Happy April RoWers! Grab up a chair (if you're not already in one) and sit tight 'cause we've got lots in store for you now that Spring is on the rise! Here's a rundown of things to expect:
Word Count Changes
Concerning word count, we would like to announce that threads be 250 words or less - perfect, now, for spree threads!
Breeding Season & Puppies
As Breeding Season has come to a close, we would like to announce that due to the low number of applications and the conditions pertaining to the next item on the agenda, no puppies will be up for adoption this season.
Board Theme Shift!
And now for the fun part that you've all probably been wondering about! The Staff of RoW has started to become bored of playing wolves and have come to a consensus that we are changing our focus at Ruins of Wildwood. Welcome to the NEW Ruins of Wildwood: A Semi-Realistic Vampire & Werewolf RPG. As such, please wrap up your threads as wolf characters, and prepare for our new story line:
We would additionally like to direct you to the new part of the boards - "Wildwood, New Jersey" - where the urban setting takes place; and to help our players and their characters "change over" to the new theme, we have a few writing prompts for you to enjoy! Because this is such a special event and we want to encourage activity, anyone who completes a thread with their new shape-shifted character will receive +100 development points for completing an RE as well as a fancy new ribbon. We would also like to note that you are welcome to decide for yourself whether your character is a vampire, werewolf, or a mortal...
— BITTEN!
Your character has awoken on the morning of a new day... somewhere in the middle of the city. But what is this? As soon as they sit up they realize that their neck is coated in fresh blood... It is up to you to decide what happens next, whether they seek cover somewhere dark or make use of the daylight hours as they search for answers as to what happened the night before.
— THIRST FOR BLOOD
The harsh winter has left you and your comrades lean, hungry, and near-starvation. Instincts and painful hunger pangs require your character to react accordingly, whether it be hunting or scavenge in the wilderness, using the last bit of money in their pockets for a drink or a meal, or follow a terrified youth down Swift Street leading into the middle of the city...
— JUST ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT...
Your character has just woken up in their corresponding local werewolf or vampire "hang out" - the Slaughtered Lamb or Viktor's Demise. It seems they have just passed out for a few hours, and the barkeep or overseer isn't happy... Do they stay there or make themselves scarce? Did they pay their tab? Why had they gone there in the first place?
—CARNIVAL TOWN
Round 'n' round; carousel has got you under it's spell... The ruins of the Wildwood Boardwalk has become the central hub for mortal, vampire, and werewolf alike, but the rides no longer work and it has been nearly a decade since the park was fully functional. Something - or someone - has brought your character there...
— CUB SCOUT
Werewolves, a quick prowl around your territory - in werewolf form - has you on edge. Someone has gone amiss... but it doesn't occur to you who has gone missing until you notice a small teddy bear on the ground. This, without question, belongs to one of the pack's cubs! Picking it up, you examine it closely; it reeks of death and old blood. A vampire has just been where you stood... and a youngster might be in danger.
— POSSESSION
Vampires, the sun has finally come to set, but something is missing! Check all your pockets, check your bag, search your room or the place where you've napped during the day... What was taken? You're bound to find out soon enough, but the first clue you're left with is the scent of werewolf that seems to circle around you...
—SUPERNATURAL
Your character realizes that the drastic changes - both the small and the prominent ones - that have taken place have changed them... for life. Write how they have come to this conclusion or have come to believe that being something akin to a werewolf or a vampire is either a monstrous curse or a well-earned gift.
Concerning Leaders
As apart of this new theme, we would like to address the new Leaders of Relic Lore. If we have misunderstood your character (it has occurred to us that it would seem like most Tainn's are werewolves!) please feel free to contact the Spirit of Wildwood with a correction:
Naira & Edmund Mapplethorpe.
Deep within the Ghastly Woods, husband and wife duo - Naira and Mapplethorpe - have made their home and headquarters. For centuries they have captured, enslaved, and raised werewolves of a more vicious and primal nature. Their stance in this longstanding war between races has rendered them almost untouchable as their wealth in old money (both his and her companies and their share in investments) subdue their power-hungry inferiors with riches and their abilities in sicking their werewolf pack against any who dare to rebel against them keep them well-protected.
Elettra Archer & Angier Lyall.
Vampire magnate Elettra Archer - and her newly-turned-vampire mate, Angier Lyall - are on the other end of the spectrum as their coven is solely made of their own kind, including her once-mortal children - Asriel, Sköll, and Morganna. While no qualms have sprung up just yet from the sudden increase in the number of werewolf packs, both Elettra and Angier have fortified the lands of the Willow Ridge Estate through their allegiance with their neighbors, Whisper Coven and the Order of Secrets.
Nina Hervok.
The Leader of the Order of Secrets - Nina Hervok - with the loss of her mate, has become distant with little interest in regards to the state of war Relic Lore has been in for the better part of a thousand years. She is but an ever-watchful spectator, keeping her coven well-kept and sound within her domain hidden away in the Thicket of Secrets. Since her departure from the Manor at Willow Ridge, she owes Elettra Archer her loyalty, but does little to help or hinder either side in the war.
Triell Tainn.
At the head of the movement against the reign of vampires is Triell Tainn, the last remaining heir of his family within Relic Lore. The expanse of land that surrounds his home - Oakheart Lodge - within the Spectral Woods is one of two werewolf command posts on the eastern end of the realm. Without the aid of his sister, Borlla, and her husband, Phineas, he would not be where he is today; though it has been said that his tactics in combat and warfare are, to this day, unrivaled.
Maksim Baranski & Kisla Tainn.
On the western end of Relic Lore Triell's niece, Kisla, now also holds a fragment of power beside Maksim Baranski, a man of politics who has, since his arrival, successfully led a number of anti-vampire campaigns. While his following consists of mostly werewolves, he holds no grudge against the few renegade vampires who have joined his cause.
Borlla Argyris-Tainn & Phineas Argyris.
Just north of Oakheart Lodge lies the Magnolia Church, a monastery and refuge run and funded by Borlla Argyris-Tainn and Phineas Argyris. Since the loss of their first-born son, the couple has been reserved and has withdrawn all support for an all-out war between the races. As per Borlla's request, however, they still lend their allegiance to Triell, her brother, in hopes of at least preserving the survival of their kind. They offer their home and land as a safe haven and place of healing for victims and veterans of the war.
Minka Leigh, Ash Hervok, & Tokino Lagina
Minka Leigh, the head of Whisper Coven, has only just recently risen to power. However, instead of waging war against werewolves beyond her borders, she - with her mate Tokino - has started a civil war against her co-leader, Ash Hervok...
We, at Ruins of Wildwood, appreciate and thank you for your understanding, and we all hope you continue to enjoy RoW as much as we do! Happy Spring!