Waldon isn't simply a place; it’s a resonance. It began, they say, not with a single creation, but with a fracturing. A rift in the very fabric of the Everwood, a place where the trees remember things they shouldn’t, and the stones weep with forgotten sorrows. The roots of Waldon aren’t rooted in earth, but in echoes.
The Heartwood, a tree of impossible size and age, pulses with this fractured energy. Its leaves shift in colors unseen elsewhere, and its branches reach not for sunlight, but for moments lost.
“The silence here speaks louder than any storm.” – Elder Lyra, Weaver of Memories
Within the Heartwood's embrace lies the Borough, a collection of buildings that defy logic and geometry. Structures appear and vanish, staircases lead to nowhere, and the very air hums with displaced time. The Borough is sustained by the collected memories of those who have lost themselves within Waldon’s depths.
The inhabitants, known as the ‘Echoes,’ are not truly alive, but fragments of thought and emotion, bound to the Borough by the Heartwood’s resonance. They trade in secrets, offer glimpses into the past, and occasionally, attempt to lead travelers astray.
“Don’t trust the smiles in the Borough. They are reflections, not genuine.” – Silas, the Cartographer of Lost Paths
Protecting Waldon’s fragile balance are the Guardians, a secretive order dedicated to maintaining the Heartwood’s resonance. They are not warriors, but scholars, attuned to the subtle shifts in the Everwood’s energy. Their power lies in their ability to ‘bind’ lost echoes, preventing them from overwhelming the Borough.
The Guardians operate from a hidden temple, carved directly into the Heartwood’s trunk. The temple is accessible only to those who have proven their worth, a test of patience, intellect, and empathy.
“The Everwood remembers everything. It judges all.” – Master Kaelen, Keeper of the Resonance
A minor tremor in the Everwood, attributed to a celestial alignment. The first sign of the fracturing began.
The initial manifestation of the Borough. A small collection of buildings appeared within the Heartwood’s embrace.
The first Echoes coalesced, drawn to the Borough’s energy. The Borough began to expand.
In response to the growing instability, the first Guardians were formed, dedicated to containing the fracturing.
A period of intense stability, during which the Borough’s growth slowed. A time of contemplation and study for the Guardians.
Waldon continues to shift, to unravel, to rebuild. The fracturing is accelerating, and the fate of the Everwood – and perhaps the world – hangs in the balance.