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"I walked across an empty land, knowing the pathway like the back of my hand..."
- - -

It is an ordinary clearing, small- a place where the grass is green and fresh, and grows up in a sort of springy mess. Little fronds of fern and reed reach up towards the sky, while lazy cattails swing softly in the breeze.
Things are catching the sun at half past noon; warblers, woodpeckers, bees at the honeysuckle, even the ghosts of those who had come and gone melt into an intricate weave... a hum that so softly kisses your ears.

The sound of water is there too, the noise dancing about as a slight gust swirls it away. The stream that circles around is to blame, until it vanishes entirely between the thick trees behind you.
The scent of the forest smells strong, looks strong, feels strong. Inner tranquility rings far and wide.

But it doesn't quite sink in, not yet. Not until the variant tree catches your eye, the only one growing in the middle of this area. And it's not a particularly strange tree; it isn't in anyway taller nor more intricate, nor is it aglow with the flames of something magical.

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Yet for this tree, all others part. For this is the life tree, the giver of mana to the woods. Its leaves are the creators of the Great River, and its bark the origin of All Things. If your fingers happen to graze one of the leaves, or rest upon the smooth surface of the trunk, you will find them neither alive nor dead, but warm.

The clearing goes on for a little while, until it parts neatly back into the dappled light of the forest. Inaudible whispers graze the air, singing and echoing with a story yet to unfold.

One more step could bring you closer to something you have never seen...
Remember
These pets are NOT roleplay intensive. You don't have to ever touch your journal. It's just fun to do it.

- We now have a guild! Visit it Here.-

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"I felt the earth beneath my feet, sat by a river and it made me complete..."
- - -

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}...{Table of these Contents }...{


1} Welcome
2} Navigation
3} News
4} Story
5} Map
6} Stages
7} Npcs
8} Metaplot
9} Roleplay
10} Family
11} Epic Battle
12} Rules
13} Faq
14} Lists and Credits
15} Affiliates

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"O simple thing, where have you gone?"
- - -

There are things that happen, both explained and unexplained, in the realm of the wood and the realm of the crow. All big events concerning the shop will be recorded here for reference, on a neat log of papyrus.
Be wary, the ink tends to run.


Stay Updated!
If you would like to be added to the mailing list, simply friend Cantumwood.
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...}Thread News{...

|| August ||

[2nd] The contest is over! Congratulations winners: Coronaviridae, Sarielle, n0cturne, and RedChimera!! Man, that contest was completely insane. We hope to have more like it (believe it or not) in the future!
For now, I think we should focus on growings and the nymphs already here. And then, we'll have either an auction, or a contest for a premade nymph, so stay tuned. =O

25th - The link to the contest thread is here. ^^ Come join in and chat, there's cider!
19th - Wild Olive is here! Also, a date for the concept contest has been nailed down: July 25th, @ 5pm PST. It will go for one week, ending on August 1st, at midnight. (so technically, the second.)
18th - Winners of the flatsale, congratulations! We welcome NinetailedNightmare, VOrcot, Stereochrome, and Eun no anges! As well as a special certain someone... Bre!
A concept contest is in the works, be sure to keep watching!
3rd - First flatsale begins! The three trees are up for grabs here.
22nd - Began setting up the thread. Temporary banners are put up, and the first three trees offered in the upcoming flatsale are determined to be Coconut Palm, Hybiscus, and Mangrove.

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"I'm getting old, and I need something to rely on..."
- - -

User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.Twine the intricate trap
tick it down to nothing
let deep drifts imbrigate
and crescendo the dance

Read More?
Things are not always as they seem. Some of life's more accute intricacies are greater than they themselves portray, and some are not... ยป Read more.

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"So tell me when you're going let me in, I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin..."
- - -

Cantumwood remains the only and the largest forest in The World.
The large map is the only slip of paper we do have for now, though anything outside of Cantumwood is forbidden for a nymph to cross. This doesn't mean, however, that many won't cross it- or be born in other areas. The Great Spirit has been to every land around The World, and he prefers to keep his children inside the peaceful sanctuary he has created for them.
A smaller map, with Cantumwood's inner workings, will be available soon. For now, enjoy the knowledge of what lies on the outside...


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User ImageCantumwood - Simply known as the Forest Behind the Mountains, the Forest Through the Grasses, or known as The Forest Across the Sea- Cantumwood is a peaceful land roughly the size of America, made of grottos and waterfalls and all sorts of beautiful woodland places. Cantumwood has the reputation for being safe and unchanging- it rarely rains, if ever, and in that snow never touches the land. Things are in constant bloom, nothing withers, and all that is living is happy.
Many flee from their own area to seek out the forest, but outside it is turbulent- and very dangerous. Few outsiders make it, and even fewer are let inside.

Cantum Marshes - A simple extension of the forest's borders, the marshes are simply that: marshes. All citizens who live in the marshes are welcome in the wood, and visa versa, though it is advised that you do not travel outside either. The Great Spirit's magic and influence still reigns over the Cantum Marshes, and so they have excellent weather and conditions for such a setting.

User ImageCrow Villiage - The counterpart to Cantumwood, Crow Villiage is a highly forbidden area for those that dare to venture out. Some say only crows can live there now... the trees, which were once alive and fruitful, now sit dead among the parched ground. The sky is always hazy there, and things that grow are snatched up quickly as food. Many who are born in Crow Villiage care only for themselves; most run and seek shelter elsewhere, before they become the next meal.
This place is run by the Blank Scale Beast, known to only a few as Mephitis. He is cruel, powerful, and vindictive, and is constantly in a secret war with The Great Spirit.

User ImageAnahid - Little is known about this mysterious island, other than the fact that the occasional exotic fruit that washes up on various beaches of The World. It is where things like coconuts, papayas, and parrots come from.



User ImageSnow Lands - Any space that is from the mountains or the twin pass onward is claimed as Snow Lands. The mountains are hard to cross, so there is rarely any comings or going from that area.
But those who do come from the Snow Lands are usually robed in fur, ready for cold and harsh conditions. Barely anything is known about the nation since it is so hard to access.


Silent Grasses - The grasses span the peninsula and up to the cliff above Crow Villiage. They are long, thin reeds, about a story high and very yellow. It is very easy to get lost in them, because sound becomes horribly muted the first ten feet in.

Rat Sanctaury - Much like the 'safety spot' in a game of tag, the Rat Sanctuaries are little caves which are considered safe havens to those being chased. All creatures upon The World know the laws of a Rat Sanctuary- which state that they cannot give chase to their quarry if it is to run inside.

Ten Cliff - A large and barren cliff that looks over Crow Villiage, commonly wringing dust upon the wind. Though it is big, the rock face is crumbling horribly, and it is very dangerous to walk it. There is a narrow path of makeshift stairs cut into the side, leading downward.

Green Sea/Grey Sea - Oceans that border opposite beaches of The World. The Green Sea is far colder than the Grey Sea, and much less inhabited, but both are teeming with life.

? - It is rumoured that beyond Crow Villiage lies heaven, a paradise where the rivers run ambrosia and the sky is the colour of tourmaline. No one has yet seen this paradise- all who travel to find it never come back...


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"And if you have a minute, why dont we go- talk about it somewhere only we know?"
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One thing that is most certain about life is that it is constantly changing. Things grow, shift, morph... what adventures will your nymph encounter, what will they experience as time goes on? What will happen to them, since the day that they were brought into The World... ?

Branch and Fruit

The first stage of your nymph's life is mainly consisted of being dormant. A tree is chosen by The Great Spirit, and can be anywhere in The World- from uptop a mountain or even in unknown areas. One of the tree's branches and one of it's fruit are brought back to Cantumwood. After a few nights, the Great Spirit will breathe life into these objects, and then your nymph will be born!
Growth
Question: How exactly do you roleplay a branch and a piece of fruit?
It'd be nice, in the start of all this, that you choose an animal to play- an eagle, a fox, ants, even a shrew- whatever your choice, so that the Great Spirit will have someone to go fetch the branch and fruit in the first place! This animal will carry the task of keeping it safe, making sure no one eats anything- ect. until the nymph is born. Who knows... other creatures do like to eat fruit or use wood for various things- your animal may just end up having to fight off some attackers! Who knows what will happen if the chosen branch or fruit is injured... ?

Nymph

Nymphs usually come into the world around the age of a teen in human years. They are fully capable of talking, walking, and other essential motor functions (though their first steps might be wobbly, and their first words might be slurred).
A special thing about nymphs is that they are bonded to the tree they were born from, since they came from one of its branches; if the tree (no matter where it is) is hurt, then the nymph is hurt, if one dies then so does the other, and they can commonly think and feel another's thoughts. Nymphs are capable of talking to all animals and plants in the wood, but it will not share such a special connection with any other life form.

Nymphs are usually very innocent and don't know much about their world, being just born into it, even if their tree lies outside Cantumwood's borders. While they may not have the mentality of a child, they have the wisdom of one.

Each nymph is given a special task by The Great Spirit to look after the wood in some fashion... it can be anything from watering the flowers, to watching the clouds, ect. Who knows what happens if they do not uphold the law of their job?
Growth
Question: Now what?
Now that your nymph is alive and hopefully well, there are all sorts of possibilities to play out. As a player, you are allowed control of all the animals and plants except the NPC's (and other player's characters, of course...), and since your nymph is discovering everything for the first time, there is great potential for adventure, danger, and mischeif. Not all creatures that live in the forest get along, after all. wink And of course, the guardian animal that protected the branch may still be around, or not...
There is only one thing you are not allowed to do at this stage, and that is leave the forest. Even if your nymph is a keen one, they are not strong enough to break The Great Spirit's magic of keeping them inside.

Dryad

The third and mayhaps the last stage of your nymph's life is one full of challenges and complications. The one thing true to the world is that it will always change: and your nymph will have grown from their carefree loving days into what is considered adulthood. Nymphs do not grow into dryads overnight, it is true, and there are certain obstacles concerning the psyche that will only determine how fast it really is. Change is more often than not a tragic string of events; the first experiences of the bad are more permanent than the good.

Internal conflict or not, it is at this stage that greater things will begin to happen. Dryads are free to leave the wood, and come and go as they please- however, The Great Spirit doesn't exactly smile upon those doing so. Even greater peril may await your dryad as they discover what more lies outside Cantumwood's borders... what will become of them if they are tempted by the Blank Scale Beast, or forced to join his side against their homeland? What will happen if they become entangled in something they are unable to weave out of, such as their tree becoming the next target for destruction?
Growth
Question: The beginning of the end... ?
At the beginning of a dryad's life, The Great Spirit will lead your charge to the Looking Pool, and offer them the chance to run their hands through it. Basically what this does is give your Dryad a single ability that is attatched to their tree name- something commonly found in mythology about your tree. A good example would be Yew - Yew is commonly known as the 'Death Tree', and so the dryad's power would be something related to that. The choice is up to you, though obviously it's good to try and not be all powerful. whee

Other than this obstacle, this is indeed the beginning of the end, my friend... what your Dryad does, where their loyalties lie, and how they do things is all up to you. The Great Spirit will not tell anyone differently.

Human or Heaven?

Where does your heart lie when it is needed by others the most? Everything comes to the conclusion, a startling stall, and things fall silent.
It is not known what happens to those who join Mephitis or stay loyal to Cantumwood, but the journey is a very long one, at that.


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"Is this the place we used to love?"
- - -


To your immediate right, there is a very large and dark stone- weatherbeaten, glittering faintly in obscurity. There are little symbols carved in, as if names, though it is in a language you cannot easily comprehend... it is a tome, an ancient one, where things that shall not be lost are placed.
Here are the NPC's, and general characters you might see in rp or otherwise.


The Great Spirit: The Great Spirit is the general overlord of Cantumwood, being both it's creator and it's protector. Without him, nothing in the forest would be possible. He closely resembles a griffin, except his wings are plumed with leaves, and his beak and claws are made from tawny bark. He is generally a kind and benevolent soul, but he isn't particularly docile...
Though it is rare to see him walking about, all can 'visit' by simply paying homage to his tree- commonly known as the Mana Tree- which resides in the center of the wood.
The Great Spirit is not omnipotent or omniscient, but he's a godly sort of being, and so it's expected that it would be hard to do anything to him without his consent. Especially when he's in his own element.

Mephitis: If The Great Spirit is the Yang, then Mephitis is most certainly the Yin. A great lord of the forbidden lands, Crow Villiage, Mephitis cares little for anything or anyone other than himself. He is chaotic, vindictive, and terribly cruel to any living creature he happens upon.
Most simply know him as the 'Blank Scale Beast', since he is robed in pure white plates. Mephitis looks as if he once resembled a bird type creature, but became horribly distorted...
Mephitis isn't omnipotent or omniscient either, but he's just as godly and powerful as The Great Spirit, if not more so. He's always fighting with his lighter half, so to speak, and even though no one can actually see it- the two are constantly at war.

Moratoris: Moratoris used to be a simple white rabbit, living peacefully in the forest. She happened upon the grove of forbidden berries one day, however, and when she ate one it changed everything...
Moratoris looks something of an equivalent to the white rabbit in 'Alice in Wonderland', though for her it's no wonderland. She walks on two feet, unable to speak to the creatures in the forest any longer, and only The Great Spirit can understand her- they speak in a strange language called 'English'.
For his disobedience, Moratoris' punishment is to most commonly go from place to place, delivering this here or that there- outside of the wood. She's usually a bundle of nerves, as only rabbits can be- but she also has a stronger side that is rarely shown.

???: No one knows... The Great Spirit gets angry if you manage to catch him conversing with her.


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"Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?"
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When foxes eat the last gold grape
And the last white antelope is killed
I shall stop fighting and escape
Into a little house I'll build.
But first I'll shrink to fairy size
With a whisper no one understands
Making blind moons of all their eyes
And muddy roads of all their hands.
And they shall look for me in vain
In hollows under the mangrove root
Or where in apple-scented rain
Silver wasps nests hang like fruit.

-- "Escape" by Elinor Wylie

Current
The Great Spirit has been sending a handful of animals on important missions...

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"I came across a fallen tree, and I felt the branches of it looking at me..."
- - -


A gentle breeze drifts by, carrying all sorts of perfume whispers swirling through the air. If you listen closely, you can hear their words...
Read More?
Please read the F.A.Q. before asking any questions. ยป Read on.

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"This could be the end of everything..."
- - -

This is where we meet all the existing branches, nymphs, and dryads! Simply click on the thumbnails to go to their respective journals, and read up on some Cantumwood lore. There are currently {9} beings in existence.

Branch & Fruit
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Nymphs
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-none-

Dryads
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"... So why don't we go- somewhere only we know?"
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History looms over those who choose to transcribe it in their memories. But all things, great or small, always fade away and are recycled in the end.
The battle ensues, and the time of dance has come!


} ...Quest Threads... {


If you have a quest thread, feel free to post the link in the thread. I will take it and link you back here. Completed quests will be noted.

- Ilusen ~ Giant Hogweed -
- Esopha ~ Linden -
-Aletea ~ Parijatak -
-Chibi_Dragonfly ~ Ebony -


} ...Art Corner... {

Every so often, I'll draw a guardian or a nymph, whether it be sketch, pixel, or just a doodle. This is where these things will go.
Also, we now have a Deviantart to place all our pictures! Please go to: http://cantumwood.deviantart.com/

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"And if you have a minute..."
- - -

Luckily, we all have order to save us from chaos, eh?... please read the rules, and remember that they aren't set in stone- they're more like guidelines. Even if the staff is flexible, you can save them the trouble by being polite and courteous.

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1. No stealing. Under any circumstances, you are not allowed to steal the art, banners, or the concept of this thread. You may not 'trace' or 'copy' or 'edit' the art in any fashion without our permission. Don't even take the general layout... that's lame.

2. No drama, flaming, emo, ect. Obey the gaia tos, for what it's worth, keep things PG-13. Don't bring your problems or frustration in here either- as much as we're all friends, this thread is a happy environment, and you should NOT post your 'sob stories'. Instead, try starting a conversation about something fun or quirky you came across. If you have nothing positive to say, then please don't say it at all.

3. Keep it literate. Sure, we all have fun talking like a n00b or ocassionally poking fun with l337, but it gets frustrating if you do more than joke. No one wants to read words that are 'wRyt3n leik d1S', especially if English is their first language. We aren't the Staunch Literate Club, but just don't maim our eyes... be considerate and use proper spelling, capitalization, and grammar.

4. Don't bug the owners or PM the staff. For any reason. It's appreciated that you do NOT pm anyone other than the mule. PM Cantumwood for all affairs, please.

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1. The world of Cantumwood is completely seperate from the world of Gaia. Your nymph, or any of the characters for that matter, are not connected to your pets or your gaian life. They don't know any of your characters, and they never will. Don't rp a OC taking care of a nymph, rp as the nymph.

2. Don't be a godmode. Aka, don't glory hog, power trip, mary sue, or take control of someone else's character without their permission. Your character isn't perfect, they aren't invincible, and those types of posts make everyone quite angry. Give your character more flaws than strengths, or at least balance them.

3. Don't send gifts. At least not ones you buy in minishops, unless they are appropriate. Only nymphs can give gifts to other nymphs, and they have to fit in with what they could possibly make out of organic materials. A bundle of sticks makes sense. A cell phone, however, does not.

4. As a final rule, rp is encouraged! You are not required to roleplay in any fashion, if you are the type that does not want to. However, this is an rp focused shop, so it's fun to do it. Just have fun. Don't do anything that you think is going to strain you for time, or make you frustrated/sad.

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1. No politics. If there's one thing that's the most cause of crap in the breedables, it's politics. It doesn't matter how long you've been a lurker, owner, or how many 'connections' you have. You will be treated equally as with anyone else, as it should be.

2. If you want a pet here... you better know what you're talking about. wink It's not all that hard to read the front page or the metaplot. Again, people who have writing talent but have no clue what they're writing about are irksome- there's not that much information. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. The rules section seems a little harsh, but trust me, no one is going to bite. ^^

3. All art is done by Baniru and that will not change. There will not be guest auctions, or guest colorings, or guest anything, just to make things clear. ^^


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"... Are you going to let me in?"
- - -

Hhere is an index of F.A.Q.'s, for your convenience. Make sure to look here first before asking a question!
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"I'm just tired, and I need somewhere to begin."
- - -

Recognition for those who are good and glad, either that or rather bad- as well as some credits to the staff of this wonderful operation! Thank you for bringing this project to life!

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:: Kyocho and ShadowOfPhantoms ::

Two of the most dedicated stalkers I have ever seen~


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None

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:: Baniru ::
Bought the mule outfit!
:: Astrum Aura ::
1k donation!
:: Chibi_Dragonfly ::
10k donation!


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Art and concept (c) Baniru 2005
Journal idea is (c) Anya! XD
Characters (c) their respective owners
Lyrics at the top of each post are (c) Keane.


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"Again, again, again..."
- - -

If your banner is above 200x50, then it will be linked back with a text link. Affiliating us would be very much appreciated, you can do so by PMing Cantumwood. Thank you~ and links will be checked/cleaned out every so often. No one likes a dead link, after all.
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