sonder winter 1711

Guidebook

Character Creation

General

First Name: All IC accounts are registered under the character's first name. Once a character account has been posted with, the name cannot be given to another character. If the account has never been posted with and is over 3 months old, staff can retire the old account and give you the previously taken name.
Last Name: Character last names are added as a profile field and appear whenever you post in a thread.

Age: 0-6 months (young child), 6 months-1 year (teenager), 2-3 (young adult), 4-6 (adult), 7-8 (senior adult), 9-12 (elderly).
Aging and approx. human age equivalencies are listed HERE. All characters aged less than 1 will need a guardian IC in order to be accepted and will be in the Commonwealth guild (if in Rionnach) as specialized guild membership begins at the age of 1.

Birth Season: Due to Fae magic in the land, breeding occurs all year as of 1710. Therefore, all characters born before 1710 must have a birth season of spring. Meanwhile characters born in 1710 and later years may be born in other seasons.

Size: Extra Small (XS), Small (S), Medium (M), Large (L), Extra Large (XL). Note that sizes do not affect gameplay. In your profiles, you may expand more upon physique. There are no set height and weight values for each category, but the smallest a wolf can be is 25'' tall (XS) and the largest can be 36'' tall (XL) with ~2.2 inches between each size.
By purchasing Mutagen via the Sonder Ko-fi Shop, characters may have size extremes of Dwarfism or Gigantism. The smallest a Dwarf can be is 14" while the largest a Giant can be is 47" at the shoulder. Dwarfism range: 14" to 24". Gigantism range: 37" to 47".

Personality: Five core personality words are required along with a written description of at least 15 words.

Optional Fields: Scent, Attracted To, Likes, Dislikes, Family, D&D alignment, etc. are all optional fields you can fill out at your leisure

Appearance

Visual Reference: Optional but helpful!
Written Description: 15 words required

For eye colors, if you can find it on the color wheel, you can use it. Taste the rainbow. Note that black eyes are reserved for the melanism mutation and that colorless eyes are for the albinism mutation. Puppies rolled on-site may have elective heterochromia, so long as it includes the color originally rolled. Note: Heterochromia is limited to 2 colors.

Pelt colors are all natural colors. Your character may have as many natural colors as you like. When completing your profile, select the palette that most closely resembles your character.

Albinism

white fur, pink skin, colorless eyes
Arctic

whites, light grays, creams
Coastal

blues, grays,
blacks
Earthen

browns,
russets
Ember

russets, golds, creams
Melanism

black fur, eyes, skin, organs
Sandstone

tans, golds,
creams
Smoke

blacks, grays, silvers


Rejected Markings: distinct shapes
Purchasable Markings: stripes, spots (note: face freckling is free), bilateral asymmetry (ex: left paw black, right paw white), and generally merle or piebald designs are available if you purchase the unusual markings item in the shop.

Physical mutations due to genetic complications or injuries such as missing limbs, curled tails, blindness, etc. are allowed, just be sure to add the injury to the character's profile and adjust health in combat to the "injured" category.

Mutagens (Additional limbs) are available in the Ko-fi Shop

Intersex characters may be fertile or infertile, but must choose whether their female or male genitalia is most developed and fully functional. In other words, intersex characters can be able to birth puppies or impregnant others, but cannot do both. This choice does not have to be made prior to the character's first litter, but afterwards, becomes set in stone.

Accessories, Clothing, & Tools due to semi-realism, characters have the ability to wear some accessories, clothing articles, and to use basic tools.
  • Tools are free to use and include: pouches, satchesl, cups, bowls, sticks, cloths, and other small items that could be reasonably pilfered from decaying human casles and dwellings. To be a tool, the item must have a purpose and not be intended to adorn a character permanently. In other words, it appears in posts when it's being used, but is not "a part of the character's design" or adorning the character.
  • Accessories & Clothing can be purchased in the Market through the "Magical Realism" item. It allows your character to permanently be able to wear one of the following: Mask, Necklace, Bracelet, Cloak, Scarf. Materials for these articles of clothing must be aged and realistic for a once-1700s style human society or created from natural materials.

    Citizenship & Nationality

    (NEW) Citizenship — Since losing the Highlands to Jacob, wolves on the continent must now choose whether their allegance lies with King Adamh (in the Mainlands and Lowlands) or with King Jacob in the nation of Saora (the Highlands). As a result, wolves from the Highlands are viewed with suspicion in Rionnach and vice versa in Saora. If your character is from the Hinterlands, you are a citizen of Éireland.

    Saora

    Highlands: freedom, strength, chaos
    Rionnach

    Lowlands & Mainlands: science, order, unity
    Éireland

    Hinterlands: freedom, individuality

    Nationality — There are 5 major nationalities in the world of Rionnach and its surrounding territories. The nationality you pick will have direct ramifications in terms of how NPCs view you and how you interact with other characters. The descriptions here are brief summaries but you can follow the below links for more information.

    Highlands

    loyal, free, untamed
    Lowlands

    patient, peaceful, studious
    Mainlands

    practical, efficient, shrewd
    Outlands

    you tell us
    Hinterlands

    feudal, unique, creative


    Highlands: Deeply superstitious, Highlanders are wary of upsetting the balance in the natural world. They are deeply loyal to their family, suspicious of outsiders, and difficult to impress. They admire strength and skill over most all else. For quite some time, Highlanders made the best soldiers due to their skill. After the war, they were demoted from most general positions and many have joined militias in the commonwealth. It comes as no surprise that most Highlanders are ill-concealed Jacobites. All Highlanders typically speak Scottish Gaelic and English. (more information)

    Lowlands: Hardworking, Lowlanders are "people of the earth" so to speak. They're less absolute in their morality and have a tendency to maintain a position of neutrality. Most Lowlanders find themselves cultivating gardens or seeking lives of medicine. A fair number become scholars as well. A heterogeneous group, Lowlanders have no particular affiliation. Some relate to their Highlander kin, others have grown fond of the crown. Many see the value of a democracy. Most all Lowlanders speak English and have at least a rudimentary understanding of Scottish Gaelic. (more information)

    Mainlands: If not a tad materialistic, Mainlanders are shrewd and resourceful. They know how to make life more organized and, consequently, more complex. They are skeptics in the face of superstition. Mainlanders run the gambit of professions. Many are employed as soldiers, scholars, and tradesmen across the three primary guilds. It comes as no surprise that most are Royalists. Mainlanders typically speak English and/or another distant language, such as French or Italian. (more information)

    Outlands: Diverse and unique, outlanders have no unified culture. A general wariness of strangers often leads Outlanders into the Thieves' Guild. However, many are still able to make an honest living. When Outlanders have a political opinion, they span the whole spectrum. Outlanders may know any number of languages as is pertinent to their cultures. (more information)

    Hinterlands: Long cut off from the outside world, wolves native to the Hinterlands are superstitious, careful, and cautious. They believe in living in harmony with the outside world, not taming it for their own designs. Almost all wolves in the Hinterlands belong to small packs and are content to continue on that way—not bothering others while seeking not to be bothered themselves. When strangers start arriving on their island, many will have to contend with what it means to be apart of this broad, diverse new world. Additionally, they know that their island is actually called Éireland and dislike or are neutral to the term "Hinterlands". Hinterlanders likely only understand Gaelic and may be able to read English. (more information)

    Guilds

    Guilds are what citizens of Rionnach join as Rionnach is a nation that has dominion over the Highlands, Lowlands, and Mainlands. Therefore, in Rionnach, there is a functioning army, thriving academics, black market, and diverse citizenry. Every character allied to Rionnach will be a part of a guild. For more information, keep reading. For in-depth information on the existing guilds, please visit HERE.

    Imperial Army

    live to serve and die for Rionnach
    College of Eòlas

    students and professors in Rionnach
    Commonwealth

    a life of nobility or poverty
    Thieves' Guild

    a criminal abiding by no law
    Jacobian Army

    live to serve and die for Saora
    School of Saora

    students and professors in Saora


    Imperial Army: The Imperial Army is enlisted in service of the crown and the people of Rionnach. In times of war, they provide protection and ensure that Rionnach remains safe. Outside of war, they maintain a constant presence in the streets. They apprehend criminals and do their best to serve the citizens around them. They are loyal to King Adamh, and Queen Daphne. The army is hierarchical with the following playable ranks from most prestigious to least: colonel, lieutenant major, major, captain, lieutenant, soldier, apprentice. Additional ranks (equal to that of soldiers/lieutenants) include medics, jailers, executioners, guards, and nationals guardsmen. Rionnach only. (more information)

    College of Eòlas: The only large, collegiate educational institution in Rionnach, it is rich and diverse. Wolves go to the College to study all manner of sciences, philosophies, and mathematics. They also train to become doctors and lawyers here. Playable professions include being professors, doctors, lawyers, graduate students, students, groundskeepers, librarians, and any other school-associated profession you can think of. Rionnach only. (more information)

    Commonwealth: The catch-all category for everyone not associated with the college or army. These wolves are the bedrock of Rionnach and serve in all manner of roles from being nobles, street urchins, salesmen, apothecaries, mercenaries, huntsmen, den-diggers, animal tamers, etc. (more information)

    Thieves' Guild: Any wolf dealing in sordid work such as brothels, drug-dealing, assassination, theft, etc. have a connection to the Thieves' Guild. While the Thieves' Guild is largely lawless, there is a "leader" by the name of Rook that built this crime syndicate. Please note that wolves in the Thieves' Guild do not often advertise their true connections to the guild and often will masquerade in other professions. (more information)

    Jacobian Army: The Jacobian Army is a newly established army that rose up in the Exiled Prince Jacob's name. They are often Highlanders and Lowlanders that have long suffered under Mainlander rule ever since the unification of 1707. Saora only. (more information)

    School of Saora: With splintering of the lands, erudites in Saora were without an educational institution. They turned to the ruined castles of extinct clans and constructed a school composed of three campuses. There, they study while also exalting Gaelic myths and traditions as valid rather than laughable. Saora only. (more information)

    Packs

    Packs Packs are available in the Hinterlands where there is no central national power. They have varied cultures and follow their own laws, owning sub-boards of individual lands. Please see the pack page for information on how to form packs. Packs are visible from the census on the front page.

    Profession

    Professions are fluid and function like pack ranks. So long as the profession you choose is reasonable (i.e. not a flower picker in the army), you may have it and adjust your history accordingly. Your profession can change, such as by being demoted or promoted, and it is not necessarily unique (i.e. you cannot claim you are the only professor in the college).

    Packs will likely have a select list of professions that function in their smaller societies. Should you join a pack, be sure to check the pack-page to see what is available and discuss with the user controlling the pack.

    Political Party

    Political parties are the foundation shaping the site lore and future. At current, there are 3 main parties that will affect future leadership in Rionnach and Saora. While not every wolf cares to participate, many have formed their opinions. (more information)

    Royalist

    uphold mainlander values and the current union
    Jacobite

    depose the current royals and put jacob on his rightful throne
    Voxi

    dismantle the monarchy and create a democracy
    Undecided

    unsure or uninvolved

    Hinterlands characters must decide whether they wish to be a unified nation like in Rionnach and Saora or keep their feudal style of rule with packs.

    Separatist

    Uphold pack style of rule
    Nationalist

    Unify as one nation
    Uninvolved

    unsure or uninvolved

    Summary & Checklist

    At this point, you've read a lot of information! This checklist will help you catch everything that you need to get started.