Something stirs in the forest...
It has been hundreds of years since the time of the Wardens, and choosings have been so rare in the intervening centuries that most no longer believe in the old legends. Now, however, choosings are beginning to happen again in curious numbers. In most circles guardians are regarded as mere peculiarities—wild beasts of the Wardwood that their chosen have somehow managed to tame as companions—but the time may soon come when they are once again recognized for what they truly are. Meanwhile, Sunderland is drawing increasingly further from the Old Ways. Massive amounts of timber are being harvested from the Wardwood to fuel the expansion of its industries and the growth of its cities, especially Palisade, which is said to be one of the largest cities in the world.
And there are rumors of travelers glimpsing strange things in the Wardwood of late: roots and branches coming alive of their own accord, pale shapes moving between the trees and vanishing like wisps of fog. Then there are the Wolf-stones, looming and silent and dark for centuries, whose eyes have begun to glow yellow as if lit from within…
Meta developments
- Tales from the North event - August 2012 (1796)
Fearful stories about Wolves begin to arrive from the North, brought to Sunderland by travelers and traders. The stories are unreliable, inconsistent, and clearly distorted by hearsay, however, so most Sunderlanders dismiss them as superstitious fabrications.
Samhain event - October 2012 (1796)
A girl is found dead outside a small town in northern Sunderland called Heathwold. Her body is torn apart, and the man who found her describes seeing giant Wolf prints surrounding the corpse. A sense of apprehension begins to creep into Sunderland society, but most continue to deny the existence of Wolves.
Winter solstice event - December 2012 (1796)
Winter arrives unusually harsh and cold. Though travel is hindered by the weather, there is news of people vanishing near Sunderland's northern border.
Guardians begin to awaken, and the Wolves have returned! People whisper that the Wolves are not alone, that something else leads them...
Spring equinox event - March 2013 (1797)
A letter arrives to every chosen and hedge witch from Queen Anne II, inviting them to a masked ball; the purpose of the event is to celebrate the official reinstatement of chosen as Wardens and the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Warden grounds, which are to be rebuilt in the ruins of the Oldcastle palace. Unfortunately the masquerade is infiltrated by a spirit named Gwyn, who casts a nightmarish glamour over the crowd. He claims to be the leader of the Wolves. You can read the complete collection of event updates here.
Samhain event - October 2013 (1797)
Gwyn and the Wolves have been oddly silent since the events of the spring equinox masquerade. Construction on the new Warden grounds continues.
Banner gallery
Just for fun, here's a list of all our event banners (newest at top):
Note that not all of these events were associated with meta updates!
Just for fun, here's a list of all our event banners (newest at top):
Note that not all of these events were associated with meta updates!