Post by Amandus on Feb 6, 2016 0:07:10 GMT -5
How are bonds built between Clanmates?
Clanmates spend many years and grow up together as they look out for each other and survive. However, their relationships can be somewhat segregated based on rank and experience. Though a Clan is supposed to be tight-knit and unified, there can be groups of members that are closer to each other than anyone else. These don't necessarily fall under the definition of a clique.
By Rank:
When the society was first founded, the Clans initially had no hostile relations. There were still rules against intermingling between the Clans outside the Gathering, but it wasn't until that winter and the following year that conflict rose, especially between ShadowClan and WindClan.
ShadowClan and WindClan happened to share the same campground as their main supplier, living directly across the road from each other that Tuolumne Meadows is based around. It was never expected that the mere placement of camps could create tensions and hatred between two Clans that would last years, or even decades.
Many of these tensions between the Outcasts stem from a sort of egotistical "nationalism" (see psychology). This goes all the way back to their founding when the original members childishly cheered on their own Clan as they joined, before actually heading off, as if they were football teams. As the society developed and wars were waged, this mentality became more refined, mature, and official. To this day, Clan nationalism is driven into the minds of new apprentices.
The Gathering is the only time the Clans can talk civilly. Most of the discussions between the leaders are in fact political, and with the rest of the Outcasts they decide which routes to take when solving certain problems. During war times, though, these discussions can be awkward and suppressed. Even when there is a truce at the Gathering Place, there are still obvious tensions when the Clans are at war.
Clanmates spend many years and grow up together as they look out for each other and survive. However, their relationships can be somewhat segregated based on rank and experience. Though a Clan is supposed to be tight-knit and unified, there can be groups of members that are closer to each other than anyone else. These don't necessarily fall under the definition of a clique.
By Rank:
Leaders are generally the most aloof rank. Personalities between them vary, but most happen to all be the more calculating, distant type because those are the traits leaders tend to look for when choosing their successor. Because of this, leaders often don't develop strong relationships with those who have joined ever since they ranked up, though they may show attachments to Clanmates they have known since they joined themselves, who are the same Generation and age. Most leaders don't interact with apprentices beyond their initial greeting upon joining, but a few have actually taught them in the camp while their real mentor went out to patrol for the day. Leaders who decide to do this develop closer, more satisfactory ties with their Clan in the long run.
Of course, deputies are similar to leaders in disposition, but since they are still making a difficult "transition" due to their rank-up, they can still be attached to their warrior Clanmates. This can be a point in her life where previously strong relationships begin to crumble, her new responsibilities getting in the way of them as she learns what it will mean to be leader eventually. Unlike the leaders, though, she still actively participates in patrols, so they can still spend a short time interacting with their Clanmates similarly to when they were warriors.
Nurses are the wise-men of the Clans, and so everyone from all ranks go to them for spiritual advice as well as any health problems. Due to this, the nurse can easily develop relationships on a personal level with any of her Clanmates, if the other Outcast allows. She often has the strongest relationship with the nurse-apprentice, however, as she teaches her specialty. They usually get to know actual apprentices quickly.
Being the bulk of the Clan, warriors can be slightly distant between each other, with the exception of the select few they work particularly well with. Since patrols are scrambled during each of the three periods, warriors have a massive opportunity to find who they get along with best early on in their careers. However, these relationships are most intensively built during free-time every evening. Eventually, though, when of these warriors dies, the other may not cope with the loss of her friend easily. Most cases of depression in the Outcasts stem from situations like this, where they have let themselves grow attached to a Clanmate.
Since new apprentices don't have a clue what they're doing, the warriors have an option to either be supportive or disdainful to them. Apprentices typically gravitate to the oldest members in the Clan, who are mostly likely to be helpful and reasonable. Their real mentors are obviously their best bet, though, and apprentices can develop secure relationships with them that last the rest of their lives.
How are relationships developed between the Clans?Of course, deputies are similar to leaders in disposition, but since they are still making a difficult "transition" due to their rank-up, they can still be attached to their warrior Clanmates. This can be a point in her life where previously strong relationships begin to crumble, her new responsibilities getting in the way of them as she learns what it will mean to be leader eventually. Unlike the leaders, though, she still actively participates in patrols, so they can still spend a short time interacting with their Clanmates similarly to when they were warriors.
Nurses are the wise-men of the Clans, and so everyone from all ranks go to them for spiritual advice as well as any health problems. Due to this, the nurse can easily develop relationships on a personal level with any of her Clanmates, if the other Outcast allows. She often has the strongest relationship with the nurse-apprentice, however, as she teaches her specialty. They usually get to know actual apprentices quickly.
Being the bulk of the Clan, warriors can be slightly distant between each other, with the exception of the select few they work particularly well with. Since patrols are scrambled during each of the three periods, warriors have a massive opportunity to find who they get along with best early on in their careers. However, these relationships are most intensively built during free-time every evening. Eventually, though, when of these warriors dies, the other may not cope with the loss of her friend easily. Most cases of depression in the Outcasts stem from situations like this, where they have let themselves grow attached to a Clanmate.
Since new apprentices don't have a clue what they're doing, the warriors have an option to either be supportive or disdainful to them. Apprentices typically gravitate to the oldest members in the Clan, who are mostly likely to be helpful and reasonable. Their real mentors are obviously their best bet, though, and apprentices can develop secure relationships with them that last the rest of their lives.
When the society was first founded, the Clans initially had no hostile relations. There were still rules against intermingling between the Clans outside the Gathering, but it wasn't until that winter and the following year that conflict rose, especially between ShadowClan and WindClan.
ShadowClan and WindClan happened to share the same campground as their main supplier, living directly across the road from each other that Tuolumne Meadows is based around. It was never expected that the mere placement of camps could create tensions and hatred between two Clans that would last years, or even decades.
Many of these tensions between the Outcasts stem from a sort of egotistical "nationalism" (see psychology). This goes all the way back to their founding when the original members childishly cheered on their own Clan as they joined, before actually heading off, as if they were football teams. As the society developed and wars were waged, this mentality became more refined, mature, and official. To this day, Clan nationalism is driven into the minds of new apprentices.
The Gathering is the only time the Clans can talk civilly. Most of the discussions between the leaders are in fact political, and with the rest of the Outcasts they decide which routes to take when solving certain problems. During war times, though, these discussions can be awkward and suppressed. Even when there is a truce at the Gathering Place, there are still obvious tensions when the Clans are at war.