You look to the walls of this passageway, but the esk is nowhere to be found. The scene melts around you, weaving around strange, large-coned plants and shaggy trees. It’s when the vision is wading through seas of ferns when you realize you are looking through the esk’s eyes. A small shadow darts above, and the vision pans upwards as the esk raises their head. They pause, holding still, and you can almost feel a warm presence land on the back of your shoulder blades. A small and rambunctious form clings to your fur, scampering to climb to your head. The vision bobs as the esk flings their head gently skyward. The smaller esk erupts into screeching laughter as they soar into the canopy, landing ungracefully on a mossy bough. Though their joints ache, the esk lumbers forwards towards the smaller one high in the trees. Words are said, chittering half-formed riddles with nonsensical answers, but you—they are only half listening. Despite the warmth of the scene and the warmth of the humid forest surrounding them, the esk privately wonders when the twinge of ice in their heart will spread here too. When they’ll inevitably cause bark to snap. When their little companion will wisen up and move on, just like the rest. The scene crumples black at the corners. The esk is crinkling their eyes in a smile.
You stay until you cannot stand it any longer.
You stay until you cannot stand it any longer.
Deep Insecurities
As you step into this next chamber, another strange sight befalls your eyes.
Situated in the center of the room is a large, yawning pit. You may circle around it at a distance, giving it a wide berth as you scan the smooth and delicately curved marble walls of this room. Perhaps you curiously bound up to it, immediately captivated by the strange structure sunken into the center of the floor. Regardless of what actions you take, you discover that there is no exit except down and through.
A light feeling creeps in, one that prickles anxiously at the back of your mind. The path onward seems deceptively easy. Straightforward, even. But as you begin to descend, the Temple’s challenge becomes clear. Voices, visions, whispers, memories all sing and dance on the inside of this chasm, projecting on the cylindrical walls your deep insecurities.
Whether they’re fresh wounds or old sparring partners, these insecurities follow you down, down, down, all the way to the bottom where the exit lies.
Situated in the center of the room is a large, yawning pit. You may circle around it at a distance, giving it a wide berth as you scan the smooth and delicately curved marble walls of this room. Perhaps you curiously bound up to it, immediately captivated by the strange structure sunken into the center of the floor. Regardless of what actions you take, you discover that there is no exit except down and through.
A light feeling creeps in, one that prickles anxiously at the back of your mind. The path onward seems deceptively easy. Straightforward, even. But as you begin to descend, the Temple’s challenge becomes clear. Voices, visions, whispers, memories all sing and dance on the inside of this chasm, projecting on the cylindrical walls your deep insecurities.
Whether they’re fresh wounds or old sparring partners, these insecurities follow you down, down, down, all the way to the bottom where the exit lies.
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 a deep chasm of some sort that your esk must traverse. Depict clearly that your Esk is reflecting on their insecurities as they move through the space.
How does this room manifest for your esk? What does this dark hole look like? Is it a deep, dark well that echoes their deepest fears? A vortex of churning water and turbulent memories they must battle through? A shadowy sinkhole with silver steps that slowly become overtaken by cool water? A chasm in a glacier, where frigid figures follow you down into the twisting ice?
Do they plummet down? Do they slink over stairs? Do they move as fast as they can, or get swept up in reflecting on the scenes before them?
What is your Esk insecure about? Their abilities? Their actions? Their purpose? A relationship with another esk? Something in their past life they’ve yet to forgive themselves for? Not living up to their own expectations now? In what ways do these insecurities manifest in this room?
How would your Esk react to this room? Are they surprised by their true insecurities or are they all-too aware? Do they seek to avoid them, confront them, or do they accept them as parts of who they are? How do they finally move through the room to the other side?
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 this dark hole look like? Is it a deep, dark well that echoes their deepest fears? A vortex of churning water and turbulent memories they must battle through? A shadowy sinkhole with silver steps that slowly become overtaken by cool water? A chasm in a glacier, where frigid figures follow you down into the twisting ice?
Do they plummet down? Do they slink over stairs? Do they move as fast as they can, or get swept up in reflecting on the scenes before them?
What is your Esk insecure about? Their abilities? Their actions? Their purpose? A relationship with another esk? Something in their past life they’ve yet to forgive themselves for? Not living up to their own expectations now? In what ways do these insecurities manifest in this room?
How would your Esk react to this room? Are they surprised by their true insecurities or are they all-too aware? Do they seek to avoid them, confront them, or do they accept them as parts of who they are? How do they finally move through the room to the other side?
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.