Hello! I am gathering information on The Endless Forest fan community to expand its Fanlore page. Seems there is plenty about it's history, but not a whole lot of community meta. So please, if you have some time consider answering a few questions for me! Especially if you have been a long-time TWF player. You may skip and answer questions at your leisure. Your responses may be used on the Fanlore page, either as direct quotes, snipped quotes (edited for brevity), or indirectly as footnotes. You are of course welcome to skip this all together and edit information onto the page yourself as well. https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Endless_Forest

1. How long have you been playing on The Endless Forest?

2. What do you call your community? (For example, "Furry Fandom" for furries, "Creatures Community" for fans of the game Creatures, "Potterheads" for Harry Potter fans, etc)

3. Is there any unique terminology your community uses? (Example: "Hexies" is what the Petz fandom call game mods- this is unique to them)

4. How has the community changed from the early days to now?

5. What other places do you congregate to enjoy TEF's community/fandom? Other forums, websites, chatrooms?

6. Describe how roleplay functions in your community, and what it is about. Imagine you're explaining this to a newbie or outsider.

7. Have there ever been any major controversies in the community?

8. Would you say you are a "deer person?" If so, how do you see this as differing from other species-based communities? (Example: such as communities focused around lion characters, or around horse characters, etc)

9. Do you know anyone who has played TEF who has gone on to do something else note worthy? (Example: Ehtere making the Fawnlings ARPG in 2012)

10. Anything else interesting you'd like to say about the community or game?

Community service for a time became important around the twin gods. I would only observe. When no one was there theano deer would get in the crack between the twin gods and twirl as she explored the sculpted carvings on the ivory like figures. Then would do shake the booty dance with the tune and leave.

Sometimes upon coming back groups of deer with the red and white masks would be gathered and charge up the hill at the twin gods. Other groups of deer would gather around and watch. Like knights of old it seemed some infarction had happened and a long conversation went on with some pacing back and forth. Once in awhile the whole group would charge the twin gods. For weeks afterwards they would hang out with different masks around the twin gods like Romans during recreation between military campaigns just friendly, snatching up fawns and swaying in pairs and groups scattered across that plain.

After years and hours observing theano deer never did figure out why. For years it occurred regularly and was part of the play. Like mind control take over of which art philosophy will be in control. Most of us liked a smattering of all and theano deer would go to playground because it reminded her of the good part of India which for the moment has nearly ceased to exist or is in hiding. Art seems to be an issue there now. What once was shared so freely has been laid to rest. Some winters have no snow but after winter comes spring at some point.

At times hiding inside the rocks of the playground while viewing Harappa and Mojen Daro petroglyphs seem to help decipher symbols of an artist tribe long ago and a 5000 year history much of which is metaphorical and full of double innuendos. Dharma/karma cycle rapid. Hoping the deer there survive it.

Is art ever really lost? Those symbols maimed and destroyed does it ever appear again? Part of a cultures conscieness and identity so it rebirths for the era it reappears.

WARNING: Potential mature language and themes.

Art (c) me
CSS (c) littlesinner & Unplugged/Hraeth.

Is there a group discord or additional fan server or such to hang out or is it just the forms?

In the Eden of the forest deer formed large chains and danced for hours. Any fawn showing up became swept up into the sound and movements of the ancient deers who pranced and around to ensure most of the forest participated. Many newcomers it served as a way to teach all the deer moves one needed so when combined in a sequence you had had animated mime deer that held long conversations. Signature sequences existed and you would recognize a deer or a set of deer by their greeting or actions. It became the designated deer exchange day.

An exchange is an act of giving. It has a sequence. A sequence is an act of giving one thing you receive another thing of the same type or value. So spells became a popular way to exchange particularly with young adult deer out of fawn hood. Essentially an informal market system formed of exchange. Different deer groups were experts at spells or places. You would go visit and they would show you a spell between each other and offer it to you. (Some deer took a while to discover staying out of certain areas their spells lasted longer--when you only know one to two ways to get a spell it is precious) Or a young deer casted their only known spell and when no more exchange a veteran deer would take them to a place and show them something. Like certain areas of flowers by the pond the butterflies come very close and seem to linger and are huge. You could turn your deer body certain ways and make it appear butterflies lived amonst your antlers. So new deer would go around looking for the butterfly in the antler spell. (not a spell but a magical place in the forest)

Many such acts happened in the days of dancing deer by the hundreds.

Within a group, the dance sequence would change and you would know one of the other deer took the lead so it would flow. A visual symbol of an inner deer practice would make for a merry time.

(Might move this over to her bio eventually but until I learn how literally anything works it's staying here)

I'm still very new and will definitely update this as both Peanut and I develop!