Like Cats And Dogs: IC + OOC Event!

[Storyteller Dark]

Like Cats And Dogs:
IC + OOC Event!

The month of September will see a new OOC Event take place, along with a new Storyteller Event beginning! Read on for more information...

OOC Event: Posting Power!

This event is to reward players for completing threads, to encourage site activity now that we're up and running properly! For the month of September, each thread completed (10+ posts long requirement) will award an extra fifty exp in Favor Claims. In addition, players will see extra rewards for different tiers of posting reached. These are meant to be encouragement, not requirement, so don't feel obligated to complete a particular tier!

Three Threads Completed: Choice of any Minor Blessing/Boon (must be the same as character alignment) OR Metamorphic Token: Minor, OR Home Den Token

Five Threads Completed: Choice of any Moderate Blessing/Boon (must be the same as character alignment; Favor requirements still apply), OR Tier Two Character Token, OR Metamorphic Token: Major, OR any Skill, OR 500 exp

Ten Threads Completed: Choice of any Major Blessing/Boon (must be the same as character alignment; Favor requirements still apply), OR Tier Three Character Token, OR 750 exp

IC Event: Like Cats and Dogs

Rusthounds Opening Thread: Click Here.

Lionshadow Opening Thread: Click Here.

As our first Storyteller Thread, 'He Seeks To Rise', draws to a close, a new change in the 'Stone Forest' city will occur... A feral cat colony and a pack of feral dogs with a bit of a history will both find themselves Chosen. The cats have long laid claim to a series of closely clustered building ruins, with lots of perching places and high-up beams to run along; the dogs, however, live in the open spaces beneath. The two groups have frequently conflicted, with cats falling prey to the dogs, and in retaliation doing everything they can to harm lone dogs they find. Now both sides find themselves Chosen, with a strange sense of patronage and guidance toward 'solving' their conflict... by any means they choose. During this event, all Favor earnings in the Heartlands will be doubled!

Lionshadow - The feral cat colony has always known what they were: small echoes of powerful predators, lurking through the darkness unseen. With a loose hierarchy and a rough life, only the toughest have survived. Many are fairly selfish, looking out for themselves first and foremost, but that doesn't mean they don't hold social bonds and care for family, and even friends. The cats come in all shapes, sizes and ages, roaming their quarter of the city with a wary eye. The cats will be Chosen as Dark-aligned, or Neutral, regardless of personality: though they may choose to change this later.

Rusthounds - The wild dogs have felt the call of the wild throughout their own lives, only to find that a wolf's instincts to roam and howl are strangely molded by old fencing and crumbled concrete. Though they are generally cooperative in hunting prey like wandering deer, hard-to-catch squirrels and rats, and others, and although they do hold tight bonds to their packs, the stray dogs have their moments of ferocious in-fighting, too. Other feral dog packs in the city have learned to avoid their fierce teamwork. The dogs will be Chosen as Light-aligned, or Neutral, regardless of personality: though they may choose to change this later.

What does this mean for players?

'Like Cats and Dogs' will see upcoming plot pushing the two groups against one another. Player characters will be invited to get involved in any way they see fit--or, players may choose to create a Lionshadow cat or a Rusthound dog to participate more directly! Further history and information about the individual groups and their histories will be provided nearer the start of the event, when we have more idea of who will be taking part and how their characters will be incorporated into the groups' pasts. The characters will begin RP at the start of the event, but should be created as soon as possible.

How do I claim posting rewards? You can claim them as you earn them in Favor Claims. Threads must be started from now, and finished in September.

How do I sign up? You don't need to! If you'd like to create a Lionshadow/Rusthound character, just do so (preferably before September) and let us know that it's going to be part of the event. We'll tag you with information beforehand, and then again when it starts! Other characters can join once the open Storyteller event becomes available.

[Storyteller Dark]

Flavor Information
This information's provided for those who want to create a Lionshadow or Rusthound, and would like some backstory and storytelling framework. It is NOT required reading!

Like Cats And Dogs: Existing NPCs

The following NPCs are members of the pack, and colony, that will be played by the Storyteller. However, players are welcome to claim them, and then tweak them in any way they see fit. Players wanting to roleplay a leadership position may request this, and the leaders may be replaced; these players should, however, commit to being active until the end of the event (end of September at least, likely through October). There are other characters in the wings/offscreen, so you can make custom offscreen family and friends for your character! Blue-named characters have been claimed (or were player-created to begin with).

Lionshadow (Cats)

Colony Dominants

The Madame - An older, tough queen, regal and aloof. She can be cold, but is intelligent and will defend her colony's young. She is the mother of Ratpaw and Echo.
Echo - Madame's solid blue-gray daughter: snippy, snooty and acts like another queen. Echo thinks she can take Madame's place, or that her mother's rank allows her some measure of authority, but her snootiness and demanding nature are often resented--she will try to take food first, drive younger cats off prime sleeping spots, and so forth. Ratpaw's half-sister, Madame's daughter.

Rank and File

Ginger - A red tom, young and healthy, and a bit of a 'lady's man.' Beneath that he's actually very social and friendly, readily grooming any other colony member or sharing food, and is generally well-liked by all. Half-brother to Morning.
Skyshine - A gray tabby female, young and sleek, with a silvery tint to her fur that catches the moonlight. She's quiet, alertly attentive, and keenly intelligent but often fails to actually speak her mind.
Pie - A black-and-white female whose coat is split up into large patches. Friendly, not really a stand-out cat in any way; she's long identified with the faded decal of a pie in a nearby bakery. Once learning what the word is, she'll name herself this.
Ratpaw - A confident, humorous tom who tends to get along with everyone, but who spends much of his time particularly hunting the rats that utilize the city's sewer systems. The Madame's older son, half-brother to Echo. Brown-grey tabby.
Morning - A longhaired orange tabby/white female, friendly and a little shy, though she will stand up for herself and is fiercely protective of any kittens. A half-sibling of Ginger.
Moonscar - An older brown tabby tom, scarred and ragged-eared. He generally keeps to himself, but will greet any friendly cat with friendliness and grooming; hostility is returned in kind. One eye is clouded with scar-induced cataract. Brother to Stargazer. Played by Dark.

Outskirters

Stargazer - A half-blind old female, with pale cataracts. Thin and wiry. She keeps to herself, but she's had a long, tough life and is very street-smart despite her half-blindness. Played by CJ.
Shadowfang - A sleek, black tomcat, thinner than your average male, with a jealous nature. He very much would like to gain power in the colony, but generally wouldn't hold up to the other tomcats in a fight. As a result he lurks the edges, known and tolerated but not really a part of the social group, somewhat spiteful and sarcastic.
Emperor - A large, long-haired, sooty black Maine Coon mix, obsessed with appearance. Constantly grooming himself, judging others by their looks, and remaining aloof in general, Emperor's demeanor stems at least in part from a traumatic past. Played by Charlie.

Rusthounds (Dogs)

Pack Dominants

Lorne: A large, white male, with blue eyes and mostly pink pigment. Gruff, scarred, cares for his pups, and sunburns easily. A dominant dog, but not a vicious one. Nana's mate, father of Glasspaw, Sandfur and Rufus. Played by Charlie.
Nana - A large, tough female, looking somewhat like a Saint Bernard crossbreed. She is kind and nurturing, but scarred here and there by fights. Lorne's mate, mother of Glasspaw, Sandfur and Rufus. Played by Snail.


Rank and File

Glasspaw - A goofy younger dog, son of Lorne and Nana, tan and scrappy. So-called because he's clumsy, often stepping on glass or metal or getting stuck in places, or getting goop in his fur.
Oberon - A large, tough dog, black-and-white and loyal to the pack leaders, though capable of leadership on his own. Dominant, but not aggressive. Cousin to Brute, son of Grizzle.
Chief - A small, wiry dog, which looks like it has a great deal of terrier or chihuahua in: some twenty-five pounds, pale tan, and scrappy as hell. This dog is highly-aggressive, snappy and hyper, often arguing for (and failing, due to his size) dominance. He is, however, hilariously and fiercely loyal to the Rusthounds; the moment there's any exterior threat he is a champion of the pack. Or, acts like one, at least.
Brute - a huge female, clearly of saint bernard mixture: all browns and blacks on thick fur, with white blazes and points. She's tough, an enforcer for Red, as his half-sister (sharing a mother) and a cousin to Oberon (by way of Grizzle, her uncle).
Grizzle - A very old male dog, gray-muzzled, a little fat and slow with age. Medium-sized, and grumpy. Oberon's father, and Brute's uncle.
Sandfur - A sandy-colored feral dog of generic appearance and size. She is one of the pups of Lorne and Nana, and aside from being generally a little shy, she's a friendly enough dog who wants to do good by her pack. Lorne/Nana's pup; Rufus' sister from another litter.
Rufus - A reddish feral pup maybe six months old, and son of Lorne/Nana. He's generic in size/shape too, and fiercely energetic and competitive, though in a hyperactive and friendly way.

Outskirters

Moonlight - A very light silvery-gray female, a sighthound mix of some kind with longer fur, looking almost like a borzoi. She's delicate, alert, attentive and quiet, but has always had a sense of aloofness about her that keeps her gently apart from the rest. Played by Rommi.

Past Events

These are prior events that some characters can remember; they are intended to provide the framework for a shared backstory.

Both Groups May Remember...

Mortal Enemies - A portion of the Rusthounds' northern territory overlaps with the south of the Lionshadow colony's home. The dogs have long hunted the cats, by necessity; the cats lose members now and then, sometimes kittens who can't get away in time when the dogs sniff them out. The cats, in turn, will not hesitate to attack (in groups, if needed) Rusthounds that wander too close alone. Many of the dogs have scratches and scars attesting to this, but none of the dogs have ever been killed by the cats.

The Shaking - A great earthquake. Some will have thought of this as a Time of Shaking, a Worldquake, or City-fall (though now they know the name 'earthquake' they can use that). This took place a few months ago, rattling the entire city and sending some ruins cascading down. Several members of each group were lost in falling or collapsing rubble. Older members may recall prior quakes, though most were minor, and none as severe as this.

Bad Seasons - While normally temperate, shifting between four seasons in a distinct but survivable manner, the last winter and summer both were particularly harsh. The summer was brutally hot, irrevocably bright; the river ran low and heat stroke wasn't uncommon. The animals had to take shelter, more often than not, and a few left to seek cooler climates. One older dog died. The winter filled the city with blankets of snow, and food was scarce; a couple dogs and cats froze or starved. (We are now in late spring.)

Thornbeasts - A pack of thornbeasts moved through about a month ago. They chased the cats, catching and killing one, though the dog pack fought them off (mostly with bluffs, but a few skirmishes) purely with numbers. Some dogs may remember their blood tasting like disgusting sap.

Lionshadows Might Recall...

The Winged Death - For a time last spring, a large eagle living in the higher skyscrapers targetted the cat colony every few days for food. It became a constant fear, and the cats saw more than one family member or friend snatched up as food for the eagle's chicks. The cats took to skulking in buildings rather than sunbathing, hiding most of the time. The eagle hasn't been seen in about a year, possibly having moved on or possibly having fallen prey to the heat of summer or bitter cold of that savage winter.

Enemies - Another cat colony encroached on the territory's edge. Instead of socializing peacefully, this other family was aggressive to the strangers in Lionshadow, but Lionshadow was the larger group and pushed them back. These other cats were generally malnourished and battered, and fairly mean.

Rusthounds Probably Haven't Forgotten...

The Large and Scary Pack - The pack has spent most of its days roaming the outer edges of its territory, marking it and defending it with skirmishes (usually bluffing and warning) against other small dog packs. There's one or two packs they get along fairly freely with, and others that are more aggressive. One much larger pack passed close by last summer, as the heat grew worse: almost thirty large dogs. The Rusthound pack held back and hid, and many feared attack, but the larger pack left and hasn't been seen since.

The Lucky Elk Meal - While the pack usually hunts cats, rats, mice, and birds, there are also wild boar, feral pig (or mixes) and deer groups that come through (though the dogs tend to avoid the dangerous boar). But at one point last winter a large and desperate elk cow staggered through the snowy city as if in some last-ditch attempt to find food. She was thin, but still very large; the dogs managed to take her down, if rather clumsily, and she served as a life-saving last-minute meal to the pack, many of whom were starving. Her arrival might be seen as almost miraculous in its timing.

Electric Snake - A large steel cable fell from a high skyscraper at the edges of the pack's territory, spitting sparks and making nearby metal hum with electricity. Instinct drove the dogs away in fear, but the "metal snake" went silent after a few days.

When You Create A Character...

Feel free to introduce your character in this thread, and even request family and friends here. You can use this form, or make your own:

Code:

<b>Species:</b> (dog/cat)
<b>Name:</b>
<b>Age:</b>
<b>Characteristics:</b> (short description/personality information)
<b>History:</b> (any character history you'd like the rest of the group to be aware of)
<b>Relationships:</b> (they can be related to the NPCs and, with permission, to other player characters)
<b>Seeking:</b> (looking for family? Friends? Put that here!)

[Ganymedes]

Species: Dog
Name: Lorne
Age: 9
Characteristics: A big, white, fluffy dog, though heavyset with a large torso and thick shoulders, a short snout and a scarred body and face. His defining features are a scar on his upper right lip and his silvery-blue eyes.
History: Fought his way up to the top in order to lead the pack and protect it without being hindered by lesser pack dynamics, as well as providing a safe refuge for his mate to have her pups.
Relationships: Mated with Nana (Snail's dog.)
Seeking: Looking for anyone who wants to interact/befriend. He's gruff but he's kind.

Note!: Lorne (as discussed earlier), is alpha male/dominant male.

[Viti]

I'd like to claim a NPC~

Species: Dog
Name: Moonlight
Age: 5
Characteristics: A very light silvery-gray female, a sighthound mix of some kind with longer fur, looking almost like a borzoi. She's delicate, alert, attentive and quiet, but has always had a sense of aloofness about her that keeps her gently apart from the rest.
History: Only pup born to her mother that spring, not the most lively youngster and is more interested in her surroundings and new smells than other dogs. Has a habit of wandering around on her own, learns to hunt for rats and rabbits by watching her mother. Often on a lookout, not because it's her duty but because she enjoys looking into the distance, following anything that moves with her eyes.
Relationships: tba
Seeking: Anyone interested in knowing Moonlight!

(Will polish everything for her actual profile)

[Moonscar]

Species: Cat
Name: Moonscar
Age: 10
Characteristics: A battered brown tabby tomcat. Quiet and experienced, wary and generally non-hostile, tough but not foolish.
History: Has fathered his share of nameless kittens, fought his share of tomcat fights, and spent time hunting the city's rats. Generally a little aloof but friendly if approached without hostility.
Relationships: Brother to Stargazer.
Seeking: Anything! Bear in mind relations will also be related to Stargazer.

[Elerrian]

Species: Cat
Name: Emperor
Age: 4
Characteristics: A massive cat, looking more like some sort of fluffy lion than a domestic breed, though it looks like there may have been some of that kind of crossbreeding in there. They're long and regal, with a black head, black legs, and a silvery coat on their body and tail, with a white spot on their forehead. They know they're pretty and aren't afraid to flaunt it.
History: Emperor was born into Lionshadow, with an unknown parent and a mother who passed away during the winter. They were the strongest of their siblings and survived through thick and thin without many scratches, though those they have are hidden under their thick fur.
Relationships: Could be related to Madame, either a nibling or a grandchild.
Seeking: Siblings, a mate, or friends!

[Rochester]

Species: Cat
Name: Stargazer
Age: 14
Characteristics: A half-blind old female, with pale cataracts. Thin and wiry. She keeps to herself, but she's had a long, tough life and is very street-smart despite her half-blindness.
History: Stays in her overgrown alcove at the top of the colony, but will engage in conversation if approached.
Relationships: Sister to Moonscar
Seeking: Anything! Keep in mind they will also be related to Moonscar