The Ridge Fangs are a Clan that lives partially underground, in the sprawling desert of the northern territory. They are the less spiritual of the two Clans, harboring a deep sense of bitterness and betrayal towards the Celestial Canopy’s perceived abandonment. Many of their old religious rituals have been abandoned.
As a Clan, the Ridge Fangs are a tight-knit group who protect their own. In general, the word of their leader is not to be challenged unless it is immoral or will hurt the Clan as a whole. Since the Clan follows the leader nigh unquestioningly, many frivolous wars have been started by Ridge Fang leaders, with their Clanmates largely falling in line. The Clan is seen as only as strong as their weakest link, and thus the Ridge Fangs tend to help one another often and with little hesitation. Outsiders are not given the same graces as their Clanmates, however, and most are treated with apprehension. Romantic relationships with loners are considered particularly strange, but not punishment-worthy. Romantic relationships with the Ivory Talons are disallowed and punished severely, often in the form of outright exile, though this is ultimately left up to the standing leader. Overall, they are more likely to exile cats than the Ivory Talons, as the safety of the community is prioritized over traitorous individuals.
The Ridge Fangs view the Ivory Talons as deluded, viewing their belief that the Celestial Canopy will return as desperate and foolish. Most Ridge Fangs believe that the Celestial Canopy is gone for good, never to reappear. A silent minority within the Ridge Fangs still hold their faith. Much like their zealous predecessors, the Ridge Fang’s faithful believe that the Celestials are as flawed in death as they were in life: they are to be revered, but are not considered infallible.
Historically, the Ridge Fangs have been the more aggressive of the two Clans. Their fighting strategies are known to be particularly bloody. They much prefer to rely on direct offensive manoeuvres rather than defensive ones, often utilising the tunnels that sprawl beneath their territory. These tunnels allow them to mount surprise attacks and employ hit-and-run tactics, as well as traverse harsh environments with relative ease. Oracles of the Clan follow behind during major battles, wearing large shields and lagging behind within the safety of the tunnels. If the warriors need to retreat, one of the oracles will use their shield to plug the tunnel’s entrance, preventing any enemy warriors or predators from following. Ridge Fangs tend to be more reckless in their fighting style, see themselves as fighting honourably – unlike the Ivory Talons, they are much less willing to use what they consider “dirty” tactics, such as poison-tipped weapons.
Unlike the Ivory Talons, the Ridge Fangs are not known for intense espionage operations, and are in fact the ones who more frequently have their metallurgy advancements copied. When they do choose to employ espionage strategies, their preferred method is to have cats pretend to defect to the other Clan in order to gain information on their forges. Despite the Ridge Fangs’ comparative restraint when it comes to espionage, they have been better at staying undetected, as there is rarely a need for risky operations, such as stealing important inventions. Most recently, they’ve taken crossbow designs from the Ivory Talons’ forgers. There have been long-standing rumours of their tunnels stretching beyond the confines of their territory, where they are said to hide and listen in on conversations. Neither the Ivory Talons nor any outsiders have been able to prove the existence of these tunnels, however. The Ridge Fangs are known to execute any spies caught within their territory, though this does depend on the leadership.
Funerals in the Ridge Fangs are done in the Palisades near the camp. They are silent, and are considered a time to reflect and mourn rather than give speeches. Bodies are left out to be eaten by vultures, and bones are scattered by other scavenging animals. This practice only came about after the Ridge Fangs lost their faith in the Celestial Canopy. It is considered a good omen if a condor feeds on a cat’s body – the only holdover from a now defunct practice.
Between both Clans, the Ridge Fangs have the more mineral-rich territory, and often use it to their advantage. While metal is still a scarce resource, compared to the Ivory Talons, the Ridge Fangs have much greater access to it. They have a complex mine system in their mountains, spaced carefully apart to avoid any instability. Innovation is an important aspect of their mining techniques. Ridge Fang forgers are always trying to streamline their techniques while also striving to make them as safe as possible.
The first oracle of the Ridge Fangs, Oasiscaller, learned to read fortunes by observing the sands of the Crystalline Desert. This ritual, known as abacomancy, is still occasionally practiced by Ridge Fang oracles who choose to retain some semblance of belief. Usually though, it is simply a story for kits or a game that apprentices play. The ritual involves viewing the patterns the winds have shaped the sands into, as such:
- Wavy Ripples (Snake pattern) - A pattern that is a good omen. It symbolises a goal being just in reach; like a snake, one has been coiled in waiting and will strike soon.
- Choppy Ripples (Armadillo pattern) - A pattern that is a neutral omen. Like an armadillo, it symbolises being guarded, solitary and closed off. This can be good or bad, depending on the situation at hand; this symbol can also be an omen to anticipate attacks.
- Incomplete/inconsistent Ripples (Owl pattern) - A bad omen that is quite literally a symbol of death. The pattern beginning and quickly flatlining is representative of the owl swooping down and killing its prey. This type of pattern is rare.
- No ripples (Coyote pattern) - A bad omen. The coyote is a trickster, hiding the fortune from the oracles. The pattern means to be prepared for anything.
Most recently, the Ridge Fangs have been in a period best described as complacent. The previous leader, Orchidstar, was quite passive. They made no attempts to regain the Ironwoods from the Ivory Talons, and did nothing to break the Clans’ long-standing peace.
The Clan was started many cycles ago by a cat named Ridge, who went on to become Ridgestar. Originally the Ridge Fangs were the more spiritual of the two Clans. They viewed very specific cats within the Celestial Canopy as more divine than the rest, particularly those who had contributed to their Clan in a large way. Aside from Hephaestia, they typically only granted Ridge Fang cats the honor of veneration. It was this zeal that jump-started their reputation as battlemongers. Many bloody crusades were enacted against the Ivory Talons, whose forms of worship were seen as heretical.
Their intense belief led to the creation of the Mausoleum, a large-scale project that was worked on for almost the entirety of the Clan’s history as a means of venerating ancestors of great renown. The undertaking was grueling in nature, and led to a great loss of life due to the risk and effort that was required to build something of such magnitude. Those who died working on it were considered blessed to have given their life to the cause. It is said that certain chambers of the Mausoleum hold saint relics, preserved pieces of holy saints – most famously Ridgestar’s skull and Oasiscaller’s preserved eye. Veneration of their ancestors was incredibly important; Ridge Fangs would often leave prey out in certain cavities of the Mausoleum for their ancestors to enjoy. As the Celestial Canopy began to grow quiet, the Clan in turn grew fearful. Eventually, that fear turned to anger – they had dedicated their lives to worship of the Celestials, only to be abandoned by them. As time went on, the Ridge Fangs became less and less religious, outright abandoning the practices of their past. While an individual cat’s views on the Celestials may vary, overall the Clan’s old religious practices are treated as little more than elder’s tales.
The Ridge Fangs have always held a penchant for innovation, but this has backfired in the past to an exceptional degree. Their large-scale strip-mining operation, while responsible for granting them a large amount of workable materials, ultimately created a large, dangerous pit lake called The Quarry. Several deaths occurred as a result, and the territory was left barren. Lifeless and unsafe, the territory has long since been abandoned by the Ridge Fangs.
In times long past, the Ridge Fangs’ funeral rites were much more elaborate and involved. A specially made gold coin would be placed into the mouth of the deceased to show the Celestial Canopy that they were respected within their Clan. The body was then carefully placed in the Palisades on a specially made bed of desert flora. It was considered a good omen if a condor fed from the deceased – this singular aspect has persisted even into modern ridge Fang funerals.
In the cycles that followed the development of the Ivory Talons’ extreme banishment method known as the Canary's Claw - where a cat has one claw declawed, and given a metal implant to mark them as criminal, before being told to extract resources from the Brimstone Mine to be allowed to return - the Ridge Fangs began to adopt the practice themselves. Unlike the other Clan, however, it carries no spiritual connotations. They deemed the method practical. Were a cat to succeed, they would provide the Clan with highly valued metal. If they perished, then the Clan would simply be rid of a traitor by means of a bloodless, hands-off execution.
Noctiluna
Both Clans celebrate the founding of the Clans with an event known as Noctiluna, which occurs at the start of Newleaf. A truce is maintained between the Clans for the entire day, but festivities don’t truly begin until the late afternoon. The Clans participate in myriad celebrations at the Archipelago, each of which symbolises solidarity in being founded together. During this time, cats are encouraged to share tongues and stories with the other Clan, as well as bring impressive glass and metal pieces to display.
A competition of strength known as the Crescent Crown heralds the start of the celebration proper. Just after sunhigh, warriors from both Clans will volunteer for a series of mock battles; oracles from both Clans oversee and judge each round of the tournament. Apprentices are not allowed to join, but often organise their own tournament for practice. Each warrior who joins is pitted against a warrior from the other Clan, and a battle with sheathed claws ensues. The warrior who pins the other first is declared the winner of that round. Unsheathing one’s claws or intentionally drawing blood are both grounds for immediate disqualification. The winner of each battle is then paired with the winner of another battle, until only a singular champion remains. This champion is marked with a crescent moon drawn onto their forehead with crushed up berries by the oracles. It is said that the Clan who wins the competition will have good fortune during the next cycle.
Come nightfall, the champion of the bracket is granted the honor of organising a grand hunt between both Clans known as the Moonlit Pursuit. They section off several hunting parties made up of volunteer warriors, each of which is tasked with killing and bringing back the largest prey item they can catch. In yet another show of unity, these parties are composed of warriors from both Clans, and are allowed to hunt anywhere within the territories. The champion will hunt alongside the leaders and deputies of the two Clans. Cats who do not join the hunt are tasked with preparing the Archipelago for the festivities, which generally involves decorating the surroundings with night blooming flowers, moon symbols, and moth wings. Once all hunting parties return, the two Clans have a feast together, sharing the prey.
Eidolon
Originally, the Ridge Fangs had a celebration known as Eidolon, which took place in Leaf-fall. This tradition is now abandoned, and has been for over a hundred and fifty cycles. In the past, a leader would lead a large-scale hunt at moonhigh, intent on catching the largest rhea in the territory that they could find. Smaller warriors were assigned as chasers to steer the rhea towards a waiting ambush; their small size and speed helped them avoid being kicked. Large warriors were assigned as ambushers, and tended to latch onto the legs, wings and back, while the leader delivered the killing blow to the neck. The rhea was then taken back to camp, where oracles carefully separated the meat into equal portions. The Clan ate half of the rhea, while the other half was taken to the Mausoleum and placed in front of each of the graves there. It was said that on this day, those in the Celestial Canopy would return to their gravesite and consume the food before returning to the stars. This offering was said to give their vaunted ancestors the energy to watch over the Clans during prey-scarce seasons, as well as signify the gratitude the Ridge Fangs held for their ancestors and the actions they took in life.
Although this practice is defunct on a Clan-wide scale, cats who still retain their faith may still honor the celebration, albeit in a diminished manner. The rhea hunt is no longer performed. Rather, those who still celebrate simply hunt the biggest bird they can manage and leave as much meat for their ancestors as possible.