I've been reading in various topics that they're planning to add two new communities once (1) Hallifax and Gaudiguch settle down and the monk and bard guilds are released and (2) player base increases more. Would it be a little too far off to think that these are Ackleberry and Jojobo?

Even if it's not those two or just one of them, I'm somewhat excited at the concept of the two forests and stepping forward and playing more active roles in modern times. Right now, the treatment of Father Sun is more of as a villain with Him always chasing after Mother Night and being partly-tainted, but at the same time forestals still revere him as bringer of warmth and daylight. One of His druids was also the one who taught Ecology to the Basin, but it was never stated in the Histories that Jojobo Forest. Possibly egoistic, regal and possessive qualities a personality.

• Vs. Moon and Lake: may hold a grudge since the two did oppose Him when He initially tried to claim Night for Himself
• Vs. Night: general pouncing and claiming. Although Sun will probably be the only Spirit who will ignore the transformation of Night. The covens may actually even get along, as strange as it sounds

Sister Lake/River, on the other hand, seems to have had a protector role thus far as per the Histories. She defended Spirit Night against Spirit Sun when He pounced on Her after being injected with the soulless potion. She and/or Brother Bear shared the ritual that would sever Ackleberry from known reality so that the spreading Taint doesn't reach the commune.

• Vs. Moon: the conflict may not be directly with Moon but more of with Serenwilde since some among Ackleberry and Tolborolla think that Serenwilde abandoned them during the Taint Wars
• Vs. Sun: historical conflict with Sun, but it's unknown right now if there have been conflicts between the two Awakened Spirits aside from the one in the Elder Histories
• Vs: Night: She did protect Night against Sun during the Elder Wars, but She'll probably be shocked at the transformation of Night after the advent of Glomdoring

As for themes, there would probably be some conflict with existing organizations, but it shouldn't be that difficult to reconcile once we're there ("once we're there" probably being the hard part haha). Sun would have all those "day" and "light" and possibly "fire" themes to share with New Celest and Gaudiguch, but it depends on what the teachings of Spirit Sun are. Lake would have all those fresh-water themes: ponds, rivers, lakes, waterfalls.

Yes, I know that there's a whole lot more to Jojobo and Ackleberry than Sun and Lake (Tae'dae and Furrikin for Ackleberry, Aslaran for Jojobo, The Collective Spirits Lion and Bear, the Elder Honeysap Tree, Lakewood Coven, etc.), but call it a bias due to my main being a Moondancer.


(Don't know if this topic really belongs here or it's supposed to be in Ideas, but it can probably be moved if should be in Ideas.)

Jojobo. The forest's name is Jojobo.

And we've seen a decent surge in players lately, actually! Granted, it's far from enough to justify opening two new orgs, but I think we'd all be really happy if we got to that point...

Yes, yes we would, and Estarra has also stated it's more of a 'when the player base is big enough' than an 'if we open them.' for Ackleberry.

But the when can become an if depending on the number Estarra has in mind. And going on the assumption that with added population both Hallifax and Gaudiguch will receive bards and monks I think the number must be rather high, at least I hope so since I would love to see the current guilds fill out to optimal levels.

Do want Ackleberry! >< That's the only reason I'd ever leave Magnagora on Ongaku, if I were to leave.

Oops. Mistook it for the medicinal plant. But I fixed the first post.

Yeah, I guess what I'm really after is finding more information and having more interaction with Sun and Lake, and not really the full-blown commune - although that would still be awesome when we get the opportunity. Agree on the present guilds filling out. Lots of people inactive nowadays.

Also, in the Elder wars, sun wasn't well.. Tainted, but he got a Soullessy treatment from Fain's Night Spa and went as mad as a hatter!

Would love to see the city:commune ratio tip back into balance. That, and a furrikin spec race for Ackleberry. Not sure what Jojobo's spec race would be. Aslaran? Also, wasn't Jojobo technically located outside the "Basin" (meaning outside the circular mountain range)?

Well, it's back to where it was when Lusternia started, so that's a sort of balance.

Ackleberry/Jo returned balance to the force? harr harr

why couldnt they just introduce a city and a commune instead of bringing in 2 new cities and throwing off the balance.

Well, the fact that Hallifax and Gaudguch kind of locked onto each other and got lost in time means that you really couldn't bring one back without the other. It wouldn't make a lot of sense.

Because there are no "neutral" orgs. Everyone is meant to have something directly against one of the other orgs.

That's what Glomdoring is for.

Everyone's against Glomdoring.

And to me, it always seemed that Ackleberry would end up the org with the most reason to go against everyone. Serenwilde for the betrayal. Glomdoring for being tainted. Sun for being the natural opposite. Magnagora for being soulless and undeady. Celest for bringing about the taint. Gaudi and Halli because they're filthy cities, and... I had another reason but I forgot. Either way, me thinks Ackleberry can end up pretty badass.

As far as I can tell, Ackleberry is supposed to come out with a grudge against Serenwilde for some as of yet unspecified betrayal, and if they come out of time like Halli/Gaudi did, they'll still probably be pissed at that, along with Mag for being Tainty, Glom for being Tainty (plus the minor issue of one of their former leaders being used as a guildhall,) and presumably Celest for general commune-centric reasons.

Of course, what's going to actually end up happening if the place comes out any time in the next year is that they're going to inherit all of Serenwilde's snugglers, quickly hammer out a peace treaty the second admin leaders are out the door, and function as an extra three to five guilds for the Wilde. It's going to take a huge effort to differentiate one pretty, happy, cutesy forest from the other. Unless they figure out a way to toss a disaster on top of Ackleberry before release.

Solution: Fain will be the patron god of Ackleberry.

If I can ever possibly stop that from happening, I will.

Historical reasons only last so long. When the game opened, Serenwilde was "meant" to be against both cities, but it wasn't long before it ended up allied with one or other. That's just how things go.

Ackleberry always seemed like potentially the worst commune to me, because it was, potentially, the epitome of forestal uselessness. Winnie the Pooh-type tae'dae and furrikin with abundant honey, romp emote macros, and no other reason for existing. But then I realised Estarra wouldn't release such a one-dimensional org, and if it did come out it would somehow be really cool, just like every previous city and commune has been.

The only thing I really have to add about Ackleberry is... Riverdancers.