The Autumn Court

The Autumn Court is a sanctuary for all those who wish to hide away from the chaos and wars of the world. The Court keeps its location secret from the outside world to protect its peace, and limits acceptance of new members. While many members wander the world helping refugees as they go, very few are permitted to know the actual location of the Court.

The people of the Autumn Court are from all races and lands, and value peace, community, and the land above all else. They are closely connected to the animals, plants, earth, tides, and wind, and get news of the outside world from the spirits of the land. Members try and protect nature wherever they go, from the tallest redwood to the smallest mushroom, and pay attention to the workings of the world and the ecosystem in which they live. They are often dismissed as aloof fools for listening to the plants, but they deeply value science, particularly biological and environmental, and have a vast collection of knowledge in their great library, a collection which scholars travel from all lands to find.

History
The Autumn Court was founded by the Troll Auricularia, who, while wandering through across the lands, met many refugees of the War. She began helping all those she came across, and while some eventually went off on their own, many stayed with Auri, following her to the edge of the Highlands. There she settled, making a home deep in the woods for all who need a safe place to get away. There the Autumn Court thrives, isolated from the troubles of the rest of the world.

The Autumn Court became allied with the Stonebound Court in recent years due to a friendship between leaders and similar morals. The two factions now regularly participate in friendly tennis tournaments.

Locations
Deep in the murky Aurelian Wildwoods, the Court is impossible to find unless guided through the woods by a high-ranking member. At the center of the Wildwoods, the dense murky woods give way to towering maples and evergreens, allowing light to filter through the trees. Here is where the Autumn Court settled.

The Evergreen Grove
At the very center of the Wildwoods, nothing but oaks and maples can be seen for as far as the eye can see, save for a grove of lofty firs and cedars, the central hub of the Autumn Court. Beneath the conifers the ground is clear and well-lit, covered in a thick layer of grasses and soft moss. A small stream and some cobble paths connects buildings between the trees. Here is where most events and social activities take place, like picnics, naps, and various classes when the weather is favorable. At the edges of the Grove are the Court's most important buildings, like Mycelia Lodge, Viridia Library, and the Court's Founder's home.

Mycelia Lodge
At the edge of the Grove and upon a little hill is the Court's community center, Mycelia Lodge. The sprawling lodge serves as a gathering area for socializing and a Court meeting place on rainy days. The main hall is full of plush sofas and bookcases, with the occasional tree growing its way into the Lodge interior. In the Lodge is the community kitchen, which serves 3 meals a day to any member or visitor. The Lodge also contains most of the Court's temporary housing, for visitors or members who haven't yet built a home somewhere else in the Court.

Viridia Library
Across the Grove from the Lodge is the Court's great library, which is even greater in size than Mycelia Lodge. Here is then Court's center of study, where students may read books on nearly any topic, or where researchers write their reports. The Library holds a vast collection of books, textbooks, scrolls, and records, the size of its collection rivaled by only a few in the world. All but the most precious and fragile documents are free to be read by anyone in the Court, if allowed by the head librarian. Many of the Court's academic classes are held here.

Sequoia Corner
Just past the edge of the Evergreen Grove is a junction where many paths is the Court meet, centered around a lucky redwood tree. Here are some of the businesses of of the faction, like Cinderleaf Inn, Soup's General, and Peachy's Spirits & Sweets, with the greater shopping district and farms just beyond. The redwood at the center is called the Wishing Tree, and members of the Court believe lighting a candle and leaving a small offering at its base will bring good luck and fulfill wishes.

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Vermilion Hollow
Vermilion Hollow is a stand of huge scarlet maple trees, the oldest and largest estimated to be over 36,000 years old. It is suspected that this tree, called the Hallowed Acernis Tree, is the oldest living thing on Natura. At the Hollow's center is a circle of stones, surrounded by ancient trees and pure springs. The Hollow serves as the spiritual center of the Autumn Court, where many people come to meditate, perform ceremonies, get married, or hold funerals. Due to the importance and age of these trees, anyone who visits the Hollow must be exceptionally respectful, and those who are not are quickly dealt with by the Hollow's own guards.