⇷ OVERVIEW
MarrowClan is a Clan aligned with the moon and the animal zodiacs, known for its bloody ritual practices. They are associated with the goddess Lunae, who is the focus of their worship and prayers. Cats in MarrowClan consider the daemons Leporis, Auri, and Lyrus as associated with their territory. The remaining pantheon members are still viewed as divine but are simply less revered, though any association with the deities of the Dark Forest is considered extreme heresy, and grounds for exile.
Traditionally, only those born under an animal zodiac are allowed to take leadership positions in MarrowClan. The Clan places a strong emphasis on individuality and freedom of all Clan members; however, they are quick to judge and are strict with punishments for actions considered culturally out of line. Their view of the Warrior Code can be viewed as more unorthodox compared to other Clans, especially with rules such as “The word of the Clan leader is code”. Emphasis is placed on the freedom of the individual – the only cats viewed to have to dedicate their lives to the entire Clan are those in positions of leadership. MarrowClan culture is wary towards greed, ambition, and unorthodox religious beliefs leading cats down the wrong path – they hold a semi-paradoxical view that sometimes too much freedom can be taken advantage of. The Warrior Code is considered to be in place to protect cats from those seeking to do harm with the freedom granted to them. Critics of MarrowClan’s culture often accuse them of feigning a culture of individuality, and instead having a view akin to a ‘red string of fate towards an evil destiny’ for those who step out of cultural boxes.
Oracles in MarrowClan are strictly prohibited from taking mates, to ensure focus and as equal of medical care as possible among the injured. They are also trained as heavily in combat as warriors are; this tradition arises from wars with their neighbor, BarkClan, who would target the healers who were on the battlefield. Becoming an oracle is an extremely respected position within MarrowClan. The leader is seen as one to only lead practical matters such as diplomacy and war with neighbors, while oracles are seen as the spiritual leaders, who connect the average warrior with StarClan and the gods. The body is considered a divine gift from the gods, and is to be used to its fullest extent, lest it is wasting the gift given. Blood and bone are considered especially holy, and are used extensively in all of MarrowClan’s rituals. MarrowClan buries its dead through sky burials as a way of giving their bodies back to nature. Bodies are taken out into the mountains, and left in clearings for vultures and other scavengers to consume for a moon’s cycle. Afterwards, the bones are re-collected, carved with various blessings or curses, and left where appropriate. Cats that are considered evil have their bodies burned, and their bones used for further kindling until nothing is left; these cats are considered culturally unclean, and thus cannot be consumed, without risking of absorbing their negative traits. Fire is seen as spiritually cleansing.
Death is viewed as the next step of life by MarrowClan cats. Joining StarClan is simply another stage in the path of life, and they view StarClan cats who begin to fade from being forgotten as moving on to another step of life – but they do not return to the physical plane. Death is not villainized, and true immortality is near horrifying to them.
MarrowClan’s camp is a group of caves tucked into a mountainside, fortified by sharpened and intricately carved bones. Common decorations within the dens include animal horns and paintings done with blood. Due to the cold nature of their camp, animal fat is traditionally collected from carcasses and used as candles for warmth as well as light. Their leader’s den is within a large crag, with crescents carved into the top of it, which appear to cradle the moon in them during the Winter solstice.
HISTORY ⇸
MarrowClan was formed many moons ago, when Lammergeierstar of TalonClan invaded and took over its neighbor, FangClan. This united all Clans that were aligned with animal zodiacs together. Despite being founded through bloodshed, MarrowClan does not have a history of starting wars; typically leaders of the Clan prefer to flex soft power when it comes to their neighbors. However, MarrowClan warriors are still infamous for their brutality in combat, and often, wars started by MarrowClan are the most destructive.
Similarly, MarrowClan has a long history of coup d'etats within their ranks. Due to their leadership rites, leaders cannot step down, and must die in their position by one way or another; this has led to weak leaders being killed off by their fellow Clanmates, sometimes along with their deputies. These struggles for power are more often one after another, leading to long periods of leadership instability.
Famine is not a common occurrence for MarrowClan; their rituals and traditions place strong importance on using the entire body, including parts other cats may find unsavory to consume, such as blood or bone marrow. MarrowClan cats, in extreme circumstances, also would not shy away from eating their dead Clanmates to avoid starvation, unlike other Clans. Many of their traditions purposefully use every part of their prey as a means of both resourcefulness and spirituality. The use of large hunting parties to hunt big game, such as deer, is only done in MarrowClan, and these practices can feed the whole Clan for multiple days.
However, MarrowClan also has a long history of plagues. Many disease outbreaks (outside of common ones, such as greencough) have originated with MarrowClan’s use of viscera and blood in their rituals. Blood-borne illnesses and prion diseases, while rare in the territories, most often are spread in MarrowClan.
Most recently, MarrowClan has gone through a period of instability. Scorpionstar spearheaded a war against BarkClan for the Star’s Fall, bolstering his ranks through recruiting loners, and while successful in gaining the territory, it was at great cost of life; after his death, his more soft-spoken deputy, Genetfang, became leader. Genetstar was killed by lightning soon after receiving his lives, though, while trying to tell the truth of StarClan’s tyrannical leader (at the time, Astron, now known as They Who Are No More). He did not revive, despite receiving all of his lives, pointing to StarClan’s intervention in his death. His deputy, Greytide, was considered weak even before Genetstar’s death, let alone how young he was. Once he became Greystar, he was considered meek and ineffective, but no coup was performed (though it was discussed, in hushed whispers) - further instability was not ideal, with the chaos the encroaching battle between StarClan and the Dark Forest was causing. His first deputy, Harriereye, ran the Clan more or less herself instead of Greystar, but she died mysteriously. His second deputy, Campionblaze, took over similar duties. During the Battle of the Stars, Greystar was killed by his own warrior, Grizzlyroar, when he tried to flee the battle. Campionstar is the current leader.
⇷ TRADITIONS ⇸
The Winter Solstice is the largest celebration in MarrowClan, and is observed by a Clan-wide hunt of young buck during moon-high. Groups of deer travel through MarrowClan territory during this time on routes well known to the Clan, which are used to plan this large hunting event. Only bucks are targeted during this event; though deer hunting is done throughout the year, usually those hunts target young does.
Those in the Clan old enough to participate are separated into multiple hunting groups; the most senior warrior of the assigned group leads the hunt, the apprentices and young warriors chase the targeted deer to steer it towards the rest of the group, who are waiting to ambush the prey, typically by biting down onto the deer’s neck and legs and hanging on. The senior warrior typically chases with the young cats to ensure their safety. Smaller cats are most ideal for chasing, as they can avoid being kicked; larger warriors tend to be assigned as the ambushers.
Once the hunt is concluded, a large feast is undertaken. The largest buck that is brought back has its entrails carefully taken out to be analyzed by the oracles; these are used to predict the coming year’s fortunes. It is a great honor to have killed the largest buck, but cats gain nothing but bragging rights: it is not in the Clan’s interest to encourage dangerous hunting techniques.
The Autumn Equinox is a smaller scale celebration in MarrowClan, and is observed by a Clan-wide tracking competition during moon-high. Any cats who wish to participate are sent out alone to hunt nighthawks within the forest, and return with as many as possible. The cats who bring back the largest nighthawk and the most nighthawks are said to have Lunae’s favor in the coming seasons.
The cats who do not participate in the competition stay back at camp and help prepare a wicker made of cedar, in the shape of a cat. Within the wicker’s heart, mouth, and stomach are chambers where the nighthawks are placed. The wicker is then set alight and burns throughout the night, symbolizing a cleansing fire to ward off negative energies for the coming cycle. Cats will often sit in a collective vigil through the night to watch the flames, but it is not required.
All cats in MarrowClan engage in bone carving for specific ritual purposes. This is typically done with either claws or teeth. Images are intricately carved into any bones, typically those from large prey animals or from the skeletons of past Clan members, meant to symbolize different types of incantations, and left in the location they are meant to affect. Curses are typically left at the border, to dissuade invasions; blessings are typically left outside dens, in places where prey is running low, or underneath nesting; and wards are typically left among the sharpened bones fortifying the edges of camp.
Leaders in MarrowClan are beholden to prove they are worthy of leadership before receiving their lives. When the previous leader loses their last life, oracles carefully remove their liver before funeral rites begin. At moonhigh, before receiving their lives, the next leader must consume the entirety of the previous’ liver. MarrowClan cats view this as both a transfer of spiritual strength from one leader to another, and as a test of will for the new leader: it demonstrates a willingness to engage in extreme acts for the good of the Clan. There is no option for refusal once the rite has begun. Should the cat die between consuming the liver and getting their lives, they are viewed as a failure, and a sign they were never truly meant to lead. In the event the next leader dies or otherwise refuses to take part in the ritual, the most senior warrior is chosen from the Clan, and the rite is done with them instead.
In the event the liver from the previous leader is unable to be taken from the carcass, blood is used as a substitute. If no body is found (such as a leader who disappears), the ritual is skipped. In both of these instances, the leader is often viewed with prejudice (more so if no ritual can be performed).
Oracles in MarrowClan will use the entrails of animals as divination tools. Oftentimes, it is for predictions, such as how prey will run in the coming moons; however, it is sometimes used to receive answers from the gods and daemons. Prey to be used in this way has their organs very carefully removed, and the rest of the animal is to be eaten by the oracles before undertaking the task of divination. The organs, after being read, are to be eaten as well.
Interpretations may vary, depending on why the ritual is being conducted, but are done by observing the conditions of the organs. Common interpretations typically are as follows: if the stomach of the animal is full, it is considered a good omen for prey abundance; similarly, an empty stomach is considered a sign of famine; a shriveled liver is considered a sign of coming plagues; and parts missing from any intestines is considered a death omen.
Warriors in MarrowClan consume the blood of an animal whose traits they wish to emulate, often before hunting, a battle, or other important tasks. Which trait is gained through the animal’s blood is subjective - what matters is the intent of the warrior consuming it; a warrior who may drink the blood of a kite for its speed rather than their keen eyesight, for example. Blood must be consumed after the animal’s death, and is typically done by slashing the animal’s jugular.
Blood for this ritual is sometimes gathered and stored by oracles by hanging a carcass and letting the blood drain into a carved bone. This is usually done for predators like bears or foxes, where getting blood on short notice may be difficult.