Wildling

**Wildling** is one of the six realms of Lightlark and the realm of temptresses who control nature. Ruled by Isla Crown, its official colour is green and its crown is a simple gold band, adorned with golden buds, leaves, and a hissing snake.

## History

Wildlings are known to be proud of their bodies, beauty, and ability. They love wildly, live freely, and fight fiercely. Wildling powers vary in their mastery of nature, but often include affinity with animals. Wildlings wear dresses made from bits of fabric woven through with leaves and vines. Some wear nothing at all except for the swords draped down their backs. Wildlings wield nature in life and join it in death, their skin becoming bark, and veins turning to vines. If a Wildling wishes, they can make a person fall off a cliff in pursuit of them. Their power to beguile was impossible to resist, though forbidden during the hundred days of the Centennial.

Thousands of years before, Wildlings had been able to grow entire forests with half a thought, move mountains with a flick of their wrists. Five hundred years ago, each of the six realms were cursed, their strengths turned into their own personal poisons. Wildlings' were cursed to kill anyone they fell in love with and to survey on human hearts. They turned into terrifyingly beautiful monsters with the wicked power to seduce with a single look. Beauty became a Wildling's gift as well as curse.

Thousands of Wildling men and women were killed off since. Love became forbidden and reckless. Fewer children were born. Daughters had always been more common for their realm. Men were killed more often when the rules were broken, and Wildling had slowly become a small community of mostly warrior women. After the curse and away from the power of the island, the abilities of the Wildlings had dwindled to barely more than party tricks.

Though the rest of the realms like to view Wildlings as savage temptresses and predators that lure lovers and then feast on their hearts, their wealth is unquestionable. Jewels are made when great power is wielded over nature, and over the centuries the glittering gems bloomed beneath the ground in the Wildling newland, rising up eventually, blossoming like flowers. It is difficult not to trip over some sort of precious stone in Wildling. As per Terra, the glittering rocks were the reason they had such a steady supply of hearts. Thieves from other realms, foolish and bold and wicked, sneaked onto their territory for the diamonds after all.

Wildlings were in danger because of Isla's curse of being born powerless. People and their power had gotten weaker every generation. Forests had shrunk. Wildlife had gone extinct. Without power to give, her realm was steadily dying. At the rate the lands and people were dying, there wouldn't be any Wildlings left soon. So far, her people had blamed their curses and length of time away from Lightlark for the deaths. But some were beginning to be suspicious of Isla.

## Geography

The Wildling castle is more outside than in. The halls are bridges, trees extend their arms into the corridor, leaves, vines and ivy creep across walls, and birds fly in and out as they please.

The most ancient twin trees of the Wildlings have their roots crested into the air, and then braided together, forming a towering archway, round as a looking glass.

## Rulers

* Isla Crown
* Lark Crown

## Known residents

* Poppy
* Terra
* Tap for more Wildling residents

## Trivia

* Singing is a Wildling thing, a temptress thing. Just like their sisters, the sirens of the sea.