View source for Clan-OOC StarClan Thesis

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'''StarClan''' is a powerful and omnipresent divine force in the Warrior's World. The absolute nature of that force is difficult for readers of the books to understand well due to the evolution and change of them through the course of the novels. Because of this each game is left to ascertain their own approach and methods for dealing with StarClan.

This document is Kitsu's personal thesis on StarClan, the very one used to design and approve actions taken by the spirits that watch over the clans here at Children of StarClan. It is from a strictly '''Out of Character''' perspective and does not reflect the knowledge that the clan cats have about StarClan, but rather reflects a pure look that it not colored by generations of worship and legend. This is intended mainly for those writing visions, prophecies, and the like, so that they share in the same understand of the inner workings of StarClan.

== Politics of StarClan ==
In StarClan all clans are combined. It should be understood that a RiverClanner does not cease to be a RiverClanner after death. What it does mean is that the normal politics of the Clan Cats are layered over by Interclan politics. Much like the U.S. Congress the various cats vie with one another for power and influence. Powerful cats wield their influence and serve as political tour-de-force's while cats who have not cultivated such strength have little power to make things happen. A cat of powerful politics can reach beyond StarClan and participate in the visions and prophecies the dead cats eneact. They might even be able to enact personal visits if they possess enough such power.

StarClanners obtain their political strength from two sources. The first is from one another. The support of other StarClanners reinforces the strength of the first. The second source of power is from the earth. Cats who are vividly remembered and continue to be thought about gain power from the faith of those earthly cats. The cats with the firmest power bases between these two sources are the cats who serve as leaders of StarClan and process a voice amongst the medicine cats.

Because of shifts and changes in relationships amongst StarClanners and the constantly changing earthly world StarClan is in a constant state of flux. These fluctuation might sometimes favor certain clans, or shine a light on an individual that might be given some task, but in general it contributes to the maintenance of balance between the four clans on earth and helps keep one clan from becoming overpowered through divine intervention. This system does create 'Insiders' who stand front and center amongst StarClan and 'Outsiders' who lurk on the edges of memory and do not walk in visions.

== Laws Written in the Stars ==
While it seems unusual to think that the cats who provided the laws of the earthly world would be bound by a set of rules, this truth is inevitable. The basic foundation of the laws that control StarClan are intrinsic to all afterlives and shared by them. These general laws will be addressed first, prior to addressing the laws and ways that are unique to the inner workings of StarClan. The words "earth" or "earthly world" will be used to refer to the living world, and the words "Afterlife", "Beyond", or "Heaven" will be used to refer to the world of StarClan.

=== Laws of the Afterlives ===
The first and strongest of all the laws of the afterlives is that no creature that has ceased to live may regain solid form. This means that interacting physically with the earthly world in any way is impossible for a member of StarClan. They are not able to physically influence the world in any way, ''including'' such acts as sending specific weather or causing a physical event to happen. If a member of StarClan wishes to enact a physical event in the earthly world they must do so through an agent from the living world. The one exception is the age old covering of the moon to show displeasure during a gathering night.

The second of the laws of the afterlives is that no cat of StarClan may appear to a cat, or any other creature, who does not have faith in StarClan. A creature without faith lacks the openness that permits a cat of StarClan to access their mind and make their appearance. The one exception to this prohibition on appearance is for a creature who has the support of a being that the earthly target believes in. This means that a member of StarClan can bring a member of another afterlife to meet with a cat who believes in StarClan, but that member of another afterlife cannot manage that contact alone.

The third law that applies to all afterlives is that of secrecy. No creature of the afterlife may reveal the future to any creature of the earthly world in a direct manner. This is because such revelations change the path of the future. This is the law most easily broken, and the one that sends futures into chaos and unpredictable tailspins.

=== Laws of StarClan ===
Entry into StarClan itself is contingent on only one thing: Belief. Any cat can walk the skies of StarClan who believes in them at the time of their death. This means that any cat who is good, evil or otherwise can join StarClan. Being a StarClanner does not make a cat inherently good, it simply makes them dead. Any cat found suited for entry is unlikely to ever be cast out, regardless of who they side with. A cat no longer a member of StarClan cannot be watched and controlled by other StarClanners.

If a cat dies in possession of multiple beliefs then they would join with the sky they consider "Theirs", but have the ability to access the skies of their other beliefs. This means that a cat who believes in both StarClan and another variation of the afterlife would be able to reside in the other afterlife if they considered that their "Place", but would still be able to access the skies of StarClan.

CoSC was originally created prior to the books revelation of the Place of No Stars. At the time of game creation {{User|Kitsufox}} and Silith examined the issue of a cat equivalent to 'Hell' and deemed it something that seemed outside the range of suggested beliefs. In accordance, they decided that all cats can go to StarClan if they believe, but the darker elements of it would be bound, controlled and watched by those of better personality alignment. For a cat of darker personality to create trouble from StarClan they must first find a way to break through the control of others within StarClan. While possible, this act is difficult and something that few cats of such personality manage to pull together the influence and strength to defy the main body of StarClan.

: <SMALL>A short essay about [[/Good and Evil in StarClan|Good and Evil in StarClan]] is also available.</SMALL>

While not directly a law the act of Veiling seems most appropriately discussed in terms of the rules or StarClan. Veiling is the act of concealing actions, thoughts or deeds from others and can be done by a StarClanner to protect a cat from other StarClanners, or to conceal their own or another StarClanners actions from the rest of StarClan. Veiling cannot be used to hide the actions of an earthly cat from other earthly cats, but can be used to hide the actions of an earthly cat from other members of StarClan.

== Prediction & Prophecy ==
StarClan's primary method of interaction with the earthly world is via prophecy. The previous sections of this essay focus on the broader mechanics of StarClan, how it functions and the cats the make it up. This section will be geared to address the act of prophecy and how it interacts with the world. It should be noted that, while StarClan is able to know all things, the act of veiling and the politics of the time can deeply effect what information guides the prophecies that reach the world. While a group of cats might know of an inter-clan relationship, for example, it might be thoroughly veiled and no retribution come to the cats involved. In other times, for an inter-clan pair that does not have allies veiling them, it might be revealed to their Medicine Cats who will be charged with the responsibility of deciding what to do with that information.

Prophecy is a complicated thing. All prophecies do come to pass, but at times well outside the intended methodology. In fact, at times a prophecy might only come to pass due to knowledge of it existing. Because of this unpredictability StarClan is very careful and considered when they issue prophecy. StarClan has a limited ability to see into the future, but the future is a complicated thing in which the outcome hinges on the choices that cats make. Prophecy is a method by which StarClan, who is bound and unable to reveal the future to the earthly cats by the laws of the afterlife, can attempt to guide choices down paths that they desire. Certain choices are more important than others with the most important choices being so important that they could even cloud the future for StarClan until such time as the choice is made and the path is set.

Omen, much like prophecy, is used in the same way. The primary difference is that Omens are from beyond StarClan (as they are physical events in the world StarClan cannot create them). They are more difficult to understand (they're usually vague things like a falling feather with a sense of importance or other equally obscure moments that Medicine Cats might experience). Omen's are rare to the point that, despite discussing them extensively and reviewing past moments of them in the training of a Medicine Cat's Apprentice, few cats in the modern time our game is set in have experienced one (the key exception being the 4 Medicine Cats who witnessed the Star-marked chest of the Markedkit). 

Omens are not created by StarClan directly (as mentioned above) but instead are events that happen in the world. StarClan's ability to see the future can permit powerful members of the afterlife to draw a cat attuned to listen for such calls (such as a Medicine Cat) to the correct place and imbue them with the feeling of importance to understand that a message is intended in this moment. Interpretation is the business of the Medicine Cat, as is sharing of this message.
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