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 Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 8:27 pm
  Click the map for an even larger image!
gray/white :: mountains and the foothills of the mountains.
light green :: grasslands, tundra, fields, whatever you wanna call them. Some are hilly, some are flat.
dark green :: forests.
red :: lol volcano.key locationsbear island :: an island off the coast of Nuna, within swimming distance due to the shallowness of the water. However, due to the large preponderance of Polar Bears on it throughout the year, the wolves generally tend to stay away from it (save for a few foolhardy young adolescents).
ikkuma volcano :: meaning "fire," this offshore mountain is a somewhat active volcano. Occasionally it is quiet, occasionally it rumbles, and occasionally it belches smoke. Old-timers pass down stories of when it used to spew out red rivers that burned everything they touched, but no one has actually seen that for several generations.
grassland of ashes :: what used to be a dense forest was reduced to a barren wasteland by a blazing fire. With the death of the trees, however, the grasses were reborn and over the last few years wildlife has started to return.
the dark forest :: the densest forest in all of Nuna, the trees are so large that they often block out the sky, making it always seem like night. The wolves who live there say that it is the dwelling place of the most ancient spirits.
the forest of spirits :: the wolves who live in this forest believe that it is home to innumerable good spirits.
ghost river :: a river that winds between two forests, the wolves who live nearby claim it is haunted by the souls of the departed.
southern mountain ridge (placeholder name) :: the only mountain range that wolves do not inhabit, due to its sheer cliffs, generally inhospitable terrain, and lack of a major water source.
salmon river :: the main river that the salmon come up to spawn, providing an immediate food source for the bears and wolves lucky enough to live near it, whose leftovers provide a secondary food source for the plants (mmmm, delicious nitrogen!), which in turn creates a tertiary food source for the herbivores such as the deer, rabbits, and mice. And there we have the circle of life…of sorts.
big river :: a rather aptly named waterway, Big River is the combination of Salmon, Ghost, and ??? Rivers, forming the widest river in the region. During the Spring, when all of the snow is melting off of the mountains, it has been known to flood to such an extent that it engulfs the small islands in its center. Most wolves dare not try to swim across the Big River, especially not during flood season.So I know most of the map is unnamed, I figure as the shop develops and RPs happen, we can all name the grasslands and mountain ranges and stuff together! How exciting!
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Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 8:34 pm
about the land of nunaThe wolves call this place Nuna, which means "Land." Located far to the North, the weather in Nuna is about what you would expect: the summers are pleasant and warm (the grasslands can get up to the 70s °F [20s °C], the forests stay in the cool 60s [teens °C], while the mountain foothills don't typically get above the 50s [10 °C]), with almost an entire month where the sun never sets; by contrast, winters are freezing and snowy (the northernmost mountains are typically far below 0 [-20 °C], the grasslands hover around the low 20s [-5 °C], but the forests usually stay just above freezing [3 °C]), and there is well over two months where the sun never rises (the mountain ranges block the light). Nuna is a valley teeming with life, bordered by an ocean to the West, and tall, impassable mountains on all other sides.
Wildlife in Nuna is typical of Northern climates (imagine Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Siberia, etc.). Black and Brown Bears live in the forested regions alongside some of the wolves, who give them a healthy amount of distance and respect. Also present in the forests are hares and mice (who are located throughout all of Nuna), spawning salmon during the Spring, as well as owls and some small deer. Out on the grasslands, we see large herd animals such as caribou, deer, and bison. Arctic foxes are seen occasionally on the grasslands, as well as their main food sources of (again) mice and hares. Ravens are the main birds on the grasslands, although owls will occasionally leave the forest. In the mountainous regions, we see lynx and more arctic foxes, as well as some sheep who are very adept at climbing. Along the coasts, Polar Bears and seals are seen quite frequently (leading to the beaches being mostly avoided by the wolves, who would rather not tangle with Polar Bears); occasionally, the wolves have even heard and seen orcas and other whales.
The grasslands that dominate the central part of Nuna are home to a great many wolves, whose long limbs and deep chests give them the speed and stamina they need to chase down their main prey: the large, hoofed herbivores. The grasslands are abloom with a rainbow of flowers in the spring, which change to a lush green in the summer, and a deep amber during the fall. Winter brings snow and below-freezing temperatures, which the wolves weather hardily in their dens dug into the sides of hills.
More wolves reside in the dense forested regions to the South and East, which are composed of a variety of trees (not all of which are evergreens like pine and spruce). Due to the density of the forests, they often do not get quite as cold as the rest of Nuna during the Winter (or quite as warm during the summer). The wolves who live in the forests tend to be more finely-featured, since they must be agile to hunt their main source of food (rabbits and small deer) through all of the trees and underbrush. Due to the age of the forests, the wolves who dwell in them tend to be the most spiritual.
Wolves are also spread throughout the foothills of the mountains to the North and East (the mountainous cliffs to the South are far too steep and treacherous). They experience summers not quite as warm as the grasslands or forests, but their winters are the coldest and harshest, with temperatures known to drop as low as -50 °F (-45 °C) on a regular basis. The wolves who live here have grown the thickest fur coats, and are nice and cozy in temperatures well below freezing (though they often sleep curled up in a ball, with their noses tucked under their tails).
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Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 4:49 pm
about the spiritual worldThere are three basic types of beings in the land of Nuna: Souls, Spirits, and Gods...
Souls are beings that inhabit all living creatures, from wolves and polar bears, to rabbits and squirrels. Even after an animal's body dies, its soul lives on. In the land of Nuna, wolves are the only ones who are truly sentient beings. Other carnivores, such as bears and lynxes, are also very intelligent, but not truly on the same level as the wolves. Large herbivores, such as caribou and sheep, tend to have almost a hive-mind, making large groups of them seem intelligent, though the individuals themselves can be quite the opposite (at least from the wolves' perspectives). Smaller prey animals are generally regarded as being rather unintelligent, while most birds are very cunning.
Spirits are beings who have limited powers, but were never truly "alive." Some spirits rule over large domains (such as a spirit who rules over all of the rabbits, or an entire forest, laughter, a plague, et. al.), while others are extremely limited (such as a specific flower or a rock). Lesser spirits possess very few powers, and it is possible for them to die (as in a spirit who possesses a flower will die when winter comes). Not all spirits are necessarily sentient, intelligent beings capable of advanced levels of logic and reasoning. For example, if it's raining, and a wolf takes shelter under a broad and leafy tree, the proper thing to do would be to thank the spirit of the tree. If he doesn't? Maybe nothing happens. Or perhaps the spirit might wiggle a branch and cause a bunch of water to fall on the wolf. Nothing crazy like un-planting itself from the ground and walking around. Some wolves believe that every single thing that ever was and will be has a Spirit; some are more chillax. I ain't saying who's right and who's wrong.
Gods and goddesses are the most powerful beings, and are somewhat eternal. They have always been, and will always be. Gods control vast domains, and have the most powers. Most of them are somewhat disconnected from the Souls, and any animals wishing to seek the gods must often speak through a specific intermediary Spirit first.main gods and goddessesMalina :: the goddess of the Sun, and sister to Igaluk. Malina carries a bright torch (the Sun) which brings light and life. She is seen as a benevolent provider, for without her the world would freeze.
Igaluk :: the god of the Moon, and brother to Malina. Igaluk carries a dim torch (the Moon), and chases away his sister because he's a creep. As such, he's seen as a somewhat cruel god who is to be feared, since he is the one who brings the darkness and the cold weather.
Sila :: Sila is not just the god of air and wind, but also the god of the "breath of the world," which is seen as a life-force. Sila is the guy who breathed life into Amarok's children (and into all other animals as well). He is seen as a mostly-benevolent creator god, and is the most powerful of all the deities. Although he is male, no one has ever seen him, and he is thought to be formless.
Pinga :: the goddess of the hunt, fertility, and medicine. Pinga is also considered the Mother of Caribou, and all wolves pay her a great deal of respect (if they upset her, they would likely starve!). Pinga has domain over all of the living Souls on the land, and will also transport departed souls to the afterlife.
Sedna :: the goddess of the sea. Sedna rules not only over the oceans, but over everything that is contained within them. Sedna also rules over a watery afterlife for all sea creatures.major spiritsAmarok :: a Wolf Spirit, Amarok is seen as a benevolent creator (since it was his strong desire that helped give birth to this species of intelligent wolves), and sort of a "patron saint." But just to the wolves. He's more of a cruel trickster god to everything and everyone else.
Nanuk :: a Polar Bear Spirit, Nanuk rules over the Polar Bears (and as such, the wolves generally avoid him since Bears are big and scary). He often acts as an intermediary between the gods and lesser beings.
According to the wolves, there are countless spirits in the world. I will likely add more as the shop's metastory progresses.
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