Yo! It's been a while, but inspiration hit me on the head the last few days and I ended up writing a few short (~1k) character interactions from an old roleplay Clan I belonged to. (On wcrpforums, if you're curious; the roleplay is long dead, unfortunately). It was a good world; I've always loved fantasy aspects in all regards, but particularly mashing fantasy aspects into the warriors' world in creative ways (re: star rose). HallowedClan was a roleplay focused on a holy Clan of cats that were formed to fight off demons, "angels", strogoi and other horrors of the night.
I'm devoting this page to put some details of the worldbuilding and characters for anyone who wants to know more, though NONE of it is necessary to understand or enjoy the short stories further on. The worldbuilding extras are just for fun. (:
I love these characters and this slightly darker fantasy setting they've found themselves in. Hopefully yall will enjoy reading about them as much as they enjoy filling my head with silly scenes of battle cats with silvered claws and holy water for weapons.
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CREDIT
All worldbuilding credit for HallowedClan, the territory, the monsters, and claim designs blu. I'm merely summarizing their wonderful page.
Some OC's from other members of the roleplay are also referenced; credit for their names and designs to their respective owners.*
*I try to only lightly reference or name drop characters that would be present in the scene (mentors, siblings, ect) or stay true to their characters as they've been roleplayed if voice lines are necessary. There were many "filler" characters in the Clan that were made as family members but never roleplayed or described, and I try to keep myself to using these "filler" characters when possible to avoid other's OC. Everyone was very creative, and they deserve complete ownership of their creative content.
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RANKS
HallowedClan is set up more like a military than a Clan.
The leader is COMMANDER with a GENERAL as deputy or second-in-command. MEDICINE CATS are the same as usual, but there may be more than one. A subset of medicine cat are the NECROMANCERS, who can use the holy Light of StarClan to raise corpses to be used for manual labor, camp guards, and fighting.
EXCORSISTS are blessed by StarClan's Light, and can use it at will to fight. They are in charge of enchanting holy water, silver coins, and preparing the silvered fangs and claws used by higher rank fighters. They are also in charge of exorcising greater Demons and spirits that are captured by the Clan.
Warriors are known as MERCENARIES and there are four ranks, C-class to S-class. Only the strongest mercenaries are considered S-class fighters. Most of the Clan are A-class or B-class, while the newest or weakest are placed in C-class. Tests and challenges are regularly administered to move up in rank, although taking down difficult baddies can also be a reason for early promotion.
Apprentices are known as PRIVATES. RECRUITS are cats from outside the Clan that wish to join and learn to fight demons. QUEENS, KITS and ELDERS are as expected. Nursery queens are rare, as many cats of HallowedClan wish to return to fighting as soon as possible. Elders often retire earlier than usual, due to the high stress and strain of HallowedClan's supernatural tasks. Some cats temporarily stay with the elders while recovering from heavy wounds. Elders are in charge of the Bestiary - a collection of items, diagrams, and information regarding the creatures the cats fight. It is a very important database and includes information on rare monsters that may not be seen often.
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HYBRIDS
In addition to the slightly different ranks, warriors of HallowedClan might be hybridized with tamer variants of the monsters they fight:
Most mercenaries are WARLOCKS. When apprentices are named, they visit StarClan and are blessed by an animal patron that gives them some supernatural abilities. For example, Cirrusblaze, whose patron is a mouse, can use the ability to feel vibrations in the ground. His brother Lioncloud's patron the bear gives him supernatural strength when he calls upon it. Warlocks always carry a pendant of their patron created by excorsists.
The most common variant cats are VAMPIRES, with HALF-VAMPIRES and VAMPIRE THRALLS being very rare. Vampires by nature are not hostile, and several vampiric bloodlines run through the Clan. A vampire mating with a normal cat almost always produces a full-blooded vampire. Only rarely do half-breeds survive. THRALLS are created when a MASTER VAMPIRE willingly turns a cat into a vampire; the new thrall is completely loyal to the master. Only one master is known to the world, living as a hermit at the edge of the territory. Vampires subside on feline blood, but only from consenting individuals. They are often pale-colored, with bright red eyes and an aversion to sunlight. They are quick and agile, and make for good fighters. They are still hurt by silver and holy water, so they must be somewhat careful fighting with their Clanmates when those weapons are used.
HALF-DEMONS are somewhat uncommon, as most lesser demons are not intelligent and are hostile. However, occasionally a greater demon or high demon takes interest in the Clan and may even join the fight against the other creatures of the night on the Clan's behalf. Cats of demon blood are often larger and stronger than the average cat with long claws, horn(s), with dark pelts.
On the flip side, there are also very rarely HALF-ANGELS. Angels are always intelligent, but their capacity for evil is legendary. Angels use siren-like abilities to enthrall and enslave their prey, and sometimes their guile and charisma lures a cat into a long-term romance. The resulting kits are pale-furred with golden feathers in their fur and the alluring eyes and tongues of their angel parent.
GHOSTS are a common sight, both in the graveyard, wandering the church, or in the deserted town in the desert. They range from being highly aware and vocal to silent spectres that can only walk the paths they once did in life. Sometimes, the necromancers can help them reconcile their deaths and let them fade. Troublesome ghosts might need to be exorcised. Many are helpful souls, either past Clanmates or older spirits, that have wisdom and advice for the living and are well respected in the Clan.
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CAMP & TERRITORY
HallowedClan camp is in the ruins of an abandoned church. The church has two floors, a bell tower, and a roof balcony. The Clan gathers on the first floor, and the mercenaries and privates nest. There are no defined dens and many cats sleep with friends or family units. The MEDICINE CAT DEN is also on the first floor in the farthest corner, where pews were pushed over to make walls and give it layers of protection and privacy away from the rest of the camp.
The second floor is the safest, and where the more vulnerable members of the Clan spend their time. The NURSERY is hidden within a closet, where shelves and a narrow entrance make it the perfect place to protect young cats and queens. The ELDERS nest in the library, where the bookshelves host the extensive Bestiary -a collection of books, trinkets, diagrams, and other useful information resides. The LEADER has a small cove beneath a fallen beam near the staircase. A velvet curtain blocks off the light and sound, making it a small but quiet space for any private meetings.
A loft on the second floor houses the EXCORSISTS. It was once an old treasure room, filled with silvered goods and coins. A large hole in the ceiling fills buckets here with fresh water.
The BELL TOWER is crumbling and generally unsafe, but can be used as a watchpoint if the camp is under siege or if scouts are needed. From its vantage, a clear view of the surrounding yard can be clearly seen. The rooftop BALCONY is similarly dangerous, but provides a good view and privacy for cats looking to be alone for a while.
The STONE CIRCLE is a basement cellar that the cats regularly use for training. A large ring in the dirt floor has been marked for one-on-one fights. These fights are usually between privates for proof of their training, but can also be used to settle arguments or prove one's rank. Normal battle training is not allowed in the ring, only fights of prestige.
HallowedClan's territory is quite expansive. They do not have defined borders, and do not patrol it for other cats; normal cats either find sanctuary in the church, or are quickly killed by the demons that roam this part of the land. The church itself is located on a large yard cut from the forest. A GRAVEYARD sits behind its walls. The southern half of the territory is forested, with several streams cut through and a lake at the far southwestern corner. The northern half of the territory quickly turns to sandy dunes and desert. Important waymarks like the OASIS or the IVORY RUINS where the Clan communes directly with StarClan are found in the deep desert and require days of determined travel. It is theorized that the supernatural stems from the desert region, and not only is the desert climate extremely dangerous to an unprepared traveler, but the most dangerous of creatures are also found here. Deep desert hunts are only performed by the best warriors or those seeking to rise in rank.
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CHARACTERS
(okay, now that that's out of the way, onto the good part)
*currently only my OC/claims; I might add short descriptions of the rest at a later date
EAGLEPAW - white tom with grey tabby patches. His patron's power of regeneration has made him reckless and ambitious. He's one to act before thinking, though after a close call with his sister, he is working on trying to be more considerate. Brother to Bleakpaw and Sorrelpaw. Dovestrike is their mother. Warlock patron is the spiny mouse, giving him regeneration from many wounds. Scrapes and cuts heal quickly and without scarring. No, he hasn't tried regrowing a limb yet.
PALETHORN - A dove-grey she-cat with darker spots. Vampire, with red eyes and a harsh aversion to light. C-class mercenary. Her siblings are Crimsonfeather and Fadedwing. Palethorn dislikes fighting and intentionally remains a C-class fighter, tolerating the extra chores and hunting patrols to avoid battling demons. Thoughtful and empathetic.
COYOTELEAP - Light brown molly with darker lynx point markings. B-class mercenary. She only has one eye, she lost the other eye and her mother in a fight with an angel. She finds it hard to make connections, so losing her mother and the long recovery hurt her deeply. She does her duties, but often nothing further. She claims she is waiting for her destiny and her greatest hope is that if she waits patiently enough, something good will call for her. Conversely, her greatest fear is that nothing will come of her at all.
LIONCLOUD - Large golden tom. Medicine cat. Brother to Cirrusblaze. Warlock patron is the bear, which makes him very strong and durable. He is a mountain of a cat, both physically and in personality. He is utterly unflappable, though it is rumored that while he is hard to anger, his rage is legendary.
CIRRUSBLAZE - A white tom with grey patches. A-class warlock. His patron is the mouse, which allows him to feel vibrations in the ground while channeling it. He also can move quickly for short periods of time but suffers great exhaustion afterward when using this ability. Logical and analytical, his one goal is saving the Clan from a particular demon that has terrorized the Clan for years.
AMBERDUSK - an old Siamese tomcat with bright amber eyes odd for his breed. His hearing is starting to fail, but so far he's avoiding retiring. He thinks himself wise, and always tries to impart advice on youngsters. He can be thickheaded and quite stubborn, but generally good of heart. His mate is the exorcist Wildpath and he has two daughters: Lostrose and Littlebriar. B-class warlock. His patron is the mink, giving him agility in water and a thick winter coat.
SCARLETMOON - a black molly with green eyes. Elder. Her mate is Poppystorm. Her patron the bat gives her sharp hearing and light bones. She likes to live vicariously through her Clanmates and resents her weakened bones that caused her retirement. She is used to commanding attention at all times and doesn't really realize she's well past her prime and not the fighter she once was.
POPPYSTORM - a tortoiseshell molly. Elder. Her mate is Scarletmoon. She was once an even more terrifying fighter than Scarletmoon, an S-class mercenary in her right with the scars to prove it. Back in the day, it might have been said that Scarletmoon tamed the wild molly, but nowadays it's Poppystorm that has mellowed out while her mate refuses to accept a passive role in the Clan.
LICHENFROST - An orange tomcat with blue eyes. He's in the elder's den after he lost his hind leg to a wendigo. A nasty wound that has infected, he's currently recovering and hopes to fight again one day, but knows a nasty wound like that takes a lot of time. Brother to Pumpkinpatch, older brother to Geckopaw and Flamepaw.