LORE

MAIN TIMELINE

(more relevant, recent events for each clowder can be found in their respective sections on this website)

“Four Dear Friends”

following a devastating fire that destroyed the farm they lived on, four barn cats (Fiddle, Sterling, Chitchat, Athena) set off into the unknown in search of a new home

the farther they go, the more the world changes around them

humans become less of an issue, prey becomes more plentiful

the cats become more sapient

when their paws finally tire, they find themselves in a new land, both familiar and very much not

cats of all kinds are found, some of which they recruit

“Friends to Lovers to Gods”

the barn cats have become as close as ever over their journey and have fallen in love

however, they still have their differences, and each their own ideas on how to continue their lives

one night, a strange being appears to them, introducing itself as the Dramaturg

the Dramaturg reveals that it has power over the land these cats now reside and has been watching them intently

when the Lovers ask questions, the Dramaturg becomes irritated; “Is this not the peaceful land you have always wanted?”

the Lovers become scared of this being; “What has it done? What can it do? Why does it want us?”

the Dramaturg does not answer

as time goes on, the days in the peaceful fantasy land begin to drag by; things become stranger and stranger and the Lovers are continuously tested 

the Lovers hatch a plan to defeat the Dramaturg, and one day, they summon the being back to the place they first found it

the Dramaturg knows of their plan, but lets them fight, thinking they will fail

however, they don’t!— the Lovers defeat the Dramaturg

before the Dramaturg dies, it uses the last of its powers to curse the Lovers

the Lovers are now immortal and god-like, given the powers over the land that the Dramaturg once had 

their appearances change, abstract and strange, until they can barely recognize one another

the Lovers are devastated; nothing they do can change them or their world back

“Loveless Godhood”

years turn into decades, decades turn into centuries— the Lovers have lost touch with reality and the time that passes 

their love for each other becomes a challenge in their powerful states, and with it they become distant

Athena in particular is heartbroken; she tries her best to keep everyone together, to remind them of the mortal lives they had

she fails; in turn, she separates herself from the other three and vanishes… never to be seen again

the remaining three become even more bitter, blaming each other for Athena’s apparent demise 

they finally separate, changing the lands so they are split into three, each ruling their own part with their own ways 

Time marches on. 

“Time Marches On”

the Lovers slowly but surely fade from the public’s eye as well, one by one 

hundreds of years later, all that remains are three clowders of cats constructed in their honor; there were four, however Athena’s clowder disbanded mysteriously a long time ago

WaveWhirl clowder (in Fiddle’s Honor) has settled at the southeastern shoreline and dunes

TwilightWhim clowder (in Sterling’s Honor) has settled in the central moors and forests

JaggedCrag clowder (in Chitchat’s Honor) has settled in the northern volcanic tundras and mountains

all three have changed through the years countless times, adapting to new obstacles around them and the eventual arrival of humans; the land has become increasingly less fantastical 

peace comes and goes between them; the clowders mostly keep to themselves

(At some point in time, the WaveWhirls leave their territory and settle in the budding town at the end of the Cape.)

ORACLE-ASSIGNED TAROT

The Oracle is an old clairvoyant cat that lives in an abandoned lighthouse beyond The Collective’s town. She has been around for as long as anyone can remember. She is very close with the three clowders, offering her expertise to any cat who needs it. She also provides a representative tarot card for each cat in the clowders, given at important points in one’s life until they have six in total. She is no stranger to the clowder’s celebrations and visits often.

A cat’s first tarot card represents their clowder; The Moon (TwilightWhim), The Sun (WaveWhirl), or The Star (JaggedCrag). 

A clowder cat’s second tarot card is given to them as a kit. It must be 1 of the 22 Major Arcana.

A third card is given as an apprentice. This card can be any of the 78 from a traditional tarot deck.

A fourth card is given during graduation. This card can be any of the 78 from a traditional tarot deck.

A fifth card is given as either a promotion into a high rank or during retirement. This card can be any of the 78 from a traditional tarot deck.

A sixth card is given at the time of death. This card must be 1 of the 22 Major Arcana.

Tarot readings can be given beyond ceremony. Various reasons include decision making, questions, predictions, or analysis. When doing so, the cat’s Kit Card must be included as 1 of 6 cards chosen.

CLOWDER RANKS & ROLES

Like the clans in the canonical series, the three clowders of FOBD have different ranks and roles that organize the cats living in them. There are specialty ranks, specialty roles, and common ranks. Below is an explanation of these three categories.

SPECIALTY RANKS are a group of the “highest ranking” cats within a clowder. Whether they have the most control or do the most work depends on circumstance; it is also important to note that, when all is going well, these ranks have no reason to look down on those below them. The ranks included in this section are: the leader, the second-in-command, the healers(s), and the seer(s). There can be 2-3 healers at a time, not including apprentices-to-be. There can only be one seer at a time, not including apprentices. 

SPECIALTY ROLES are specific jobs within the clowders that anyone can have post-apprenticehood, as long as they do not have a specialty rank already. The divides between these roles are not as strict as ranks, and if a cat really wanted to, they could take on more than one role at a time. During apprenticeship, young cats dabble in a little bit of everything first before deciding on a final path of study; the first 2-3 moons of training are spent in this trial period. 

COMMON RANKS encompass every cat below the specialty ranks and serve as an easy categorical generalization when it comes to knowing who is who. They are ranks every clowder has; dwellers, apprentices, caretakers, kits, and elders. Dwellers are any cat post-apprenticehood without a specialty rank. Apprentices are young cats in training. Caretakers are cats that help around camp and care for the kits or elders. Kits are any cat under 6 moons. Elders are any cats that have lived long enough to retire from their duties. Although it is expected for every dweller to have a specialty role, there have been clowder cats that have not chosen any either. These cats are expected to know a little bit of everything, however they do not need to be experts.

CLOWDER NAMES & TITLES

Names work a bit differently within the FOBD clowders than they do in the canon clans. Honorary titles exist for certain ranks, and while there are still changes in one’s name as they progress through life, it does not always involve a suffix. Here you will find details regarding these naming styles.

Each clowder has a unique leader title, no matter what the actual rank is called for them– Moonheart, Sunheart, and Starheart respectively. Cats are expected to include these titles when referring to any leader out of respect. However, there is an additional, shortened way these individuals can be identified with; it involves taking the prefixes of both their title and actual name, combining them into something new. For example, there is a notable past captain in WaveWhirl named Sunheart Plumestorm. If someone were to shorten his name for any reason, he could easily be referred to as SunPlume instead. The first letter of both prefixes are commonly capitalized, unlike general clowder names that are written as “Prefixsuffix.”

The progression of clowder names throughout the average cat’s life is as follows:

a cat is born into a clowder; they are given a single-word name

at 6 moons old, the clowder cat is turned into an apprentice; the title “Paw” is included before their single-word name (example, Thicket would then be Paw Thicket)

when graduating from apprenticehood, a clowder cat gets their “Paw” title dropped and earns a suffix to their name; leaders commonly choose these suffixes for their cats, but it is not wrong to request one for yourself or ask for it to be changed (example, Paw Phantom would become Phantomhush)

if a clowder cat gets the honor to become a leader for their clan, they are given a new title alongside their “Prefixsuffix” name; as mentioned above, it is something that can be shortened for ease