The Garden

Some places are cultivated. Others are tamed. And then, there’s The Garden—which does neither.

It is a place of endless bloom and quiet defiance, where seasons arrive politely but never quite settle in, and where paths of crunching white gravel wind through flowering meadows, marble statues, and trees that have no business bearing fruit year-round—but do so anyway.

It does not change.

No matter where in the multiverse the Inn chooses to wander, the Garden remains exactly as it was—untouched by time, unbothered by logic, and only mildly concerned with reality as a whole.

And yet, for all its stillness, the Garden listens.

When the Inn lingers in the dry, scorching heat of a desert world, the air here carries the warmth of a lazy summer afternoon, where shade is deep and the breeze is cool. When the Inn finds itself in the heart of an eternal winter, the air turns crisp and clear, like a chilly spring morning—never cold enough to bite, but just enough to remind you of the world outside.

Some say the Garden listens. Some say it watches. Some have gone looking for its secrets and never returned.

Some simply enjoy the apples.

A Place Between Stillness and Chaos

At first glance, the Garden is peaceful, quiet—a sanctuary from the chaos of the Inn. There are places to sit, paths to wander, trees to rest beneath, and just enough sun-dappled shade to lull an adventurer into a false sense of security.

Then, the details settle in.

The trees bear fruit year-round. The pond doesn’t always have fish. The hedges of the Maze aren’t where they were a moment ago. And somewhere, in the corner of your vision, something is watching.

Time does not press too heavily here. Conversations stretch on for hours without the weight of the outside world, and yet… it is never truly still.

Who you might find here depends entirely on when you arrive.

The Legendary Maids pass through in their downtime, though their definition of "downtime" varies. Some take the time to rest and relax. Others turn the Garden into a battlefield, using hedge beasts from the Maze for impromptu combat practice.

Seraphis Nightvale is sometimes found in the Gazebo, lost in the pages of a book. If she looks amused, you absolutely did not see the title.

Dave wanders through from time to time. He does not tend the Garden, and yet, when he passes, things seem a little more in place. No one comments on this.

Patrons gather by the pond, picking apples, speaking in hushed voices, or testing their luck with questionable fishing attempts.

It is a place of respite, but not entirely safe.

Some places are restful.

This one is simply waiting.

A Brief Tour of the Garden

The Apple Orchard

At the heart of the Garden, an endless sprawl of ancient apple trees stands in defiance of seasons, always in bloom, always bearing fruit. The apples are safe to eat—so long as you pick them yourself.

Briarhorn, the Satyr Groundskeeper, is always happy to offer fruit. Do not eat it. The apples are safe. Briarhorn’s fruit is for those seeking an experience, not a snack.

The Fish Pond

A perfectly ordinary pond that is, in fact, deeply not ordinary. Some days, it contains nothing but lazy goldfish. Other days, the shadows beneath the water stretch deeper than they should, and things with far too many teeth surface just long enough to watch.

No one has reached the bottom and returned, though some claim it leads to the Plane of Elemental Water.

A weathered wooden sign offers the only warning necessary:

“Fish at your own risk.”

The Maze

A labyrinth of shifting hedges, twisting paths, and dead ends that didn’t exist a moment ago. Most who enter find themselves back at the entrance before long, confused but unharmed.

Some do not.

No one has ever reached the centre and returned. No one knows what lies within. Dave, as always, is the exception. He walks in and out as he pleases, though he rarely does, and when asked what’s inside, he shrugs.

Sometimes, things come out of the Maze instead—angry, snarling things with an unreasonable number of teeth. The Legendary Maids or Briarhorn handle it. It’s just gardening of a different sort.

The Stables

Behind the Inn lies a stable yard, home to creatures both ordinary and utterly implausible. The number of stalls adjusts as needed, accommodating everything from battle-scarred destriers to mounts that defy both physics and common sense.

It is run by Jack Stables, who is exactly what one imagines when they think of a stable boy—down to the blond hair, blue eyes, and unsettling competence. There’s a rumour he’s a lost prince, but no one has ever asked, and Jack doesn’t seem to care.

The Gazebo

A white timber retreat, wrapped in roses and vines, tucked away in a quiet corner of the Garden. It is one of the few places where Seraphis Nightvale can be found outside the Library.

If she is reading, you absolutely did not see the title.

The Smithy

A roofed forge, its stone walls blackened with soot, housing a furnace large enough to concern lesser men. It is the domain of Kael Stonegrip, the Earth Genasi blacksmith who crafts blades that whisper, shields that hum, and armour that absolutely should not exist.

He can make you something legendary—if you bring the right materials, the right gold, and do not annoy him.

The Alchemist’s Cottage

From a distance, it is quaint, cosy, and unassuming. Up close, it is an immediate mistake. Strange plants tangle around its frame, a floating cat watches with undue judgement, and the entire place smells faintly of regret.

Fizz Thimblewick, the alleged gnome who runs it, is absolutely not a gnome. He sells potions, elixirs, and experimental ideas in bottle form.

Side effects are rarely discussed in advance.

Final Thoughts

The Garden is a contradiction of serenity and subtle menace, a place where peace and peril exist side by side, often in the same pond.

It does not change—not truly. It remains constant, untouched, and entirely too knowing.

It does not demand attention. It does not reveal its secrets.

And yet—

It is always watching.