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The Oaks of Avalon

Having left the lush forest behind you, you find yourself near the shore of a wide and tranquil lake, rolling thickly with a calm and ethereal blue mist.... An ancient and winding path leads you from the woodland foliage, but instead of following the lakeshore, the path seems instead go directly towards the waters, its destination concealed by the impenetrable and shimmering mist.

Intrigued, you walk the path, feeling yourself enshrouded in the cool embrace of the mists, your feet seeking the path, not knowing where you will emerge, expecting at any moment to feel the sparkling waters of the lake licking at your ankles

But instead of the waters, your feet find solidity, and brush through grasses... as you press onwards, the mists thin and recede, and before you you see the otherwordly shores of Avalon... your pure heart and courage have brought you to a place of legend, of which most can only dream. Turning to see behind, you see only a veil of opaque mist, guarding this world from those unworthy

Before you, the emerald mosses and reeds slope gently uphill...there is a thick line of apple trees, ancient and knotted, their limbs heavy and nearly scraping the ground with lush fruits... they bear them year round, the apples of the Otherworld and Immortality.... Plucking a fat and shining apple and tasting of the Mysteries as you pass, you climb the rise ahead

Small, low buildings of stone and wood cluster off to the right. These are the houses of the Priestesses of Avalon, reknowned healers and mystics, the wise and gifted followers of Ceridwen... A slightly larger dwelling is the House of Maidens, where the initiates dwell... tidy and well-kept gardens of herbs for medicines grow around them and the priestesses, in their dark and simple robes, tend them and mix their medicines as you pass. Their brows are marked with a crescent moon, painted rich blue with fresh woad, a mark of their vows to the Goddess. Magick lingers about you and the priestesses cast blessings upon you with nimble white fingers

The path winds on, through the Fae meadows, and all around you you can sense the presence of the Old Fae Folk, though they are far too clever to be seen. Allies to the Isle, they are feared in the world of men as mystics and immortals... They are loyal to the Queen of Avalon, as she carries some of their ancient royal bloodline within her... you pass through the whispers, unsure if it is the Fae you hear or simple the conversations of the trees.

Ahead you see a long sloping stretch of earth, called the Tor... at its crest is a circle of great standing stones, a ring of great stone monoliths standing cold and imposing, and you can sense the power surging off them as you pass... this circle is the Giants' Dance, and a place of great ritual and ceremony.

Not far from here are the small homes of the Druids and the Bards, much like the priestess'... gardens are well stocked with medicinal plants, and instruments of learning, such as compasses and maps, are spread about... from the bards can be heard sweet lingering music of harps and lutes...an occasional voice lifted in song...Ancient languages spoken cryptically, and the feeling of magick in the air...Men and women in flowing robes of green and white nod solemnly in greeting as you pass by, the path once again weaving between trees and into a dense woodland of sacred trees... Yew, hawthorn, oak, fir

You hear the clink and hiss of steel before you see the source; you can hear the harsh cries of exertion as men cross swords, and a great many voices calling encouragement or to one another with laughter. Within the woodlands are small clearings, and there you see strong warriors of nearly every origin training hard at combat, and forging weapons... the various Legions of Avalon, protectors of the Isle and soldiers of Light, are hard at work honing their legendary skills. Long low barracks, and a forge and blacksmith...stables...As they catch sight of you, all turn, alert... but seeing you mean no harm, they smile and raise their swords in salute as you pass.

The Main Room

Arts and Entertainment - The Oaks of Avalon Just as you think the woods can get no denser, a sudden clearing, ringed with massive Oak trees, trunks thicker than a man's height... they tower, mammoth and ancient, their arms forming natural buttresses to a canopy of lush greenery that overhangs the sacred grove. Up their knotted and roughened trunks grows the mistletoe sacred to the Druids. These are the Nine Oaken Guardians... they see all, hear all... and they whisper amongst themselves. The light of the sun and the moon filter through the leaves to play on those who gather within, and the smooth earthen floor pulses with the energies of the earth and the spirits that congregate towards the Light here... There are no walls, no doorways, just the massive towering oaks in their perfect and timeless circles. Crowning the spaces between them are intricate archways of stained glass, crafted by the Fae themselves. In each is shown one of the many faces of the Goddess, and try as they might to agree on the faces, each man sees them differently...tis the Fae magick. At the bases of the oaks are large, smooth stones flat enough to be used as tables, and comfortable cushions... There is no bar... instead, Fae pages rush about bringing wine, drinks, and pastries. In the North is a low throne made of gilded stags' antlers and padded with soft green moss, the seat of Morgaene. An oaken Advisor's seat, that of Blutrayal, and a large chair made of Hawthorn, that of the Second, Silensett, sit in lieu of the dead King Yrallyn's throne. To the East of the circle is an exquisite harp, edged in golden runes. It whispers to its mistress, the Queen....and some say it holds the druid's spirit within it... a place of peace it is... and magick... The beauty of this place is wild and otherworldly, unlike the manmade palaces of elsewhere in RhyDin...it is half created, half Creation itself and its splendour is unlike anything matched with marble or stone, granite or jewels. Remember the path well, for few in this lifetime shall ever come as far as you now have.

beginning stage of construction, please check back in a few days 1-17-97 to reach either the queen, or the web designer, contact KaelReneua @aol.com Morgaene, queen of Avalon

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