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I grew up in Vastyr. The city has always been my home. I grew up surrounded by stone and had streets to guide me as a child. But like all residents of Vastyr, I grew up with stories of the wilds beyond the city walls filling my imagination. Vastyr makes up such a small part of the island but even so, it can feel like your whole world. It certainly felt like mine. And everything outside Vastyr was a magical unknown, spoken about by adults in soft voices.
I was more fascinated with the rest of Galen than most of my compatriots. The stories of the druids entertained me to no end. Eventually, I decided I didn't belong in the city. I was meant for green hills and a dedication to nature just like the druids in the stories and the few I saw in the Vine District. My parents assumed this was a young woman's fancy and that it would pass. They were mistaken.
When I was seventeen, I ventured out on my own with nothing but a pack of provisions and my favorite walking stick. I headed for Glimmertarn, the Stonelore Circle's settlement to the north of the city. I understood the Stonelore Circle to be the friendliest of the circles and most accepting of those who wanted to take up the druidic way of life. I charged confidently ahead, ready for a new beginning.
The Stonelore druids were as welcoming and accepting as the stories depicted and they set me up with a place to rest right off. The first night, the sounds of nature kept me awake despite how tired the trek had made me. I heard the howls of creatures I couldn't identify, the rustle of leaves, the dance of running water The next day, while exploring the various paths that run through and around the settlement, I stumbled through a patch of foliage that caused a horrible rash to spread across my legs. While nursing that ailment, I was told to eat to regain my strength. Unfortunately, the diet of the Stonelore druids was not particularly palatable to me. There were so many flavors I was unaccustomed to and all the textures felt wrong. And I haven't even mentioned the insects yet. I was nearly eaten alive. There wasn't a moment I wasn't scratching some part of my body raw.
After five days in Glimmertarn, I decided I had enough. My dreams of becoming Druid Parisse were swiftly and succinctly crushed by the terrifying reality of nature. Thankfully, the Stonelore druids who I interacted with most closely were very gracious. They assured me that I had nothing to be ashamed of, even if I wasn't cut out for living in the wild. I returned to Vastyr, hungry, itchy, tired, and thoroughly disappointed with myself. And here I have remained.
This account is important, not just for my own edification, but for others like me who grew up dreaming about the exotic life of the druids. I'm glad I honored the desires of the young woman inside me and explored the land beyond Vastyr's walls. Though my adult self eventually decided that she would be happier safe inside the city and not out among nature, at least I was brave enough to try.