[INFO] The Golden Circle

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The Golden Circle is an all-doe warren located in the North-west of Sunset Acres, near the edge of Tanglewood. Their home is a grove of blossoming apple trees surrounded by plentiful greens and thick berry bushes. The warren is a meandering stream of tunnels and dens dug beneath the roots of the largest apple tree.

The Circle is a deeply superstitious and spiritual group of rabbits, who practice the art of herbalism both for health remedies and to conjure blessings and curses. They have no gods, but consider the earth itself the sacred giver of all life.

The number 4 is particularly important to the rabbits of the Golden Circle. Rabbits were given four legs with which to run, four claws to dig, four senses to protect them from predators, while the world itself shifts between four seasons.​

 

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From the Mouths of the First Mothers

Many lifetimes ago when the earth was a young mother, she created rabbits, and rabbits - with their swiftness and wisdom - ruled the meadows and the dales. But with life came death, with light came the darkness, and predators were born from the earth’s shadows. Birds of prey hunted the rabbits from above while legless snakes slithered with venom in their fangs. The rabbits, in their wisdom, joined together as one to find safety in numbers. Together, rabbits dug, foraged, ate, and mated. Life was cyclical, as it should be.

In one warren, there was a doe named Marigold, with a coat that gleamed like sunshine. Marigold thanked the earth when she found sweet fruits and good sprouts and in return the earth spoke to her. She whispered to Marigold through blades of grass, giving her all the secrets of the plants. Marigold used these secrets to help her warren. She crushed herbs to ease pain, powdered roots to drive away predators with pungent smells and the promise of a terrible curse, she cured poison with the sweet extract of berries. Marigold was loved by many in her warren.

One day, the chief rabbit - a black buck named Bitterroot - was bitten by a rattler. His brothers dragged him to Marigold and begged her to save him. But Bitterroot was cruel to the earth. He dug burrows through tree roots and tore up the best flowers without waiting for them to seed. The earth was displeased with him, and Marigold knew this. She knew, because of this, no remedy she made would cure him. Bitterroot died of his injuries and his brothers scorned Marigold for her failure.

Marigold was driven from the warren by hatred, but she was not alone. She’d spent much of her time teaching other rabbits of the warren how to fix poultices and listen to the earth. Many came with her when she was exiled. They traveled for many suns, searching for a new home far from Bitterroot’s brothers.

The cold set in as winter came. Food became scarce and the ground too hard to dig burrows in. Several rabbits perished in the journey. All bucks. Marigold realized the earth did not want bucks to join Marigold’s new home. She thanked the earth for her wisdom and covered the bodies of the deceased in the remnants of dead autumn leaves as an offering.

When spring broke, Marigold and the does that followed her smelled sweet blossoms in the air. Their noses led them to a thick grove of apple trees, where the earth was soft and the water sweet.

“This is our home,” Marigold declared.

And so it was.

 

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No rabbit is considered lesser than any other rabbit in the Golden Circle, but each rabbit has interests or skills that best suit a particular job.

Earth Speakers - The inner council of rabbits, earned through age and wisdom. Earth speakers are said to interpret the word of the earth mother and have the greatest skill at potion making and spell work. They are the leaders of the warren, only because they are also the elders. It is considered good luck to have four earth speakers at a given time, but this number isn’t set in stone. [RESTRICTED]

Mothers - Because the Circle only allows does, some rabbits are tasked with travelling outside the borders of the warren in search of bucks. These trysts are how the warren keeps its numbers. All rabbits in a warren take some responsibility for raising kits, but Mothers are those who are especially dedicated to child rearing.

Herbalists - Rabbits who have a keen interest in plant-life become the warren’s herbalists. Herbalists are tasked with identifying and gathering ingredients and creating poultices for the warren’s use. Only the most skilled herbalists are permitted to handle poisonous plants. Some herbalists cultivate their own small gardens just outside the grove of apple trees.

Spellsayers - It takes a keen mind and a careful paw to become a skillful potion maker, and those with the talent become brewers for the warren. Spellsayers develop and mix potions, create and perform spells and curses, and conduct ceremonial rituals. It takes many seasons of studying before a rabbit can call herself a Spellsayer.

Spiritwalkers - Spiritwalkers are those who communicate with the rabbits of the past. Through reading stones, bird droppings, and the fall of crumbled leaves, they are capable of communicating with the dead. The dreams of Spiritwalkers are considered important for the future of the warren and are often shared during communal storytelling at the end of the evening.

Green Minds - The youth of the warren, or those who have yet to choose a path. All rabbits begin their lives as green minds.

 

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[map in progress]
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The Apple Grove - The main hub of the Golden Circle, where the warren itself is located, dug between the deep, twisting roots of the apple trees. The grove is large enough to support dozens of rabbits, with plentiful food from spring to fall in the form of sweet grasses and fallen fruit. The trees offer protection from the elements and the eyes of predators patrolling the skies.

The location of the Grove is fiercely protected by the does of the Golden Circle. Because the warren has no warriors or defenders, it's important to keep their home a secret from potential enemies.

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Marigold Meadow - A small clearing east of the Apple Grove, filled with bright yellow marigolds in spring and summer. This meadow is considered a blessing from the earth herself, in exchange for Marigold's good deeds. It's a sacred place, where strangers may not visit. When warren members pass away, they are set to rest here, to run in the fields of the afterlife with Marigold and the other founders of the warren. It is said that the spirits of the dead speak more clearly here. Many rabbits, especially spiritwalkers, meditate here. Eating the marigolds that grow here can bring one closer to the spirit world.

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Herbalist Gardens - Near the edge of Sunset Acres were the first towering, twisting trees of the Tanglewood have planted their roots are the herbalist gardens. A few areas carefully tended for ingredients that can't be found in the acres themselves. Rabbits rarely travel here alone as there are many dangers lurking in the Tanglewood, and not all of them are predators.

 

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1. Respect the earth and her bounty. Give thanks for the food and shelter she provides.
2. The roots of the apple trees are sacred. Do not disturb them as you dig your burrows.
3. All rabbits accepted by the earth mother are equals and must be treated with respect and kindness.
4. The earth mother does not want to share her sacred grove with bucks. They must be kept away from the Golden Circle.