A bright light flashes against the pale stone of the hallway. Another vision overtakes the surface. It is gently raining, clouds sprinkling the prairie with happy bells of rain. There is a yelp over the hillside, and the grand esk gently peers over the knoll to investigate. It is not a call of distress. A small grey esk rolls gleefully in the grass. It’s one of joy. Fledgling dickcissels flutter from the nest. The hedges which cradled their bodies crave the weight again.
The vision slides from the wall a little sooner than anticipated.
You continue on.
The vision slides from the wall a little sooner than anticipated.
You continue on.
Change
You let the chiming of distant water guide you into the next room, each resounding drop a little brighter and clearer than the last. The world brightens suddenly as you enter a sun-lit and musical space filled with waterfalls and crystal spires, intricate waterworks spraying all together in a symphony. Everywhere you look, light reflects off of water that is rising - rising in great walls and pillars that flow up instead of down, arching above to meet at a point high above that you can’t quite see. The sound of waves crashing upon the marble walls and water droplets plinking into great pools below echoes all around, in a strangely lilting and orchestrated tune. Perhaps the tempo is slow and steady, soothing; or perhaps it feels rushed and anxious, inciting restlessness. Perhaps it matches some part of your soul that begins now to sing along to its beat from somewhere deep inside of you.
A pool of water greets you as soon as you step inside, in gentle waves that lap at your paws and draw you further and further into the room. Much of this chamber is flooded: a babbling and streaming lake interspersed by small islands, marble tiles sitting precariously above the tide. Great fountains send streams of water shooting over your head as you explore the room further, navigating the irregular pools and rising towers of water.
As you wander further and further into the room, a glimmer of movement from the corner of your eye catches your attention. There in the rippling wall of water that is ever rising, your reflection stares back at you. And yet...
And yet there is something unfamiliar about it. Something that you do not quite recognize: perhaps there is a depth to your reflection’s eyes, a weight that was not there before, or the echo of some great strain that you find unsettling. Something about your manifestation has changed, if only in your reflection looking back at you from the water. And creeping along your spine is the strange sensation of knowing that while your reflection undoubtedly looks like yourself, it seems now to be another person entirely.
Perhaps the alternate version standing before you is one that you have always longed for, a you that you secretly wish to become. Or perhaps there is something haunting and unpleasant about the reflection, a change that you feel powerless to prevent. The familiar-yet-unfamiliar sight may fill you with hope or with dread, but still you find that your reflection dances alongside you step for step in the towers of water as you navigate through this room.
A pool of water greets you as soon as you step inside, in gentle waves that lap at your paws and draw you further and further into the room. Much of this chamber is flooded: a babbling and streaming lake interspersed by small islands, marble tiles sitting precariously above the tide. Great fountains send streams of water shooting over your head as you explore the room further, navigating the irregular pools and rising towers of water.
As you wander further and further into the room, a glimmer of movement from the corner of your eye catches your attention. There in the rippling wall of water that is ever rising, your reflection stares back at you. And yet...
And yet there is something unfamiliar about it. Something that you do not quite recognize: perhaps there is a depth to your reflection’s eyes, a weight that was not there before, or the echo of some great strain that you find unsettling. Something about your manifestation has changed, if only in your reflection looking back at you from the water. And creeping along your spine is the strange sensation of knowing that while your reflection undoubtedly looks like yourself, it seems now to be another person entirely.
Perhaps the alternate version standing before you is one that you have always longed for, a you that you secretly wish to become. Or perhaps there is something haunting and unpleasant about the reflection, a change that you feel powerless to prevent. The familiar-yet-unfamiliar sight may fill you with hope or with dread, but still you find that your reflection dances alongside you step for step in the towers of water as you navigate through this room.
To continue on this Quest, you must draw or write about your Esk participating in something inspired by the scene above. The room may be interpreted in many different ways, but must contain a reflection, or vision of a future version of your Esk. These moments can be personalized to your Esk, so feel free to explore them in creative ways.
How does this room manifest for your Esk? What changes do they need to make, who do they want to become? Who or what are they afraid of becoming? Is there a change they have been resisting or feel powerless to make? What things do they wish to remain the same? Perhaps your esk lingers in this room to dream about what could be, or perhaps the scene is distressing and they find themselves rushing past it? Are they sad about the changes they know are coming in life, or looking forward to the growth that change inevitably brings? Do they see hope on their horizon or pain?
Take special care with this prompt to avoid depicting non-canon modifications to your esk. Speculative purchases or transformations are non-canon and cannot be counted for points or depicted for this prompt. This prompt is to encourage introspection into the esk’s state, how they feel about who they are and where they are going.
If the Conservatory glass panes aren’t visible due to the Temple room’s walls, you must add some elements of the 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.) These obstacles can be personalized to your Esk, so feel free to explore their depictions 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 avoiding 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 changes do they need to make, who do they want to become? Who or what are they afraid of becoming? Is there a change they have been resisting or feel powerless to make? What things do they wish to remain the same? Perhaps your esk lingers in this room to dream about what could be, or perhaps the scene is distressing and they find themselves rushing past it? Are they sad about the changes they know are coming in life, or looking forward to the growth that change inevitably brings? Do they see hope on their horizon or pain?
Take special care with this prompt to avoid depicting non-canon modifications to your esk. Speculative purchases or transformations are non-canon and cannot be counted for points or depicted for this prompt. This prompt is to encourage introspection into the esk’s state, how they feel about who they are and where they are going.
If the Conservatory glass panes aren’t visible due to the Temple room’s walls, you must add some elements of the 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.) These obstacles can be personalized to your Esk, so feel free to explore their depictions 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 avoiding 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.