The Sacred Light
A roleplay experience like no other.
Welcome to our World!
The animals of TSL are highly intelligent and advanced, capable of standing upright and utilizing their paws much like hands. You may see human-like terminology used; hands and feet instead of paws, or hair or skin instead of fur. They're knowledgeable about their world — scavenging the remnants of the nearby humans to use this manmade technology to advance themselves as a society. They have marriages, holidays, religion, science, laws, and a political hierarchy. They accommodate their disabled, and they take care of one another and work together to overcome the adversities they face.
The cats, foxes, and other animals of the guilds are well versed in medical alchemy, able to preform rudimentary surgeries, and build structures and cellars to house their herbs and food long-term. They use fires to smoke meat and keep warm in the damp sub-tropical Atlantic Canadian winters. The animals of TSL replicate the cultural knowledge of the Mi'kmaw.
The highly emotionally intelligent Ursalis rabbits (who are invasive to the region; and have escaped their humans to live a life of greater purpose) have conquered their prey instinct to become akin to the very predators they live amongst. They are hunter-gatherers, smoking meats to trade with the cats and foxes, and tending to complex gardens to sustain them through the winters.
An eldritch enemy.
TSL's main antagonist is a powerful non-living spiritual entity which controls the natural order. When this natural order is disrupted, this negative spiritual entity becomes too abundant, causing famine and violence.
A developing society.
TSL hosts Project campaigns where members can work together to engineer and build new structures and new technology to help further the Estuarians in their pursuit of technology! This helps with survival, quality of life, and overall happiness; which helps their souls fend off the Unholy Dark.
Acquire great power.
The animal people of the Estuary and it's surrounding world can take advantage of the Sacred Light and the Unholy Dark within their souls; these spiritual energies can give them unfathomable power, or bring them a horrible demise. Complete trials to level up your Path to acquire the powers of the spiritual realm!
Stress free activity checks.
With one activity check every four months which is completed by naturally participating, TSLers have more time to focus on forging their unique characters, and participating in fun events to get to know their fellow server members! Roleplay is about having fun, not about the stress of meeting deadlines. We're here to escape reality, not recreate it!
TSL has custom bots to help members navigate and have fun!
Consider subscribing to our Patreon to help support us!
© The Sacred Light. All rights reserved.
‘The Sacred Light’ is the ineffable entity which represents the positive side of the universal spiritual balance that is sometimes called ‘Shimmers’ by the Guilds. It clings to the souls of those who are kind and open with their love, though it seldom shows itself physically.When it interferes with mortals’ affairs, it does so through Sacred Prophets or specific spiritual sites. One of said sites is the Pool of Spirits: an immense pool of liquid light hidden away from the greedy hands of humanity. Local creatures often make pilgrimage to its location in the Highlands. Some animals who are tossed into its depths get their afflictions healed, while others sink to the bottom. Items containing the DNA of the deceased are sometimes tossed into the pool in hopes that they’ll be revived. They feel no ill will if they are not, understanding that they cannot dictate or judge the intentions of a non-sentient, positive force being that is incomprehensible to mortal creatures.
Current Sacred Prophet of the Guilds, Nimbuswatcher of Birch Guild, in his 'true' form of Enlightenment.
[Drawn by kingofheretics]
A piece of art inspired by the horrors of being infected by the Unholy Dark.
[Drawn by Cameil]
‘The Unholy Dark’ is the entity which opposes the Sacred Light and represents the negative side of the universal spiritual balance. This is sometimes called ‘shadows’ by the Guilds. It clings to the souls of those suffering from grief, depression, and other mental ailments. Historical manifestations of Shadows have been called Demons by mankind, and its influence has caused fully black animals to be perceived as unlucky due to their resemblance to shrouds.Due to the harmful influence of humanity on the planet Earth, the balance has been thrown off in favor of the Unholy Dark, causing it to over-manifest as disease, famine, and agony. The Shadows, being a non-sentient negative force, cannot control what they do or who they target.The influence of the Shadows can manifest in two ways: Possession, where the Dark grips one’s soul, and Infection, where it grips one’s body. Too much Possession causes the physical form to become blackened like the void, called a shroud, a horrifying appearance which causes ‘petrification’, a paralysis in those who see it. Some have discovered how to correctly make use of this power, so it is not always a death sentence.Infection, on the other hand, is the fatal result of the negative interference of the spiritual into the physical body. Although it has many sources, the most common ones are long periods of illness, shroud bites, or ingesting shrouded material.
The Factions
GUILD - The advanced animal colonies which dominate a larger portion of the Estuary. Once predominantly made up of feral cats, they are now home to cats, bobcats, foxes, and some mustelids like mink and martens. They are highly civilized and advanced, having access to tools and fire. They are very friendly, adaptable, and are known for their open-mindedness.URSALIS - The rabbit colony which lives in the recently demolished former Trailer Park. They craft spear tips with broken pottery and broken glass, and worship the black bear. These rabbits are ‘uncanny’ and look head-on as if they’re predatory animals, using their blind spot in the centre of their vision to intimidate enemies. ‘The hunter becomes the hunted’.REALM - The large regional ‘kingdoms’ which the bobcats divide their allegiance too. They are run by a Mortal Prophet who is called the ‘Monarch’ and have a complex territory structure to protect the vulnerable but maintain their territorial and independent nature.OVERGROWTH - The highly adept hares which live in an underground city. They trade herbs and resources in exchange for not being hunted by their typical predators, and control the political and socioeconomic structure of the entire Estuary through a treaty called the Overgrowth Alliance.
Server Roles
OWNER - The founder and owner of TSL. They take care of the website UX and UI, all of the design elements for the server, and organize all events. As well as general administrative duties, their role is also to distribute assignments and tasks among the staff members and keep track of the personal status of server members, such as mental health, workload, and interpersonal concerns, which may effect their ability to do activity checks or participate in expectations if they have a high rank.GODMIN - Originally a joke used for Modmins who co-own the server, the term ‘Godmin’ eventually stuck. Godmins are designated specific tasks as well as assisting some of the Owner’s workload, particularly the emotional workload.MODMIN - ‘Moderator Administrator’. The general admins of the server, who are assigned specific responsibilities, as well as helping with chat moderation.SUBMOD - ‘Subordinate Moderator’. The Modmins in training, or staff who want to assist but cannot bare the load of a full Modmin. Their tasks typically include data entry and information tracking.
Plot Glossary
MILESTONE - A milestone is when a character's path reaches multiples of five (5, 10, 15, etc.) Milestones always have an effect on the character, be it a buff or debuff. This term is only used out-of-character.PATHS - The sets of predetermined spiritual fates that your character can follow depending on their actions- particularly in trials. A starting path is randomly rolled for each character when they are approved. We cannot tell you what causes a character to go down a specific path, as it is up to members to find this out and track it themselves. Lots of traits are already known, so feel free to ask other members on what path traits they know of. This term is only used out-of-character.MORTAL / SACRED / UNHOLY PROPHET - The varying beings which absorb great power to control the natural spiritual entities of TSL's world!GUILDER - A member of a guild, 'that fox is a guilder'.URSALIC - Meaning of the Ursalis, 'that rabbit is Ursalic'.PROVIDERS - An adult member of the Guilds or the Ursalis, who provides for their faction through hunting, protecting, or healing.VILLAGE - The home densite of each of the Estuary factions.SHIMMER PATH - A path to a fate characterized by having the mind touched by the Sacred Light. It is brought on by (redacted). There is not enough public information about this path. This term is only used out-of-character.SHADOW PATH - A path to a fate characterized by having the mind touched by the Unholy Dark. Publicly known traits to cause Shadow Path include depression, grief, and fear of the unholy dark. This term is only used out-of-character.MIRACLE PATH - A path to a fate characterized by having the body touched by the Sacred Light. It is brought on by (redacted). There is not enough public information about this path. This term is only used out-of-character.ANNIHILATION PATH - A path to a fate characterized by having the body touched by the Unholy Dark. It is brought on by physical interaction with the Unholy Dark, most frequently through biting a shroud or being bitten by a shroud, or through excessive physical harm like chronic illness. This term is only used out-of-character.ENLIGHTENMENT and VEILS - To be enlightened is to be on Shimmer Path. To be Veiled is to obtain a cloak of the sacred light by advancing to a high path level. In character, enlightenment is a term defined by ‘being spiritually touched by the sacred light’.POSSESSION and SHROUDS - To be possessed is to be on Shadow Path. To be Shrouded is to obtain a cloak of the unholy dark by advancing to a high path level and not dying from the side effects. In character, possession is a term defined by ‘being spiritually touched by the unholy dark’.INFECTION and THE DAMNED - To be infected is to be on Annihilation Path. To be Damned is (redacted). In character, infection is a term defined by ‘being physically touched by the unholy dark’.GRACED and THE DEVOTED - To be graced is to be on Miracle Path. To be Devoted is (redacted). In character, graced has not been used yet, and it is not yet fully understood.
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© The Sacred Light. All rights reserved.
Maple Guild is a colony of great determination, and while their providers are strong bodied, they are some of the most kind and playful cats in the Estuary; the sugar maple reflecting their sweet personalities.Though trouble is afoot, as many cats are not satisfied with the Overseer’s work or contribution as the protector of the Guilds. Many are beginning to see the flaws in Maple Guild’s reliance on Wyvernfire. Some have begun to seriously doubt Copperlight’s skill as a seer as well, due to previous seers being unreliable, and the history of corruption and betrayal within the guild from many years past has elder felines in the colony looking towards Hemlock Guild.
Aspen Guild is a colony of witty speed and open hunting, their providers are built to run through the untamed grassland and with the focus not to lose track of their quick-moving prey. They are the most skilled at disappearing into the tall grass of the abandoned meadowland, appearing on top of their enemies long before they’ve been scented or seen.Aspen Guild has been victim to many young deaths, so they are protective over their herbs, and protective over both sprout and sapling. They have an extremely close relationship with Hemlock Guild, and it’s not unusual to find Hemlock Guild cats hunting in their territory, or Aspen Guild cats hunting in Hemlock Guild. Some patriotic cats in the Guild hate this reliance on Phoenixlight’s protection.
Birch Guild cats are incredibly clever with their paws, crafty in their ways of catching shellfish and grabbing fish from the bogs and rivers. While they aren’t strong enough to fight the ocean waves, they are very capable swimmers. The fur of Birch Guilders must be thick to combat the constant dampness of their territory and the frequent fog.While they still battle against the frustrations of nature, this Guild remains untouchable. Their territory making them nearly inaccessible to predators. This also means the cats in this Guild may often come off as unaware or aloof to others, as they’re somewhat cut-off from the struggles of the others. They enjoy their peaceful lifestyle, and avoid drama or gossip to maintain their little corner of paradise.
Hemlock Guild cats are hunters of the trees, and lurkers of the roots. They are incredibly flexible and move like snakes in the undergrowth. They are masters of stealth, and know how to disappear into the world around them.Hemlock is the largest and most powerful of the five Guilds, and trouble lurks deep in the darkest corners of the Estuary. Other cats envy their strength and the privileges they have with two shrouds among their ranks, and some are profoundly upset by their Seer having so much influence and control over the entire Estuary, as he is the founder of the guilds.
The Ursalis are a warren of highly intelligent, clever, and invasive domestic rabbits that have fled mankind to make a name for themselves in the wild world. They’re protective, courageous, and crafty.The Ursalis have recently moved into the abandoned flats of concrete and gardens which used to be home to several hundred mobile homes, formerly known as the ‘Trailer Park’, they have renamed it The Grid due to the grid-like pattern the drive ways, concrete pads, and roads left behind. The Ursalis are trying to get closer to the Guilds and the Concord, but are still unsure, having always viewed cats and foxes as predators. With no Ursa in power, they’ll need to pick a new leader before they can take on the challenge of becoming allies with these other complex factions.
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Consider subscribing to our Patreon to help support us!
© The Sacred Light. All rights reserved.
Guild Ranks
High Ranks
Seerkeeper, Overseer, and Underseer
> - The Mortal Prophet, Sacred Prophet, and Unholy Prophet respectively. Their jobs are to oversee the guilds and keep them safe from the corresponding forces; the Seerkeeper protects the Guilds from living forces, the Overseer maintains the Guilds’ positive spiritual force, and the Underseer maintains the Guilds’ negative spiritual force. They often help other groups or people outside of the guilds. The Seerkeeper also oversees the development and progress of the Estuary as a growing civillised nation.Seer
> - The leader of a Guild. They have the highest authority, and are immortal. They are typically benevolent, and their immortality may be stripped if they act wrongfully in the eyes of the Seerkeeper. The Seerkeeper can demote wrongful Seers, but Seers can also die if attacked by shrouds, as their immortality, granted by Sacred power, can be countered by Unholy power. They have the -light suffix to signify their loyalty and dedication to the Sacred Light.Regents
> - There are Sentry Regents and Courser Regents. Sentry Regents lead and command the sentries and their saplings according to their Seer. While they would lead the lines in war, for the most part, they actually manage diplomacy and communicating with other animals in the guilds to maintain borders and a friendly disposition. The Courser Regent command the coursers and their saplings according to their Seer, and bare the largest emotional weight of hunting and gathering for the guild.Keeper
> - The highly advanced healers of the Guilds. They are able to form complex medications and complete dangerous surgeries such as amputations. They understand bacteria, and keep their dens strictly sterile. They also tend to the fire in the centre of the villages, and often brew teas within leftover human pottery to share with their guildmates.
Providers
Sentry
> - The guards and patrollers of the guilds. Due to the immense size of Guild territories, sentries work on a detailed rotation schedule and are changed out daily make sure no one sentry is repeatedly assigned to just nights or days. They are free to do courser duties as long as they have accomplished their sentry tasks for the day. Both sentries and coursers are expected to know how to fight, just less-so in skill for coursers.Courser
> - The hunters and gatherers of the guilds. Coursers have the most difficult tasks, and it’s not easy to ignore that sentries have it easier sometimes. Coursers may hunt or they may also utilize trap setting with bait. They track the migrations and prey populations to ensure they are not overhunting. They are free to do sentry duties as long as they have accomplished their courser tasks for the day. Both sentries and coursers are expected to know how to hunt, just less-so in skill for sentries.Sapling
> - Providers in training for either sentry, courser, or keeper. Saplings can change ranks mid-training if they decide the rank they chose isn’t working out for them, but it does extend their training period by a few months.___Sentry saplings use the -root suffix.
___Courser saplings use the -twig suffix.
___Keeper Saplings use the -seed suffix.
Villagers
Sprout
> - A kitten between 0-3 months who is learning about life in the guilds, exploring with supervision, and deciding on the rank they choose to study.Atriarch
> - The gender neutral version of Patriarch/Matriarch. Atriarchs are cats over 180 months old who have retired from their duties. In TSL, characters are not allowed to retire due to disabilities, and characters live far longer due to access to advanced medicine, bacteria theory, and surgical procedures. Cats can live up to 25 years in TSL!
Ursalis Ranks
High Ranks
Ursa
> - The leader and highest authority of the Ursalis. They are responsible for maintaining the health and welfare of the group; coordinating the Bear ranks, and arranging accommodations for the sick and disabled. They also provide spiritual and moral guidance to their followers. The Ursa does not travel without protection, and are extremely courageous and have a very strong faith which they share with their followers through rituals and ceremonies.Bear Tooth
> - The lead rank of the Tooths, and the one responsible for large defence plans. They coordinate attacks on local predators, determine the location of pitfall traps, and protect the Ursa with their life. They designate their Tooths to patrolling the boundaries in small groups, taking turns on rotation so rabbits can take time to eat regularly. The Bear Tooth also mitigates any in-field communication with friendly species or redirects them to the Ursa.Bear Claw
> - The lead rank of the Claws. While following the instructions of the Ursa to coordinate the claws’ day to day work, they also utilise their own insight to designate tasks appropriately. They’re in charge of monitoring other Estuary factions, keeping the Ursa updated on the state of these other groups, and ensuring the Ursalis have long term food security.Bear Paw
> - The lead rank of the Paws; the master healer. Paws are fairly independent, but they can seek out assistance from the Bear Paw when they need insight or advice. The Bear Paw is the most skilled at surgical procedures. They are in charge of planning herb gathering patrols for the Paws, and also in charge of keeping the other ranks informed on what herbs to look out while patrolling or eating in the abandoned Trailer Park.
Providers
Tooth
> - The Tooth’s act as the Ursalis’ guards. They focus on securing the territory by patrolling and placing spears in the ground like pikes, and deterring any predator threats, typically from coyotes, bobcats, mink, stoats, and owls. They also protect and watch over all of the other ranks when they are travelling outside of the village to eat. They typically carry spearheadsClaw
> - The scouts and gatherers of the Ursalis. They accumulate information, find better grazing grounds for the warren, and secure dried food such as grasses and berries for overwintering. They are extremely fast, and more skilled at dodging predators, making them excellent for locating dangerous animals and informing the Tooths so they can counter and defeat the enemy.Paw
> - Paws are healers, emotional and physical. Outside of healing those who are wounded, and tending to the mental health of their comrades, Paws gather complex or potentially dangerous herbs. They mix detailed poultices, but unlike the other factions, the Ursalis can’t safely maintain a fire, so they cannot brew teas. Paws need to know their poisons, as some rabbits whose breeds doom them to a painful death would rather reach the Great Meadow sooner. Paws are also responsible for raising serious mental health concerns up to the Bear Paw, or even the Ursa.
Villagers
Ears
> - The elderly or disabled. They continue to perform the duties of their previous adult rank at their own pace if they choose to, as well as taking care of small tasks around the warren. Rabbits will start to retire around 8-10 years old, depending on their health, life experiences, and whether they were born to humans and vaccinated. We suggest reading the detailed description of ranks if you intend on making a disabled Ursalis rabbit.Fluffs
> - Fluffs are the kits of the Ursalis. They are blind, deaf and hairless until about two weeks old, after which they can start to interact with the world outside their nest. Tufts are raised communally, although the parents still act as the primary caregivers. Despite the stereotypes often painted in media, rabbits pair bond, and bucks help raise the young alongside the doe.Cats can live up to 25 years in TSL!
Base Stats
Members can complete monthly challenges or participate in plot events to obtain stat points, which they can allocate to Strength, Agility, Fortitude, Dexterity, Perception, and Intelligence. Upon reaching a certain level of your skill branch, you can unlock one of three attributes of that skill branch.Based on your character's rank/age, they receive the following starting points which you can distribute how you please.
Sprouts / Fluffs - 5 points
Saplings / Tufts - 10 points
Providers - 20 points
Keepers / Regents / Bears - 30 points
Ursa - 30 points
Seers - 50 points
Strength
✨ Offense: Biting, clawing, and brute-force attacks on enemies.✨ Takedown: Taking down larger prey, called Tier 3 prey.✨ Carrying Capacity: Any character can carry one item of a reasonable amount; so if they are gathering herbs, they can only gather one type of herb. Increasing your carrying capacity allows you to gather multiple different items of a reasonable amount during projects, events, or general roleplaying. You can also purchase satchels from the shop to carry even more items!
Agility
✨ Strike Count: How many attacks per attack.✨ Dodge: Dodge enemy attacks.✨ Reflexes: Catching fast-moving prey or objects.
Fortitude
✨ Health: How many health points your character has.✨ Resistance: Resistance to injuries or illness.✨ Thorns: Reflecting attack damage to an attacker.
Dexterity
✨ Trapping: Setting traps for prey.✨ Medical Precision: Performing surgeries and suturing.✨ Artistry: Item and decor crafting, as well as fur styling.
Perception
✨ Stealth: Ability to stay unseen and unheard.✨ Speech: Charisma, manipulation, and the ability to lie.✨ Resolve: Resistance to manipulation and lying.
Intelligence
✨ Knowledge: Wisdom about prey, predators, and medicine.✨ Discoveries: Engineering new ideas and executing them.✨ Tracking: Finding people or prey.
Skill Trees
Strength Disciplines
| Offense | Takedown |
|---|---|
| Includes claw or bite attacks | To take down Tier 3 prey |
| Carrying Capacity |
|---|
| Any character can carry one item of a reasonable amount; so if they are gathering herbs, they can only gather one type of herb. Increasing your carrying capacity allows you to gather multiple different items of a reasonable amount during projects, events, or general roleplaying. You can also purchase satchels from the shop to carry even more items! |
| Level | Offense | Takedown | Carrying Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ 1 ] | 5p: +3 to attack rolls | 5p: +3 to takedown rolls | 3p: +1 items when gathering |
| [ 2 ] | 10p: +5 to attack rolls | 10p: +5 to takedown rolls | 5p: +2 items when gathering |
| [ 3 ] | 15p: +7 to attack rolls | 15p: +7 to takedown rolls | 10p: +3 items when gathering |
Agility Disciplines
| Level | Strike Count | Dodge | Reflexes |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ 1 ] | 5p: 25% chance of 2 strikes per attack | 5p: +3 to dodge rolls | 3p: +3 to rolls to catch flying prey, catch fast prey, or grab ahold of moving objects |
| [ 2 ] | 10p: 50% chance of 2 strikes per attack | 10p: +5 to dodge rolls | 5p: +5 to rolls to catch flying prey, catch fast prey, or grab ahold of moving objects |
| [ 3 ] | 15p: 75% chance of 2 strikes per attack | 15p: +7 to dodge rolls | 10p: +7 to rolls to catch flying prey, catch fast prey, or grab ahold of moving objects |
Fortitude Disciplines
| Level | Health | Resistance | Thorns |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ 1 ] | 5p: +10 to base health | 5p: Resistance to Tier 1 diseases and injuries | 3p: 25% chance of reflecting 25% of an attack’s damage |
| [ 2 ] | 10p: +20 to base health | 15p: Resistance to Tier 2 disease and injuries | 5p: 25% chance of reflecting 50% of an attack’s damage |
| [ 3 ] | 15p: +30 to base health | 25p: Resistance to Tier 3 diseases and Injuries | 10p: 50% chance of reflecting 50% of an attack’s damage |
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diseases / Injuries | Ring Rot, Fog Fever & minor infected wounds | Grey Mouth, major infected wounds | Rabies, limb amputation, Bloodlung |
Dexterity Disciplines
| Level | Trapping | Medical Precision | Artistry |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ 1 ] | 5p: Able to use Tier 1 traps | 5p: Able to clean and suture small gashes (such as attacks from other cats) | 5p: Able to craft small jewelry like earrings, small items like bowls, and/or style fur |
| [ 2 ] | 10p: Able to use Tier 2 traps | 15p: Able to clean and suture large life-threatening wounds (such as attacks from bobcats) | 10p: Able to craft jewelry like necklaces and bracelets, items like small bags |
| [ 3 ] | 15p: Able to use Tier 3 traps | 25p: Able to perform amputations and life-saving surgeries (within the limits of their reality) | 20p: Able to craft cloaks, minor clothing garments, and spears |
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traps | Snares, deadfall traps | Pitfall traps, small fish corral | Tunnel traps, net traps |
Perception Disciplines
| Level | Stealth | Speech | Resolve |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ 1 ] | 5p: +3 to Stealth Checks | 5p: +3 to Speech Checks | 5p: Needs a roll of 15 or higher for a speech check to pass on them |
| [ 2 ] | 10p: +5 to Stealth Checks | 10p: +5 to Speech Checks | 10p: Needs a roll of 20 or higher for a speech check to pass on them |
| [ 3 ] | 15p: +7 to Stealth Checks | 15p: +7 to Speech Checks | 15p: Needs a roll of 25 or higher for a speech check to pass on them |
| Stealth | Speech | Resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Stalking prey eavesdropping | Convincing, manipulating, or lying | Resisting manipulation or lies |
Intelligence Disciplines
| Level | Knowledge | Discoveries | Tracking |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ 1 ] | 5p: +3 to intellect checks related to prey/predator knowledge, or herb uses | 5p: +3 to new discoveries | 5p: +3 to tracking checks |
| [ 2 ] | 10p: +5 to intellect checks related to prey/predator knowledge, or herb uses | 10p: +5 to new discoveries | 10p: +5 to tracking checks |
| [ 3 ] | 15p: +7 to intellect checks related to prey/predator knowledge, or herb uses | 15p: +7 to new discoveries | 15p: +7 to tracking checks |
| Discoveries | Tracking |
|---|---|
| Inventing new cures, new food recipes, or new inventions | Locating prey or enemies |
TSL has custom bots to help members navigate and have fun!
Consider subscribing to our Patreon to help support us!
© The Sacred Light. All rights reserved.
TSL has custom bots to help members navigate and have fun!
Consider subscribing to our Patreon to help support us!
✨ Timeline plugin made by @jasonleowsg.
© The Sacred Light. All rights reserved.
Step One
Get Verified!
If you don’t send us a roleplay sample that meets our literacy standards, you will not be able to enter the server. You must be verified and accepted into the server within five days of joining or you will be kicked from the server. You can rejoin and try again at any time! However, you only get one attempt at sending a sample. Make sure you meet the following requirements:- Samples must contain both dialogue and narration.
- Samples cannot be a link or a Google Doc.
- Samples must be in third-person.
- Try to keep your tense consistent.
- Don’t use italics (*) outside of thoughts or emphasis. You’re free to use bold (**) on dialogue.
- Changing one character’s pronouns in the same sentence doesn’t work well when there’s no context like there typically is with roleplay samples; we suggest for the sake of clarity, please don’t change a single character’s pronouns multiple times in one sentence.
- The longer the sample, the longer the time to be approved, which means you might get kicked before we can actually read your sample. If we only require 50 words per roleplay post, so why would you send us 500 words in your sample? Keep it short and efficient to quickly show your literacy skills!
Step Two
Pick Your Faction!
In order to become a member of TSL you must create a character! Each species is unique with their own factions, own cultures, and a different set of species guidelines based on their culture and real-world biology. Once you have chosen your faction and species, you can make sure the rank you picked for your character is open simply by asking @Modmins in the #questions channel on Discord.You can’t try out for any high ranks until you have at least one pre-existing character.
Make sure you have read all of these info pages:
#Faction Ranks
#Stats
#Our Lore
#Activity Checks
#Character Guidelines (on Discord!)TSL is over ten years old, and our lore can can be overwhelming, so be sure to take things like the History page or the Terminology at your own pace! Feel free to ask us if you have any questions, but keep in mind we can’t answer most questions around paths, as you will need to answer these yourself through roleplay and plot discovery.
Step Three
Submit Your Character!
A physical reference sheet is required, please check below Step Three to see our guidelines on physical reference sheets, and how you can go about acquiring one if you’re unable to draw it yourself.TSL Blank Application Template
- Make a copy of this document and fill in your character's information in each field.You must use Google Docs. Applications submitted using Toyhouse or Google Slides will be rejected.TSL’s application template is not optional. You can add extra information, but you cannot change the layout of the application as it is. If caught doing this, you won’t be allowed to roleplay or submit activity checks until the error is repaired.Here are some rules about applications:
- If you use a pageless format, or use cells to block information, you are required to supply a link to a separate linear application so that mobile users can read your applications. Pageless and cell blocks make it hard to read on some mobile devices.
- Do not use any fonts under the ‘Display’ or ‘Handwriting’ sections.If your application has errors, you will be given a list of the errors and you will need to fix them! You have to submit an application within two weeks of having your roleplay sample approved and receiving your ‘Wanderer’ role.
Physical Application Guidelines
- Art may not be stylised in a way that it makes the character look like they might have purchasable mutations (overgrown fangs).- Art must be a side view that shows the markings. Other views are acceptable if the character is one solid colour (this will not work for foxes unless they are albino/melanistic).- Art may not be lineless or shaded.- While we are pretty flexible with markings and marking shapes within individual species, we have a few specific requirements; no light-on-dark tabbies (black base coat with grey stripes on top), and keep in mind a majority of fox colours will require purchased morph slots. Of course, the markings of your character must only pertain to that species; no tabby rabbits, no brindle foxes, etc.- If you’re reusing art for a cat’s reference sheet, and the sheet contains Warriors terminology or symbolism, they will be rejected.- Scars heal and fur grows back. If your character has a scar over their eye somehow deep enough to have no fur grow back, the eye would be gone.
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Drawing a Reference SheetYou can draw yourself your own character reference sheet, however, it must be digital as we have to be able to colourpick the colours accurately. Do not stylize the artwork. Your character cannot be depicted with hair, overgrown fangs, lion-like manes, etc, unless they actually have these mutations purchased and added to them prior to them being created. Your artwork must be accurate, and colours must be realistic and desaturated. If you are wondering if your character design is valid, just give us a shout in the #questions channel!You can also commission an artist, or use gifted or requested art. You cannot use any art that is not your legal property. If your reference sheet is ‘Warriors’ based and has Warriors terminology on it, we will reject it.
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Using a Creator or PicrewSince the reference sheet has to be a side-view full body so we can see the character’s markings accurately, famous Picrews such as Harvestbrook or Felidaze are strictly prohibited. Here are the Picrews and Character Creators approved by TSL’s staff team which you can use:Spageddy’s Cat Maker Picrew
Raintailed’s Pixel Cat Picrew
Marq’s Cat Maker Picrew
littlehungryartist’s Feral Cat Picrew
parcidinonyx’s Cat Maker Picrew
Neikoish’s Cat Maker (Flash Emulated)
Kamirah’s Kitten Maker (Flash Emulated)
Kamirah’s Kitten Creator (Flash Emulated)
Kaylink’s Fox Maker (Flash Emulated)
Perianardocyl’s Wolf/Fox Maker (Flash Emulated)
Kamirah’s Fox Maker (Flash Emulated)
Twai’s Bunny Creator (Flash Emulated)
Twai’s Create a Bunny (Flash Emulated)Note that since shading isn’t allowed, some of these Makers/Picrews will require you to place a reference sheet request with staff to have your character redrawn accurately without shading.
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Using a PhotographAnother alternative is to supply a photograph which meets the same perimeters (full body side view, no part of the animal’s body is hidden). The photograph must be created to the actual photographer by name, the exact same way we expect drawn art to be credited. If you use Unsplash or Pexels, credit is not required but encouraged. Photographs aren’t allowed long term, so when your character is approved, you will need to post a request in the refsheet-request channel, and a staff member will be assigned to draw your character based on the photo you supplied. When it’s completed, it’s mandatory that you put this ref sheet on your application and delete the photograph. Once you leave TSL, you can no longer use the ref sheet, as this art is property of the server.This is the same if you adopt any characters from TSL staff or the server members; as soon as you leave, you surrender all rights to that character.
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What are Projects?
Projects are a system of tasks members can complete to upgrade, expand, and benefit their Guilds and the Estuary as a whole. Some projects are to expand the village areas to accommodate actual structures, some projects may be to gather resources and cook or prep them, and some projects could be as simple as traveling beyond the Estuary to recruit newcomers or obtain knowledge.Projects typically come in 2 to 3 Tiers, the planning stage, the gathering stage, and the execution stage. Sometimes projects will skip the planning stage. Projects have a set deadline, and members must submit a designated amount of writing or art during the duration of each project to complete the project.Here is an example of how a project layout works, where we’re using building a smoking tent for smoking meats for long-term storage:
✨ Tier 1, Planning: Draw or write 3 pieces of your characters planning how to construct a smoking tent
✨ Tier 2, Gathering: Draw or write 3 pieces of your characters gathering animal pelts
✨ Tier 3, Execution: Draw or write 3 pieces of your characters building the smoking tent
If you write, you must write them doing the task. If you draw, the characters must be drawn doing the task specified for that tier as well. At least one drawing per tier must have a background. All project submissions require a minimum of 500 words OR one full body / equivalent drawing each. At least one drawn submission must also include a background. You can collaborate! One piece of art with three characters each drawn by a different artist will apply as the three pieces required as long as the collab has a background.You cannot contribute more than one piece per tier of a project. This means you must work together! If it says three pieces, three people must submit separate pieces or collaborate! You cannot draw three separate pieces to fill in for your guildmates!Upon the completion of a project you get a Project Token, you can use Project Tokens to buy advantageous items such as Sacred Feathers, Blessed Feet, or Anti-Ageing Asters. These Tokens are a reward for your activity and contribution to the future of the Estuary!
Each project submission requires a colored fullbody, or 500 words.
What are Trials?
Trials are a passive event system where members can react with art or writing to a specific prompt in-character. The reaction will acquire the character a path increase or decrease based on the reaction of the character. Once a trial has ended, characters will get a notice from staff in the respective character’s forum notifying them of the path change.Trials are posted as individual threads in the trials forum, and are left open for one month for members to write or draw their characters responding to. Each response is carefully analyzed for what path boost the character will obtain, and the notice on the character’s forum will make it much easier for members to track what actions and attributes obtain which path increases and decreases, making it possible for members to take advantage of the path system!Members still may not metagame, and staff will notice if your character is going wildly off-script to try and obtain a path advantage they otherwise would not acquire with their pre-established personality and background.
Each trial submission requires a colored fullbody, or 500 words.
Requirements
To complete an activity check, you'll need to participate in Projects! For every 5 characters you have, you have to complete one project submission (not an entire project tier or project as a whole!) every four months.1-4 Characters: 1 Project Submission
5-9 Characters: 2 Project Submissions
10+ Characters: 3 Project SubmissionsWhen you complete a project submission, staff will inform you of the project token in your character's forum. Staff will then count this towards your activity check for that period.Activity check periods:
January 1st to May 31st
May 1st to August 31st
September 1st to December 31st
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