You find the familiar visage of the esk enveloped in a deep quilt of black. She looks to the stitches of stars burning lightyears far, far from this place. The moss and ferns frame the vision, sheltering the esk in an otherwise expansive and lonely landscape. She appears to be alone.
There is silence—customary, familiar. The esk lays her mighty body down on the ground. She has been on an arduous journey so far, and longs to take a rest. The earth welcomes her.
There is silence—strained, unfamiliar. Then it is broken.
“We’re both old now.”
You linger until you feel as though you are intruding.
There is silence—customary, familiar. The esk lays her mighty body down on the ground. She has been on an arduous journey so far, and longs to take a rest. The earth welcomes her.
There is silence—strained, unfamiliar. Then it is broken.
“We’re both old now.”
You linger until you feel as though you are intruding.
An Apology
You probably don’t notice the light at first. The next room reveals itself to you softly, slowly - first with an ambient suggestion of light that gives you a little more to see by on the dim, shadowy path, and then with a strong, warm glow that keeps the shadows at bay and beckons you forward.
The light is mild and welcoming, and as you enter you see that it occupies the very center of the small room. It hovers in the air like a gentle sun or moon above you, and beneath it is a structure you know intuitively is safe to climb should you want to, despite the water trickling down to gather in a reflective pool beneath it. The shallow water is an undisturbed mirror until you stride forwards, and the gentle ripples make the reflected light waver.
A glance around the well-lit room reveals other small points of luminescence; you might spot glowing plants, shining pools of water or reflective particles in the air, mingling with the familiar moss-covered ruins and weathered wood. You can’t see a way out, or maybe you aren’t looking for one close enough since your attention always seems drawn to the levitating light in the room’s center when you look away.
Whether you give in and gaze into the light or you only catch glimpses every time you can’t help but look, things start to appear to you. They seem like afterimages and impressions at first, with strange colors and odd movements, but much like the room itself you slowly uncover what you’re looking at.
Whether this is someone in your past life, a fellow esk, an item, a place, or even your own reflection, this is someone that you have wronged. And your feelings about what happened come flooding back as the memory flashes in front of you, no matter where you turn.
You know what the right thing to do is, but will you do it?
The light is mild and welcoming, and as you enter you see that it occupies the very center of the small room. It hovers in the air like a gentle sun or moon above you, and beneath it is a structure you know intuitively is safe to climb should you want to, despite the water trickling down to gather in a reflective pool beneath it. The shallow water is an undisturbed mirror until you stride forwards, and the gentle ripples make the reflected light waver.
A glance around the well-lit room reveals other small points of luminescence; you might spot glowing plants, shining pools of water or reflective particles in the air, mingling with the familiar moss-covered ruins and weathered wood. You can’t see a way out, or maybe you aren’t looking for one close enough since your attention always seems drawn to the levitating light in the room’s center when you look away.
Whether you give in and gaze into the light or you only catch glimpses every time you can’t help but look, things start to appear to you. They seem like afterimages and impressions at first, with strange colors and odd movements, but much like the room itself you slowly uncover what you’re looking at.
Whether this is someone in your past life, a fellow esk, an item, a place, or even your own reflection, this is someone that you have wronged. And your feelings about what happened come flooding back as the memory flashes in front of you, no matter where you turn.
You know what the right thing to do is, but will you do it?
To continue on this Quest, you must draw or write about your Esk participating in something inspired by the scene above. You may interpret this prompt in any way you wish, as long as there is some sort of significant light source the Esk is interacting with. Depict clearly that your Esk is faced with something they have done wrong and that they should apologize for.
How does this room manifest for your Esk? What does the structure beneath the light look like? Is it a statue, a spiral staircase, a tower of rocks? Does your Esk recognize it? Does your esk climb this structure to get closer to the light, or do they hug the walls of the room to avoid it?
What other light sources are in the room? Does your Esk feel soothed by all these lights, or anxious? Welcomed or intimidated?
How does your Esk react to being confronted with the one they have wronged? Is it just one other, or several? Is it a specific incident that is being shown, or a series of them? Do they merge together for your Esk or is your Esk reminded distinctly of each separate offense? Do they feel guilt, remorse, or regret? Or do they feel defensive, cornered or aggressive? Is it a bit of both, or somewhere inbetween? What does your Esk do or say in response to these things being shown?
If the Conservatory glass panes aren’t visible due to the Temple room’s walls, you must add some elements of the specific Temple’s architecture or other magical or fantasy related aspects in your piece in order to qualify for the Quest. This can be achieved by adding in elements that seem unnatural, odd, or set up in a way they would clearly not be on Earth. (ex. A building floating upside down, floating platforms, etc.) This room will be personalized to your Esk, so feel free to explore its depiction in creative ways.
When you depict any secondary figures, objects, or places in your work, they must appear distorted, dream-like, or obviously out of place. (ex. If your Esk is insecure about their relationship with another Esk, depict clearly that the other Esk is not truly in the same space as them; rather a manifestation of your Esk’s memory.) This goes for objects, places, humans, animals and Esk alike. If other Esk are depicted, they do not receive the other Esk bonus.
How does this room manifest for your Esk? What does the structure beneath the light look like? Is it a statue, a spiral staircase, a tower of rocks? Does your Esk recognize it? Does your esk climb this structure to get closer to the light, or do they hug the walls of the room to avoid it?
What other light sources are in the room? Does your Esk feel soothed by all these lights, or anxious? Welcomed or intimidated?
How does your Esk react to being confronted with the one they have wronged? Is it just one other, or several? Is it a specific incident that is being shown, or a series of them? Do they merge together for your Esk or is your Esk reminded distinctly of each separate offense? Do they feel guilt, remorse, or regret? Or do they feel defensive, cornered or aggressive? Is it a bit of both, or somewhere inbetween? What does your Esk do or say in response to these things being shown?
If the Conservatory glass panes aren’t visible due to the Temple room’s walls, you must add some elements of the specific Temple’s architecture or other magical or fantasy related aspects in your piece in order to qualify for the Quest. This can be achieved by adding in elements that seem unnatural, odd, or set up in a way they would clearly not be on Earth. (ex. A building floating upside down, floating platforms, etc.) This room will be personalized to your Esk, so feel free to explore its depiction in creative ways.
When you depict any secondary figures, objects, or places in your work, they must appear distorted, dream-like, or obviously out of place. (ex. If your Esk is insecure about their relationship with another Esk, depict clearly that the other Esk is not truly in the same space as them; rather a manifestation of your Esk’s memory.) This goes for objects, places, humans, animals and Esk alike. If other Esk are depicted, they do not receive the other Esk bonus.