Grove of █nnamed Seeds
| Grove of █nnamed Seeds | |
|---|---|
 The Grove of █nnamed Seeds as viewed from the perimeter fence in 2046 | |
| Location | Rendorlin Sector, Commonwealth of Lyras |
| Established | 2042 |
| Type | Woodland / Memorial Site |
| Purpose | Memorial to the cost of conflict; neutral space |
| Policy | No names given until trees demonstrate resilience without attribution |
| Notable Incident | 2045: Roots excavated and redistributed to prevent ownership claims |
| Current State | Network of smaller, unconnected stands |
| Coordinates | 41°12′N 18°03′E |
Grove of █nnamed Seeds is a woodland located in the Rendorlin Sector, established on land scarred by the final engagements of the Protectorate Wars. The site was originally a clearing scarred by the final engagements of the Protectorate Wars. Botanists planted saplings directly into contaminated soil without clearing it first. The charter mandated the site remain a memorial to the conflict's cost rather than a monument to victory.[1] This stance was formalized in an internal charter that remains in force, distinguishing the site from the monuments erected by the █lmarkan Empire to celebrate its victories. By 2045, regional councils in the Commonwealth of Lyras proposed renaming the grove after General ███████ Hesk, citing his victory in the earlier phase of the war. The caretakers rejected this immediately. In a documented incident that year, they excavated the root systems of several saplings and redistributed them to various botanical stations across Lyras. The act ensured no single authority could claim ownership or symbolic control over the forest.[2]
Origins
[edit]The Grove occupies the memory of the Duel of Nuwai, a decisive moment in the Protectorate Wars that ended with the occupation of the ███████████████. The war was fought over grain land, timber, and shipyards on the north-eastern coast of Rendorlin and three outlying islands.[3] Combat had left the ground barren and contaminated, yet the botanists chose to plant directly into the soil rather than clear it first. They refused to name the saplings until they proved they could grow without human praise, a condition that defined the project's identity from its inception in 2042.[4]
The caretakers' charter formalized around 2044 mandated that the site remain a memorial to the conflict's cost rather than a monument to victory. While other sectors saw the erection of statues and plaques, this grove was left largely overgrown and unnamed. The original site remained a quiet space where the only markers were the rings of bark on the trees, none of which bore any inscription or dedication.[5]
Attempts at Renaming
[edit]In 2045, the push to rename the grove after ███████ Hesk reached a fever pitch. The local councils argued that a forest dedicated to peace should honor the man who secured the peace through military might. They sought to install a plaque bearing his name at the entrance to the clearing.[6] The caretakers, however, viewed this as an attempt to impose propaganda on a space designed for neutrality. When the proposal was presented for a vote, they did not merely oppose it; they acted decisively to dismantle the concept of ownership entirely.[7]
In a now-famous act of botanical civil disobedience, the caretakers excavated the root systems of several saplings and redistributed them to various botanical stations across Lyras. This ensured that no single authority could claim ownership or symbolic control over the forest. The scattered roots resulted in the grove becoming a network of smaller, unconnected stands rather than a single contiguous forest.[8] The incident was recorded in the archives of the ███████████████████████, which noted the redistribution as an unusual but legally permissible use of heritage flora under the ██████████████████████████████████.[9]
Scattered Roots
[edit]The dispersal of the roots resulted in the grove becoming a network of smaller, unconnected stands rather than a single contiguous forest. By 2