Nature’s Rest
Realm of Erik and Geshtai
Location: Outlands / Ringlands
Now Nature’s Rest is a curious realm. Or perhaps double realm. See, it depends which direction you approach it from. Not direction as in north or Spirewards, cutter, but philosophical direction. See, it’s one of those curious places in the Outlands where things appear as you expect them to appear. In the case of Nature’s Rest, this can be one of two things. If you’re a basher from a land where forest groves are common, you’ll see the realm as a deep, dark peaceful forest. But if you’re a cutter who hails from a desert climate, to you Nature’s Rest will appear as an oasis of cool fresh water in a grove of ancient palm and date trees. So far, so Outlands. But even stranger, it’s not just the real that’s different. The sodding power who lives there is different too. Yes cutter, the nature power Erik of the Cerilian pantheon dwells in the forest realm and the water power Geshtai of Oerth calls the oasis realm home.
If this makes you scratch your head and put on your puzzled face then you’re not alone, cutter. First let’s look at what these two realms have in common, and then how they’re different.
Both versions of Nature’s Rest feature ancient trees, be they oak or palm. Both forest and desert groves are centres around a spring of fresh water; a clear pool in the forest realm, a perfect oasis in the desert realm. Both realms have a single standing stone what glows with a flickering blue light—and it’s this stone that seems to be the reason why greybeards reckon these places are the same realm rather than two that just happen to have the same name. Imagine powers being so careless auto not check something like that! No, there’s something deeper going on here. Just as powers can have multiple aspects, it seems some realms can as well. It’s just usually these aspects are in different locations—in this case though, they’re co-located.
Nature’s Rest the Forest
In its forest aspect Nature’s Rest is a perfect druid’s grove. There are many groves scattered across the Outlands—even more than there are nature powers, if you can believe that—but of all of them, Nature’s Rest is the most peaceful. Erik’s take on nature is one of serene calm. Tired of the constant bickering and petty warfare that mortals continually wage, Erik has decreed that none may lift their hand against another in his realm. Peace and serenity seems to flow from the very rocks here. Cutters who’ve tried to pick a fight here (and survived) tell tales of swinging swords turning to twigs, fireball spells causing flowers to bloom and even unarmed fisticuffs resulting in grasping vines tripping up or even encasing a combative cutter out of harm’s way.
No settlements or even permanent structures are allowed to mar the face of Nature’s Rest, and you’ll not find any palace or tower to spoil the perfect view. Erik does not need or desire the trappings of grandeur to make himself seem important—when he holds courts it’s in the open air under the wide skies of the Outlands. He welcomes creatures of all ancestries and alignments, and enforces the peace with a firm hand. Nature’s Rest is therefore a popular place for bashers to meet and forge peaceful agreements, although the realm is harder to find than the Spire, it’s certainly less of a walk to get there.
Nature’s Rest the Oasis
In its desert aspect Nature’s Rest is a perfect oasis of cool refreshing waters. There are many oases scattered across the Outlands—even more than there are trade routes through the steppes and deserts from one gatetown to the next, if you can believe that—but of all of them, Nature’s Rest is the most rejuvenating. Geshtai’s take on water is that it should be freely shared with anyone who needs it. So long as the berks respect the purity of the oasis, anyone is encouraged to drink their fill, replenish their waterskins, and rest for a while in the cool shade of the palm tree canopy. While the forest realm is notoriously hard to find, the oasis realm has a habit of appearing when it’s most needed by travellers, to offer respite and refreshment. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to find though, cutter; a berk has to be gasping for water with no reserves of drinking water remaining, dangerously close to harm. And then the realm appears. Of course, its quite possible that many times it does not, but those travellers never life to tell of their disappointment. So perhaps this isn’t something to put to the test too eagerly, eh?
Sources:
- Jon Winter-Holt, mimir.net. Canonwatch: The inter web claims Geshtai’s realm in the Outlands is called Nature’s Rest, which is canonically the name of Erik’s realm in On Hallowed Ground. It seemed an odd coincidence so I thought it deserved to be turned into some kind of divine scandal / mystery…
- https://ghwiki.greyparticle.com/index.php/Geshtai