project-uplifted

"What am I looking at?"

A totally original cat tale, of course!

Hello, I’m Lamb (they/them), and I’m trying to do the ten billionth cat story.

Do you want to read about distant-post-apocalyptic future-cats having a neolithic revolution, with political and religious conflict? If so, you’ve found the right blog!

The lore masterpost is here! (WIP)

The CW is here!

If anything is improperly tagged, LMK and I’ll update ASAP. Please mind the CW, and if this content would upset you, block me.

Ask me anything! If you have suggestions for anything, send them! (Especially names. OMG my names are so bad.) I want to make this project as good as possible, so please don't hesitate to give me criticism! Sorry in advance if my responses take a bit of time.

Content and Asks are 13+ (subject to change; tell me if the rating seems wrong), but DMs are 18+.

Huge thanks to @redux-iterum, @bonefall, and @tribbetherium. They’re all massive inspirations for this project, and their work is all incredible. Please go read them!

Specific thanks to @aberrationwarriors-wcrw for letting me use elements of their naming system.

Beloved elder sibling and mentor of the Uplifted, the Watcher disappeared for four months after His Mother’s victimization by the lesser beasts, to wreak vengeance upon the hordes. He killed their most beautiful, their most intelligent, and their most strong, and so the Uplifted will always triumph in the end against them. As He returned and saw His Mother in Heaven, black blood coating the sky, He swore that His little siblings would never be hurt as She was.

He taught the Forty the ways of Civilization. He gave them their Names, each perfectly reflecting them, and he gave them the territory, teaching them to defend it viciously, though it would be many generations before their descendants divided it up. He gave them the first Laws, and though the Mother’s fire had burned out, He tore out His fur to give a shadow of it to them. He gave them the first spears, His own shed claw-tips, and taught them to make approximations from branches and stone. Still, His Mother’s creations were just shy of perfect, so He tore His burning heart from His chest, and bade the Forty to eat it. Thus they received His insatiable lust for blood, that they might never forget their ferocity, though the largest portions by far went to Claw and Flower.

Without His heart, He had no strength left, and He, too, had to be carried to Heaven, though not before promising the Forty that He would always be there for them, and for their progeny. He need not be healed like the Mother- His heart burns in every Clowder Uplifted’s chest, and their bloodlust strengthens Him. He can be seen by day, for He is the sun, watching His siblings just as promised.

Felis catus sapiens, commonly self-described as “Uplifted,” are carnivorous mammals native to North America. They are descended from feral domestic cats. They retain many characteristics of their ancestors, including uniquely flexible bodies, quick reflexes, diverse coat colors and patterns, strong senses of hearing and smell, and sensitive whiskers.

However, these specimens differ greatly from their ancestors in notable ways. Perhaps the most obvious is their increased intelligence. Their skull is proportionately unchanged, but the folds of the brain are greater in number and significantly more pronounced, dramatically increasing the surface area of the cortex. The diet has shifted in multiple ways to meet the fuel requirements of this brain, most notably shifting from hypercarnivorism to mesocarnivorism, with meat making up 70% of F. sapiens’ diet on average. The 30% consists of insects and grubs, edible fungi, and fruits. Other plant material, such as roots or greens, may be consumed as ‘folk medicine,’ but there is little to no nutritional benefit to eating them. The teeth have not yet adapted to this changed diet, but have adapted to other pressures- they are notably stronger, more deeply rooted, and harder to break. The jaw has increased in size proportionately with the rooting, and the muscles in the neck are stronger. In accordance with their changed diet, they now have the ability to taste sweetness. F. sapiens eats significantly more than its ancestors; an active male of average size typically requires around 600 kcal per day.

Oddly, F. sapiens, despite its much heavier reliance on scent and sound than vision, has evolved a wider range of color vision. They now possess the ability to perceive red and green, although to a much more limited extent than H. sapiens. Their ability to pick out particular shades is limited; many shades of green, for example, are perceived as shades of yellow or blue. However, a given specimen will claim that a healthy summer leaf is a distinct color from yellow or blue, and likewise that blood is not yellow, brown, or blue.

Other notable developments include the specimens’ paws. The front paw pad has shifted downward, as has the dewclaw, which is now part of the paw proper, and is as large as the other digits. The claws of the dewclaw and ‘index claw’ cannot be retracted, and are notably longer than the claws of other digits. The wrist is now capable of supination and pronation, though not to the degree of a human’s wrist. In these ways, F. sapiens’ paws resemble the hands of their ancestors’ keepers, although their digits have only two knuckles. F. sapiens displays very limited bipedalism; a specimen may rest on its hindlegs when manipulating objects, or, rarely, when surveying its surroundings, although specimens prefer to climb objects for a better view when possible. F. catus was already notorious for its flexible tail, but social pressures have impacted the tail of F. sapiens to the point where its flexibility more resembles that of a New World monkey.

F. sapiens’ lifespan has increased dramatically, as has its growth time. The species’ childhood and adolescent periods are significantly longer, with sexual development beginning around 1 year and full maturity being reached at around 2 years of age on average, with specific specimens ceasing growth at times ranging from 1.75 years to 2.5 years. Average lifespan varies significantly between populations, but death by ‘natural causes’ can be expected to occur between 25 and 30 years of age. It is unclear how long a specimen could last if a population had access to advanced medicine, though it is estimated that they could live upwards of 40 years. The species has shifted towards K-strategism, with litter sizes decreasing significantly, with a corresponding increase in parental investment. A healthy, well-nourished, unstressed queen will, on average, have 2 to 3 kittens in a litter, and will typically care for them until around 1 year (although this varies between populations.) Larger litters are possible, but rare.

F. sapiens’ social behavior differs dramatically from its ancestors. F. catus naturally formed clowders when resources allowed, with queens alloparenting and hunting for themselves, their children, and sometimes each other, and toms, who were less social, fighting over territory and the queens. Selection pressure favored the social specimens, and so these clowders became more common and more complex over time; toms couldn’t exist without queens, and their sociality increased alongside their female peers. These social specimens hunted and reproduced more effectively, and in F. sapiens’ current form, the hunting behavior more closely resembles that of lions than that of their ancestors, depending on the target prey. They exhibit strong territoriality between populations, with F. sapiens’ fights over territory and resources being significantly more lethal than the fights of F. catus. They still exhibit redirected aggression, though it is typically directed toward outsider cats, objects, and other animals, rather than members of the specimen’s in-group. The relationship between toms and queens varies heavily between populations, though tolerance from a distance is most common, and violent hostility most rare. With this sociality came complex language; a combination of “spoken” language and sign language is standard, with a heavy emphasis on signing, though specimens can typically communicate with one or the other to an extent. An inability to comprehend or communicate the signed part of the language is generally much more of a social disability for a specimen than the inverse; a specimen born deaf may obtain much more social acceptance than one born without a tail, for example. F. sapiens is absurdly playful as a kitten, essentially playing every second they aren’t eating and sleeping, and remains playful as an adult, with playfighting serving an important social role species-wide, and many populations frequently engaging in more complex games. Allogrooming remains a crucial social activity.

The typically-nomadic species tends to hunt in a given area until prey is depleted, then move on; the rare settled populations tend to display a limited understanding of ecological management, hunting specific areas of their vast territories and targeting specific creatures. Four particular populations of settled F. sapiens seem to be in the process of domesticating some of their food sources.

Because of course I had to make one of these. Other clowders coming at some point in the future.

Treethorn Watcher

Morning Heart the Water’s Wolf: A grey tortoiseshell queen with a tiny white dash on her chest and bright hazel eyes

Second

Night Fang of the Drying Stream: A small black queen with white toes, locket, and tail-tip, and amber eyes

Third

Dead Eye Rainbow Claw: A tall, thin, grey calico tabby molly with one yellow eye and one sightless white eye

Treethorn Mother

Torn Chest Rose Flower the Fox Father: A massive light ginger tom with white paws, a badly scarred chest, and yellow eyes

Priest

Sedge Pelt: A tiny, sharp-boned, short-haired black queen with white toes and locket, large ears, and amber eyes

Elders

Azure Face: A once-pretty pale grey tabby tom with dull green eyes

Crow Fur: A scruffy black queen with bright orange eyes

Duck Pelt: A portly, short-haired brown and white patched queen with yellow eyes

Bat Throat the Willow Twine: A small, sleek, dark brown and silver queen with a short tail and yellow eyes

Oak Claw the Turtle Shell: A warm brown tabby tom with a white dash on his chest and copper eyes

First Hunter

Spotted Fang of the Thousand Deer: A silver molly with dark brown spots, a white throat and belly, and amber eyes

First Builder

Maple Paw the Spider Spinner: A bright ginger queen with a pale belly and light yellow eyes

First Homekeeper

Missing Foot Plum Fur: A black tom with white paws and chest, a missing back right foot, and amber eyes

First Speaker

Fire Fur: A fluffy, bright ginger tabby molly with pale yellow eyes

Lifebringers

Stone Face: A beautiful grey tabby queen with white paws and bright green eyes

Pale Tuft: A white queen with a kinked tail and yellow eyes

Badger Flower the Wolf Slayer: A large black, white, and silver queen with green eyes

Night Fang

Citizens

Lost Ear Squirrel Stripes: A dark grey torbie queen with a destroyed right ear and orange eyes

Russet Blaze: A sturdy short-haired red tabby tom with dark stripes and yellow eyes

Raven Path: A small, black molly with white toes and yellow eyes

Smoke Shadow: A starkly-striped grey tabby tom with a flat nose and bright yellow eyes

Ragged Pelt Sorrel Shine the Greater Blaze: A small, golden torbie queen covered in burn scars, with bright yellow eyes

Spider Stripes: A dark brown tabby queen with white paws and throat and orange eyes

Patched Foot the Wind Runner: A thin ginger and white patched tom with yellow and blue eyes

Fawn Tail: A wiry, light brown tom with bright green eyes

Lark Whisker: A brown tabby tom with white paws and belly and copper eyes

Snake Fur: A light brown torbie gib with white markings and green eyes

Shade Cloud: A solid, dark grey tom with yellow eyes

Briar Whisker: A dark brown, faintly spotted tom with white markings and orange eyes

Sparrow Belly: A large, brown tabby queen with white markings and orange eyes

Sycamore Face: A tall, pretty cream tortoiseshell queen with white paws and dark green eyes

Sulphur Storm: A large ginger tabby tom with white paws and bright green eyes

Robin Heart: A huge brown tortoiseshell-and-white tom with amber eyes

Mangled Leg Columbine Flower: A large pale ginger queen with a badly scarred leg and orange eyes

Lightning Fall of the Red Creek: A smallish white tom with blue eyes and scarred throat and back

Adolescents

Honey: A sturdy golden tabby queen with yellow eyes, student of Spotted Fang

Tawny: A light, tawny brown tabby tom with green eyes, student of Smoke Shadow

Dust: A light brown tabby molly with bright green eyes, student of Fire Fur

Owl: A brown tabby queen with white paws and throat, a flat nose, and yellow eyes

Apple: A pretty dark ginger tom with white marking and pale orange eyes

Kittens

Stone Face and Patched Foot’s litter

Different-eyes: A tiny, pale grey tabby calico queen with yellow and blue eyes White-muzzle: A grey tabby tom with white muzzle, feet, and tail-tip, and yellow eyes Black-flecks: A dark ginger queen with small black spots, white feet, and pale yellow eyes

Pale Tuft’s litter

Long-tail: A large white tom with green eyes Black-whiskers: A large, deaf white queen with blue eyes

Badger Flower and Shade Cloud’s litter

Black-and-silver: A black and silver queen with pale green eyes

Night Fang and Russet Blaze’s litter

Before any mortal of true importance roamed the Earth, so the Clowders say, there was The Mother (“Shahmirr,”) alone in Her greatness. She built Heaven for a home, but grew bored there, and roamed the mortal realm. She found the Seasons, and They were companions that equaled Her, though She longed to create, for it was in Her nature to do so. She saw creatures that resembled Her, loosely- the marten, the mink, the fox, and the weasel, and She decided that She would make a creature that truly reflected Her glorious image. Her first creations, She tried to sculpt from mud and clay and wood and moss, and She only created Devils, for even She never did anything perfectly the first time. These Devils, though unwise, were not without cunning, and as She turned Her head they escaped into the world. Then, She took fire, shaping it in Her image, and the Watcher was created, Her precious son. Still, She wanted more creations, but She burned Her paws terribly in His making, and couldn’t replicate Him. So next, She took Her own shed fur, and from it She made the bobcats- dull, ugly creatures, a hideous reflection of Her beauty, and however She tried there was no getting them to see sense, so She turned them loose into the world. Finally She tore fresh fur from Her own shining, prismatic pelt, and from it She made the Uplifted, the greatest creatures to roam the mortal realm. They were alone in their beauty, their intelligence, and their agility, though they were without strength. The Watcher and the Uplifted basked in Her glory and her love, and all was well.

But the other denizens of the mortal realm grew discontent, for the Devils whispered to them of the great blessings the Uplifted were keeping to themselves. At last the hogs, the raccoons, the corvids, the coyotes, and the wolves decided that they would take from Her what the Uplifted had been rightfully gifted. They attacked the Mother one day as She walked alone, shredding Her pelt, tearing out one of Her eyes, and finally bashing Her head against a stone. They lapped up the wisdom that spilled from Her wounds, and left Her for dead. Her beloved creations found Her, then, blackened with Her own blood- and denounced Her. A true Mother, they said, would not be so weak, so foolish, and so they spat at her and turned tail, walking to the sixteen corners of the world in search of other Gods.

Except for the last forty, the most loyal Uplifted, who would not forsake their Mother. The Forty cried out for help, for they were but nameless kittens, and the Seasons and the Watcher heard them. The Watcher yowled in anguish at the sight of His mother’s suffering, and ran away to exact His wrath upon the beasts who had harmed Her. The Seasons staunched Her bleeding, tending to Her wounds as best They could, but in the end Winter had to carry Her to Heaven, that She might have any chance at recovery. Her blood-darkened pelt became the night sky, the stars Her scabs, and Her remaining eye the moon. As She drifts in and out of sleep, Her eye opens and closes, and any abnormalities are surely grave omens.

A Clowder Uplifted who lives in accordance with the Law, committing no great crimes and acting honorably, is believed to be destined to Ascend to Heaven, or “Shahyahrei,” which translates literally to “Sky-realm-after.” One need not lead a glorious or spectacular life- only doing one’s best is enough to become an Ancestor (“Shahayreh,” or “Sky-ancestor.”) Heaven is said to be a beautiful paradise in the sky, created by the Mother, though the specifics are unknown, as everyone who sees Heaven and returns to the mortal realm has a different description of it. Likewise, everyone sees the Ancestors differently- though for those who knew a given Ancestor in life, it is always clear exactly who they are, regardless of appearance. It is agreed, though, that in Heaven there is no hunger, no cold, and no sickness. This afterlife is not entirely free; once one has joined the Ancestors, one must watch over the living, sending advice, dreams, omens, and blessings. However, Ascension results in a wealth of knowledge of present and past flooding the mind, and this results in great disconnect with the living. The thoughts and language of the living immediately become much harder for an Ancestor to understand as soon as they Ascend, and this only gets worse as the spirit ages- hence one of the duties of the Priests is to communicate with the Ancestors. One is obligated to take as much knowledge to Heaven as possible, that it might enlighten the Mother and, in the case of Priests, contribute to healing Her. What sort of knowledge one must acquire is the subject of frequent discourse, but it’s universally seen as important to learn in life.

I don't have much of a story yet, mostly just lore and worldbuilding. What I do have involves a young MC getting caught up in a civil war they don't fully understand and trying to figure out what they truly believe in a rapidly changing society. I'll probably post more about that in the future. As always, all input is welcome!

As for canon... what canon? This is a totally original cat tale!

FR though, no characters from WC will be appearing. If I ever end up doing something with this thing, I'm trying to make it legally distinct. The Clouded Moon guys haven't gotten sued yet, so I think I'm safe?

Clowder Watcher, Second, Third

Clowder Mother, Lifebringer, Kitten

Priest, Elder

First Hunter, First Builder, First Homekeeper, First Speaker

Citizen

The Afterlife (Heaven, Ghosts)

The Mother

The Watcher

The Seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter)

There is no Uplifted alive, surely, who doesn’t know that one’s Name is an important thing. All know it to be a fundamental part of one’s identity, a point of pride. We the Civilized, however, seem to be alone in recognizing the Name as the expression of the soul that it is. We, alone in following the Ancestors’ Law, are alone in our holy ceremonies and proper Names. It’s a shame, truly- you barbarians will live your lives never hearing their uniqueness expressed in conversation, let along in sacred ritual. That’s one reason why it’s such a beautiful thing when Outsiders join us.

For example, a kitten was left with the Forest Clowder, many seasons past; the water-mother had named them Sniff, of all things. Now, suppose you’re looking for a kitten in a busy crowd; how does “Sniff” help at all? So of course they were Renamed- they would have been, anyway, but it was especially necessary for them- to Strange-spots. Their heart-mother was nothing if not observant; Spotted Fang (so they’re called now) is silver, with very distinct brown spots. I’ve certainly not seen such a combination elsewhere. Such are proper Kitten Names: given for what separates a kitten from their peers. I was called Blue-eyes, being the only one in the creche whose eyes stayed blue, and them being bright besides. Likewise my sister was called Short-tail. Even as an adult, it's still a tad stubby. Of course this was after our first month- our parents weren’t so foolish as to name newborns. Half the litter were dead within a week. And would you want to impose a name on a spirit that’ll be reborn soon anyway?

One’s Kitten Name is, of course, kept until Adolescence, celebrated after one’s first year, where one sheds it along with their childhood. One takes up their First Name, which of course reflects one’s appearance, though it may also reflect one’s character. Everyone gets their First Name from a different place. Some get ideas from family or those close to them, or have them choose the name entirely. Some consult with the Priests and Elders before making their choice. Some name themselves after a theme, matching family or friends. We’ve a queen now who named herself after her favorite food- Pigeon. Ultimately, the choice is the adolescent’s- within reason, of course, else some would name themselves Demon, Sun, or Blood. And of course, you can’t have the same First Name as a Clowder-fellow currently alive, or recently dead; one must be one’s own cat, after all, while also respecting the uniqueness of others. As for myself, options are limited for a grey tortoiseshell. Being a lover of sunsets, and grateful to my mother, Dawn Foot, for a wonderful childhood, I named myself Evening. My sister had more options, but ultimately named herself Monarch. Of course after the butterfly – what other kind of monarch is there? Anyway, she’s always loved butterflies, used to beg the Elders and First Speaker to recite the fables about them over and over. Winter help me if her children inherit that love. She also ate a monarch once, when we were kittens, and she’ll hear the end of it when one of us is stone-cold – and only until we’re reunited.

Now, one’s adolescence is when one proves themself worthy of Citizenship. With adulthood we earn our Second Names, which, combined with our First Names, make up our Adult Names. The Second Name has meaning, much like the First Name – it’s a recognition of your special skills, appearance, or personality. “Storm” means that one is energetic or emotional, or in my case, both. So my Adult Name, Evening Storm, means “grey tortoiseshell who is turbulent and tireless.” Says more than “Sniff,” yes? Likewise, my mother’s Second Name means she’s good at running – she’s particularly fast, but it can also mean runners with a lot of endurance. Then there’s my siblings; Fennel Face, of my Mother’s first litter, is uncommonly beautiful. Some say it’s a shame xey’re a Priest, and a gib besides; I say my family carries such good blood that even xey can be named for it. Monarch Pelt, well, she’s a citizen with short fur. Now, we’re all special, Monarch Pelt included; she’s a reliable queen who’s a fantastic listener and an enthusiastic cook, if not necessarily a great one. But there aren’t Second Names for everything, and we’ve got Honor Names for a reason. Furthermore, it’s hard enough to remember all the Second Names we’ve already got; I say we aught to get rid of Heart. It sounds silly. Don’t you dare tell Chipmunk Heart I said that.

Now, Scar Names are what barbarians snort at the most- it’s mad, you say, to name oneself after a scar. Why immortalize the worst moment of your life? We the Civilized, on the other paw, recognize the Scar Name for what it is: a reflection of one’s glory, strength, and ability to survive. Now, not every injury earns a Scar Name, only that which could have killed, which noticeably alters appearance, or was gained in a particularly notable way. Some also take birth defects on as Scar Names, especially severe ones, like being born without a leg. Also, it’s poor taste to take the same Scar Name as another; fortunately, there are different ways to describe the same injury- an example being Broken Jaw and Crooked Jaw. Now, all one’s Names together make up the Full Name, and having a Scar Name adds to that; you can be addressed by the Full Name, and will in ceremony, but most use one or the other. For example, my sister’s friend Shredded Ear Mist Path is called Mist Path in conversation, while one of our elders, Shredded Tail Burr Pelt, is called Shredded Tail. It’s a matter of personal preference. As for why the Scar Name comes before the Adult Name- it’s the tradition. One’s strength coming first, or something along those lines. I couldn’t say when it started, but it’s the way of things now.

Finally, there’s Honor Names, which all citizens aspire to earn. A recognition of a great accomplishment- or of a lifetime of great accomplishments! And unlike Scar Names, it’s not limited to the fighters, no- whether warrior or weaver, anyone, from Mother to Hunter to Speaker can have their greatness recognized- as with my father, Murk Blaze, whose Full Name is Murk Blaze of the Hummingbird’s Flight, on account of his great courage and swiftness during an altercation with a Demon some seasons back. It came from over the Mountain when I was but an adolescent- but that’s a story for another day. As a Scar Name comes before the Adult Name, the Honor Name comes after- but that’s just the proper way of saying things. “Of the Thousand Deer Spotted Fang,” for example, just doesn’t make any sense, now, does it? And, of course, as part of your Full Name, it will be said in ceremony- but it’s terribly gauche to answer to it in conversation. Pretentious and boastful. Now, if you want to see a Full Name, glorious and complete, look to our Watcher, Half Tail Stone Pool the Ditchweed Binding. The greater part of their tail was lost gloriously- to a coyote that threatened our quail, in fact, when they were but a new Citizen. “Stone” is for their grey solidness, and their serenity. “Pool” is for their excellent memory. And “the Ditchweed Binding” is for fostering our bountiful trade alliance with the Ripplemakers, while keeping us out of their pointless war with the Treethorns.

Subject to change before the plot starts.

The Setting

The Open Niche A Detailed Description of F. sapiens Ecology of the Area

Common Clowder Ailourology

Names (First Names, Second Names) Religion, Mythology, Folklore History, The Ancestors’ Law, Roles Gender, Parentage, Kinship Domestication, Technology, Language Outsiders, Other Predators Ceremonies, Holidays, Astrology

The Treethorns (Forest Clowder)

Overview Territory Culture Relations

The Ripplemakers (River Clowder)

Overview Territory Culture Relations

The Greenkeepers (Marsh Clowder)

Overview Territory Culture Relations

The Plainswardens (Plains Clowder)