When it comes to borders, Skydas is relaxed towards visitors but not without boundaries; disrespecting or otherwise trying to cross their borders without being permitted will result in Skydas reacting to defend themselves and oust the intruder.
The Wardens of Skydas are the first line of defense and maintain the pack’s borders diligently. Hearthkeepers are the second line of defense, expected to aid them in preventing intruders from breaching the territory.
Only the Alpha, Beta, Paladins, and Gamma Wardens can permit outsiders to enter Skydas territory. If an outsider wishes to meet with Lennart they must wait at the border under guard until a wolf of appropriate rank arrives to hear the reason for their visit.
Skydas are open-minded wolves who value communication and cooperation, and thus they are not as wary of outsiders as other packs. They are always searching for answers, whether in the form of island visions or speaking with outsiders. Peaceful visitors from any pack are a welcome in Skydas for this reason.
Skydas is willing to entertain visitors, but they will not tolerate their borders being disrespected or taken advantage of. Suspicious loiterers are first issued a warning, and if this is ignored, then the Wardens are permitted to chase them away - they may use force, but only if it is absolutely necessary.
Visitors approaching Skydas territory:
Provided they do not cross the border and announce themselves upon arrival, Skydas tends to greet visitors from all packs with curiosity and interest.
Wolves who loiter near Skydas borders, do not announce themselves, or quickly leave when spotted by Wardens are regarded as suspicious, and will be greeted with more wariness than a visitor.
At this time, Skydas borders are open to visitors entering the territory if given permission. Visits are welcome, and Skydas will allow them to stay in the east for a maximum of three weeks (IC).
Visitors who come to Skydas hoping to join them must explain to the Alpha why they've left their previous pack, and what they want from a life in Skydas. Generally, the east will gladly accept any wolves seeking to join their cause, or even just seeking protection.
Encounters in the Freelands:
Typically the only Skydas wolves that may be encountered in the Freelands are Seekers, Emissaries, and occasional Meisters.
To wolves they meet in the Freelands, these trades are friendly. Communication and knowledge are of utmost importance to the east, and Emissaries & Meisters in particular are encouraged to engage strangers in conversation to gain intel.
Traveling Skydans generally will not hesitate to help a wolf in danger or need of aid, regardless of their allegiance.
Wolves discovered to be regularly encroaching on other pack borders for their own social benefit, or doing anything that could damage Skydas relations, will be punished.
All travel should have a purpose for the good of the pack, or maintaining inter-pack relations.
Unless their trade requires it, no wolf should leave the territory without first gaining permission from the Alpha. If a wolf leaves without permission, they will likely be suspected of suspicious activity, and can expect to be punished and questioned if they return.
OOC: You can use the #ask-the-alpha channel to seek permission for travel. While Lennart is a fair leader, he will not often make exceptions that bend the rules, so some requests may be denied. This is never personal and has nothing to do with the Alpha player's personal opinions.
No wolf should visit another pack unless they have been ordered to or permitted by Lennart.
Omegas are civilians of Skydas until they take on a trade, and are confined to the territory. If they leave the border without permission from Lennart, they will be reprimanded and assigned a warden watcher upon return.
Harvesters are permitted to travel for herbs only if ranked Gamma or Theta. Despite the rugged terrain of Cliffside, herbs can be found in abundance inside the territory, so Harvesters rarely need to look elsewhere. They should never travel more than a few hours from the borders and return to the territory within the same day.
Wardens are expected to defend the pack borders, and do not travel beyond Skydas territory.
If ranked Gamma or above, Wardens may permit visitors to enter Skydas territory.
If ranked Gamma or above, Wardens may escort other skydans on excursions in the Freelands. There is no other circumstance in which a Warden should be beyond the territory.
Hearthkeepers are tasked with caring for the Hearth and have no need to travel beyond the borders whatsoever. They should only cross the border if they are given a task that requires it (for example, helping rebuild Taika's territory during Search and Rescue).
Meisters may venture into the Freelands only on expeditions to specific locations, and must be accompanied by a seeker ranked Gamma or Theta. They cannot travel freely like Seekers and Emissaries.
Seekers and Emissaries are the only trades who have freedom to pass in and out of Skydas borders at will, as it is the nature of their work to travel the island, and thus have the most travel rules.
Both trades may skirt pack borders but are forbidden to cross them, or do anything that would compromise the reputation of Skydas.
All seekers and emissaries inform a Paladin before leaving the territory with an estimate of where they will travel. This is to make sure if anyone goes missing, Skydas knows where to start looking.
Deltas of both trades may not travel beyond Raat's Pass or the Ithunnwood unless accompanied by a Gamma or Theta. They are tasked with tracking herd movements and scouting regions closer to Cliffside until they gain more experience.
Seekers leave signs for each other and the Emissaries at message points to signify changes in their travel range. These signs are made by claw marks in dirt and stones piled around a large branch, wedged into the earth vertically to be visible from a fair distance. Simple but specific, the locations are monitored by both trades.
Message Points: Stonestep and God's Pass ruins, the outskirts of Istriges, and the forest east of Tvirtovė.
Intact pile of stones: SAFE. | Bitten branch: HERD. | One claw mark, intact pile: SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY. | Scattered pile: CAUTION, AREA UNSAFE. | Many claw marks around scattered pile, broken branch: DANGER, TURN BACK.
In the case of a bitten branch, one stone is moved to note the direction the herd moved in (north, south, east, west).