Avalon is a relatively peaceful farming village. They specialize in sheep and sheep biproducts, and alcohol and growing the ingredients to make it. The sheep are kept for wool, for milk, and for meat - the wool is used as sheepskin or as woven woolen textiles. They also nurture small orchards, vineyards, farmland, apiaries, and a pottery to provide ingredients and containers for the fine beverages they craft, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. Their herdsmen, farmers, brewers, and weavers are considered by many to be the best in their respective fields.
Avalon also prides itself on its huntsmen as well as its herdsmen, though there is also a great deal of overlap between the two groups. The huntsmen tend to excel as scouts and as trackers, for they are wise in the ways of nature and walk with her rhythms, moving often unseen and unheard through the roughest wilderness. Some of these huntsmen travel far from their home village on long patrols through both continents, bringing what they learn back to Avalon on their return and spreading knowledge of Avalon’s trade goods and the good life they offer to those in need of a home. They serve also as messengers and couriers when the need arises.
There is overlap between the farmers and the healers of Avalon as well, for many healers are skilled in nurturing plantlife as well as the lives of the wolves and livestock under their care. Healers of nearly any kind are honored greatly in Avalon, but those who make the choice to break the oath of “first do no harm” are advised to look elsewhere, for those who use their ability for evil are shunned in Avalon.
Avalon are largely neutral in the politics of their world, though they won’t deal with those who have shown themselves to be untrustworthy to them or outright evil. They are far less likely to go to war to redress a wrong, though, and they never seek to initiate a quarrel though they are not pacifistic enough to turn the other cheek at an attack. The village’s guardians are there to defend Avalon from would-be marauders - predators and wolves alike - not to bring harm to others. That said, they do not turn a blind eye to foul deeds, and will be vocal in their condemnation of such acts. If true need arose, the guardians could be called upon to protect those in need outside of the pack, though those times would be rare and only defensively.
Avalon is a place of peace and of rest for those in need. They pride themselves on their gracious hospitality, though when the situation calls for it they will withhold it from those who have proved in the past to be undeserving of the kindness Avalon offers. Hospitality only goes so far, and Avalon will not allow their community to be taken advantage of by the unscrupulous. Those who seek to claim that hospitality for the intention of getting a raiding party in without a fight to rob Avalon will find themselves sent packing sore and empty handed.
Territories
General Rules
Keep out of trouble.Look out for one another.
Protect the flocks.
Steward the land.
Be the change you want to see in the world.
It is the responsibility of all pack members to protect and guide puppies born into the pack. They are precious and the greatest treasure any pack could ask for. You do not need permission to bear puppies in Avalon, but Corbie must be informed once you know so that the pack can prepare for the new lives that will join them.
Customs:
Winterlight - the first and the last festival of the year, this is a big two week midwinter festival dedicated to snow-based entertainment, hot foods and beverages, the center of which is a ceremony marking the solstice, the longest night of the year, and celebrating the promise of spring to come. The latter half of the festival is particularly wild in celebration as there are many toasts to the new year. This festival is open to any wolves who wish to attend, not just the pack.
Snowmelt - a small end of winter festival to mark the lambing and the first signs of the coming of spring. It is a time of optimism and looking to the future, and often wolves will take this time to do spring cleaning in their dens after the chill of winter. This is when the whelping-date will be celebrated for winter-born wolves, the Coming of Age ceremonies, and the births of new babies born this season are celebrated.
Flower Festival - A big festival to celebrate the equinox and the spring planting. There are many spring themed games, especially races. It is tradition to plant bee and butterfly gardens at this time. There are often informal competitions for the most elaborate plantings. This festival is open to any wolves who wish to attend, not just the pack.
Sunsday - an end-of-spring festival celebrating life and the fecundity of the earth. It is tradition for wolves, especially young adults, to spend the night before the festival gathering flowers together, to present or leave bundles of flowers for each female old enough to whelp. This often marks the most concrete acknowledgement of young adults’ new physicality, even for wolves who reached the age of majority earlier that year. The day is filled with music and dancing, and around midday the whelping-date will be celebrated for spring-born wolves, the Coming of Age ceremonies, and the births of new babies born this season are celebrated. Bonfires are lit with the coming of darkness. Any couples promising to one another will leap the fire together, as well as those hoping to be blessed with pups.
Midsummer - A big two week festival to celebrate the summer solstice.
Harvest - a small festival celebrating the start of the harvest, this occasion is a celebration of the bounty of the land, and of the hunters, herdsmen, and farmers who gather it for the pack. It is a celebration of the land itself that provides all for them. This is when the whelping-date will be celebrated for summer-born wolves, the Coming of Age ceremonies, and the births of new babies born this season are celebrated.
Remembrance - taking place on the autumn equinox this is a solemn occasion to remember the dead, and to mark the deaths of those who had passed that year. A feast takes place the night of the festival. Extra food is always prepared and a place set for traveling strangers, because that night of all nights you never knew if visitors were from the other side. Year round, a place is set aside for the momentos and objects to remind others of those lost, and the cinnamon scented beeswax candles burn there day and night during the festival. Throughout the day wolves add items to the shrine and a vigil is held there after the feast. If any wolves passed that year, they are named then and goodbyes are said. Children are sent off to bed then, before the adults who choose remain awake all night in silent remembrance. It is not unheard of throughout the year for wolves to go light a candle there when they are missing those who had passed, or in the hopes of guidance from ancestors long gone. It is said that the cinnamon-honey scent of the candles used there can trigger dreams of the afterlife. The feast day is open to any wolves who wish to attend, not just the pack, but the vigil is closed to outsiders except those specifically invited
Honeyfest - This small festival marks the very end of the harvest season and the end of autumn. This festival celebrates the bees and the honey harvest that they give. The golden warmth of the honey and the mead that is brewed yearly from it give one last taste of summer before winter comes. It is a time of reflection and looking back at the year. This is when the whelping-date will be celebrated for autumn-born wolves, the Coming of Age ceremonies, and the births of new babies born this season are celebrated.
IC knowledge of the range will be listed here, including anyone denning in this territory and descriptions of their dens
The Orchard:
IC knowledge of the orchard will be listed here, including anyone denning in this territory and descriptions of their dens
Alarr's den: Longing for a fresh start, Álarr has moved his den from the range into an old garden shed in the Orchard just past its border with the Range. On its many shelves he stores various dried herbs, tinctures, bottles and bowls. A bed of hides rests in the corner and a fire ring lays just out the back.
Avalon's Pack Inventory
Pack Inventory
This is the inventory of items that Avalon pack members have gathered or crafted for the use of the whole pack. Items for pack use are stored in within the barn, some on shelves in former stalls and some in a cellar dug beneath the barn and lined in stone to protect from the heat. Message me with a link to the IC thread where the item is gathered or crafted for me to add here.
- item 1
- item 2
Individual Inventories
This is the inventory of items that Avalon pack members have gathered or crafted for their own personal use. These may be stored in their dens or in other storage caves and caches. Message me with a link to the IC thread where the item is gathered or crafted for me to add here if desired.
Individual 1 - possible brief description of storage areas
- item 1
- item 2
Avalon's Livestock
Sheep
The major breed of choice in Avalon are Icelandic Sheep. This is a hardy, primitive breed, naturally short-tailed medium sized sheep with both sexes bearing horns. They are highly disease resistant and able to subsist on poorer forage - like goats, these sheep are browsers - while still birthing twin lambs consistently. Their fleece is double-coated, with sturdy guard hairs on the outside and fine inner wool beneath. These can be spun separately for heavy duty and fine uses, or spun together for a yarn called lopi, which is a soft waterproof yarn. They are friendly, alert sheep who are well able to shift for themselves in most situations. A specific strain within the breed are called "Leader" sheep, and tend to be more intelligent as they are bred for leadership rather than meat or wool quality.
Relations
- Armada – Neutral
relations between the two packs have improved from previously ignoring one another to exchanging trade samples and making solid plans for future trades - Elysium – Neutral
- Hellborn – Neutral
Unaware of their existence yet - Hemlock – cautiously neutral
there is bad blood there after the previous leader led a raid against Avalon with a wolf who'd formerly been granted sanctuary and given healing by Avalon, but Corbie finds herself liking the current alpha and there are tentative plans to trade between the two packs - Insomnia – Neutral
- Obscura – Neutral
- Polaris – Neutral
- The Hallows – Neutral
- The Syndicate – neutral
- Tojo-kai – Neutral