Uncharted expands just as it had begun ─ silently, without warning, giving no indication to its residents that it has decided to create existence beyond the supernatural embrace of Prosfora Meadows' treeline. In one moment, nothing lies beyond the silent forest sentinels, and in the next...


Your post here. Please see the important notes below.

Name Suggestions
Please limit to five (5) name suggestions.


General Description
Please limit to 300 words or less. What can be found here? How is this land affected by the seasons? Is it immune to anything? Is there anything out of the ordinary with the landscape?


Specific Locations (Subboards)
0-2 locations. Please give two (2) name suggestions per location and a brief description of each. Where can these locations be found within the land, and what lies within them?


Flora & Fauna
2-5 items. Please give two (2) name suggestions per item and a brief description of each. Are they found only in this new land, or in Prosfora Meadows as well? Are they only found during a certain season or time of day? Do they have any beneficial or adverse effects? What is their temperament?


Additional Notes
Is there anything else you'd like to add that does not fit into one of the above categories? Is there anything about this particular land idea that you are extra excited about?

○ Please limit the Discovery Prompt portion of your response to 1,200 words or less.

○ Entries are limited to one (1) submission per character. Players are allowed a maximum of two (2) entries.

○ The Squad (minus Tangi) can enter if they choose. They will not be allowed any extra votes or special treatment in regards to the territory that ends up winning.

○ Please review the Lands & Exploration page of the Guidebook before submitting. As always, the Ask-the-Squad Discord channel is open for your questions!

○ The winning territory may undergo minor changes in description or name before finalized and opened for use. The Squad will indicate these changes to the playerbase as a whole.

○ Submissions will be open for a total of ten (10) days. All submissions must be completed and posted before you go to bed on Saturday, July 18. Voting will open the following day.

○ All submissions should be posted as a reply to this thread.

○ Collaborative explorations are welcome! Please have one member post the exploration, and then be sure to mention your companion in the additional notes. Any prizes will go to both players.

Uncharted expands just as it had begun ─ silently, without warning, giving no indication to its residents that it has decided to create existence beyond the supernatural embrace of Prosfora Meadows' treeline. In one moment, nothing lies beyond the silent forest sentinels, and in the next...

It was a fever dream that made her part from her river-side bed after dusk. Drawn by the call of a bird she couldn’t see, as though the creature was in pain—she followed its cries bleary-eyed and boneless, her limbs pliant as she stumbled from the shade of a tree that sheltered them. By the time the cool water of Ilikos had splashed her fetlocks in the shallow area she’d stepped, the touch of it was jarring against her skin, pulling her from the drowsiness that threatened to consume. A glance over her shoulder told her where Revan remained, having not yet realized her absence.

The bond was warm between them, and it gave her the foolishly unfounded courage to press forward, into the throng of heaving mist that unfurled and billowed at the edge of the meadow and the unknown. What lay beyond, she had tried to discover once or twice before—with hungry eyes, she had dared to navigate the impenetrable wall of nothingness, only to be redirected into the endless spell of the winding, perpetual fields and streams.

Prosfora was unending, and in the short time it’d housed the desert girl, something restless had begun to bloom inside of her. That weed was kept at bay by the realization was no doubt healthy for Revan’s recovery—starting small would be good. But another part of her, selfish and wild, longed to roam.

It was what goaded her forward now, a hoof outstretched to sample the mist that beckoned and danced before her eyes. But unlike before, when she had been mindlessly ushered to turn away, it seemed, like a vacuum, to draw her in now.

Kira held her breath as an adventurous, daring smile played along the edges of her lips. Perhaps it was unwise to plunge into that which she couldn’t see—but then, she had never been the smartest when it came to toying with what was beyond her ken. A noiseless laugh left her mouth as she stepped through, equal parts triumphant and terrified, and let the slumbering bond feel a tender tide of assurance.

If he woke and found he gone, she wanted him to know she was safe—

Even if the vast desert that unfolded before her felt like a daydream, a nightmare; it felt like a lifetime of memories spanned out in a second. She gasped as she stumbled back, terrified that she’d been seized by another vision, but the fog let her go without question.

Kira spun on her heels swiftly, nearly crumpling to the ground in her hurry.

If she was to explore the fog—she wouldn’t do it alone.

Name Suggestions
Tzakkou
Bogano
Atollon
Sorore Desert

General Description





• GEOTHERMAL HOTSPOTS
Name Suggestions
Prosvasis
Calida
Korriban
Corbos Region

General Description


• DESERT GRASSLAND
Name Suggestions
Afino
Ustero
Samaria Plain
Dantooine
Da'nor

General Description



• SAND DRAKE

• NIGHT STALKERS

• MIRAGES

**And a variety of realistic wildlife. Camelids, bobcats, birds of prey, and other reptiles.



Additional Notes
Tzakkou is my favorite name from the list! Names were all with the help of Neamrel, because I suck ): Neam's Revan has also been voluntold into this collaborative adventure.

(did I have to make a place totally inhospitable?? yeah..)

Name Suggestions
1. Faelgorn
2. Galadnur
3. Maenahil
4. E'renthas


General Description
The trees and fog had hidden something forsaken in [LAND NAME]. Or, perhaps, simply abandoned. But, if so, by who? And, more importantly, why? This place seems steeped in a tale left untold, and left hastily… Surrounded by forest is a tumbledown village. [LAND NAME] is made up of a cluster of dwellings and public buildings; an inn, a library of largely unreadable tomes, a gaol and more. A crumbling ruin lays on the outskirts, perhaps a place of worship once, surrounded by a graveyard. All is connected by streets of cobble and forking paths of well-packed dirt. At the centre, there is a humble square, around which various carts and market-stalls are up-turned, wares of diverse and strange origins (and uses) are strewn about and broken. The area seems to be held in the clutches of gloom; the sky often overcast, the streets and alleys drift with spectral mist. It rains often, and the sun shines rarely. Winter comes like a mailed fist, often bitterly cold.

The eye is ever drawn to the horizon. Beyond the village to the west, there, on a clear, rising hillock, are two, concentric circles of polished, black standing stones, rising into the sky like bad omens…


Specific Locations (Subboards)

Churchyard
Suggested Names:
1. Dae'Cair
2. Mór'Cair
3. Aedaith

Description:

[CHURCHYARD] lies on the western outskirts of [LAND NAME]. A building of medium-size, its stonework and stained-glass windows in a state of dire disrepair, slowly being reclaimed by nature. Once, its faces were adorned with engravings of significance to the population of [LAND NAME], but now, those carvings, gargoyles and statues are crumbling, eroded, and offer only glimpses into an extinct fable. It’s heavy, oaken doors have been thrown open, revealing a cavernous, crumbling cathedral, somehow larger than it looks from the outside. On the off chance that the sun is shining, and in the right direction, the stone floors become splayed with bright light filtering in through the remaining stained-glass panes.

Behind the ruins, edged in a mossy, stone border-fence, is a large graveyard, its tombstones and mausoleums shy to reveal the names of the dead kept within and below. Time has taken its toll here, too, but, perhaps, with some elbow-grease and squinting… Strangely, it seems that upon sunrise, one often finds candles lit and flowers laid, and fresh mounds of dirt, where there were none before…

Menhirs
Suggested Names:
1. Ishahone
2. Myna'Edhil
3. Iya'Themar
4. Gonnoth

Description:

Upon a rising hill, overlooking the ruins of [LAND NAME] is [MENHIRS], two concentric circles of standing stones, each with seven polished, black liths, varying from 10 to 15 feet in height. The inner circle is about 35 feet wide, and at the very centre, is a small, almost completely unadorned altar, with no markings left behind to decipher what might once have been worshipped upon there. Perhaps, there might have been carvings or inscriptions to a pantheon, or a numen, or a guardian-spirit—but the stone is completely blackened now, along with the ground surrounding it. Charred by a preternatural fire that keeps the area surrounding, and the altar, permanently scorched and hot to the touch. At night, on occasions that seem to be at random, the surfaces of the liths begin to glow a blue-green with symbols and figures.



Flora & Fauna
Maurlyth (Nightflower)
These beautiful, pale blue cluster flowers do not, as the name perhaps implies, only grow or open at night. They are so named for the blue-black colour of their stalks and leaves, and the way they seem to prefer the gloomier areas of [LAND NAME]. They are very common on the grounds of [CHURCHYARD], often growing around headstones and along the sides of the ruins. The also occur in the forests surrounding [LANE NAME].

Maurlyth is poisonous. Ingestion does not cause an immediate reaction, but in a half an hour to an hour, will cause tremors, wild hallucinations, and finally, the total swelling of the throat. Tomes in the library would suggest, if anyone could read them, that this plant was once used by soothsayers, enabling them to enter a divining state. Their imminent death must have been worth the knowledge gleaned in their dying breaths...

Alternative name: Morëfane


Gailohir (Brightknight)
An aromatic herb that seems to smell pleasantly different to everyone that smells it. It grows all over the outskirts of [LAND NAME], except for near the standing stones, where nothing much seems to grow. It is a low-laying plant that flourishes in the low sunlight of the land. Its leaves are wide, scalloped, and pale-green. I spring, it flowers with bright, pink, star-shaped blooms.

Gailohir is an analgesic. If ingested without processing, it may help ease headaches and aches. It can also be used in poultices for wounds and in teas for a stronger effect.

Alternative name: Aralya

---------

Draugar
Draugar are found most often in [LAND NAME], but their territory extends to the forests between [LAND NAME] and the surrounding areas. They may move into adjacent lands if driven to hunt. They are thin, wire-haired canine-like creatures that can grow up to 3 feet in height at the shoulders. They range from grey to black in colour. They have flexible, wide-hinged jaws, capable of gaping (much like a snake’s), and a set of large, sharp teeth made for grabbing, holding and tearing. Draugar are generally aggressive, though will not often attack unless provoked. They are incredibly fast and agile and hunt in packs. They make a long, low, undulating contact call that is often described as ghost-like.

Haurun (Grave-Monster)
Haurun, so-called because they seem to like stalking the graveyard of [CHURCHYARD], especially at night, for they are nocturnal creatures. But monsters they are not, though they cut a strange, unnerving form. These creatures are chimerical, no two is quite alike. Commonly, though not always, the body is vaguely canine, or feline, winged or not; the head ranges in shape from hog-like, to hawk-like to bear-like. They are, unless pushed otherwise or particularly hungry (if carnivorous in nature, determined by the head), generally meek and flighty creatures. Their calls and vocalization vary wildly. Their height also varies wildly.

Rovnor (Fire-Wings)
Rovnor appear exclusively in [MENHIRS]. They are rare, usually seen at night, for that is when they are most easily spotted, though they do come out during the day. They are small and raven-like in shape, but made of a strange, unearthly, blue-green fire. Not much is known about Rovnor, they seem standoffish and are extremely intelligent. They often perch on the altar and atop the liths.


Additional Notes
Foefires are not uncommon in the graveyard, perhaps?

Uncharted expands just as it had begun ─ silently, without warning, giving no indication to its residents that it has decided to create existence beyond the supernatural embrace of Prosfora Meadows' treeline. In one moment, nothing lies beyond the silent forest sentinels, and in the next...


A wall. He's hit a wall.

It's not entirely true though; he knows what walls are, though not how they were made, and this is only a figurative one - but a terrible one, that is. Gigantic even for himself, half a giant, the grey slopes of several huge mountains loom in the mist when he enters. For a time, none of them seem to give way, and the turquoise male slowly saunters where he feels very much like he isn't supposed to.

Finally, a path is found. A two-way road leading into the mountains, the split just about visible from where he stands. But it's the only way in at all, and he doesn't feel like lying in the meadows all day long - it's a far too busy spot, and a risk at that, seeing how many equines get dropped into that same place regularly. To find a better place to live, he'll have to look further.

A snort follows, tail lashing once, twice. Then, the large baroque sets hoof on the path, first the one to the right, because it slopes up - up and up, winding between rocks, past crevices and alcoves, dark patches of trees where he almost feels watched, as well as open places suited for gathering, and even one with grass - he presses on, until he finds the most wonderful place in the world.

A frozen glacier looms on the side of the valley, a small stream escaping from the forever-iced river. But that's not the best part; just where the glacier has started to fall - evidenced by the shape of the structure - icicles hang from said glacier to the ground level, only there at their tips slowly melting into the stream. A frozen waterfall, a perfect valley - just a tad cold perhaps for most. To Ahti, it is more than magical. Something that makes him feel at home, immediately.

He hasn't come to sit and stay here forever, though. Pressing on, he finds beneath and behind the glacier and iced falls a cave - curious, he follows it, the dark enveloping him for a time, his eyes adjusting to the dark - he notices he's walking down, and just when he thinks he should return because he cannot see... the walls light up.

Bioluminescent blooms fill the cave system, and when he rounds a corner, he finds the space he was looking for without knowing. A large... hall, perhaps, with a small stream down here as well, possibly originated from the ice as well. Going further, going down, he finds the place is a maze, though. A labyrinth of cave systems, tunnels, and chasms where one would not like to fall into. Some structures seem to have been built here once, too - similar to the ones in his former home, he thinks. Wooden contraptions have not withstood time very well, but the stairs and tunnels that have been made, somehow, have survived.

It is by smell alone that he finds his way out - fresh air and the stream guide him, ironically to the two-split road he had found earlier. There would, perhaps, be another way out of the cave system on the other side of the mountains, but for now, he thinks it's quite enough exploring for today.

Name Suggestions
Ylennys
Jaavuori Rise
Niverne
Andorra
Sokosti

General Description
A rocky rise, high as the sky, and nearly impossible to navigate - in these parts, it might be best not to stray from the worn path, unless you're truly adventurous - and, possibly, immortal. While most would seek to pass through these highlands, some simply seek to get to the highest possible peaks, and rise above the clouds. These mountains climb well into the eternal snow, but have a something for everyone, depending on the level above the ground. The only thing lacking, especially in higher places, seems to be a good grazing spot - and rain. These summits seam to have gathered - or have been created - in a somewhat circular way, or have weathered down in such a way. Regardless of the how or why, it now appears only small clouds actually find their way through to the center. Oddly enough, that seems to be the greenest and sunniest spot between the mountains, a small creek fed by the ever-present snow and ice from the peaks' caps.

Specific Locations (Subboards)

Ice falls
Name ideas:
Fiellu Valley
Saluva Lumi

In the northernmost and highest parts of the mountains, a valley can be found exactly at the eternal-snow line, that is fed by the water of a melting glacier and an "ice-fall"; a frozen fall that stems from the glacier and melds at the lowest tips to feed the stream. Plenty of mountain flora and fauna can be found, like icelandic moss, a collection of pine trees, and more dangerously, some hidden [Moondove] and an occasional snow leopard.

The caves/the Underground
Name ideas:
Louhia
Sokli (Sokkelo)

The cave system, with it's unending crevices, cracks, chasms running deeper than the eye can see, can be a dangerous place if you don't know where you're going to. It seems to be the ideal hideout for many a group who don't want to be found, but be aware that falling may end your life prematurely - with no way of knowing how long that will take, exactly.
The upper levels of this cave system are truly a maze, with one or more central 'chambers', and the occasional tiny stream of water from the glaciers. Some of these chambers are lit by the sun and moonlight shining through the frozen glacier above, others, especially on lower levels, can be navigated only by the light of the [Moondove] flower, which grows aplenty. Patches of moss may be found in the ice-covered caves, but most equines will have to find their food outside, because not many edible plants grow in [the Underground].
Deeper into the cave system, wooden, metallic and even stone structures seem to have been made - some bridges still exist over the bottomless spaces, but many of them are worn down over time and don't seem so great at holding a horse's weight at all.

Flora & Fauna
Gryllith
These bugs can be quite a nuisance in summer; but it is in autumn that they really can make travellers' lives hard. These beetle-like bugs can be found anywhere in [LAND NAME], but more specifically in the upper regions, where their grey-stone chitin blend naturally with the environment. They have a habit of keeping to themselves in small numbers, but when their mating season arrives, the sound of stone grinding can be literally everywhere in the mountains, especially in echoing places.
It is to be said that the [Gryllith] like the cleanest environments, so wherever there's a bunch of them, it's probably safe to graze and drink - if you're able to withstand their sound, indeed.
Other name ideas: Sirkkivi, Stone Cricket

Moondove
The [Moondove] is closely related to the Osdove and could be easily mistaken for one, but unlike it's cousin, it does not need light to grow and in fact resents the sunlight. They can be found in the darkest of places, emitting moonlight-like glows by themselves. They are not to be touched, however; doing so may result in them releasing toxins in 'defence', able to put any horse smaller than roughly 20hh to sleep for an hour or so. It can be especially dangerous for young foals to touch too many of them, though as a lucky coincidence, these flowers have a habit of growing a few feet from the ground, and prefer walls, ceilings, and other high places to grow.
Other names: Stella Alba
(I'm sorry I don't have a great second name for this one, because I'm not that original at this point any more - and I kinda think you should pick the name I used because it's pretty perfect)

Additional Notes
I love my bugs and my flowers, maybe they can be added to the game without the land if mine's not chosen?

Uncharted expands just as it had begun ─ silently, without warning, giving no indication to its residents that it has decided to create existence beyond the supernatural embrace of Prosfora Meadows' treeline. In one moment, nothing lies beyond the silent forest sentinels, and in the next...

Name Suggestions
Addejupmi mountains
Ahcagas
Ciehpas
Japmin's pass
Biegga

General Description
Tall jagged rock brake from the flat terrain without much warning. A large ring of sharp rocks and steep falls. Narrow paths snake there way upwards and inwards for the ones brave enough to attempt the climb. Towards the center it will drop back down again to [Location 2] At times the paths will even go in to small caves and tunnels. In some of the caves marking on the walls can be found. weathered drawings etched in to the rock it self.  You have to be careful not to get lost. Snow gathers in patches all year round in areas high up. Strong winds are not abnormal and can made flying risky. You will regularly come across relatively small areas of somewhat flat ground outside of the patch where there is an abundance of plants. The vegetation quickly becomes short and take the from of Grass, moss and small bushes. In fall many of these bushes will grow berries such as bilberry and lingonberry. There are small streams of water running down the sides all over.

Specific Locations (Subboards)
[Location 1]
Vearru
Davvir

In one of the many caves in [name here] is a room larger than any other. Within the walls and sealing are lined with sparkling gemstones of different colors. If you can name it you can probably find it in her. Some as large as a horses head. Theses treasures will not easily come loose from the wall but if you are lucky you might find a small one that are loose or have fallen down. The have would be dark where it not for the [Fauna 1] that call this place it's home

[Location 2]
Javri
Suolu

Towards the center of this land the paths head down again. Following them will lead to a flat area back down at ground level. There you will find a lake bordered my beaches and pine trees. The lake it self it deep and with a small island in the center. There are some underwater caves in the lake some with air pockets. A small water fall supplies the lake with water and despite not having any viable outlets the lake dose not flood.


Flora & Fauna
[Fauna 1]
Girdi
Jouvva
A bat like creature found in [Location 1]. There body's glow in the dark in shades of blue, purple and green. There wings are black with small glowing spots resembling stars on them. In general they are friendly but if they feel threatened they will swarm and bite at intruders in an attempt to chaise them off. They can sometimes been seen flying around [Land name] at night.

[Fauna 2]
Dolgi
Sohkar
  An otter like creature found in [Location 2]. Instead of fur they a covered in waterproof feathers and sport a pair of wings. They lay eggs and nest in the cliff sides in late spring early summer. They are curious creatures but are quickly spooked and will fly up to the nests or dive underwater and hide at the slightest hit of danger.

[Flora 1]
Eallin
Derva
At the highest peaks of [land name] grows a golden flower with a faint that is said to speed up healing when applied to a wound and help cure illnesses. It's only useful after it as bloomed and will only bloom at sunset and will wither quickly of not picked.

[Flora 2]
Arvedavgi
Baidnu
A long Seaweed that grows within the lake of [location 2] in abundance and will sometimes been seen in small clusters in freshwater in others lands. The are usually black in colors but they glow faintly when disrupted in all the colors of the rainbow. 


Additional Notes
Is there anything else you'd like to add that does not fit into one of the above categories? Is there anything about this particular land idea that you are extra excited about?

Uncharted expands just as it had begun ─ silently, without warning, giving no indication to its residents that it has decided to create existence beyond the supernatural embrace of Prosfora Meadows' treeline. In one moment, nothing lies beyond the silent forest sentinels, and in the next...

The fog had lifted.

It was not obvious, at first. Gale had been so used to the confined spaces of the meadows and the forest trees that lined it, that he did not notice that the trees expanded past what he knew.

But just as he found himself walking the treeline, the trees seemed to be... growing? Taller and taller they got, the further he ventured in. The air was increasingly becoming sticky, the ground sloshed under his hooves and foliage beat at his legs as he pushed further and further through the forest. Even though the day was sunny and warm, his face was wet by mist that fell from the clouds and dew on the plants.

His ears flicked at bugs that tickled his skin and buzzed quietly as they passed, frogs croaked, and birds screeched. Unlike the meadow, that felt like an empty holding, this forest was full of life, color, and activity.

It was all so overwhelming.

Suddenly, a flash of color appeared before the young stallion's path, leaping onto the trunk of a tree and freezing as he approached. Curiously, Gale took a step forward, head tilting as he studied the small creature. Big black eyes shifted back to greet him before the frog let out a loud, echoing croak.

Startling, the desert born bird stumbled back in a flurry of wings and hooves. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked back to the tree only to find the frog had disappeared.

Odd, but probably for the best.

Choosing a different narrow path, the dappled boy pressed on, though he did not get very far. It was not long before his head started to feel heavy, eyes fluttering. The ground before him started to shift and swing, the trees slowly swirling around him in greens and blues and yellows.

He tried to press forward, stumbling on shaking knees and unsteady hooves. He took in a deep breath, left, right, left, right, le- a vine caught his hoof and he was sent crashing forward. Trying to catch himself, his wings took the brunt of the fall, tangling into a mess of feathers and foliage.

Gale had never been drunk in his life, but he imagined this was what it felt like.

Again, a flash of color caught his attention, and he squinted to focus on the frog that clung firmly to the arm of his wing. "Wha- no! Get off of me!" He shouted, barely finding his hooves and wildly shaking his wing, only to find himself back on the ground seconds later.

With the strange frog now gone - or so he hoped - the owl laid groaning among a sea of green, the world around him spinning out of control.

oh Gale u dummy

- creds -

Uncharted expands just as it had begun ─ silently, without warning, giving no indication to its residents that it has decided to create existence beyond the supernatural embrace of Prosfora Meadows' treeline. In one moment, nothing lies beyond the silent forest sentinels, and in the next...

This place must have been beautiful once

Castalla liked to think there wasn’t a magic wielder out there who could easily outwit her- she’d spent decades going hoof to hoof with some of the most powerful sorcerers in Alanaris and the breath still within her lungs was testament to that fact. Yet, no matter how much she explored the flowery meadow and the vivacious forest bordering it, somehow the Wolf always found herself going in circles. Castalla refused to believe it was her own sense of direction (she took no small amount of pride in her navigational ability- after all what good is a hunter who always gets lost). Like a rising tide, her ire had been growing, her wolf a caged beast within the confines of her chest, begging persistently for freedom. The novelty of a new land and the fiery tempest of her immortality returning was steadily waning like the moon high above, but Castalla was nothing if not stubborn. With Nyx’s shining beacon as her guide, the assassin weaved once more through the thickets and trees, feeling the clawed branches grasp at her mane and audits.

This was how she found herself at the edges of the forest, wandering beneath the moon’s silvery smile. She’d been pleasantly surprised to find Wolfram exploring the shadow-ridden forest beneath, his dark form blending into the shrouded woods. A polite, though restrained smile tugged at her lips, not quite meeting her cerulean eyes. “Trying to find a way out of this forest too?” She asked, her frustration leaking slightly into the tired tones.

For a few minutes the pair wandered, the forest stretching on, seemingly forever. Yet the assassin noted the way the trees seemed more spread out, the shadows smaller, as though there were in fact a light at the end of the metaphorical tunnel. Until at last there was indeed light, though pale and cold, filtering through the thinning copse. The pair approached the edge of the forest to find themselves on the outskirts of an abandoned village.

“Well that’s new,” Castalla mused dryly as the ground crunched beneath her hooves. It was almost like stepping from one world to another- the air suddenly became frigid and the ground coated with a gentle frost. The glistening blanket was undisturbed, gleaming dangerously beneath the star’s soft light.

“Watch your step,” Cast offered, adopting the business tones of battle that once belonged to her but now felt strange upon her tongue. Nevertheless she stepped carefully, testing her weight gracefully as she felt the inevitable slip of hooves on ice. The silence was weighty, damning, as though the world were holding its breath, watching the pale woman and the dark man. Buildings arose from the wintery mist, carved from silvery stone and tiled slates, lanterns hanging from wooden trellises- empty, lonely. Castalla narrowed her gaze, slowing her pace as she prowled the street. Suspicion graced her sharp features and she winced internally with every tap of her hooves upon the ground. The little village seemed deserted but appearances could be deceiving and the assassin searched every alley and lingering shadow. Time seemed as frozen as the cobblestones, as though the entire village had left in a hurry, their livelihoods a museum of frost and snow. The sign of an inn hung motionless before one door, painted in merry colours that were so at odds to the lifeless greys and whites surrounding it.

“This place must have been beautiful once,” Castalla murmured, mostly to herself as she glanced around. Perhaps it would be again oneday, alive with the lights of flickering lanterns and the scents of food and drink. Now it seemed haunted by events that had never come to fruition.

- - -

When she had found him wandering the forest - desperate and hungry for a change of scenery, for he himself felt caged and contained in the limited space that was the meadow, ruins, and river - he had been aimless. There was not a certain direction to go and nor had he cared, so long as he had found himself out of the directionless, continual, forever path. Even if the forest itself went on for ages. He could not place how long it had been, a few moments or a few hours, until Castalla had once more found and joined him in their mutual desire for something new.

But her company was one of very few that he could - and would - tolerate, so he made no qualms against it. Her question was met with simple silence (aside from the brief, lighthearted snort of which he agreed with her) for he detected she knew the answer to it and it was more rhetorical than anything, but if there had been anything left between them of uncertainty it was hopefully stamped out with the fact that Wolfram was staying in her company through the forest. A simple act of trust, to him, and loyalty if his intention was stretched far enough. But he spoke none of it and allowed his company itself do the talking.

Yet the further they went the worse this feeling in his gut was becoming. He still didn’t know the cause of it or why it was suddenly sending anxiety through his nerves, but he did know he wouldn’t be making a scene with absolutely nothing to base this ‘bad feeling’ off of. And if this were somewhere new to this world, somewhere outside of the sickly smelling, sweet flowers, daunting ruins and rushing riverlands, exactly what Wolfram (and Castalla) had been looking for, what was he to do against it? They had found exactly what they had mutually set out to find. Now all they had to do was figure out what it was.

At first he cannot see past the fog, but he can feel the cold like a firm grip in his heart. Castalla was the first to take a step, and Wolfram, frozen in place, only followed when she was exposed and out from the cover of the trees. It was a slow, solemn pace, yet in equal parts unsure and suspicious. Where had he known the smell of the frost, cold and harsh on his lungs? Where had he felt this same crunch of dry, frost-cloaked grass? A lifetime ago, to be sure - and as the mist gives way to the ruinous remains of a town deserted and preserved in the cold - he realizes the familiarity that had filled his gut with turmoil for so long now.

Castalla’s words are a thrum behind his own thoughts, faded and muffled, his vision tunnel visioned into the abandoned buildings, through the cold air and down the cobblestone streets.

There the anxiety seemed to vanish into the realization of all he was looking over; he can hear the old innkeep over the drunken chatter of civilians, happy and joyous with bellies full of warm meade. Orange light flickers through the windows from the hearth, and inside a bard sings of tales and adventures of some renown warrior.

Children play in the cold and snow in the street, satisfied only because of the knowledge that they could retire to their own houses on their own time as fast as they had gone out, knowing a warm bath would await them when they were done. A man barters with a woman for certain herbs, and above it all a once-grand castle watches over with ancient patience and fortitude.

He is brought out of his thoughts to the gray world by Castalla’s words, as she had been looking through the abandoned town herself.

This place must have been beautiful once.

His eyes trail down, a darkness forming in a shadow over his eyes, and it is upon the snow-covered cobblestone, as a few stray flecks of snow fall and drift through the air, that he finds an abandoned doll. As he lifts it with the hands of his mind, he sees that it’s stuffed with straw,  makeshift cloth holding it all together at best, but there is an understanding and softness with which Wolfram looks at it that shows it is more than just a throwaway, torn up  old children’s toy. And in his voice there is a dismality of nostalgia that transcends even himself.

“It was.”

It Was

❂ | ❂

Name Suggestions

Umbram

Avium

Idolum

Solus

Tandem

General Description

Ravaged by time and laced with frost and cobwebs, [LAND NAME] retains something of a ghostly feel. Yet, with lanterns to chase away with the shadows and a myriad of scents filling the air it is far more welcoming than one might expect. Nestled in the shadow of the once mighty castle, this little town is again filled with life and laughter. Little stone buildings rise from the frozen ground promising food, drink and shelter. Those hardy enough to brave the cold had returned to the shops to sell their wares. Yet the shadowy back alleys whisper of more dubious goings on, of deals done in darkness and contracts fulfilled at night.

[LAND NAME] remains within the grasp of winter all year round, though some would swear the wind is less biting during some months. During half of the year the town is besieged by snow, during the other half the cobbled streets are fretfully icy.

Specific Locations (Subboards)

Shadow Keep / Solus Citadel

Though the claws of time were almost kind to the town they severely ravaged the [CASTLE NAME]. From the winter fog rises one lone tower, scarred by battle or weather it cannot be said, but it remains the only fortification standing of a once mighty hold. The rest of the castle is a wasteland of shattered glass and broken stone, coated in dust and snow. Yet, in beautiful contrast, the gardens remain alive and vivacious, blooming even in the cold. Perhaps a little overgrown but otherwise enchanting and almost magical next to the jagged remains of the [KEEP/CITADEL].

Endless Haunt / Eternal Tombs

Once entombed beneath the fortifications of the castle, [SUB-BOARD NAME] is all that remains entirely untouched. With the walls of the keep rent open by unknown forces, the darkened staircases and cavernous tunnels of its underbelly beckon. A maze of tunnels, caves and shadowy prison cells lay beneath the ruins, twisting and turning until those who dare traverse the darkness find themselves lost within the stonework. Some unlucky few may find they are not alone in the silence, the sound of claws on cobblestones and panting can be heard in the deepest pits.

Flora & Fauna

Obsidian Orchis / Cave Hellebore / Abyssal Holly

These lowlight dwelling flora are found in heaps within the dungeon systems below [LAND NAME]. In the absence of both light and common residents, it has only flourished. But take care - while the leaves, softly shaped and smooth, may be medicinal in nature, the berries which grow from it are not. Bright red with a black center, they are toxic to all creatures and are used as a defense mechanism for themselves. Those who wander too close and take a chunk are liable to fall at their demise within moments of ingestion - to which this plant gets its nutrients. Because of this one might find many different, old bones scattered at its location.

The leaves, however, are used for a great deal many things, if one knew how to cultivate them correctly.

Alysum Magnolia / Obsidian Dogwood / Nightshade Willow

Among the other trees in the area there lies a smaller one, one which appears as dark as night with, when in bloom, small white flowers which resemble starflecks. The bark and leaves seem made of dark matter all through, though the flowers only bloom at night and in very particular circumstances (of which have never been tracked or studied properly to know exactly what causes their bloom).

These trees give off a fragrance that seems cold as winter, yet gently sweet and not at all overbearing. And on top of this, everything about the tree seems to have some kind of medicinal property: the bark can be used as something to promote the speed of healing if placed over a wound (much like aloe vera plants), the sap is said to revitalize, and the flowers are still so much stuff of mystery, but one could easily assume that they offer some kind of aid which has not been discovered yet.

While they are beautiful, they are also rare, and are most notably seen growing in the gardens of the castle grounds, but do not appear as commonly outside of it.

Stonewood Maple / Ironwood / Oaken Metalcast

The woods surrounding [LAND NAME] consist of hardy trees that are meant to weather the cold temperature has made its home here. In a time long ago, they were cut down and used, because of the fantastical and strong nature of the bark, for armor, to reinforce walls and homes, in order for a natural protection against the cold. Formidable and hardy, they have grown in thick after so long a time, and this has made them more difficult to cut than normal. With the right tools (most commonly found in the dungeons of the town) they can be stripped and used for whatever purpose someone may find from them.
They have a grayed sheen-like look to them, and their leaves grow in a darker shade. In spring and summer they develop a bit of color from the sun, but otherwise remain monochromatic through the year-long winter [LAND NAME] is encased in.

Umbral beast / Tenebrous hound

Deep within the hidden tunnels of [DUNGEON BOARD NAME] reside the stuff of nightmares. Creatures so dark you cannot discern them from the shadows, wander the passageways and cells, their claws scraping on the stonework and their snarls curling from the darkness. Those few that have escaped with their lives claim they saw nothing but felt the slice of claws through fur and the hot breath of a creature on their heels. Some believe they take the form of a great, black hound, fur as thick as a bear’s and eye claws as long as an eagle’s.

Owlets / Lesser Griffins

Whilst time ravaged much of the [CASTLE NAME] the gardens surrounding it flourished, as did the wildlife. Little creatures with the compact body of a tiny snow leopard and the head and wings of an owl, wander the overgrown paths and fly amidst the towering trees. Often painted in the colours of snow, most [CREATURE NAME] are white with soft browns and creams or dots of grey though a few may possess other natural colours and markings. The females of the species can be told apart by their longer, tufted ears whilst the males have softer, rounder audits. On the small side, they range from about 30cm to 45cm in height.

Additional Notes

Theme tunes:
Harry and Hermione
Lily's theme

COLLABORATION BETWEEN DARK AND SILV