Other Groups
The world of Bones like Bare Roots is home to a variety of groups of cats-- none quite so advanced technologically as the Court but all unique and powerful in their own ways. Here at BLBR, we do focus specifically on the Court. There are no other joinable groups, and there are no plans for that to change in the future. By centering the story on the Court, we as staff feel more comfortable managing within those bounds and helping to develop the story elsewhere in response to it. This allows us to focus on more personal themes, which we've enjoyed greatly!
The original warrior clans no longer exist in BLBR, having dissolved to illness, but there are other distant clans created by players for use in backstories.
The City
After the defeat of the old rogue organization "The Order," the city has been left to tentatively find hope and develop groups of their own for once. It is a much safer place to be than it was previously, though you can still find danger in the form of cars, stray dogs, and plenty of rogues who wander the streets.
The Sewer Cats
Started as a joke, this group had accidentally built a collection of devoted believers in the myths and legends of a cat called The Thief. The group made murals all over the city and in the sewers, where they lived to hide from the Order.
Redacted, previously the leader, is prone to fits of impossibly long dreams that seem to suck in those around them. These dreams follow specific scripts, showing scenes to Redacted that they have never lived. They struggle to understand these, and though they were given a way to cease the dreams... they cannot help but keep indulging in them.
Redacted has spent more time asleep than awake, and prefers the comfort of these cyclical dreams than the harsh waking world. Still, upon advisement of Court members, they stayed with the Court with one of their attendants to hide from the Order actively hunting them down.
After the Order war, their numbers have been utterly wiped. With Ash, the final attendant, dead in the days following... there remains only Redacted. It remains to be seen if they will try to rebuild after what has become of their life.
Balcony Alliance
As the Order's brutal reign on the city held strong, cats all over struggled to start to do something about it. Hiding in plain sight, this group of cats began meeting on their balconies in their apartment complex to discuss important matters.
With Order defectors among them, they were able to provide some knowledge of Order habits. They blend in well enough that they believe themselves the perfect choice for sniffing out other city groups to join up with.
The Balcony Alliance is in truth... very naive and fresh-- many of the cats are incredibly young and hopeful. They have little ideas of what an undertaking this may be, but they're willing to try their best.
After recent events, this group is feeling triumphant and excited. They dabble in taking a tentative leadership position in the city-- hoping to settle disagreements and keep any prospective groups from becoming too violent again.
As of now, the groups in the city are fresh and new. There are few major players in this new landscape, but surely the power vacuum will be filled soon. One can only hope it'll be by those with good intentions.
The Outskirts
These are the Court's closest neighbors-- out of the city but still a ways walk.
branches of the truth
CW: Cult
A burned church sits in a field not far from the Courtlands, housing a group of cats led by an intimidating figure. This cat calls himself 'The Truth,' though he used to be known by some as Oakstar. At one point in time he led Windclan, a charismatic and cutthroat leader. After a swift fall from grace ending in a terrible fire, he fled to the city with his mate... but the new life he wanted was not to be.
After the sudden death of his mate, he changed his name, built a community, and sent his young children back to the clans to receive training while he grew his resources. The Truth provides medical care and guaranteed food for those that follow him, even if they don't stay at the church. He speaks about equality in death, the idea that there is no afterlife-- only meat left behind. The Truth insists there is power in blood, a healing refreshing power.
The Truth is the Court's closest neighbor and despite their rocky start, a tentative ally against the Order. His children reside in the Court and he has been known to be friendly with the leader of the Order, putting The Truth and his group in a complex position between worlds.
During the war, he helped the Court to kill the Order leader by luring him out to a spot where they usually met alone. Only a few spare months later, he would come to the Court with two new kittens-- the last remnants of the Order.
The pack
In the forest beyond the Courtlands, stone structures dot the wooded landscape. These makeshift fortifications are home to The Pack, led by a massive cat known as The Centurion. Once a member of the Court, he now heads a group of his own into self-sufficiency.
Embodying the strength of connection and found family, they believe in helping those whom life has cast aside. Every member is trained in hunting, gathering, and self-defense; those unable to do those things are helped in any way The Pack can manage. Together, they can survive anything that comes their way; that is what their leader believes, to his very core.
Outside of annual sporting events opened up to the public or the occasional request for their aid, The Pack mostly keeps to themselves. News of the Order War has reached their distant outpost, and the Court’s recent visit to their grounds has left The Centurion with a bitter taste in his mouth. He now keeps an ear turned toward the Court, waiting with bated breath for whatever may come.
