't change regardless of first impression. They are always welcomed with open paws, and often encouraged to come and tour the camp. The Heart of Decay usually only has a problem with outsiders if they are working for another clan and trying to get outside information through exploiting the clan's kindness. Otherwise, the Heart of Decay is generally very welcoming towards outsiders, and will often let them thrive on their own sources as long as they don't cause problems.
Lyra is particularly fond of outsiders that have a harsh background, and generally has a soft spot for them. Unfortunately, her kind heart has certainly earned her a couple of reality checks when the outsiders betray her, but this has never impacted her opinion towards them. While some members of the Heart of Decay disagree with allowing every single outsider inside, Lyra tends to ignore them, living by her philosophy that everyone deserves a chance.
Types of Cats (G7 - 150 EXP + 75 EXP towards Level 3)
Most of the cats of the Heart of Decay, because of the cold conditions, usually have long fur. Hairless cats are not encouraged to join the clan because of the cold climate, but accommodations will be made for them if they are persistent enough about joining. The cats of this clan also tend to be on the larger side, falling in between the largest of normal feline cats while remaining slightly smaller than larger breeds of felines such as maine coons.
The cats of the Heart of Decay will live slightly longer than the normal lifespan of a cat, anywhere from between 30-40 years. There is one exception to this, though quite rare - sometimes, a cat will be grantd the power of immortality or extended lifetime, but this power isn't actually revealed to a cub. It seems to be a surprise, and unless a cat exclusively asks what their power is after not finding out, they will usually not know until they have already reached the point where their life should conclude, but it doesn't. Beyond these extended life spans, the cats of the Heart of Decay actually look and function nearly identically to the felines you would see in human life.
One significant difference between the Heart of Decay and other clans is that all the cats are given a power, which they will keep for the duration of the time they are with the Heart of Decay. The power is granted by the stars, and heavily depends on the life the prophets of the stars see when a cub is born. Powers are still granted to outsiders entering the clan, though they are not nearly as strong. These powers tend to dictate a cub's life, and the cats of the clan are encouraged to keep them secret from others, in order to prevent cats from joining solely to gain power.
Because of their magical abilities, the Heart of Decay felines don't have any enhanced physical properties, beyond usually being bigger than a standard house-cat. They have the same amount of physical strength as a normal cat, but this can increase with training like any other skill.
Time (G8 - 50 EXP + 125 EXP towards Level 4)
The Heart of Decay felines keep track of time by the seasons. Though they don't have a twelve month calendar like humans, with timing and records, the Heart of Decay has caught onto the seasons lasting 3 months each. Rather than measuring time day by day or month by month, they measure by season. The year is divided into four quarters dependent upon season, each season having a different name which are all associated with the stars. Their year, as opposed to starting in January, actually starts in December.
The first quarter of the year, December to February, is labeled as Coldstar, which is Winter. This season starts when the trees of the bordering oak forest lose all their leaves without gaining color, which is the key factor between deciphering Winter from Fall, and vise versa. The second quarter of the year, March to June, is labeled as Starshower, which is Spring. This season begins when the flowers begin to flourish in the forest again, or when frequent raining take place.
The third quarter of the year, July to September, is labeled as Stargleam, which is Summer. This season starts when the temperatures grow substantially higher, and the sun is out much more often. The final quarter of the year, October to early December, is known as Shootingstar. This season starts when the oak forest bordering their forest begins to lose their leaves and the leaves shift colors.
Because the Heart of Decay determines what time of year it is by season, they will only attend one gathering per three moons with other clans. It's considered rare to see the Heart of Decay outside these gathering, as they tend to keep to themselves. This time system is viewed as confusing to others, and in the event that a season comes late, a cat's entire sense of time can be thrown off. It's a shaky, but somewhat accurate system.
The Young (G9 - 100 EXP + 25 EXP towards Level 4)
The young of the clan are very important to the Heart of Decay. The cubs that are born into the clan are given some of the strongest levels of magic out of everyone in the pack, as they are viewed as "pure-blood". These younger generations are expected to turn out as some of the strongest warriors in the lineage of the Heart of Decay due to their enhanced abilities. However, because each cub is different, there isn't actually any standard age for a cub to go from cub to full fledged adopt. It depends on how their abilities have developed, and just how much more training they need.
Though once they do become an adult and grow into their respective ranks as fighters, hunters, and healers, they do have to take an oath - one to remain loyal to the Heart of Decay for as long as their life pro-longs. This oath is essentially what allows for a cat to have their powers revoked if they are to defy the rules of this oath or betray the pack in any way, shape, or form. Beyond the other cats expecting the cubs to grow stronger than the last generation, the young aren't really seen as any different from adults.
Meeting Place (G10 - 100 EXP + 50 EXP towards Level 4)
There are two key places that the highest ranks of the clan will meet to discuss significant matters. When a matter must be discussed urgently, the highest ranks will convene within the elders den. Because it is the smallest den, and can be easily guarded, these meetings tend to remain private, and the conversations that happen within the elders den stay within the den. It's subtle enough to not be suspected as a meeting place and easy enough for semi-strong warriors to defend from prying eyes. However, the elders den is only used when something is urgent and needs an immediate resolve.
If the meeting in question is of higher magnitude, such as discussing the punishment of a traitor, or addressing a large threat, the cats will meet outside of the pine forest, and venture towards the river in the north. Here, they will discuss beneath the stars, and proceed to ask for guidance on such matters. Because the stars are so important to them, this is the path that is usually taken, unless a quick decision must be made. These kinds of meetings, however, are just as rare as the urgent meetings within the camp. The head ranks have a pattern of agreeing with one another on most things, and things can be resolved without a long term private meeting being necessary.
The Ranking System (G11 - 150 EXP + 200 EXP towards Level 5)
Within the Heart of Decay, the cats are divided into several ranks heavily dependent upon their powers. There are three rankings for cats that are not the leader or second in command positions - the fighters, the shamans, and the scouts. Each of these ranks is crucial to the survival of the Heart of Decay in some way, and these ranks are typically decided upon when an individual is assigned their power. Depending on what their power is, the higher ranks will convene and decide on which rank this power would be best used for. Of course, the cats can always appeal and get a different rank through a process.
The fighters of the clan are exactly what they're named - fighters. These are typically the toughest cats of the clan, who are assigned powers that contribute to their melee skills. The cats of this rank usually have a type of magic that is intensely powerful, and can allow a cat to pack quite the hit. Examples of powers these cats have are enhanced strength, fire magic, and earth magic. If a power is capable of producing an intense hit, the cat that receives it will usually be a fighter, unless they appeal. They're in charge of protecting the clan, and are the front line defenders whenever a battle takes place.
The scouts of the clan are the cats that hunt for the food necessary for their entire clan. These cats aren't the strongest, but they are known for being agile and swift. The cats in this rank will usually have a type of magic that contributes to their movement, such as teleportation, enhanced speed, or the ability to jump much farther than the normal cat. Though these cats are viewed as weak, the cats in this series of ranks are incredible at evading danger, and are usually quite clever problem solvers.
The final grouping of ranks for the clan is shamans, who are the healers. These cats will always have a power that relates to nature or healing. These cats can wield powers such as controlling vines, water magic, or the ability to repair wounds with a spell. These powers are usually not great for fighting, though cats blessed with such abilities are known to be phenomenal characters and a great party member for vast journeys and battles. Shamans will be the middle ground in a war, healing the front members from behind to keep a war party strong.
The rookies are the trainees, training to become one of the three higher ranks previously mentioned. These rookies will usually have their fate decided by the magic they are assigned, and when they aren't training with their mentor, are usually tending to other tasks such as fixing bedding for the older cats or gathering medical properties for the shamans. These rookies are always quite busy despite their somewhat deceiving title, and are known for being clever and somewhat mischievous. Like any youngsters, these rookies will always cause trouble for the higher ranks.
The final group of rankings is the highest honor - the starwatchers. These are the cats that are the representatives for each subrank, and among these ranks are the leader and second-in-commands. These cats are the most mature of the clan, and are known for their extreme talents in their respective fields. It's considered a huge honor to be inducted into the starwatcher ranking, as the stars themselves must confirm that one is worthy of such a high title. The starwatchers are the only rank in the clan that will convene on official manners, and are also the only cats that can communicate with the stars unless they grant permission to another cat to do so.
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