The Wending Way

The Wending Way of the Oldrian Expanse. This ancient trail twists through some of the most magnificent flora ever documented, a living testament to nature’s artistry that few are privileged to witness.

The path itself seems almost alive, shifting subtly with the seasons as if guided by an intelligence beyond mortal understanding. Towering silverleaf oaks create a cathedral canopy overhead, their bark shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence that intensifies during the twilight hours.

Along the Wending Way, travelers encounter botanical marvels that defy conventional understanding. The undergrowth teems with rare specimens: Shadowmint that seems to have an aura of darkness, golden snowdrops that weep healing nectar, and phoenix orchids that bloom only once every seven years in brilliant cascades of flame-colored petals.

At the path’s terminus lies the crown jewel of the Oldrian: Lichen & Lumina, the original and first. This sprawling establishment occupies a perfectly circular clearing where the forest itself seems to have stepped back intentionally. The building looks grown rather than been constructed, its living walls woven from cultivated vines and roofed with a tapestry of flowering moss. Exotic gardens radiate outward in careful spirals, each section dedicated to different categories of botanical reagents.

The remote location of the Oldrian Expanse ensures that only the most dedicated can find their way to this sanctuary. Local legends speak of the forest choosing its visitors rather than the reverse. This inaccessibility led the masters of Lichen & Lumina to partner with the Veylins, establishing smaller boutiques in more civilized locations while maintaining their primary stronghold in this mystical wilderness.

The Seekers, however know the Wending Way. They make pilgrimages through the Oldrian Expanse to consult with the senior artisans of Lichen & Lumina. Here they are given assignments to acquire wondrous specimens and ingredients, which are often seen on the shelves at Veylins.

The Oldrian Expanse itself earned its name from the ancient travelers who first mapped its boundaries, marveling at its seemingly endless depths and the secrets it guards. They told tales of phenomena that rational minds struggle to accept: ethereal lights that dance between the trees when darkness falls, disembodied voices that whisper from the highest boughs, and clearings where time itself seems to flow differently.

Those few who have walked the Wending Way describe it as a journey that changes the traveler as much as any destination. The forest watches, learns, and remembers each footfall, weaving the essence of every visitor into its ever-growing tapestry of stories and secrets.