NEWBIE GUIDE
Welcome to Wardwood! This thread will be most helpful to you if you're interested in roleplaying a human character (along with animal companions, once you obtain shop art). If you're more into animal RP check out our animal-only AU subforum, The Dreaming, where you can roleplay your pets without the presence of humans.


The world in a nutshell
Wardwood's story takes place in a country called Sunderland, which is more or less a fictional version of England during the Regency era (think Jane Austen). It is a country steeped in legend, and the main plot is centered around the Wardens, people "chosen" by magical deer mounts called guardians to help combat the return of an ancient enemy. Wardwood contains folkloric touches like the dense and mysterious forest the shop is named after, spirits (Fair Folk), who are just beginning to emerge from the Wood after centuries in hiding, and hedge witches, humans with minor magical abilities who can bond with non-guardian animal familiars. Our shop events mirror Sunderland's traditions and are usually held around solstices, equinoxes, and other holidays or festivals like Samhain and Beltane. You do not need a pet to start roleplaying in Wardwood!

Please don't be intimidated by Wardwood's setting—you can literally read up on all of our necessary shop information, including summaries of our previous meta updates, in less than ten minutes. Start with the first page of the main shop thread, and then refer to this guild thread for the remainder. That's all you need to know!


Character types
Human characters in Wardwood each have their own thread in the character profiles subforum. Character profiles need to be approved before you can begin roleplaying, but it isn't a strict process. We just want to make sure you're following the rules and understand the basics of the setting before we release you into the wild.

  • Normal humans
    Exactly as it sounds! These characters can later bond with a guardian and become a Warden if you obtain a pet for them. Their meta opportunities may be somewhat limited, but we try to think of ways to include them whenever possible. For organizational purposes we refer to normal humans as "non-chosen."

  • Wardens/chosen
    These characters have experienced a strange calling into the Wood and emerged with a deer-shaped totem. Soon, the totem will manifest into a bonded guardian companion… Wardens require shop art to RP and are also often referred to as "chosen." They are central to Wardwood's meta.

  • Hedge witches
    Hedge witches are human characters gifted with minor magical abilities such as healing and divination. While you can play hedge witches without a pet, their magic becomes stronger if it is focused through a special type of companion pet called a familiar. Hedge witches can't be chosen!


Pet types

  • Guardians
    Guardians are magical deer that "grow" from a totem and form a mental bond with a single human. When they reach adulthood (buck/doe stage), they are large enough to ride. While they can communicate on a nonverbal level with their chosen at all stages, they cannot speak verbally until they reach the powerful awakened stag/hind stage.

  • Companion pets
    Companion pets are native animals that have been affected by the magic of the Wardwood in peculiar ways, rendering them larger, more intelligent, and longer-lived than ordinary animals. Companion pets come in a variety of different species and can be owned in unlimited numbers by all character types.

  • Familiars
    Familiars are special companion pets that have bonded to hedge witches. They use the same templates as companions, but are distinguished by their glowing eyes and unique blue certs. Only hedge witch characters can own familiars, and a hedge witch can only be bonded to one familiar at a time.


Is this shop RP-intensive?
While we have a flourishing RP community and offer some great rewards for roleplaying, we aren't really RP-intensive. Roleplaying here is optional and we value a fun and relaxed atmosphere above all else. If you need to take a breather from Wardwood for a few months, don't feel guilty about it—we'll always welcome you back without judgment!

Getting your first pet
Most newbies who become actively engaged in the shop obtain a pet very quickly. Keep an eye on the main thread for custom slot announcements and members giving away free newbie-only breeding totems. We are almost always guaranteed to hold a large event once every three months near the solstices and equinoxes, with smaller events like Samhain and Beltane occurring in between, so watch out for those as well.


And that's a wrap!
Please don't hesitate to ask questions in-thread if you still have any after reading this guide and its associated links—our staff and regulars would be happy to help.