Closed The Path less taken.

[Hwyn]

The Path less taken
Summer 29th 506 Av

If one's taste for adventure could not be sated by just living in Alvadas, their were always options to take things up a notch, He'd been sleeping in Ionu's temple long enough to have heard of most of the cities attractions from one pilgrim or another, and one attraction kept revisiting Hwyn whenever he thought of things to do. Their was supposedly a hedge maze of some renound, "the hedge maze of no return" Supposedly it had earned it's name for a reason though enough had survived it's entrapping to have come back and told of how beautifully crafted and maintained it was. The appeal was certainly their, no promise of treasure perhaps but adventure was to be had none the less, and the fact that it was scenic did little to stop Hwyn's sense of wanderlust.

Setting Out from the temple Hwyn was pleased with himself, Alvadas had been good to him, it felt like a city where he could really be himself and nobody bothered to question it, not that he had revealed his nature to many but he felt that even if he had not too many of the Alvads would be horribly disgruntled. Making his way through town it took Hwyn a couple minutes of asking about to find someone who knew a guy who knew a girl who was married to someone that had seen the hedge maze that day. Shrugging at the absurdity of the Alvadan who gave him the directions Hwyn took off in the direction gestured, it seemed that even an ambiguous lead could get you far in Alvadas.

Walking with a goal in mind it wasn't to long until the verdant sanctuary came into view, and into smelling range as well. Even standing outside the maze Hwyn was awed by how lush the plant life was in the maze. It was a florists dream, though perhaps a gardeners nightmare. Smiling to himself Hwyn walked into the maze and took confident strides into the maze hoping to find it's heart and if he was lucky something interesting. Though quickly a sound from behind him drained his bravado and chilled his spine. Turning around hwyn found that what had once been an entrance was now only a wall of green leaves. Hwyn swallowed, he had known to expect trickery but that was quite bold, even for Alvadas. Swearing he'd make it out of the maze and have a good time doing it Hwyn composed himself and again began walking with intent on finding things worth seeing within the winding briar.

Credit to Shimoje, the bestest buddy

[Hwyn]

The path less taken

As Hwyn walked he could feel the maze watching him, like some silent sentinel intent on preventing his egress. In some ways it was unnerving, and as Hwyn walked it became increasingly so. the constant rustling of foliage slowly began to make Hwyn more and more paranoid, either it was the sound of the maze rearranging itself or something else was in hear with him, though realistically it could be both. Walkig slower now Hwyn watched the path around him it was slowly winding into itself, but that's not possible since it would intersect itself, right?

As he delved deeper into the hedge his sense of direction began to subside into a self induced coma for the sake of his own sanity, left and right quickly lost any relativity they once had as Hwyn walked the day fading into noon and slowly afternoon. It had been several hours and Hwyn felt that he was no nearer to making it out of the maze. Stopping in a clearing within the maze Hwyn stood before a fountain and several benches. Cupping water from the fountain Hwyn sated his thirst, and found himself quite parched. The day had gone on long and yet it had felt like a disturbingly short time had truly passed. Perhaps it was nerves or Paranoia but finally slowing down he found that he had left his appetite behind and it was now taking it's time to catch up.

Taking time to recuperate Hwyn began to forage,if their was one thing that was consistently nice about the Hedge maze was that it provided a fair amount of sustenance for it's inhabitants. The nearby bushes were littered with small berries and within ten minutes Hwyn had a couple pockets full of black berries and raspberries. Sitting in the clearing Hwyn ate and drank until his stomach gurgled appreciatively. It was an odd sort of feast Hwyn had not eaten tell he was full often, and he had certainly not expected to do so trapped in a hedge maze on water and berries. Though he was content none the less, it was't cold and the evening sky was full of radiant hues that set his mind at ease.

So at ease in fact that his eyelids became increasingly heavy until without fighting it he fell asleep laying across the bench using a small arm as a pillow. What was left of his common sense cried out for him to arise but something in the berries he had eaten and the shear amount he had eaten acted together to put him into a deep quiet sleep.

Credit to Shimoje, the bestest buddy

[Hwyn]

The path less taken

“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland



When Hwyn awoke the scenery that he was surrounded by was no longer shades of green and sky, but hues of gold and red. Like some palace carved from a solid block of gold Hwyn saw nothing but decadence in each direction. Looking around it was quite apparent that Hwyn was no longer where he had been but he didn't feel lost, or even disoriented, in fact it was the best he had felt in a long while. Looking about from where he had awoken he found himself on a canopied bed, from the looks of it silk sheeks and pillows all dyed an emblazoned crimson drawing stark contrast to the otherwise golden scenery. Even the light within the room was a diffuse yellow, like the morning sun but Hwyn could not find the source of the light, it was as if the very scenery emitted the color, motes of lazy swirly dust further emphasized the scene. The only thing Hwyn felt was truly wrong with the scene was the eerie silence that was within the palace.

Slipping off the bed Hwyn felt his bare feet make contact with the floor, it was pleasantly cool to the touch. Though the sensation brought to his attention that he wasn't wearing any shoes, in fact his whole outfit had changed. Making his way to the mirror held within the room the reflection held within it brought a huge grin to Hwyn's face. He was wearing perhaps the most elegant slip he'd ever seen, a rose tinted silk that contoured to his form like nothing that could be bought in any regular market he'd been to. But that wasn't the only thing his hair was clean and brushed and felt as if it had been washed with soaps that would cost him more than he could make in a year, he didn't have the tired spots that usually darkened the underside of his eyes. Striking a pose then giving himself an appreciative twirl in front of the mirror Hwyn giggled giddily. He wasn't sure of where he'd awoken but he was sure he didn't want to leave.

Further exploring the room Hwyn opened a large wardrobe with beautifully carved doors and elegant handles. What lay within only served to make Hwyn drool, dresses, scarves and outfits that Hwyn didn't even have names for filled the wardrobe from wall to wall, they came in every color and material Hwyn could imagine, and some he couldn't. Some of the articles even appeared to be shifting colors in front of him. Then as he stood trying to decide on what to pull from the wardrobe a voice boomed, he wasn't sure if it came from within his head or from all around him but it came none the less.

"these could all be yours if you but knew the path to find them"

Looking around searching for the source of the voice Hwyn found naught that could lead him towards the voices origin. But he could do little to resist the allure of such an offer, there was little more in the world that Hwyn could dare want and if this could be his he'd do anything this voice would ask.

"Come search me out, find me within my golden abode and I'll point you to the right path"

With that Hwyn sped off pushing open the double doors that held him within the room and on the other side he found himself in a grand hall, forever long with doors on each side as far as the eye could see. Small doors, large doors, double doors, glass doors, doors as far as one could bother to look.

"But only one has what you seek my dear, I'll be waiting"

Credit to Shimoje, the bestest buddy

[Hwyn]

The Path less taken.

Standing in the corridor Hwyn felt incredibly lost among the great hall strewn with pathways both grand and humble, some doors that looked to made from aged lumber and others wrought from gold and silver. Approaching one such door Hwyn tugged on the handle and when the door came open he came face to face with more mizas than he could ever have wanted to spend in a lifetime. Before he could finish marveling the treasure however the pile that had once rested against the door poured out onto him like water knocking him back and nearly down. Wading out of the pile Hwyn looked through the door now only knee deep in mizas. The room held much the same as what had poured out of it. Golden mizas and trinkets of all sorts abounded within the room, it was more than the treasury of sunberths most wealthy resident could dare to imagine. Looking around Hwyn felt mistified by the treasures and stood gawking for several moments trying to imagine what he could do with such a fortune.

"Is it riches you desire? Gleaming gold and shining gems strike your fancy? Is that all in this world that captivates your soul?"

The voice seemed to have some sort of gloating air about it, as if if it felt that it had some sort of innate superiority. Stepping back Hwyn decided that if the voice was teasing him so then he wasn't likely in that room. Stepping out of the gold Hwyn went to the door a little further down the hall, it was large and made of solid looking wood but the bottom half of the door was coated in moss and vines. Being slightly more cautious this time Hwyn Opened the next door slowly, tearing away some of the vines that snagged the door but after an initial grunt of effort the door opened calmly and seamlessly. The next room was filled with the most verdant garden Hwyn had ever seen, exotic fruits colorful blossoms and flowers, the entire room emitted an indescribable aroma that soothed Hwyn to his very core. Stepping into the room Hwyn ran his hand across the silky vines. Pulling a bright red apple from a nearby branch Hwyn bit into it relishing in it's fragrance and flavor.

"Perhaps it's the bounties of nature that appeal to you, hidden in forests and jungles of the world? Would you seek out nature's mysteries?That too is possible if you know how to look"

Scowling Hwyn turned his back on the room and left it. Again it didn't feel like the voice was going to be among trees either. But that left him feeling lost. Where exactly could the voice be. Was he hiding with the things he wanted most? Though that thought only led him to a new question, what did he want most? Was it something that could be found? Thinking Hwyn pondered what he wanted. He loved clothing, it was one of his greatest passions to wear pretty clothing, this was only seconded to the side effect that came with it, being complimented and loved for what he was. But that wasn't really something that could be seen, neither love nor vanity could be found so easily. So what was it that the voice was hiding behind. Could one of these doors have the ideal family or love behind it? Maybe the voice only thought it knew what he wanted and was hidden somewhere more obvious and less abstract. Hwyn pondered on the world he had found himself in, wherever it was and whatever it was, he was beginning to sense that their was more to it than any eye could see.

Credit to Shimoje, the bestest buddy

[Hwyn]

The Path less taken

Hwyn thought for several chimes, or perhaps bells, time was hard in this strange golden palace. Then deciding that he did know the location of the thing he most wanted for the moment was he returned to where his journey had begun. Stepping back through the double doors to the room he had awoken in. Nothing had changed since he had left, golden motes of dust still played in the air lazily the bed still rested in the center of the room. Deciding to finally break the silence Hwyn began to formulate the right word to say. He felt confident that whatever had brought him to this place was around listening.

"No matter how many doors and scenes you show me, you could offer me nothing here that I could desire. My wants cannot be found in a place like this no matter how much gold or fruit you offer. Even if you had the prettiest dresses made from the finest materials my desires cannot be attained here. S-so I don't think any p-path you can show me, h-has what I want"

Then the room began to rumble like some sort of small scale quake, it took Hwyn a moment to realise that it was no quake but a sound of some sort of dark mirth. whatever the origin of the voice was was laughing. It was a dark heavy laugh. Then Hwyn saw it, the bed he had awoken on began to shift until it no longer looked like a bed at all. Shifting in Hue tell it too was a brilliant gold the sheets evaporated into the coils of a great golden snake. Rearing it's great head the snake opened a pair of beautifully hued eyes, yellow with great read streaks racing out from the pupils creating a visage like that of a great hearth fire. The snake lazily flicked it's tongue at Hwyn. Then it spoke.

"Nothing here interests you? Perhaps that is indeed for the best, or at least your best, after all the price of staying here is what little sanity still exists in that small head of yoursss. But then again, you can't leave yet. No you would never be able to find the path out, but that I can show you. Yesss indeed I can ssshow you a path that will take you to most anything you could dessssire. In fact you won't be leaving at all tell I've shown you. look me in the eyes boy, and tell me what you see."

Unable to resist the charm in the serpent's voice Hwyn looked into the snake's two toned eyes and froze. Then the the snake began to coil the lower portion of its'e around Hwyn until he was locked into place hardly able to move at all, something about the snake's gaze had him frozen in place like a rabbit staring down the shaft of an arrow.

Then it began, the snakes eyes began to glow like embers and Hwyn felt his own eyes begin to tingle and burn. Unable to move or blink he merely tried to focus on holding his head together. It felt like his mind was going everywhere while he tried to focus on the snake's eyes, Colors began forming where there had been none before, hot tears streamed from Hwyn's unblinking eyes and it felt as if the snake was projecting itself into him. Was he being killed was the snake going to eat him? Or was the snake doing something entirely different unable to move or turn away Hwyn watched as his world became a whirling maelstrom of colors and hues of the likes he'd never seen the only focus that wasn't actively changing were the snakes flaming eyes that pierced him to his very soul.

As the swirls became brighter and brighter Hwyn cried out though he couldn't be sure if he was actually screaming or if his mind was, and then the world became black. No sound, no color, no sensation, only an all consuming darkness. Had he broken? had his mind collapsed? Hwyn's last thoughts in the darkness were that now he'd never find what he wanted most, a place that wanted him.

Credit to Shimoje, the bestest buddy

[Hwyn]

The Path less taken

When sensation finally began to return the first sensation that came back to Hwyn was touch, he was laying down on grass it felt like, maybe? It was still hard to tell it felt like his whole mind had been stewed and his thoughts moved like syrup. Furthermore something heavy was on top of him, and it was moving. It felt like something had him pinned to the ground and was now receding off of him. Had he been mugged? Had he been knocked out in the maze? that would explain the horrid headache. Slowly the pins and needles in his hands began to subside and his senses were further coming together. His mouth tasted like bile and was incredibly dry. Sound had returned to him and wind and the rustling of leaves again greeted his ears.

Whatever had been on his chest was now gone but he swore he could hear something moving near by. Finally forcing his eyes open Hwyn was quickly blinded by midday sun, squinting Hwyn turned his head towards where he sound had come from just in time to see something that looked golden slipping into the bushes. When he saw it an immediate pain lanced through his head accompanied by a thought that was not his own.

"The path is yours to seek now"

And like that the voice and pain receded from his mind. Shakily standing Hwyn looked about his eyes were bleary and they kind of hurt. he saw what looked like tattered ribbons floating in the air, but after rubbing his eyes they were gone. what had happened to him the details of the night were like some horridly beautiful nightmare, but like a dream the details were already fading their had been a snake, of that he was certain. But beyond that he was not too sure.

Making his way again through the maze Hwyn slowly navigated the labyrinth until he came to a small fountain. Dipping his hands in he washed his face of the sticky sweat that he had acclimated and then he drank. But as he did so something caught his eye, his reflection had changed where once only green eyes would stare back at him, now something alien glared at him from the water. His eyes now had elegant shards of pink and red stemming from the center. A lance of pain shot through his head again as a memory stirred. "like the snake". What had happened Hwwyn wondered as he stared at his reflection.

New eye :

He remembered the emphasis the serpent had put on seeing, seeing the paths he wanted to see? but what did it mean? He was in Alvadas after all maybe it was all some mad joke, maybe he had become crazy like some of the pilgrims. looking hard at the maze Hwyn focused his thoughts on finding a "path" and in a moment his eyes blinked and new colors emerged. Faint windblown ribbons pulsed in the air down the maze. Following them Hwyn wondered if this path would lead him out of this maze. But just as he thought that his focus was lost and again the ribbons vanished.

So if he looked hard he could see something he had not been able to see before. walking for a little while letting his eyes rest Hwyn waited tell he came to diverging paths. Looking at the two paths Hwyn focused and slowly the colors came into view again heading to his left. Following the path Hwyn tried to keep his eyes focused on the trail mimicking it's turns and twists, sometimes he would lose it for a moment and panic and backtrack for a minute but he managed to find the trail again. After some several minutes he saw it. The exit to the maze. Running toward it Hwyn burst through the mazes exit happy to have finally made it out. But when he came out of the maze back into the bustling city, what he saw scared and confused him. The ribbon he had followed was gone, but hundreds more had taken it's place. Everywhere their were lights colors and ribbons, trailing after each person that passed by, like streamers in the air. A thousand tiny paths For Hwyn to follow, how then could he find the one to seek then?

Rubbing his eyes Hwyn let the colors fade away, his eyes hurt and his head throbbed. Whatever these paths were he knew that they were going to be a part of his life from now on. for better, or worse. Shrugging the boy meandered back to Ionu's temple to sleep off whatever this odd illusion was maybe it would go away when Ionu wanted it to, or perhaps it was something more than an illusion.

Credit to Shimoje, the bestest buddy

[Kaleidoscope]

 

CHARACTER 1

Skills

• Land Navigation: +2,
• Observation: +5,
• Foraging: +1,
• Investigation: +1,
• Pathfinding: +1,

Lores

• Alvadas: City of Illusions
• Alvadas location: The Garden of No Return
• The Garden of No Return: A beautifully kept maze
• Foraging: Recognising edible berries
• Hwyn: Seeking a place of belonging
• Memories of a golden snake

Comments
As of Summer 29th 516 AV Hwyn has learnt pathfinding. I will add this to your SS thread! Congrats.

Also, I am guessing that you really meant 216 AV instead of the 206 AV you've written as the timestamp? As Hwyn would only be 6 at that time, and probably living in SB right?

Enjoy your grade, and please don't forget to delete/edit out your grade request. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send me a PM.