CloudClan Activity....

[Sageleaf]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this so I figured I'd post it here for now...

So, as many of you know, there isn't much activity in CloudClan. Ever. I don't think it's necessarily because we don't have enough dead cats. I think it's because those dead cats get bored and quit roleplaying in CloudClan. To prevent this, I'd like to pose a solution: We make CloudClan a bit more interesting. A couple of examples:

1. We make CloudClan into a Clan. A clan with a leader, a deputy, medicine cats, and queens. We make cats that are already dead these positions. They wouldn't have to get staff powers or anything, but we'd just have structure for once.

2. We make a training program for dead apprentices so they can finish they're training. I've been in a thread with Badgerpaw and our cats have been talking of finishing his training. I think this way, CloudClan cats will have something to look forward to.

3. CloudClan kits can have adopted parents. You obviously can't have kits in CloudClan, but those who have passed could get adopted parents to make their lives more interesting.

4. We put some cats in Darkpool. I'm not so sure if we already do. We probably have some cats there, but I know it's far less active than CloudClan, and CloudClan barely has any people. We could have wars between CloudClan and Darkpool. Do plotting in that Clan. I think one reason CloudClan so inactive is because there's no plotting...

5. We have medicine cats actually go to the Shimmering Pool thingie and the CloudClan spirits can talk to them. Again, it will give us something to do.

I hope some staff will take these ideas into consideration, because at the rate it's going, all our dead cats could remain inactive for a quite a while.

Thanks!
~Sage

[Crowwing]

Hi Sageleaf!

I think that the main reason as to why someone would want to have their cat placed as a Clouclan spirit in the first place is to roleplay as a spirit because it is different than roleplaying a living cat. I agree with you that the activity is low, but I will be pointing out my own opinions to your listed suggestions:

1. Cloudclan is to be a collective group of the "good" spirits of the clans. With this, there should just be one clan, which is Cloudclan. When the cats die, they still take on their name (such as Crowwing will be known as Fireclan's former medicine cat), but he will still be living peacefully with the other three clans. I believe that there does not have to be be a strict structure, for the spirits come and go, as long as their intentions are will for the living cats.

2. Just because your cat is dead does not mean that their life is not continuing. Yes, I think that Badgerpaw will always be Badgerpaw, but he can continue his training, but will not reach the age ranking of a warrior, though he might grow the knowledge and skills of one. (like how there are some ancient spirits)

3. Cloudclan cats should have the ability to "foster," not adopt, dead kittens. Kittens should have the right to experience kithood, but they will always be a kit. Once their mother passes into Cloudclan, the foster parent will step down so that the family can reunite.

4. We are always open for plots. It is just up to the community's support and input to let your desired plots come to life. Maybe try creating a new thread to bring up this plot of yours? I know that we have a plotting suggestions thread, but even the turnout to the site-wide and clanwide plots were not as active as we hoped. . .

5. I will be having a medicine cat halfmoon gathering soon. I just have exams this week, so maybe this month? But I'm shooting for sometime before I start my school year again, giving me until late-September.

Also, you can always PM me for plotting with Sageleaf to Crowwing for dreams. Or you can plot with other living cats (who have known Sageleaf in her living days, preferably).

I hope I helped, and hopefully another staffer posts here too!(:

[Sageleaf]

Thanks for the feedback Crowwing! I agree with you on the freedom, not so much of being a Clan thing. I still do think that kits and apprentices should be able to grow to warriors and such, but I get what you're saying. I also do think it would be fun to roleplay with you! I'll message you later.

[Robinstar]

It would be nice to have more activity in CloudClan, but Crowwing is right. Dead cats literally can't grow once they're spirits, and will always be apprentices, kits, etc, even if their knowledge grows. It has been known to happen where an apprentice has died and has been named a warrior upon their arrival to CloudClan, but that's rare. Also, making CloudClan into an actual Clan would be difficult. There are multiple (theoretically) dead leaders with the suffix star, so how would we choose which leader would lead the rest? And if we did choose, the other leaders would have to follow one, and it just doesn't make sense. Same with deputies, medicine cats, etc.. In my opinion, it's better left as all the Clans living in harmony, unless there's a plot that changes that. 

I do agree that CloudClan should become, if only slightly, more organized, as in boards, training, leader rituals, medicine cat meetings, etc.. But we've tried many, many times to make the spirit boards more active and it fails every time. Why? I have no clue. Probably because once your cat is dead, there's virtually nothing to do except talk to other spirits or visit old friends in dreams. And honestly, there isn't much we can change about that, unless we actually go off course from the books. The only thing we can really do is plot, but once the plots are over it always dies again. I'd love to keep trying, though! 

[Spiderstar]

A little late, but meh. What Robinstar and Crowwing have said are entirely correct/good points. I also want to add (I didn't see this but it may have been said) that assuming we did make a single set of higher positions, we'd have to...hire more staff, which is...not great for us these days. VWW is much, much smaller than it ever has been, and even the current staff are less active or dropping off. If we added another leader/dep/med cats/queens to our list, we'd basically just be hiring the majority of players left that aren't already staff.

Also, the reason CloudClan has never been overly organized has mostly been the idea that once a character dies they finally gain this set of freedoms to be, well, free. No Clan boundaries separated people from RP'ing with cats from other Clans. No more limitations on where you can go. Cloudclan, for years, was never 100% described. We know that Iceclan is on a mountain and has a river. But Cloudclan never had a set territory. Not because it was to be disorganized, but because it was for imagination. You could choose to be on a mountain that resembles Iceclan, or on a cliff made of obsidian and granite that doesn't exist in VWW canon.


If spirits do want more organization, though, there's nothing stopping them from doing it themselves. There's no rule that says a Cloudclan spirit can't try to become the Leader of Cloudclan, no matter their former rank/age from their mortality. In Cloudclan all cats end up with the wisdom of an elder after time. The only cats that probably couldn't succeed are dead kits or apprentices, who forever hold their small size and weak statures from life. But dead warriors and even rejuvenated elders could train to become strong enough to take over. ;3