Post by Heronstar on May 24, 2014 1:28:26 GMT
(Decided to have these ceremonies on one thread rather than spam the category with several different threads for only one ceremony/tradition)
As many already know, since the Downfall, the clans have changed their ideas and shifted. They try to be more in touch with both themselves, and StarClan, making them more spiritual, in a sense.
When kits are born, the mother names her kits after an omen she dreams about the night before she births them. The number of omens she sees in this dream will tell of how many kits she is to have... No omens at all before the birth, means no kits or the mother may die at birthing them.
An example would be; The mother dreams of a leaf falling at her feet, then sees a raven flying over her head, and then a badger attacks the clan. Her kits will be named Leafkit, Ravenkit and Badgerkit.
The dream signals future personalities, but does not give so much away that the entire life can be predicted. No, these omens are sent directly by the Clan of Stars, and signal only their future personality.
The mother also has the choice of dismissing these omens and choosing another name, which is recommended if the dream was something along the lines of a night mare more than one of omens.
(Mothers do not have to actually RP their dream in RP, and can come up with their own dream and names OOCly))
Much like the original ceremony, the apprentice and all who are old enough to catch their own prey are called to the high rock for a meeting. The kit is granted their apprentice name, the suffix of 'Kit' changing to 'Paw' instead. A mentor is then chosen.
The following words are said:
"___(kit), you have reached the age of six moons and are therefore ready to be trained to a (clan's virtue here. HollowClan is graceful, LichenClan is loyal/allegiance, and BoulderClan is swift) warrior of ___Clan. I appoint (warrior) as your mentor, and ask that he/she pass their skills down onto you. StarClan and (Clan's virtue here) guides you on your way to become a warrior." The wording is sometimes changed here and there but this is the basic outline of what is said.
However, there is a small add-on to the ceremony. The leader grants the kit with an item of the Clan's Omen item. For example, the clan of the Lichen has an omen of moss. These items represents them.
So, to display that they are now a fair member in training, the leader gives the apprentice their omen item after appointing the mentor. The leader nuzzles them, asking for the clan's virtue to watch over them in their training. The apprentice must keep their omen item on their body, so that they are always near their clan.
(The same, except the leader still grants them with their omen after the first part)
The leader calls a Clan meeting, after the Clan's medicine cat announces that he or she wishes to mentor an apprentice.[6] The following words are used, by tradition:[7]
Medicine Cat: Cats of (Clan), as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown (virtues). Your next medicine cat will be (apprentice).
Leader: (Apprentice), do you accept the post of apprentice to (medicine cat)?
Apprentice: I do.
Medicine Cat: Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonstone/Moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats.
Leader: The good wishes of all (Clan) will go with you.
The mentor touches noses with the apprentice, and the Clan greets the new apprentice.
At the Moonstone/Moonpool
At the next half moon, the medicine cat goes with the apprentice to the Clans' sacred place to present him or her to the warrior ancestors, where the apprentice confirms his or her wish to be a medicine cat.[9] The following words are used, by tradition:
Medicine Cat: (Apprentice), is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?
Apprentice: It is.
Medicine Cat: Then come forward.
Medicine Cat: Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. (He/she) has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant (him/her) your wisdom and insight so that (he/she) may understand your ways and heal (his/her) Clan in accordance with your will.
The medicine cat apprentice touches his/her nose to the Moonstone or drinks from the Moonpool. Then the medicine cat and the apprentice lay down and have a dream from StarClan.
After the proper amount of training, the apprentice, on the night before becoming a warrior, heads out to the forest to do a final test that is more of an initiation to the clan.
The initiate does one test that is based on their clan (a BC app would do something on swiftness, HollowClan on swimming, etc) and the official initiation used by all clans- to seek out the clan's omen sign on their own, and return it to their leader the evening before their ceremony. The omen sign cannot be just any old item that represents the clan. It must be specifically the clan's sign, and they must have a calling to the item, as if their life depends on getting that specific item. For example, HollowClan's sign is hollowed out twigs, often found high up in trees or near the shores, laying around, floating in the water. There are probably hundreds of twigs around the territory, but all of them feel insignificant to the initiate- there should be one and only one that feels important to them. The same goes with LichenClan- there is tons of strands of lichen all around them, even in their dens- but only one piece feels right when they touch it. Should they not retrieve the correct one, they will not be looked after by StarClan.
Upon the final test and initiation done, the ceremony proceeds the next day. The basic words that are said are as follows:
"___paw, you have trained long and hard under (mentor name) to be a warrior of ____Clan. I, (leader name), leader of ___Clan, recognize you for your efforts. You have skill in (2-3 things the leader has noticed the apprentice is good at. Fishing, climbing, following the warrior code, etc). Do you swear to not only me, but StarClan and (Clan's virtue) that you shall follow the warrior code, stand by your clan mates, and defend __Clan, even at the cost of your own life?"
"I swear."
"Then from this day on, you will be known as (new warrior name, changing paw to a different suffix). (Spirit virtue) honors and will guide you. Welcome to ___Clan."
Again, this is only the basic outline of the ceremony, sometimes the words are mixed, but it is basically what is said.
The rest of the ceremonies are the same. I'll type more later. Enjoy!
As many already know, since the Downfall, the clans have changed their ideas and shifted. They try to be more in touch with both themselves, and StarClan, making them more spiritual, in a sense.
When kits are born, the mother names her kits after an omen she dreams about the night before she births them. The number of omens she sees in this dream will tell of how many kits she is to have... No omens at all before the birth, means no kits or the mother may die at birthing them.
An example would be; The mother dreams of a leaf falling at her feet, then sees a raven flying over her head, and then a badger attacks the clan. Her kits will be named Leafkit, Ravenkit and Badgerkit.
The dream signals future personalities, but does not give so much away that the entire life can be predicted. No, these omens are sent directly by the Clan of Stars, and signal only their future personality.
The mother also has the choice of dismissing these omens and choosing another name, which is recommended if the dream was something along the lines of a night mare more than one of omens.
(Mothers do not have to actually RP their dream in RP, and can come up with their own dream and names OOCly))
THE APPRENTICE CEREMONY
Much like the original ceremony, the apprentice and all who are old enough to catch their own prey are called to the high rock for a meeting. The kit is granted their apprentice name, the suffix of 'Kit' changing to 'Paw' instead. A mentor is then chosen.
The following words are said:
"___(kit), you have reached the age of six moons and are therefore ready to be trained to a (clan's virtue here. HollowClan is graceful, LichenClan is loyal/allegiance, and BoulderClan is swift) warrior of ___Clan. I appoint (warrior) as your mentor, and ask that he/she pass their skills down onto you. StarClan and (Clan's virtue here) guides you on your way to become a warrior." The wording is sometimes changed here and there but this is the basic outline of what is said.
However, there is a small add-on to the ceremony. The leader grants the kit with an item of the Clan's Omen item. For example, the clan of the Lichen has an omen of moss. These items represents them.
So, to display that they are now a fair member in training, the leader gives the apprentice their omen item after appointing the mentor. The leader nuzzles them, asking for the clan's virtue to watch over them in their training. The apprentice must keep their omen item on their body, so that they are always near their clan.
THE MEDICINE APPRENTICE CEREMONY
(The same, except the leader still grants them with their omen after the first part)
The leader calls a Clan meeting, after the Clan's medicine cat announces that he or she wishes to mentor an apprentice.[6] The following words are used, by tradition:[7]
Medicine Cat: Cats of (Clan), as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown (virtues). Your next medicine cat will be (apprentice).
Leader: (Apprentice), do you accept the post of apprentice to (medicine cat)?
Apprentice: I do.
Medicine Cat: Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonstone/Moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats.
Leader: The good wishes of all (Clan) will go with you.
The mentor touches noses with the apprentice, and the Clan greets the new apprentice.
At the Moonstone/Moonpool
At the next half moon, the medicine cat goes with the apprentice to the Clans' sacred place to present him or her to the warrior ancestors, where the apprentice confirms his or her wish to be a medicine cat.[9] The following words are used, by tradition:
Medicine Cat: (Apprentice), is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?
Apprentice: It is.
Medicine Cat: Then come forward.
Medicine Cat: Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. (He/she) has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant (him/her) your wisdom and insight so that (he/she) may understand your ways and heal (his/her) Clan in accordance with your will.
The medicine cat apprentice touches his/her nose to the Moonstone or drinks from the Moonpool. Then the medicine cat and the apprentice lay down and have a dream from StarClan.
THE WARRIOR CEREMONY
After the proper amount of training, the apprentice, on the night before becoming a warrior, heads out to the forest to do a final test that is more of an initiation to the clan.
The initiate does one test that is based on their clan (a BC app would do something on swiftness, HollowClan on swimming, etc) and the official initiation used by all clans- to seek out the clan's omen sign on their own, and return it to their leader the evening before their ceremony. The omen sign cannot be just any old item that represents the clan. It must be specifically the clan's sign, and they must have a calling to the item, as if their life depends on getting that specific item. For example, HollowClan's sign is hollowed out twigs, often found high up in trees or near the shores, laying around, floating in the water. There are probably hundreds of twigs around the territory, but all of them feel insignificant to the initiate- there should be one and only one that feels important to them. The same goes with LichenClan- there is tons of strands of lichen all around them, even in their dens- but only one piece feels right when they touch it. Should they not retrieve the correct one, they will not be looked after by StarClan.
Upon the final test and initiation done, the ceremony proceeds the next day. The basic words that are said are as follows:
"___paw, you have trained long and hard under (mentor name) to be a warrior of ____Clan. I, (leader name), leader of ___Clan, recognize you for your efforts. You have skill in (2-3 things the leader has noticed the apprentice is good at. Fishing, climbing, following the warrior code, etc). Do you swear to not only me, but StarClan and (Clan's virtue) that you shall follow the warrior code, stand by your clan mates, and defend __Clan, even at the cost of your own life?"
"I swear."
"Then from this day on, you will be known as (new warrior name, changing paw to a different suffix). (Spirit virtue) honors and will guide you. Welcome to ___Clan."
Again, this is only the basic outline of the ceremony, sometimes the words are mixed, but it is basically what is said.
The rest of the ceremonies are the same. I'll type more later. Enjoy!
