Territory

Musquodoboit Valley

The Musquodoboit Valley is a large rural area that was once used by humans prior to the virus. The valley bears testament to the past; the northeastern portion of the territory boasts fields once used for agricultural purposes. Hidden by the Wittenburg Ridge and Glenmore Mountain to the north, the area has flourished with a wealth of plant-life. The valley is littered with stones and boulders from when the area was covered by a glacier. The southern portion of the territory is primarily woodlands. Through the heart of the land runs the Musquodoboit River, though it is so small that it can barely be called a river.

Thackary Village

{Further Information}

Thackary Village is a quiet, peaceful place in the southern portion of the Musquodoboit Valley. It includes the Sawmill and the Storm Tree Hotel, among other things. The Sawmill is non-functioning and is in the process of being converted to training grounds for would-be warriors, an area in which canines who specialize in the art of battle can teach those of lesser skill.

The Storm Tree Villa Sits on the outskirts of Thackary Village. It is named after a large willow tree in its garden that was blown askew in a storm. The building itself is a one story bed and breakfast, despite its name. Mostly undamaged by nature, it stands at the lower left hand corner of the acre-sized grounds. The willow tree occupies the other lower corner, while a small four horse stable block and a ‘shack’ rest at the rear of the property.

There is one other notable area of the village - a small play yard sits to the northeast of town, rusted old equipment barely in working order. It includes a slide, swing set, an overgrown sand box, and a small merry-go-round.

White Plains

Between Musquidoboit valley and Dawn's breath lays the 'White Plains' of which gains it's name from the multitude of white tailed deer which reside within it. Here the trees that coat the land thin, creating and uneven, rocky open space like terrain of which will test the skills of the best hunters, for although the prey is plentiful there is also very few places where once can hide from sight. In the centre the ground evens out a little more, the ground turning into lush grass where the deer and other animals browse in relative safety, knowing they can easily see all who approach.

Dawn's Breath

A short distance south of Halcyon is a strange territory, something of a continued outcropping of the mountain range. Dawn's Breath seems peaceful and serene upon first glance, but is in fact rocky and treacherous. In the easternmost parts, Dawn's Breath begins as sparse grassland and graduates to small, rolling hills, thick with ferns and deciduous trees. A small rock face forms a crescent around around the western half of the territory; crags and small caves are reminiscent of the northerly Howling Caverns, with small caves and underground streams. Now atop dawns breath a lake has begun to form creating visible water falls down the jagged surfaces. This makes Dawns breath a bit more treacherous. On the east side of the small range of the territory is a grouping of thick vegetation, home to many ferns and trees.

The Barns

{Further Information}

The outside paddocks and surroundings buildings look bright, if not a little dishevelled from a glance. Hidden from view higher up in Anathema territory, it is shielded by a wall of rocks that curve around the huge meadow. A perfect sight for the packs livestock and away from prying eyes. Over time the pack have worked together to complete a large barn, tack rooms and outdoor shelters. As well as pastures and paddocks for the livestock, the animal caretakers have developed a medium sized training ring for horses to be broken and ridden. Whilst it is clear that there will be no champion horse riders in this pack, there is at least space to climb atop a steed, if only for a few moments. The underground stream surfaces into a pool in the far corner of the meadow and provides ample water for the animals here.

Howling Caverns

{River} - {Waterfall}

Deep in the heart of mountains, resting between two of the larger peaks, lies a set of interconnected caverns that have stood the test of time. There are multiple entrances, some barely large enough for a rabbit, but the most prominent ones are two gaping holes on the rock face nearly fifteen feet high. Just within the mouth of the cave all light disappears and the darkness is absolute save for a few places where there are fissures that lead up to the surface. If artificially lit, the stone is a pale golden-yellow, rough with crumbling rocks The caves continue on for miles, up as well as down, and it is easy to get lost in the labyrinth. During strong winds, a shrill howl sounds through each of the caves, amongst all the tiny cracks and gaping holes, giving the Howling Caverns its name. An underground river connects to several sections of the cavers. Most of the river is shallow enough to stand in, but in artificial light the river appears to be almost bottomless. The northern section of the river has a waterfall that, thanks to the fissure in the ceiling, is covered in moss, ferns, and other small plants. Conversely, the ceiling at the southern tip of the river gradually slopes downward until it becomes level with the water. The river's current is fairly slow and easy to swim or wade through, although it is not recommended because of the river's icy temperature.

The Pits

A group of dark holes in the ground were discovered to the North of Howling Caverns, deep within the mountain. When found, it became apparent that these holes were deep but that one could see the bottom of them if they had the proper lighting. Only one tunnel leads down to The Pits, and none exit it. It is a territory that is used to house criminals who have done wrong by the pack, canines within the pack who have broken pack law, or those who have annoyed the leaders enough to consider giving them a punishment for their actions. Rope ladders sit on the ground around the edges of the room - these can be lowered down by two Luperci to allow a criminal to climb up, if given permission by the leadership. Those in the Tradition Keeper ranks are allowed to guard the accused. Notice: This area is not accessible to members and is guarded by an NPC. It is a leadership-controlled area and may only be referenced by players through an approved plot.

Crystal Caves

Separate from the Howling Caverns is a dead end cave that could prove to be just that. At the end of the tunnel a fissure has cracked the earth. Just one misstep in the darkness could have one plummeting to their deaths in what seems to be a bottomless crevice. But it is as beautiful as it is treacherous, for the walls of the fissure seem to be crystallized.



Sakana no Puru:

{Map}

Upon entering the dark space one would hear the echoing sound of running water before they emerge into the dome like underground room. From small cracks and holes in the furthest wall, the water flows into the semi-natural pools of water which are scattered throughout the underground space. Lit by low candle light, the surface of the water takes on a low glow and the scales of the aquatic inhabitants reflect the light.

Here the mighty Anathema keep, breed and raise their fish, each pool contains a variety of coexisting species; some living of meat whilst others feed of dried plant life that is throw into the waters by the caretakers. View the area plan to get a better idea of how the pools connect and work.

Upon the walls are small shelves and haphazardly piled within the corner lay buckets and nets. Within this cave something new is beginning, another new thing for the ruling canines to learn and gain from. If only they can stop the slimy things from occasionally jumping out of their assigned pools….

Hot Springs

Anathema has a small group of underground hot springs, all of which are accessible via a tunnel on the northwestern side of Halcyon. These springs are not connected to the rest of the howling caverns, blocked by a pair of large boulders that block the tunnel in. The springs are each housed in a very large, spacious cavern and are separated into two rooms by a large ridge that cuts through the middle of them beneath the ground. One side hosts one large, steaming pool, while the other side hosts a medium and small-sized pool. Pack canines of all ages may visit these and use them whenever they please.

Smokey cliff

A few miles east to the underground river used to be a small entrance to a cave system too hazardous to be claimed by the wolves. It was, however, home to a few bats. It held a small colony at first, but after the cave-ins, the entrance grew wider, and the inner walls crumbled down. At first the bats fled, but are slowly coming back, and seeing their population grow as the place is now much bigger. At dusk, the animals form a cloud that can block the sun as they exit the mountain to feed for the night. And it is during these moments that a treasure becomes available for the gardeners or farmers of the pack: guano, a natural fertilizer very useful to keep the crops healthy and food stock high.

Phosphagos Foothills

At the foot of Halcyon Mountain are what the wolves of the surrounding areas have dubbed "the foothills," or more precisely, Phosphagos Foothills. A series of hillocks lines the base of the mountain, the inclines of each grassy knoll diminishing the further it rests from the base of the great rise. The plant life is fairly uniform in the foothills, tall grasses and small flowers mark the beginning of the ascent up the territory's only mountain range. In the evening, the foothills are overshadowed by the tall trees and mountain itself, thus casting long shadows across the area. Dubbed the 'light-eating' foothills, its name is a rough translation, combining the words 'phos:' light, and 'phago:' I eat.

Lifes Aquatic

Walking down the rocky beach that leads to the ocean, one would eventually run into a small grouping of tide pools. During low tides only the hardiest of sea life (starfish, mussels, and clams) can be found left alive in these pools. During the high tide they are washed in and entrapped within the pools as the tides roll back out. Gulls can also be found trying to break open sea urchins in the area.