Natural Six

Welcome to Reliquiae. In this brand new D&D actual play series, we join our party as they are about to aid a sacred rite - The Deference - at the very centre of the world, on the peak of Mount Atria.

Welcome to Reliquiae. Join us for Episode 2 of this brand new D&D actual play series where, in the aftermath of The Deference, the party find themselves at the epicentre of an event that will shake the very foundations of the world as they know it.

Welcome to Reliquiae. Clear of the chaos that occurred at the summit of Mount Atria, the party finally have time for some quiet moments of contemplation by the fireside. But it's not long before dire circumstances spur them on to find a helping hand at the Festival of Benediction.

After a tense encounter with Jasme, the party are revitalized and eager for answers, yet facing a pivotal decision. Will they journey to Baruun in pursuit of Grawnoth, or stay behind to uncover the truth: is that really all caramel?

Last we saw our party, they had overcome surprisingly ferocious enemies, yet suffered severe casualties. Then they found themselves waiting, alone, in the deep, dark woods. Waiting for what, they didn't know. How will this stakeout end, who will emerge from the darkness, and will they ever make it back on the road to Baruun?

After diving headfirst into their latest pungent challenge, our heroes regroup to plan their next move. An old acquaintance might hold the key to unravelling their recent discoveries. Will fiery tempers and hasty words land them in even deeper trouble, or does The Web have plans of its own?

After the briefest moment of respite, a fraught meeting with the Spider Prince is suddenly on the cards. It’s time for the group to prove their worth to The Web, or see themselves and everything they care about go up in smoke. It turns out Baruun is far more dangerous than any of them could have imagined.

Join us for episode 8, as our heroes prepare to face the consequences of their rash actions in The Crest. Can they trust one another and accept the heavy toll as a team, or will they turn on each other and see their allegiances shatter?

Recovered, rested, and now level 5, our heroes set out to find Rashid and aid the Council of Equals, only to discover the Dwarven city of Lode has fallen to a mysterious organization. Will they be able to save the town of Mouse from a similar fate, or will treasures and memories tempt them away?

With supplies in hand and a reluctant, somewhat perplexed blessing from The Council of Equals, our heroes embark on their journey to Mouse. Uncertain of what lies ahead, will they be able to aid those in need, or will it turn into another wild goose chase?

Armed with the knowledge of the impending trials set by the Grēnweard brothers, our heroes ready themselves for the surprises that lie ahead. As they prepare to face the traps and tricks set by the brothers, will they overcome the challenges, or will secrets within their own ranks tear them apart? In the end, will it be traps, tricks, or trust that proves to be the greatest threat?

With friendships shattered and trust broken, can a family reunion heal old wounds? As Endellion faces the consequences of her desire for adventure, she must confront the pain she's caused those who love her. Will they find a way to unite and overcome their differences, or will fractured bonds cause the impenetrable Castle Grēnweard to finally fall?

As the battle for Castle Grēnweard looms ever closer, final preparations are made. Allies are rallied, stories exchanged, and the weight of the coming fight settles in. With the party divided, will their strategy to surround The Gloam give them the upper hand, or does The Gloam have a surprise of its own waiting in the shadows?

Driven by the need for answers, the party sets its sights on The Sanctum, but the journey is far from straightforward. Within the enchanted depths of The Mab Woods, a mysterious traveler offers truths—for a price. Yet, as these secrets unfold, some truths may cut deeper than expected.

As the team comes to terms with the weight of their secrets, rest is cut short by an urgent plea for help. The promise of a quiet night fades as they face unwelcome guests, but amidst the chaos, they can't help but wonder—wouldn't it be nice if they could all just drink wine and gaze at the moon instead?

Arriving in Yannick, the team encounters the House of Learned Friends—a university where debates flourish and bureaucracy reigns supreme. Decisions are endlessly delayed, tangled in red tape and philosophical arguments. But the source of the standstill is clear: one individual, burdened by a dangerous gambling debt. To uncover the truth, will they choose to roll the dice and join the game?

What started as a simple game of cards has quickly spiralled into chaos. Now, with the ante raised to dangerous heights, the stakes aren’t just for Yannick's future—they're gambling with their lives. In a game where every card played could be their last, will fortune favour the bold, or will Lady Luck offer the ultimate kiss of death?

While continuing their journey to The Sanctum, the allure of Veil proves too powerful to resist. Once alive with vibrant colours, joy, and music, the city now carries the weight of sorrow as its people mourn the loss of their God. Yet, even in grief, the Tieflings celebrate with songs of life and tales of great deeds. But beneath the melodies, danger stirs in unexpected ways. A reckless cocktail of drinks and missteps could lead to dire consequences, a sobering reminder that one careless moment might cost them everything.

The road to The Sanctum continues, but the message from The Sinless weighs heavy on Reliquiae. As the Fortis Legion tightens its grip, the Newly Dead find it increasingly difficult to conceal their identities. Danger surrounds them, yet the bonds of friendship between them grow ever stronger. Amid the mists of the Salt Road, long-buried secrets and feelings begin to come to light. A chance meeting may not only hold the key to someone’s past but help unlock the path forward. Yet even as flickers of hope emerge and answers feel close, the path ahead remains perilous—The Sanctum may not be the sanctuary they seek.

While The Sanctum may be in their sights, trouble buzzes in every shadow. The beautiful town of Seascale seems serene at first glance, but a deeper infestation —both in the lake and within its walls—has left people feeling uneasy. While Dolly shares a glass of wine and memories with an old friend who offers a flicker of hope, the Newly Dead face a sting to their plans. A simple job proves to be anything but, and an unseen predator circles closer, leaving the Newly Dead stung by the realisation that their every step has been watched—and their every move, marked.

With the true target unveiled, the party is forced to confront the vast reach of the Web once more. To face what’s coming, they need to make a daring choice: do they keep their potential enemies close—even if it sharpens the sting of betrayal? Over shared meals and unexpected gifts, the Newly Dead savour a fleeting calm before sailing headlong into the storm. The black waters of Fathom churn with unseen threats, and trust among the crew begins to unravel. The climb to the Sanctum offers no respite; as they traverse treacherous ravines and face shadows of their own making. But when they finally reach the top, how close is too close when your enemy weaves The Web you’re caught in?

The Web might be wide, but the stairs of the Sanctum are narrow, and every step upward is fraught with danger. When the Fortis Legion make their stance clear (with swords, not words), the Newly Dead are forced to rely on their wits, steel, and some… unconventional allies. As secrets come to light and battles rage, the party faces hard choices and even harder foes. With each roll of the dice, they move closer to uncovering truths that could define who they are—and what they’re fighting for. Will the Newly Dead survive The Sanctum?

As the storm rages and the rain lashes down, it becomes clear the Newly Dead will find no sanctuary in the Sanctum. To secure their future, they must take a leap of faith into uncharted waters. Rest, however, is fleeting as unexpected dangers test their resolve and challenge their faith in everything they once believed to be true. Secrets are shared, tempers flare, and those thought lost may be closer than they ever imagined. Their journey may lead them to the old home of the gods, a place where divine decisions and magic once shaped Reliquiae. But whatever answers they hope to find, they are not the only ones seeking them. In a world where identity is fragile, me, you, and I must unite to face what lies ahead.

The Newly Dead aren’t the only ones in Alveleon, as the shadowy organisation known as The Gloam already lurks in the ruined city’s depths, making their search all the more deadly. With danger closing in, the party is forced to divide and conquer. Raidion and Dolly must spin a web of charm and deceit to uncover the truth (and make it out alive) though some secrets are best left unspoken... or in some cases simply never spoken of again. Meanwhile, can Elowen, Kelnys, and I outmanoeuvre the threats and buy them some much-needed time? The race to The Old Dark has begun, but they’re not the only ones running.

Sometimes the last thing between you and the dirt is a well-placed dagger, but what does it mean when it’s lodged in your back? The Spinner’s words have left a wound that no blade could carve, splitting the party in ways they might not recover from. But there is no time to dwell on fractured trust and growing tension—if they want to reach The Old Dark first, they have to keep moving, even if this time, it's the Newly Dead on the menu. Getting killed? That’s the easy part. Surviving Reliquiae? Well, that’s going to be the real challenge.

Bruised, broken, and some even blighted, the Newly Dead take their first steps into the depths, seeking the elusive Kobold God, Themself. But in the winding caves below, where the history and stories of the Kobold tribes echo through the stone, there are far worse things to fear than what lurks in the dark. The weight of their own doubts press heavy, as whispers from The Web weave their way into wary minds, trust is tested, and resolve begins to fray. The Web would see them buried, but in the endless tunnels, can they claw their way back to the light and continue the fight?

The tunnels twist on, pressing in from all sides. Pressure, as they say, can forge diamonds, but will the Newly Dead begin to shine? Each step deeper into the dark forces them to confront what lies beneath, not just in the stone, but in themselves. Old wounds ache. Doubts gnaw. And when shadows twist and fear creeps in, it’s not just trust that wavers. But not everything in the dark is there to break them. Some things, surprisingly, ask for nothing at all. Still, the path out won’t be smooth. Something’s waiting in the muck. Something with a taste for adventurers...and a ribbeting sense of timing. The Newly Dead might be ready to hop out of these tunnels, but first? They’ll have to leap into a fight unlike any they’ve faced before.

The sun is warm, the forest is vast, and for the first time in a while, the Newly Dead breathe easy. But there’s more than pollen drifting on the air. Trust begins to bloom too. Beneath the trees, secrets are traded, not in whispers, but in truth. And in that rare stillness, something begins to mend. But peace in this place is fleeting. Not everything that grows in the forest should be picked. A promise of clarity, past, present, and future is laid bare. But for those who’ve seen what it really does, that promise is more curse than blessing. And when danger rears its head, there’s no time to reflect. Spells fly, plans shatter, and four legs are better than two. It’s messy. It’s wild. And it’s absolutely no time for horsing around.

In the forest of endless summer, there isn’t one clear path, there are many. As one takes a risk and disappears into the shadows, moving with nothing but silence and sheer nerve, as another stumbles into something far stranger. Learning of an old acquaintance with a new name, and a following that worships the Midnight Moon. Between whispered conversations and quiet revelations, not everything is as it seems. And not everyone is who they believed themselves to be. They have a plan: Bold. Dangerous. Direct. This time they might see them coming, but let them kneel. For the bowed head cannot see the blade.

They tried stealth. They tried grand plans. But this time, they take the front door. After all, they are delivering exactly what was promised. While the Gloam do not welcome their arrival, the Children of the Midnight Moon fall silent, awestruck, as the goddess they have waited for appears before them, though not all who are worshipped come willingly. The Newly Dead came seeking answers, not adoration, but under the eyes of the Midnight Moon, promises twist into chains, and worship becomes a cage. In a place built on belief and betrayal, safety is a broken promise.

Paths split. Adventures diverge. And yet, somehow, they remain twisted. Tangled like thorns, each thread pulling against the others but never quite breaking away. Some find strength in solitude - standing where no one else can - even when what you discover isn’t what you meant to seek. Sometimes rest brings revelation. And sometimes revelation brings a cost. We sacrifice pieces of ourselves, and sometimes others, in the hope that something else might be spared. Not every card in the deck is meant to be played. Some are drawn. Some are taken. And some…are kept.

Bartering takes many forms. Life for life. Belief for power. Captivity for freedom. But not every exchange is forced. Sometimes, trust is given freely, without trade or consequence. Yet it isn’t always magic, or steel, that saves you. Sometimes all that remains is faith, and the hope that those whom fate has tangled into your story will be there to catch you when you fall. And together, even the chill of death feels less certain. While it may linger, searching for peace in whatever form it can find, the strength to stare it in the face rarely comes from standing alone. At the end of it all, it’s the promise of the first strike, and the weight of the last, that leaves the deepest mark.

Some goodbyes are felt only in silence, in the quiet closing of a chapter. Others are painted in colour and contemplation. Some choose to burn, their smoke rising as a final signal of what’s ended. Yet with every ending comes a new beginning, a moment to plant the seed of change, to learn, and to lead. As the pinks of dusk give way to yellows of a new dawn, hope begins to flower. Even the smallest act can become that seed, and there is power in planting something new, in growing, tending, and rebuilding. Sometimes, to grow, you must reach forward and relive the moments you once tried to leave behind. Grief still carves its path, and memories cling, like roots deep and tangled, hard to pull free. But a hand outstretched is a burden shared and a future sown. And in the wake of summer’s end, the world continues to turn. Somewhere between dusk and dawn, and the lush green of summer, the reds of autumn arrive. Growth is rarely easy, but adventure always has a way of finding the light.

As autumn settles in, questions begin to form: of purpose, of planning, and whether the chapter of this story was simply by chance or design. Here in the forest, some things are sweet, others sharp, and some look fine until you discover what’s hiding inside. When you don’t know what you’re reaching for, you can only hope your friends are quick enough to keep the worst away. But the trees hide more than secrets. They reveal choices too, of what to take, where to go, and how to find what they seek. And to make the right choice? They’ll need to be more than lucky.

In the quiet of the forest, a plan begins to smoulder. While talent may prove reliable, it’s far from innocent, and with the air thick and heavy, not everyone is breathing easy. Some find themselves climbing to unexpected heights, though whether from inspiration or inhalation is anyone’s guess. In a forest where everything is watching, it pays to move carefully, speak softly, and keep the distractions loud. After all, subtlety is subjective, and when sabotage meets strategy, it can create a spark. Things shift quickly when the lines between brilliance and recklessness begin to go up in smoke. To move forward, they’ll need misdirection, momentum, and more than a little luck. Funny, how often the path to clarity begins with a little haze.

What begins as a descent soon reveals what lies below, and as the air thickens, the mind softens, even the strongest start to slip. Some wander. Some wake. Others are already too far gone. A spark can be salvation, and there’s no time to mourn when the flames come fast. Still, there are moments to be found for those who look hard enough. A chance to recognise a face, to offer a way home, and to wonder if anyone ever truly returns the same. While answers may lie in the dark, they’re not always the ones we seek. Some truths echo, others accuse, and some have the power to reshape a story entirely. What they find is not certainty, but something older: the ache of wanting to belong, the fear of being forgotten, and the hope that someone might still be searching. Through smoke and story, memory and myth, they search for something real. The questions may outnumber the answers, but the way forward is clear enough if they choose to take it together.

Stories are meant to be told, and some begin where others end. In the quiet of the caverns, farewells are spoken, lessons are passed on, and even the smallest of tales can take root in unexpected ways. Some stories are mischief, shouted too loudly. Others are softer, carried in memory, pressed between moments that will never be written. A few are darker still, full of loss, of questions and discovery. And some teach that strength is not always chosen, that the weight of a blade can change the hand that wields it. But stories also belong to those who dare to leave them behind. To those who walk away not because they are forgotten, but because they choose to begin again. And beyond the dark, another tale waits to be told, of mushrooms, magic, and maybe a touch of madness.

Fate is fragile, light enough to turn on the flip of a coin, yet powerful enough to make pawns of those who thought themselves players. As the pieces move, the board shifts, and the game is never truly theirs to command. Yet deeper in the dark, power is spinning into something dangerous. Lives are drawn and discarded like cards in a hand, played without hesitation, and spent without remorse, for not everyone chooses to play fair. Despite strength and skill, the rules bend, the stakes rise, and even the best hand may falter when the cost is nothing less than your soul. To survive they must outlast, outthink, and never underestimate the one across the board. The rules may be broken, and the odds stacked against them, but now that the pieces are set, they cannot leave the board.

Colour blooms where endings meet beginnings, a brilliance that lingers long enough to change those who reach for it. Memories unfurl in shades of truth, painting the past in wounds not yet healed. Yet revelations can fracture what once felt certain, as truths and lies entwine so tightly they almost look the same. But while they lingered in shadow, the world above shifted, reshaped into something more dangerous than they left behind. Paths stretch forward, but none without cost, and none without consequence. Hope can be born from endings, if those left behind are willing to shape it. Yet even as new futures are spoken into being, discord stirs, and paths diverge. When one demands more than the others can give, which path will you walk? What do you do when there is still so much to be afraid of?

Life is ever-moving, ever-changing. A weave of dreams and nightmares, the grotesque and the great. You might want to look cool, but it is not about how you appear. It is about what you live for and who you choose to fight for. A moment of rest can grant the gift of reunion, a chance to break bread and reflect on the paths that led here, and on stories shaped by fear, by loss, and by the desire to protect. Yet there is warmth in stories, in remembering who came before and in daring to paint the image of what comes next. While the paint of the past might still be wet, the colour of adventure is never finished. There is still so much to discover, if you can be strong enough to save those you love.

As winter greets them with open arms, the air feels cold, clean, and gloriously alive. Now, as the world stretches wide once more, breath can turn to laughter instead of fear. Yet, while freedom might taste sweet, it can be a little unsteady, and the path ahead may yet prove far bumpier than expected, and not everyone is built for the ride. Still, laughter carries on the wind, and joy finds its place amidst the chaos, offering a chance to reflect on love, loss, and lives once lived. In a world full of promise and poor decisions, if you choose to dance to the beat of your own drum, you’d best be ready for the rhythm that follows. And as the fire crackles and the snow falls quietly, they learn that even in a world where everyone knows your name, even the Newly Dead can still get ghosted.

Hope moves in mysterious ways. It can be found deep within, bestowed upon you by chance, or something you simply search for in others. But with hope comes fear, the fear of failing, of carrying a burden you never asked for. And though so many seek it, hope can so easily be lost somewhere between the harshness of winter and the reality of war. Yet hope offers a chance to teach, a moment to heal, and an opportunity to break bread with others. Even when feelings are still too raw, too heavy, or sometimes just a little too salty to ignore, it can still be found by those willing to look for it. In a world where nightmares and anger threaten to throw you off balance, sometimes the only thing you can do is stand up, take a swing, and let it all out. Because while the road ahead might still feel heavy, there is strength in knowing you don’t have to walk it alone.

To all who would stand for Reliquiae, The gods are dead. Murdered by those who sought to break the world they built. For millennia, they gave their strength so that Reliquiae might endure, their light burning so ours could remain. Now that light falters. Barabask and those who feed his hunger twist the truth and poison hearts. The Gloam march beneath his name, bringing the promise of a world drowned in shadow. They would see Reliquiae unmade, the gift of the gods turned to ash. But we will not let it fall. Stand with us. Rise against their deceit. Protect what remains of the light. Let your blade, your voice, and your faith hold the line. The shadow will not flood. The truth will be illuminated. The Last Light

Strength may hold you steady, but in the chaos of battle, when fear takes hold, even the surest hands can falter, and what once felt like control can begin to slip away. When reality feels like a nightmare, and dreams feel like the truth, trust begins to fracture beneath the weight of doubt, and when everything you love might slip away, whispers of power can be too sweet to resist. But between the safety of home and the road that still calls, sometimes strength isn’t found in the swing of a weapon, but in the act of letting go. Yet among it all, when armour can be traded for something far less guarded, there are still glimmers of what makes the fight worth enduring: a spark of laughter, a flush of colour, and the quiet reminder that charm can disarm just as easily as any blade. And when an impressive display turns every head, even those that hadn’t realised they were looking, it’s easy to forget that not every encounter requires a blade.

Sometimes a spark is all you need. A reminder that even in a world where the shadows threaten to flood, light can still be found. And when talk turns to chance, it becomes easy to wonder what might happen if you are willing to take the risk. Even if you only have a 10% chance of succeeding, sometimes it is more about the adventure you have along the way. Yet certainty can still feel fragile. A weight too heavy, whispers too sharp, and a hand that refuses to loosen its grip no matter the ask. Strength can feel simple until it is questioned, and harder still when you cannot tell who you need to defend it from. When the time comes, the world might demand a choice. In those moments when you are searching for joy, it’s a test of whether you have the strength to climb and the ability to hold on. And while the ride might be bumpy, the corners sharp, and sometimes even a little greasy underfoot, when you make it to the finish line, a little extra movement can go a long way.

There are places where freedom remains wild, hidden in a sanctuary drenched in sunlight, blossoming where magic lingers, weaving through trees and tales as old as time. Deep within nature, truths curl like a whirlpool, tugging at the threads of fate and all that lies beyond, and gazing upon its beauty can reveal much. One might see love, someone might find friendship, and another may stand before those who shaped them. And while some see what speaks to their heart, others will recognise the truth of who they are, giving voice to what once lay silent and revealing tales of love and loss that can finally be spoken, a story of pain carried across worlds, waiting for someone who could finally share it.

There are moments when spirits sink low, and the world needs something bold enough to send a ripple running through the darkness. Hope always has a way of coming back to the surface. Sometimes all it takes is a little mischief to keep the current moving. And when the race begins? Well, decorum might take a holiday, rules might drift conveniently out of sight, and the idea of always coming first becomes a touch…shellfish. Tricks can set the tide turning, bold choices can leave the competition half-mast, and every stroke sends another wave of chaos across the bow. After all what's good for the goose is good for the gander. But somewhere between the splashing, scheming, and spirited rowing, joy begins to crest again. Because sometimes you have to let go and trust that even the choppier waters can carry you forward. And if you happen to ruffle a few feathers on the way to brighter shores? Well, that’s all part of the plan!

There are times when victory tastes sweet, when flowers bloom, and cheers swell, and the world feels ready to celebrate. But even triumph can feel heavy when the noise grows too loud and when the eyes that follow expect too much. Sometimes the only way to breathe is to slip away and wander the quieter corners of a city that no longer remembers how to shine. For in the places where stories were once told freely, silence has begun to settle. Words falter, inspiration dries, and even the brightest spirits dim beneath an unseen weight. Joy has grown thin, stretched too tight, tugged away by something that feeds on the spark that keeps a city alive. And as laughter fades and passion drains, the search for answers becomes a race against the rising quiet. And in the hush of a hidden room, secrets cling to silvered glass, and as the truth gathers its shape, it’s the final step that brings you face-to-face with far more than your reflection.

There are stories that live in the night, and carried by voices willing to give them breath, woven with hope, and the reminder that beauty is worth protecting. A single story rises above the quiet, gathering hearts together in a moment almost bright enough to chase the shadows away. But even the most hopeful tale must make room for truth, and some truths arrive with weight. Choices must be made, and consequences must be faced. The path to atonement begins slowly, with broken shards and difficult promises. Sometimes the only way to defend what you love is to stand before the world and speak plainly. Yet shadows do not only fall across cities. They slip between people too, tugging at old fears and stirring doubts. A single choice, and tales from the past can echo far louder when witnessed, leaving questions that settle in the space between trust and truth. But somewhere beyond those lingering questions, the promise of celebration begins to weave itself together.

Sometimes, amid the pain and the long road behind you, moments of joy find their way through. Milestones worth celebrating because of everything it took to reach them. A chance to breathe and to remember why you keep going at all. After all, when you’re feeling a little stiff, a moment of relaxation can ease tension you didn’t even know you had. And while choices are cut and confidence measured, every stitch says something about who you are and what you are willing to show. Some designs come together cleanly, others need reworking, but joy has a way of finding its fit. Sometimes it slips on perfectly, sometimes it pulls a little at the seams, but it still makes the cut. Yet when voices of discontent try to sour the mood, not everyone turns away. Laughter holds where it can, excitement still flickers, and hope once more proves harder to smother than fear. After all, the party must go on, and when the music plays, the night begins to glitter with intent.

As the echoes of celebration fade, what remains are the conversations that linger long after the music has stopped. In the quiet aftermath of joy, truths surface more easily, fears are shared more freely, and the weight of what comes next can no longer be ignored. When the night ends, leadership is no longer a title to avoid, but a role that must be claimed. Yet even as resolve hardens, doubt finds its way in. Nightmares linger, questions sharpen, and trust begins to strain under the weight of secrets left unspoken. Knowledge calls to those willing to listen, stories buried in ink and memory, waiting for the right hands to find them. And when paths begin to diverge, the cost of silence becomes harder to ignore than the danger ahead. In the end, masks fall, intentions are laid bare, and a truth meant to remain hidden is dragged onto a stage for all to see. What was once a city of celebration becomes something more, a city ready to stand, to be counted, and to fight back.

When who you are and who you might become begin to blur, it’s no longer about the enemy you’re facing, but the truth you’ve been avoiding. A promise of power doesn’t mean it belongs in your hands. Strength can be taken, and it can be wielded, but it’s not the only way to endure. And when nightmares stop being warnings and start becoming challenges, the only way forward is to meet them face to face, even if it’s your face they’re wearing. In moments where spite might keep you moving, it’s trust that keeps you standing. Falling is inevitable, but getting back up is not. Sometimes the difference isn't made by the steel in your hands, but by who you choose to hold onto when everything threatens to pull you apart. Some burdens can only be understood when they’re laid down, reforged or left to burn up entirely. After all, the road ahead won’t ask what you’ve let go, only what you’re still carrying.

Some moments don’t wait for speeches or second thoughts, because in the space between one breath and the next, perfection can become perilous when the gauntlet begins. Sharpen your senses, steady your nerves, and take the initiative to jump into the fray, because while beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, it’s best not to look it directly in the eye. While every fight might feel like a drop in the ocean, it’s time to take the plunge. Calmer waters may await, but even they don’t stop what lies below from reaching the surface. Sometimes answers only appear when you look closer, and not everyone is ready to see what the reflection reveals. After all, it’s one thing to survive what’s in front of you, and quite another to face what’s staring back.

Things can surface whether you’re ready for them or not, a past drifting up, a present holding steady, or a future that leaves you with more questions than answers. Reflections don’t always clarify so much as they reveal, and not everyone is ready to accept what waits beneath the surface. Impatience has a way of being louder than wisdom, but magic has little interest in being shouted into submission. The water may wish to keep its counsel, and the forest has never been impressed by volume. There are other ways to be heard, to speak, and to share. Melody can thread itself through bark and memory, giving the forest reason to answer, as roots remember what you’ve abandoned and what you carry with you still. A reminder that you don’t need to be loud to be powerful enough to change the shape of the world. And when the final note fades, the path ahead shifts once more, because the forest isn’t finished yet, and neither are they.

As the forest continues to shift and breathe, not every path leads forward. As old wounds are brought back into the light, some memories still burn, and some remind you that even in ruin not everything might be lost to the flames. While the forest lingers on what was, not everyone has the patience to indulge it. When there are answers waiting beyond the trees, frustration is never far behind, but anger has a way of demanding the shortest path, and not every lesson worth learning arrives quickly. Sometimes the hardest thing to understand is not why someone carries their rage, but how they survived it long enough to set it down. The forest might promise more than ghosts, but just when it seems the trees may finally have said their piece, the path turns once more, and what waits ahead is ready to be remembered.

Not every path leads ahead. Some lead to what was left behind, unfinished, to choices made before you knew what they would cost. When the past takes shape, it can do more than strike. It can catch in your throat, lock you in place, and turn memories into a battlefield all of their own. Echoes of the past can hurt as much as the future in front of you, but not every battle belongs to the blade, because being a hero can be measured by more than the mark you leave behind. When something lost is returned to the world, every step forward can clear the darkness that has lingered for far too long. But after becoming whoever was needed to survive, it can be hard to tell which version of yourself is guiding, and which one is guarding.

Some fires consume, while others transform, but the difference may not be found in the flame, but in what you’re willing to place within it. Time has a way of changing people, even if old grievances insist otherwise. Years may dull the edge, but they may not erase the wound that sharpened it, and some flames can still burn inward long after the first spark. Sometimes healing begins when the hurt is forgotten, but other times it begins when both sides are finally willing to set it down. Old names, fears, guilt, and anger may be offered to the fire, but the test is having the courage to let them burn. After all, fire is not only capable of destroying what was, but sometimes it can reveal what remains.

Some things are easier to understand when carried side by side. An arm can be offered, a path can be shared, and an understanding that bonds don’t always need to be explained to be felt. The forest has its own ways of understanding too, and sometimes the greatest gift is simply being taught how to hear it when it answers. While some words can be carried through roots, others are left nestled among its branches, because the trees have always known that what grows apart doesn't have to grow alone. Yet it was never meant to be a place to remain, and even the strongest roots cannot stop a journey from moving forward, and when the path leads beyond the familiar, those willing to follow it may discover that knowing where you stand is not the same as knowing what lies beyond. After all, understanding the world around you is one thing, but seeing how much of the adventure still remains beyond your comprehension is another.

Help is always harder to ask for when it bears its teeth. Some things are easier to believe in from a distance, but when the world has little interest in offering answers gently, what should have been hope in the sky becomes a fight to survive beneath it. Sometimes the impossible arrives just in time, and when the past is no longer something remembered, but something standing right in front of you, it’s one thing to find that it’s survived without you, and another to discover it’s been carrying on in ways you never imagined. Yet futures can be lost almost as soon as they are named, and the sky has a way of taking back what it gives.

When something is taken, the distance between sense and desperation quickly disappears. Yet some dangers will always be worth running towards, even if every step carries you further from the ground you thought you knew. As the world begins to offer answers, each one leaves questions stranger than the last. But when enough loose thread leads in the same direction, coincidence can start to feel like the least believable explanation. Still, there are only so many miles the body can give before exhaustion begins to pull at everything else, making it impossible to know where one thread ends and suspicion begins. Some theories demand proof, but others only need one more pull before everything starts to unravel.

There are times when doing the right thing can leave you on the wrong side of the odds. One absence can outweigh even the best intentions, and even the most careful choices can leave you feeling the least prepared. When protecting one thing means leaving another exposed, the sting of your decision can be measured by what it costs. Traps are no less dangerous simply because they’re expected, and when cruelty is patient enough to work stitch by stitch, the thread you’ve been following may be the very thing holding the horror together. And when trust, people and plans begin to unravel all at once, survival is no longer measured by winning the fight, but by holding together long enough for desperation to answer the call.

A well placed arrow can slip through even the toughest of defenses. Such a wound can prove fatal for even the mightiest of warriors. Amongst unfamiliar shapes and hostile threads what choice does one have but to hold onto those that matter most to them? However, squeeze too hard and you'll cause more harm than none. Those who once held all the cards, may find themselves holding none. Our origins and our journeys are inexplicably bonded with those we might call family. When the journey has been long and the path has been difficult, it is easier to look forward, than back. After all, forwards is the only direction we can move.