Kyngdom Survival Guide

*A Travel Guide

Chatterbox: KYNGDOM™ Power of Hoof

*A Travel Guide

*A Travel Guide to Northwest Kyngdom That is Totally Not Top Secret and Has Nothing to Do with Anything Important

So you want to take a trip to Northwest Kyngdom? Wonderful! Pack your bags, grow an extra layer of fur, and hop onto the Badger Express, the high-speed badger-drawn train that will carry you northward.


Travel tip: The Badger Express has a wonderful dining car that serves a creamy, piping-hot soup called Pinesüppe: root vegetables simmered for hours with pine needles and topped off with a rich drizzle of sap.

Once you disembark, take a moment to notice how your breath turns into an intricately-patterned fog in the air. There is a magic to northwest Kyngdom that no one can explain--almost everything here, no matter how dangerous, is aesthetically pleasing. Gaze at the fields of soft, untouched snow, the evergreens glimmering with icicles so elaborate that you would have sworn they were carved by artists, and the aurora borealis that dance through the sky like omens of a better life. This is the home of Regina, the Silver Reindeer, who is…just your average reindeer!


Travel tip: Pack light but warm! Bring lots of high-protein snacks--we recommend grubs! Regina is the guardian of Hoof!

Though Regina looks so noble so as to be unapproachable, she is actually very friendly, and loves showing newcomers around her land. She lives in a mansion (nobody said reindeer weren’t materialistic!) that she named Jökull, the Old Norse word for ice. It is a place of good cheer, where the super-sweet juice of the local Winter Black Cherry flows year-round (delicious over ice or warmed up!). Zephyra loves to spend her holidays here.


Travel tip: Examine Regina closely when she walks. Three of her feet are shod in beautiful mother-of-pearl horseshoes that glimmer when she walks, but the fourth bears only a rusty horseshoe. Look closely at that horseshoe. I think you know what it is. Don’t you?

Regina will warn you about the forest of blue juniper trees that look so appealing and smell like Christmas on a platter. This is the Decoy Forest, and its pull is strong. When you walk through it--which you should never do--you will see what you want to see. Lost loves will cry out to you from the trees. Your mother, as a teenager, may appear, begging you to be her friend. Ignore them all. Have another mug of Winter Black Cherry cider. Enjoy your stay.


Travel tip: The pull of the Decoy Forest? B.I.G. feels it, too. When Cornelia Hornshaw stares into the Forest, she sees an image of the Fourth Power. But she still doesn’t know where it’s located. She’s heading there now, though. Will anybody stop her?

submitted by FAFA Intelligence, Bog & Burrow Inn
(January 4, 2017 - 12:58 pm)

I fight through the stupid snow blowing all around me when I see a soft, glowing light in the distance. It's the inn that they said Shadow, Icy, and Ronan were at, with Icy's sister. When I finally arrive, I quickly open the door to the lobby and shut it, looking around. All is dead silence except for the fire crackling and Shadow, Icy's sister, and Ronan sitting around a bloody table drinking tea. 

But Shadow notices me standing there and bursts up, pacing over to greet me. But  she slows down when she sees the look on my face.

"Harbor?" she asks. "Harbor, what's wrong?"

I nearly collapse as she helps me over to a seat, the others standing up.

I look up at her, not sure how to say it. "Heather's dead."

Gasps fill the room.

I let out a shaky sigh. "And Mer has been destroyed. Burned. Burned to the ground." 

 

submitted by Harbor
(January 14, 2017 - 9:18 pm)

I would love to be involved with this story, especially as my characters Sylvia and Blazing Star. Unfortunately I have no idea what's going on. Could anyone who's been involved in it so far give me a quick, concise summary of the action so far? (If you've got the time, of course) Thanks in advance!

submitted by Scylla @Anyone
(January 14, 2017 - 11:26 pm)

The post began with shadow saying she was running away from the Resistance, leaving a note behind telling the others that she had left in persuit of the Power of Hoof. She soon found the Badger Express and boarded it. Icy too fled the Resistance, for finding the Power of Hoof is part of her duty. Ronan wandered decoy forest, Mina attempted to find the train, and Anwen was following the others. They all eventually met up with shadow on the train. Before they could get any planning done, they were in the Decoy Forest, and people began having the most horrable hallucinations. Then, as if things couldn't get any worse, the train was attacked by bandits. Our group flees the wreckage, getting seperated from Ronan in the turmoil, and a girl named Lia M is knocked unconscious. She is saved by Elliot of Sailhaven, who then runs into Sprocket and three mysterious wolves who seem to be able to change into human form. Icy, shadow, Mina, and Anwen hike, until Mina shoots Icy with a gun and then leaves for Catastrophe's army. Icy passes out and the group is reuinited with Ronan. They meet a lovely badger who lets them stay at her Inn until Icy gets well.

submitted by shadow@Scylla
(January 15, 2017 - 7:37 am)

Mer is gone.

Gone to Catastrophe.

Just like Aslahari, except we weren't there. I begin to feel incredibly guilty.

My father wants to rule Kyngdom and I'm doing nothing except for sitting around with Icy.

Guess I really am the loverboy Anwen says I am.

 

Later that night, I sit on my bed in my room.

When will I tell Icy about...about pretty much everything? 

I realize with a jolt that I'm related to Icy.

I've got a crush on my...really far removed grand-niece.

I say it out loud, which of course makes it sound stranger then it did in my head. 

submitted by Ronan
(January 15, 2017 - 2:48 pm)

"Talking to yourself again?" I say, walking in on Ronan, "It seems you do that a lot."

"You ahould talk," he says, "I hear you sob in your sleep. Who is it you speak to?"

"None of your business," My wings flap a bit, something that happens when I'm nervous, "Anwen wants you to know the badgers made dinner. Come downstairs."

 

submitted by shadow, age 13
(January 15, 2017 - 4:11 pm)

I hope you guys don't mind me jumping in! I'm Hazel, leader of the Elites, and we're trying to find Jaaws, who's somewhere around here...

Hazel~

My team and I arrive at the Cavern&Tavern when the moon is at its peak.

"We should rest for a while," I say, trying to hide my labored breathing. The train was nowhere to be seen on our way north, and we've had to hike all the way up.

I lead the way into the motel, dripping with water. A few badgers wipe up the puddles other clients have left in the lobby, eyeing us resignedly.

Wiseowl approaches a badger, asking for rooms for the night. I wish I knew how to speak the tongue of animals. It would make my life so much easier.

"We'll stay until morning," I murmur, handing a badger enough money for half a night's stay. Wiseowl translates, and the badger nods, pointing towards a door through which was the hallway that would take us to our rooms.

There's quite a bit of whispering going on as we pass, and I can't help but wonder who else has stopped by. I'm too tired to ask, though, and after making sure my team is safely in their rooms, I head into mine and collapse on the bed.

submitted by Hazel C
(January 15, 2017 - 8:32 pm)

I pass on the fish and stick with the greens for dinner. I can't stop thinking about Mer. All my siblings, dead. My parents, dead. My friends, dead. My entire kingdom, dead. Well, everybody except my older brother. Traitorous snake. But I wasn't there to help. I watched the video that Catastrophe had sent me, helpless, as the air raid came and then the kingdom burst into flames, showing the screaming citizens confulged in fire.

Dinner's fairly quiet. Occasionally someone will speak up and say, "I like the bread," or "The snow's getting lighter," but that's pretty much it. 

After dinner's over, we once again gather around the fireplace and sip tea or coffee. They try to be lighter in their conversations, but again, there's a lot of things going on right now. Things that I can at least help with. Unlike Mer. 

"How'd you find out about Mer?" Ronan asks suddenly.

Anwen glares at him but I wave it off. "He sent me a live stream through the moniters."

Silence.

I attempt a smile. "Feel free to talk about it or anything you want. The shock hasn't come yet."

Unfortunately, I can't even convince myself when I speak. 

 

submitted by Harbor
(January 15, 2017 - 9:27 pm)

I've been flying for days, finally running into snow. I've never actually flown this much before, and sometimes I would suddenly drop, once almost to my death if I hadn't caught myself on a tree branch. I finally hit a lot of snow, and I can't feel my wings anymore so I walk. I'm out of all the dry food I brought in my pouch, and if I don't find shelter soon, I'll die out in the cold. At this point, I'm trudging my feet along, and I feel so sleepy. But not a good sleepy. Not out here. If I pass out, I'm never getting up. I pinch myself to wake up, but I can't feel anything.

I squint my eyes to see a light, so I head for it. I'm starting to regret leaving, but I couldn't go back. Not after what the transmission said.

I had received a message from somebody a while back that told me the Resistance killed my family and they captured me instead. Thinking that I wouldn't fall for it, they tried to dish out proof, and I believed it. The Resistance didn't seem bad, but the transmission told me that I was only on the outside.

I get closer to the light, feeing exhausted. I can see a sign that reads it's an inn. When I finally arrive, I feel as though I can't even pull open the door. But I do, and a wave of warmth slams into my face, so much that it's overwhelming and makes me feel sick. But the other faces I see weren't expected.

"Y-you-" I sputter, pointing at Shadow, Ronan, and two other people sitting there.

But I can't complete my sentence because I drop on the spot.  

submitted by Brynn
(January 15, 2017 - 10:01 pm)

I'm lost in my own thoughts as I sip on my tea, and then suddenly I realize that a girl just burst in the door. She seems to be suffering pre-hypothermia or something, shivering violently and teetering this way and that. She stares at Shadow and Ronan, pointing helplessly. "Y-you-" she splutters. Finally she crumples to the ground with a little thump. I gasp. Shadow and Ronan seem to know her, for they stare incredulously. Finally Shadow jumps up and runs over to her. "Brynn!" She blurts. "She's freezing! We need to get her warm!" After a few seconds of waiting, I realize Ronan isn't going to do anything but stare. "I'll get a blanket!" I call, not knowing what else to do. When I come back down, they have Brynn on a small pallet by the fire. She's still knocked out, and I spread the blanket gently over her unconcious body. I kneel beside Shadow and Ronan (who apparently decided to get off his chair and help), not knowing what to say. "So, who is she?" I ask after a few moments of silence. 

submitted by Anwen
(January 16, 2017 - 11:14 am)

I thought I saw someone familiar in the hall on my way back to the room Hazel reserved for us, but it must have been a trick of my imagination. I trot softly down the hall back to the room, my small hooves making barely a scuffle. I don't wish to wake anyone at this hour. Midnight isn't exactly the time to be awake, but I couldn't sleep. Something was nagging at me, though I couldn't place what. There was something wrong. Something.... But what? I had gottten up from my bed of leaves and moss (the Badgers offered an assortment of mattresses and beds for different species, and being used to soft grasses and mossy beds, I had chosen this one.) and walked outside for some fresh air, hoping it would help me get some sleep. I just wasn't comfortable in the little room, and although it was nice of Hazel to reserve one, I don't think I can sleep there. I went back upstairs, but the nagging didn't stop. I look up. The door. No, I think. I can't go back to bed until I know. I just have to look, one last time. But downstairs, there's only a sleepy badger night guard, and a few children by the fire. I sigh. Trotting outside, I look up at the clear sky. But a cloud washes over the moon, and I hear a rustle in some bushes, causing me to jump. My nerves are already on edge, but I walk toward a patch of trees. Maybe I can find some shelter and sleep out here, being so used to the outdoors. I walk toward the forest edge, getting more sleepy by the moment. The cold that had only been slightly uncomfortable before was now cutting through my delicate skin, starught to the bone. I shivered. Looking back toward the light of the inn, I realize that though I may not be used to the indoors, it would have to do, for it was too cold out here. But then I hear something. "Rain! Rain, where are you?" I whip my head around, only to see my mother. "Mother!" I cry, a tear forming in my eye. "Mother, I'm here! You're alive!" But my mother can't seem to hear me. "Mother!" I wail. "Mother!!! Please! I'm here!" She looks behind her, and suddenly, a raging fire appears. The one that burned our home. My mother runs, but the fire is too fast. I want to close my eyes as the fire encases her, but they remain glued to the seen. "Mother, noo!" I wail, almost too softly to hear. She looks at me with mournful eyes as the raging flames catch her up and tear her down. "No, no, no. No, no." I collapse in the snow. The fire disappears along with my mother, and I lie in the bitter cold, tears running down my nose and freezing in the process. Then, I feel my head swimming, and cold pain, and the everything goes black. My last thought is that I'll never see the light of dawn. Dawn, my mother's name. 

submitted by Rain
(January 16, 2017 - 11:34 am)

This was ridiculous. Not only have the wolves still not decided on their hair color, but now we have someone with strange powers and an attitude. And I was really cold.

"Guys, I think we should find shelter and discuss this in the morning. Does anyone know of shelte nearby?"

The wolves nod. "There is an in to the North about 5 miles. We cannot come, but we can meet you back here in the morning." With that they lope off into the trees.

I turn to everyone else. "Looks like I will be walking," I say as I glance at their wings.

 

submitted by Sprocket
(January 16, 2017 - 12:50 pm)

I don't even know anything about Brynn, except for the fact that we killed her parents in the struggle near Lioncreek Falls. She's very small, and her wings look somewhat fragile.

I end up making a cup of strong tea for the girl, which she groggily refuses in the form of throwing the scalding drink at me.  

submitted by Ronan , 100!
(January 16, 2017 - 1:00 pm)

~Yala (I'm dropping Mistress for now)

How dare he. How dare he accuse us of being with Catastrophe. My fur bristles furiously and I lunge at this impudent human.

Yala! Calm down!!! Zgier and Nova's words bark suddenly in my head. I stop in my tracks at the last second, and instead close my eyes, channel my anger. The human, about to make another cocky comment, freezes. Slowly, he rises into the air, a look of surprise fixed on his features.

What are you doing? Nova communicates to me. I ignore her. The humans need to realize our power, just in a non-harmful way. I hold the human in the air for a few seconds before Nova interrupts again.

"Yala, that's enough." I sigh and let the human drop gently to the ground. The others stare in shock at the one sprawled on the ground and us three. Then, one of them unexpectedly laughs. Another starts giggling, and soon all of them are gasping for breath between bursts of laughter. Nova, Zgier, and I stare. Finally, when all of them are too tired to laugh anymore, the one who started it all turns and says half-apologetically, but still hiccuping with giggles,

"Sorry, we just had a-, a humor moment."  

I clear my throat.

"What is your purpose in this forest?" I growl, still trying to keep a fierce attitude.

The human looks at the others, takes a deep breath, and begins her story. We listen in silence. At the end, I turn to Zgier and Nova. I think they're speaking the truth.

How can we know? Zgier asks

I agree, Nova replies to Zgier, But they don't seem to not be telling the truth.

I say we give it a shot. I firmly end the conversation. Zgier and Nova hesitantly nod.

The humans are still awkwardly standing there, watching our silent discussion.  Zgier clears his throat.

"Um, do you know which weapon Catastrophe is going after next?"

"Rumor has it that he's going to get the crown." The human, Sprocket she said her name was during the introduction, replies.

I laugh, drawing surprised glances from the humans.

"The powers of the weapons don't work too well if you get them out of order," I hurriedly explain, "He must get the Sword, Shield, then the Crown. He will get nowhere if he goes after the Crown first."

"But he might know that the Crown is among three wolves like yourselves." Another human adds.

"Then we shift," Zgier replies nonchalantly, "What's the most common thing right now?" 

The two spoke-humans look at each other, smiling slightly.

"Teenagers." I look at my siblings.

If it's going to fool Catastrophe, then it's our best option. They nod. I turn back to the humans and realize that one of them is on the ground. The few helping her look worried. A chance to gain their trust. I trot over. The girl is bleeding from her side, not an immediately fatal wound, but a serious one. Once more, I close my eyes and focus. After a second, the bleeding starts to slow and the girl sighs peacefully. I retreat, heading back to where Zgier and Nova are looking at me quizzically. 

The girl will recover quickly, I tell them, And hopefully the humans will trust us a bit more. They say nothing, but they don't disagree either. 

5 minutes later, some badgers come to take the girl to the nearby inn. Nova, Zgier, and I dissapear into the woods while everybody is getting ready to accompany them. We watch them leaving from underneath the tree line. When they've finally disappeared from sight, I glance at my litter-mates. 

Should we try shifting? Zgier nods immediately, Nova hesitates for a second.

The second human gave us all the information we needed, I plead, why not try? Finally, she sighs in resignation. Immediately, I close my eyes and picture a young human like the ones we talked to. The worl whirls around me for only a second, and when I open my eyes, I'm staring down at Zgier and Nova. I guess it worked. I communicate, smiling. 

submitted by Arra W.
(January 16, 2017 - 1:21 pm)

Hi, I would like to join this, but I can't really figure out what's going on. Could someone please give a summary? Thanks.

submitted by Rae
(January 16, 2017 - 1:25 pm)

I think most of us went to Northern Kyngdom individually and met up along the way, so now there's two main groups. One group is with the wolf Guardians of the Crown in the middle of a forest and the other is in the Cavern Tavern, after having escaped the bandits who attacked the Badger Express. Mina pretended to betray the Resistance again at the fight scene by shooting Icy, and Brynn ran away from the Resistance base and ended up at the tavern. I'm not sure exactly who is where.

I wish I could help more, but I've been pretty busy with drawing. For now, I hope this is accurate.

submitted by Viola?, age Secret, Secret
(January 17, 2017 - 12:15 pm)