The Sacred Light

A roleplay experience like no other.

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Solar GroveThe name for the whole of Maple Guild's territory, Solar Grove is named after the guild's archaic name from well before they moved into the Estuary. Brightly lit and abundant with life, the predominantly maple forest comprises the bulk of Maple Guild’s territory.Art by Bewilderbark

Spruce ObservatoryTucked deep up in the foothills near the eastern border where it is quiet and peaceful lies Maple Guild's Seerkeeper shrine. Like all shrines, it is a steady pile of stones where guilders can speak to, report to, or ask the Seerkeeper for advice. People of Maple Guild are most closely affiliated with the Seerkeeper directly as he was, and still technically is, a Maple Guilder. Since many of them grew up with him directly, gifts like prey, herbs, and flowers are often left in large amounts at the Spruce Observatory Shrine. This name was given to it because Maple Guilders can look over the entirety of Maple Guild territory from atop the Shrine.

Basking StonesA pile of somewhat flat, old, prehistoric mountain rocks that sit out in the open near the bay. Maple Guilders will halt a long hunt or patrol to relax here and enjoy the warmth of the sun's rays while listening to the waves crashing on the cliffs nearby. It can also be a good place to look for ermine who like to linger and live inside the rocks! Some times you can find the travelling raccoon traders resting here from their long journey to deliver herbs to the Highland Curen.

Hunter's OasisIn the centre of where the maple and hemlock trees merge towards the Hemlock Guild border, this little boggy pond can be found. Rich with both herbs and prey, it offers the most reliable pocket of territory for hunting and gathering Keeper supplies in Maple Guild! Oddly enough, when the guild lived in Paradise Bay during pre-modern times, they also had a Hunter's Oasis which was quite a bit similar. Most veteran Maple Guilders will agree the new one is much prettier!

Baywall CaveA tidal cave exposed during low tides, which can be a good place to hunt sea creatures caught in the massive tide pool within. The tide doesn't rise fast enough for locals to be in any danger while trying to hunt these ocean critters. Nestled in the far Eastern edge of Maple Guild territory and fully isolated, it also serves as a good place to be alone with yourself - or a potential lover.

Goliath TreeA massive and very old maple tree in Maple Guild, its age dates back to about three hundred years - which isn’t particularly rare for the maples of untouched regions such as Maple Guild - they can live up to half a millennia or longer. This tree in particular, however, due to low hanging branches, is a fantastic climbing tree, and a great place to gain confidence in one’s balance, especially for younger guilders, or guilders learning how to adapt to new disabilities.

Stellar MoorsThe abandoned and overgrown hillscape farmland that is Aspen Guild's dominant hunting region, named after their archaic traditional name. The Stellar Moors are occasionally met with ruins or long decaying barns, sheds, fences, and even stone foundations as it was once a prospering homestead many decades ago. These are great places to find prey hiding and to explore.

Skyhidden WoodsA deep bunch of aspens that drown out all the noise, here, Aspen Guilders will find the Seerkeeper Shrine where the canopy breaks to show the stars above. Many long-furred creatures come here to cool off and enjoy the comfort of The Rested’s safe embrace. Aspen Guilders often leave the Seerkeeper wild vegetables which grow freely in their territory due to it once being human farmland. Like all shrines, this shrine is a settled pile of flat stones. This is also where Aspen Guild buries their dead, save for the CoastClan descendants, who are given a proper CoastClan funeral.

OceanwatchA part of Aspen Guild close to the ocean where guilders can watch the waves, hunt, or climb down the bay slope to catch seaside critters like crabs and fish, which get trapped in pools when the tide recedes. While they aren't as good at this as Birch Guild, the fish stuck in tide pools make a good bit of food for the lazy courser.

Steel CrossingIn Cape Breton, many stream and creek crossings are short span truss bridges, which are simply made to withstand the water and still allow fish to pass through below. Steel Crossing is a good place to find some prey, such as young salmon, or freshwater fish. It’s also just a good place to explore, or practice climbing difficult or complex structures.

Abandoned BarnA grove of aspen trees up on the northwestern slopes of the guild. The Little Iron Path, otherwise known as the coal train tracks, run through this grove. Grouse and pheasant are common in this area, and successful coursers can chase them out into the open and out of the safety of the trees! The area is well known for it’s unwanted inhabitants though, so watch for coyotes and bobcats!

Lunar CreekThese sea stacks, named after the first guild Seer, Frozenshield, are located at the bottom of a sheer waterfall cliff that drops into a round ocean pool with much gentler currents than the sea at large, allowing for saplings to get comfortable swimming in them without worrying about being dragged out in an undertow or a riptide. Shellfish enjoy the low currents, so the Shield Stacks are also an ideal place for new providers to learn how to crack open their hard shells to get at the meat inside. It's use for training in other areas for new providers also makes it a convenient location for battle training in water.

Carving FallsThe location of Birch Guild’s Seerkeeper Shrine, Carving Falls is a quiet, smooth waterfall that cuts through the cliffs and sand of the beach below. The site of the shrine itself is enclosed by ocean cliffs, making it a quiet and peaceful place to seek the guidance of the Seerkeeper. Like each and every one of the shrines, Birch Guild’s Seerkeeper shrine is composed of a stack of smooth, flat rocks, though this one is distinguished by its aquatic decorations of sea glass, shells and coral fossils. When the tide comes in, it covers the bottom of the shrine in knee-deep water.

Seaside DrinkA large freshwater spring fed from below that lays up against the bay, the Seaside Drink is separated by a rocky, vegetation-solidified bar just high enough that it keeps the saltwater from flowing freely into the water or seeping in through the sand. It is rich with prey and lake vegetation, especially freshwater fish, which draw waterfowl in to live there all year round.

Halflight's OverlookNamed for a legendary, long-past leader of LunarClan long before the guilds arrived in the Estuary, Halflight's Overlook - previously known as Halfstar's Overlook - is the tallest hill on Birch Guild’s territory, from which the whole northern portion of the territory can be seen. Rumours abound that her spirit lingers at the hill watching over the guild that Phoenixlight took from her so many seasons ago from afar, and some Birch Guilders even say that they’ve seen her resting atop the hill on particularly starry nights.

Sailor's BlunderPreviously called Blindeye's Rest - this part of the territory is home to a large quantity of sunken and wrecked ships, both new and old. Formed in a naturally deep part of the coast with a strong current and eddies, Blindeye’s Rest has a rocky ocean floor rich with shellfish and crustaceans for those brave enough to go looking for them. Because of the way the land is formed, fog the flows in from the northwest pools between the cliffs above the water, making it difficult for sailors and boaters to see the lighthouse back when GPS were less common. There hasn't been any recent wreckages, so be careful not to cut yourself on the rusty metal!

Eclipse WoodsNamed after Hemlock Guild's archaic name, this is the general hunting region for this guild. Unlike the deep and dizzying forests of British Columbia and Alberta, the Eclipse Woods are still quite bright, and are not heavily dominated by only conifers. Plenty of other trees grow well in these parts, but they have a much higher number of Jack Pine, White Spruce, and Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga) trees than the rest of the guilds. While all seven of the factions have ferns, moss, and foliage in their undergrowth, Hemlock Guild has significantly more fungi and lichen.

MistwatchHemlock Guild’s shrine used to be Shore Steppe, but during a particularly rough hurricane end, the steppe was under the tide, and their Seer didn’t like the idea of burying the dead where they could get washed out to sea. Therefore, the shrine was moved further north into the Eclipse Woods, atop a foothill north of a wildflower meadow, allowing deceased Hemlock Guilders to be able to view the beautiful fog rolling in off the ocean from their resting place. The area surrounding the shrine is rich with herbs and moonlight, and like the rest of the guilds, the shrine itself is a pile of flat rocks. Hemlock Guild was haunted and hunted by shadows worse than any of the other guilds in their old homes, therefore the Seerkeeper shrine in this guild is often covered in rare herbs to thank the Seerkeeper for saving them from extinction during the Shadow Contagion many seasons ago. Hemlock Guilders may often find toys for kittens or shiny stones left by Phoenixlight as gifts for his boy, since the Seerkeeper is his son.To the south of the shrine is a large meadow filled with beautiful yellow flowers, with some purple and pink as well. It's a great place to hunt ground prey. It’s a nice break from the dense Cape Breton Highland forest, and provides a great place to roll around or look for rare herbs or flowers, either for the Keepers, or perhaps for a loved one.

Blinking BeachA sandy and idyllic beach on the coast of Hemlock Guild, named this because the Lamplight shines at night, when most of Hemlock Guild hunts. The light is a familiar and comforting sign of clear weather for the Hemlock Guilders hunting through the dense and mossy forest under the night sky. The light also bounces off of any crabs roaming around at night that Hemlock Guild coursers may be seeking for the guild, making it a strategic hunting place during less foggy weather.

Sunglow IslandWhile not technically an island, Sunglow Island is a wide strip of land which is divided by a river on each side. It’s called Sunglow due to it being the least coniferous part of Hemlock Guild, being thick with Acadian forest trees such as Sugar Maple, Yellow Birch, and Trembling Aspen, since it has the least thick canopy, it’s very bright and almost ‘golden’ compared to the rest of the territory, save for the Golden Meadow, of course.

Collapsed CabinA cabin a few decades old in northern Hemlock Guild has finally collapsed after years of neglect. Considering the Cape Breton Highlands is federally and provincially protected, it’s likely that it was built illegally in the 70’s or 80’s. It provides important supplies and prey, and is a great place to look for new items for one’s guild. After the Seer got an injury on a nail, the Hemlock Guild sentries shoved pieces of branches and bark onto any exposed nail, but it’s still quite dangerous to navigate. Watch your step!

Looming RavineA deep hollow tucked in one of the most dense portions of the Hemlock Guild woods, atop an incline, which allows saplings to learn how to stalk, blend into the night shadows, and climb the trees like squirrels. Speaking of squirrels- it's a great place to hunt for chipmunks, squirrels, and even ermine which might be slipping between the rocks. Sometimes a guilder may be lucky enough to find a local bobcat resting beneath it's walls to trade with. The walls are steep as well, and sometimes it’s just a fun place to play tag or hide and seek between all of the crevices!

The GridThe Grid was founded on the remains of the recently abandoned trailer park and consists of a cross work of gravel roads, reclaimed wildflower fields and the remnants of human activity. While the humans did their best to naturalise the area, it is still rich with invasive garden plants, small soft wood trees and drainage ditches.
The area is artificially flat and free of large boulders or ancient trees. The soil here is unusually sandy and highly homogenous; lacking the rich root and fungus networks found in established wildlands. This makes digging easy, however the Ursalis have to use their wits to reinforce the weak earth and prevent cave-ins.
The Grid is bordered by Alder Guild to the north and Birch Guild across the road to the east. Sophisticated traps and well hidden bolt holes are scattered around the edge of the territory, providing protection from predators and competitors alike.

Gravel FieldsA series of gravel driveways left behind where invasive herbs that prefer disturbed soils grow lush. A large drainage ditch runs along the main roadways of the abandoned Trailer Park. Large clumps of daylilies have started to spread along the ditches and provide a covered trail for the rabbits to travel down. Chicory, self-heal, ox-eye daisy and wild carrot are particularly common on the road edges, however the open skies make it a good hunting ground for predatory birds.

Concrete PadsA meadow filled with concrete pads from where homes once stood, now empty with grass growing freely around them. The remnants of old gardens still contain hardier vegetables such lettuce, onions and carrots; along with decorative plants like tulips, hostas and lamb’s ear. They're the best spot to sharpen pikes, craft stone tools, and stretch animal hides, and are good because fellow rabbits can gather food and herbs nearby with easy line of sight towards predators; avian or otherwise.

Crumbling CrossAn old wooden bridge which stretches over the deep, narrow river which eventually goes to Birch Guild. This is a good spot to gather waterside plants like reeds, horsetail and sweet grass since the fallen pieces of bridge provide safe spots to lean over the water. An old black willow provides a shaded area to rest from the summer heat. However, the mink are known to nest in the crumbled concrete and need to be watched for.

Young WoodlandA collection of recently planted trees, all of which are less than two metres tall and many of which are still loosely tethered to metal posts. The majority of the woods is perfectly spaced red spruce with the occasional, small deciduous tree. The undergrowth is sparse, with needle filled, acidic soil and thin scrapes of moss and lichen. Near the edge is a collection of sugar maples interspersed with trembling aspen and endangered Black Ash. A pair of Bur Oak stand on their own a short distance away.

Towering AlderA massive alder tree sits in the centre of a small clearing, its bark scared by generations of black bears carefully eating its sap. Smaller white spruce create a protective stand of trees with thick undergrowth and few small tunnels for the rabbits to hide in. At its base is a large rock with a crude bear painted on it, which acts as an excellent announcement site for spiritual rituals and ceremonies. A small alcove has been dug at the base of the tree among its roots for the rabbits to leave offerings/gifts to their God.