sticks and bones. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sticksandbonesmods) wrote2023-03-23 07:47 pm
sticksandbonesmods) wrote2023-03-23 07:47 pm
Entry tags:
locations
Locations
Aldric's Grove is a settlement within the woods, surrounded by a deep, impenetrable fog. In the center is a well, and the water from it is pristine and cold. The well is bracketed by two statues, one depicting a woman with a circular horn-halo wearing armour and holding a sword, and another depicting a woman wearing a beautiful gown and scarf. The pedestals are respectively engraved with: "TO OUR PROTECTOR, THE SUN, HER RADIANT LIGHT, THE GODDESS BEIWE" and "TO OUR HEALER, THE SILVER MOON, MOTHER OF STARS, THE GODDESS OURANIA". To the south, the fog breaks, letting residents access the river — among the bank are old medallions, scales, particularly unique rocks, and the teeth and bones of many creatures, some recognizable, some human, and some unseen until now.
Player characters can climb or fly vertically up to 100ft before hitting an invisible "wall" or barrier that prevents them from going higher. A friendly, albeit horrifying-looking (cw: monster imagery) moose monster wanders freely in and out of the fog wall from time to time. She will stop to talk to player characters and will fight off threats, but mostly keeps to herself. The Grove is split into subsections; the Southern half of it begins once one crosses the river, and the Northern half begins when one heads north of the inn and manor.
Player characters can climb or fly vertically up to 100ft before hitting an invisible "wall" or barrier that prevents them from going higher. A friendly, albeit horrifying-looking (cw: monster imagery) moose monster wanders freely in and out of the fog wall from time to time. She will stop to talk to player characters and will fight off threats, but mostly keeps to herself. The Grove is split into subsections; the Southern half of it begins once one crosses the river, and the Northern half begins when one heads north of the inn and manor.
General Store.
The General Store is overseen by the ever-watchful shopkeeper, and while he'll permit browsing and using the store as a brief rest stop, he won't take kindly to thieves or excessive loitering. Within the back room is more things than could reasonably fit in the building, and the shelves are lined with clothes, basic housewares, tools and a few other things. As time goes, the stock will expand as well. The shopkeeper accepts trades in bartering or in the items you can find on the shore of the river.
The Inn.
An almost entirely empty inn- the beds and dressers have been put out in every room, the kitchen semi-stocked, but any decorations were left in the storage room, half-unpacked like they were abandoned in the middle of setting up. Residents are welcome to use the rooms in this inn, free of charge- but sometimes at night you can hear footsteps far heavier than any of your companions, either dragging along or running for their lives. Several doors on the first floor are locked and will not budge without the key. The kitchen is on the ground floor, alongside a store room that leads to a wine cellar, all of which are free to use. Every guest room also has a very small stove top and sink, but not an oven. In the inn lobby is a bright, pink-red fire that never burns out, unless the residents of the Grove collectively lose their hope and will to carry on — only then can the flame be extinguished.
The Manor.
Almost in the center of the ring of buildings is the manor. It is completely dark and tangled up with black vines and black thorns that prevent access via window or door. The vines will not break or yield. When someone attempts to cross the fence around the perimeter, they will be thrown back over the fence automatically and without exception. Lying just outside the boundary is a stone grave covered in white, cloth flowers. The name "Audrey" is inscribed upon the stone.
Beiwe's Church.
A brilliant, shining church in the middle of the North Grove, Beiwe's Church is a safe, sun-blessed place of worship for the Sun Goddess. Notably, the Corrupted or those willingly working with Suri cannot enter it, automatically barred and blocked by some invisible force. A tall bell tower overlooks the forest. When close to or inside the church, there's an overwhelming feeling of warmth and safety. Because it's Beiwe, the middle of the church has a pseudo-arena space for the holy battles she sponsors... which may as well be any battle, really. The rooms in the back contain a kitchen, dining room, and a room for making pottery including pottery wheels and a kiln.
Nene's Cottage.
A cute home to the north of the Grove where Nene lives. It's surrounded by flowers, safe and secure from troubles. Sometimes a host of small animals run past the fence to steal some treats from her garden.
The River.
The river currently has no name, only fish and a trove of treasure and teeth on the banks. The fish themselves are varied, with many appearing to be fish found natively in the homeworlds of the Grove's current residents. Recently, baby Seaborn have been introduced to the environment, and are under the protection of the River Guardian, Sinann. The deepest the water gets at points is five feet, and the river ranges from 30ft to 60ft across. Stepping stones in the middle of the river leading from one side of the bank to the other make it easier to cross to the other side. Though the fog cages the river heavily, the accessible space is wide; an apple tree grows within the open space that you can pick from freely, and a blackberry bush on the opposite side of the river is frequented by the resident moose monster. When you fish from the river, you must return the remains as a show of respect. Notably, being at or in the river grants a feeling of relaxation and security, even though the fog eventually cuts it off as the river traverses into the east and west.
The Fog Wall.
A white blanket of fog keeps the enemy out and you in. Without the Golden Glasses or some other form of truth sight, it's impossible to navigate your way out of the Grove and into the deeper parts of the forest proper due to it. The Fog Wall extends out to the far edge of the lake to the west, to the north and south after exposing some areas of the woods, and blankets the cliffside to the east bar one specific section to the northeast where a fallen tree allows access to the seaside. A secondary fog wall surrounds the isle the Grove lays on and stops midway out to sea.
The Boneyard & Lake.
The lake is a three-day journey to the west from the centre of Aldric's Grove, though it can be made faster by asking for a blessing from the River Guardian. The canopy is so dense here that sunlight doesn't reach the forest floor, and a thick wall of fog blankets the westmost banks and prevents further passage into the forest. This is the home of the Lake Guardian, who willingly entertains guests if they can tolerate his insufferable personality. On the shore itself is a gargantuan skeleton of a long-deceased dragon, and glowing mushrooms surround the forest, providing minimal light to the dark woods.
The Cliffside & Cove.
The cliffside is yet another three-day journey, to the east this time. The further one gets to the cliffside, which is obscured by fog, the more they will smell the salty sea and hear the steady hum of a waterfall. The forest in these parts is made of dense sequoias, and the grass is marked with moose tracks the size of an inn room. Getting close to the cliffside allows one to see the ocean, the lighthouse in the far distance, and a whirlpool containing a shimmering leviathan known as the Cosmic Serpent. Being here induces a sense of overwhelming calm. Further north of the furthest points of this fog wall is a safe passage to the beach.
The Beach, Cave, & Pier.
Reached via a toppled sequoia tree at the northeast of Aldric's Grove, quite a ways from the cove, is the beach. The tree serves as a bridge down the 50ft drop off the side of the cliff and held in place by thick vines. The beach itself is inhabited by a number of living fruit creatures and has direct access to the cove; opposite the cove is a cave filled with glowing corals and crystals that, when navigated, leads to an old pier and ten cabanas. The beach is a three-day journey from Aldric's Grove, though the trip will only feel about three hours long due to the strange passage of time. At night, the cave floods due to high tide, and the ocean itself is full of sirens and other much more dangerous creatures.
The Library.
A magic library hosted within a demiplane by Beiwe and Ourania. This library was curated and founded by the Fallen Sun back when he was the God of Knowledge and not the harbinger of destruction that he is today. An ever-changing, ever-expanding place where comfort and learning take priority, it is maintained by some cute critters to the best of their ability. ... But they'll happily come give you hugs. It also hosts a spirit who is reluctant to show themselves.
Player Locations
Players are free to add their own locations! Construction of buildings can be purchased on the bonus AC page. The mod team will work with you to pick a location out and add it to the map afterwards. Player buildings do not disappear upon dropping unless it is personal housing. For unique buildings that serve a function and come with attached personal housing, those will remain intact.
Bath House.
A Japanese-style bath house owned by Felicity. Strangely, the wooden walls look as though they had been burned at some point in the past, but everything else within is fine. There are male, female, and mix-gendered baths. It smells strongly of sweet flowers and herbs, and all bath products contained within are free to use (and mysteriously regenerate every day). There is a sign posted on the door that reads: "NO INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT IN THE BATH HOUSE." Please behave.
Therapy Office.
Owned and operated by Mizuki. There are seven total rooms, consisting of:
The lobby: Consists of comfy chairs, cots, and stuffed animals. There are (player-provided) gaming consoles on a table, do not break them. Six doors in the lobby lead to other rooms.
Physical room: Covered entirely in rock climbing walls with a trampoline floor. There is no safety equipment.
Sensory deprivation tanks: Four total.
Paint room: An entirely-white room from floor to ceiling with buckets of paint in the centre. Paint brushes are included if you don't want to throw paint at the walls. The room will reset once current occupants have left. Infinite paint hack.
Library: A small library full of mostly self-help books, but also some origami and art books and coloured pencils. There's a sign that states "you can bring the books out to the lobby to read, just remember to put them back when you're done."
Rage room: A very homey looking room with plates and vases and tables and chairs and counters. All the furniture does look pretty cheap. There's a sledgehammer on the wall that some force seems to not allow you take it out of the room, but there's a sign above it that says "Get your anger out! Go nuts!" Like with the paint room, it will reset once current occupants have left.
Office: This room is locked. Mizuki and the Shopkeeper both have a key. On the outside, there is a form on a clipboard you can fill out. You can write your name down, a brief blurb about what you want to talk about, who you wish to talk to, etc. etc. and slip the paper under the door. Inside the room, it's set up to be very earthy. Greens and blues to invoke both calm and creativity. There's a lot of potted plants, but none with flowers, and a comfortable couch and separate chair. There's a desk in the corner.
School.
Built by a former resident and currently maintained by Livio, this dilapidated school building is composed of a single floor and multiple small wings for each subject, a library, and a run-down observatory. There are holes in the floors, walls, and ceilings, and the whole thing generally needs to be refurbished. The nurse's office within it contains some ancient supplies as well as old records of all the past attendees of the school, several of which are player characters' from their past lives.
Lab.
Owned & operated by Gnosis, the rudimentary lab contains plenty of vintage laboratory equipment, several workbenches, and a desk set up at the far corner usually covered in paperwork. There is a locked area off to the side containing a small living space, but the rest of the lab is unlocked 24/7 to allow others to conduct their own research. Gnosis simply asks that items be labelled and put away appropriately before he starts locking doors on people.
Clinic & Greenhouse.
Owned by a former resident and operated by White Lily Cookie, the clinic has an attached greenhouse where flowers and food can be grown year-round. The clinic contains a small waiting room/lobby with two chairs and a front desk, and your typical array of medical rooms, including beds for sick patients covered by privacy curtains. The clinic remains open at all hours for the health of patients.
Workshop.
Owned & operated by Sesa, the workshop is attached to the lab by a breezeway for easy access between the buildings. The inside of the workshop is a wide-open space with plenty of workbenches and sufficient floorspace for large-scale projects, and enough tools to get the jobs done. At the back of the workshop is a small living space behind a locked door, just large enough for two people to live in comfortably.
Rec Center.
Owned by a former resident and currently maintained by Sesa, the recreation center/sports complex looks almost too small to hold what it actually holds, but it is, as the ancient texts say, "bigger on the inside". The rec center includes a gym, an expansive and fancy pool with water slides, a weight circuit room, a cardio workout room, and spare rooms for gathering or other exercise types. Gymnastics equpiment and safety mats are included. Each cardio room has manually-powered elipticals and treadmills due to the lack of technology, but they still fulfil their role adequately.
Church.
Lying south of the Grove near the river is a small but cozy Catholic Church operated by Wolfwood. It contains a sanctuary, pulpit, confessional, and a room for storage. All the religious texts within reference a cult surrounding plants, but whether they're the Plants native to Wolfwood's home world or the plants within the Grove is difficult to tell. The Grove's local Gargoyle sits on the roof and monitors the area from on high.
Watchtower Bar.
A combination watchtower and bar owned and operated by Luca, the bar serves food and drink even when Luca is unavailable to manage it thanks to the help of a particularly helpful old ghost. Though the spirit can't be communicated with directly, he understands you when you place orders, and will bring food and clean the space up. The first floor features a fire pit in the middle, and the second floor features an open-air circle where customers can look down on the first floor. The third floor remains inaccessible to those who aren't Luca, but contains a small living space.
Barn.
A barn owned by Kiera where livestock and other animals can be housed, with a stablemaster's quarters in the back where she lives. All Kiera asks is that you clean up after your own animals, and don't leave things in disarray. A list of housed animals can be found here; players interested in housing any animals here are required to fill the provided form out for housekeeping.
The Magic Lamp Cafe.
A Sargonian-style cafe with ample floorspace, and a riverside view with outdoor seating, the Magic Lamp is owned and operated by Passenger and serves a number of Sargonian (Arabic)-inspired treats and drinks. When Passenger isn't running it, a ghostly figure mans the place, though he isn't capable of talking to customers, and is assisted by a tea spirit named Oolong, who bounces around to serve customers drinks from its spout. A menu can be found here.
Tailor Shop.
A small, cute tailor shop owned & operated by Ain where repairs to clothing, modifications, or full outfits can be custom-made. Ain is happy to take orders via a note slipped into the shop's mail slot when the shop isn't open. To avoid making the bonus AC store defunct, full outfit requests through the tailor shop take an in-game month to complete; if you want something faster, the bonus AC store is the way to go. Modifications and repairs, however, will be completed as they are requested.
Archives.
Owned and operated by Enciodes, the Archives serve as both a library and historical collection of all that has occured in the Grove from the time of its establishment to its demise to its more modern era — provided player characters wish to write about those events, anyhow. Writings from the past lives of characters can be found in the locked room to the back, as well as mythology on the deities and history. Some accounts may not be entirely accurate, as history is written by the victors, after all. A studious spirit runs the Archives and functions as a librarian when Enciodes is out, and is responsible for maintaining the check-outs and returns. Not returning books by the deadline or damaging them in any way results in the perpetrator being chased down by that spirit's monstrous pet, also a spirit. Luckily, it just wants the books in question back.
Bunny Bakery.
Owned by Ezell, this adorable bakery that comes with an added bonus of being filled with bunnies. The bunnies will run around the main room and play with you or hop on you, and are all too happy to receive pats and love. In the back of the bakery and leading upstairs is a decently-sized living space. When the bakery itself isn't being manned, the spirits of children can be seen running around it, playing with the bunnies and tending to customers if they ask.
Tattoo & Piercing Parlour.
Owned by Flamebringer, the parlour is a small shop where anyone over 18 can get inked and pierced. Younger residents can get their ears pierced, but no more than that. The shop will not be manned by any spirits when Flamebringer isn't available, and Flamebringer mans the parlour "when requested" instead of having business hours.
Clock Tower.
A clock tower that cannot seem to actually tell time, with the arms of the clock spinning backwards rapidly before jumping forward, staying still for hours, and more. The clock tower doubles as a workshop and living space, with several floors that are completely open save for the supporting pillars. It smells like croissants and sugar.
Moon Shrine.
A shrine that also doubles as a home. The first floor is open to all, being a place of worship and peace, decorated in silver tapestries and candlelight, while the second story is a personal residence. Mayoi is able to keep an eye on the shrine from both his bedroom and in many shadows.
Vash's House.
A small, bare-bones home made of wood, lying across the river from the rest of the town. It has a single bedroom, bathroom, and a combined kitchen-living room. There isn't a lot of space, and one has to cross the wide river via the stepping stones to get to it, but it is a home all the same.
White Lily's House.
A comfortable stone-and-wood house for two people that smells strongly of baked goods. A plantanimal stoat growing a white lily can be seen frequently around the home, and there's plenty of spots for gardening outside of it. It has the visual appearance of something made of sweets, but it is certainly not. Please do not attempt to eat the walls.
Odile's House.
A large cabin with many windows and skylights, including one room that's almost entirely glass. It's built to house a small family, and radiates warmth.
Pines' House.
A cozy, rustic log cabin with on the tree line of a burnt patch of forest. Features a sitting room, parlor, a handful of bedrooms, an attic loft, and more trap doors and secret rooms than anyone can keep track of. Supposedly there is a basement, if you can find it. In fact, trying to keep the layout straight just doesn't work. Weird! The Pines probably will tell you "That's normal" and "Don't worry about it."
WORLD-SPECIFIC FLORA
FOREST-SPECIFIC
Midnight Roses - Pale roses that only bloom at night. They have a black variant, but it's very rare.
Pink ivy - A sweet-smelling ivy that grows on other plants and even on buildings.
More tba!
BEACH-SPECIFIC
Ocean's Drop Flowers - Camellia-like flowers that are sea-blue with white speckles like sea foam. They bloom best in spring and summer, and can be used to make a nice wine, among other culinary uses.
More tba!