In the tranquil village of Elmswood, a mysterious tradition binds every soul to a destiny. On their 18th birthday, each villager is summoned by a door-a passage to their true calling. But Liora fears hers. While others eagerly embrace their fate, sh...
Nestled among the wisps and branches of Shefway forest resided Elmswood village. The village is surrounded by towering trees whose branches form a protective canopy, filtering the sunlight into a gentle, dappled glow. The air is filled with the scent of pine and earth, mingling with the faint aroma of blooming flowers from the well-tended gardens scattered throughout the village.
The homes in Elmswood are a charming mix of thatched cottages and sturdy wooden houses, each adorned with colorful shutters and flower boxes. Cobblestone paths wind through the village, connecting the various homes and communal buildings. The central square is a bustling hub of activity, where villagers gather to trade goods, share news, and celebrate festivals. Here, a large stone fountain serves as a meeting point, its soothing sound of trickling water adding to the peaceful atmosphere.
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Fields of golden crops surround the village, tended by diligent farmers who work in harmony with nature. Beyond the fields lie orchards laden with fruit, and gardens filled with vegetables and herbs, providing the community with a bounty of fresh produce. The village is also home to a small schoolhouse, a library, a smithy, and a healer's hut, each essential to the daily life of the villagers. A peaceful community, all living in harmony and tranquility together, thanks to the power of the doors.
No one really knows where the doors come from, how they work, or who even sends them, but always there they have always been. Appearing for each individual member on their 18th birthday, no one knows where but when the clock strikes midnight to signify the start of a new day, that person, be they man or woman suddenly knows exactly where that door is to the precise, minute co-ordinate. They go to find their specific door, a journey that could take days, weeks, or even sometimes months, but once they return back from their journey, they are never the same again. This is because once a person steps through their door their true calling is shown to them, enlightening them with their life's true purpose by transforming them into who they were always meant to be.
This does not just happen in the village of Elmswood, this is the way it works across the entire isle of Parthseas. The majority all go through their own door when the time comes upon them, hence so many communities living in tranquility, being able to return to their home to be able to provide the service they were meant to.
This is why it is a rarity to see any individual traverse through the land, going from one village to the next, because the majority feel they do not have to go in search of anything else, everything they need is right back at home. The special few that do is because that is what they are meant to do, the calling that is bestowed upon them. They are known as the guides of the island.
The guide's whole purpose is to go from village to village, community to community, to help those who are languishing in fear of taking that step through the door. It is a very rare occurrence but is something that happens, to those who are scared of the change, in fear of seeing what comes next. The worst though are those who choose to ignore their destiny completely, because if one chooses to ignore the door for enough time then the door will be shut. Those who never choose to take that next step then are shunned from their community, start to slowly decrepit, and be cast away to the darkest corners of the island to wallow in despair over the decision that they had made.
