Serena Reserve

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WARNING
This area is defunct!

This territory or sub-territory has been partially or completely destroyed; it is no longer a playable area.


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  1.   1.  Description
  2.   2.  Subterritories
  3.   3.  Landmarks
    1.   3.1  Kejimikujik National Park
    2.   3.2  Mersey River
    3.   3.3  Former Aniwaya Village
    4.   3.4  The Salt Lake
    5.   3.5  Asgina Usvdoni (Ghostly Hollow)
    6.   3.6  Adanvdo Tsusga (The Spirit Oak)
    7.   3.7  D'alli Range Station
  4.   4.  Likely Encounters
  5.   5.  History
    1.   5.1  Lore
    2.   5.2  'Souls
  6.   6.  More Information

Serena Reserve

Credit

Size ?? square kilometres
?? square miles

Serena Reserve was a former territory in 'Souls; however, the 2016 meteor strike destroyed the land. What was left of the reserve is now a part of the Broken Occident.

1.  Description

The area of Serena Reserve is a bowl of lowlands in the southeasternmost half of Nova Scotia, bordered by the highlands of The Trenches and Shiloh Hills to the south and the long, low North Mountain to the northeast. Once part of the massive Kejimkujik National Park, this portion of the park was dedicated as a reserve for elk and wolves in the time of humanity.

The wolves perished, but wapiti roam freely here in overwhelming numbers, once held in by barbed wire fences. The fences have since begun to rust and decay, allowing the elk to spread to nearby Ethereal Eclipse and further south throughout the lands. The spacious reserve has many spots where forest take over the open fields, containing a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees, but all fairly sparse and easy to navigate. The land is dotted with a number of small ponds, rivers, and lakes -- the largest of the river, the Mersey River, winds through most of the area and into the Beast's Grin Peninsula.

2.  Subterritories

3.  Landmarks

3.1  Kejimikujik National Park

The massive Kejimkujik National Park spans 404 kilometers (251 miles) over the southern half of Nova Scotia, comprising both the Ethereal Eclipse and some of the Broken Occident territories. The park consists of two geographically separate properties. The main park, located in the inland areas, is comprised of thick mixed forests, with Pine dominating over other species. The smaller part of the park, the coastal areas along the northernmost ridge of the Kejimkujik, is almost solely pine forest, far thinner than the thick woodland stretching over the center of the park.

The whole of the Kejimkujik -- often abbreviated to Keji -- was once well-marked with various trails, but of course these well-marked hiking routes have decayed into dirt paths and deer trails over the years. A large lake, the Gaspereau, sits within the park's boundary, though it is very near to the southernmost border.

3.2  Mersey River

The Mersey River, winding through the Serena Reserve area, has several small tributaries. The wide river has a slow current through much of its course. Its main branch snakes throughout the Serena Reserve area, finally rushing out to the ocean in the Beast's Grin Peninsula.

  • Adella's Rage
    Along the placid river that runs through the Serena Reserve, one small stretch flows faster and stronger. Adella's Rage is a series of river rapids, set in twists and turns of the Mersey River. There are several dropoffs in places, and near the end of it water rushes over large boulders that lay beneath the surface, turning the normally dark blue river white with foam. The embankment alongside the rapids is sloping and innocent, washed with sparkling stones and shells of all sort that lure creatures to the water's edge.
  • Sissiboo Creek
    The Sissiboo is a small creek that drains into the Mersey River. It is most notable for its stony bed -- rather than mud, the entirety of the Sissiboo consists of stones and rocks. Most have been worn smooth by the quick current of the Sissiboo.
  • Adiago Creek
    True to its name, this creek runs very slowly, seeming still at times. Around the especially low-lying creek are many partially submerged caves, some of which have long stalactites growing down from their ceilings.

3.3  Former Aniwaya Village

A number of buildings were raised in this area to serve as dens for the AniWaya tribesmembers who once occupied the region. Typically made from huts, some larger buildings also stand out in the structure of the village. One broad strip goes through the whole village, from the storage houses in the south to the town hall in the north. Nearby, there are crop fields and a stable, plus some small shacks used for various storage.

  • The Town Hall
    Once used as a meeting ground for the AniWayan tribe, it now stands empty and the nearby ceremonial fire grounds are blackened and cold.
  • Bearberry Grove
    To the south of the village, as the ground turns soft and gives way to marsh land, a glen dips between two rock formations. Nestled within, medicinal bearberry shrubs grow in shiny, thick patches, drawing the tribe healers. The leaves stay a deep green all year long and the berries, which are useful in for treating infection, turn bright red during winter, always providing a bright spot even on the coldest and darkest days.
  • The Stable Grounds
    Although now empty, the buildings that once housed horses and cows in the stables, chickens in the coops, and birds in the roost, stand empty. They are still in good condition and would make a convenient home for a weary traveler or tired loner.
  • The Burial Grounds
    This area is littered with mounds: the tombs of the fallen in the AniWaya Conflict. The amount of mounds exceeds the number of 20, and their height varies. It was created in the aftermath of the war, both to pay the proper respects, but also to rid the tribe of the problem of corpses. Members who die are either placed here or buried on water, although the Guardians who rest in these mounds were given no choice, as they left no family behind but their wounded tribe.

3.4  The Salt Lake

In the eastern part of Serena Reserve, toward Fellmoor Swamp, the lands begin to slowly roll down to beneath sea level. In the centre of the crater-like hole (a glacial kettle leftover from the last Ice Age), salt water from an underground channel bubbles up to the surface, creating a pool of brackish water. The pond is only partly shadowed by towering trees surrounding it, and its shores are sandy and very much coated in the salt that makes the water brackish. Deer and wapiti both frequent the area to partake of the delicious treat.

3.5  Asgina Usvdoni (Ghostly Hollow)

In the southwestern parts of Serena Reserve lies the catacombs of an ancient human tribe. The entrance to the partially man-made cave system is hidden by vegetation in spring and summer, though it is hard to spot no matter the time of year. The floor is littered with bones and dust. The walls and roof are made out of human skulls, grinning down on all intruders who disturb their eternal slumber. The catacombs break into several separated tunnels, partially encompassing natural hollows in the hills that mark the beginnngs of the sharply rising The Trenches area to the south.

3.6  Adanvdo Tsusga (The Spirit Oak)

The forest is particularly dense in this area, until a wide field emerges suddenly, filled with very tall grass. In its center, a giant dead oak springs from the ground, the branches creating a big shelter around its thick, contorted trunk. Along its trunk and branches, animal forms have been carved into the dead wood. The carvings are the Spirit Guides of the former AniWaya tribemembers who once occupied the region. Some of the animal carvings have been burned away, evidence of their former rituals of burying the ash with the dead tribemember.

3.7  D'alli Range Station

Located within the Serena Reserve there stood a ranger station, an outpost for the park rangers that kept watch over the lands. It had a cabin looking over Mersey Lagoon right near the river. It served as an excellent lookout before the snowstorm, when the old rusted and weather beaten ladder broke loose from the structure and landed several hundred yards away, where it still lies. If one was daring enough to climb up the old rickety stairs, they would find an excellent view of the rising sun from the panoramic windows on the east side of the station. Articles confiscated from poachers hung on the walls and sat on desks in the main room. In the back of the cabin there were two smaller rooms, one a first aid station and the other a bedroom. It's rumored that humans very recently occupied D'alli, but who believes that kind of gossip?

4.  Likely Encounters

  • Something!

5.  History

5.1  Lore

Named after its founder, the reserve was always a place where unimaginative humans gathered to believe they were helping. Rather than relocating animals that truly needed help to this reserve, they kept a small pack of wolves and several herds of wapiti (elk) in the area. The wolves didn't flourish, and died out fairly early, while the elk overran the reserve. Some say those passing through the land can hear the ghosts of wolves still mourning the pack's death.

5.2  'Souls

  • AniWaya claimed much of Serena Reserve, from its founding in 2008–2013 November.

6.  More Information

  • Edible Berries of Nova Scotia - list of edible berries in Nova Scotia (Canada) including the Halifax area and the Cape Breton Highlands and Kejimkujik National Parks