Clan Foxrunner

As he felt the breeze of the distant sea waft through his hair, Feraeond took a deep and contemplative breath through his nostrils and smelled the salty air. He trudged on toward the dunes where he had made his most recent resting place. It was too late to go back. Had he abandoned them or just made a swift decision and gone through with it? The few companions he had since parted ways with would be well enough off without him, of that he was positive. But had it been too swift? And why did he have the sudden urge to find a new path after all? Perhaps the simple desire to be on his own again. What had he led them for anyway? That was it. Their sense of purpose seemed to have faded away to nothing. Where is the honor in a group of self-serving rabble? And he had led them. Well, that was over. And yet what was he doing now but simply surviving on his own. How long before loneliness overtook him and began consuming him beyond hope? His train of thought halted abruptly when he came upon another bow wielder who appeared to be on the lookout for the arrival of someone or something...

The beginnings of Clan Foxrunner were simple in meaning and end goal. Feraeond grew a vision for finding other rangers who he might be able to travel with, aid, and share knowledge with regarding his extensive experience as a ranger. For if he knew nothing of the finer workings of the other classes, his life as a ranger was surely able to benefit those just starting out or in the midst of their journey. He shared his vision first with Kaia Ufgood, who readily found it agreeable and became the first member of the new ranger clan. Feraeond made finding other rangers his immediate and hard-pressed priority, and within the first week the clan grew tenfold. The second week it doubled from that size. It wasn't long before Feraeond ended his travels over the plains and mountains of his search, and returned with the new fellowship to the hall of the forestfold, placing the greatest care in affirming with all of them his intent and gathering from them what they as a whole hoped to accomplish together. Establishing like-minded coordination was the key element to surviving, and success in developing the ranger way in its approach to battle was pivotal to not only defeating foes, but also showing other rangers that the clan was made up of more than simple and disorganized rogues.

Eventually Feraeond realized that it was the right time for him to move on from attempting to convince the world of anything concerning rangers, so leadership was ceremoniously given to Abby Tesla, the most devout warden of the clan. And what becomes of the clan after that is only now unfolding...

As Feraeond took his leave, so did the cohesive bond holding a great many Foxrunners together.  Some took their leave because they felt Feraeond was the key to the Foxrunners, some because they sensed a trying time and wanted no part of it, and others who simply felt it was proper to part ways in honor of being Foxrunners under Feraeond.  Even so, a great deal of the closer members had a final celebration and did not leave on bitter terms.  After the party when Feraeond had handed down leadership to Abby and parted ways,  friends came together for a final group photo to preserve their memories of the Forestfold.

Fortunately, not all of those parting ways with the Forestfold chose to sever their ties completely.  Former warden Nightwolf Hellrazor felt the yearning to create his own guild, the Order Of The [Wolf].  He was joined by another former warden, Throat Spray, as well as Tserrof Gehenna, Devaki Kao, Vabian Guard and Nahte Nagrom.  Nightwolf and Abby planned on allying [Wolf] and [Fox], and so Abby suggested allying with two other guilds ran by former Foxrunners would also be a wise course of action.  Both [Wolf] and [Fox] joined Bella Rena of [Dark] and Nadezhda (Dez) Su Argot of [CCCP] under Dez's alliance, The Soviets. 

Abby had pondered endlessly as to if the alliance was something she should even consider, as the Foxrunners more or less had a successful solo streak.  She felt that not only would the alliance give the Foxrunners a chance to prosper and maintain relationships with those who were once friends and clanmates, but also provide a large safety net for the unfortunate possibility of the Forestfold's collapse.  With a determined nod of her head, she knew what she had to do.  She refused to allow the Forestfold to crumble under her leadership - if the Foxrunners were meant to fall, she would rather have created an environment to protect her people than stick to a lone ranger mentality and leave her people lost.  Thus, a new era in the Forestfold began - an era of dependable allies and longtime friends. 

A new dawn has begun for the the Foxrunners, one encompassing both the ideals of new and old.  As Abby stares off into the sunset, she can only pray to the gods that she has made the right choice.

Eventually The Soviets alliance broke up due to [CCCP]'s desire to switch allegiances to the Kurzicks.  It was asked if the rest of the remaining clans wished to follow, but the Foxrunners were adamantly opposed to even considering the matter.  The remaining clans of [Wolf] and [Crow] discussed Kurzick allegiance and they too decided that they would remain loyal to the Luxons.  Tserrof Gehenna decided that he wanted to again try and reunite the former and current Foxrunners, so he formed the Clan Ravenwing alliance under the leadership of [Crow].  Seeing as the Ravenwing alliance was fairly small and stable, and that the former Foxrunners of [Wolf] also had joined, [Fox] elected to join as well. 

The smaller alliance size was key to its success and the old friendship between all of the members served as the glue to bind it together.  [Crow] has served as the driving force for the alliance, actively recruiting and promoting friendliness amongst those old and new.  Trips to the Underworld, Fissure of Woe and gatherings for Alliance Battles have ensued, only further solidifying the already present bond.  It would appear that by creating a small alliance between close friends, the present and former Foxrunners had finally found their niche.

Abby Tesla has been many things and already seen more than most ever do. Her wide array of experiences have led her to a balance that many other humans spend a lifetime trying to achieve. She remains ever calculating and fearless in whatever task presents itself, always capable of lending a hand to others or simply providing the presence of moral support when needed. She has seen both the most subtle and the most overt changes that took place in the clan as the longest committed and active of the brethren. It is not uncommon for the other members to ask her advice in almost any area of expertise, drawing off of the great knowledge she has steadily grown over time. It is not too much to say that she is one who is without fail true to her loyalties and principles. More can be learned of the real life of Abby Tesla here: http://360.yahoo.com/berserker_abby

At its peak, the clan was about 50 strong in the total members which comprised its ultimate vision and direction. Many have come and gone, but the majority who enter the narrow doors of the forestfold find their place there and enjoy the company of the others immensely. A few simple and straightforward principles hold the bretheren together in relational respects, and they cherish greatly any time spent merely being in one another's company. Friendly duels are often had for sport or build testing in the hall, and a few are commonly seen putting out their own efforts alongside the Luxons in Alliance Battles of Cantha. The bretheren all hold to a universal goal of making friends and having fun!

The clan cape is now in its fourth form since the birth of the Foxrunners, having changed much as the growth of a tree might as it adjusts for the situations it endures from year to year. Marking the transition to new leadership, the fourth cape tells a story of its own. The stone grey tree is symbolic of the solid might and will to survive embodied by the remaining Foxrunners in this dark time. The deep green represents the pure, everlasting perseverance of the Forestfold. The tattered red edges symbolize the blood and fire left in the wake of our steadfast fury as we fight for survival with all our strength.

It was put to a vote upon reaching the 12th member what model of hall the clan would choose. Between the Hunter's Isle and the Wizard's Isle, 8 had chosen the Wizard's Isle and 5 the Hunter's Isle. (There were 15 members by the time the voting window had passed.) Though perhaps not the most strategic place for rangers to dwell, the aesthetic value was a higher choice among the clan and remained a friendly place to congregate with its tranquil setting and everlasting harvest season. After the great abandonment, Feraeond went into recluse for a time and left the old hall to the mercy of the elements as seemed fitting. In the interest of his own peace of mind, he took to a small isle off the coast of Shing Jea Island for a time to count his blessings and reflect on what the future would hold. He then used what resources he had stored away to build a new hall on the isle. As it is now, the hall serves the clan as a sanctuary free from the oppressions of the outer world and a place where they may practice their battle techniques with one another.