༺ to fall or fly v2 - wc rp

[selasphorys]

it began when the medicine cat fell to her death.
fogfern placed her faith in the timeworn paths of her ancestors,
but the weathered stone crumbled under her trusting paws.
in that moment, her apprentice knew:

starclan could no longer save them.

[selasphorys]

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𝗙𝗔𝗨𝗟𝗧 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦
𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙮
𝗚𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘

𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙
𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙩
𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗘

𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚
𝗜 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛

𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙮𝙚
𝗧𝗜𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗
𝗜❜𝗠 𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗘

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-------- ⋆ -------- ⋆ -------- ⋆ --------
open and accepting
-------- ⋆ -------- ⋆ -------- ⋆ --------
main roleplay
discussion thread
discord server
allegiances
territory
recap
-------- ⋆ -------- ⋆ -------- ⋆ --------
gifs made by me using Adobe & EZGif
do not use my gifs without asking
title art drawn by me in Krita
song: sleeping at last - earth

[selasphorys]

roleplay rules:

✩ follow all chickensmoothie rules

✩ keep the roleplay moving and active!

- this will be a slower-moving roleplay, but i don't want it to be killed by inactivity
- if you don’t post after 2 weeks, you will be reminded through private message.
- if you don’t post or respond for 3+ weeks, your cat will be removed or made into an npc.
- npc cats will generally be ignored in the background to preserve continuity, not killed off.
- if your cats are removed for inactivity, you may rejoin anytime! no hard feelings

✩ must pm me for high rank reservations

- high ranks are a commitment and you must post once every 2 weeks
- if you do not meet post requirements, your cat will be removed and the slot reopened
- high rank reservations last 72 hours
- outsiders are not high ranks

✩ minimum 4 lines per cat per post. please write something that others can respond to.

✩ generally realistic cat appearances

- I’m pretty lax about cat appearances as long as they don’t have purple fur and pink eyes.
- no cats with special abilities or special connections to starclan.

✩ be nice! keep drama in the roleplay and outside of the discussion.

✩ LGBT+ cats are welcome!

✩ discuss romantic relationships (other than one-sided crushes) with the other roleplayer first.

✩ major plot developments must be discussed with me or the group before bringing into the roleplay

- these can be events like large rockslides, cats leaving the clan, and major battles

[selasphorys]

fallsclan is an enduring, isolated clan. they take their
name from the grand waterfall beside their camp, at
once their greatest defender and destroyer. the roaring
cascades send plumes of fog over the camp and territory,
shielding the cats from sight, muffling their sounds, and
hiding their scents from danger. but it drenches every
surface, chilling cats to the bone as they balance on
slippery stones. the cats learn from kithood to maneuver
through the constant mist. they take pride in their senses
and stability, tenacity and devotion. ancient traditions
govern every aspect of their lives. their ancestors found
the safest paths for them along the cliffs. the cats must
adhere to starclan’s words or slip to their deaths.

however, the foundations of fallsclan will soon fracture.
the cats may have to leave their home, and with it, their
identity and history. as tremors shake the earth, more and
more rocks fall in once-safe areas. the previous deputy
and medicine cat have both died in these rockslides. faced
with it all, the new medicine cat is losing faith in starclan.

the power of the stars is ambiguous in this story. their
cryptic prophecies may be the convoluted truth, or they
may just be one perspective. these signs can be foolishly
misinterpreted, even purposefully skewed. whether the
cats stay or leave, follow the past or blaze new trails…
the fate of fallsclan is entirely held in your paws.

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[selasphorys]

territory

fallsclan territory follows a long river gorge, bordered by walls of waterfalls to the south and whirlpool rapids to the north. the cats hunt in the mossy shrubland close to the falls, the low forests along the side of the river, and the high forests above the cliffs. they stay close to the canyon edge, as the lush forests beyond the river are controlled by warring rogue groups.

the rogue groups tend to be aggressive and ruthless, taking over any territory they can sink their claws into. they generally don't come close to the gorge because of how dangerous the falls are, but they may occasionally trespass to steal prey. the brown areas of the map are known rogue areas, but the boundaries are often unclear. there are no twolegplaces for at least a two-day journey. most clanborn cats have never seen a thunderpath, twoleg, or kittypet.

in greenleaf, the territory is lush and humid. thunderstorms are common. in leaf-bare, it is bitterly cold. the territory is blanketed in heavy snow and the falls may freeze over.

prey
⋆ mice, shrews, rabbits and voles
⋆ squirrels and chipmunks
⋆ songbirds, sparrows, and blackbirds
⋆ fish and frogs
⋆ gulls, ducks, and geese (requires several cats to take down)


predators
⋆ owls and hawks (common)
⋆ venomous snakes (common)
⋆ raccoons and weasels (uncommon)
⋆ coyotes and foxes (rare)

map made using inkarnate

locations (north to south)

✩ the whirlpool ⋆ the northern border of the territory. the river narrows here, rushing into dangerous, spiraling rapids. cats are forbidden from swimming or fishing too close to the whirlpool. any cat lost to the center of the vortex cannot be saved.

✩ smoothing stones ⋆ a sheltered cove where the half-moon gathering occurs. the rushing water smooths the stone, pockmarking it with small holes not unlike the craters of the moon. the half-moon shape of the rock makes it sacred to starclan. it is a time and place of balance, where all things become smooth. though the cove is wide open to predators, starclan keeps them safe on the night of the gathering.

✩ training ring ⋆ a lush, mossy hollow just outside camp. this is a popular training ground for young apprentices, the perfect place to practice climbing, hunting, and battling. the ring of boulders protects the cats from the water’s edge, while the green carpet softens any crash-landings. unfortunately, the deputy was recently killed here in a sudden rockslide.

✩ fallsclan camp ⋆ hidden by the roar and mist of the falls, the camp cannot easily be found by enemies. it is nestled in a rocky cliffside, covered by shrubs and moss.


⋆ the leader makes their announcements from a tall, moss-covered boulder called highrock. it is said that only the leader can climb the slippery moss, and that every new leader must announce their return from the moonbow with a successful ascent. directly behind the highrock is a crevice in the cliff, hidden behind dense hanging ferns. this is the leader’s den.

⋆ the medicine den is in a larger cave to the right of the leader’s den. a small garden of herbs grows outside it, fed by a tiny rivulet branching from the falls. the herb garden was just destroyed in a lightning strike, as the rivulet became a flood.

⋆ the elder’s den is past the medicine den. the cave is carpeted with lush moss. though the apprentices still need to remove soiled bedding, new moss grows back in days. the stone is chilled by the rivulet, soothing the elders’ joints.

⋆ the apprentice’s den is on the far side of camp past the elder’s den (so they can always answer the elders' demands). it is tucked into a hollowed-out log, from a tree that once fell over the falls.

⋆ the nursery is to the left of the leader’s den, nestled into the mossy cliffside and warmed by the sun. a black raspberry bush covers the entrance, protecting it with thorns while providing fragrant berries in greenleaf.

⋆ the warrior’s den is under a low red juniper bush on the leftmost side of camp, closest to where enemies might appear. the branches are reinforced with leaves and ferns to keep the fog out.

✩ moonbow ⋆ there is a special trail along the cliff, invisible to the uninitiated, but easily accessible to those who know the secret. the path leads to a grotto with a hanging garden of herbs. though the cave is high and shallow, it is said that starclan protects this sacred ground. the recent rockslide here calls this legend to question.

✩ foggy scree ⋆ a dangerous rubble hill at the foot of the falls, marking the southern edge of the territory. the water is turbulent, the rock falls are frequent, and the fog is dense. few cats venture here except when prey is scarce. it is possible to climb the scree to reach the top of the falls. a richly forested island awaits above, but rogues are known to hunt there.



note that the territory is based loosely around a fictional version of niagara falls that was never settled by humans.

[selasphorys]

traditions


• burial ceremony - fallsclan buries their dead immediately rather than holding an overnight vigil, since their territory is so damp and dangerous. instead, mourners often go to the falls to watch the mist rise up and join silverpelt in the sky. they are usually accompanied by a responsible friend who will watch for danger while the mourner loses themself in reflection. the fog and roar of the falls would envelop them for a time, and some swear they feel the departed's presence in the mist.
  
  
• full-moon medicine cat meeting - medicine cats communicate with starclan on the full moon, rather than the half-moon. this is because the moonbow is only visible during the full moon. as moonlight shines through the cave’s skylight at a specific angle, a moonbow will become visible in the mist. after witnessing the silver beam, the cats will fall asleep and dream of the stars. they wake in the morning to gather rare herbs from the hanging garden in the cave before returning to camp. the leader also receives their nine lives at the moonbow.
  
  
• half-moon gathering - at the half-moon gathering, fallsclan cats settle all their disagreements, share tongues, and listen to stories from the elders. the distance from the falls makes conversation much easier here. any arguments must be settled at this time and place. no cat will leave with a ruffled pelt. the gathering time was moved to the half-moon rather than the usual full-moon since the medicine cats need the full moon for the moonbow. fallsclan has no neighboring clans to meet with anyway, so a traditional gathering is no longer necessary.
  
  
• outsider joining the clan - outsiders who wish to join the clan are given one moon to adjust before a warrior assessment. they are treated as an apprentice during the time, either given a mentor or trained by various warriors. most cats run away or die due to the harsh natural environment before the moon is over. if they pass their assessement, they are given a standard warrior ceremony and welcomed into the clan. queens, elders, and kit/apprentice-age outsiders are taken in without needing the assessment.
  
  
• scars of a leader - every fallsclan leader bears scars of sacrifice along their pelt, each one earned in defense of their clan. when faced with the constant dangers of their territory, they push through to protect their cats. all fallsclan cats are proud of their scars.

the smoothing stones and whirlpool

[selasphorys]

allegiances

fallsclan
leader:
sykestar ⋆ 41 ⋆ female ⋆ rey skywalker

deputy:
rabbitsong ⋆ 45 ⋆ male ⋆ peachpit.

medicine cat:
briarseed ⋆ 27 ⋆ female ⋆ selasphorys
medicine cat apprentices:
risingpaw ⋆ 17 ⋆ nonbinary ⋆ necrobinical
lightpaw ⋆ 8 ⋆ male ⋆ ColonelHamster

warriors:
greydream ⋆ 85 ⋆ female ⋆ rybka
laurelthorn ⋆ 84 ⋆ male ⋆ wakita
gorgefang ⋆ 48 ⋆ male ⋆ TheClockmaker
silkwail ⋆ 44 ⋆ female ⋆ peachpit.
mistback ⋆ 43 ⋆ female ⋆ necrobinical
froststrike ⋆ 41 ⋆ male ⋆ ColonelHamster
spottedfeather ⋆ 41 ⋆ female ⋆ Nunavik
swallowsight ⋆ 40 ⋆ female ⋆ selasphorys
lynxspring ⋆ 36 ⋆ male ⋆ Nunavik
pikecrest ⋆ 30 ⋆ female ⋆ selasphorys
starlingflight ⋆ 29 ⋆ male ⋆ Nunavik
aspencurrent ⋆ 28 ⋆ male ⋆ rey skywalker
lightningshadow ⋆ 27 ⋆ female ⋆ rey skywalker
rainchaser ⋆ 27 ⋆ female ⋆ wakita
ryepiper ⋆ 26 ⋆ male ⋆ selasphorys
gullsplash ⋆ 25 ⋆ male ⋆ TheClockmaker
pumpkinpatch ⋆ 25 ⋆ female ⋆ peachpit.
eeleyes ⋆ 23 ⋆ female ⋆ rey skywalker
sorrelstorm ⋆ 22 ⋆ female ⋆ stingmynettle
bunnyhop ⋆ 17 ⋆ male ⋆ rybka
bramblefrost ⋆ 14 ⋆ male ⋆ heresalittlefaith

apprentices:
firefly ⋆ 30 ⋆ female ⋆ ColonelHamster
kyanitepaw ⋆ 11 ⋆ female ⋆ rey skywalker
dapplepaw ⋆ 10 ⋆ female ⋆ necrobinical
hopperpaw ⋆ 9 ⋆ male ⋆ selasphorys
goosepaw ⋆ 9 ⋆ male ⋆ peachpit.
lemmingpaw ⋆ 9 ⋆ male ⋆ rey skywalker
snakepaw ⋆ 7 ⋆ female ⋆ TheClockmaker


nursery:
mourningdove ⋆ 48 ⋆ female ⋆ peachpit.
kits:
3 unborn, open

kits:
ashenkit ⋆ 3 ⋆ male ⋆ KasperKat
duskkit ⋆ 3 ⋆ male ⋆ rey skywalker
strawkit ⋆ 3 ⋆ female ⋆ KasperKat

elders:
rumblespout ⋆ 121 ⋆ male ⋆ selasphorys

✩✩✩✩✩

starclan
fogfern ⋆ 68 ⋆ female
coyoteleap ⋆ 65 ⋆ male
milktuft ⋆ 62 ⋆ female
cinnamonthorn ⋆ 30 ⋆ female

✩✩✩✩✩

outsiders
note that rogues will generally be npcs
the story may leave outsiders behind as it progresses

no kittypets or cats from other clans

rogues
name ⋆ age ⋆ gender ⋆ roleplayer

loners
name ⋆ age ⋆ gender ⋆ roleplayer


✩


mentorships
briarseed - risingpaw, lightpaw
spottedfeather - hopperpaw
swallowsight - goosepaw
starlingflight - kyanitepaw
ryepiper - lemmingpaw
aspencurrent - firefly
froststrike - snakepaw
rainchaser - dapplepaw



✩


relationships
❥ = one-sided crush
♥ = mutual crush
+ = mates
parent(s) → kit(s)
bolded = player characters
strikethrough = deceased
normal font = npc/other

i’ll try to update families here but if this gets too large, i will only include romantic relationships.

limetooth + whirlmist → rumblespout
rumblespout + mossypool → mistback
mistback + thundercloud → dapplepaw
sunflight → risingpaw, bunnyhop, snakebite, foxheart, treebranch
blossomfrost → sykestar, pikecrest, raggedwing, riverwind, emberpaw
possumwhisker + greydream → swallowsight, warblerpaw, grebecrest, gullsplash
mink → ryepiper, piperpaw
flamerush + cherrybloom → briarseed, rainchaser, maplestream, finflip, scalefang, sumacpaw
laurelthorn + robinwind → hopperpaw, skimmerpaw, skipperpaw
windcloud + redrose → lynxspring
windcloud + poppyseed → starlingflight
ashcloud + sunbeam → spottedfeather, froststrike
larkflight + stonestep → fogwhisper, lightpaw
berrysky + mudbranch → snakepaw
tidalhowl → aspencurrent
mourningflight → eeleyes
hacklefur → falconridge, lemmingpaw
willow + hawkspot → bramblefrost, leaf, puddle, eagle
burntleaf + pawprint → ashenkit, duskkit, strawkit
minnowgazer + stagtail → rabbitsong, spiderwatcher, ratwatcher
troutpelt + stonebrook → goosepaw
flamefoot + bearsnarl → pumpkinpatch, pansykit, doekit
dawnwhisper → silkwail
softwillow + brackenleap → mourningdove
mourningdove + silentstep → three unborn kits

swiftwind ♥ burntleaf
rabbitsong ♥ swallowsight
ryepiper ♥ fogwhisper
lightningshadow ♥ briarseed
firefly ❥ starlingflight
lightpaw ❥ kyanitepaw


✩


adoptable npcs

npcs will leave or die for plot reasons throughout the roleplay
named, living kin of your character will usually be added as npcs

most npcs can be adopted as a full character! ask in the discussion

npc warriors:
robinwind ⋆ hopperpaw’s mother
flamerush ⋆ briarseed’s father
finflip ⋆ briarseed’s sibling
berrysky ⋆ snakepaw's parent
mudbranch ⋆ snakepaw's parent
spiderwatcher ⋆ rabbitsong's brother

npc apprentices:
minnowpaw ⋆ silkwail's son
skipperpaw ⋆ hopperpaw’s littermate
skimmerpaw ⋆ hopperpaw’s littermate

npc queens:
maplestream ⋆ briarseed’s sister

npc kits:
ashenkit ⋆ burntleaf's kit
strawkit ⋆ burntleaf's kit
three unborn kits ⋆ mourningdove's kits
flickerkit ⋆ sykestar’s friend

rogues:
jet ⋆ murdered swallowsight & gullsplash's dad

[selasphorys]

xxxxxx
xxxxxx
xxxxxx
xxxxxx
xxxxxx

prophecies and omens:
i.
roots will rise as rocks now roll
birds take flight over bog and wall
when storm strikes and splits the mount
falls will flow and know no bounds

[selasphorys]

recap

before the gathering - medicine cat’s and deputy’s deaths

strange tremors rumble beneath fallsclan’s paws. about one moon ago, the medicine cat fogfern died when a ledge split during the medicine cat meeting. she fell to her death, the path she trusted crumbling beneath her feet. she left behind her young, unsteady apprentice briarseed. the day before the gathering, the deputy coyoteleap died saving cats from a rockslide at the training ring. as a large boulder crashed down toward the apprentices, he protected them to his final breath. rabbitsong succeeded him as the new deputy.



day of the gathering - prophecy, flash floods, rogues, and mudslide

prophecy
lightning struck a tree above camp this morning, sending shrapnel everywhere. as the rivulet by the medicine den flooded, the herb garden was washed away. out of the destruction came a prophecy. briarseed heard her ancestors’ words as she stared at the ruined camp.

she whispered the prophecy to sykestar before the gathering. they embarked on a journey to an ancient meeting place, seeking solace from the stars. imbued with hope after an encounter with fallsclan’s founders, they returned with news for the gathering. sykestar shared what she learned with her deputy rabbitsong. the rest of the clan had already heard wind of the prophecy, gossiping amongst themselves and spreading panic. the loner queen neritebloom is the first to run away, with several others following her to escape the crumbling clan.

flash floods
early this morning, milktuft and mistback were swept away by a sudden flash flood. milktuft died pulling mistback back to shore. a patrol rescued mistback, bringing her back to camp where she recovered with a head injury. another patrol went out to search for milktuft, but cinnamonthorn was lost in another flash flood.

mudslide
a patrol was hit by a massive mudslide, with the thundering crash heard across the territory. several patrols went out to rescue the cats from the sea of mud. patchpaw and dapplepaw nearly suffocated but were pulled out with mild injuries. sykestar lost a life attempting to rescue stormpaw, managing to just barely pull the apprentice free as new life surged through her paws. rabbitsong went into a state of shock as he witnessed the devastation of their territory.

rogues
skipping the patrol they were assigned, gullsplash and hopperpaw foolishly crossed into rogue territory while exploring and hunting. gullsplash left his apprentice stormpaw behind to sneak out on his adventure. they were attacked by a rogue but managed to fend her off. they return to camp with injuries, telling sykestar the lie that rogues attacked them on clan territory.

the rogue firefly joined fallsclan, leaving her old life behind. she used to be an informant for the clan, reporting to sykestar about the rogues’ movements. she will be an apprentice for a moon until she can prove her strength and loyalty to the clan. the rogues will seek vengeance for her betrayal.


night of the gathering - the fate of fallsclan is in your paws

gathering
the sky clears for a moment, revealing a dazzling splash of stars against the storms of the day. at the smoothing stones, rain-slicked rock mirrors the silver moonlight.


- the clan waits with bated breath for sykestar to begin the gathering. she starts with a eulogy for milktuft.

- despite her injuries, mistback came to tell the clan how milktuft died to save her from a flash flood. however, her breathing grew too weak for her to talk. spottedfeather and briarseed help her to rest and take medicine. risingpaw now watches over her until she is ready to speak later.

- pikecrest, froststrike, and gorgefang get into a heated debate on whether the clan should retaliate against the rogues. pikecrest declares that fallsclan needs to take control of rogue territory as it is safer from natural disaster. gorgefang, a former rogue, warns of doom should the clan take on the ruthless rogues. froststrike takes a more moderate approach, but believes in the strength of his clan. new deputy spottedfeather breaks up their argument before things get violent.

- greydream and swallowsight, estranged mother and daughter, reconnect for the first time in nearly 20 moons. after greydream spiraled into depression when her mate was killed by a rogue, swallowsight raised her little brother gullsplash on her own.


camp
meanwhile in camp, the sparkling sky is hidden behind a heavy layer of fog. cats move like wraiths in the mist, whispering amongst themselves as their future is determined beyond.


- snakepaw has nightmares in the apprentice den. her yowls bring burntleaf and firefly to her aid. the screaming also startles kyanitepaw awake. once things settle down, firefly, snakepaw, and kyanitepaw get to know each other in the apprentice den.

- burntleaf and eeleyes talk about rogues in the nursery while they play with the kits.

- bunnyhop's attempt to fix the warriors den accidentally wakes up starlingflight. they begin to patrol the outskirts of camp to ensure everything is safe.

- rumblespout watches over his granddaughter dapplepaw and the other injured cats in the medicine den.


will add to this recap post as the roleplay continues!

[selasphorys]

status

> i. the tremors
>> we are starting at the half-moon gathering.
>> tensions run high as cats discuss whether to stay or leave.


current conditions
season: greenleaf
weather: clear skies.
time: night. half-moon.


patrol assignments
gathering
sykestar
spottedfeather
rabbitsong
briarseed
risingpaw
lightpaw
mistback
greydream
gorgefang
froststrike
swallowsight
pikecrest
aspencurrent
lightningshadow
rainchaser